Nerdopolis

Marvel Zombies 2’s penultimate issue is somewhat a letdown compared to the previous issues. I’m not saying its a bad comic, its still a good read. it just feels as everything is rushed.

We start off with seeing the zombie Black Panther going ape shit over his sons resurrection with the brain of Captain America implanted in his skull. Black Panther is eventually calmed down, not happy but calmed down. Meanwhile the remaining ‘Hungry’ zombies(Giant Man, Wolverine, Phenoix and Iron Man) are to make an assult on the force field which provides a safe haven for the remaining humans and other good zombies(Black Panther, Spiderman, Luke Cage, Wasp, Captain America and Hawkeye). The good zombies make up some plan, to which they will battle the zombies on the outside, but Iron Man gets through, which is what they were expecting as they didn’t lead the new Captain America or Old School Iron Man suit clad forge into the battle outside. The battle outside sees Giant Man pummel Black Panther into the ground and Squash the Wasp (No pun intended).

Meanwhile, Bruce Banner has awoken, and attacks a scientist who falls back into the force field switch and closes it down…letting the zombies in. The issue ends on a cliff hanger, with Giant Man just about to munch on Black Panthers wife…when he drops a bombshell to the others…he too has lost the hunger.

Although that seems cool, it just felt too rushed for me, as if they should have extended the issue slightly more, but none the less, its better than average and it annoys me that i will wait another month to find out how his volume concludes. Which speaks volumes for how good this series really is.

3.5/5

“WHAT?! Jenna Jameson’s Shadow Hunter?! Wait, she does comics too? WTF?” *Head explodes*

Thats probably  the reaction of every comic fan out there. I’m pretty sure everyone thought it was a joke. Jenna is known best for her amazing performance in the porn industry, and it’s a sure bet that many comic book fans would love to have a piece of her. Just nobody expected it that it would be inside panels and splash pages. It’s being written by Jenna herself, and Christina Z, and published by Virgin Comics. Yea, a bit of an irony on that last part, right? Whatever joke you are thinking about now, it’s been overdone already. But what do you know? judging from the preview issue #0, this might actually turn out to be good.

 From what has been shown so far, the story follows a young woman who has had visions of demons and monsters for most of her life. She’s the only one who can see them, and the only one who can take these shadows down. They are supposed to be some kind of manifestation of a parallel life. Whatever they are, they look damn awesome, and so does “Jaden”, Jenna’s comic persona, drawn in the style of Mukesh Singh. To complement it all, the cover is done by super-star Greg Horn, and we also get a preview of the next set of covers. Yes, they also look amazing.

I picked this book expecting to be a complete pile of cow dump, another way for Jenna to market herself, but I found myself really enjoying this preview, and it left me looking forward to get issue #1. We’ll see then, if it can truly live up to what issue 0 set up.

Score: 4/5

The Long Way Home story arc continues into issue 2, and things are just heating up for The Scoobies. Right off the bat you’re treated to a peek at the three distinct training styles of the Slayers under the command of Giles, Buffy, and Andrew. Giles opts for ninjas, Buffy takes a more hands-on approach, and Andrew gives his take on Lando Calrissian’s outfit followed by the do’s and don’ts of headbutting. This is something I really loved seeing, and definitely want them to expand on in the future. The three completely different environments and workout regimens these Slayers are put through are going to make three different types of Slayer, and I want to see the outcome.

After the training sessions are done, you get a little bit of side story with Xander and Dawn discussing her current super-sized situation, and a little bit of insight into Buffy and Dawn’s relationship. Nothing new here, really. Just more of the sisterly squabble we’ve seen before, just on a bigger scale. Still, it is nice to see something different happening to the Dawn character, and it’d be cool to see her in the middle of a fray, flanked by Slayers…let’s just hope she stays the way she is for a little longer and they have a chance to do so.

The action heats up halfway through the comic when the Army’s secret-weapon launches a surprise attack on Command Central, unleashing a horde of Scottish zombies on the Slayers and leaving Buffy in an eternal nightmare that can only be broken by a kiss of true love. Just as Buffy’s struggle in her nightmare world is at its worst and the battle between kilt-wearing living dead and Slayer looks un-winnable, a familiar face reappears without a moment to spare.

