ComicList Reviews

Geek Goggle Reviews: Thief Of Thieves #1

2012-02-11T03:18:00Z

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Thief Of Thieves #1
Image Comics
Kirkman, Spencer, Martinbrough & Serrano

The first issue from heavy-hitters Robert Kirkman and Nice Spencer is a crime drama that plays out a lot like the first episode of a TV show. The book carries the tagline on the front cover that there isn't anything he can't steal except the life he left behind. But does the book deliver on that premise in the first issue? Does the book provide something to stand out among the many other books that deal with tough characters set in criminal settings without superheroes? This first issue provides a good character outline and a decent story within the issue but doesn't really show that the book is going to be too fast paced or all that different from other crime books. Overall, I found the book to be a very ordinary read.

The book tells the story of Redmond, who happens to be a master thief. This particular issue establishes the man and the profession that he excels at. It makes use of flashbacks to show off multiple thefts, one being a car and the other being slightly more high risk. The book also provides the origin of one of his apprentices, Celia. Generally, the dynamic between the two is done very well and is probably the highlight of the comic.

Unfortunately, the tagline is not addressed in this book. Sure, the book is setting up the characters and providing a little bit of self-enclosed story but I think it would have helped to hook readers in for the next issue. After all, the book doesn't really set itself apart from other real-world-like criminal books like The Rinse or Criminal. Let alone compete with books that are crime based with supernatural elements such as Existence or Who Is Jake Ellis? Nick Spencer has an incredible ability to provide an unexpected cliffhanger but this issue doesn't contain that.

The art tells a good visual story. I liked the pacing of the comic as a whole and I think that is owed to how the art made the story move. The book uses a style that you might find in other crime books like Jake Ellis so it fits the latest version of the non-super hero genre. I'll assume the missing neck tattoos on Celia is because of makeup or tattoo removal and not an artistic mistake.

This book is clearly going to be carried based on the weight of the creator's names. Will the book take off? Possibly. This could easily be the kind of the book that you will kick yourself for not picking up the first issues down the road, but nothing about the first issue gets me excited for the second issue. It's also worth noting that the book contains twenty pages of story as it appears Image is following DC and Marvel's lead to drop the page count down. This is a very average comic book.

2.5 out of 5 Geek Goggles

Original post blogged on ComicList.

TFAW Reviews: Conan, Sacrifice, New Avengers and More

2012-02-08T23:50:00Z

via The Blog From Another World

Watch Video Reviews of This Week's Comics!

Are you ready for this week's comic book reviews? We take a look at Conan the Barbarian #1, Green Lantern #6, Sacrifice #3, and the New Avengers Vol. 2 TPB, and we had some pretty strong reactions! Still undecided? Take a look at our previews for Conan the Barbarian #1 and Green Lantern #6.

Check out the video, below. SPOILER ALERT! We try not to go into too much detail in our reviews, but a few mild spoilers might slip through the cracks!

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SEE ALL OF THIS WEEK'S COMICS AND MORE

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What did you think about this week's comics? What should we review next week? Post your comments below!

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Midwest Book Review: Stargazer Volume 2

2012-02-06T10:48:00Z

Midwest Book Review

Stargazer
Von Allan
Von Allan Studio
PO Box 20520
390 Rideeau Street
Ottawa, ON Canada K1N 1A3
9780978123741, $14.95, www.vonallan.com

Dedicated to finding the answers, Elora may risk her own well being. "Stargazer" is the second volume of graphic novels from Von Allan, following Elora and her two best friends Sophie and Marni as they journey to a tower, making friends with robots and other creatures who at first don't seem so friendly. Through friendship and their own creativity, they will have to see themselves back home for adventure and much more. A fine pick for younger readers who often have daydreams of their own, "Stargazer" is an excellent and much recommended pick, not to be overlooked.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no funds from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, internet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested individuals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "California Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwatch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview (dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugalmuse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publisher, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Midwest Book Review: Salvatore Volume 2 An Eventful Crossing

2012-02-06T10:21:00Z

Midwest Book Review

Salvatore Volume 2: An Eventful Crossing
Nicolas De Crecy
NBM Publishing
40 Exchange Place, Suite 1308
New York, NY 10005-2742
9781561636136 $14.99 www.nbmpublishing.com

Salvatore Volume 2: An Eventful Crossing continues the masterfully translated, English-language adaptation of a French comic saga that uses anthropomorphic characters and muted color artwork to spin the saga of a canine mechanic in search of his beloved companion. His chosen vehicle is a bizarre device, piloted with the aid of a tiny human who may as well be his pet. But one distraction after another besets him on his journey, not the least being a cute hitchhiker! Meanwhile, Madame Amadine continues the search for her lost piglet Frank, encountering an arrogant detective, while the rest of her offspring seek to make a not-so-honest living through a phony "organic" cafe and market. The absurdities mount in this wry, whimsical tale, distinctly reminiscent of the classic novella "The Wind in the Willows". Highly recommended. (Volume 2 of the English translation actually collects volumes 3 and 4 of the original French version).

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Midwest Book Review: Graphic Classics Volume 22 African-American Classics

2012-02-05T14:31:00Z

Midwest Book Review

African-American Classics
Tom Pomplun and Lance Tooks, editors
Eureka Productions
8778 Oak Grove Road
Mount Horeb, WI 53572
9780982563045 $17.95 www.graphicclassics.com

Volume 22 of the "Graphic Classics" series, African-American Classics is a graphic novel anthology adapting almost two dozen great literary short stories and poems by some of America's earliest black writers, including W.E.B. DuBois, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, and many more. The stories selected do not shy away from troubling, complex, or life-threatening matters, but are overall suitable for readers ages 12 to adult. Each story is vividly adapted in full color by a different artist with a unique style complementing the work. The result is a solid, reader-friendly introduction to African-American literary heritage, worthy of the highest recommendation especially for public and school library collections.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Midwest Book Review: Dawn Of The Bunny Suicides

2012-02-05T13:45:00Z

Midwest Book Review

Dawn Of The Bunny Suicides
Andy Riley
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9781452104980, $12.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

Dawn of the Bunny Suicides is a fine pick for any humor collection and particularly for those seeing prior enthusiasm for the other 'bunny suicide' cartoons. Black and white, dark humor drawings illustrate all the various unusual ways the cartoon bunny can meet its demise, offering a hilarious presentation for any cartoon, comics or humor holding.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

Original post blogged on ComicList.