#IReadsYou Review: ThoughtScape Comics #1 - Print Edition

THOUGHTSCAPE COMICS #1 (Print Edition)
MATT MAIR LOWERY

[UPDATE: ThoughtScape Comics 2024 Kickstarter campaign is now live.]

STORY: Matt Mair Lowery
ART: Dave Law; Tyrell Cannon; Lisa Naffziger; Karl Slominski
COLORS: Dave Law; Tyrell Cannon; Lisa Naffziger; Karl Slominski
LETTERS: Dave Law; Tyrell Cannon; Lisa Naffziger; Karl Slominski
DESIGN: John Larson
COVER: Jenna Cha
48pp, Color, $8.00 U.S. digital, $12.00 U.S. print (July 2021)

ThoughtScape Comics is new science fiction anthology comic book series from writer Matt Mair Lowery.  Lowery is the writer and co-creator with artist Cassie Anderson of Lifeformed, a YA science fiction graphic novel series published first, by Dark Horse Comics and now, by Scout Comics.

Lowery released a PDF edition of the first issue of ThoughtScape Comics in order to promote the “Kickstarter” crowdfunding campaign for the comic, which was fully funded.  Lowery recently shipped physical copies of ThoughtScape Comics #1 to supporters, of which I am one.

Lowery has stated that each issue of ThoughtScape Comics will contain 44+ pages of content, featuring stories written by Lowery and drawn by up-and-coming comic book artists.  Some of the stories will be self-contained and others will be part of a serial.  Multimedia artist, John Larsen, will provide the graphic design and packaging for each issue.

ThoughtScape Comics #1 contains four stories.  Lowery is joined by artists Dave Law, Tyrell Cannon, Lisa Naffziger, and Karl Slominski.  Two stories are apparently serials, and the other two are standalone stories.

ThoughtScape Comics is set in a world in which humanity's first multi-planet conglomerate, LifeTech, discovered the “ThoughtScape” in the late 21st century.  The ThoughtScape is a fifth dimension where every thought that has ever been thought exists.  Using technology of its own innovation, LifeTech began isolating and monitoring these thoughts (via "ThoughtScape Listening Posts").

Later, LifeTech began capturing and recording these thoughts through Thought & Information Service Collection Officers (TISCOs).  Eventually technological advancements allowed that the entire “ThoughtLives” of both living individuals and of the long-dead could be virtually reconstructed and played back through a variety of media formats.  The stories of ThoughtScape Comics will focus on the designs and intentions of LifeTech; the nature of ThoughtScape; and how people and beings connect, react, and exist with both.

THE LOWDOWN:  For the review of ThoughtScape Comics #1, I will offer comments on each of the four stories individually.

The first story is “Thoughtscape 2319: Parish, The Thought . Part 1,” the first part of a serial.  It is written by Lowery and drawn by Dave Law.  The story takes place at the edges of the galactic frontier in the year 2319.  Week 32.4, Thought & Information Service Collection Officer (TISCO) Odessa Query patrols her beat, currently the Hen 3-593 Di Chamaelontis System – 700 light years from Earth.

Her TISCO ship collects thoughts from ThoughtScape Listening Post Di.Cha.036, while she entertains her ship's neurocorder, Feyla.  Query prepares to move on to her next assigned Listening Post when she is diverted to an ongoing disaster.

Because of its cliffhanger ending, I am excited to read more of this story, especially because Lowery teases something awesome and awful coming to scare us, dear readers.  Dave Law's drawing style is perfect for science fiction comic books, and the design of the characters and the technology are convincing.  I also like Law's impressive title page drawing (for which I wouldn't mind having the original art).

The second story is “A Spy Without A face,” illustrated by Tyrell Cannon.  The story pits a mysterious “spy without a face” against a pack of assassins who have broken into a mysterious LifeTech facility.  Both sides get more than they bargained for in this black and white tale.

Cannon's graphical storytelling is high-speed and hyper-kinetic with the graphic design sensibilities of science fiction anime and manga.  Lowery's story allows Cannon to draw an explosive tale that is visceral and thrilling.  I'd like to see another Lowery-Cannon creation, and this story also made me seek out more information about Tyrell Cannon.

The third story is “Adorable Orphans,” written by Lowery and drawn and colored by Lisa Naffziger.  Sally, an elementary school-age girl, loves her “Grammie,” her grandmother.  Her parents seem to despise the old woman, and they are particular about the things to which Grammie exposes Sally.

One day, Sally gets a package from Grammie.  Inside is the season’s hottest toy trend, one of LifeTech’s “Adorable Orphan android dolls” (also called a “DollDroid”).  The girl DollDroid's name is Betty, and she is a great friend for Sally, but everyone else better watch out.

