Comics News: Action Lab Teams With Geek Riot

For Immediate release ACTION LAB CREATES HAVOK WITH GEEK RIOT Publisher tag teams with media representation and consultancy firm PITTSBURGH P.A.- Action Lab Entertainment, the comic book industry’s center of pop culture cool is pleased to announce our partnership with Geek Riot Media. Action Lab will, for the first time through Geek Riot offer advertising space in Action Lab and Action Lab: Danger Zone titles. Action Lab will also work with Geek Riot to develop products, initiatives and merchandise for various vendors including custom comics and games. GEEK RIOT MEDIA was founded by Kris Longo - ongoing contributor at Bonfire Agency and former DC Comics' Advertising and Custom Publishing Sales Manager - to provide unparallelled experience in pop culture advertising strategy to marketers, media partners and publishers alike. In ACTION LAB, Longo has found an ideal addition to the ComicsUnited Advertising Network of publishers. "The warm reception we have received from media agencies and marketers alike has been immediate and overwhelming. ACTION LAB is one of the best and most ambitious publishers in comics, and their content will surely prove to be an ideal destination for brands seeking new and exciting advertising and content alignment opportunities." said Longo.  Kevin Freeman, President of Action Lab Entertainment added "This is an exciting partnership for Action Lab.  It expands our footprint into untapped markets and hopefully will bring new readers to our books.  We are definitely looking forward to working with the fine folks at Geek Riot."  For more information, retailers can contact Kelly Dale at kdale@actionlabcomics.com. For press and conventions you can reach Jamal Igle at jigle@actionlabcomics.com. ABOUT ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT- Formed in 2010 with the purpose of pooling their collective talents into a single, powerful entity, the members of Action Lab Entertainment have countless years in multimedia publishing, design, and business.  Their first release, Fracture, was successfully funded through Kickstarter and since then they have continued their mission to produce high quality, genre-spanning entertainment.  Since its formation, the accolades for A.L.E continue to build on a daily basis.  Among its more popular titles are all ages material like the Eisner, Glyph, Shel Dorf Award nominated series PRINCELESS, NFL RUSHZONE (based on the Nickelodeon Television series), Jamal Igle's MOLLY DANGER, Artist/ Writer Jeremy Dale’s hit series SKYWARD, and Gale Middleton’s (My Little Pony, The Littlest Pet Shop) monstrously adorable VAMPLETS. Action Lab’s Mature Readers imprint ACTION LAB DANGER ZONE continues to push the envelope of comics entertainment with titles as varied as EHMM THEORY and Dan Mendoza’s over the top horror-comedy ZOMBIE TRAMP, THE FINAL PLAGUE and BO, PLUSHY GANGSTA. ABOUT GEEK RIOT MEDIA: GEEK RIOT MEDIA is the first specialized media representation and consultancy firm dedicated to delivering curated, new-to-market geek-targeted advertising opportunities to brands nationwide. So much more than a simple publisher's representative, GEEK RIOT MEDIA provides unparalleled experience in pop culture advertising strategy to media partners and advertisers alike. For more information, contact Kris Longo @ kris.longo@geekriotmedia.com

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Comics News: Lola XOXO Unleashes Itself as First New Aspen Property of 2014

Aspen Comics Presents Lola XOXO On April 9th

Press Release

Aspen Comics is thrilled to present its first new property of 2014 on April 9th, the action-adventure series Lola XOXO, created, written and illustrated by Siya Oum (Charismagic, Executive Assistant: Iris). The highly anticipated upcoming six-issue series unfolds in a dystopian western tale following young firebrand character Lola, who has been raised under the protection of a band of traveling merchants. Despite potential dangers in the “Wasteland,” Lola decides to perilously traverse what’s left of the United States in a desperate—and deadly—search for her parents. Oum discusses her enthusiasm for the project:

"It has always been a dream of mine to have my own series. It hasn't quite hit me. I can't imagine how I'll feel when I get the first printed issue in my hands. I feel like everything I've ever experienced, everyone I've ever cared for has a hand in inspiring the creation of this Lola XOXO. I couldn't have asked for a better publisher and a better group of friends to guide me through the process. I am forever grateful."

