Saga # 12 Review (Mature Content Warning)

WARNING: MATURE CONTENT in Review. You have been warned. 

SAGA # 12
Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Fiona Staples
Image Comics


FLIPPING THROUGH:

   While we don’t realize it at first, the book opens with a flash back of Robot IV when he was wounded. And OH MY GOD … is that … wow. Okay! Yeah. Robot IV has an interesting subconscious.

            After he wakes up from the flashback/dream, Robot IV gets hounded about finding his prey, Alana, hubby & child, or else. So, he goes to a backwards planet to talk to the author of a book that inspired Alana in the first place. And what starts out as an interesting talk about a writer throwing something together to get paid gets darker and darker as the discussion goes along.

  And as with the beginning of the issue, the end of the issue leaves us with a twist.


ART:

            Fiona Staples is one of the greatest artist of our generation and this issue continues to show why. From quiet, intimate moments such as Robot IV talking to the writer, Mister Heist to the grand opening which has … Robot IV’s television face showing a man …having vivid, oral sex with another man … to a mouse looking medic getting his head blown apart because of gas .. . Staples draws it all with class and style that few other artist I have seen.

            The pencils and inks are smooth. There is enough detail that everyone is distinct. The backgrounds are varied and lush, although a little lacking for this one issue when Robot IV visits Heist. There is emotion in the movements of Robot IV and the faces of Heist that encapsulate the emotions of the subject matter. And the colors just amplify Staples work even more. A wonderful job by Staples in this book.


WRITING:

            Vaughan writes a book that is full of multiple layers and wonderous characters and Saga is no different. This issue really spotlights a lot on Robot IV. We are finding that there is far more to him than we original suspected. From his discussion with Heist, to his dream/flashback of him nearly dying, to possible self loathing issues from his time in combat or even, as the 2 screens may hint, him being gay … Robot IV really shines as a character. He’s very easy to talk to. Intelligent. Feels very duty bound but at the same time, seemingly does not enjoy his station.

            Heist provides an eerie window to both authors who do stuff to get by while also making statements on parents of former soldiers who end up dying or killing themselves due to the horrors of war. Vaughan flawlessly brings about this conversation as it provides great exposition, rising tension, character focus and used to set up what is to come for the next issue.

            The pacing of the book is excellent and Vaughan really gives us a great book that stands on its own while being a part of a much bigger story.


OVERALL IMPRESSION:

            Well damn! I do not think I will forget this issue for as long as I live. It held that much impact on me. Great art. Superb writing. It builds upon what has gone before while really focusing on a character that we had less focus on with good character building, great dialogue and wonderful build up. This issue was AMAZING.


RATING:

            Saga # 12 gets a 9.5 out of 10.  A near perfect issue.

Countdown: Top 10 # 1s of 2012

     Hey everyone within the Infinite. It's EIC/President Frankie Rodriguez. 2012 has turned out to be quite a year. BI sprang from Comic Book Clash, which was under J1 Studios and we decided to step out onto our own. Last year, after the rise of the New 52, I created a countdown of the Top 10 #1s of that year. Well .... a year has passed. Things have come and gone. Marvel NOW has been rolling deep and the New 52 is still here ... with some differences. Image Comics and indie comics in general were dealing with a brand new renassience. And some other companies made their way up and/or back ... like Valiant and IDW.

So, now we get down to the great #1s of this year. Just to point this out, there have been a SLEW of new books. I have read more comics books this year than I have had in any other year since I started reading comics some 21 years ago.

  This list will definitely be a bit more diverse than last years. But get ready cause you are gonna be in for a great ride.

 Honorable Mentions: 
Team 7 #1 
The Crow # 1
Avengers vs X-Men # 1
Colder # 1 
I Love trouble # 1 
 Thor: God of Thunder # 1 
World's finest # 1
Clone # 1 
Thief of Thieves #1
Archer & Armstrong #1 





10 - TRANSFORMERS: MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
     Written by James Roberts
     Art by Nick Roche     IDW Publishing

    This was definitely one of the most fun books that came out this year. When IDW restarted the Transformers books as 2 ongoing series, I was excited. I have had a long time love of the series and had been enjoying what IDW has been doing with the franchise for the last several years. Well, now ... this book just was pure fun. It has it's share of mystery. It has it's share of Shakespearan-like thoughts. And it has one of the funniest casts since the original JLI comics from the late 80s-90s.  The crew of the Lost Light, led by rodimus, are off on a quest and the crew is zany and awesome.  This book started off the year with a smile while giving Prowl some heat that seems to be going on with Cyclops. Roberts and Roche send off the crew of the Lost Light in style ... and laughter.



