New Comic Book Day Swag Bag 30/05/2015

Swag Bag 30/052015

I haven't had a chance to post my swag bags recently but I made sure I would have time this week so I could share my purchases with you guys.

Terrible Lizard Volume #1: I picked up issue #1 at free comic book day and honestly it just captures my fantasy of wanting to ride a dinosaur.

Apocalyptigir:l An Area For The End Of Time :I've been waiting for this one to come out for awhile because I love post-apocalyptic and I love cats.

Chew #49: The team is back together now what?

Dark Engine #1: I just thought the cover of this one is just amazing I couldn't walk past it.

Planet Hulk #1: HULKS SMASH!!!

Curb Stomp #4: It's the end of the end for The Fever or is it? No it is this is the final issue.

Big Trouble In Little China #11: Jack & Lo Pan are sentenced to washing dishes.

Howard The Duck #3: More Ducky goodness.

They're Not Like Us #6: This series is just great with some very dark and mysterious twists and turns.

Effigy #5: Effigy is getting very weird in a very good way.

Rachel Rising #33: One of my favourite series I'm a big Terry Moore fan.

Lost At See: This one is done by Bryan Lee O'Malley the guy that does Scott Pilgrim which just has the most adorable art style.

Fanboys Vs Zombies: I love fanboys and fangirls and I love zombies it sounded like a winning combination.

In The Local Pocket

Kranburn: We got a preview of Kranburn in the Melbourne Comics Quarterly #2 and I've been excitedly waiting for it since then.

Seven: By the wonderful Alisha Jade who wrote for Fly The Colour Fantastica.

Harrow County - More Like Nope County

Harrow County #1

Harrow County is written by Cullen Bunn, art and lettering by Tyler Crook and published by Dark Horse Comics. I'm not good with scary movies, I can't watch them on my own and if I do watch them it needs to be in the middle of the day, with another person, surrounded by crucifixes, sitting in a ring of salt, while wearing a Hamsa and after a priest has blessed the house. Scary comics on the other hand I love and after seeing advertisements for Harrow County in the back of other Dark Horse comics I knew it was a comic I needed to get my hands on.

Harrow County begins with the hanging execution of the witch, Hester Beck, who had been previously accepted by the towns people of Harrow County as she healed the sick but as the livestock started to die and darker, stranger things began to happen the towns people could no longer ignore what was going on. As they burn Hester's body she vows she will return "to tend or murder". Many years after the death of Hester a local girl, Emmy, is plagued by nightmares as the new born livestock on their farm are stillborn with sever and strange deformities. As Emmy's 18th birthday approaches she starts to consider leaving the family farm despite her father's objections. Emmy often walks through the woods and one day she sees a strange young boy run through the forest and sets out to find him but stumbles across something terrifying instead.

When are people going to learn that killing witches just ends in curses

The art of Harrow County is done in beautiful water colour and swings between charming, quaint little farm house to terrifying horrors. The forests are drawn gorgeously and whether looking ominous and dangerous or warm and inviting are one of the greatest features of the comic.

Emmy seems like a typical teenager caught between wanting to help her father with the farm and wanting to have her own life. We see that Emmy still sees the world through a innocent child's eyes but her father, who we know was involved in the execution of Hester Beck, is suspicious of the misshapen livestock but doesn't want to believe that it could have anything to do with Emmy or Hester's curse.

Harrow County is going to be a frightening series that will be both beautiful and disturbing and I hope will reaming as frightening as issue #1.
I give Harrow County 4 out of 5 witches and monsters.

Get your copy of Harrow County here.

My Top 5 Things In Comics I Just Don't Get.

Like with all fandoms you will find people with differing opinions on a lot of things and while I respect other's right to have differing opinions there really are some things in the comic fandom that I just don't understand. So I listed my top 5 things that leave me scratching my head as to why they are so popular.

#5 Superman and Wonder Woman

I just really don't get this, to me it feels like something that started off as fanfiction that somehow made it into the comics. I'm just not really sure why everybody wants these two together so badly.

#4 Clintasha

Okay yes I'm cheating a bit and referring to the Avengers movies not the comics here but this is something that I just don't understand. Why does everybody have their heart so set on Black Widow and Hawkeye getting together? Black Widow even says herself that "love is for children" and that she owes him a debt. I feel like their friendship means more because that's exactly what it is, a friendship.

#3 Aquaman Is A Joke

When most people think of Aquaman they think of the gold and silver age of comics when he was riding a giant sea horses and talking to fish but this is like thinking of Batman fighting Kiteman. Aquaman rules 70% of the planet, has super strength, can jump over buildings and HE. CAN. RIDE. SHARKS!