It was great to see the first Big Bad of the series show up and make a definite impression. The appearance of an old friend at the end of the issue also guarantees a big battle is about to unfold, and this issue was a great setup for said battle. Overall the issue was pretty solid, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Rating: 4 out of 5

“She lures men from stricken fields into the wastelands to be slain by her brothers, the ice-giants, who lay men’s hearts smoking on Ymir’s board. The Cimmerian has seen Atali, the frost-giant’s daughter!”

Dark Horse Comics is adapting the paintings of Frank Frazetta into an eight issue limited series, written by Kurt Busiek and illustrated by Cary Nord, based on Conan, a character created by Robert E. Howard. The first issue is titled “The Frost-Giant’s Daughter” and is an interpretation of the Frazetta painting of the same name.

This comic doesn’t disappoint and meets every expectation when it comes to the exploits of the Crom worshipping Barbarian. It’s twenty-two pages featuring bloody battles and scantily clad maidens. Conan’s classic mirth, even in the heat of mortal combat, is cleverly scripted by Kurt Busiek. Nord’s portrayal of the cruel Cimmerian is presented in vivid detail and fluid movement, making every killing blow seem authentic and logical. At the very end of the issue are a pair of brief biographies on the inspirations for the comic book, Frank Frazetta and Robert E. Howard- both names any respecting fantasy aficionado should immediately recognize.

I expect this series will be successful given the source material and the reverence with which it has been treated. Each issue will apparently be a stand alone, having only to do with the respective adventure that has been immortalized in each Frazetta painting featured on the cover. I would recommend this series to fans of Frank Frazetta’s iconic art, Conan the Barbarian, Sword and Sorcery tales or any combination of these.

Buffy fans rejoice! Season eight is finally here, and it’s off to a great start. Starting more than a year after season seven, “The Long Way Home” is the first arc for the much anticipated season eight, and it’s easy to see that The Scoobies haven’t been sleeping on the job. After the events of the TV series finale, the Slayers now number in the thousands worldwide, and the gang has been busy recruiting and training them for their ongoing war against evil.

Issue 1 starts off with Buffy taking to the frontlines, leading a squad of Slayers up against a trio of truly terrific demons and setting up a mystery that we’ll surely be chasing after all season. While Buffy’s out doing what she does best, the Nick Fury-esque Xander stays behind at Slayer Command Central in Scotland, watching over little sister Dawn, who is dealing with a big problem of her own. Meanwhile the US Military is investigating the crater that used to be Sunnydale in hopes of finding something that’ll help them against the “Slayer Army” that they fear, and find something they do.

The art in this series is pretty amazing, the characters actually look like their on-screen counterparts, which is a big plus. The writing is great and the dialog between characters really feels like it belongs in an episode of Buffy, which it should, seeings how Joss Whedon is doing the first story arc.

I really can’t wait to see where this series heads in the future, but we can be sure that without the constraints of a tv show budget, it’ll be bigger and badder than we’re used to.

Rating: 5 out of 5

The cover pretty much says it all: Red Hulk! You read it right, a Red Hulk! At first I was taken aback by the gimmick and it all smacked of shades of Superman Red & Blue. I’m not really a DC fan, so it’s safe to say I avoided these issues like the bubonic plague. It was Ed McGuinness’s credit on the cover that finally tempted me to pick up Hulk #1, despite my apprehensions. I can safely say I do not regret the decision.

The series seems to revolve around the mystery of the Red Hulk- is this another form of Banner’s monstrous alter ego, another manifestation of his split personality disorder? Or is it something more sinister? Who is the Hulk? The first issue starts out with Doc Samson and She-Hulk investigating the scene of a murder of superhuman proportions that has decimated a small village in rural Russia. They are joined by Iron Man and Thunderbolt Ross. The issue also features an appearance by (and subsequent skirmish with) The Winter Guard- Crimson Dynamo, Ursa Major, The Red Guardian and Darkstar.

From the outset, Jeph Loeb has weaved an enthralling premiere issue to this series, never giving the reader all of the pieces of the puzzle and making promises of exciting answers to come. Mark my words, the cliffhanger ending will ensure that you go out and buy the next installment. McGuinness, as expected, does an amazing job of presenting the visuals in his trademark muscle bound style, a perfect fit for the ever-aggro giant that is the Incredible Hulk; now made doubly fearsome with burning embers for eyes and scarlet skin. It remains to be seen what the end result will be, but I will be following this one just to find out who this Red Behemoth is.

