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The Layer Method
Our top Secret time-saving technique for creating and merging balloons and tails in Illustrator.
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Thursday, September 2, 2010
Tim's Reviews
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Long Way Home TPB (Dark Horse)
Written by Joss Whedon
Art by Georges Jeanty
The new Buffy series is a direct sequel to the TV show and even carries the label, “Season 8” to prove it. Furthermore, the first story arc, contained in this trade paperback, was written by series creator Joss Whedon. The book begins approximately a year after the events in the final TV episode “Chosen” and the destruction of the Hellmouth, and Sunnydale. Buffy has now developed a worldwide network of Slayer teams with Xander running the command post in Scotland. Former Trio member Andrew is in charge of a Slayer team in Italy. At the start Willow is missing and Buffy’s sister, Dawn, has grown into a giant, evidently a result of losing her virginity to a “thricewise” named Kenny.
Buffy has a new and perhaps her most deadly foe yet…the American Government. The Government views the Slayers as a terrorist group, citing the destruction of Sunnydale but in reality, they fear the Slayer’s power and their ideology. What will the Slayers do if all the demons and vampires are destroyed? The military even has their own Thunderbolt Ross in the form of General Voll who begrudgingly realizes he’ll need the aid of magic to capture Buffy. To this end, he allies himself with a near-crazed magician they’ve captured, Willow’s former friend turned rat-turned enemy…Amy Madison. She sets a trap to not only capture Buffy, but to also lure Willow out of the woodwork. But there’s an even more sinister old foe back to cause trouble.
I was very leery of this series having been a fan of the TV show. Whedon dispelled some of my fears by infusing this book with his trademark snappy banter, particularly between Xander and Buffy. There is also that ongoing sibling rivalry carried over from the TV show between Dawn and Buffy. Dawn relates more to Willow as a mother figure than her own sister, causing Buffy to question her own relationship with Dawn. The first series has everything Buffy fans grew to love about the series…great action, lots of humor and sharp dialog, and menacing villains. Grade A-
Batman Death and the City (DC Comics)
Written by Paul Dini and Stuart Moore
Art by Don Kramer, Wayne Faucher, Andy Clarke
The latest Batman trade paperback collects Detective Comics issues #827 – 834. This isn’t one continuous storyline as the back description might have you believe but rather a few stories which are tenuously linked. The opening tale, “Double Talk” features the return of Scarface, with a new ventriloquist pulling the strings, no pun intended. Batman goes undercover to find out who the new villain is…
In “Siege.” Bruce Wayne is hosting an anti-terrorism conference at Wayne Towers with several world leaders when a series of explosions rocks the building. A terrorist using a gun that shoots out a liquid explosive is fully intent on bringing Wayne Tower down ala the Twin Towers. Batman and Robin are at their most resourceful in tracking down and trying to stop the terrorist, But then, how do you stop a man who is on a suicide mission?
“Trust” is a two-part story with Batman teaming with Zatanna to investigate the death of one of the Zatanna’s former assistants. But the magician responsible for her death turns out to be something much more sinister than Batman had bargained for. Dini’s story features a good deal of tension between Batman and Zatanna as a result of the events in Identity Crisis and the pair are finally able to reconcile. Dini shows a remarkable consistency as Detective Comics writer. While none of the stories may be earth-shattering, his tales are always solid and that shows in this volume as there isn’t a clunker on the whole lot. Grade B
The Misadventures of Clark & Jefferson #1 (Ape Entertainment)
Written by Jay Carvajal
Art by Marc Borstel
I’m thinking that writer Jay Carvajal didn’t want to leave any genre out in his story. The book combines a Wild West story with comedy, action, Sci-Fi, and Horror, all wrapped with an incredible array of poop jokes in the first issue of this new series from Ape Entertainment. Clark is the Sheriff of Sagebrush, AZ, circa 1875 and Jefferson is his African-American deputy. Together they go on a hunt for a wanted criminal and proceed to step in horse crap, fall in horse crap, fall into a cactus while taking a crap in the desert, and hide out at the bottom of a crap-filled outhouse. Yes, Carvajal seems to have more than an unhealthy fixation with all forms of poop. Along the way they find mutilated cattle and have to dodge UFO’s (in the aforementioned outhouse). It’s all pretty silly but it’s also kinda funny as well. The pair have an Abbott & Costello chemistry (God am I dating myself!!!) that makes the story zip past and Borstels art is quite good and almost too ‘normal’ for the slapstick subject matter. Grade B
The Art of Greg Capullo (Image Comics)
By Greg Capullo
As a big fan of comic book art I always love to see comic artists get their just do recognition as fine artists with collections of their art. Greg Capullo has impressed me for a long, long time with his amazing covers for Spawn at Image Comics. Image has now released The Art of Greg Capullo, showcasing his amazing talent. The book displays many of those great Spawn covers but also includes a fair amount of previously unpublished artwork. The unreleased material was never seen because Capullo had deemed it “not good enough for print.” There are a lot of artists who would kill to be able to draw as well as Capullo’s “unfit” material! His painted covers for Spawn show just how much he has matured as a fine artist from his more traditional art work. He’s shown exquisite skill in mastering lighting and shading techniques which is evident in the painted cover section.
A great example is his painting of Twitch of Sam & Twitch fame in a painting called “Glint of Steel.” Here we see Twitch in heavy shadows, with only a fraction of his profile, and his handgun showing. It’s remarkable sublte and yet bold at the same time. In fact, I think I may be even more impressed with his Sam & Twitch paintings than his Spawn pieces. With Spawn, he can let his imagination run wild in Spawn’s nightmare world but Sam & Twitch are rooted in reality and thus Capullo makes these two cops bigger than life with his unique renderings. Another great piece is the cover to Casefiles # 15, as Twitch’s gun looks like it extends for about five feet with Capullo’s uniquely andgled perspective. There’s a selction of earlier Spawn covers done in traditional comic art style and the book concludes with Capullo taking readers through his step-by-step process for his paintings, starting with a rough sketch which is scanning into Painter. Capullo then proceeds to work in layers with the digital program until is is complete. It’s a great hands-on instruction for younger readers. Terrific book! Grade A
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Judgment Day Archives
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Here at Judgement Day, Tim will review titles each week that stand out from the pack as being outstanding or truly bad. Everything from the mainstream titles to the smallest of the small press will be covered in Judgement Day.
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Friday, February 8, 2008
• The End.
So long. Farewell. Auf Wiedersehen. Good night.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
• Closing time
You don't have to go home...
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
• Oni resurrects letters columns
Resurrection series features letter-writing contest
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
• And... we're back
With Red 5 info
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
• Happy Thanksgiving!
From aka Comics and Comic World News
• Happy Birthday, COMICRAFT!
Lettering powerhouse and CWN sponsor turns 15
Monday, November 19, 2007
• Surrogates movie ready to start production
Bruce Willis to star
More >>
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February 4, 2008:
November 20, 2006:
A Comic-Con without the Captain