Aspen strongly encourages fans to visit their local comic book stores to pre-order the first issue of Lola XOXO, which boasts eleven covers of Oum’s own design. Future issues will feature cover art from a myriad of the industry’s top artists such as Joe Benitez, Jordan Gunderson, Ale Garza and more to be announced soon. Aspen Editor in Chief Vince Hernandez encourages fans to check out the publisher’s latest offering:

"Siya [Oum] and Lola XOXO have exceeded all of our expectations, and we're excited to be able to show everyone the result of all her hard work. I've had the pleasure of seeing this project from its earliest stages of development, and it's really been a labor of love for her that shows on every page. I think everyone who checks out the first issue will agree!"

Diamond Item Codes

Cover A Direct Edition: FEB140951

Cover B Direct Edition: FEB140952

Cover C Retailer Incentive Edition: FEB140953

Cover D Retailer Incentive Edition: FEB140954

For more information please check www.aspencomics.com and the following official Aspen social media sites:

Facebook.com/aspencomics

Facebook.com/lolaxoxo

Twitter.com/aspencomics

Instagram: aspencomics

Aspen MLT, Inc. is an entertainment publishing company founded in January 2003 by superstar comic artist Michael Turner. Priding itself on producing entertainment properties of the highest quality visual and storytelling elements Along with their own successful properties such as Fathom, Soulfire, Executive Assistant: Iris, Charismagic, Broken Pieces and more. Aspen also collaborates with the comic industry's most successful companies and endeavors including Marvel Comics and DC Entertainment. Aspen has collaborated with Marvel for various hit projects, including cover work for the best-selling events Civil War, World War Hulk, and Ultimatum. Aspen collaborated with DC Comics to provide covers for such best-selling titles as Superman/Batman: The Return of Supergirl, The Justice League of America, and Eisner-nominated covers for the critically acclaimed, best-selling Identity Crisis series. In 2006, Aspen joined forces with television giant NBC to create the online comic adaptations for the hit television series Heroes. In 2012, Aspen teamed up with Gale Anne Hurd’s Valhalla Entertainment to produce the horror-adventure series Dead Man’s Run, as well as collaborating with director McG’s Wonderland Sound and Vision to produce the horror comic Haunted City. Aspen also produced the one-of-a-kind Anarchy digital graphic novel for the popular body spray company, Axe. Currently, Aspen recently celebrated their tenth anniversary in the industry with their successful and best-selling “10 for 10” initiative.

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.

1st Impression: THE DREAMER (Vol 3.): The Battle of Harlem Heights

THE DREAMER (Vol 3.)
Written by Lora Innes
Art by Lora Innes & Julie Wright
IDW Publishing

FLIPPING THROUGH:

                We open to Alan, seemingly in his death bed, writes to Beatrice. As the letter goes on, we see the American Revolution take full hold. Meanwhile, Beatrice’s lives in both the American Revolution and in her real life. Beatrice gets “betrayed” by friends in the real world while her life in the American Revolution goes from bad to worse as she decides to help spy for the Colonists, much to the Warren’s dismay.  As her actions in the real world ended up affecting her in the Revolution, Beatrice is finding her self backed into a corner.

ART:

                Innes does a beautiful job giving us the American Revolution. She has a great sense of proportion and does a good job giving us some strong, classic panel work. Innes captures emotion very well while also providing some striking backgrounds.  Innes does well with angles with Wright giving some very vivid colors with great shading.  One of the best things that Innes does is that she is not afraid to give us the horrors of war without being too gory. Visually, Innes and Wright go all in with great angles, striking backgrounds and strong emotion that it captivates readers. Really great job.

WRITING:

                Innes writes a very passionate and emotional volume, full of intrigue and personal development. Our heroine might be going too far as we see Beatrice’s “fall” in the real world in order to help do her best for the Warrens in the American Revolution. Innes makes sure from the beginning of the trade to the end, there is nothing but a good amount of impact for each chapter.  There is solid dialogue that reflects both eras that really help bring readers in.

                The pacing of the third graphic novel was really good. Each chapter, Innes continues to build and build upon the events of before and raising the stakes in a very natural way. Everything escalates at a near perfect pace. While we got great characterizations from Beatrice, Alan and Joseph, this book gets some strong characterizations from Beatrice’s friends and family. The amount of emotion in this volume was palpable from the moment it began and Innes sucks readers in with it and its multi-layered story.  Innes mixes history so well with her story that you would almost feel that it was fact.  Kudos to her writing skill.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

                Innes and Wright deliver a heart-felt, powerful story full of good visuals, strong emotion and wonderful story. The book reads well and it definitely took me by surprise. A great job by Innes and Wright.

RATING:
                I give The Dreamer Vol 3.  a solid 8.5 out of 10.

