Attack of the Killer Comic Reviews! n o.5 *********************************************************** This week's haul: Angela 1 (Image) Animal Man 79 (DC/Vertigo) Billy Joe Van Helsing: Redneck Vampire Hunter 1 (Alpha) Black Lightning 1 (DC) Clandestine 5 (Marvel) Grendel Tales: Homecoming 1 (Dark Horse) Hellblazer 86 (DC/Vertigo) Mr. Hero, the Newmatic Man 2 (Tekno) Penthouse Comix 5 (Penthouse) Sandman 66 (DC/Vertigo) Shaman's Tears 4 (Image) Sin City: The Big Fat Kill 2 (Dark Horse/Legend) Tainted (DC/Vertigo) *********************************************************** Rumor dept.: Sure, McTodd's got a hot selling comic book, but is that enough of a base to launch a line of toys? Well, a friend of mine, an art student in California, was on a tour of San Francisco's Colossal Pictures, home of Aeon Flux. (It turns out there will be an Aeon Flux film. Let's hope they have a plot for that one.) Across a room he spied a wall full of animation cells starring none other than Spawn. The hero from hell in his own cartoon? Or maybe a movie? Remember, you heard it here first. Damn, I read too many comics.... Angela 1 It ain't Sandman, but it's fun. It's Angela's birthday, but her celebration is interrupted by her arrest by a fellow angel who's got a grudge against her. At the end of the book, we get to see a photo spread of Spawn toys being assembled by cheap foreign labor. Oh, boy! ($2.25, Image) Animal Man 79 For all you doubters out there, the Life Power Church story has come to a satisfying and surprising conclusion, marking the end of Delano's run on the book. Next issue, Jerry Prosser takes over. I'm sure he can handle the bizarre end of things just fine, but I hope he can keep up the characterization that makes Delano's stories memorable. ($1.95, DC/Vertigo) Billy Joe Van Helsing: Redneck Vampire Hunter 1 I only bought this book because a friend of mine was inking one of the stories. I ordered it through Previews so long ago that I thought it would never appear. Now I wish it hadn't. It sounds like a hilarious concept, but, unfortunately, the book is not funny. There's some passable jokes here, but that's about it. ($2.50, Alpha, P.O.Box 1172, Rockland, ME 04841) Black Lightning 1 Clandestine 5 I think when I enjoy a superhero book, it's the kiss of death for that title(Wonder Man, Mosaic, Black Condor...). Black Lightning is an impressive debut, and I was looking forward to watching Tony Isabella turn a second stringer into a first rate book. But Isabella was canned even before the first issue came out. Clandestine was another great new book, but we'll be losing that one soon too. Davis was stupid to turn his book over to Marvel, and I hope he doesn't make the same mistake again so we can read a lengthy run of his work in the future. In the meantime, enjoy these titles while you can. ($1.95, DC; $2.50, Marvel) Grendel Tales: Homecoming 1 (of 3) The beginning of this arc seems enjoyable enough, despite being another variation on that tough loner rides into town and beats the shit out of everyone theme. But this time, the loner is a lesbian Grendel who runs into her old lover. Interesting cartoony painted art by Dave Cooper. ($2.95, Dark Horse) Hellblazer 86 Only his second issue, and Eddie Campbell has already found is own take on John Constantine. Too bad he's only on the title for two more months. The story manages to be fun and frightening at the same time. Will Constantine find some decent cigarettes in time to save the world? ($1.95, DC/Vertigo) Mr. Hero, the Newmatic Man 2 This is the best Tekno title I've read so far, but that's not saying much, unfortunately. The story so far is coasting on Gaiman's ideas, but it's competently done and enjoyable. Hopefully, the creators can keep it up, because it looks like this is going to be Tekno's flagship title. If they can stay away super-hero sillyness like the razorhands guy, they should do well. ($1.95, Tekno) Penthouse Comix 5 This is the first issue of Heavy Me-, excuse me, Penthouse Comix, that I've read, and it's better that I expected it to be. The highlight is the gorgeous Kevin Nowlan cover. Inside is Larry Niven's infamous Superman story, "Man of Steel, Women of Kleenex", illustrated by none other than Curt Swan. The other stories range from the serious (Scion) to the goofy(Libby). My favorites are the stories illustrated by Adam Hughes(Young Captain Adventure) and Kevin Maguire(Hot Stories, starring a gun-toting Elvis Presley). ($4.95, Penthouse, 1965 Broadway, New York, NY 10023) Sandman 66 The Furies are loose in the Dreaming, and Nuala gets lonely in Faerie. And I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of Dream's problems... ($1.95, DC/Vertigo) Shaman's Tears 4 Wow. Only a month and another issue of Shaman's Tears. This issue neatly wraps up the first storyline in a satisfying, if pat, conclusion. Next issue guest stars a character that's been absent a lot longer than Shaman's Tears: Jon Sable. ($1.95, Image) Sin City: The Big Fat Kill 2 (of 5) Just when you thought it was getting boring, there's a new twist that could spell the end of life as we know it in Old Town. Yep, there was a big fat kill in this issue, and it looks like they'll be lots more of them on the way. ($2.95, Dark Horse/Legend) Tainted Damn these "Vertigo Voices". They're so good, I don't mind blowing five bucks on them. It's Jamie Delano's turn, and he crafts a satisfying psychological mystery about two tenants and their landlord. It's nice to see these Vertigo writers doing weird things with real life, and not just horror and fantasy. ($4.95, DC/Vertigo) *********************************************************** Attack of the Killer Comic Reviews is posted on rec.arts.comics.misc, rec.arts.comics.info, and Comics-L whenever I feel like it. An abridged version is posted to the comix mailing list and alt.comics.alternative(which doesn't appear at my site, so vote yes for raca!). Feedback is welcome and encouraged. I also publish a print fanzine called Stick Figures which is in need of submissions and subscriptions. (Hint, hint) Comics and stuff sent to me will be reviewed here and possibly in Stick Figures.