Archive for category Book Of The Month
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – SEEDS
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on May 12, 2011
Book Of The Month – May 2011
SEEDS
Written & Illustrated by Ross Mackintosh
Com.x
One of the aspects that make comics great is that opportunity of escapism from everyday troubles and woes. What may start as a bad day could easily end snuggled-up in a nice warm bed, reading who the Guardians of the Galaxy are currently up against (Spoilers: no one. The series ended), as your anxieties drift away into the back of your mind.
However, on occasion we tend to get lost in these worlds, slowly becoming dependent on the individuals who play dress-up and fight crime, and you know, don’t exist. What Would Batman Do? has suddenly become a legitimate question for those who can’t differentiate from real life and comic books, nor show any concern about the problems plaguing the world around them. Sometimes we need to derail these happy-go-lucky stories with something that hits a little close to home, provoking us to show that we’re still human.
For the Book Of The Month selection for May, SEEDS by Ross Mackintosh does precisely that. In his first graphic novel from Com.x Comics, he tells the story of his father’s battle with cancer from a firsthand account. Chronicling the first detection of prostate cancer, followed by a secondary cancer in the lungs, Mackintosh compels the reader to look past feeling sorry for his father, and to celebrate the legacy he left behind instead. Chances are you know or knew someone in your life who has struggled with cancer, so it really does hit close to home for the majority.
On a personal note, I recently was informed of my grandfather being diagnosed with liver cancer, so while I was reading the graphic novel there was definitely a few moments that I could relate to regarding his current state of well-being.
By the end of the story, you feel like you have a better understanding of the kind of man he was, and are thankful that Ross Mackintosh provided you with the opportunity to get to know a complete stranger. For a first graphic novel, I was tremendously impressed by his art and storytelling. His style of art reminds me of someone else who I can’t recall at the moment, but it was simple and yet spoke volumes.
So before you go back to reading the latest Fear Itself tie-in, treat yourself to SEEDS by Ross Mackintosh. Perhaps it will compel you to go out and live life to the fullest a little bit more, appreciate the loved ones around you, and seize the day.
Click here for previous Book Of The Month episodes!
One of the aspects that make comics great is that opportunity of escapism from everyday troubles and woes. What may start as a bad day could easily end snuggled-up in a nice warm bed, reading who the Guardians of the Galaxy are currently up against (Spoilers: no one. The series ended), as your anxieties drift away into the back of your mind.
However, on occasion we tend to get lost in these worlds, slowly becoming dependent on the individuals who play dress-up and fight crime, and you know, don’t exist. What Would Batman Do? has suddenly become a legitimate question for those who can’t differentiate from real life and comic books, nor show any concern about the problems plaguing the world around them. Sometimes we need to derail these happy-go-lucky stories with something that hits a little close to home, provoking us to show that we’re still human.
For the Book Of The Month selection for May, SEEDS by Ross Mackintosh does precisely that. In his first graphic novel from Com.x Comics, he tells the story of his father’s battle with cancer from a firsthand account. Chronicling the first detection of prostate cancer, followed by a secondary cancer in the lungs, Mackintosh compels the reader to look past feeling sorry for his father, and to celebrate the legacy he left behind instead. Chances are you know or knew someone in your life who has struggled with cancer, so it really does hit close to home for the majority.
On a personal note, I recently was informed of my grandfather being diagnosed with liver cancer, so while I was reading the graphic novel there was definitely a few moments that I could relate to regarding his current state of well-being.
By the end of the story, you feel like you have a better understanding of the kind of man he was, and are thankful that Ross Mackintosh provided you with the opportunity to get to know a complete stranger. For a first graphic novel, I was tremendously impressed by his art and storytelling. His style of art reminds me of someone else who I can’t recall at the moment, but it was simple and yet spoke volumes.
So before you go back to reading the latest Fear Itself tie-in, treat yourself to SEEDS by Ross Mackintosh. Perhaps it will compel you to go out and live life to the fullest a little bit more, appreciate the loved ones around you, and seize the day.
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – Mesmo Delivery
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on April 12, 2011
Book Of The Month – April
Mesmo Delivery
Written & Illustrated by Rafael Grampá
Dark Horse
When I first got into comics, it was superheroes or nothing else. There was only one kind of shape and design for characters, and it was the classic cookie-cutter look of big muscles, tight spandex, and skimpy outfits for the girls. That’s the comics everyone is reading, and because of it they’ve been dominating the market for the past several decades. Like sheep we follow blindly into the comic stores to verify that Spider-Man still loves Mary-Jane, Batman has a Robin, and the Hulk is still smashing things. This is the only type of comic style we know, and slowly we’re all dying a little inside because of it.
