ECHOES Trade Paperback

Writer: Joshua Hale Fialkov
Art: Rashan Ekedal
Publisher: Top Cow
Reviewer: Ambush Bug

Having been a huge fan of TUMOR and ELK’S RUN, I’ve known to give full attention to each and every book Joshua Hale Fialkov writes. The guy is a master craftsman when it comes to pacing a story, mapping out a suspenseful scene, and amping the tension meter to 11. I guess I’ve been living under a rock because ECHOES snuck right by me. But I had a chance to plow through the entire five issues of this comic and man, oh, man is it good.

TUMOR proved that Fialkov can set up a good mystery. Much like that story in which a private detective discovers he has an inoperable brain tumor and must solve a mystery before his mind and body give out on him, ECHOES has the same feel as a man is not sure what is real and what his afflicted brain is telling him. The reader isn’t privy to this information either which makes the read all the more intriguing. From the beginning we are given information that immediately puts everything we are experiencing through the eyes of our narrator suspect. Brian Cohn admits in the first pages that he is a man afflicted with schizophrenia. But Brian is functioning in life as long as he takes his pills. He is a married man. His wife is pregnant. And his father is dying of Alzheimer’s. At his father’s deathbed, Brian’s father mumbles something about having to go to his home and take care of a box in the crawlspace. Though he thinks this is the ramblings of a man suffering from dementia, Brian obliges and finds the box filled with scores of little dolls made of hair, bone, and skin, each with a confession to the killing of one little girl tied to it. The box is full of these dolls and these confessions. It’s at this point that Brian realizes he has not taken his medication. The rest of this intense book hinges on these moments, as the world Brian has constructed around him is warped and shattered by a revelation about his father. What ensues is one of the most perfectly haunting descent into madness tales I have ever read.

Fialkov again paces each of the chapters of this story perfectly, hitting all of the right beats and ending each issue with a cliffhanger that’s going to make you thank yourself that you got this in trade because you don’t have to wait for the next issue. Each beat is perfect as Brian attempts to find out if his father is really guilty and when a little girl goes missing, is Brian following in his father’s footsteps?

All of this is illustrated by Rashan Ekedal, a name I haven’t heard of, but one I won’t forget now. In Fialkov’s previous works, he has relied on sketchier artists who are more expressionistic with their lines. Here Ekedal has a steadier line. His panels are alive with steady figures and forms. And the faces…damn the faces are wicked and sympathetic and emotive all at once. Ekedal also varies his panel size and shape in an expert manner, amplifying the tension in a scene or the desolation the main character feels with nothing more than a border and a figure. Ekedal is going to be big some day and this is the book where you can catch his work first.

Speaking of the art, Fialkov shows a lot of growth as a writer by showing how much he trusts the artist to tell his story. There are a lot of panels, especially early on in this story that are silent. Fialkov is confident enough in Ekedal to convey his message without mucking it up with unnecessary work balloons. This is the work of a confident writer who trusts his artist (a lesson many mainstream writers could learn from).

Often tragic, often gripping, ECHOES is yet another feather in the cap of writer extraordinaire Fialkov. Though his stories often contain an internal struggle going on within the conflicted mind of his protagonist, Fialkov is able to bring that struggle to vivid life. This is especially true here with ECHOES, another classic tale of tragedy and terror by a modern master wordsmith.

Be sure to check out my interview with Joshua Hale Fialkov about ECHOES here. ECHOES is still available to order from Diamond Order number APR110423 and will be in stores late August.

Ambush Bug is Mark L. Miller, original @$$Hole / wordslinger / reviewer / co-editor of AICN Comics for over nine years. Mark is also a regular writer for FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND and will be releasing FAMOUS MONSTERS first ever comic book miniseries LUNA in October (co-written by Martin Fisher with art by Tim Rees)! Support a Bug by checking out his comics (click on the covers to purchase)!

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WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS: AFTERMATH #1

Writer: Tony Bedard
Artist: Miguel Sepulveda & Tyler Kirkham
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: Optimous Douche

The Treaty of Paris, Treaty of Ghent and the Treaty of Versailles: real-world practicalities to end some of the most horrific conflicts the world has ever seen. The ends of wars since we became “civilized” have been arbitrated by fat white guys in suits sitting at a table; hardly a fitting homage to the heroism and dynamism of the conflicts that necessitated these meetings.