#2 Harley Quinn and The Joker

I like the Joker, he's crazy, scary and unpredictable, and I like Harley Quinn, She's strong, sporadic and tragic, but what I really don't get is why they are often referenced as such a romantic couple. It's been shown many times that the Joker has no real love for Harley and that Harley is so obsessed with the Joker that she is beyond reason. For me this just doesn't scream "HOW ROMANTIC!".

#1 Crime Fighting In Heels

I love high heels but I don't wear them everyday for two reasons: they are impractical for everyday life and they are uncomfortable, this is why I really don't understand female heroines fighting crime and kicking butt in sky high stilettos. Most heroines nowadays are wearing more practical flat boots but the odd hero still pops up wearing heels that would snap the second they jumped off anything higher than a step.

Archie VS. Predator -

Archie VS Predator Issue #1

Archie Vs Predator is a four part mini series written by Alex de Campi, penicls by Fernando Rulz, inks by Rich Koslowski, colours by Jason Millet, Letters by John Workman and published by Dark Horse Comics. The first Archie comic I ever picked up is Afterlife With Archie that turns the happy go lucky town of Riverdale into a zombie infested nightmare and is fantastic I strongly recommend you pick that one up. I was expecting something similar with Archie VS. Predator but what I got was a strange combination of sunshine and rainbows mixed with violent death.

I feel with such an odd combination of characters a little background on them is needed.
Archie comics were first published in 1941 and focuses around a group of American high school students as they deal with typical high school problems ranging from dating, fashion, school and popularity. It's the kind of place that not too much can't be fixed with a hug and a milkshake. The main characters are Archie the lovable red head, Betty the sweet girl next door, Veronica the fashion obsessed princess, Jughead the food lover and many more.

American teenagers

Originally featuring in the 1987 film Predator, The Predator is the ultimate hunter in the universe and hunts humans and other dangerous creatures for sport. Equip with invisibility, thermal vision, plasma cannon, blades, strength, speed, dexterity and if all else fails a low-yield nuclear weapon that is used to take out both the Predator and its target if the Predator looks to be losing the hunt.
If you're thinking that Predator might be a little over powered to be fighting a bunch of teenagers you'd be correct.

Merciless hunter

The story begins with the gang deciding what they want to do for spring break when Jughead opens a bag of chips winning a beach vacation to the Los Perdidos for the whole gang. When the gang arrives at the resort they are warned not to go into the jungle as there are dangerous jaguar. After a fashion contest gone wrong Betty and Veronica get into a fight that results in Betty running into the jungle with a broken nose. Unbeknown to Betty she is being tracked by Predator as she stumbles across a shrine to the Jaguar and accidentally steals a ceremonial dagger as she returns to the group. The group apologises to Betty and they decide they would rather just head back to Riverdale and board a plane taking an unexpected hitch hiker with them.

Don't worry about that red stuff falling from the sky

The art of Archie VS. Predator is the bright, colourful classic art style you would expect from an Archie comic with cartoony facial expressions with lots of heart shaped eyes and floating love hearts that suddenly has graphic violence and dead bodies thrown in. The odd combination of the two works surprisingly well.

The characters all have their classic Archie comics personalities and friendships, Betty and Veronica are still friends despite their competition for Archie's affection, Archie is still the fun loving leader, Reggie is a bit of a Jerk, Jughead is obsessed with food and Cheryl and Jason are mean troublemakers, this will make it all the more interesting when these average teenagers face Predator.

Archie VS. Predator is such an odd combination of franchises that it makes it worth picking up for the cover alone but if the first issue is anything to judge by it is looking to be a worthwhile read.

I really really want this to happen

I give Archie VS. Predator 3.5 out of 5 ceremonial daggers

Ger your copy of Archie VS. Predator here.

Giant Days - A Sitcom In Comic Form

Giant Days Issue #1

Giant Days is a six part mini series written by John Allison, Illustrated by Lissa Treiman, Colours by Whitney Cogar, Letters by Jim Campbell and published by Boom! Studios. When I first picked up Giant Days I thought it was going to be an all ages comic, while it is not exactly an R rated comic it definitely is more relatable to an older audience with references that will probably go over the head of anyone younger than 15.

Giant Days follows three friends, Innocent, home schooled Daisy, Gothic, dramatic Esther and tom-boy, medical student Susan, as they adjust to life as university students. The story mostly follows the ins and outs of everyday life and friendship but has a running mystery as to what happened between Susan and the newly transferred student, McGraw, back in their hometown.

We've all felt this before

Giant Days has a colourful and goofy design that suits the overall tone of the comic very well and uses exaggerated facial expressions and backgrounds to easily show the emotions of the characters.The main characters all have very different designs, Daisy wearing big round glasses, Esther wearing fishnets and skulls in every outfit and Susan wearing baggy comfortable clothes, that really add to their personalities.

The three main characters will probably remind you of someone you know and their friendship will probably make you think of your own friends. The way the characters talk to each other about their problems and tease each other in good-humour is exactly how a group of friends would interact with each other making the characters and their friendship feel very authentic.