Bluewater Comics For March 6th, 2014

Beekman Boys Present: Polka Spot #4

Writer: Brent Ridge and Michael Troy

Artist: Felipe Montezinos & Alejandra Zúñiga Miranda

After an exhausting whirlwind adventure, World Famous socialite llama, Polka Spot and her faithful companion kitty cat, Jolene just want to get home.  Right after they rescue their luggage and help a newfound friend find their way home. Join the girls for another zany adventure in the wonderful world of Polka Spot, My Life in Color.

Julie Kagawa’s The Iron King #3

Writer: Julie Kagawa & Sara Gundell

Artist: Lidia Chan

Having escaped the Seelie Court, Meghan sets off in search of her brother, with the help of Grimalkin, Puck, and Ash. But more obstacles lay before them, not the least of which is a fight between Puck and Ash that has been brewing for years. 

Milestones of Art: The Collector

Writer: Willi Boles

Artist: Willi Bloess

A new partnership between comic-book publisher and German artist Willi Bloess look to fuse the two worlds with a series of biography comics featuring the lives and legacies of some of Western Civilizations most influential artists featuring Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Vincent Van Gogh, Keith Haring and Andy Warhol. The series is titled "The Milestones of Art." 

First Family: The Reagans

Writer: Michael Troy, Don Smith

Artist: Health Foley & Manuel Diaz

In the 1980's the super power couple was Ronald and Nancy Reagan. The got their humble beginning in the film industry to the highest title in the United States of America.  This dynamic duo took a difference stance on the presidency and changed the world.  This special edition comic book features the first family biographies, now together for the first time in this 48-page one shot.

Wrath of the Titans: Cyclops #0

FREE

Writer: Darren G. Davis & CW Cooke

Artist: Ramon Salas

Check out behind the scenes of this new animated all-ages version of "Wrath of the Titans". Greek gods and the monsters of myth collide in this new all-ages series! Perseus is the star but Greek Myth will be discovered and explored as Perseus begins his mission against the monsters and his mission to gain the favor of the gods. Come join in the fun and get a taste of what's to come.

You can download these titles on iTunes, Kindle, Nook, ComiXology, DriveThru Comics, Google Play, My Digital Comics, OverDrive, Iverse, Wowio, Bilo, Comic Bin, Blio, ComicsFix, Entitle, Axis360, Kobo & wherever eBooks are sold.

You can get the print copies at Comic Flea Market by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ZlD5Bs

About Bluewater Productions
Bluewater Productions Inc. is one of the top independent production studios of comic books, young adult books and graphic novels. Its extensive catalog of titles includes the bestsellers “10^th Muse” and “The Legend of Isis” ”Bluewater publishes comic books in partnership with entertainment icon William Shatner (“TekWar Chronicles”), legendary filmmaker Ray Harryhausen (“Wrath of the Titans,” “Sinbad: Rogue of Mars,” “Jason and the Argonauts,” et al) and celebrated actor Vincent Price (“Vincent Price Presents”) as well as icon Evel Knievel, Additionally, Bluewater publishes a highly successful line of biographical comics under the titles “Female Force” , “FAME” and “Political Power.”

The company has also developed best-selling novelist into the comic book book such as Julie Kagawa, John Saul, William F. Nolan, S.E. Hinton and more.  Bluewater has been featured on the Today Show, CNN, Huffington Post, The View and FOX News as well as in print in Time, People, Us magazines.  

Bluewater aims to unite cutting-edge art and engaging stories produced by its stable of the publishing industry’s top artists and writers.

For more information, visit www.bluewaterprod.com

EXCLUSIVE!!! Interview With Aspen EiC & Writer Vince Hernandez!!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am proud to bring to you an exclusive interview with Aspen Comics' own Editor-In-Chief, Vince Hernandez. His name should very familiar to many of you who read Aspen books because he also writes several of them including Charismagic, Executive Assistant: Assassins & one of Aspen's most recent new books, Trish Out of Water.  I am extremely honored to share this interview with you all now. 


1.First, the 10 for 10 initiative of this year has came & went. How does it feel? Do you feel it accomplished it's goal?


VH: It feels great, and actually, we’re still very much in the thick of the initiative as some of the releases from later in 2013 are winding down as we speak. It’s been a consistent workflow for now more than a year and half. When we first set our parameters for what we wanted to accomplish with the “10 for 10”, several of them were actually intangibles that we couldn’t quantify with statistics. Things like retailer support, new readers and brand awareness are all some of these intangibles that we achieved along the way. You really can’t put a value on that. Overall I think, yes, we certainly met and exceeded our initial goal for the program.



