Cyblade #1 Review

Cyblade #1
Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov
Pencils by Rick Mays
Inks by Sal Regla
Colors by Guru-eFX
Letters by Troy Peteri
Edited by Rob Levin
Published by Top Cow

Cyblade was one of two books fans voted for in Pilot Season 2007 to get its own series. The creative team who worked on the Pilot issue, writer Joshua Hale Fialkov and artist Rick Mays, return to work on the series. French born Dominique Thiebault is a former team member of Cyberforce and was once a blatant rip-off of Psylocke. The new series, however, is a prequel to her adventures on that team. Now we meet nineteen year old Dominique, whose ability to generate electromagnetic blades manifests during an armed attack on her school. After some years pass, Dominique becomes a "Special Hazardous Operations Cyborg" or S.H.O.C. trooper for the malevolent corporation known as "Cyberdata", who provides her with the cybernetic upgrades that turn her into assassin/warrior Cyblade. It isn't until she leaves Cyberdata to join Cyberforce that she realizes the extent of the crimes she has committed in Cyberdata's name. Fialkov's series is set in the beginning of Dominique's career as a S.H.O.C., as the hero gradually becomes aware of her employer's choosing. With the help of a spy sent to infiltrate the company, Cyblade has broken free from Cyberdata's control. She must find a way to escape from their clutches for good, while trying to discover who she really is beneath and choose her own destiny.

If any of this sounds familiar, it's because it should. The assassin with amnesia bit has been slightly played out through the years. From Wolverine to Jason Bourne, and with Christian Slater's new gig on "My Own Worst Enemy" added to the list, it seems a tad passe. The obvious main difference is that this time it's a young girl who is the killer/weapon instead of some middle-aged male. I never got around to reading the one-shot last year since the name "Cyblade" brought back bad memories of the oh so gritty 90's. I recently tracked it down in one of my local shops, in the $1.50 bin, so there wasn't much to lose. To be honest, I surprised myself and rather enjoyed it, though I kept reminding myself I paid what was basically half-price for it.

I digress. Cyblade: Agent of Cyberdata is just so-so. It's definitely not the best, nor is it the worst out there. The dialogue is well-written, even if it's not the most original concept on the market. Mays' pencils are solid. . . most of the time. There are times where his figures look awkward and uncomfortable. The coloring is hit and miss as well. The laser blast and shower effects look spectacular. However, when it comes to Steven Rashall (the agent helping Dominique plan her escape) and his shirt, it looks as if he is sealed inside of it.

The book has plenty of room for potential and improvement, though I admit I'm intrigued on where they plan to take Dominique from here. While reading one thought kept crossing my mind-- of all the characters, why do just one, and so one-dimensional? It is clear that even the smallest characters can have the biggest fans. And hey, at least it's not a Bloodwulf spin-off.

Smallville, 8.5 "Committed"

"Guess the Olsen's not so wholesome." -- Lois Lane (Erica Durance), "Committed"

This is the second week in a row that Smallville touches on the subject of love and romance. After they leave their engagement party, Chloe and Jimmy get kidnapped by an emotionally-scarred jeweler who has become twisted by his wife's infidelity. Now, he gets his kicks by abducting couples and subjecting them to a kryptonite-enhanced lie detector that shocks them if they lie. It seems to me, that as the series progressed, meteor rock or as it's finally been called it's true name, "kryptonite" is more commonplace than the phrase "my friends" at a McCain rally. Can you just buy this stuff at any old gas station or Big Lots? Also, things at the Luthor manor, Tess investigates where that mysterious e-mail came from...could Lex be alive?

I digress however. On the hunt for their friends, Lois and Clark disguise themselves as a recently engaged couple to try to ensnare the kidnapper, whose playset looks like something out of the "Saw" franchise, though confusing Oliver as they stumble into him walking into the same jewelry store that has a possible connection with the disappearance of Jimmy and Chloe. It was fun to watch the interaction between Lois and Clark. This is Durance's fifth season playing Lois, and I think this time around she's really grown as this character and made it her own.