Giant Days is a really enjoyable comic and it is refreshing to read something that is non-violent and doesn't involve the any great evil. If you are a fan of sitcoms Giant Days is probably right up your alley.
I give Giant Days 3.5 out of 5 best friend hugs.

Get your copy of Giant Days here.

Check out my new logo

I just want to say a big thank you to the very talented Chris McQuinlan for my brand new logo!

Free Comic Book Day 2015

Free Comic Book Day 2015 - It's Nerd Christmas

One of the greatest days of the year that comic fans all over the world look forward to is Free Comic Book Day which I like to refer to as Nerd Christmas. Free Comic Book Day falls on the first Saturday of May every year and participating comic book stores around the world  give out free comics. OMG! FREE COMICS!! I'M GONNA GET THE WALKING DEAD COMPENDIUM AND THE SPECIAL EDITION SAGA VOLUME 1!!! Woah, woah, woah back up there comic lovers unfortunately you can't just run into the store and start grabbing comics off the shelves, companies bring out comics especially for Free Comic Book Day and each store will have a limit on the amount of comics that you can take but at the end of the day you will still get your hands on some sweet, sweet free comics. The comics available will often be a reprint of  an issue #1, issue #0, previews of up coming series, one shots and compilations and these aren't obscure series you have never heard of there are many popular titles such as The Avengers, Batman, The Walking Dead, Bob's Burgers, The Simpsons, The Flash and many more of your favourite characters.

My free comics haul

There are always lines for the free comics but you can usually still go in and purchase your regular pull list and purchase off the shelves like normal but be prepared the store will be very busy. I lined up for about an hour and a half at All Star Comics for my free issues but as I have mentioned before there is just something about lining up with other people in the geek community that just makes it fun. Fortunately when I went around to Classic Comics later in the day the lines had died down for the comics and I was able to walk straight in and grab my second haul.

Totally worth the wait

There were many cosplayers and as always I love cosplayers and their enthusiasm so really any excuse to pull out the old costume box is a good one.

The folks at All Star Comics looking awesome as always

Free Comic Book Day will often come with special events at the stores which can range from cosplay competitions, raffles, charity bags but my all time favourite special events are artists doing sketches for people. All Star Comics organised an artist alley that throughout the day had over 40 artists, this year I was lucky enough that this included some of my favourites Chris McQuinlan & Matty Taylor. Classic Comics had artists doing sketches including Darren Close, & Kat Young. The artists will often move from one event to another so don't worry if you miss them at the first one you can probably catch them somewhere else so keep an eye on their Facebook pages.

Classic Comics had the DeLorean!!

I got a hilarious sketch of a T-Rex wearing a sun hat done by Andrew Fitzgerald

A Triceratops wearing an apron done by Chris McQinlan

And a werewolf by Kat Young

Free Comic Book Day is always so much fun with a great combination of excited fans, special events, free comics and meeting unique people you share interests with. The only thing I would suggest is don't make plans for later in the day because part of the fun is going from shop to shop and you will be exhausted and have lots of comics to read when you get home.

Southern Cross - Nothing to do with bogan's tattoos.

Southern Cross #1

Southern Cross is written by Becky Cloonan, art by Andy Belanger, colours by Lee Loughridge, letters by Serge LaPointe and published by Image Comics.
Amber Braith worked on Titan, a moon pumped for its oil, on the Zemi rig. Amber died on Titan. It isn't uncommon for the workers on the dangerous Zemi rig to meet unfortunate ends but it is for the workers in administration like Amber.

Spacey!

The story follows Amber's sister, Alex, as she heads to Titan on the space tanker, The Southern Cross, to collect Amber's possessions and hopefully some answers. As Alex makes her way around the ship she discovers that her chatty cabin mate is heading an enquiry into her sister's death which just confirms Alex's suspicions that something is not right on Titan.

The art of Southern Cross is done well with interesting character designs although it does use some very stereotypical futuristic designs such as strange hair cuts (although the half shaved head thing seems to be popular in the present day) and oddly shaped glasses but they are done well and not over used. My favourite thing about the art in Southern Cross is that all of the panels are done in hues of blue, green, pink and yellow serving as a reminder that this is a man made world with no natural light.

You feel for Alex, she has had a troubled past that she is trying to distance herself from, she misses her sister and just wants answers as to what happened to her and has no time for making friends or exploring the wonders of space. As the story continues we do wonder about Alex's sanity as she shows signs that her grip on reality may be slipping but only time will reveal more to the reader. So far Alex has shown herself to be a typical "tough girl" with a pained past and I'm hoping that Alex is a little more padded out than that but I have hope a lot of hope for this series.

I give Southern Cross 3.5 out of 5 gravity drives.

Get your copy of Southern Cross here.