First, there was bland. Then, there was Grampá.
Rafael Grampá is one of those boys from Brazil that is reinventing what we perceive as the standard comic book mold. He not only breaks this mold, he completely obliterates it. I first heard of him a few years ago from the 5 anthology he participated in with a couple other unknown artists; Becky Cloonan, Vasilis Lolos, Gabriel Bá, and Fabio Moon. Yeah, never heard of any of those chuckle-heads. A majority of you first gazed in amazement at his work with the Daredevil #500 pin-up he provided featuring an old-school red and yellow Matthew Murdock. More recently, he did the fantastic Wolverine story in the first issue of the second volume of Strange Tales, which is an absolute crime that the story wasn’t considered Eisner worthy (politics, I say! Politics!).
Enough about how amazing Grampá is, let’s talk about his first graphic novel Mesmo Delivery. Originally published by Adhouse back in 2008, it just last year started coming-out under the Dark Horse banner. And when it comes to the kind of material Dark Horse publishes, this graphic novel is a absolute shoe-in. The story is a simple one of two men, one ex-boxer and one Elvis impersonator, driving a delivery truck across the country containing some sort of mysterious cargo. Only one of them knows, and it’s his job to keep it hush-hush. After stopping in a small Podunk town for some rest and milk, the ex-boxer Rufo starts getting the attention of a group of bored locals who mean business. A fight ensues, and it doesn’t go the way you’d think it would when an ex-boxer is involved. As a matter of fact, one simple fight turns into a balls-to-the-wall bloody massacre, and ends with no evidence left behind. Well, bruises and busted knuckles aside.
It’s not fair to artists to compare their perfected personal style to others, but in a case where it’s hard to describe with words a style so randy, it’s best to compare only to give you a clear vision. Think of Grampá’s style as if you blended together the styles of Geof Darrow, Frank Quitely, Gabriel Bá, Fabio Moon, Juan Jose Ryp, and Becky Cloonan. Add a dash of Asian influence, and you’ve got yourself one beautiful mindfuck on paper.
The entire graphic novel is under 100 pages (including extras and back matter), and because of it I pine for more. It does leave it open for future stories, so if they’re currently in development I cannot wait! I want more pretty pictures ASAP!
So if you’re interested in something new that ain’t your daddy’s comic book for under $10, do yourself a favor and pick-up Mesmo Delivery today. It will certainly tickle your art taste buds.
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – The New Fantastic Four
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on March 12, 2011
Book Of The Month – March
The New Fantastic Four
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art by Paul Pelletier
Marvel
Due to two recent major events in the comic book industry, I determined this should be the book of the month that I selected. Last month, the comics industry was shocked when we lost an extremely talented individual named Dwayne McDuffie. Whether you know who he is or not, chances are he’s had an impact on your comic reading experience. He wrote entertaining stories for many different companies, and had a major role in the animation field as well, giving us Static Shock and writing many of your favorite Justice League Unlimited episodes.
Also last month, the Fantastic Four lost the Human Torch to the devastating Annihilus hordes from the Negative Zone, in a way disbanding the team. The news made headlines worldwide, and was spoiled days before the issue had even hit stores. Because of these two events, one story in particular jumped out at me from a few years ago, and I find it very fitting that this Book Of The Month selection is sort of my own personal tribute to Dwayne McDuffie, may he rest in peace.
The New Fantastic Four debuted in Fantastic Four issues 544-550, taking place after Marvel’s Civil War event. Sue and Reed needed a break and decided to take a second honeymoon while trying to resolve some issues between them, while T’Challa and Storm need a new Wakandian embassy for the time being as the one in New York was just bombed. Seeing an opportunity to help out Reed and Sue, Black Panther and Storm set-up home at the Baxter Building and join the team as the new husband and wife part of the equation.