2. When you first were coming up with 10 for 10, did you believe it would do as well as it did?

 VH: A lot of the credit for the initial idea should go to our President Frank Mastromauro who came up with the broad strokes of the plan and then we filled in the gaps to make it something special. I believe all of us at Aspen offer different perspective in these matters and usually I can be very realistic/cynical in these matters initially, so I had a very good idea of what it would accomplish but I don’t think anyone expected the kind of sales totals we initially saw in those first few titles, and eventually the high point in July with the release of All New Fathom #1, our highest selling book of last year. I think it surprised us all.



3. There were a slew of new titles this year from Aspen. Did you feel like any of them were big gambles compared to your more tenured titles like Soulfire & Fathom?

VH: Absolutely, and I would be lying if I didn’t offer my own property as example #1: Trish Out of Water. I was absolutely terrified that readers and fans would not accept this type of title from us—an adolescent story of a teenage girl dealing with not only special powers but also puberty. It was a risk and I’m very pleased that everyone at Aspen had enough faith in me to allow the story to unfold without any major alterations. That meant a lot to me. On the other hand, we had several titles such as Legend of the Shadow Clan, BubbleGun and Jirni that I knew fans would enjoy. Our fans are very outspoken about what they like to see, so for us, it’s a matter of applying that formula while also expanding our own creativity and doing what we enjoy doing. It’s not always going to be action-adventure or fantasy, it can be something completely out of left field.


4. There were so much diversity in the line this year & in general. Is that a factor when deciding titles?

VH: Well, we never want to go to the same well twice, to me that doesn’t feed creativity. I’m very aware and honored of some of the genres we’ve helped establish as viable to the broader market as a whole. A few years ago, you didn’t see any steampunk books out on the market and now there’s a new one every week it seems. I can’t help but feel that Joe Benitez’ Lady Mechanika had a lot to do with that. I like to think we tend to stay on the cusp on these new trends but really—it’s a crapshoot. You never know what’s going to be the next big thing.



5. Switching gears, you wrote a slew of titles this year. How was juggling writing all those titles while also being EIC of Aspen?

VH: It’s a lot harder than people probably assume, but I think I have it down to a science at this point. I can generally write a full script (and that’s an actual full script with both panel descriptions and dialogue) in about a day, give or take. And I think this speed is a direct reflection on the knowledge and experience I have with managing books. When it comes down to it, you just have to sit down and write, and then write more and more. Procrastination and excuses spell disaster for writers.

6. There was a lot of build up to Charismagic this year. How did it feel building that through  Charismagic The Death Princess & Charismagic Vol 2? Do you feel satisfied how far the characters have come?

VH: Not at all! And I mean that in the best possible way. I have so many untold stories to tell, and I can’t wait to bring those to life. Building the world up to this point has really been satisfying. A lot of creators only end up with one issue or maybe an initial arc but in just a few short years Charismagic has already seen two volumes, a spinoff mini as well as a digital-only exclusive book for charity, so I can’t complain. It’s been great.


7. How was it coordinating Executive Extinction? How did that event come together?

VH: That was an idea I had that took to David Wohl the creator, and Frank and Peter, and we decided to cross over both the Executive Assistant: Iris proper series and the EA: Assassins ongoing into one giant event. It was fun but like all things event-based in comics, it was a lot of hard work! Over ten issues that had to be connected in continuity. It wasn’t easy. There were a few things I wish we could go back on but overall I think we provided an entertaining series with some long-lasting implications in the EA universe.


8. Let's talk Trish Out of Water for a second. How did that book come about?

VH: When we decided on the “10 for 10” initiative, I knew I wanted to provide a property that stood alone as something different from what we’ve done before. I think we accomplished that hopefully with Trish. Like any Aspen title, it took a lot of planning and initial discussions as to what the series would be, how it would fit into the overall skeleton of the “10 for 10”, and how it would be marketed. Once we had those first few talks nailed down, I was able to flesh out the concept more in my head, and like most projects I work on, tell the story I want to tell. The rest is history.

9. Overall, how do you feel about your writing over the past year? Do you feel you have developed as a writer?

VH: Well, I’ve actually been writing professionally since 2004 so I don’t feel like this year was any different from many of the previous ones beyond the fact that the workload was noticeably increased. I think in 2012 I wrote about 25-30 books and in 2013 I wrote closer to 45 titles so really it was just a little more typing than usual. As far as my development as a writer, I think I’ve learned something from every book I’ve written, and continue to do so. It’s an ever-evolving process that never really stops.