Thank God I mainly live in comics, because the WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS: AFTERMATH ain’t no fat white guys in suits. This conclusion was as epic and gut-wrenching as the war itself. I might even say more so. Fallen heroes, a failing corpse and a shattered faith in an institution as old as the universe itself: this is the end I have been waiting for since the first BLACKEST NIGHT issue rolled off the shelves.

As I‘ve lamented, this issue is about loss. As everyone will remember Hal Jordan was stripped of his ring and banished back to earth after knocking rogue guardian Krona to gravesville. This was certainly a loss, but Hal telling some Barney Fife on Interstate Bumbfuck 12 was probably a scene I could have done without. Bygones; I’m sure Mr. Bedard was merely satiating the old Stan Lee rule of “remember this could be someone’s first comic.” For those that don’t need the exposition the first shot of Oa with the fallen planet Mogo’s shattered husk forming a Saturn-like ring around Sector Zero’s homebase is where this issue comes alive for those of us that love GREEN LANTERN.

You know what? Now would be as good a time as any to discuss the art in this piece.

I found myself waffling on the art in this piece between loving and loathing. The epic moments are just that: epic. Mogo’s shattered corpse now forming a necrotic ring around Oa was hauntingly beautiful. The action moments are stellar. What I can’t get past, though, are the faces. Everyone looks as they should…except off. On deeper analysis, I think it all boils down to the chins, which are either harboring tumors that have gone unchecked for decades or fetuses. I would also say the line work is way too heavy; everyone’s entire face looks like it’s melting or they have Down’s.

Seriously, everyone from newly restored Green ring wielder Sinestro to the guardians themselves just looked off. This is a damn shame given all of the game-changing moments that were left in Bedard’s charge.

All right, moving on: as I said earlier, this issue was shattering on both a literal and figurative level. All of the new corps members that Mogo shat rings at while under control of Nekron pretty much toss their new preciouses once they realize they were recruited by the God of Death himself. The Guardians no longer trust themselves or the Corps. Naturally, to deal with this problem they fall back on their stand-by strategy of deliberation. I’m OK with this. Bedard didn’t waste any pages showing them sitting around and it all makes sense considering the ring failsafe of never being able to kill a Guardian failed. Hell, I would be unnerved if my narcoleptic golden retriever one day turned on me. Actually I would be unnerved if Fergus simply woke up for something other than dinner. Even our favorite poozerpuncher Kilowog tells the Blue Ones to go smurf themselves for banishing Jordan. Are you getting the theme yet?

What truly astounded me in this issue, though, was Jon Stewart. This guy has become the new Galactus of the DC Universe. He’ll need a bigger bed post soon to hold the notches counting his planetary scale decimations. Jon has always been one of those guys that nobody seems to know what to do with. The last time I can remember him holding any prominence in a GREEN LANTERN story (you know, before he shot the last planet) was when he had his own wonderful title MOSAIC. There are some great interchanges between soldier Jon and hippie lLntern Kyle Rayner. Bedard did a masterful job of explaining both their sides to the “shot heard round the galaxy” and it makes me salivate for what this will all mean in the brave new rebooted DC Universe.

Before I sign off I need to give a patented Optimous Douche Reach Around®™ to cover artist Dave Johnson. Not only did Dave create a haunting pictorial with the bloodied ring, but his use of shadows was the perfect eerie precursor to the events inside this title.

If you think GREEN LANTERN was just a bunch of stupid green boxing gloves, get ready for one of the most emotionally turbulent issues of this or any comic.

Optimous has successfully blackmailed fellow @$$Hole BottleImp into being his artist on Average Joe. Look for Imp's forced labor on Optimous brain child in mid-2011 from COM.X. Friend Optimous on FaceBook to get Average Joe updates and because ceiling cat says it's the right thing to do.

LOCKE & KEY: CLOCKWORKS #1

Writer: Joe Hill
Artist: Gabriel Rodriguez
Published by: IDW Publishing
Reviewed by: BottleImp

Over-explanation, especially in the horror genre, often makes me leery. Since so much of what we deem “horror” is based upon fear, and most of this fear can be described as fear of the unknown, knowing too much—about the monster, or the ghost, or the history of the haunted house—can evaporate that fear and render the horror impotent. It’s happened to me before when watching horror movies or reading novels or short stories, and even in a few comic books. So it was with a certain amount of trepidation that I opened the pages of the first issue of CLOCKWORKS and saw that Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez were going to be presenting the history of LOCKE & KEY’s Keyhouse.