Like I mentioned earlier, the masked kidnapper plays little games with his prey. Enforcing his code that lies only hurt the one you love, so he asks questions retaining to the loyalty and love that the abducted couples has to answer. If they fail the test, the other gets heavily shocked. Jimmy and Chloe get asked these questions, one actually stems from last week's Maxima episode. In the line of questioning, Chloe gets asked if she loves anybody else but Jimmy. To my surprise, the lie detector does not go off. Now we all know that Jimmy and Chloe do not end up together, so I'm wondering how this will play out in the end. Though, Chloe's answer to Jimmy as she passed the test seriously tugged at my heartstrings. After that, they are deemed truly in love and the kidnapper returns them home.

Back at Luthor Manor, Oliver visits Tess and offers to make peace over dinner. Though, in classic Smallville style, the two soon start combating with pool sticks. This scene to me was kind of...not put together well. As a theater major, you eventually learn the basic moves for stage combat, and what they did was pretty basic and simple. I would have thought of all people Oliver Queen would have been a better fighter. Especially up against the person who was supposed to be Lex's replacement on the show, to make her seem more intimidating. I personally would have gone with a different fight choreographer. After the skirmish, Tess is the victor and accepts Oliver's invitation to dinner and we delve more into the history of the two. Apparently, Oliver cheated on Tess years ago and she still holds it against him. Hell hath no fury...

So, Lois and Clark finally get kidnapped and are subjected to the same line of questions we witnessed Jimmy and Chloe go through. Clark tries to escape, but the twisted kidnapper just happens to wear a kryptonite bracelet and is rendered powerless. The questioning takes an interesting turn when Lois confesses to the man that herself and Clark are not really a couple, though he continues playing his sick little game. When the kidnapper asks if Lois sincerely loves Clark, she answers "yes". To Clark's bafflement, the machine does not go off. Getting into close range, the kidnapper gets headbutted by Clark and he then removes the kryptonite bracelet and throwing it down a drain. And like clockwork, Clark gets his powers back and saves the day. Back over with Jimmy and Chloe, Jimmy confesses that his parents aren't coming to the wedding. After the ordeal that they just endured, he has decided to be honest with Chloe. His father is not the rich man he made him out to be, but a drunk mechanic, and as for his mother? He's never even met her. Chloe doesn't care because she comforts him in knowing she is all the family he will need.

Later at the Daily Planet, Clark confronts Lois since he's been worried she might be avoiding him. Lois explains that she took off the sensor for the machine, so the kidnapper really did not get a straight result and would spare him the electrocution. I'm tempted to use my TiVo and watch it again, just to see if Lois is lying. We all know how this ends though. I almost wish they had added Lois around season six instead of four. Clark really hasn't had need of a "love interest" since either Lana, Chloe or Alicia were around to take that role. Also, I kept on hearing on how Tess will overshadow Lex's villainy. I, for one, would like to see more of her so that she becomes a more prominent fixture instead of just being Lex's replacement.

In conclusion, "Committed" was a so-so episode. We've seen these sort of things before, though it had a nice view of things to come. I'd like to ask the readers what they found appealing or annoying about this episode, and wonder when was the last time you were hurt by a loved one through deceit.

Lock and load! 13 Chambers and Green Lantern #35

13 Chambers
Created and Written by Christopher "mink" Morrison
Art by Denis Medri
Coloring by Romina Denti
Covers by Paolo Parente
Lettering by Michael David Thomas
Published by Image Comics

Recently, Newsarama interviewed the creator and writer of this series, Christopher "Mink" Morrison, and he explained what it was all about. Well, I read the first issue this week and I'm interested in how it will play out. "Chambers" is a western set in an alternate history during 1860's. In this universe, thirteen U.S. marshalls, each carrying a high-tech 13-chambered pistol, have been enforcing the law until a new president deemed the weapons too dangerous. 13 Chambers is the point of view from the 13th Marshall, who was assigned to retrieve the other weapons and return them to President Jackson so they could be archived. All is going according to plan, until the Marshall arrives in a town known as Four Corners, where a tyrannic mining tycoon named York has killed the 12th Marshall and stolen one of the Peace Keeper pistols. Now, the Marshall must retrieve the pistol and bring the tyrant to justice...or die trying.