“Adorable Orphans” is by far the best story in ThoughtScape Comics #1.  It is straight-forward, but Lowery is sly and sneaky in the way he surprises the readers in unexpected ways.  For instance, Sally's parents are both snobby and vulgar.  What's going on with Grammie?  And there is certainly more to Sally than what appears on the surface.

Lisa Naffziger's compositions and coloring are more alt-comics than children's comics, although I can understand why some people would see her work as the latter.  Lowery and Naffziger have created in “Adorable Orphans” a concept that could live on its own outside the world of ThoughtScape Comics.  If I were in Hollywood film and television production, I'd swoop in and buy the media rights for “Adorable Orphans” away from the rest of this package.

The fourth and final story is “Ex Post Facto: A Dash Varrick Misadventure . Part 1.”  A press release from Lowery describes the story in the following way:

XXXX#$%@&*!(AGAIN)))...Murder and music at the fringes of the revolution! he’s just a drop in the Co- maXYxXc o p y X > P A S T E Y # % Z o n e , - - h e ’ s - - y o u & M E m e M E . h e ’ s d - d - d a s h D A S H .tooLATEagaFILEretrieveERRORERR.accessing…

The art by Karl Slominski has elements that remind me of David Mack, especially, and of Bill Sienkiewiz, a little.  Otherwise, I have no idea what's going on with this story.

Overall, I like ThoughtScape Comics #1.  It presents such an expansive science fiction concept with a universe of possibilities as big as anything offered by the Star Wars and Star Trek franchises.  The print edition makes it much easier to engage the story and to enjoy the in-narrative adds.  It will also be easier for readers to appreciate what an impressive graphics package this comic book is and to also recognize the work of designer John Larson.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of science fiction anthology comic books (such as 2000 AD) will want to try ThoughtScape Comics.

A
8 of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

 

You can order ThoughtScape Comics #1 - print or digital - here.

https://twitter.com/mattmlpdx
https://www.mmlcomics.com/thoughtscape-comics
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mattmlpdx/thoughtscape-comics-1
https://twitter.com/TCannonComics
https://twitter.com/lisanaffziger
https://twitter.com/KarlSlominski
https://www.instagram.com/itsdavelaw/
https://twitter.com/kale_satan
https://johnlarsen.net/


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: SURFACING #6

SURFACING #6
APPROBATION COMICS

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Ricardo Mendez
COLORS: Alivón Ortiz
LETTERS: Krugos
EDITOR: Denise Thompson
MISC. ART: Cesar Grego with Alivon Ortiz
COVER: Gleidson Ribeiro and Victor Maya with Alivon Ortiz
32pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (2020)

Rated: “M” for Mature

“The Stone and the Shell” Part 2 of 2

Surfacing is a comic book franchise created by B. Alex Thompson and published by Approbation Comics.  The four-issue miniseries, Surfacing: Depth Perceptions, focuses on a series of encounters, sometimes violent, between humans and mermaid-like creatures.  The eponymous Surfacing is an anthology series in which each issue offers a story in which a mermaid finds herself trapped in the world of humans.  Besides Thompson, artist Ricardo Mendez; colorist Alivon Ortiz; and letterer Krugos currently comprise Surfacing's creative team.

The latest chapter in the saga of Surfacing is “The Stone and the Shell.”  It is set two million years ago, on a Savannah, likely somewhere in eastern Africa.  This is  the home of a tribe of Homo erectus/ergaster (called the “tree folk” in this story).  Kon is a member of the tribe.  He is exceptionally good at making tools and at fishing, but in a tribe of fierce hunters, Kon's talents are seen as weaknesses.  It does not help that Kon has webbed feet, which also makes the other tree folk suspicious of him.  However, Kon encounters a beautiful young woman, “Int” of the “water folk.”  Meeting Int will change Kon's life, but what will it do to his relationship his own people?

Surfacing #6 opens as Int introduces Kon to her people, the “water folk.”  Obviously, they are suspicious of Kon and his intentions, as well as being wary of Kon's people, the “tree folk.”  Still, they welcome him into the tribe, but everything is not on the “up and up.”  And some transgressions can never be forgiven.

THE LOWDOWN:  As much as I enjoyed the miniseries, Surfacing: Depth Perceptions, I find myself really enjoying Surfacing, which showcases some of writer B. Alex Thompson's most imaginative writing.  The fifth and sixth issues of Surfacing present a big shift from the usual Surfacing tales.