I should have known that I had nothing to worry about.

Rather than rendering the mysteries of this series mundane, the origins of the keys of Keyhouse revealed in this issue add more detail to the incredible tapestry that Hill and Rodriguez have woven. We’re sent back to the early days of the American Revolution, as the Locke family of the Massachusetts Bay colony gives colonist rebels a place to meet and plan down in the caverns by the ocean. We see just what it is that lurks behind the Omega Door down in the flooded caves, and how it came that the Door was first opened. We learn why it is that the thing that was Lucas Caravaggio needs to hide itself in a human host. And we see the beginning of the making of the Keys.

One of the highlights of this issue is in its reveal of the menace behind the Omega Door. LOCKE & KEY had boldly stated one of its influences from the very beginning with the naming of the town in which Keyhouse stood. Now, Hill takes that implicit connection and makes it explicit, as the creatures behind the Door are most definitely entwined with H.P. Lovecraft’s Mythos stories. Now, any longtime reader of this column knows that I am a Lovecraft junkie. So the addition of the Old Gent’s mythology to the history of Keyhouse equals 100% pure gold to a geek like me.

Rodriguez provides the perfect visual accompaniment to Hill’s words, as usual. His deft handling of emotive facial expressions has never been used so chillingly, as Rodriguez is called upon to depict split-second changes between horrified remorse and possessed madness. Make no mistake, this issue is the most “horror” this series has been since the murder of Rendell Locke back at the very beginning. The only difference here is that the human horrors take a backseat as Hill and Rodriguez finally give the supernatural elements a chance to be seen in full view, and it’s spectacular.

I could heap praise on this issue all day long, but at the end the experience would pale in comparison to simply reading the damn thing. The final chapters of LOCKE & KEY have begun, and if this issue is any indication, the series is going to go out with one hell of a bang.

When released from his bottle, the Imp transforms into Stephen Andrade, an artist/illustrator/pirate monkey painter from New England. He's currently hard at work interpreting fellow @$$Hole Optimous Douche's brainwaves and transforming them into pretty pictures on AVERAGE JOE, an original graphic novel to be published by Com.x. You can see some of his artwork here.

DAREDEVIL #1

Writer: Mark Waid
Artist(s): Paulo Rivera and Marcos Martin
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewed by Humphrey Lee

When I think Daredevil, and I know this sounds randomly dismissive considering the talent involved, I don’t really think “Mark Waid.” Honestly, I don’t think there’s been much the man has written that I would personally put below the “great” level and his body of work is well represented on my bookcases and in my long boxes. But, given my experience with his work, “street level” isn’t a term that comes to mind when I reminisce about it. If anything, though, that is what intrigued me about this run on what has been one of the darker corners of the Marvel Universe for the past few years. At the least it is someone who I respect moving up and out of his comfort zone – which should always be applauded - and it would most likely be the change in attitude this character and book has needed for a while.

So I liked it. I really, really did. While there’s a nagging part of me that can’t help but feel this issue was a little too bright and shiny given the character it still had me grinning and, jaded little reader that I am, that’s a rarity. Let’s be real here: Matt Murdock has had it rough lately and probably gets shat more than anyone in comics besides his partner in alliteration, Peter Parker. Inherently there should at least be some partly cloudy in the forecast for his day-to-day life. To hell with it though, that can wait. For now it’s nice to see the character have his sunny day. There’s an article of mine that may or may not be floating around here shortly where one of the points I make is that a lot of these books we get I think we just get out of habit and/or sheer investment in character, quality be damned. This beginning to the new volume is definitely a case where the character investment gets the better of you, as the fresh start for DD is a welcome sight.

Now, as far as execution goes, this is definitely not a case of “quality be damned”; this is a fine comic. I may not have thought the tone felt like a DD book considering, but it read like one and it was excellent. It’s the descriptiveness of it all that sells it, especially because of who the character is, the attention to detail, the narrative that is running through DD’s head as he’s in action, and so on. There’s a lot of vividness in the caption boxes here, which is perfect as that is really the world he lives in as DD’s remaining four senses along with the radar work overtime to make up for the lack of sight. And it works because the art flows right there with it with some great panel management. Soon as the story shifts a beat as DD reacts to new stimuli the art holds with it and fills in those seconds and microseconds very aptly. Considering the lighter tone the issue is going for, Rivera’s style is perfect.