10. Any advice to aspiring creators who want to make comics?

VH: Yes. Follow your dreams but be realistic with your approach. Study the masters and take notes. This industry is littered with creators that don’t plan out their future with a business model, but rather, think that one property or their next series will be the one that hits big. The reality is that you have to approach everything like a labor of love. What you put into it is what you’ll get out of it, but if you go in thinking you’re going to have the next Walking Dead then you’re fooling yourself. Image Comics is probably asking themselves when their next Walking Dead will arrive. It’s not an exact science. Hard work and dedication will be your most successful tool.


11. Finally, what can we look forward to in 2014 from you & Aspen?

VH: We’re taking a measured approach this year with some very special new properties that we think people will really enjoy. In March, our popular Fathom heroine returns in Fathom: Kiani volume 3. In April, creator Siya Oum brings us her long-awaited new series Lola XOXO and let me tell you that it looks and reads amazing! In May we have the return of “10 for 10” alumni book Jirni for its second volume, which is looking brilliant already. In May we also have our new Free Comic Book Day offering, Worlds of Aspen 2014, that features two exclusive zero issue stories of Peter Steigerwald’s new book, The Zoo Hunters as well as my new series, Damsels in Excess, with Mirka Andolfo out in July--and I cannot wait for people to check it out. We also have another very big initiative planned but I can’t reveal more than that for now but stay tuned!

Straight Forward Reviews : PRINCELESS Vol 1

This review is from the original release of the first volume of Princeless. Read on for an addendum.

This week the first volume of Princeless is the subject for review. Written by Jeremy Whitley with art and colors by M. Goodwin. A drastic change from last week's graphic novel review The Monkey King,  Princeless is an all ages affair. How well does it stack up?

Review by by Jeremias de Leon

Story:

Princeless follows the heroine Adrienne as she quests with her dragon Sparky, and, later a half dwarf named Bedelia Smith, to rescue her sisters who are locked in towers, after deciding to save herself from the tower she was locked in. In a nutshell that is the story. But here's a little bit of backstory to add onto that. Adrienne's father is the king of the land, called Ashland, and he locks up his daughters in tall towers that are guarded by mythical beasts. In the world for this story princes are trained and princesses are locked up in towers by their parents in the hopes, at least for the parents, that the prince that rescues them is a strong man that can be a strong heir.

On top of the plot of Adrienne rescuing her sisters there's also a lot of satire directed at stereotypes in Disney and Disney like princess movies and action comics that feature a female protagonist. The rest of this paragraph will give examples. In the first issue Adrienne's skin color is brought up when the prince who tries to rescue her asks where the “fair maiden Adrienne” is and she responds that fair means white and adds “does this look fair to you?” There's also a fairy tale that Adrienne is being read to that tells of a “blonde-haired, blue-eyed princess” that was the “loveliest in all the land.” Later on in issue three after meeting Bedelia, Adrienne gets a tour of the “Woman Warriors Collection” that features armors that parody certain famous warrior women. Satirizing the fact that the trend with what are supposed to be strong warrior women are that they all have large bust sizes and wear next to nothing, which of course, wouldn't be practical in combat.

Art:

To start off the commentary on the art, the character designs are simple, but brilliant. They aren't drawn with complex, photo realistic features, or extremely detailed clothes and shadows, but they are drawn with personality. Every time any of the characters faces are shown on panel, one can see exactly what emotion they are feeling. Their body types also say a lot, Adrienne's dad the king is intimidating because he is drawn as a very large man that is made of muscle. Bedelia looks like she's clearly used to doing hard work at her family's blacksmith shop with her athletic body.

Besides the character designs the bright colors, lighting, and effects like fire are all done in a way that clearly sets the mood of the panel. The simple designs and lustrous colors work very well for the action scenes.

Characters:

This is where Princeless shines. Whitley knows how to write complex, engaging characters. The main character, Adrienne is a very sharp witted girl. She questions why things are the way they are, and with her unwittingly placed in a tower the reader can feel why she has the drive to rescue herself and her sisters. Her brother Devin, is a meek young man who has no interest in becoming a warrior. It's understandable why he would risk himself to help his sister. The half dwarf Bedelia has a lot of troubles at the blacksmith shop she works at so it's understandable that she'd want to leave and join Adrienne. Plus, something happened to the shop and she wouldn't want to stick around anyway.

