BIRDKING vol.1
Daniel Freedman, CROM
Bianca, teenage apprentice to an infamous arcane blacksmith, is forced to flee her homeland and seek out Atlas, a fabled land of light ruled by ‘the clean god.’ She is joined by a mysterious guardian spirit known only as the ‘BirdKing.’ Together they will have to overcome dozens of enemies to reach Atlas and along the way, unravel the mystery of the BirdKing and their ancestral connection.
Original graphic novel
“I would like to say that BIRDKING is the most Warhammerlike non-Warhammer comic that I’ve read so far but that wouldn’t do it any justice, I really don’t want to make it sound like the worldbuilding isn’t original, because it is! So if you like dark depressing but cool fantasy worlds, you’ll probably love this as well, and with Crom’s art, who would not love this?! Writer Daniel Freedman successfully intrigues you as a reader. While most questions don’t get answers in this volume, it really entices you for more. It’s moody, it’s fantastical, it’s great!”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
—Lav, @lav_and_leia
HOUSE OF PENANCE LIBRARY EDITION
Peter J Tomasi, Ian Bertram
A horrific take on the true story of the Winchester haunted house and one woman’s mission to wash away the blood curse of the Winchester rifle.
Collects House of Penance #1-6
“Peter J Tomasi has created something quite unique taking the story of Sarah Winchester who was the heiress to the Winchester fortune (yes the gun manufacturer.) Sarah’s real life story is famous for the never ending build of her house and all her slightly unusual choices.
What I found interesting, is that Tomasi uses the history of Mrs Winchester and adds his own element of fiction. When all mixed together, it makes one rather macbre story, with a deeper meaning of people inflicting on oneself as an outward expression of repentance for wrongdoing.
I did have a few negative thoughts however. The main one being that it didn’t always flow. It jumped around a lot to the point that it felt like I had skipped a page or two. It almost needed a page in between.
As for the art it’s displayed beautifully in this library edition. Truth be told, the art style isn’t one of my favourites but there are some striking images that are so unsettling that will leave you with a morbid feeling”
⭐️⭐️⭐️out of 5
—Nine Panels, @Nine.Panels
KALI
Daniel Freedman, Robert Sammelin
Stabbed in the back, poisoned, and left for dead by her own biker gang, Kali sets off on a one-way road of vengeance across a war-torn desert battlefield. With impending death coursing through her veins and a fascist army hot on her tail, Kali will stop at nothing to get her revenge, even if it’s the last thing she ever does. A nonstop high-octane existential action spectacle from writer Daniel Freedman and artist Robert Sammelin.”
Original graphic novel
“Well, look what just came blazing in! Kali in all her Library Edition-sized glory… and she blew me away! Man, this ultra-violent revenge fantasy is one relentless ride. Daniel Freedman & Robert Sammelin ignored my plans for yesterday evening and refused to let me put this nasty grindhouse comic down til it was done. Dinner plans out the window, defenestrated like one of Kali’s victims. Think I’ll be reading it again, this weekend…”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
—Dave Molyneaux, Omniverse Comics Guide
LADY KILLER LIBRARY EDITION
Joëlle Jones, Jamie S. Rich
Josie Schuller is a picture-perfect homemaker, wife, and mother – but she’s also a ruthless killer. She balances cheerful domestic bliss with coldly efficient assassinations. From the World’s Fair in Seattle to the beaches of Florida, Josie tries to keep her perfect family alive in a bloodstained new vision of the American Dream. Joelle Jones became an overnight sensation with this gory mid-century series. Now Lady Killer’s complete story is together in one oversized hardcover, the perfect showcase for Jones’s’ phenomenal artwork. Also included are the sketchbooks from both series and previously unpublished art.
Collects Lady Killer (2015) #1-5, Lady Killer (2016) #1-5
“Our lead character, Josie Schuller is all the S’s – she’s sexy, sweet, stylish and sadistic, and I can’t take my eyes off her.
In this Library Edition, the artwork really pops and comes to life. Now bear with me, but the artwork reminds me of 101 Dalmatians. The Disney animation movie has that old calming feeling but this dog definitely bites and the blood flows in all its beauty. I find that very few artists draw woman as well as Joelle Jones, she knocks it out the park. I lost count of how many times I was in awe of the art. I would go as far as to say it’s in my top 5.