The only other real nitpick I have for this issue is that, beside the more or less dramatic shift in tone, it was definitely a “we’re back” issue. Basically, there’s a sequence at the beginning where DD foils a kidnapping, then Matt does some rounds around NYC, chats with Foggy, and Matt’s credibility is yet again called into play over the public opinion of his indeed being Daredevil. Other than a new character being introduced in the DAREDEVIL world, there are no real major plot points at work here. Which is fine. I called that nitpick as I saw it for a reason, because I understand that ninety percent of the time that’s what a first issue is for: reasserting itself and presenting an updated status quo--one that I can really get behind at that. The plot threads will come; it’s the energy that matters and this issue had it in spades. Here’s to fresh starts; may they all be this well done (I’m looking at you DC’s September lineup!). Cheers…

Humphrey Lee has been an avid comic book reader going on fifteen years now and a contributor to Ain't It Cool comics for quite a few as well. In fact, reading comics is about all he does in his free time and where all the money from his day job wages goes to - funding his comic book habit so he can talk about them to you, our loyal readers (lucky you). He's a bit of a social networking whore, so you can find him all over the Interwebs on sites like Twitter, The MySpaces, Facebookand a Blogger Account where he also mostly talks about comics with his free time because he hasn't the slightest semblance of a life. Sad but true, and he gladly encourages you to add, read, and comment as you will.

THE MISADVENTURES OF ADAM WEST #1

Writer: Reed Lackey
Art: Russell Dauterman
Publisher: Bluewater Comics
Reviewer: Ambush Bug

One of the highlights of this year’s SDCC was that I was able to sit down with Adam West for an interview over lunch. To meet one of my childhood heroes in such a way was beyond the realm of cool. As the interview came to a close, Adam presented a copy of THE MISADVENTURES OF ADAM WEST #1 to me and told me that he thought it was a fantastic comic. You may have your own thoughts about comics from Bluewater, but this comic was one of the best ones I’ve read since returning from the con.

The main reason this comic is tops is the reason why everyone is going apeshit over the CAPTAIN AMERICA film: it has a heart that you don’t see much in comics these days. Adam West stars in this comic as himself--an aging actor struggling with the fact that films just don’t understand what it means to be a hero these days, but still looking for work. As West waxes poetically about modern attitudes and the rise in crime to a delivery man who could care less, the comic play out one of its best scenes. There’s a line about Batman in particular that is especially resonant and right on the mark: “he was the Caped Crusader long before he was the Dark Knight.” Sure it has a hint of self-referentialism, but nevertheless it’s a line that echoes off the page. When West opens the box, he finds an amulet which transports himself into the misguided heroic scripts he’s been rejecting, giving West a chance to show how a real hero can still be relevant in this jaded day and age.

Though the colors are a bit muddy, the art by Dauterman is daring and dynamic. West is depicted in both heroic and realistic poses throughout and when the action starts pumping, the panels do their job of making the central figure and the explosive situations he finds himself in leap off the page.

Though it can’t top having lunch with one of my childhood heroes, this oddball comic is the next best thing. The writing is surprisingly strong, the premise is high and tight, and the art is better than most Bluewater has to offer. Look for my interview with Adam West later in August and THE MISADVENTURES OF ADAM WEST is available now!

DUKE NUKEM: GLORIOUS BASTARD #1

Writer: Tom Waltz
Artist: Xermanico
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Reviewer: KletusCasady

“..I’ve blasted Robot sharks into piles of bloody sushi and I’ve sexed whole platoons of babes into moaning masses of skin and sweat?”

The Duke is back! Let’s just say you have no idea who Duke Nukem is (psssh…and you call yourself a geek). Imagine all of your favorite 80s action stars (even the more obscure ones like Wings Houser & Cynthia Rothrock) all rolled into one man…turned up to 11…times 10. He’s pretty much what every main character in an 80s action movie dreams of being (at least he’d say so). He’s got the fire of Stallone’s COBRA, the force of Schwarzenegger’s COMMANDO, the swag of Van Damme’s DOUBLE IMPACT, James Bond’s way with women (but waaay hornier and not as smooth) and a gift of gab like Eddie Murphy in BEVERLY HILLS COP (not nearly as funny or clever). Damn I should be on his PR team. He kills and sexes indiscriminately and always lives to tell the tale; for some reason he reminds me of a mix between Jack Slater from “The Last Action Hero” and Jack Burton from “Big Trouble in Little China”. Anywho, his video games were definitely a lot cooler when I was a young buck because nudity and violence were new and fascinating to me (not much has changed) but I have yet to try any of the newer ones. This comic was released to coincide with the new game DUKE NUKEM FOREVER, thus Kletus thought he’d brave the daring pages of this comic and report to you his findings.