Thompson's imagination gives us a story set in eastern Africa (likely modern day Kenya) during the Early Pleistocene.  That story offers a different kind of character, a complicated man who has troubles in his native world and who ends up caught between two worlds.  The Stone and the Shell” also emphasizes the familiarity of family conflict and romantic discovery, which allows the readers to recognize Kon and, perhaps, to place themselves in his life.  Thompson makes every page of this story intriguing, and like Part 1, Part 2 always has at least one thing on each page that makes me curious and want to know more about this story and its setting.

Artist Ricardo Mendez has proved to be a perfect collaborator for Thompson in this writer-artist team.  In “The Stone and the Shell,” Mendez creates a beautiful prehistoric pastoral world that is as interesting as the main story.  As he did in the first part, Mendez deftly tells this second chapter of “The Stone and the Shell” via his figure drawings of the characters, which give the story a sense of naturalism.  Alivon Ortiz's muted colors allow the emotions of the characters to stand out in the story.  Krugos' lettering and sound effects are also muted, but are “pitch-perfect” for this chapter's emphasis on betrayal.

I highly recommend Surfacing #6, just as I did for issue #5.  Surfacing is like nothing else you will find in mainstream, alternative, or indie comics, so please, dive into this.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of fantasy comic books published by DC Comics' late imprint, Vertigo, will want to read Surfacing.

A
9 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
www.ApprobationComics.com
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

------------------------

#IReadsYou Review: CHAOS CAMPUS #35

CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS ZOMBIES #35
APPROBATION COMICS

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Ricardo Mendez
COLORS: Alivon Ortiz
LETTERS: Krugos
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
EDITORS: B. Alex Thompson and John P. Ward
MISC. ART: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
COVER: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
24pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. print/$1.99 U.S. digital (2017; digital release date – October 24, 2018)

Rated: Teen 13+ / 15+ Only – comiXology rating

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies created by B. Alex Thompson

“Higher Learning, Part 3 of 4”

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is the long-running zombie apocalypse comic book series from Approbation Comics.  Mixing in elements of comedy, horror, adventure, and magic, it is the creation of B. Alex Thompson.  The series is set during a zombie invasion and follows the adventures of three members of the sorority, Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY):  ass-kickin’ Jamie Lynn Schaeffer, brainy and magic-wielding Paige Helena Patton, and sexy goddess-type Brittany Ann Miller.

The current story line is “Higher Learning.”  It is written by Thompson; drawn by Ricardo Mendez; colored by Alivon Ortiz; and lettered by Krugos.  In this story arc, Paige is reunited with her father, who also happens to be the villain, Tech Locke, and her “sister,” Tess Raven.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #35 opens in the “Campus Survivors Compound.”  Paige's mother, Morgan, wants the group to have a really good plan of action before they launch an attack on Tech Locke's compound to retrieve her daughter.  Jamie and Brittany, newly recovered from her injuries, are raring to go.  What they don't know is that Paige is willing to help her father and is all-in on his diabolical plans, which she doesn't see as diabolical.

Locke will assist his ally, Doctor Lucian Campbell, who wants to ascend as “Skull Drudgery's” vessel.  In order to do that, he needs the “Ever-Ice,” and that can only be found on an alternate Earth – an “Ice Earth” that Tess visited a few years ago.  But Tess will need Paige's magical powers, which are only getting stronger, to open a portal to that world.

Meanwhile, the other two EAZY sisters are in a pitched battle against Neo-Zombies outside Locke's compound.  Now, they must follow Paige and Locke to the Ice Earth, but if they do, tragedy will also follow them.

THE LOWDOWN:  After bringing “The Road to Salvation” story line to an end and delivering a series of standalone stories, writer B. Alex Thompson turns the focus of Chaos Campus' narrative eye to Paige Helena Patton.  The fun thing of that, especially for regular readers of Chaos Campus, is that this story arc, “Higher Learning,” means a return of favorite characters that have been absent for several issues or even longer.  Thompson brings family drama, tragedy, and real pain to Chaos Campus #35, and he also delivers some epic action.

Ricardo Mendez's art and graphical storytelling deftly mixes the magic and the reunions.  As he did in the second issue, Mendez also conveys how important this story arc is both in terms of Paige's development and in her personal story and in terms of how the story affects the future of the series.  In this thirty-fifth issue, Mendez also offers readers six cool double-page spreads that greatly heighten the sense of drama and action; they are like a kick of adrenaline to your imagination, dear readers.

Alivon Ortiz's dazzling colors and impressive color effects make “Higher Learning's” magic look … well, magical.  Krugos' lettering continues the steady beat of this series, as he carries readers into an alternative world of high-powered action.  I heartily recommend Chaos Campus #35, so go back and get issues #33 and #34, if you have to, as you prepare for the conclusion of “Higher Learning.”

