Review - Hack/Slash #6

Hack/Slash #6 by Image Comics. Written by Tim Seeley. Drawn by Daniel Leister. $3.50.

This issue leads into the new storyline that mostly centers around Cassie and Vlad. She is seeing Slashers kill people in her dreams and heads to LA to find out who the slasher is and to kill them.

It makes fun of Lady Gaga, Jersey Shore and rappers all in one issue. Once again the artwork is back with the regular artist and doesn't miss a beat in this issue either.

The comic is simply a guilty pleasure to all the fans. Tim Seeley brings his creations to life but is not scared of playing around with them as well. I think he has had a better time at it since he has moved to Image Comics, and will continue to bring out a solid book for the fans.

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Review - Hellblazer #281

Hellblazer #281 by Vertigo/DC comics. Written by Peter Milliagn, Drawn by Giuseppe Camuncoli. $2.99

Part five, and the end to the storyline of Phantom Pains. In this issue Gemma finally springs her trap on John only to find out she might have been mistaken. The demon looks like a half hawk and half female, taking the form of one of the Furies and proceeds to kick Johns ass as he struggles with something he thought he got rid of: fear.

The story has been compelling, showing John in a different light as he is now married and has other things to worry about. Gemma on the other hand seems to be in a world of her own, or that they are trying to develop her as a mage in her own right. Renee, his new wife, is one hell of a alchemist and I can only assume that she will become more and more intertwined in future story as they are written.

One note here, DC, the owner of Vertigo, has decided to bring John Constantine back into the "super-hero" universe. It isn't certain if this will impact future issue of the Vertigo title or if the "super-hero" John Constantine will be a separate entity in himself.

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Review - Gore #3

Gore #3 by GG Studios. Written by Alex Crippa, Drawn By Emilio Laiso. $2.99

Ok, I think it is time to let this one go. I have given the art a good review and stood by for three issues to give it some "room" to develop, but now it just seems slow going and some S&M's idea of a fairytale.

The guy can draw, I will give him that. His women look very hot but his men all look fat or they have a chin bigger than Jay Leno's. His designs for the "evil" fairytale people, are unique but make me think I am getting ready to read a S&M comic or a snuff film.

The story and characters are not developing very well. You can barely tell what fairytale person is who, and when they introduce a new one, like in this issue, they don't even tell you who they are. It is getting confusing as hell.

I think the writer had a good idea, it was a interesting take on the fairy tales, but he seems be too slow in developing it. I want to know more about the "evil" people not just see the main "hero" run around all the time in the story. Plus it seems the "evil" females are more thought out then the males, making this, in all honesty, a tits and ass comic.

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Review - Witch Doctor #2

Witch Doctor #2 by Image Comics. Written by Brandon Seifert and Drawn by Lukas Ketner.

I'm sorry this cover is funny. I have seen guys give worse looks at a baby when it shits its pants, I can imagine the look anyone would give it if it looked this this, lol.

Oh my god this issue is hilarious and so many baby jokes that will make you laugh your ass off. How do you get a demon baby to drop its glamour? " Shake a baby! Shake it like a Polaroid picture! --of an Etch-a-sketch--and some Maracas!" And that is just from two panels.

These guys are hitting the mark like a bullet from a gun. It just gets better and better. The artwork brings eerie visuals to the creations of the demons and the writing is just fantastic, it keeps you reading and puts the humor in perfectly. They have also made it easier to read by explaining the more "doctor terms" in the story. I know this is just a four issue limited series, but I hope they make it a monthly because it is one of the better titles to come out in the comic world recently. This is a definite buy for any fan of the paranormal, horror, even metaphysical style of comic reading and collecting.

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Review - American Vampire #17

American Vampire #17 by Vertigo/DC Comics. Written by Scott Snyder. Drawn by Rafael Albuquerque. $2.99.

"All Right you ugly fuckers...now you made me mad!" Skinner Sweet.

Ghost War continues as the group breaks out of their cells and with Skinner in the lead, start killing anyone in their way. But almost all is lost when they are trapped and see no way out.

