Artifacts #1

Artifacts #1
Written by Ron Marz
Art by Michael Broussard, Rick Basaldua, Sal Regla, and Sunny Gho
Letters by Troy Peteri
Published by Top Cow
Review by Lan Pitts
Click here for preview

"...One of the thirteen. Listen to me. You must know this. Separately each artifact is an immense power. All have bearers, chosen by fate to carry those burdens." -- the Curator

This is it.

For months now, Top Cow has been giving us hints, teasers, and even a #0 issue that came out on Free Comic Book Day this year, and it's all lead to Artifacts #1, and by George, it is glorious.

Much like with most things he does with Top Cow, Ron Marz has made it accessible to new readers without them worrying about who's who and what's what. It's right there, in black in white. Well, not exactly black and white, but you get the gist. There is a character dossier, a two-page origin of the Witchblade (written by Marz and drawn by Marc Silvestri), and so much more. With all of that, you would never feel lost even in the slightest.

The story itself is dramatic and heavy. Then again, when you're dealing the notion of a possible apocalypse, it damn well better be. With a strong opening scene, new readers could grasp who Sara Pezzini is and what she is about. We already have some of the major characters in action: Sara Pezzini, the mysterious Curator, fallen priest Tom Judge, and android assassin Aphrodite IV, as well as a peek of the rest in a wonderful two-page spread displaying all the artifact bearers. All the while Marz's narrative keep steady and never overwhelming. It's a big first issue, but it doesn't feel heavy. It reads wonderfully and is quite effective in conveying the danger and emotion of the Top Cow universe.

The artist on board, Michael Broussard, definitely has a visually striking style. Sort of in the vein of Neal Adams with his cross-hatching and layouts. The inking duo of Basaldua and Regla keep the lines small, thus keeping Broussard's great level of detail intact and brings these characters and events to life.

With the Artifacts event being thirteen issues long, this is the most ambitious event for the Cow to date. I'd like to think such an event like this will make new believers out of fans who have dismissed this publisher as nothing more than soft-core porn. True, while it is more "adult" it's not anymore so than what you're seeing in the Big Two. If you've been curious about getting into Top Cow, I advice you consider this issue.

Green Lantern costume revealed

My thoughts on this:

This could just be the suit that all of the corps members use, also it could just be his shell that he uses in space. I like how it looks like it's made of light. And alien and eerie, and not spandex or something man-made. I'm sure by the end of the movie, Hal will put his sort of stamp on his costume. The costume really isn't a "costume" as it is more like military regalia. It looks like it's created from the ring and not just something he made in his garage. The lights indicate that it's a powerful instrument and I like how the mask just looks like it's there. No edges, just something to conceal the identity. They could have just had his eyes green or something,but it looks organic, and they kept the symbol as is so for right now, I really dig this.

Teaser Image

Something I've been working on...

I didn't draw this, but I sure as hell wrote it. I didn't design the costume either.

I have some of the most creative people as friends. Word.

Zatanna by Adam Hughes

This is Hughes' typical quick Zatanna sketch. I got it at MegaCon this past year and is probably the closest I'll get to a superb piece anytime soon. I still enjoy it.

First reviews of July. Mainly indie titles!

Velocity #1
Written by Ron Marz
Art by Kenneth Rocafort
Colors by Sunny Cho
Letters by Troy Peteri
Published by Top Cow
Review by Lan Pitts
Click here for the preview


"My name is Carin Taylor. Carin with a C instead of a K and an I instead of an E in case you were wondering. Or you can just call me Velocity. I run fast."

There are very few mainstream books out on the market that features a hero without a city to save, without a love interest, without a sidekick, without having to worry about a secret identity, without worrying about holding a job outside your superhero one...yeah, you get the picture. Yet here is Velocity in her own mini-series, and in this first issue at least, it truly is a solo book. It's her against the bad guys. No back up from Cyberforce (not to say they won't show up later in the series) and you really get the feeling it's her against all odds.

