BATTLE CHASERS ANTHOLOGY
by Joe Madureira, Munier Sharrieff, et al
Collecting every issue ever published of one of the most beloved comic book series of all time, this oversized graphic novel is bursting at the seams with adventure! Follow young Gully as she searches for her missing father with the help of Garrison, a legendary swordsman; Knolan, the crafty wizard; Calibretto, an outlawed Wargolem; and the notorious mercenary Red Monika! Assaulted at every turn by a cast of memorable villains, BATTLE CHASERS is packed with over-the-top action from cover to cover! Don’t miss this definitive collection!
Collects Battle Chasers (1998) #1-9, Battle Chasers Prelude #0, Frank Frazetta Fantasy Illustrated #2 [part]
“Let’s face it, i this book is all about that Madureira art…Battle Chasers is clearly a tribute to fantasy RPGs, with its primary band of adventurers taking the role of the Paladin, some kind of Warforged fella, a magic user and… whatever Gully is. Though the series is best-known for being repeatedly delayed and ultimately unfinished. Oh, and the cartoonishly voluptuous pirate Red Monika! The second story arc is incomplete, but I’ve heard Joe Madurieira has been planning on picking the series up for some time, now. Battle Chasers doesn’t break any new ground, but it’s a gorgeous-looking adventure series and I’d gladly pick up more if it ever continues…”
⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
—Dave Molyneaux, Omniverse Comics Guide
BIG MAN PLANS
by Eric Powell, Tim Wiesch
The complete brutal and heart-breaking revenge tale by The Goon creator Eric Powell and co-writer Tim Wiesch.
Collects Big Man Plans #1-4
“This is the darkest, sickest, most offensive comic I’ve ever read. Big Man Plans is excessively violent and utterly depraved. I loved it!
Here’s to rooting for the little guy…”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
—Dave Molyneaux, Omniverse Comics Guide
ECHOLANDS vol.1
by JH Williams III, W Haden Blackman
The multiple award-winning Batwoman team of Williams III and Blackman reunite for an all-new ongoing series! In a bizarre future world that has forgotten its history, a reckless thief, Hope Redhood, holds the key to excavating its dark, strange past―if only she and her crew can escape a tyrannical wizard and his unstoppable daughter. But fate will send them all on a path leading to a war between worlds. Echolands is a landscape format, mythic-fiction epic where anything is possible―a fast-paced genre mashup adventure that combines everything from horror movie vampires to classic mobsters and cyborg elves, to Roman demigods and retro rocket ships. It’s going to be a helluva ride!
Collects Echolands #1-6
“With impossibly gorgeous and complex art, Echolands could well be the most beautiful book on my shelves. With characters originating from different lands that homage the art styles of different artists throughout the decades of comic book history, JH Williams III introduces Wrightson-esque horror characters, a godlike warrior that looks like he jumped straight from the pages of a Jack Kirby comic and so on… Echolands would be a book to keep hold of just for the eye-gasms, but the frenetically-paced web of intrigue by Williams and Haden Blackman, with characters I found myself instantly rooting for in this relentless rollercoaster of fantasy, sci-fi and adventure all rolled into one. If you tend to read your comics electronically, make an exception for Echolands. It’s the only way to truly appreciate the experience these landscape pages in all their grandeur.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
—Dave Molyneaux, Omniverse Comics Guide
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The Fade Out – Deluxe Edition
Writer: Ed Brubaker, Artist: Sean Phillips
An epic graphic novel of Hollywood in the early days of the Blacklist, THE FADE OUT tracks the murder of an up-and-coming starlet from studio backlots to the gutters of downtown Los Angeles, as shell-shocked front man Charlie Parish is caught between his own dying sense of morality and his best friend’s righteous sense of justice.
Collects The Fade Out #1-12
“If someone asked me what my dream idea for a comic book is, I would probably say film noir, murder mystery, all set around old Hollywood. Well, Ed Brubaker has delivered. Question is, does this live up to the dream?
Very easy question to answer…1,000x yes! It might even be my favourite Ed & Sean team up so far.
There is a lot going on in this plot. I will say that it does help to have a little bit of prior knowledge on what is going on in Hollywood at time. Luckily, this is where I thrive as I’m a bit of a film geek. Along side that you have our main character dealing with PTSD, writers getting blacklisted and dealing with communism in Hollywood. So when these certain elements came up I knew what they were referring to. They also refer to many of the Hollywood stars of the time without mentioning them by name necessarily. My favourite being Montgomery Clift. The way his real life story is played out on the pages had me nerding out.
There is a character sheet at the beginning of the book that does come in handy as there are lot of players in this mystery.
Sean Philip captures the era perfectly using many famous actresses as references. I particularly liked like the way he used dreams/memory sequences – very misty and hazy, very cinematic. The colourist also set the mood perfectly. To be honest, it felt like a elegant cinematic HBO limited series. Perfection.
My only concerns are that the ending is slightly anticlimactic but if you asked me if it suits the story and the characters, I would say yes. This isn’t a superhero story, this is real life.
