Axe Cop is action-packed hilarity; plus more comic book reviews
Some quick looks at comic-books read recently:
Axe Cop: Bad Guy Earth #1
You absolutely need to buy this one. Written by a six-year-old and drawn by his 30 year old brother, “Axe Cop” features, perhaps obviously, an axe-wielding police officer who fights dinosaurs with machine guns for arms, alien invasions, and about anything else he might encounter. It’s hilarious and awesome.
Predator Omnibus brings alien hunters to New York, Siberia
The Mark Verheiden-written “Predator” comics trilogy is reprinted in the first “Predator Omnibus” from Dark Horse, along with some other early “Predator” comics from the publisher.
Robocop statue discussion inspires reading of “Prime Suspect”
With the recent discussion of a possible RoboCop statue in Detroit being in the news, I was inspired to dig out the 1992 series “RoboCop: Prime Suspect” from Dark Horse Comics.
2,011 in 2011 comic-book challenge: Week 7
Star Wars: Crimson Empire takes closer look at Emperor’s Royal Guard
Of the “Star Wars” comics not featuring the stars of the original trilogy, this is one I’d always heard good reviews about. Now that I’ve read it, I’ll concur: “Crimson Empire” is a very enjoyable expanded universe story.
Terminator: Secondary Objectives #1 (1991) review
Terminator: Secondary Objectives #1
Terminator: Secondary Objectives #1 (July 1991 cover date)
Written by James Robinson, art by Paul Gulacy.
I guess 1991 was 20 years ago – this one seems kind of dated, but it’s still pretty good. James Robinson writes a pretty cracking story, and Paul Gulacy art is always worth picking up. The second “Terminator” series from Dark Horse, this features a group of Terminators sent to the past to take out a now-pregnant Sarah Connor. The group of heroes from the first Dark Horse “Terminator” series, part of a resistance group from the future, aim to stop them.
- Matt Price
Comics read in 2,011: 121. Still to go: 1890.
Best graphic novels of 2010
Those looking for illustrated long-form fiction had much to choose from in 2010, with graphic novels from traditional book publishers and those from the comics field combining to make a wide selection. From crime to fantasy, from the distant past to the future, graphic novels in 2010 explored the human condition in a variety of settings with a wide range of characters.
Here are my selections for the best 10 graphic novels of 2010. I’ve limited the list to stories that first appeared in a graphic novel format, as opposed to collections of periodically released comic books.
Next week, return for the top 10 periodical comics of 2010.
Felicia Day’s “The Guild” tops iTunes, returns on web, DVD, in comics
Felicia Day
In just the latest sign that geeks rule the earth, Felicia Day has topped Katy Perry with the No. 1 best-selling pop music video on iTunes in the United States and United Kingdom.
On Aug. 4, “Game On,” a Bollywood-themed gamer anthem by Day and the cast of the Web series “The Guild” topped Perry’s “California Gurls” on the chart. It’s the second music video for the “Guild” crew, who last year released “Do You Wanna Date My Avatar?”
“The Guild” is in its fourth season online as a Web series; the third season was recently released on DVD. “The Guild” follows the wacky real-world antics of a group of gamers who play a “World of Warcraft”-like game.
In a recent interview with The Oklahoman, Day, who created, writes and stars in the Web series, talked about the differences between creating a Web series and a traditional television show.
“The privilege I have with a Web series is that it doesn’t have to be as episodic as TV would be, where characters kind of stay emotionally static, and they go through different ideas every week,” Day said. “I think it’s important that like, just in real life, people are changed by what happens to them.”
She also said because people tend to watch Web series on a browser, they need to stay shorter and more on point.
“You can’t have as much space or time to tell the stories,” she said. “So you really have to kind of be ruthless and say we have to cut down to the bone.”
At Comic-Con International, it was announced that further “Guild” comics would be released this fall, following the well-received miniseries written by Day. She talked about writing the “Guild” miniseries and how it focused on some of the drama behind the characters.
“The comic, especially the way it started, is a lot more dramatic than some people actually expected,” Day said. “Because to me, these characters do come from a place of loneliness, and that’s why they’re together. So there is a hint of reality and a little bit of sadness in everybody. And for me, that’s kind of the basis of everybody finding themselves online.”
Day said she was pleased with the response, especially from comic-book fans.
“The biggest compliment is when somebody who’s a hard-core comic reader (gives) me a compliment, because I feel like comic guys and geeks are the most hardcore of the bunch, and I know they aren’t going to cut me any slack,” she said.
This fall, five one-shots featuring the main characters of “The Guild” will be released by Dark Horse. The first one-shot, “Vork,” will be co-written by Day and Jeff Lewis, who plays the Vork character.
“There is a lot more to be told in that format; because the great thing about comics is you don’t have to worry about the production values or how expensive something’s going to be to shoot, you just write it,” Day said.
- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
TNT, Dark Horse team up for Falling Skies
Dark Horse announced plans to team up with TNT to create a comic-book prequel to Noah Wyle’s new series “Falling Skies.” The comic will appear in a convention-exclusive print edition and a web edition.
In “Falling Skies,” aliens have invaded, and a handful of survivors must battle for the fate of humanity.
This fall at New York Comic Con (Oct. 8-10), TNT and Dark Horse will distribute a 12-14 page comic book that tells the harrowing backstory of the alien invasion. And starting Nov. 1,. fans can download an extended webcomic version through tnt.tv, darkhorse.com and iTunes, with new installments posted every two weeks.
- Matt Price
Click past the cut for the full release.
Dark Horse to share first look at Turok, Son of Stone revamp at Comic-Con
Dark Horse Comics has announced it will share a first look at its new Turok, Son of Stone comic at its Friday panel at Comic-Con International in San Diego.
The comic, set to ship in October, is written by Jim Shooter, with art by Eduardo Francisco (Mass Effect: Incursion), and covers by Raymond Swanland (Magnus: Robot Fighter, Aliens vs. Predator).
“One continuum over from ours, Earth is still in its Cretaceous Period,” Shooter said in a news release. “However, a drifting rift in spacetime is sweeping things from anywhen here to there. It’s a dangerous place. How strong, how tough, how smart would you have to be to survive, to thrive, to become a force to be reckoned with? This is a story about about a fearless man who will find a way. I love this series.”
The Dark Horse publishing panel is at 11:30 a.m. Friday, July 23rd in Room 3.
- Matt Price
Click past the cut for the full release.