Right off the bat, you'll notice Kenneth Rocafort's stylish and kinetic style with a glorious spread at the beginning. that pretty much sets the bar for what you are to expect in this issue. It's fast, fun and exciting. Now, I have little to no knowledge of the character, I think I may have one or two Cyberforce comics somewhere, but writer Ron Marz excelled in giving me a good idea who Carin/Velocity is and her purpose, all the while setting up the frame of the five-issue mini-series. Essentially, take an episode of "24" and put it in the world of Top Cow superheroics, and there you have it.

Since Velocity isn't exactly a household name or even that well-known, Marz uses heavy inner monologue to get the character across. We get a sense of who she is and what she's about. Also, because of her lacking a supporting cast of any kind, all of our attention is on her and her thoughts. Of course with lots of inner monologue boxes on the page, you would think it would a distraction, but letterer Troy Peteri does an amazing job of making sure nothing gets lost or buried and goes with the flow of Rocafort's art. Sunny Cho's colors are striking but again, not distracting from what is going on in the story.

Simply put, pick this up. Top Cow has a slew of talent in their ranks and this book proves they can hang with the best of them.



Angelus #4 (Published by Top Cow; Review by Lan Pitts: Four issues in of a six-part series, Angelus #4 delivers so much and continues to build at the same time. There is romance, the continuing bloodfeud of light and shadow, betrayal, and an Artifact revealed. All the makings of a compelling story with characters I quickly have come to love in a span of over two years. Ron Marz as usual has an engaging story with depth, and gets the reader excited for Top Cow's upcoming "Artifacts" mega-event. There is some seriously good dialog going on that has weight and sets the tone of "Artifacts" and how it truly is going to be a war. Now Stjepan Sejic runs hot and cold to me. He's great when he's good, when he fumbles, it shows loud and clear. In this issue, you can really see his talent and imagination shine through. There's beauty in the environment and facial expressions come across clean and tight and convey genuine emotion. Especially with a touching scene with Finch and Dani. I recommend this comic for readers who are interested in some great fantasy and wonderful storytelling and any and all Top Cow fans.

Alice In Wonderland TPB (Published by BOOM! Studios; Review by Lan Pitts): This past Spring, Disney released a live-action "Alice In Wonderland" feature with Johnny Depp, Ann Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, and Mia Wasikowska as the titular Alice, but I hadn't realized that BOOM! put out a graphic novel adaptation to the movie. I have to say I enjoyed the book more than the movie. Nothing knocking Tim Burton or his crew, but Massimiliano Narciso's art is something between Ted Naifeh and Jill Thompson and is simply amazing. It has a sort of dreamscape feel to it (as it should) and I hope to see more works from him in the future. Allessandro Ferrari does a fine job adapting the movie, which I'm aware is it's own story (though I would recommend The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Bebbor if you enjoyed this version, if you haven't already found that series). It also includes a behind-the-scenes sort of sketchpages where you can see the art progress which I found fascinating because I'm always curious on an artist's thought process.


Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files: Storm Front Vol 2 #2
Written by Jim Butcher and Mark Powers
Art by Adrian Syaf and Brett Booth
Inks by Rick Ketcham
Colors by Mohan
Letters by Bill Tortolini
Published by Dynamite Entertainment
Review by Lan Pitts

"Useless. It had all be useless. I was going to die in the next two days." -- Harry Dresden

The problem with adapting material, especially one that has a cult following like The Dresden Files does, is that there is already an audience for you to either get praised by or to piss off. In the case of this book, I'm leaning more towards the latter. For those of you unfamiliar with Jim Butcher's book series of the same name, it centers around an adult wizard named Harry Dresden, who is used by the Chicago PD to deal with supernatural situations and beings such as, but not limited to, fairies, vampires, demons and devils. Simply put, very cool stuff. I recently got into the book series via a good word from a friend and was surprised myself when I had not gotten into them sooner once I dove in.

A recap page would have come in handy as well since we are about halfway done with the first novel at this point, so that would make it difficult for non-fans to enjoy something that they otherwise might have. So for those out there, Harry has taken a missing persons case with a client whose husband has been missing for three days, he was also dabbling in magic. On top of that, he is investigated a double murder with the victims whose hearts had been removed. Of course this opens the gates to Dresden and his magical world.

