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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 9, 2010
Tim's Reviews
Happy New Year everyone! I hope every body had a great holiday season. Judgment Day is back this week after a two-week hiatus with a slew of new reviews. Let’s get going!
The Chronicles of Wormwood (Avatar Press)
Written by Garth Ennis
Art by Jacen Burrows
I’m not deeply religious but I have to admit to being a little shocked and offended by some of the scenes in Chronicles of Wormwood. But after reading through the entire graphic novel, that eventually subsided. Still, seeing the Pope getting a hummer from a topless nun is something I’ll probably not soon forget. Wormwood is the Anti-Christ but he’s really not such a bad guy. He’s decided to pass on bringing the Apocalypse to the world and has decided to let humans choose their own path in life. This does not go over very well with his dad…you know…Satan! The Big S has decided to force his ungrateful son’s hand by bringing about certain prophecies and kidnapping Wormwood’s best friend, Jay. Jay is none other than Jesus who has refused his own destiny of dying for our sins again. Jay isn’t all there, a result of a cracked skull courtesy of a racist cop. Jay doesn’t quite remember who he was but knows he wants to do good.
Garth Ennis’s always stinging satire is at its religious-bashing best in this book. While the Catholic Church takes the brunt of Ennis’ barbs, he shares his repulsion with Protestants, Jews, Muslims, Hindus; et al. Ennis is espousing a greater goodness for people, unfettered by the constraints of organized religions. It’s all a bit heavy-handed although quite funny as well. Muslim martyrs do indeed go to Heaven and get 72 virgins when they die…although those virgins turn out to be 72 infants, constantly in need of feeding and changing. I kind of like that! Also the road to Hell isn’t paved with good intentions…it’s paved with mimes. Now that’s just gold! Ennis is joined by his usual Avatar Press art partner, Jacen Burrows who remains a very underrated and under appreciated artist. Chronicles of Wormwood is sure to offend and good God don’t let your mom see it! Grade B+
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #10 (Dark Horse Comics)
Written by Joss Whedon
Art by Cliff Richards
After penning the first five issues of the new Buffy series, series creator Joss Whendon returns for two more issues beginning with issue number ten. Also back for this issue is longtime Buffy artist Cliff Richards. Together, the pair delivers a unique and off-beat story, that’s self-contained and one that you could pickup and read without necessarily having read the previous issues. Buffy and Willow are soaring through the skies…well, Willow is soaring while Buffy is hanging on for her dear life. They arrive at a small countryside cottage, the lair of the demon Sephrilian. The cottage is guarded by what Willow refers to as a “Minder” who watches over the cottage.
The cottage is an unstable reality; a time-space dimensional anomaly, which is MUCH larger inside than it appears from the outside. They’ve come seeking the aid of the demon in their coming war. This demon is able to show Buffy and Willow a possible future reality and all is definitely NOT good. Buffy and Willow play a little game of fantasy as Buffy dreams up encounters with the new James Bond (Daniel Craig) and later with Christian Bale. Buffy is shown that she is betrayed by someone very close to her while Willow reveals her insecurity over her new relationship with Kennedy and why she’s kept her away from Buffy. The implications are that Willow indirectly blames Buffy for Tara being murdered by Warren and doesn’t want Kennedy to suffer the same fate. While their futures are uncertain, the demon has given them several disheartening events to consider.
While toned somewhat darkly, the story still does manage to hold on to the usual Whedon witty banter between Buffy and Willow. It was great to see Richards back, even if it does appear to be for only one issue for now. The issues written by Whedon have such a distinctly different feel than those written by anyone else…or it at least seems that way. As long as Whedon continues to show up periodically and lend his talents to the series, it should enjoy another long run. Grade A-
Madame Mirage #4 (Top Cow)
Written by Paul Dini
Art by Kenneth Rocafort
I’ve always considered Paul Dini to be a decent writer. His Batman stuff has been good more often than not, but Madam Mirage has truly been outstanding since issue #0. What I love about Dini as well as artist Kenneth Rocafort is the way they make use of Madame Mirage’s powers. I liken it to Sue Storm. I mean Sue’s powers of invisibility and force field projection seemed somewhat minor originally, but clever writers have found ways to make her much more powerful. The same goes for Madame Mirage. Her illusionary/teleporting powers may not seem like big league, but she uses them to the utmost advantage, easily taking out foes that are bigger and stronger than her.