This issue is a blood bath. After waiting for Snyder to have Skinner cut loose, you get to see him ripping the Axis forces like a knife through butter. Rafael just brings on the pain as his visuals bring to life the race to escape and the gory blood bath that Skinner gives to any in their way.

When all but Henry seems to be dead, Skinner saves him so he can kill him himself only to be stopped by Pearl, who masqueraded as a nurse to get to the island.

The next issue will be a shit-kicker, since Skinner and Pearl will finally square off against each other, with Henry as the prize.

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Review - Rachel Rising #1

Rachel Rising #1 by Abstract Studios. Written & Drawn by Terry Moore. $3.99.

"Death s not the worst thing that can happen to you." Plato.

Terry Moore is known for his series Strangers In Paradise that was praised by anyone that read it. He has written or drawn titles for Marvel and DC over the years but still loves the self-publishing freedom to write what he wants to.

The story starts out with Rachel dead and buried. But as a mysterious woman looks over her make shift grave, she comes to life and forces her way out and stumbles away. She then goes home and tries to piece together what happened to her.

Terry is known for telling a lot of his story in the pictures without words and most of this comic is that way. But don't be fooled, he is a master at doing it. He makes completely thought out characters, even the not so important supporting cast, that compel you to read his comics and want to see what happens. This title is no exception.

Being as it is just the beginning, you are left hanging at the end, but it just makes you want to see the next issue even more. Though this is his first endeavor into the horror genre, with his past accomplishments, I am sure this will be another winner for him.

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Review - Severed #1

Severed #1 by Image Comics. Written by Scott Snyder & Scott Tuft. Drawn by Attila Futaki. $2.99.

Severed is set in the 1900's and follows a young boy that plays a violin. You start off seeing the boy as a old man as he tells you his story. He was a orphan that was adopted and after getting a note from his real father, decides to go find him, so he runs off to hop a train.

I understand where they are trying to go with this title, but the first issue is a bit slow. Setting up the title is always hard and keeping the readers coming back even harder, but so far the story doesn't do that. You do get to see some creepy old man in the final page, but I can only assume that the coming issues will be better.

Scott Snyder, of American Vampire fame, is a fantastic writer, but co-writing this makes you wander if he plotted it, or just helped come up with the idea, because it doesn't seem to have the same flair as his other works.

If you are looking for a really scary comic, so far this isn't it. Should you give it a few issues to get its blood going, yes. I think it will get better as the story develops. But in a industry that tries to grab you into the title and keep you there from the beginning, this didn't do it for me.

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Review - 30 Days of Night Night, Again #3,4

30 Days of Night Night #3 & 4, by IDW. Written by Joe R Lansdale. Drawn by Sam Keith. $3.99.

Ugh, this was a painful two issue to get through. I finished getting the limited series in hopes that it might get even slightly better, but Oh was I wrong.

It sucks. Plain and simple, it sucks. Not like Crossed, penis' flying sucks, more like who wrote this crap and did Sam Keith even give a shit about the artwork, sucks.

I remember when Sam Keith came out and was like the hottest thing. His style was different and unique, more so than many of the current artists. But, my god, you would think he might at least try to do better, this just looks like he wanted a paycheck.

The story is crap, the vampires are crap, the dead Golem that they burn to melt so it can take over the last survivor of the group of people that came across the ice for safety, crap, how they kill the vampires crap, the ending LOADS of crap.

All I can say is if you a huge fan, and I mean Mega huge fan of Sam Keith or the 30 Days of Night series then you will love the shit out of this. Everyone else stay the fuck away, you are wasting your money.

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Review - Crossed #4

Crossed #4 by Avatar. Written by David Lapham. Drawn by Raulo Caceres. $3.99.

Ahhhh my month is complete now that I get to read this piece of classical literature. Like all great stories it starts with a woman barfing and leads right into a skinned man and woman. Not to be out-done, they continue with a man having sex with a comatose woman only to slap her around because she starts to cry.