‘The Evil Dead’ is a 4 part comic adaptation of the Sam Raimi film of the same name.

For those who haven’t seen the film, here is the low-down on the first quarter of the comic. Those who have seen it and don’t want the story spoiled could just probably skip this section.

Ash and 4 friends are on there way to an abandoned cabin for a break, or as the Ash and his only other male friend, Paul put it; to get laid. A few minor mishaps threaten their journey, but they get there safely.

It’s all downhill from there. Scotty finds a tape recorder of the professor who owned the place prior to the group, and plays it. It turns out that the professor was working on some ruins of a tribe called the ‘Kan-Daar’, who possessed a book called the ‘Nacheron De’Manto’ which translates into ‘The Book of the Dead’. The tape continues to play, and an incantation is said by the professor which unleashes the Demons around the cabin and in the forest. As this is going on we see the professors own struggle with his possesed wife after he said it, so that’s pretty cool.

After this, they go to sleep except one of the girls named Cheryl, who is drawn out of the cabin and promptly raped by a tree. Comes back and everyone is shocked as she is all cut up, so Ash says he’ll take her back to the city. The bridge they cross is mangled, obviously by the demons. Now trapped, they hole up in the cabin and play…cards. To which the cliff hanger of the comic comes, Cheryl is possessed and is now a demon.

Now most of you will be thinking “A comic based on film starring Bruce Campbell and with Dark Horse at the helm, how could it go wrong?”

It doesn’t, thankfully. The Evil Dead comic is most probably better than the film thus far, in terms of story telling. As in the comic we get a slightly more in depth view of what is actually going, missed from the film due to a low budget no doubt. We have everything from the film and more with one exception; the name of the book of the dead is different. I don’t know why, but they made it different. The old name sounded cooler but this one sounds more authentic as it were. Other than that it has everything, including the rape scene by the forest. The art style is one I’m not too hot on, but it works well in the comic, to give it a very dark edge.

Excellent adaptation and comic, I recommend it.

4.5/5

The Annihilation event was probably my favorite event for ages; it’s what generally made me start buying comics on a regular basis instead of buying the odd graphic novel every couple of months. Maybe I should hate it for that, but I don’t as it kicked ass.

The follow up, Annihilation Conquest, hasn’t really lived up to the original thus far. With the Phalanx taking over what was left of the Kree Empire and shutting it off from the rest of the galaxy by putting a force field around it. We had our main heroes Nova, Quasar, Star Lord and newcomer Wraith. Nova was easily the best out of the four. But he has been cut out of the current Conquest comic. This left us with the other 3. Wraith was decent, not fantastic, but decent. Star lord was good. Quasar was a waste of money, pure and simple waste of money.
Now I get all three in one. We get a few twists here and there. A return for Adam Warlock and Ultron. Kree leader Ronan, Super Skrull and Wraith going to see Ravenous. The High Evolutionary blowing up a sun. But, the only gripe I have with it is they pay too much attention to Quasars story with Adam Warlock. I would love to see more of Wraiths and Star Lords as I haven’t a clue what is going on anymore in star lords; it just passes you by so quickly. But the cool thing about this is that three main fighting forces are aware of each other. They’ll meet up eventually I would assume, but its cool none the less.

In saying that, it IS improving and at a good rate, but I doubt it will reach the same heights as Annihilation did.

Freddy Vs Jason Vs Ash, what a title, shame the comic can’t live up to it.

As much as I would have liked to enjoy this comic, I didn’t. This comic is bad. The story line is passable for a Hammer Horror film. The characters don’t seem like their film namesakes. And the artwork is its only really good thing, but can’t float the comic alone against the other two.

In issue three, we are given two ‘Cliff-hangers’ of sorts. Jason is apparently given some sort of a functioning brain, and ash is in danger of being killed in his dreams by Freddy. The first one I and many other people couldn’t care less about and the second one is pretty obvious to what is going to happen, as nobody kills off the hero of the story 3/4 issues in, nobody.

This comic is pretty bad; its one that should be left well alone to fans of the three leads. Freddy is as lame as ever. Ash seems like he couldn’t care less, which is a new experience for me from a comic. Only cool thing about is Jason (Yeah, I know, Jason :\) ripping people apart, that’s it. Although if your into that stuff its done in a far superior fashion in the “Friday The 13th” and “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” comics and has a decent story.