The main problem I have, isn't with the script or the adaptation, though Harry's inner monologues do become cumbersome and make the pages seem cluttered. Very cluttered. Mark Powers' script holds up to the book series and didn't deviate the plot from what I can recall. My main gripe, and it's one hell of a gripe, is the inconsistency of the art. Adrian Syaf, who can be seen working on Brightest Day comes off strong, yet his inks fall by the wayside. Ketcham takes a page out of what is essentially 90's Image style. Too much feathering and cross-hatching in some places that it became distracting. There are three different artists on this book, all with different styles, and it looks choppy. Also, the last pages of the book are strictly done by Brett Booth, who has is probably the most radical in style, but he's also the only one that added text to Harry's shirt that appears out of nowhere since it's not in any other part of the book. Oy.

Dresden File fans, we simply deserve better.

Random reviews

Magdalena #2
Written by Ron Marz
Pencils by Nelson Blake II
Inks by Sal Regla
Colors by Dave McCaig
Published by Top Cow

“The Church has been sacrificing my ancestors for a thousand years. If you truly think that’s going to change…you’re more gullible than those people taking Communion down there.” — Patience, the Magdalena

Talk about hating your job, huh?

The Magdalena team (or as I call them in my head: Team Mags) are two for two with the second issue of Top Cow’s newest ongoing series, Magdalena. Ron Marz continues the story of Patience, this generation’s Magdalena, as she is trying to find her place and destiny in a world and Church that she’s at constant odds with. Meanwhile the Son of Satan, no, not that one, is planning another demon summoning since Patience just wiped the floor with the one he had sent earlier.

The plot doesn’t advance that much, but what this issue really showcases is Patience’ relationship with Kristoff and the Cardinal. Kristoff wants her to do what is right and her birthright, while the Cardinal sees her as more of subservient and merely a tool similar to one you could buy at a Home Depot should the one you have breaks. Though, at the end, Patience accepts her mantle but will no longer work for the Church, but rather with them. I’d like to see how long that notion lasts.

Nelson Blake II’s art is good. Great action shots with the demon slaying, great layouts for the more subtle moments, with terrific character design and is on par with Marz’s story. Sal Regla’s ink also add an additional visual layer and topped with Dave McCaig’s exquisite colors just make the whole package that much cooler.

If you don’t know by now, the previous issue started a firestorm of rave reviews and positive nods all around, eventually selling out. Don’t be left out of some good times and pick this book up.

Joker's Asylum: The Riddler -- One Shot
Written by Peter Calloway
Pencils by Andres Guinaldo
Inks by Raul Fernandez
Colors by Tomeu Morey
Letters by Patrick Brosseau
Cover by Ethan Van Sciver
Published by DC Comics
Review by Lan Pitts

"Were you born with the ability to make an entrance at the worst possible time, or is that a skill you've honed?" -- Edward Nygma, the Riddler

Much like first Joker's Asylum series, this continues the idea of Joker as a sort of Cryptkeeper character, and narrates a story featuring one of Batman's rogues gallery. Now, of all the issues in the last Joker's Asylum, I felt the Penguin spotlight by Jason Aaron and Jason Pearson was the strongest. Riddler is one of those guys that I've always felt drawn to (my tattoo on my calf speaks for that), and always seems to be lost in the shuffle. He's been portrayed as a sniveling twerp in such works as Long Halloween, to a mastermind in Hush, to now a private detective that could be walking down the dark path once more. In this one shot, he's definitely striding down a darker road than I've seen him in a long time, if ever.

The issue comes across as a character study for Nygma, especially the notion that he suffers from an extreme case of OCD. He falls in love with an art student and tries his best to win her over. Nygma goes the usual route with trying to woo her from flowers, chocolates, jewelry, etc, however the young woman returns all of the items. So, something clicks in Nygma's mind, basically him trying to solve the riddle of her love. However, when he finally gets her attention and admiration, it's under interesting circumstances, but the twist is...the "riddle" is solved, and Nygma doesn't care anymore.