This comic starts off set in Nazi Germany around 1945. Before I go further I have to mention that I had just seen the wonderful CAPTAIN AMERICA and upon opening the pages I damn near shat myself at what looked like a low rent version of the Howling Commandos. I did a double take and realized they weren’t exactly the same but my squinty eyes remain pointed at Tom Waltz…I see you what you’re doing…careful there fella. Basically some Allied soldiers see Nazis ramping up their arsenal with…well, I won’t give it away but it’s damn sure not a Super Soldier (more like Bebop or Rocksteady). This prompts one of them to seek help decades later in the form of….yep….Dwight Yokam…wait…no…Duke Nukem. As I type this I’m not sure how that’s possible seeing that those events would have already taken place giving way to a much feared new age of Nazism that would have spread across the world way before Nukem was even born so unless they…oh wait…this is Duke Nukem…never mind.

This comic was actually a lot of fun and seemed like it was probably a blast to write. I imagine this miniseries is going to be similar to those 80s action movies where the star is never in any real danger, which is okay, because those movie aren’t about suspense…it’s about you watching a beefy dude with guns wipe the floor with his enemies Charles Bronson DEATHWISH 3 style. I can’t fault them for the parallels I noticed such as the officer that wants to break off from the Nazis and embrace a more radical approach to war which involves the supernatural. I’m sure it was unintentional {squinty eyes} but it did remind me of a lot of C.A. The one complaint I have is in the dialog; whenever the French woman speaks it reads like this: “Well, Zese Aliens- Zese Vril was like Zat of Ze Nazis: To create a world in Zere image…” Aaagggh! Reading this had me annoying the shit out of myself so much that I would just skim her dialog to get the zist of what she was trying to say and move on before I drove myself insane.

The art is actually pretty good; I feel like some video game tie-ins lack severely in the art department but I was actually surprised at how good the art was. It’s not going to knock your socks off but I think it might catch a few people by off guard. It’s very much like Mike Wolfer’s art for the NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD stories which is also pretty good.

Hell, you knew damn well when you saw the name Duke Nukem whether you wanted this or not, you didn’t need some low down drunk like ol’ Kletus telling you what’s what, but I did it anyway. This story was fun…like….”Tango & Cash” fun, where you know it’s dumb as hell knuckle-dragging lowbrow style entertainment but you love it just the same. I don’t know about you, but ‘ol Kletus ain’t above that kind of stuff and I imagine if you’ve read this far neither are you…and that’s who this comic is for. Duke Nukem doesn’t require a deep understanding of character, a well constructed plot or an intricate back story…he requires beer, babes, bombs and…uh…bluns (that’s guns) and that’s what this comic has. What’s not to love?

Wait! Beer, babes, bombs and bullets, BULLETS!!!…is it too late?!?

WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS: AFTERMATH #1

Writer: Tony Bedard
Artists: Miguel Sepulveda & Tyler Kirkham
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: Henry Higgins is My Homeboy

***SPOILERS***

Lights Out.

So.... “War of the Lanterns”. I....hmm....I don't know. I have an opinion about the small crossover, but I don't know whether it's positive or negative. I liked the focus on the four main lanterns, and the self contained aspects. I heavily disliked the rushed conclusion and the heavy handed moments. This issue begins the reconstruction of the Green Lantern setting, and as such, sets up numerous story beats. Some work, some fail.

Writing: (3/5) I'll take a quick look at each beat set up.

The replacement of Jordan with Sinestro, as being hinted here, is an interesting place to leave the two characters. It sets up an interesting dynamic to take over the main series, and while it isn't very explored here, it could (and most likely will) prove interesting. But there's not enough here to convey it completely. Saleek remains as fantastic as ever, and his beat about checking the mental condition of the corps is a very interesting moment. But his own loyalty is pushed, which indicates he'll be stepping up in importance soon. Continuing the "Guardians Are Little Shits" idea however seems wrong, almost. If anything, “War Of The Lanterns” should dissuade them from their old paths and ideas. Them being frightened for the first time in ages is a very cool aspect to play with, and it sets up some very interesting drama with the rest of the main cast and the corps as a whole.The John Stewart post-Mogo scene provides a different beat, and maybe isn't as good as it should be. Killing Mogo is something that is going to have to be addressed in the series proper, given his important role in the mythos of the series. But John doesn't exactly seem like John. It's a departure from his established character, and while it may not be a terrible move, it doesn't really work. It's a well written scene, but the idea itself feels weak.

