ZOMBIE TRAMP Vol. 2: The Taint Train of Terror Review

ZOMBIE TRAMP Vol. 2: The Taint Train of Terror TPB

Written by Dan Mendoza

Art by Dan Mendoza

Lettering by Zen

Action Lab: Danger Zone

This will be a Spoiler Free Review.

It is a new adventure with Janey as she meets a mysterious little girl named Morning. She gives help to Janey as long as she would kill her parents. As we find out that our Morning has more to her than meets the eye, we continue our little adventure on a train where a bunch of teenagers. And the grindhouse influence takes over as things go from bad to worse ... for the students on the train ... and even Janey.

THE GOOD:

Mendoza gives his signature style a great amount of flair with dynamically gory panels, limited use of colors and interesting use of inks ... or not. Mendoza really brings a great atmosphere to his work. The lack of color with few exceptions really help bring out a certain fair to the book. The brutality is in full spectacle. If you are a fan of zombies or grindhouse, Mendoza presents you with this love letter.  

Mendoza also does a great trick of putting flashbacks, keeping them strictly his finished pencils but no inking on it. We got a good amount of gory mixed with suspense and sexual situations.

Writing wise, Mendoza gives us an entertaining, yet gory rump from start to finish. We do get to know a bit more about Janey and Mendoza develops her by her meeting Morning, her gaining her new abilities and the flashbacks. Read separately, the issue are fairly good. But as one whole, complete story, this second volume of Zombie reads like a classic zombie/grindhouse, suspense movie. And while Janey shines, Mendoza does a good job developing Morning, the Omega Men and more. The pacing works as a whole and works better as a collection.

THE BAD:
            Like I mentioned, the single issues of it were good. But as a whole, this reads so much better. Yet, what happens to our teens is very predictable. Otherwise, nothing really bad.

THE VERDICT:

Mendoza’s style is something people will either love or hate but it captures Zombie Tramp well … a mix of horror with sex appeal while also giving nods to grindhouse movies and thrillers. Janey clearly has development here and there can be a whole lot more. While there is some predictability, the journey is still entertaining and Morning proves to be an interesting wild card. I give Zombie Tramp Vol. 2: The Taint Train of Terror a 3.5 out of 5.

Happy 2nd Birthday Broken Infinite!!!

This is a milestone. Today, there was two years to the day that I started Broken Infinite. There has been so much that has come and gone since those two years. And I really do appreciate everything that has been done.  We have come a long way. 

When this started two years ago, I wanted to strike out with my friends on our own. And while Jeff Williams, Eric McLeod, Darryll B. Carter and Hector Ramirez have since moved on ... we all wanted to do things our own way. 

Since then, the site has gone through changes ... lots and lots of changes. People have come and gone. We have had features and more. Hell, I am running this website and am EIC of Herotaku. But, just because I been there, I haven't forgotten about my child, Broken Infinite. 

There is gonna to be more to come. You will see some changes within the next few weeks. There is gonna be a plethora of new content and a harder edge. We are gonna go back a bit old school here. The video playlists will start returning. We will continue to break the cycle with more content, looking at the comic book industry from not just the Big Two but a whole and do more to entertain you. 

   There are exciting things on the horizon. And there is so much we want to do and will do in the future. It's been two years and I wanted to do it right.  

I want to thank all the people that have posted or who are posting on the Broken Infinite: 

Jeremias De Leon

Jake Estrada

Eric McLeod

Darryll B. Carter

Hector Ramirez

Michael Flinn

Jeff Williams

EZ Rider
Bobbert13

Michael Arroyo

TWK

Big Cheese

Caleb the Time Traveler

Spaceman Hardy

Pugsly

John Corey Turner

MadShadow

Matt Packard

Edward Garcia
Bryan ClendeningCardfight TV

Thank you for everyone who has viewed. Thank you to all the guests who have appeared and will appear

1st Impressions: SKYWARD # 6

SKYWARD # 6
Written by Jeremy Dale
Art by Jeremy Dale & James Rochelle
Action Lab Entertainment

FLIPPING THROUGH:

                After Jon deals with his humiliation from last issue, Abigail talks with him. As Quinn gets sanctuary from the Rabites, they are suddenly attacked by the assassin known as Skerrigan.

