Hey there! Welcome to “What Looks Good to Me.” Each week I take a look at the Diamond shipping list and slap together a list of the ten things I’m looking forward to the most that week. There’s no real rhyme or reason to the list’s ranking other than the #1 spot which will obviously be the one book that looks good to me that week. Well, enough of this – let’s get moving!
Writer: Ron Marz | Art: Jeremy Haun | Colorist: Sunny Gho of IFS | Letterer: Troy Peteri | Publisher: Image Comics / Top Cow
Have you been reading this series and wondered “where did the artifacts come from?” or “what was the Survivor like before he ‘survived’ the end of his universe?” Well, this issue answers those questions in part and even gives you a little more. The review you are about to read has been tossed about in my head for a few days now and I know I’m going to take some grief for it, but I can only tell you what I think of it all.
Writer: Ron Marz | Penciler: Whilce Portacio | Inkers: Joe Weems | Ink Assists: Marco Galli and Mike Odle | Colorist: Sunny Gho of IFS | Letterer: Troy Peteri | Publisher: Image Comics / Top Cow
What Is It About?
The army of Aphrodite IVs, led by Glorianna, converges on the Hunter-Killer base where Sara’s forces have been gathering and preparing their next move. During the attack Sara and Jackie leave in search of Hope.
“Throne of Blood” – Part 1
Story: Ron Marz | Art: Lee Moder | Digital Inks: Matthew Waite | Colors: Michael Attiyeh | Letters: Troy Peteri | Logo Design and Editor: Phil Smith | Production: Jonathan Chan | Publisher: Image Comics | Cover Price: $2.99
This book is for Mature Audience.
I am a big fan of new projects. If there’s a new comic coming out and I can get my hands on the first issue then that just makes me all that more excited about reading the comic book. Yes, I’m wired a little strangely, but I’m sure it’s for good reason. New comic book series make me excited because that means we’re not out of ideas and people love the idea of getting their stories out there for the comic audience to enjoy. When the work on these new comics are from comic book creators that I enjoy work from that just makes the experience all that much better – even if that’s possible.
Writers: John Mahoney & Filip Sablik | Art: Thomas Nachilk | Letters: Troy Peteri | Logo Design: Phil Smith | Edited: Rob Levin & Phil Smith | Cover Art: Thomas Nachlik & Dave McCaig | Created by John Mahoney, Filip Sablik, and Thomas Nachlik
What is It About?
Alec King’s life has never amounted to anything, but one pull of the trigger and his life takes a very unexpected turn.
“Blood of the Lamb” – Part 5
Writer: Ron Marz | Pencilers: Nelson Blake II & David Marquez | Inkers:Sal Regla & David Marquez | Colorist: Dave McCaig | Letterer: Troy Peteri | Cover Artist: Ryan Sook | Editors: Filip Sablik & Phil Smith | Publisher:Image / Top Cow
What Is It About?
Patience failed to kill the child who claims he is the son of Satan causing both her and Kristof to be captured by the Lucifer’s Children cult, and now Patience must free them from their captors or be sacrificed.
Writer: Robert Kirkman | Pencils: Greg Capullo | Inks: Jonathan Glapion | Additional Inks: Todd McFarlane | Color: Fco Plascencia | Lettering:Comicraft | Cover Artists: Greg Capullo, Erik Larsen, Ryan Ottley
What Is It About?
Kurt is taken by a strange red shadow leaving Daniel without their powers as a new mission gears up.
Thoughts?
When this series first began I was extremely excited about it. After about five or six issues passed by I began to lose my interest in the series. I couldn’t quiet put my finger on why, maybe it was the delays or the fact I just wasn’t invested in the series – but that’s probably because of the delays. It really doesn’t matter on “why” it just was the fact and I was disappointed that I am on the verge of dropping this series. I figured to myself I’d give this new story arc a shot and we’ll see what happens.
Writer: Ron Marz | Penciler: Whilce Portacio | Inkers: Joe Weems & Marco Galli w/ ink assist by Jared Liffreing | Colorists: Sunny Gho & Arif Prianto of IFS | Letterer: Troy Peteri | Publsiher: Image Comics / Top Cow
What Is It About?