Each character has motives that are relatable, and each one feels like that they truly do have their own personality. They are definitely not handsome man, or sexy woman number 5089D. They really do feel like real people and when they feel like real people the dialog is a treat to read and the reader can understand why they end up in the situations they do, or why they take the actions they take. After reading these four issues it's hard not to become attached to the characters.

Verdict:

Princeless is an entertaining, clever and eye catching comic series that anyone in any age range can enjoy. The characters are witty, the art is colorful, and the plot is easy to follow without feeling like it's insulting anyone's intelligence.

This comic series gets a 9.5 out of 10.

Yes, it is that good. 



These first four issues were re-released as "Encore Edition" with the final issue of volume 1 re-released on February 26, 2014. The contents are still the same with a variant cover by John "Super Ugly" Williams. If you haven't bought these before now's a chance to get them with a nice extra variant cover.

1st Impressions: JACK HAMMER # 2

JACK HAMMER # 2
Written by Brandon Barrows
Art by Ionic
Action Lab Entertainment

FLIPPING THROUGH:

                Jack finds himself meeting 3 super powered thugs that, at first, want to do business with him. As to why? That does not get explained but things go south as the mystery deepens with new superhumans popping up.

ART:

                Ionic’s style is very simple. It has a good amount of detail as well as some wonderful proportions on people. Ionic gives a good showing here with great angles, decent pencils and some great coloring. Ionic definitely plays with the angles this issue, giving us some unique shots that really work for the book.  Also, the shading in the book is very well done.  My only real gripe would have to be that some of the inking is indeed a bit on the heavy side when it comes to the outline of people. While a little bit is fine, I thought that some of it was a bit heavy in the beginning of the book.  The action is pretty well rendered here. A solid job by Ionic over all.

WRITING:

                Barrows does a great job here of moving the story along while giving us some great characterization with our main hero. Our detective is not a “Garry Stu” type character. He is flawed, abrasive and sarcastic. Yet, Jack’s charm cannot be denied as he goes on to connect Howitzer to what seems to be a crime gang. Barrows allows us to run alongside Jack as he puts all the pieces of the puzzle together.

                The dialogue is very good as Barrows take quotes from classic noir series but add today’s sensibilities to them alongside the super powered element. Jack isn’t the type to wear a costume and this book reads as such. The plot moves at a pretty steady pace throughout the book, not really getting fast till the end. Barrows leaves enough questions to make us wanting more, just like Jack with a solid cliffhanger ending. Really great writing from Barrows.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

                Jack Hammer is a good, solid book with interesting mysteries, a strong lead and good story telling. The art is good as well. Yet, the heavy ink outline felt a bit much on some panels.

RATING:

                I give Jack Hammer # 2 an 8 … out of 10. Pick it up Wednesday!

The Original Mario Gully launches first KICKSTARTER project.

Hey folks you need to come down and check out the Original Mario Gully's new Kickstarter out. It is a beautifully illustrated project. From the press release it states.

"It's like Scarface meets Avatar with dogs and cats, but better! :-) 

Original Mario Gully artwork. 

DIRTY BONES 

New Bark City, Growlsville. This is an epic tale of a mutt by the name of Rover - an ex "Gangster" that gave up his life on the streets to embark on a quest of self discovery while standing up against the segregation between the mutts and the pedigrees. Rover quickly finds out that life in the city has changed as Dirty, the notorious "BIG DAWG", has taken control of New Bark City by force and is now fighting a vicious turf war with Madam Kitty for ultimate power. It's a dog-eat-dog world and no animal is safe in this adventure of romance, gangsters, tommy-guns, fast cars and flea bitten varmints! DIRTY BONES, where every dog has it's day!"

So check it out folks. Here is the link: DIRTY BONES

Jake Estrada

Preview: ALL NEW FATHOM # 5

ALL NEW FATHOM #5
David Wohl ­ Story / Alex Konat ­ Art / Peter Steigerwald ­ Colors

A new direction in the FATHOM Universe continues!

Believing the undersea threat from Vana to be over, Aspen Matthews returns to the surface to try to resume a normal life and finds an old flame waiting for her upon her arrival--Chance Calloway. Meanwhile, tensions rise beneath
the surface as the true extent of Vana's scheme begins to manifest, and she reveals her actual target--the Capital city of the Blue, Muria!

Writer David Wohl, artist Alex Konat and colorist Peter Steigerwald team up once again to bring you the latest adventures of Michael Turner's most beloved creation!

ALL NEW FATHOM #5 is in stores January 29th, 2013!