Mirage has been battling the organization known as ASI, a criminal organization that is covered up by a legitimate business front. We’ve seen Mirage take on and take out various Mega-Tech operatives of ASI through the first three issues with relative ease and also have it revealed that which of the Temple Sisters it really is who is the true Madame Mirage. In issue four, Mirage takes the war straight to the ASI corporate headquarters as Angela utilizes not only her remarkable technology, but also a robotic duplicate of Mirage to take on ASI’s head-honcho Abraham Coyle and his hand-picked group of Mega-Tech bodyguards.
It’s fun just to watch Mirage operate. Rather than beating her opponents physically, she uses brains and stealth to avoid their powers, and take them down with hers. Her battle with a rival teleporter, Cotton-Eyed Joe was a highlight. No “bamfing” but a well choreographed fight nonetheless. But have we all been fooled by Madame Mirage’s intentions all along? The final page is a definite stunner and that lousy Dini is now making me count the days until issue number five. Grade A
Final Destination: Spring Break TPB (Zenescope)
Written by Mike Kalvoda
Art by Lan Medina and Rodel Noora
This book reprints the five issue series from Zenescope and closely follows the style of the films. A group of hot, young students are on Spring break down in Cancun when one of their members, Carly, has a vision of an explosion at the hotel where they are staying. Her friends play it off as perhaps a nightmare but they humor her by getting out of the hotel…which of course explodes due to a gas leak. Their group of seven escaped the destruction, as did three other people who overhead Carly talking about her premonition.
Soon though, Death begins to strike at the survivors one-by-one, in horrifying ways: Kris is killed when he falls into a motorboat’s propeller; Katie dies from Mercury Poisoning when her thermometer leaks; Jake gets a shard of glass from a glass-bottom boat down his throat; and so on…While I’ll still never like the films that much, I have to give writer Mike Kalvoda due credit. He has definitely captured the spirit of the films quite well, especially the overall tone of helplessness as each of the friends begins to realize that there is simply no escaping death.
Highlighting the book was sensational art by Lan Medina who handled issues #1 – 3 and Rodel Noora who did the final two issues. They managed to give readers some remarkably beautiful and sexy women as well as some very gruesome death scenes. I look forward to seeing more from both of them in the future. Fans of the films and horror in general should give this title a look. Grade B+
Alter Ego Magazine #74 (TwoMorrows Publishing)
Edited by Roy Thomas
The latest issue of the long-running Magazine/Fanzine is a special 85th birthday tribute to Stan Lee. Stan? 85 years old? Is that even possible? I would hazard to guess that without Stan Lee, many of us would not be comic book fans today.
Rather than provide a new interview with Lee (and his memory is notoriously bad as Thomas points out) Alter Ego instead reprints of various interviews that Stan has given over the years. Thomas has carefully selected these and as a result, there’s little in the way of duplication of topics.
The first interview was originally published in the horror movie magazine Castle of Frankenstein back in 1965, at a time when the Marvel machine was getting into high gear. The interviewer, Ted White, provides a brand new intro to the interview, explaining how it all came about. One of the things they discuss is the old Marvel Super-Heroes TV show. These were the one’s that utilized actual comic book art with limited animation. Those shows were a staple in my after-school viewing in the 70’s.
Next up is an interview Stan did with Changes Magazine in 1970. It’s probably the best interview in the magazine in my opinion as interviewer Mike Bourne probes Stan on issues of the Comics Code, minority super heroes, violence in comics, and whether titles like Sgt. Fury glamorized war. Stan is extremely forthcoming in his answers. Interestingly, even in 1970, Stan had wanted to do a line of comics geared to adults but could not convince the “powers-that-be.”
Besides the interviews, there are a number of other articles on Stan, notably the one that focuses on Stan’s many cameo appearances in Marvel Comics over the years. Just as he has appeared in several films, Stan (and Marvel’s artists) liked to stick him into the comics as well. From Millie the Model to the X-Men, Stan could turn up almost anywhere. There’s also some great shots from the Lee family photo album with Stan and his wife and daughter. One magazine can’t do Stan Lee’s nearly 70 year career in comics justice, but it’s a great start and a great magazine. Grade A
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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
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February 4, 2008:
November 20, 2006:
A Comic-Con without the Captain