Sides have been chosen and the search for the thirteenth artifacts begins as Cyberforce enters the mix!
Thoughts?
Before we get in to this review, I think it’s only fair to everyone reading that I let it be known that Cyberforce is probably my favorite group of characters in all of Image Comics. They were the characters that grabbed my attention way back in 1992 and made me a fan for life. That being said, no one writes Cyberforce better than Ron Marz. There – I said it!
What happens when you mix marine biology, a successful television personality, and the United States Navy in to one comic book? Well, so far you get a pretty educational comic about marine biology with some gorgeous artwork.
When I say the name “Ian Churchill” a lot of today’s readers may not know the name right off the bat. Sure, he’s worked on some issues of Hulk over at Marvel this past year and a few covers here and there, but Ian Churchill has been kind of quiet in the comic book industry. Now, if you’ve been reading comics since the early 90s then Churchill’s name has a lot of meaning to you. You probably saw a lot of his work on various X-Men titles, but especially in the pages of Cable. Churchill had a creator owned series called the Coven that had a lot of buzz around it and really showed off his signature art style.
Read the rest of my review over at ComicVine.
Writer: Ron Marz | Penciler: Michael Broussard | Additional Pencils:Facundo Percio, Stjepan Sejic, Paolo Pantalena, Sheldon Mitchell & Nelson Blake II | Inker: Rick Basaldua, Joe Weems & Sal Regla | Colorist:Sunny Gho of IFS | Letterer: Troy Peteri
What Is It About?
Aphrodite and her current “master” are making their moves to find all of the artifacts that are out in the open, and a major character returns to claim what is his.
Thoughts?
We’re three issues in to this series and readers have already been through several ups and downs and twists and turns, and this issue throws out a few more! While I don’t plan on spoiling anything from this issue in this review I will say that I’m glad to see at least one of my theories has come true with the return of one of my favorite Top Cow characters (did you see the cover?). It’s been a while since we’ve seen him, and if Ron Marz didn’t bring him back in this storyline I would have been a little disappointed. Why did I ever doubt him?
Last issue Sara, Dani, Patrick, Jackie, and Tom were attacked by a bunch of demons and while I really didn’t think it would be that big of a battle, I was a little surprised it was as short as it was in this issue, but after thinking about it – there are three of the major artifacts in this battle so why wouldn’t it be over quickly? I think if anything it provided fans with a cool couple of pages of action that I think some were missing in the last issue, and it gave readers who are new to the Top Cow universe just a taste of what these characters can do in the heat of battle.
The major push of this issue is Aphrodite’s journey around the world to meet and discuss with all of the other artifact bearers their stand in the upcoming gathering and to also move that returning character I mentioned before into a place of power by gaining control of one of the artifacts. We’re only three issues in and we already have an artifact changing bearers! Marz looks as if he wants to keep everyone on their toes while reading this series, and if we’re already changing bearers I’m curious to see how many more will change and who will gain them (and lose them).
Ron Marz continues to write a very dynamic and exciting storyline. A lot has happened already, and we’re still in the first part of this story. The major players are moving in to place and building up the story’s momentum. I will admit that I had wondered if thirteen issues would be too long for this kind of story, but the pacing and developing that Marz is using within these three issues is just the right mixture that keeps me interested and wanting to see more every time I finish reading an issue.
If there was something of note in this issue it is the mixture of artists that have been brought in to help Michael Broussard and get this series back on schedule. The art styles are not that far off from what Broussard has done so far so there’s not a jarring feeling when the artists switch from page to page, and I must applaud Top Cow for getting this working the way the have. I know some people will argue that Broussard should take as long as he needs in order to keep the same look and feel to his issues, and I can agree to a point, but I think the art in this issue is consistent and enjoyable.
The Verdict?
At the end of the first issue I was extremely excited to see what would happen next, and I didn’t quiet have that feeling when we got to the end of the second issue. This third issue got me excited again for what’s coming again. This series continues to be a favorite of mine as a long time Top Cow fan, and I’m excited to see what Ron Marz throws at us in the next issue!