Spanning from cosmic battles against Galactus and his heralds, to battling the Fearsome Five on the moon Titan, McDuffie and Pelletier keep us the reader entertained to the max. McDuffie had said in prior interviews that writing the Fantastic Four was a lifelong dream for him, so you can absolutely tell he put heart and soul into this collection. It really is a great tribute to the Fantastic Four stories of old, and has the perfect mixture of fun, science-fiction, and glorious illustrations. Paul Pelletier kills it on art, and has the cast rendered beautifully throughout while at the same time gives us exciting scenes of cosmic proportions.
Whether you’re a new fan or old fan of the Fantastic Four, McDuffie gives us longtime friends and foes for everyone to enjoy including the Watcher, Silver Surfer, the Wizard and so many more. Do yourself a favor and pick this trade up, because it really demonstrates how talented McDuffie was, and maybe it will inspire you to checkout his other masterworks as well.
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – The Other Side
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on February 7, 2011
The Other Side
Written by Jason Aaron
Art by Cameron Stewart
Vertigo
Before his epic runs on Wolverine, Ghost Rider, and Scalped, Jason Aaron was still a pipsqueak who just broke into the comics industry after submitting an 8-page story to Marvel. For him to give us The Other Side straight out of the gate is a bold and astounding move for a man who dares to run instead of crawl. Everyone knows about the atrocities that happened during the Vietnam War, but it seems that Aaron is one of the few who tackles the subject of what the other side was also going through. While it wasn’t easy for the United States, it was a hundred times worse for the Vietcong.
We get the tale of two farm boys, each from a different part of the world, and how they arrive during the height of the Vietnam War in 1968. Bill Everette is from Alabama, and Vo Binh Dai is from northern Vietnam. While Dai proudly volunteered to fight for the People’s Army of Vietnam, Everette like many other young men at the time, was drafted. Everette tries every trick in the book to keep from being shipped-off (e.g. tries to catch V.D., openly states he’s a homosexual), but Uncle Sam needs men and he just has to bite the bullet and go fight for his country.
While training, we see the classic drill sergeant archetype from Full Metal Jacket making Everette’s life a living hell. It doesn’t help that during all the stress he’s enduring, he’s starting to see ghosts of corpses from the war. Also, his gun starts talking to him. Upon informing the chaplain of what he’s seeing, in hopes he’ll be deemed unfit for duty, he’s told to suck it up and get ready to go fight overseas.
Everette goes by plane, while Dai goes the way of train, then a long march through the jungles to the frontlines of the war. Dai is very patriotic, and believes that great honor is to be achieved by dying protecting his country from the savage Americans. However, upon seeing the rest of his country for the first time, it seems that perhaps it’s not as glorious as he once thought, as he bears witness to truly unspeakable acts.
Throughout the war, both men are affected by the horrors of the battlefield, and some things just cannot be unseen. Stewart and Aaron do an good job showing how Bill and Vo react to such gruesome scenarios, that it’s no surprise that one of them isn’t coming back home afterwards.
From tigers dragging away corpses to napalm destroying entire villages, Cameron Stewart does an amazing job on art. The reason everything looks so great is because he toured Vietnam for two weeks to get in the mindset for this series, and it definitely can be seen on every page. The hordes of undead soldiers who follow Everette throughout has to be my favorite bits by Stewart, because each corpse looks mangled worse than the one before it. How many other artists can you think of who actually got off their ass to travel to another country to get the genuine feel for an upcoming story?
As for Jason Aaron, he makes it feel authentic by an entirely different connection; his cousin is Gustav Hasford, the Vietnam veteran and author of The Short-Timers which was later adapted to the movie Full Metal Jacket. Aaron got to know his cousin and his cousin’s friends, and you can read and understand their struggles in precise details.
So while The Other Side originally came out a few years ago, it’s Jason Aaron’s first real hit, and was even up for an Eisner. I bring this up because he’s one of the hottest writers today, and it’s always fun to see where they started, and see how much they’ve accomplished since then. Do yourself a favor and pick up The Other Side, then go shoot yourself some Victor Charlie.
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – The Umbrella Academy: Dallas
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on January 8, 2011
The Umbrella Academy: Dallas
Written by Gerard Way
Art by Gabriel Ba
Dark Horse
Another January, and another Umbrella Academy book is the pick of the month. If you can’t tell by now, I’m a little obsessed with this series. I like starting off the new year with a selection that makes me smile from ear to ear, and no other series tickles me pinker than The Umbrella Academy.