# 9 - X-O MANOWAR # 1
        Written by Robert Vendetti
         Art by Cary Nord
        Valiant Comics

        Valiant has returned. And it has come back strong. This was the first book to be brought back under the Valiant banner and we are all the better for it. X-O Manowar is one of Valiant's most well known figures, even having a game with Iron Man in the 90s. Aric returns as a Visgoth fighting the Roman Empire until the Vine come in and make his conflict worse. Aric is brash. Aric is an amazing warrior. But Aric is also hot headed. And that actually adds to his charm. The set up of the first issue really help build upon our hero who is far from perfect and loves to fight while also setting up a conflict with the Vine. It was a brand new beginning and Vendetti brought his A-game for it. Along with Nord's illustrations, X-O Manowar # 1 opened like an epic movie that was just starting.










#8 -  The HYPERNATURALS # 1
        Written by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
        Art by Brad Walker & Andres Guinaldo
        BOOM!  Studios 

    Take all the nightmares of Public Relations. Add some DnA space sensibilities with some classic super heroics and modern day writing and you got The Hypernaturals. The team is the universe's big PR super team who fights for justice. And low and behold, they've been around for 100 years. This universe is different, technological based with people having Hyper powers and is very awesome. This is DnA unfiltered and it is awesome. From finding that some of the team had retired to seeing their greatest victory to what may be their greatest shame.   This book opens with mysteries, action and introduces us to some great characters. Ultizing how media treats celebrities in this space epic definitely left an impact. The only reason this  not higher is due to the fact that their FREE COMIC BOOK DAY  story actually is a prologue to this issue.







# 7 - EARTH 2 #1 
        Written by James Robinson
         Art by Nicola Scott
         DC Comics 

     Dear God! Now this was an opening.  Earth 2 started with a bang alright as we see how the DC Trinity of Earth 2 fell. And fell fighting is how they did it. We see Mr. Terrific showing up to this new Earth. And we see the beginnings of what could very well be the Justice Society. Scott's art looked so much sharper and alive with this project and Robinson's writing was exquisite. Once you read Earth 2, you know you had something special there. And you wanted to be there for the whole ride.










# 6 -  CONAN THE BARBARIAN # 1
          Written by Brian Wood
           Art by Becky Cloonan & Dave Stewart
          Dark Horse Comics 

        Conan has been around a long time. But God ... this new #1 was GLORIOUS. Conan being young, brash but very loyal and true. Very much like how he was in the classic novels. Brian Wood takes Conan and really opens with a classic opening that would be fit for a new movie (hint, hint). From Cloonan's darker style, to the prose within the pages to Conan facing the Queen of the Black Coast himself, Conan the Barbarian opened with a fast pace and never let you go. The story really held you as you read it and the visuals helped. It made me so happy to read it. Thank you  to the Conan team.







#5 - AVENGERS ARENA # 1 
       Written by Dennis Hopeless
      Art by Kev Walker
      Marvel Comics 

       What is a book that has only been out 1 week doing on this countdown? Simple. It is one of the ballsiest books Marvel has ever made and it is glorious. I personally was going to stay away from the book. But then I was given the book by a friend who HIGHLY recommended it. So I read it and I was like ... HOLY FRELL! The use of the teen heroes in this book  in a hunger games/ Battle Royale type situation blew me away seeing it. Yet, one of the BIGGEST surprises was Arcade ... who suddenly had power levels comparable to that of a god. And what a mean god Arcade was. Even so much as to making the teens decide which of them was the first to die only to have heart breaking ending to match its furious beginning. And note, Darkhawk & X-23 are among the teens in this situation. So ... things are pretty damn bad for the other teens. Hopeless took his name and attached it to the teens' situation. And boy ... it looks like things will only get worse in this examination of what makes a hero and what makes a human human.