The issue starts off with a diagram of what one of the Peace Keeper pistols looks like. Beautifully drawn by Matthias Haddad, it shows how the chambers work with the multiple triggers on the handle. Denis Medri's style resembles a mix between modern artists Mark Brooks and J. Scott Campbell. Amazingly drawn figures as well as solid panels, complemented by Romina Denti's coloring skill, makes for one spectacular looking book. The first issue establishes the tone pretty well. A classic Western tale, similar to Michael Fleisher's run on "Jonah Hex", with a little bit of Indiana Jones sprinkled in.

The line between good and evil is drawn pretty well here. The hero is tough and handsome, the villain is sinister and resembles a combination of Voldemort from "Harry Potter" and Tex Hex from BraveStarr, making it easy to read and recommend. Perhaps I'm slightly biased, being a fan of the western genre, but I really appreciated this book and I am looking forward to what this title brings to the table. With the market saturated with tie-ins and continuity-heavy books, 13 Chambers is a pleasant addition to anyone's pull box.





Green Lantern #35 (DC; by Lan): Issue 35 is the finale of the Secret Origins, and once again the team of Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis and Oclar Albert make for a smashing good read. Interesting though, is that this issue doesn't do the DC usual of the first page being a splash page. There is not a whole lot of action going on in this issue, but the interaction between the rookie Hal Jordan and the more experienced Sinestro left me wanting one thing: a Sinestro origins mini-series showcasing him as the "greatest of the Green Lanterns". It's interesting to see Sinestro, one of comic's most heinous villains, as a hero and a mentor. We've heard the story numerous times about how great he was, but to have seen it is something else. Something great!
Overall, this was a solid issue. It brings some resolution to the arc, tying up some loose ends while giving a tug to a couple other loose ends. We get some nice "continuity nods" that long-time fans should be able to pick up on, that show that this story isn't ignoring what's come before. Even though this is the "post-Infinite Crisis" origin, nothing really changes or maybe I just didn't see it. As the conclusion of a story, I couldn't have been happier, but it gives us a glimpse of what's to come.

Witchblade #121..."Crown Heights" begins.

Witchblade #121
Story by Ron Marz
Art and Cover by Stjepan Sejic
Published by Top Cow

This issue kick starts the three-part "Crown Heights" storyline, in which partial Witchblade wielder(Dani Baptiste, the other half-wielder, is missing in this issue)/NYC Detective Sara Pezzini enters the Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn to get to the bottom of some mysterious and gruesome deaths. Sara is also being followed by a mischievous reporter, who is close in finding her proof and revealing Sara's secret to the world. Though after a brief encounter, Sara investigates a nearby house and notices the door cracked open. Inside the women discover, what appears to be, a golem.

Stjepan Sejic is slowly becoming one of my favorite artists. The way how he works panels is almost like film direction. There are some panels that don't have any words or sound effects, but you hear the eeks and creaks of the alleyway. You can feel the steam from the shower and hear the water running full blast. His attention to detail make this issue all more the enjoyable. There's a sense of "being there" when he adds little things like reflections on the car windshields and his use of light is incredible. My only question is, when did Sara start looking like Denise Richards?

Ron Marz continues his legacy as modern master. Honestly, there is not a lot of action or fast-paced fighting in this issue. Though, Marz works his magic to build a story that is character-driven and captivating. The exquisite words and stellar art mesh well to start this event. Marz even treads on somewhat controversial matter with the Jewish and African-America communities and contempt they have for one another. I haven't picked up a Witchblade comic since the hype in the late 90's, though Marz's story-telling brought me back to Top Cow, and Sara just seems more intellegent and realistic since he took over. I'm intrigued to where Marz and Sejic will take this and if it's any indication from this first issue, I cannot wait.