In this second volume, Dallas, we see the aftermath of the White Violin’s rampage from Apocalypse Suite, and once again the team is disbanded. Space Boy is more like the Pillsbury Doughboy, The Rumor is left speechless by her deranged and amnesiac sister, the Séance is now a celebrity, Kraken is the only member trying to fight crime, and Number Five is down on his luck at the race track. Not exactly the team we fell in love with. After being visited by a small army of Temps Aeternalis agents, things get set in motion for Number Five, then eventually the whole team as well.
This volume is packed with back story of Number Five, and how he became the ultimate killing machine we see today. He was labeled an anomaly, and used by the Temps Aeternalis to travel throughout time and correcting mistakes in the time stream. When it eventually comes to assassinating JFK in 1963, his older self rebels. Because of this, JFK goes on being president for eight years, Hargreeves acquires nuclear missiles from him, and eventually the world is destroyed because of it. It is extremely important for Number Five to go back in time to finish the job, and the rest of the team is forced to get involved.
Whether it is the past, present, or future, Gabriel Ba is able to execute the pages flawlessly. This time around, he even took over for illustrating the covers as well. From the breathtaking landscapes of Vietnam, to the office at the end of time, he continues to bring us amazing visuals that only his art style is capable of delivering for a series like this. Add a dash of Dave Stewart once again on colors, and it’s eye candy of the highest caliber.
While I patiently wait for the third volume, Hotel Oblivion, it gives me endless time and pleasure to relive such wonderful storytelling by Gerard Way. I think with the completion of this volume, he finally earned the much-deserved respect from the pickiest of comic book fans. He is one of us, and he’s not one of these blow-hard musicians trying to make a quick buck that we’ve seen examples of time and time again. Yes, Hotel Oblivion is currently on hiatus due to My Chemical Romance touring, but after delivering to us two absolutely spectacular volumes so far, I will gladly wait patiently for the next one. It’s not like he’s going to pull a Warren Ellis and take an eternity to deliver on something he started years ago, right? Right?
The best thing going for this series is that it’s a lot like Hellboy; anyone can pick up any volume, and still have a great reading experience. You don’t need years of continuity to enjoy it, for it is easily accessible to comic readers of young and old. While waiting for the third volume in 2011, why not treat yourself with the first two this month? Where else can you get red licorice vines and instant Armageddon?
Nowhere else in comics, I can assure you.
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – Super F*ckers
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on December 4, 2010
Book Of The Month – December
Super F*ckers
Humor in comic books can sometimes be a fickle thing. Some writers try to go over-the-top and throw every cultural reference at you mixed with a fart joke, and others try sophisticated humor, that can be lost on the majority of readers. How can you walk that fine line that makes everyone happy?
You don’t. What you do is pretend like it’s the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire, and pick a side. You either produce a ‘ha-ha, funny-funny’ all-ages friendly funny book, one that would make the Comics Code Authority smile, or you go completely off the deep end and make sure it’s a Mature Readers Only title.
So while your nephew is enjoying another hilarious adventure of Scrooge McDuck by the fireplace, you can relax in your recliner and chug a few beers while enjoying Super F*ckers by James Kochalka. Hell, light-up a few joints as well to intensify the effect!
While some young superhero teams enjoy fighting crime by day and having ice cream parties by night, the Super F*ckers are the exact opposite. They are the team comprised by the kids your parents warned you not to play with. In fact, in this collection you don’t see this team fight any bad guys, only themselves. When they’re not fighting, they’re getting high, playing video games, and fucking. With team-tryouts right around the corner, you’d think some fresh blood would be an improvement for this team, but sure enough those filled with innocence and purity are shortly corrupted upon arrival.
When I tell you that this is the funniest book I’ve read in 2010, I tell no lies. Every page made me laugh out loud uncontrollably throughout, and I even was shedding a few tears (of laughter). The comedic timing, the name calling, the characters, all so amazing. Every one of them a complete asshole in their own right, with Jack Krack being the one who takes the cake hands-down. Do not let the pretty art fool you; this is definitely not for kids.
With Christmas right around the corner, I would highly recommend this book for that one comic reader in your life who likes some of Garth Ennis’ raunchier works, combined with the similar style of art from Tiny Titans. Kochalka completely blew my mind with this collection, and I think it’s safe to say that he can take-over “The Motherfucker” title from Jack Krak.