The return of Saint Walker, like the John Stewart scene, doesn't feel right. His moment and brief conversation with Ganthet, while well written, feels weak. It feels rushed, and doesn't give either character room to breathe. Natu though is rather great, and her scene and plan with the other Lanterns (the planned assassination) is well done and should prove a very interesting development, especially in terms of Natu and Sinestro.

Art: (3/5) This is one of the most confusing art books I've seen in a while. Sometimes (especially when it pulls back and gives the setting room to breathe) the book looks fantastic. But many (not all, but many) of the closer shots and studies of characters seems weird.

The early pages look needlessly muddled and odd. The faces are unnatural and simply don't look real. The whole book maintains this weird juggle of odd looking art on top of solid character and setting work. Kilowog in the early sections especially looks great, but he's followed by a poorly done Sinestro.

Best Scene: Natu being recruited

Worst Scene: The Ganthet/Saint Walker conversation.

Overall: (3/5) Meh. It sets up as much good as it does weak.

HARLEM SHADOW: THE BIRTH OF COOL #2-3
Ravenhammer Comics

Writer Brian Williams and Illustrator Rudolfo Buscaglia are back with HARLEM SHADOW: THE BIRTH OF COOL parts two and three featuring their 1920’s tale about the first “official” black paranormal crime fighter and his impact on the streets of Harlem. The book is well-executed and it was great to see the Shadow finally get his hands dirty even if the plot was somewhat generic. Williams has good command of his dialog and his action scenes, done with a sort of understated flair by the talented Buscaglia, are both taut and believable. Unfortunately my criticism from issue number one still applies for these successive entries in that most of crime fighting is paint-by-numbers. Emphasis is placed on the black experience and it’s neither preachy nor off-putting, finding a nice balance in storytelling, but I just wish there was a better story to tell. Every comic book aficionado loves to see a caped crusader kick some ass, myself included, but when you have a great premise coupled with a great protagonist, you undoubtedly bear great expectations. Williams hasn’t met them just yet, but he’s still kept me interested enough to find out if he will over the long haul. - Mr. Pasty

ROSS WELLINGTON: THE VICTOR ROMEO TANGO #4
ISSU

ROSS WELLINGTON is the last remaining survivor of the Roswell crash in July 1947. That makes him TANGO in the VICTOR ROMEO TANGO byline. It also makes him a half-pint private eye, sort of a Starman crossed with Philip Marlowe. It’s a strange combination, no question, but collaborators Brian Ellis and Mark Van Handel are talented enough to pull it off. And who wouldn’t buy a comic book that features an alien head and a plate full of sausage on its cover? Wellington has been on the prowl thanks to a missing persons case he took in issue numero uno and I’m sure it wouldn’t surprise you to learn there are plenty of twists and turns along the way. What impressed me the most about the ROSS WELLINGTON series is how effective it was at procuring an emotional commitment from me. Ross isn’t some animated space man saving the day, he’s a fully realized character that is so remarkably fleshed out, he makes the humans in this story seem like they’re the ones from another planet. The final issue brings the four-part miniseries to a satisfying close in that it successfully completes the story arc, but on the other hand it was sort of unsatisfying, because it was over long before I wanted it to end. More please. - Mr. Pasty

Web heads who can’t get enough of Mr. Pasty’s word vomit are encouraged to watch him operate as Nostradumbass over at MMaMania.com here. Love, hate and Mafia Wars requests should be directed here.

Editing, compiling, imaging, coding, logos & cat-wrangling by Ambush Bug
Proofs, co-edits & common sense provided by Sleazy G
Remember, if you have a comic book you’d like one of the @$$holes to take a look at, click on your favorite reviewer’s link and drop us an email.

AICN COMICS REVIEWS: WAR OF THE LANTERNS! DAREDEVIL! THE MISADVENTURES OF ADAM WEST! DUKE NUKEM! & MORE!!!

ECHOES Trade Paperback

WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS: AFTERMATH #1

LOCKE & KEY: CLOCKWORKS #1

DAREDEVIL #1

THE MISADVENTURES OF ADAM WEST #1

DUKE NUKEM: GLORIOUS BASTARD #1

WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS: AFTERMATH #1