# 4 - BLACKARCE # 1 
        Written by Duffy Boudreau
         Art by Wendell  Cavalcanti
         Image Comics 
   This book was HIGHLY recommended but many within the industry. Which made me take a look at it and I was sooooo happy I did. Blackarce tells a story of man after economic collapse and the divide between upper class and poor became so large that the upper class decided to start their own society without the poor. And the most frightening thing about the books is that IT COULD HAPPEN IN REAL LIFE. Boudreau takes many of things we see in society and blends them in order to build the world that he creates in Blackarce. This world is indeed very possible. And it is enjoyable to read. With Cavalcanti's art alongside it, Blackarce proves itself to be a grand series of scope that I look forward to.



# 3 - SAGA # 1 

   Written by Brian K. Vaughan
  Art by Fiona Staples
  Image Comics
   
     Vaughan came back to comics this year with Saga. And Saga # 1 more than lived up to the hype. The sci-fi adventure mixed elements of fantasy with sci-fi so well. The characters were 3 dimensional and looked breath taking. The story was multi-layered with its sci-fi fantasy goodness while examining racism and the right to love and human rights in general. You can read the book multiple times with a lot of enjoyment. The pacing is excellent. The themes are relatable. This is what reading comics should always feel like: taking mature themes while having fun displaying them and feeling connections to the characters. Truly, a wonder to behold.




# 2 -  ALL-NEW X-MEN # 1 ... &  .... UNCANNY AVENGERS # 1 
       Written by Brian Michael Bendis ... & ... Rick Remender
        Art by Stuart Immonen .......... & ....... John Cassady
        Marvel Comics 

    I could not decide between these 2. I wasn't sure how to rate them. I could not bring myself to choose one over the other. So I didn't. Both All-New X-Men #1 and Uncanny Avengers #1 give you a brand new landscape of the Marvel Universe after the battle with the Dark Phoenix in Avengers vs  X-Men. There is clearly some brand new status quos going around. And what both of these books did was give you some grand explosive action alongside some very personal and shocking moments that immediately make you invested. Both artists in their respective books give it their all to tell tales. In All-New X-Men, we see the divide between Scott's X-Men and Wolverine's X-Men grow beyond any thing we thought possible before. Cyclops has gone straight on attacking humans in order to save mutants if need be. The JGS faculty are not taking this well. And with a  double hit of twists dealing with Beast and the original X-Men, it made for an emotional opening. Then in Uncanny Avengers, we get to see how the others mourn Charles, how Alex Summers is now the better of the Summers brothers in the Marvel Universe. And a great emotional argument between Rogue and Scarlet Witch as Scarlet Witch points out that she's been living Xavier's Dream of co-existence all the time with her as an Avenger while the X-Men seem to wear the outfit but not walk the walk. Both books with strong endings that grip you, this is why they are both in second place.








# 1 - SHADOWMAN # 1 

      Written by Justin Jordon & Patrick Zircher
       Art by Patrick Zircher
       Valiant Comics 

    Out of every book on this list, this was the only book I knew where I was gonna put it on this countdown. After reading it over and over, I knew that Shadowman #1 was something beyond special. With an epic opening, a few mysteries about our hero and his family and the return of one of comics' greatest villains ever, Shadowman has it all.  No other book seem to grip you and feel wonderously real at the same time. From Jack keeping himself a mystery, to the opening of the book with Jack's father fighting Darque, the gorgeous art and tight writing is smart, daring and full of energy. You can tell that Zircher is working on the book of his career in these pages. And his work on writing with Jordon is top notch. I have not felt his enthralled with a comic book since the original volume of the New Warriors, which I collected religiously as a teen. This book breathes what comic books are .... artistic form with great story that makes you feel joy and grips at you from the word go. That is why this book is my top # 1 of 2012.





 And that's our countdown. Agree? Disagree? Feel free to comment below. Thank you for reading and talk to you again soon.


 - Frankie Rodriguez.

Image Gives 20 First Issues Of Their Titles ... FOR FREE!

   Announced today from Image Comics, the company has decided to release 20 of the first issues and/or jump on points of their best selling titles on Comixology. The kicker here is that these titles will be for FREE! Yep. FREE for digital. These titles are the shining examples of Image's current Indie Comics Renaissance. And just to add to the incentive of these new titles ... they will be free digitally ... PERMANENTLY. Yes.