From there, it starts to fall apart. I've never figured the Riddler as a killer and while Calloway is a great talent, I think he's trying too hard here and thinks it's a bit more cleverer than it actually is. We've known Riddler might have a sort of Tyler Durden situation going on here, and this story eggs that idea even more. I don't know if Nygma would just give up that easily. He's too obsessed for that. Plus, I've always seen him as sort of asexual, since the puzzles of the world, and money would be all he ever wanted.

Character disagreements aside, I think Calloway did a great job here in capturing Nygma's obsession and dialog. The Joker's narration gets distracting at times and in some places, not really needed. Guinaldo's art doesn't blow me away, but is still pretty excellent with a great panel construction and easy story flow. I wanted to like this issue more because I'm a huge Riddler fan, but it just fell flat.

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The Unwritten #14 (Published by Vertigo; Review by Lan Pitts): WWE Hall of Famer and wrestling legend "Rowdy" Roddy Piper has famous catchphrase: "Just when you think you have all the answers, I change the questions." That sums up this issue of my favorite series. The new Tommy Taylor book release is right around the corner, and it's a slow build to what is about to go down. A trap has been set, and it just gets crazier by the moment. We see a little hint of behind the scenes of the forces out to get Taylor and company. Calling it "weird" is an understatement. Mike Carey and Peter Gross continue this series that leaves the reader wanting more, yet never wanting the mystery to end.

New Zatannas on the collection? Sure I do!

By Dustin Nguyen, Karl Story and Laura Martin


By Jamie Cosley


By Anthony Clark, aka Nedroid

I decided to just bite the bullet and get a Zatanna-themed sketchbook. My sketchbook that I started two years ago on FCBD is almost filled up. It was a good choice.

Man Without Fear...

and full of cheer.

This was done by Jaime Cosley (http://jamiecosley.blogspot.com/), and check out his awesome stuff. This is possibly the most fun sketch I've gotten in a while. I got this at HeroesCon this year (I guess I need to post up all the art, huh?) and this guy is just super nice. Follow him and give him a holler!

Finally, some Guy Davis goodness.

Review 4-pack

Mystery Society #1
Written by Steve Niles
Art by Fiona Staples
Letters by Robbie Robbins
Edits by Bob Shreck
Cover by Ashley Woods
Published by IDW Publishing
Review by Lan Pitts

"Origin stories are so boring. It's not like we were exposed to explosive radiation or born on another planet...we were just exposed to hidden truths that bound us as a couple and that gave our lives purpose." -- Nick Hammond, aka Nick Mystery

With a title like "Mystery Society", you'd think it would be an assembly of villains of supernatural origin from the Golden Age of comics. Or at the very least, a gang who would fight Hanna Barbara's "Birdman". Well, if you thought either of those, I'm not sorry to disappoint because what the Mystery Society is, is way more imaginative and not at all sinister.

To sum it up, an eccentric couple come into a lot of money and form their own club that hunts out the mysteries of the world and expose them as either fake or fraud. Though in the first issue, we see something went wrong and Nick is tried for his actions which leads into a quasi origin story dealing with a Area 51, a new addition to the Mystery Society, and just some really cool gizmos and action. All of it make for a good read on a book that already had so much buzz and didn't disappoint.

Right off the bat, you'll notice the thrilling, stylish art of Fiona Staples. Her style has changed dramatically since we her work on Wildstorm's Hawkmoor series. Believe me, it's for the better. There's an angular style to it that's not too polished, but not overly rough. There's a dynamic sense to the world she's drawn, from the character design, to the spygear, to her page layouts that do wonders for the flow of the story. Speaking of story, here is Steve Niles simply at his best. Both Nick and his wife, Anastasia have a distinct voice and you get a real sense of who they are as individuals and as husband and wife with their flirting and nonchalant towards the macabre, ie how somebody could steal Edgar Allan Poe's skull.