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – Chew: The Omnivore Edition Vol. 1
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on November 5, 2010
Book Of The Month – November
Chew – The Omnivore Edition Vol. 1 
Written by John Layman
Illustrated by Rob Guillory
Now usually I don’t do themed Book Of The Month selections. I mean October is always fun to review a horror comic, but that’s about as usually far as I’ll go theme-wise. However when you see a holiday and a graphic novel go together like Native Americans & Pilgrims, you just have to take advantage of it. That’s why I decided to choose the first hardcover of Chew by John Layman and Rob Guillory. I can’t help it if I think of Thanksgiving and eating & Chew. After you’ve read the graphic novel, it’ll all make sense to you. Trust me.
Chew debuted back in 2009 and became an instant success. So much so, that the first issue alone went back for multiple printings. Now that may be normal for some series, but for a comic nobody heard anything about? That’s pretty fantastic. The story takes place in a world where chicken is illegal. There was an avian flu outbreak that killed tens of thousands of people across the country, and the FDA is the government agency in charge of keeping the peace. The main character of the series, Tony Chu, is a police detective from Philadelphia who has an uncanny ability to get psychic impressions of anything he eats. He’s cibopathic, which means if he eats a burger, he gets the entire history of where it came from. The only food he’s able to eat to keep from getting these horrible images is beets. They’re boring, bland, and bearable. After a recent bust on a restaurant serving chicken, he’s scooped-up by a special section of the FDA dedicated to investigating food and anything weird or bizarre involving it. Along the way we’re introduced to the rest of the players; his veteran new partner Mason Savoy, the love of his life Amelia Mintz, and so on and so forth.
Each character is truly unique in this ingenious setting. While cibopaths like Tony and Mason can get a mental image of food when eaten, Amelia is a saboscrinver, who can write about food so vividly and precisely, that you can taste what she’s writing about. It doesn’t stop there! All throughout this volume you’re introduced to several characters along the same vein of Tony and Amelia, only they’re abilities are slightly different but still revolving around food. I can just imagine John Layman giggling like a little school girl in front of his typewriter, thinking up the abilities no one has dared to think-up yet.
The art in this book is to die for. Rob Guillory’s designs are fun yet action-packed page after page. Each character has his or her own quirky style, and it never strays from the original design; consistency is a dish best served warm. One of my favorite parts about the art is the things that you don’t notice at first in the background. You might catch it on the second read, and suddenly burst out laughing like I’m one to do. I don’t want to ruin the little jokes, so I’ll just leave it at this; inspect every little sign, bottle logo, or writing on papers. It’s little Easter eggs like those that add the cherry on top of this cake of awesome.
The hardcover itself is wonderful quality. Myself owning all of The Walking Dead hard covers, I’ve come to love Image’s consistency from volume to volume. It makes my bookshelves look nice, with some feel of organization and unity. And the extras in the back are well worth the purchase too; you get scripts, sketches, and the original pitch. I love me some DVD-esque extras!
So in conclusion, this series is one of my new favorites that I look forward to every month. Humor, action and romance all rolled-into one floppy comic for $3. However, it’s so good that I also plan on buying all the hard covers to lend to friends and family in the future. It’s just that good to buy twice. Of all the independent comics that have come out in the past decade, I put Chew in my Top 5, no question. It’s one of those comics that anyone can enjoy, and I’ve already had reports of people getting hooked on the plot alone, who have never picked-up a comic before in their life. We need more comics like that; fun, and a gateway comic to several thousand other stories hidden away in local comic shops across the globe, waiting to be read by virgin eyes.
This Thanksgiving, be thankful you’re not a cibopath, and pass along the stuffing to Aunt Sally, followed by the Chew – Omnivore Edition Vol. 1. She’ll like it so much, she’ll want seconds.