Madame Mirage Vol 1 Trade & All Star Batman and Robin #10

Madame Mirage Vol. 1 Trade Paperback
Story by Paul Dini
Art by Kenneth Rocafort
Published by Top Cow

The story of murder, intrigue and revenge with superpowers, this is Madame Mirage. "Mirage" takes place in a world where superheroes are man-made creations through the advances in technology or bio-engineering to turn people into metahumans and metahumans into gods. Though when there are heroes, there must be villains. As people took advantage of the mega-tech for personal gain, the technology was banned, the superheroes became outlawed and the real outlaws went underground.

Aggressive Solutions Int. or A.S.I., is run by a cabal of villain groups. To the people, they are some kind of Los Angeles-based public relations firm or trouble-shooting agency. In reality, they are a front for a gang of powerful villains. All has gone well, until A.S.I. finds itself as a target of a relentless and violent vendetta by the mysterious woman calling herself Madame Mirage.
Paul Dini pitched the idea of Madame Mirage seven years prior to the first issue of the book. The early concept was pitched to an internet animation studio, where they wanted an action-driven femme fatale series. However, the studio had already gone out of business the weekend following the meeting. Following that, Dini put the Mirage pitch in the sketchbook where it remained for years until Jim McLauchlin came on board at Top Cow as an editor, and was interested in creating a new series about a tough new heroine and contacting Paul Dini. He brought back the Mirage concept, updated it because of how many years since the first pitch, and finally he started scripting the stories.

Dini compares Mirage to pulp hero The Shadow with a hint of Zatanna. Mirage employs various degrees of superpowers including mind control, "magic" and shape shifting in order to confound and destroy her enemies. To the point where she confronts an enemy, it is unknown what she will do or use to attack. It is worth noting that Madame Mirage and her visual appearance is based on his wife, Misty Lee, who is a magician and illusionist. The other thing about Mirage is that she has a younger sister named Harper, who acts as her backup on these missions against the A.S.I.

There is a plethora of twists and turns in this book that makes this title worthy to reckoned with. Some of which I don't care to mention because they would ruin a lot, including issue three in which we learn Mirage's origin. The action is superb and never dull. The book feels like a non-stop chase with Mirage just one step ahead of the bad guys. Dini weaves a tale of espionage and intrigue that we have not seen in comics in quite some time. Despite Dini's kid-friendly past with his DC superhero shows, Mirage is a book intended for mature readers with a climax that rivals "Kill Bill". Rocafort's art is simply ravishing. Madame Mirage will keep you guessing until the very end! The Volume 1 trade is the first story arc, but there will be another one coming out next year. Along with the issues, the extras are frosting on the cake. It has a cover gallery by Rocafort and variant covers by Greg Horn as well as initial sketch designs by Dini and Rocafort. It would be a crying shame for anybody to not pick up this collection if you missed out the first time around.



I'm the minority here when I claim I actually like this book. Sure, it's Sin City dialogue coming out of Gotham City's mouth, but I think the "All Star Batman" brand is merely misunderstood.
I have read quite a few interviews with authors, and being a aspiring writer myself I agree, some writers will sell rights to Hollywood for treatment of their material for the cash and for good reason. What do they care if Hollywood butchers it or not? It doesn't change the book, it will always be the same. If anything, it might generate more of an audience for the writer. And as for everyone stating that All Star Bats here isn't worth burning because it's not even worth a match, it's because its not Batman, well, its not suppose to be. If you want the Batman you know and love, just read that. Who wants to just see the same old? I compare it a lot to cover songs. I'm a sucker for a good cover song because I want to see someone else take on a song I may, or may not, already like. Its not the original, but I was never expecting the original in the first place. On that note, not all is lost as Jim Lee continues to give his all on this book. He's given multiple double-page spreads and splash pages to flex his artist muscle and, as always, nails them out of the park. Just like the best artists in the industry, Jim Lee delivers iconic images that pop off the page once his artist team of Scott Williams and Alex Sinclair get a hold of his work. It's just a shame that a Jim Lee and company drawn comic comes so rarely these days because I can never get enough of them. Some of my personal favorites from this month are the image of Batman holding a beaten Catwoman as well as Batman and Robin hitching a ride on a speeding train and to top it off, a touching moment between Jim Gordon and his daughter. That's just some "this is what comics are about" moments that this title is capable of.

Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! #2

Billy Batson and the Magic of SHAZAM #2
Story and Art by Mike Kunkel
Lettering by Steve Wands
Published by DC Comics


After a delay, the second issue of "Billy Batson and the Magic of SHAZAM" finally came out, and just like the premiere issue, I could not wait to get a hold of it. It backtracks a little with the story of Billy being chosen by the wizard, Shazam, and became the World's Mightiest Mortal. It also explains that Billy was not, in fact, the first to have been chosen. That privilege belonged to a young man named Theo Adam. Though the Wizard soon realized that Theo Adam was not the champion he first thought he was and was exiled. Now, Theo Adam has returned as an emo/goth teenager with no knowledge of the word that transformed him into the Wizard's former champion. And boy is he pissed. Eventually Theo Adam learns of Billy's secret identity and quickly bullies young Billy and tries to force the magic word out of him.

Later, Billy confronts Shazam about Theo Adam and the Wizard tells of his past heir and the mistake he made. Soon Shazam discovers that something even worse has occurred: the Seven Deadly Sins are gone and have allied with Theo Adam.

Kunkel keeps the pages busy on this issues, almost a little too busy. Some pages have up to fifteen panels and it almost seems as if he is cramming too much, and I would hate to see younger readers confused. Though that slight fault is easily outweighed at the sheer brilliance of it all. Once again, Kunkel's art tells the story so well, half the time you don't need words. The way he works some panels almost in the way of animation is just astounding. His use of facial expressions rivals that of Kevin Maguire.

The story delves more into the Shazam mythos but doesn't weight the reader down with almost seventy years of continuity. It all feels fresh and new, almost as if Kunkel had created the Captain and his story himself instead of weaving his own spin on it all. I am a huge supporter of comics for kids and this title is the best one out there for ages eight and up. Hopefully, Kunkel has worked out the kinks and we will see this title on a more regular schedule.

Dragon Prince #1 Review

Dragon Prince #1
Written by Ron Marz
Art by Lee Moder
Cover by Jeff Johnson and Stjepan Sejic
Published by Top Cow

Ron Marz (Green Lantern, Witchblade) and First Born: Aftermath artist Lee Moder have teamed up for Dragon Prince, which debuted on September 10th. Prince is a four-part miniseries that is a mix of modern day fantasy with martial arts action and mystic mayhem, and anybody a fan of the Jade Empire video game series or younger audiences that obsess over Ben 10 will surely get a kick out of the title.

Going through "the change" is never easy for teenagers, though Aaron Chang is going through something quite out of the ordinary. Aaron has always felt sort of ostracized by his peers because of his mixed heritage (his mother being Caucasian and his father being Asian) and often called things like "white rice". His mother is a fantasy writer, much to the chagrin of her son, who feels like he is too old for her "stories". One day at school however, he learns that he is very much indeed different from his school mates as he chars the school bully with his breath of fire. He returns home where his mother tells him of his true heritage. He is the Dragon Prince, last of his kind and heir to the bloodline of all dragons. Hunted to the brink of extinction by a secret society of magi, dragonkind's survival is now in Aaron's hands.