This mini-series is sadly that, just a mini-series. I hope the creative team has its chance to tell the story they had envisioned because it has unlimited potential to become one of the books to talk about. I'm hearing the first printing has sold out, so hopefully you got your hands on this one. I'm looking forward to what this book can really do.
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Teen Titans #83 (Published by DC Comics; Review by Lan Pitts): I can't wrap my head around how awful this book is. I guess it's because I don't understand how a title that is centered around teen superheroes, with some having been around for almost twenty years or more, yet they seem to have just lost their voice that made them distinct. There doesn't seem to be a direction for the team, especially Superboy, who just comes across a lot more arrogant as usual. It is as if Felicia Henderson watched "The Hills" and decided this is what teens act like and should be. The art is pretty standard, nothing really to write home about or talk about. I have to admit, the saving grace of this book is the co-feature with the Coven (Black Alice, Traci 13, and Zach Zatara) by Rex Ogle and Ted Naifeh (of Oni's Courtney Crumrin). I wonder why the Coven are the co-feature of this particular book since those three don't really have anymore Titan's business going on. I guess it's because that they are all teenagers as well. I'm not sure if Naifeh is holding back or whether he's adapting his style to be a bit more "mainstream", but it's different from anything he's worked on. Rex Ogle has worked on comics for a few years now, but hasn't really made his mark, so hopefully this co-feature will get his name out.
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American Vampire #3
Written by Scott Snyder (co-feature by Stephen King)
Art by Rafael Albuquerque
Colors by Dave McCaig
Letters by Steve Wands
Published by Vertigo
Review by Lan Pitts

"You know, I was gonna burn you alive that wreck, but on second thought...why don't you come out and play!" -- Pearl Jones

Color me entranced by this book. You have to admit that Scott Snyder takes very little time with getting with the action, yet still manages to move along the story. There's no "talking at a table" scene here, you just get to witness newly-made vampire Pearl following her instincts and getting the job done. She still has a hint of humanity in her, but when it comes down to going after her own kind (or at least another species), she doesn't even blink. Snyder has some creative ways on the old vampire on vampire violence and it's extremely entertaining.

With Stephen King handling the Skinner Sweet backstory, and Snyder doing the main story, we see how both Sweet and Pearl handle being so-called creatures of the night. The interesting part here is how Sweet is depicted by both authors. While Snyder has him come across as a malevolent mentor, King has him sort play the bad ass. An amalgam of Wolverine, Batman, and Freddy Krueger. Essentially, somebody who you wouldn't want to cross in a dark alley. I sort of see him as the Vic Mackey of comics: somebody who you wouldn't want to be friends with, but you end up rooting for him anyways.

Rafael Albuquerque and Dave McCaig are masterminds, plain and simple. Two parts of the issue, two stories, with two completely different styles. On Pearl's feature, we have a more polished, traditional look with lovely hues of red and desert yellow to diamond blues, all looking marvelous. With Sweet's tale, McCaig uses a more painted vision, almost dreamlike and it paints an entirely new picture of the world Snyder has conceived. All the while, Alburquerque's pencils still hold the tone and visceral feel of the book.

I can't help but wondering where this book will go from here. It's a great concept, with wonderful visuals. If you're not reading American Vampire, you have my sympathy, because you are truly missing out on some bloody good times.
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Iron Man: Noir #2 (Published by Marvel Comics; Review by Lan Pitts): Second issue in of this four-part series, I find it interesting we've only seen the Iron Man suit of this universe only once and it wasn't even utilized. The cover comes across as misleading since it's not even in this issue at all, so I can understand if some people feel let down. I, on the other hand, am enjoying this adventure that really wouldn't qualify as "noir" as it comes across more as a 1930's serial, or as an Indiana Jones-like tale. Nazis, mysticism, Atlantis, and all. Where previous installments of Marvel's "noir" line have more to do with the artistic approach, this take on Iron Man is definitely more writer-centric. Not to say there's anything wrong with Manuel Garcia's style, it's rough and fits the story, but nothing to really write home about. This has been my favorite in the "noir" series since the first X-Men: Noir run and looking forward where Tony takes us next.