ART:

                Dale and Rochelle do a magnificent job this issue.  Each panel is detailed. Dale does a great job of giving us all kinds of people, creatures and backgrounds, rendering them with style. From Jon’s more skinny form to the Rabite General to Skerrigan, Dale gives us plenty of things and people to look at with different kinds of proportions.  Alongside the vast forests, Dale also does well drawing action as we see our Rabites and Jon face Skerrigan this issue.

                Rochelle’s colors keeps Dale’s work looking vivid and energized. There is beauty with each page and there is a lot of love in this book, from the detail that Dale puts in it. This was a solid issue from this art team.

WRITING:

                Dale writes a solid issue. We get some great characterizations from Iwi, Jon, Shura and Quinn this issue. Jon in particular gets spotlight but Dale does a good job of making it flow very naturally instead of feeling heavy handed. Having Skerrigan watch them and chime in on the events occurring was a nice touch as well, giving a bit more personality to the assassin.

                 Dale has the issue flow very naturally as it goes through its main cast. While Tanner and Abigail did not have much to do this issue, Dale gives us plenty of development with the other characters. The plot was simple enough yet Dale shines it with his race of warrior rabbits and Jon taking center stage. The dialogue is solid and believable while Quinn gets a moment this issue. Overall, Dale tells a good story this issue as it sets up for what is to come.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:
                Dale and Rochelle give us a solid issue with action and great character development. It begins to set the stage and we get to learn more about the Rabites.

RATING:

  I give Skyward # 6 a solid 8 … out of 10. Pick it up April 2^nd, 2014.

Comics News: Billy Tucci's SHI Kicks Off 20 Year Anniversary

For Immediate Release

Bayport – New York

It was March 1994 when struggling artist/writer Billy Tucci’s modern-day samurai fable, “Shi – The Way of the Warrior” #1 first hit the comic shelves and changed the face of self-publishing. Illustrated by Tucci, co-written with Peter Gutierrez, and colored by Barry Orkin, “Way of the Warrior” transcended independent publishing with a unique melding of Japanese mythology, history, and action not seen before in comics and inspired a host of imitators.

Now after twenty years and 3 million copies of “Shi” in print, Tucci kicks off an anniversary celebration with a new series and rare exclusives.

“Until last July’s San Diego Comic Con, we hadn’t created any convention specials since 1994.” Tucci explained, “ the SDCC exclusives were an immediate sell out and we’ve been getting requests for more books and prints exclusive to the particular conventions I’ll be attending, so here we go!”

Shi 20th Anniversary Celebration 2014 Tour kicks off at this weekend’s London Super Comic Con with two LSCC exclusive books, the “Shi – Way of the Warrior #1” LSCC 20th Anniversary edition and the “LSCC Shi – Sketch A Story” Sketchbook. Both books are limited to only 25 editions with each signed and numbered by Billy Tucci.
LSCC will also see the debut of the “The Shi – Way of the Warrior #1 20th Anniversary Sketch Cover Edition” and all-new exclusive Shi lithographs.

Tucci concluded, “I cannot believe it’s been twenty wonderful years since Shi’s debut on the world stage. Revisiting the book that started it all is the driving inspiration to my all-new Shi series “Hatachi” debuting later this year!”

BOCAS DAY STARTS TOMORROW!

Hey folks Jake Estrada here. I've been working away for BI, the last few weeks working on several new issues for the Broken Infinite and have new interviews in the pipeline. Anyway until then I have a free promotion over at Amazon.com for another title from the The Broken Infinite.

The Title is Bocas: Farewell to a Friend.

The Book will be free for five days starting tomorrow (7-24-2013 until 7-28-2013) So stop by check out the book for free tomorrow, and if you already have Amazon Prime you can view the title right now for free at: http://www.amazon.com/BOCAS-Farewell-Friend-ebook/dp/B00DFB38U0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374622744&sr=8-1&keywords=Bocas%3A+Farewell+to+a+Friend

Okay folks. Talk soon and please check out our title. It is a good one. You won't be sorry.

Jake Estrada