I love discovering new things on my own...moreover I love it when people all over the success spectrum email me to check out their work. Especially folks who are early into either the creative process, or the amount of material they've shared with the world. It takes guts to put yourself out there, and I love it! Here's your subtle reminder: MY DMS AND EMAIL ARE ALWAYS OPEN FOR REVIEWS!!!! 

BREAKHOLD is currently on Webtoons with 6 parts available for reading. 

The prologue of the story offers a snapshot into one of the two primary worlds where this story is taking place.  The first world has a mythical/prehistoric feel to it. You have large mountains with their peaks enveloped in clouds, a bright violet river, and lush greenery you would expect in a forrest that may border either a river or wetlands.  We get a brief glimpse of animals that seem to be some sort of warriors...and then a leaf falls, upon a young man who does not remember his name, does not know where he is, or when he comes to...what the two impending figures standing over him are.

After he attempts to flee, he is caught by the two figures: Mindset (an embodiment of his mind) and Breakhold (the manifestation of his heart). After learning he is dead, but doesn't know how or why, out of nowhere a dinosaur comes (confirming his death) and it gets a beatdown by Mindset and Breakhold.

Part 3 is where things offer an interesting turn where we meet Jeremiah (who is the young man in the beginning) and Joel (the popular kid) going through their high school routine.  I have a very good feeling that what is happening in the "real world" will help us understand how Jeremiah arrives in the "dead world." The last thing I'll mention about chapter 3 is watching the connection between Jai and Breakhold is very Billy Batson/Shazam in a pretty cool way.

The art throughout the 6 parts is also pretty cool.  The landscape used in the "dead world" is breathtaking.  As someone who has taught in high school for the last 13 years, the over-the-top-ness of the high school is on-point.  This also has notes of what you would see in traditional comics/graphic novels, but it also feels like it has hints of manga-style influences as well. 

A couple of weeks ago I decided to check out Mad Cave Studios' website and review some of the free #1's they had posted.  After making it through both Battlecats and Knights of the Golden Sun #1 I knew I needed to both pick up the trades AND get my LCS to start ordering these books for me as they pick up on their next arcs.  

Did you pay attention in Sunday School?  What about an Ancient/Early World Civilization class?  If not, you'l be kicking yourself for missing out how this book plays a great historical "what if" with both the tales of God and Man.

The story is set during the 400 year period between the Old and New testaments where neither angels nor man hear from god.  He literally went AFK.  Everything is left in the hands of Michael, Raphael, Uriel and Gabrielle to hold true to their promises of not meddling in the affairs of humans while also protecting the kingdom.  However, even the archangels run into a crisis of faith when they stop hearing from God, and the bad only seems to consistently get worse! Michael is kidnapped after he attempts to see if Lucifer will help defend the kingdom. Raphael is away seeing a woman he promised to protect when she was a young girl, and Uriel and Gabrielle are trying to get by the best they can.

What unfolds is an epic battle vs. the Giants (who have a brainwashed Lucifer), and the Archangels vs Azrael who has gone truly mad with her ever growing slate of powers and the ability to help resurrect the dead make her a real threat to steal the throne.

It seems all hope may be lost, until the archangels discover the Knights of the Golden Sun, who are an extension of David's bloodline, and are there to help the angels in their moments of need.  How will the Knights be able to help the angels turn the tide?  Once Lucifer becomes free of mind control, will he be an ally or an enemy?  Is Michael the true key the angels need to defend their home front?

To answer all of these questions, you should definitely buy this trade!

In terms of the art, it is BEAUTIFUL.  The early moments in the book when we get to see the height of humanity and the kingdom, it is ethereal.  The battle of David vs. Golliath is murky and gritty.  As everyone continues to lose hope and faith while the forces of evil grow in strength, the book becomes equally dark and depressing artistically.  The battle scenes throughout the latter issues are stunning, and there are quite a few pages I wouldn't mind seeing on my walls everyday.

What should you do?
I think this was the perfect title to introduce me to all things Mad Cave, and it is a purchase I'm glad I made.  Next up are the 2 volumes of Battle Cats, and then, who knows?  I may have to go buy some more!