Book Of The Month – June – LOCAL
Book Of The Month – July – Sub-Mariner: The Depths
Book Of The Month – August – Superman: Secret Identity
Book Of The Month – October – Welcome To Hoxford
Book Of The Month – November – The Nightly News
Book Of The Month – December – CLA$$WAR
Book Of The Month – January – The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite
Book Of The Month – February – Locke & Key: Welcome To Lovecraft
Book Of The Month – March – Mini Marvels Ultimate Collection
Book Of The Month – April – Asterios Polyp
Book Of The Month – May – Green Lantern: Secret Origin
Book Of The Month – June – Titanium Rain: Book One
Book Of The Month – July – Irredeemable Vol. 1
Book Of The Month – August – Marsh Rocket
Book Of The Month – September – Invincible Ultimate Collection 1
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – The God Machine Vol. 1
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on October 3, 2010
Book Of The Month – October
The God Machine Vol. 1 
Written & Illustrated by Chandra Free
When the Month of October arrives, I like many children have only one thing on my mind; Halloween. It’s the holiday that’s connected to free candy, good scares, and blood-curling screams. It fits the fall season quite wonderfully, and invites us to make the most of it every 31st of October. Even the comics industry celebrates Halloween, for almost every one of their characters is in a costume of some sort anyways! The horror genre runs rampant this month, with everything from Young Frankestein (“That’s Franken-shtein!”) to Saw playing on the different channels the closer we come to the end of the month. Therefore, I thought it was only appropriate to choose something of that nature as the Book Of The Month for October.
When I first met Chandra Free, it was at WonderCon earlier this year. She was sitting at the Archaia booth next to a very enthusiastic Tom Pinchuk, and a very down-to-Earth Patrick McEvoy. She was a wonderful gal to talk to, and her pitch for The God Machine had certainly caught my attention. The issues of the comic she brought with her were all snatched-up from earlier that day, so the only art I was left with to look at was on a glossy postcard. And it was absolutely gorgeous.
Months later when I was finally able to read The God Machine, I had the unfortunate problem of turning into a warm puddle of goo every time I turned the page. The illustrations crept-out like colorful gothic spiders and infested the very cracks of my mind, plaguing me with a calm and relaxing feeling. Why had I not seen art like this before? It was hauntingly beautiful, with little bits of the anime style sprinkled in for good measure. Both the panels and the pages flow together seamlessly, as if it were once a long mural chopped-up into pages and bound together as a beautiful hardcover. If it’s one thing Archaia knows how to do right, it’s definitely hardcovers. You could only imagine my excitement when I discovered this was only the first volume, with several more on their way in these next few years. The only problem is I don’t think I can wait that long, and like the main character Guy Salvatore, I’m longing for something I cannot have. Let’s just say Chandra is very lucky she lives on the other side of the country, or else I’d be pestering her for more every single day.
The story revolves around the utterly crushed and depressed Guy Salvatore, who lost his girlfriend and is having a hard time coping with her death. Despite trying to continue living without her, he simply can’t do it. As if having to deal with high school wasn’t bad enough, he has to carry-on while experiencing several different hallucinations and visions of twisted characters, always seeming to demand something of him. One day while mourning over his ex-girlfriend’s grave at the cemetery, he’s visited by a being named Satan, who informs him that Sith really isn’t dead, and the people who caused her to exist only between the dream worlds are those dastardly gods; Good God, Evil God, and Limbo God. Does Guy buy it? Not really. Would it explain the sometimes grotesque images he’s able to see? Absolutely.
The back-up matter in the hardcover includes character biographies, and beautiful pin-ups by other artists such as Patrick McEvoy, Kat Rocha, Josh Finney and many more. Also, you get a very strange-yet-wonderful foreword by Doc Hammer of The Venture Bros. fame. All of this material is definitely worth the $25 pricetag, so be sure to go pick it up when it hits bookstores October 27th, and enjoy it thoroughly on Halloween! It’ll be the sweetest treat you enjoy that night.
Book Of The Month – June – LOCAL
Book Of The Month – July – Sub-Mariner: The Depths
Book Of The Month – August – Superman: Secret Identity
Book Of The Month – October – Welcome To Hoxford
Book Of The Month – November – The Nightly News
Book Of The Month – December – CLA$$WAR
Book Of The Month – January – The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite
Book Of The Month – February – Locke & Key: Welcome To Lovecraft
Book Of The Month – March – Mini Marvels Ultimate Collection
Book Of The Month – April – Asterios Polyp
Book Of The Month – May – Green Lantern: Secret Origin
Book Of The Month – June – Titanium Rain: Book One
Book Of The Month – July – Irredeemable Vol. 1
Book Of The Month – August – Marsh Rocket
Book Of The Month – September – Invincible Ultimate Collection 1
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – Invincible Ultimate Collection 1
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on September 5, 2010
Book Of The Month – September
Invincible – The Ultimate Collection Vol. 1 
Written by Robert Kirkman
Art by Cory Walker, Ryan Ottley
Image Comics
The past decade has been kind to superhero comic books. Not since the early 90’s comic boom have people been so interested in the medium; stopping by their local comic shops every Wednesday, sharing them with friends, and bragging at parties that they’re up to date on their Green Lantern or X-Men books (well, I brag anyways). Thanks to the help of Hollywood developing many of these properties for the silver screen, John Q. Public thinks Spider-Man is one cool dude, and they didn’t even have to read a comic!