If you’re a fan of films like Sunset Boulevard, LA Confidential or have a general interest in Golden Age of Hollywood, what are you waiting for? This will be your new favourite graphic novel.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
—Nine Panels, @Nine.Panels
Fire Power – Deluxe Edition vol.1
Writer: Robert Kirkman, Artist: Chris Samnee
The one who wields the fire power is destined to save the world, but Owen Johnson has turned his back on that life. He doesn’t want the power, he never did. He only wants to raise his family and live his life, but unseen forces are at work to make that impossible. Danger lurks around every corner as Owen’s past comes back to haunt him.
Collects Fire Power vol.1: Prelude, Fire Power #1-12
“You know those summer Blockbuster’s we used to get back in the day? When they aren’t trying to be ground-breaking or part of some shared universe. They’re just looking to show you a good time at the movies? Well this is that in comic form.
It’s a crowd pleaser and a complete blast from start to finish. The plot has many elements we have seen before in Shang Chi, Iron Fist, and even the Karate Kid. All of these influences are mixed into one. The familiarity of the story actually helps it. You settle in straight away, ready to start the ride and plays around with what you already know. As previously said, is not ground-breaking, it’s just popcorn done well.
That’s not to say there isn’t some twist and turns to be had, as there is many. The story moves at a rapid pace, so there is no time to get bored. Kirkman has another hit for the masses on his hands.
It’s a story that’s relies heavily on martial arts and therefore the art is very important, but Samnee is the man for the job. The action flows nicely with plenty of splash pages (this is much as his story as it is Kirkman’s). There are many pages without dialogue so it relies completely on his ability to visually tell the story.
They both understand exactly what the vibe and style is, and come together to make a summer blockbuster of a comic.
I read this book within a couple of hours and so should you.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
—Nine Panels, @Nine.Panels
“Sure, it doesn’t feel like the freshest concept (and actually feels like an Iron Fist knock-off, but that’s ok) but it’s such a breeze to read and damn near impossible to put down. The pacing is perfect between those high-stakes Kung Fu fights and those emotional moments. Kirkman has come so far with his scripting and these characters feel so real. Chris Samnee knows just how to give them even more depth in those panels without dialogue. THIS is how great comics are made. The third act pushes the boundaries of logic, but it’s totally forgivable! I’m desperate to see where this goes and the long wait for book 2 will be a killer. I’d suggest picking this up now so it’s not sold out by the time the second book is released.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
—Dave Molyneaux, Omniverse Comics Guide
Its Lonely At the Centre of the Earth
Writer & Artist: Zoe Thorogood
Cartoonist Zoe Thorogood records 6 months of her own life as it falls apart in a desperate attempt to put it back together again in the only way she knows how. It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth is an intimate and metanarrative look into the life of a selfish artist who must create for her own survival.
Original GN
“Zoe Thorogood hit the ground running when she released her debut, THE IMPENDING BLINDNESS OF BILLIE SCOTT, in 2020. So when she announced a new comic on it’s way I was immediately intrigued to read more from her!
And when you have high hopes after reading such a great debut, it’s easy to get disappointed but that was far from the case with IT’S LONELY AT THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH.
It’s an OGN with a unique, yet very generational voice. It’s also an auto-biography so of course it can easily come across as self involved but it’s also very self deprecating but with tons of wittiness and even if Zoe isn’t ready to admit it to herself yet, she’s a really good story teller!
Though it tends to cross the line a little on the meta tropes, I really loved exploring her head and the art is simply wonderful.
I’m normally not the biggest fan of slice-of-life’s stories but at the same time I do love visiting someone else’s mind for a period, all their struggles, voices and warts and worms. I wont call the work relatable, because well, I think she’s heard that enough already about her work, but it felt nice reading it, eventhough you’re essentially reading someone struggling.
You feel like you wanna say to Zoe that it’s okay to accept herself, and at the same time you feel like, ah crap, maybe we need to tell ourselves that more as well.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
—Lav, @lav_and_leia
“Giving a book five stars sets it up to fail. Some people often feel compelled to tell me that when they’ve bought a book based on me giving it five stars, that it’s not a five star book. It’s maybe a four, at best. Yeah, great. For me, a five star book is one they resonates with me on a different level to “well, isn’t this just great?”. It just has me from cover to cover and I’m desperate to know how it plays out while not wanting it to stop. So, I’m not going to dissect ‘It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth’ past it doing just that. Ok, maybe to say it’s smart, witty and inventive. Oh, and it deftly handles a subject that I often feel is mishandled in other media, without it being patronising and patting me on the head and telling me it’s going to be ok. As someone who’s been dealing with many of the issues this book touches upon for most of his life, I’m impressed that it was made at all! I’ve been putting off so much and I think this might’ve been the kick I needed.
So thanks, Zoe! Thanks for being half my age and showing me up. I needed that.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
—Dave Molyneaux, Omniverse Comics Guide
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