First off, let me just say I am a huge Ron Marz fan. He created my favorite Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner), and his narratives for Witchblade have been the best since she burst onto the scene in the late '90s. He's made it more reader-friendly, which is always a plus in my eyes. While I'm not too familiar with Moder's art, I like his style. It's not too rendered and his panels are competent enough that anybody from the age of 8 to 80 can understand. The ink and coloring mesh well. Nothing is lost or overdone. This is a book I really want to pick up to see where it leads. I don't think there are enough "fantasy" books out in the market now. True, you could debate that all superhero books are fantasy, they are, but I'm talking about more in the style of the Wheel of Time, Harry Potter, The 10th Kingdom, etc. While I enjoyed Battle Chasers back in the day, the book almost never came out on time and I just lost interest.

Dragon Prince is a PG-rated book that could be picked up for ages 8 and up. I plan on picking up a few for my friends' kids. The fact that the protagonist is thirteen years-old should only make the book more related to the younger readers who loved the Eragon series (Aaron is actually seen reading that). I've been an advocate for comics being for kids again- the market has gotten almost too gritty and downright depressing with its focus on the "everything changes forever" storytelling. Dragon Prince isn't that. Yes, it's a big story which will leave our young protagonist changed, but its great storytelling, easily accessible, and...fun. While this was just the first issue, I'm expecting great things out of this story. More, please.

End of the line. Catwoman #82.

Catwoman #82 – Final Issue
From DC Comics
Writer: Will Pfeifer
Pencils: David Lopez
Inks: Alvaro Lopez
Colors: Jeromy Cox
Cover: Adam Hughes
Editor: Nachie Castro

For almost 70 years, Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, has been a pop culture icon. She's been portrayed by half a dozen women (animated and live-action) and is probably Batman's second most well-known character is his rogue's gallery. Though, in the past decade, she's transformed from just a cat burglar with daddy issues into an anti-heroine (rather than a supervillainess) with her own title...and a mother (who still had a streak of kleptomania). However, now is the end of the line for her monthly book. While it wasn't the most grandest of send-offs in comicdom, it was simple, but an issue that any Cat-fan could appreciate Basically, Catwoman leads Batman on a chase through the streets of Gotham, during which time she steals his utility belt. He doesn't understand why she's doing what she's doing, nor does she. Selina finally realizes that she was meant to be Catwoman. In the end, she and Batman reach an understanding, but she reinforces her mischievous nature by stealing the Batmobile.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't sad to see this title go. For so long, it has been one of the most consistently enjoyable books in DC's output. Pfeifer has demonstrated a thorough knowledge of Selina's character as well as a confident and sure handle of her voice, all the while proving she's one of the DCU's richest and most complex characters. However, I'd also be lying if I said I'm not happy to see Selina return to a life of full-blown villainy. I just wish she could do so in her own book. I've said it before, and I'll say it again – one of these days, DC is going to realize there is an audience and a market for a series that focuses on a villain protagonist. DiDio really screwed the pooch on this one. There doesn't really seem like there are any strong, female lead characters with their own book. Oh wait, I'm sorry, there are two: Supergirl and Wonder Woman. I've heard rumors of Zatanna getting her own book, and I'm aware of Vixen's mini-series coming up and Batwoman's series still in limbo, unless new developments have occurred and I'm just not in the know.

There was still so much potential with Selina. While I enjoyed her going to her roots, it felt rushed. Quite honestly, there is not a whole lot of issue in this one. It's touching and we know she's not going anywhere, but she deserved better. Lopez's pencils took some time to rub off on me, though I still prefer the bolder style of Pete Woods. I'm hoping for a revamp in the near future, or possibly on Vertigo (where I hope they take Zatanna). It's almost as if this title was too good for us, as consumers. We took Selina for granted. Always on-time, Well-drawn, well-written. Something that is far and between in the industry.

Thanks for the ride, Ms. Kyle. Hasta la vista!

Wheel of Time...movie? Not this again.

Says Variety.

My dream cast has changed over the years, obviously. I just don't see it as a movie. Though I wonder if it'll catch on like LOTR or be plummeted to the ground like "Eragon".

Time in my hands

I just thought I would share the cover. The script is going along well, I think. Moving to Atlanta has been a great experience thus far.

My room is just the right environment I needed to help find my center and keep up the positive energy I already have.