As for the rest of us loyal readers, we’ve seen our favorite superheroes tackle every foe in every event for the past couple of decades, and still don’t seem to get bored by the same rehashed stories. Okay, well that might not be entirely true; I for one tend to tire of Hulk proving that he’s the strongest there is, or Superman never being able to kill anyone who deserves it, like Lex Luthor. However, once in a blue moon a new superhero will come along and capture the imagination of comic book fans all over the world. The best part? It’s not from the DC or Marvel universe.
Enter Invincible from Image Comics, created by Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker. Now independent comics don’t tend to sell as well as superheroes from the Big Two, let alone independent superheroes. But there’s something extremely special about Invincible; it has all the elements of why we love superhero comics, only the stories and characters are completely new and fun. With this gargantuan Ultimate Collection collecting the first 13 issues, you don’t have to worry about any continuity because this new universe is all explained to you within the first few issues.
We follow Mark Grayson, your run-of-the-mill high schooler dealing with the usual issues; girls, graduation, and a crappy job flipping burgers. His dad is a well-known author, but secretly fights crime as Omni-Man, the Superman archetype of this universe. Mark is half-Viltrumite, an alien race so advanced that they travelled the universe exploring new galaxies. Omni-Man fell in love with Earth, so he decided to settle-down and become its protector and work with the already established superhero community. Mark finally gets his powers, and is introduced to the crime-fighting lifestyle, and all the perks and disadvantages that come with it. New costumes, secret identities, and romance hits Mark at warp-speed, and yet he’s still able to adjust. Kinda.
Invincible, like Kirkman’s The Walking Dead, is one of those books that people get in trades instead of the monthly floppies. Because of this, it’s considered sacrilegious in the comic book community to spoil any of the events that happen in the current issues of either titles. Just for my own safety, I won’t give away the huge twist that grabs you by the balls and doesn’t let go, but I will say that things get bloody, dark, and unsettling. The best part is that you don’t even see it coming because you’re enjoying a superhero book as if it was approved by the comic code authority. That, with humor mixed in with the action, makes this title consistently enjoyable.
Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley’s art is wonderful to look at, as the action sequences are a combination of thrilling and jaw-dropping. You got your spandex of every color, costumes so tight that you can tell what religion the character is, and tons of hot superheroines. You’ll discover in the pages homage’s to certain DC and Marvel characters and villains, but in no way does it read as copyright infringement. I’m just blown away by the names of certain characters, and how they haven’t been scooped-up by the Big Two after all these years (Rex Splode, DupliKate, Atom Eve).
So yes, you can go and read another X-Men versus Magneto story for the fifteenth time in a row, or you can treat yourself to something original, fun, and still relatively new in the comics industry. It has something for everyone, so there’s no excuse. Plus you feel good for helping out the little guy.
See why Image Comics loves Robert Kirkman so much, that they made him Editor-In-Chief, and pick-up Invincible today!
Book Of The Month – June – LOCAL
Book Of The Month – July – Sub-Mariner: The Depths
Book Of The Month – August – Superman: Secret Identity
Book Of The Month – October – Welcome To Hoxford
Book Of The Month – November – The Nightly News
Book Of The Month – December – CLA$$WAR
Book Of The Month – January – The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite
Book Of The Month – February – Locke & Key: Welcome To Lovecraft
Book Of The Month – March – Mini Marvels Ultimate Collection
Book Of The Month – April – Asterios Polyp
Book Of The Month – May – Green Lantern: Secret Origin
Book Of The Month – June – Titanium Rain: Book One
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – Marsh Rocket
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on August 5, 2010
Book Of The Month – August
Marsh Rocket 
Written & Drawn by Jules Rivera
Little known fact; before I dived into the world of comic books, I was a huge fan of webcomics. I had at least twenty different sites bookmarked, and would visit them daily. They are free, come out on a regular basis, and there’s one for whatever might interest you (most of them were about real life or video games, but the cream always rises to the top). A fun thing to do is look at the first comic that was put up, then jump ahead to the current comic just to see how much the art or story has improved after all these years. Some change drastically (Questionable Content), while some stay the same because the art may be simplistic to begin with (Cyanide & Happiness). Bottom line is, webcomics shouldn’t be treated as the redheaded step-child of comic books, because the amount of work that goes into this medium can greatly surpass multiple titles being put out by the major comic publishers of today. As a matter of fact, many of your favorite webcomics have been published in collected editions by the same comic publishers in the past few years!