 The titles apart of this initiative are as follows:

Fatale
Thief of Thieves
Saga
The Manhattan Project
Mind the Gap
Alpha Girl
Creator Owned Heroes
Hell Yeah
Danger Club
Hoax Hunters
Peter Panzerfaust
Epic Kill
Secret
America's Got Powers
Planetoid
No Place Like Home
Grim Leaper
Dancer
Prophet
Glory

  Once again, this move, alongside the recent announcements that Ed Brubaker, Grant Morrison and even Rob Liefield will be dealing with indy books for the foreseeable future, Image is looking to beat out the Big Two. And from recent sales and indicators ... they just might do it.

First Impressions: Saga #1

Saga (2012) #1

Written by Brian K. Vaughan

Art by Fiona Staples

Published by Image Comics

Review by Eric McLeod

In an industry ruled by comic book properties that have lasted for decades, it’s always good to see a new comic with no connection to any previously established continuity. Brian K. Vaughan, creator of original comics such as Y: The Last Man and Ex Machina, has done it again with his new fantasy comic series Saga.

Summary:

In a galaxy full of people with wings, horns, and sometimes TVs for heads, a war rages on between a planet named Landfall and its moon Wreath. Two soldiers, Alana and Marko, desert their respective sides to get married and give birth to a daughter. Now everyone wants them dead. Being a parent is hard, but it’s certainly made no easier when the entire galaxy is after you.

Story:

What’s most notable about the story is the way it’s told. Throughout the story, a narration in sketchy text will pop up, occasionally explaining the story and even giving hints of the future. The narrator in question is Alana and Marko’s daughter, telling the story in the future. The reader is immediately aware that she will live, but the fates of Alana and Marko are left ambiguous.

The story starts with the birthing, which aside from one awkward line, is handled with much class and shows the closeness of Alana and Marko. Shortly afterwards, they’re forced to run from death, and even by the end of the issue, they keep finding trouble.  I have a feeling the daughter will eventually take over as the protagonist, but I’m happy with Alana and Marko. It’s rare to see a parenting couple as the leads in a comic, and they have been realistically portrayed as such.

There are also the two factions chasing after them, Landfall and Wreath. A bounty hunter known only as The Will is called to hunt them down and bring their child back as proof of their deaths, and he has a pretty sweet talking cat that can detect lies. The villains are looking as interesting as the heroes.

Art:

Brian K. Vaughan is an excellent writer, but Fiona Staples deserves just as much credit for drawing the book. There are your typical animal people, but the major characters are human-looking aside from having horns or wings. The most interesting designs are the TV people, the allies of Landfall. They look completely human aside from having old-fashioned TV sets for heads. Both the humanoid characters and bizarre characters are drawn with accurate proportions and realistic facial expressions (well, the characters with faces at least). There’s a two page spread of a battle that’s simply stunning, if only because of how fantastic the scope is.

There is a sex scene, but for a mature series, it’s pretty tame. There are exposed boobs and penis, but this is far from a porn. A lesser artist would draw more attention to this fact, but the only time exposed breasts are focused on are for breast-feeding.

Final Thoughts:

This is a strong start for what I’m sure will be a long fantasy saga. It says as much in the title, and the title so far does not lie. The world has been built up significantly for a first issue, and considering the sheer size of the galaxy, there’s more world building to be done. I might be jumping the gun here, but this may be the best new comic of the year. I was that gripped by the characters and the world they reside in.

Since I do not give a number rating for stories at the moment, I’ll just give this a strong recommendation for fans of large fantasy settings or strong family themes. I know I’ll be picking up the next two issues as soon as I can. Best of all, each comic is around 30 pages for 2 dollars on Comixology. In an age where Marvel is charging 4 dollars for shorter books, that is a great deal. 

NEW EDITION #27 - REEDER OFF BATWOMAN, SUMMER OF VALIANT & IMAGE SELLING OUT AGAIN & AGAIN & AGAIN . ..

Welcome one and all to this week's News Edition for the Week of  3/14/2012. Originally, I was gonna do a story on the Night of Owls Crossover but that story has been put on hold. You'll see. - EIC Frankie Rodriguez.


REEDERS DEPARTS, OTHER ARTISTS COME IN ON BATWOMAN & DETECTIVE 

   by Frankie Rodriguez

     DC recently announced some changes to more of their books. First, Ed Benes, who has been  the main penciller to Red Lanterns, will be filling in for Tony Daniel on art duties for four months while Daniel takes a break. One can assume that Red Lantern will then have a fill in artist then as well.