This classical piece continues with more sex and another man fantasizing about joining in by sodomizing the woman. Mark Twain would be proud. But wait, true to form, we then go to a man that had his penis cut off, probably being worn by some lovely lady as a high quality necklace.

But this issue couldn't end without a return to the high quality scene of people in a swimming pool that is full of blood and body parts that are put in it with wood chippers and mowers. Oh did I mention the bodies that are being used to chop up are live children and babies. William Shakespeare himself can only dream of writing this good of a story.

Oh fuck, I can't believe I got thru this review with out drowning in the bullshit I have been spewing. Once again this comic and story is the biggest piece of shit I have read since the last issues. Really, it's bad, so bad I think Avatar should be paying it's customers to read this, or at least do like they did in the eighties and poly-bag it with a barf-bag or better yet, a check for $3.99.

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Review - American Vampire Survival of the Fittest #2

American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest #2 by Vertigo/DC Comics. Written by Scott Snyder. Drawn by Sean Murphy. $2.99. Five Issue Limited Series.

Issue two starts with a bang as you see Dolly being confronted by Skinner Sweet in her home, only to find out it was a dream, a dream with her naked through most of it, but a dream.

We find our two heroes on the way to the Nazi castle to rescue the good Doctor. They are shot down but sill make it to the castle only to be confronted by the 77th Brigade. Let's just say that is bad, real bad.

Scott Snyder has really done well with his development of these two characters, both with the desire to rid themselves of the "taint" of Skinner Sweet. A cure they hope the good Doctor will have for them.

Sean Murphy's artwork is only rivaled by Rafael's dealing with these characters. He draws Dolly Book in a sexy deadly way that makes you want her, but are not sure if she will shoot you if you approach her. Cash on the other hand is made to be gritty, wise old man with a gun in your balls kind of guy. As well as all the other supporting cast, he really brings this limited series to life. The best part of this series is that you can enjoy it without having read the original series.

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Review - American Vampire #16

American Vampire #16 by Vertigo/DC Comics. Written by Scott Snyder. Drawn by Rafael Albuquerque. $2.99.

Best line in the comic: "Semper Fi, Mother-Fuckers!" said by good old Skinner Sweet.

This issue continues the Ghost War storyline and we start with the group having been captured by the Nazi's who are making the new vampires that can hurt even Skinner.

Scott Snyder uses this issue for Henry, Pearl's husband, to reflect on his life and to come to a decision once he revels that Skinner Sweet is one of the members of the team.

I can never give enough praise for the visuals that Rafael Albuquerque brings to this comic. I am not sure that many other artists could have done this book, or done it well. He is really coming into his own, making each panel dark and foreboding, he makes you want to see the next page and what is coming.

This comic has won the Eisner Award once already and is up for it again, and i find it hard to believe it will not win. This is one title that will be a winner for Vertigo for years to come, maybe even be developed into a movie if we are lucky.

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Review - Hack/Slash #5

Hack/Slash #5 by Image Comics. Written by Tim Seeley. Drawn by Kyle Strahm. $3.50.

The guest artist in this issue is fantastic, almost with a Simon Bisley feel to him, but damn it is one hell of a ride with him drawing this issue.

This is a stand alone issue that brings back Fantomah to the title. She is basically a goddess of the jungle, kind of along the lines of the Phantom. She has been captured for sixty years and comes back to her forest completely destroyed.

She comes to in list the aid of Cassie and Vlad, but ends up tricking them into attacking the regular humans that were in charge of destroying her forest, instead of slashers.

The story is your stereo-typical save the trees type of story, but the artwork just makes this issue above all the others so far. The women are sexy and very Gothic looking and Vlad just looks like the Jason want-ta-be he is. The "evil" creatures that they think they are fighting are so well drawn you almost want to give the "ewwwwwww" when you see them.

This is the best issue yet in terms of artwork. The artist really shines in this type of storytelling. As for the story itself.....eeehhhhh, it's ok. It kind of lacks a bit because of the whole "tree hugger" aspect of the story. But I suggest you pick this up just to be exposed to Kyle Strahm's artwork, well worth it.

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