But alas, on to the Book Of The Month selection for August 2010.
Marsh Rocket is one of those webcomics-tuned-published works that I’ve been talking about, only the creator Jules Rivera had that whole plan in mind from the start. Could she be ahead of the bandwagon of others switching to the published graphic novel format? Perhaps. Will anyone else let her take credit for said-possible idea? Perhaps not. Do I know what I’m talking about? No.
Moving on, Marsh Rocket made its debut on the web back in 2006, and has been going strong ever since. The first storyline has been collected in three trade paperbacks, with the second story starting-up just a few weeks ago. It takes place in the future, and deals with corporate mercenaries trying to earn a buck in a still chaotic world. The main characters we focus on are Victor Black, experienced-ex-soldier-turned-merc, Marsh Rocket, the lovable hero who gets into trouble, and Ross Tiburon, their boss who writes the checks while trying to deal with his dysfunctional family. Ross Tiburon takes over the company when his father is placed in jail after it’s discovered that he has his own team of mercenaries taking out the competition / anyone on the board of directors who might be putting the company in jeopardy. When Ross inherits the mercenaries, he figures their skills could be useful to him in the future.
Victor Black is the leader of the company’s alpha squadron with Marsh, and whatever Ross says goes. Unfortunately for Marsh, he has a loan shark by the name of The Baron on his tail due to his insufficient funds. So while the corporate mercenaries aren’t supposed to take outside jobs, you do what you need to do in order to get some extra cash. The Baron is amused at the fact that Marsh is a corporate merc, so he sends him on a mission to retrieve a briefcase of his stolen by the Zodiac Mafia. This mission takes Marsh out in the middle of the desert at the luxurious Hotel Zinnia, and it all seems to be going well until the Zodiac Mafia enter the picture, then it appears to be too much for Marsh to handle alone.
Can Marsh get the persistent bodyguard Rose off his case? Will Victor arrive in time to help him escape? Will Ross get his family’s affairs in order? Well I don’t want to give it away to you, so if you’re interested go buy the trades or read it online for free!
I had immense amounts of fun while reading this story. The action and tone capture a magnificent blend of pulp and sci-fi, with a touch of Japanese animation thrown into the mix. Fans of Cowboy Bebop and The Fifth Element will find lots to enjoy, but just keep in mind it’s not an all ages title. While I enjoyed the story just fine, what really made me fall in love was the art, and more specifically the different colors Jules plays around with every page. Black & white, then primary and secondary colors exactly where they need to be. I can enjoy a page for what seems like hours because of the combinations she uses throughout. The cherry on top is the fact that she’s all self-taught. Whatta woman!
Like I pointed out before, the entire series is free to read and enjoy online at her website www.Marsh-Rocket.com or you could do yourself a favor and buy the box set collecting all three trades. With that box set, you get them all signed along with a sketch card. It’s the whole kit-n-caboodle for a very satisfy price of $36. Plus you’re helping out such a talented artist, you feel good supporting the little guy (err, girl).
With the start of the second story arc just happening, there’s no reason to not catch-up and have it on your bookmarks. Read, love, and spread the word.
Also, if you happen to find a suitcase with a severed hand inside, please return it to Albatross as soon as possible. He’d really appreciate it.
Book Of The Month – June – LOCAL
Book Of The Month – July – Sub-Mariner: The Depths
Book Of The Month – August – Superman: Secret Identity
Book Of The Month – October – Welcome To Hoxford
Book Of The Month – November – The Nightly News
Book Of The Month – December – CLA$$WAR
Book Of The Month – January – The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite
Book Of The Month – February – Locke & Key: Welcome To Lovecraft
Book Of The Month – March – Mini Marvels Ultimate Collection
Book Of The Month – April – Asterios Polyp
Book Of The Month – May – Green Lantern: Secret Origin
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