 Yet, what is bigger is that Reeder has been taken off of Batwoman. Reeder, who is the rotating artist alongside JH Williams, was slated to be a regular artist on the book. Yet, many speculate that because of the shift of styles between Williams III and her sparked up an uproar from fans after one issue that DC decided a change. Trevor McCarty will be replacing Reeder as rotating artists with Williams III, who is also writing the book alongside W. Hayden Blackman.

The following are snippets from Reeder's blog:


A lot of you have heard by now that I will no longer be drawing Batwoman, starting with issue 9.  

The info was announced by DC a couple nights ago, very soon after it became final.  It's strange (though sort of cool) having you all on real-time with me here--I'm still in a little shock and my future is up in the air.  My two-year contract with DC is up at the end of this month.


The jist of it, though, was that it was a bad situation, and kept getting worse and more intense until it became impossible.  I am a long-term project kinda girl and I was so excited about being on Batwoman...I didn't want to let go of it and fought until it was over.

   And while there are a lot of speculations as to what exactly happened, it does seem that DC is determined to make sure their books come out on time as promised by both Didio and Harris. McCarthy is slated to do 3 issues before JH Williams III returns in issue #12 on art duties.


VALIANT COMICS - 4 TITLES OF SUMMER OF VALIANT 

by Frankie Rodriguez 

  Last week, we told you about the first 2 titles: X-O Manowar & Harbinger. Now,  Valiant Comics has revealed the other 2 titles part of their relaunch, a new title being released each month starting in May. The 2 new titles are Bloodshot and Archer & Armstrong.

   Bloodshot, as was told last week, is a story of a former assassin who was later captured and experimented on. He came to have nano-tech in his very blood that gave him super strength, regenative, enhanced speed and more. While we discussed the possible movie last week, we found out the new # 1 will debut in July with art by Arturo Lozzi & Manuel Garcia and written by Birds of Prey writer Duane Swierczynski.

  And finally, the Summer of Valiant ends with the return of Archer & Armstrong; one is an 18 year old assassin sent to destroy evil and the other is a drunken old immortal.  This reimagining of the classic duo has art by Clayton Cain and written by Fred Van Lente.It's first issue will come out in August.

    And while there are other books waiting in the wings, these are the 4 that kick of Valiant's relaunch. All the titles will have pullbox variant and both X-O Manowar and Harbinger will have talking variant covers.


IMAGE CONTINUES ITS SELLING OUT RENAISSANCE

by Frankie Rodriguez 

    Image Comics has becoming the leading house of Independents. And it is not hard to see why. This is the home of such great properties like Spawn, Savage Dragon, The Walking Dead, Invincible, Prophet & more. And recently, since before the new year started, many of Image's brand new books have been selling out. How many? Well so far, Prophet# 21 & # 22, Thief of Thieves # 1, Glory # 22, Peter Panzerfaust # 1 and more have sold out over the course of the last several months. And now, even more Image titles have sold out, garnering second printings.

   Peter Panzerfaust # 2 by Kurtis Wiebe and Tyler Jenkins, the book dealing with Peter Pan fighting in World War II, has sold out just like its first issue. No Place Like Home # 1 featuring a new twist on the Wizard of Oz by Angelo Tirotto & Richard Jordon has sold out. Hell Yeah # 1, written by current Glory scribe Joe Keatinge and art by Andre Szymanowicz, has sold out. (I know, I grabbed the last copy from my store.) Jonathan Hickman (most notably known for his current Fantastic Four run & Secret Warriors over in Marvel) released his new book, The Manhattan Project # 1 and that was sold out as well. And finally, a book that hits store shelves today (Wednesday, March 14th) Saga # 1 which features the return of Brian K. Vaughn into the comic book scene alongside artist Fiona Staples has ALREADY sold out. And each and every single one of these books will have second printings.

  It seems we are getting a significant jump in the sale of Independent comics. What does this mean? Comic fans are trying stuff besides super hero books, looking for the next The Walking Dead. Will this happen? Only time will tell but with this kind of sales, it is very hopeful that 2012 will be the year of the independent books.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY . . .

One of the few Tokusatsu Reviews I know. Great guy with a good set of reviews, a few countdowns and some specials. Tokusatsu is special effects in japanese but it is what the genre of live action stuff like Power Rangers and Kamen Rider Dragon Knight are based off of. Toku Time or Reviewtopia: Toku Time is where you can find him.

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NEXT WEEK: AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH TYLER KIRKHAM!! BE THERE!!