I’d love to see Jones do a full crime noir and illustrate a femme fatale.
As for the story, it’s a odd one. It feels familiar, but fresh – like getting a new upgrade on your phone. It has some nice new features with a twist.
As for the overall rating, I would normally give a story like this 3 stars, but in this medium, the art plays such a big factor I have to give it higher”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
—Nine Panels, @Nine.Panels
“The first story is fantastic, though it could’ve done with more issues to expand the story. The second story tops it with Joëlle Jones taking on both the writing and art solo and the insanely fast-paced story about a ‘60s-era housewife with a double life as a killer for hire concludes (for now, at least!). I’d be up for more Lady Killer, but I’d settle for pretty much anything from Joëlle Jones, at this point!”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
—Dave Molyneaux, Omniverse Comics Guide
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THE LONESOME HUNTERS vol.1
Tyler Crook
An old and out-of-practice monster hunter in hiding crosses paths with a young girl that forces him to confront these chaotic creatures. As the beasts invade their tenement they set off on a supernatural road trip to stop these ancient evils in a story that explores the ways that youth informs adulthood and how early traumas can haunt us of in old age.
Collects The Lonesome Hunters #1-4
“Wow! Thought I’d give this a little go as the single issues were so nicely priced on the Dark Horse app. And I’m so glad I did! Tyler Crook renders these characters both in his scripting and that gorgeous artwork in a gothic tale of mystery and mysticism. I thought this one was just a five-issue mini, but I’m so relieved there’s more to come!”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
—Dave Molyneaux, Omniverse Comics Guide
MINOR THREATS vol.1: A QUICK END TO A LONG BEGINNING
Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum and Scott Hepburn
A new original comic series from Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum and superstar artist Scott Hepburn! The psychotic Stickman has done the unthinkable and murdered Kid Dusk, sidekick to Twilight City’s premier crime-fighter, The Insomniac. The Insomniac’s teammates, The Continuum, are tearing Twilight apart, turning it into a terrifying police state—desperate to capture the Stickman and stop the Insomniac from “crossing that final line” in which he may never come back from. Caught in the middle are the small-time C-list villains, finding it impossible to pull jobs or even walk down the street without being harassed by these heroes.
Collects Minor Threats #1-4
“Need an antidote to the Marvel & DC Universes, but still want capes? Then switch sides to see what the bad guys get up to when one of their own goes rogue in ‘Minor Threats’. Jordan Blum, Scott Hepburn & Patton Oswalt tell a superhero story like you’ve never seen before! And the best part? This says it’s “volume 1”, so there’s more mayhem and messed-up ultra-violence to come!
There’s plenty more room for world-building in follow-up volumes, but this is one hell of an opening salvo!
This book is due for release in June 2023. ”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
—Dave Molyneaux, Omniverse Comics Guide
SNOW ANGELS LIBRARY EDITION
Jeff Lemire, Jock
Milli and Mae don’t really know how their people came to live here. No one does, not even their wise and gentle Father. On Milliken s twelfth birthday, their father takes the two girls on an overnight skate down the trench – a coming-of-age ritual to teach them how to fish the frozen river, how to hunt the wild Trenchdogs that wander its frigid banks, and how to give proper thanks to their frozen Gods – The Colden Ones. It’s the trip of a lifetime until the girls push beyond the borders of their humble land and awaken the Trench’s deadly defender…The Snowman. What follows next is an action-packed story of survival, loss and redemption.
Collects Snow Angels #1-10
“Like trudging through an endless, repetitive wasteland. Jeff Lemire’s story feels drags and doesn’t feel worthy of ten issues. At times I had to check that I wasn’t rereading the same pages again, when I wasn’t actually choosing to reread a page because the art struggled to convey the action scenes. A strong reveal in the finale might’ve made it all worthwhile, but it barely garnered a shrug from me. Spoiler warning – don’t read the blurb on the back of the book (or up there [arrow or pointy finger up]) if you don’t want the story ruined a bit in advance.”
⭐️⭐️ out of 5
—Dave Molyneaux, Omniverse Comics Guide
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