I need to up my previews reading game, because I had no idea this book was coming.  This is quite embarrassing for me, since I have become a YUGE Cullen Bunn fan.  I also haven't read anything from Oni Press before, but after this book, I will be on the hunt for others!  I'm glad my LCS tweeted about it, and had two fat stacks of regulars and variants, so here are my thoughts on:

This first book tracks the voyage of the Cortes, a salvage ship on the hunt for sweet materials, ships, technology etc. they can use to cash-in-on to make some BANK.  They end up tracking this orphan planet which has no star or solar system it is tethered to, however, they are hearing some sort of distress beacon coming from the planet.  As they land, they discover a giant mass of what looks like old ships, crystals, and other things they can use to raise their wealth quite quickly.

However, as they explore the planet, they recognize the emergence of what looks like a lung, coming from the planet to show it is potentially its own living being. Then...it attacks.

Does the crew survive, should they continue to pursue their haul? Is this a planet, or a being that is capable of much, much more?

What Should You Do? This book is making the pull list for good.  If you like any sort of horror thriller, you will like this book.  It also takes two things I really enjoy and puts them together: Cullen Bunn's Unearth AND Space.  So if you like any of that, pick it up, pester your LCS to order you one, or you can track down a sweet foil variant on their website!

At the end of April/beginning of May I was lucky enough to snag an interview with Kris Hornett, the creator of Grey. Getting insights on the upcoming release, sources of inspiration, and what we can expect from Grey Chapter 1, Hello Winter. 

I woke up on Thursday morning with a preview copy sitting in my inbox, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! So here's what you can expect from...

When I hit the opening page of story, a small part of me went "this is going to be a dope story about a viral apocalypse." But that thought couldn't be further from what this storyline examines.  Instead of giving us all of the rundown of a corrupt system and a virus, it focuses on what system was put into place to preventing a corrupted regime from seizing rights from its citizens.  The solution, a democratic deliberation to select a new head of the Department of Defense, and an election to create a new protection force: Nimbus.  However, it becomes quickly evident that some of these individuals may have dark threats from their past which may be coming to threaten the newfound sense of peace and order.

This book is jam-packed with high-octane action moments from its beginning.  A cursed supermodel walks the runway at an international fashion show, attacked bureau agents, a theft and a haunting image from the past all plague Shuyin's ability to keep everyone safe. That doesn't even begin to get into the heart-pounding reveals across the last 6-7 pages.

1. I really like all of the work that is done in the front of the book highlighting the ins-and-outs of the Bureau.  Who are they, what can they do, and what technology do they have are all clearly laid out in the front to keep you from being overwhelmed by jumping right into this new world. This also matches all of the in-depth character and world-building work they have been constantly sharing on their website (it really enriched my understanding of the world and characters without spoiling anything).

2. All of the little notes throughout are done in a subtle way to not overwhelm the reader with a bunch of information on a single page.  From decoding acronyms to sound effects, this also enhanced the level of excitement I got from reading (I actually could hear the desired sound effects when I saw them in conjunction with the art).

3. The simplicity of the page layouts is amazing.  I've read some manga titles (especially after interviewing Kris the first time) that feel especially busy to me.  There is too much going on in one page sometimes.  But that is not the case with Grey everything flows together, draws you through the story on the first read, and then brings you back to admire the beauty and detail of the art.

4. The story feels unique.  All too often in this day and age, we are reading, watching, and listening to recycled versions of the same repetitive tropes.  But the story in Hello Winter is excellent, and if it touches on one of those tropes, it flips the narrative (like my thoughts on the disease at the beginning).  This really made the book a breath of fresh air in my usual reading list.

5. Can we talk about that art?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

There are so many other excellent artistic elements in the book that you will have to discover for yourself, but Kero and Kenet really deliver a home run with everything aesthetically about the book.

6. I really like manga style in a comic book reading style. I think this will successfully reach audiences who prefer both styles.

Yeah, I need more than one chapter right now.  The potential chaos which is unleashed in the final 2-3 pages, I need to know what's next.  What's the repercussion of what was revealed from the box.  What kind of havoc will Shuyin have to deal with next? I need answers sooner rather than later!

I hope my enthusiasm for this title really shows.  I really think Kris and the rest of the team have created a work in Grey Chapter 1: Hello Winter that needs a huge audience.  I really think this has the potential to be a work that could take the comic and manga communities by storm. I really hope this title is as successful as I think it should be! You should support this dream of the creative team which has spent some time in the making, and you should open your wallets (or paypal accounts) and....

The second 2/3 of my weekly stack was a breeze! Four very different stories from four different publishers!

The Joes are continuing in their quest to subvert the dominant Cobra. This book is entirely a flashback/mission debrief where they are bringing Scarlett up to speed on their mission on the train. Our small cadre of Joes successfully deployed newly created technology to circumvent security and download information from a viper AND deliver something to some research scientists (smuggled inside a watermelon) to figure out its purpose.

However, during this mission, Fadeaway bumps into someone she used to work with at Cobra, and helps in her attempt to break free...until things go awry.  The only other thing I'll say is MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IS BACK IN THE FINAL REVEAL!!!!!!!!!

What should you do? This is my first run of Joes in books, but I collected them and watched everything when I was a kid.  I think they have an interesting story in the early phases, and I like how they give you "cards" in the back of each issue whenever a new major character is introduced for the first time.  If you want in, this is a good run to start!

I was indifferent to the first book of this series.  The second showed enough promise for me to get at least one more.  Book three has me hooked.  

All three Sams are dealing with their alien friend and the murder they were part of in different ways, but they are still a connected mind and can understand the experience of the others. We also learn that the alien can not just pull any object requested through a portal of its own creation, but someone can travel with it, be cloaked and unseen, and still interact with their destination (which is terrifyingly cool). The Samantha is willing to use this newfound power to darker ends, where she takes out her frustration on someone who both abandoned her and forced her to lose something she loved.  This was quite emotionally powerful to me.  I was interested to see if she would use restraint or be blinded by her emotional anguish.

Then, there is a final nod with a potential lead in the murder case.

What should you do? While the first two took a while to grow on me, issue three starts to show the potential grander impact of the extra-terrestrial discovery. I think book 4 has the potential to blow my (proverbial) socks off (I don't think I've worn anything but flip-flops during COVID). If Samantha has a dark emotional moment from her past, I am now anxious to see if the others have similar events and if they choose to react differently from Samantha if given the opportunity.

Ohboi, these were heavy hitters this week! As Flash continues his hunt for the Reverse Flash, we can see that he has learned from some of his Flashpoint errors as he is traveling through time to acquire information on how to best defeat Paradox (who is terrifyingly powerful and intelligent, especially throughout 754).  When Flash and Reverse finally run into each other, we attempt to see if they can put their past differences aside to take down Paradox, since RF is the only person to ever defeat him.

These two books were solid, and I was glad I got both of them together, because 753 left me instantly needing more.  754 has one hell of a cliffhanger because we can see the true awe and might of Paradox, but it gives more time to mentally prepare for the aftermath of these events in 755.

What Should You Do? This is a good arc to jump in on.  If big things are coming in the next book or two, I'm glad to have jumped on this ride at 750 and not missed out.  Although, I'm wondering if the events of Flash Forward are going to come into play anytime soon (as the internets seemed to indicate it may...)

When I was previewing this book on Tuesday's live show, I believed the summary was something like "it may be like Dia de los Muretos but the dead physically come back instead of just spiritually." 

That summary is actually quite accurate.  We are on the verge of the fourth ever dead day.  What causes it isn't 100% known, because it's not annual, it has to do with celestial alignment.  While some people are preparing by buying supplies and things their loved ones may want, others are arming themselves and covering their door frames in goat's blood.  Why?  Because you aren't 100% sure if someone is coming back, who is coming back, and if they are friend or foe.

I really think this is conceptually engaging, and the art is on fire.  I'm also intrigued to see if some of the greater evils of folks come out in a purge-style out-lash, because you could get away with anything on Dead Day....because you can blame it on a dead body which may not ever come back again.

What should you do?  This is also in solid pick-of-the week territory for me.  I'm normally a big fan of any of the aftershock books I pick up, normally I'm pretty close to right on their books of which will be a hit, and which ones may struggle...but I think this title could last quite some time because of all of the story angles you could drive the readers on during and after the fallout from Dead Day.