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of zombies and of horror-comedies will want to try Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.

A
9 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Buy Chaos Campus at comiXology or at https://www.comixology.com/Chaos-Campus-Sorority-Girls-vs-Zombies/comics-series/63703?ref=c2VhcmNoL2luZGV4L2Rlc2t0b3Avc2xpZGVyTGlzdC90b3BSZXN1bHRzU2xpZGVy

www.ApprobationComics.com
https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

-----------------

#IReadsYou Review: CHAOS CAMPUS #34

CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS ZOMBIES #34
APPROBATION COMICS

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Ricardo Mendez
COLORS: Alivon Ortiz
LETTERS: Krugos
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
EDITORS: B. Alex Thompson and John P. Ward
MISC. ART: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
COVERS: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
24pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. print/$1.99 U.S. digital (2017; digital release date – December 27, 2017)

Rated: Teen 13+ / 15+ Only – comiXology rating

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies created by B. Alex Thompson

“Higher Learning, Part 2 of 4”

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is the long-running zombie apocalypse comic book series from Approbation Comics.  Mixing in elements of comedy, horror, adventure, and magic, it is the creation of B. Alex Thompson.  The series is set during a zombie invasion and follows the adventures of three members of the sorority, Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY):  ass-kickin’ Jamie Lynn Schaeffer, brainy and magic-wielding Paige Helena Patton, and sexy goddess-type Brittany Ann Miller.

The current story line is “Higher Learning.”  It is written by Thompson; drawn by Ricardo Mendez; colored by Alivon Ortiz; and lettered by Krugos.  In this story arc, Paige is reunited with her father, who also happens to be the villain, Tech Locke.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #34 opens in the “Campus Survivors Compound.”  Paige's mother, Morgan, wants the group to have a really good plan of action before they launch an attack on Tech Locke's compound to retrieve her daughter.

Elsewhere, in the stronghold, Paige battles her sister for Tech's amusement, and this leads to a reunion with an old (and thought to be dead) rival, Mitzi Peterson.  Later, Jamie engages in some gladiatorial combat and has some reunions of her own.

THE LOWDOWN:  After bringing “The Road to Salvation” story line to an end and delivering a series of standalone stories, writer B. Alex Thompson turns the focus of Chaos Campus' narrative eye to Paige Helena Patton.  The fun thing of that, especially for regular readers of Chaos Campus is that this story arc means a return of favorite characters that have been absent for several issues or even longer.

Ricardo Mendez's art and graphical storytelling deftly mixes the magic and the reunions.  Mendez also conveys how important this story arc is both in terms of Paige's development and in her personal story and in terms of how the story affects the future of the series.

Alivon Ortiz's good coloring continues to bless Chaos Campus, and his dazzling color effects for the last few issues just pop off the page. Letterer Krugos continues the steady beat of this series, as he carries readers through the narrative.  I heartily recommend Chaos Campus #34, so go back and get #33, if you have to, as you prepare for the rest “Higher Learning.”

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of zombies and of horror-comedies will want to try Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.

A
8 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Buy Chaos Campus at comiXology.

www.ApprobationComics.com
https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

----------------

#IReadsYou Review: SURFACING #5

SURFACING #5
APPROBATION COMICS

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Ricardo Mendez
COLORS: Alivón Ortiz
LETTERS: Krugos
EDITOR: Denise Thompson
MISC. ART: Gleidson Ribeiro
COVER: Gleidson Ribeiro, Maxx Marshall, and Victor Maya
32pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (2019)

Rated: “M” for Mature

“The Stone and the Shell” Part 1 of 2

Surfacing is a comic book franchise created by B. Alex Thompson and published by Approbation Comics.  The four-issue miniseries, Surfacing: Depth Perceptions, focuses on a series of encounters, sometimes violent, between humans and mermaid-like creatures.  The eponymous Surfacing is an anthology series in which each issue offers a story in which a mermaid finds herself trapped in the world of humans.  Besides Thompson, artist Ricardo Mendez; colorist Alivon Ortiz; and letterer Krugos, currently comprise Surfacing's creative team.

Surfacing #5 opens two million years ago, on a Savannah, likely somewhere in eastern Africa.  There, a tribe of Homo erectus/ergaster resides.  Kon is a member of the tribe.  He is exceptionally good at making tools and at fishing, but in a tribe of fierce hunters, Kon's talents are seen as weaknesses.  Kon's brother, Nog, is a great hunter.

After Nog coerces him into going on a hunt, Kon is injured.  Kon goes to a nearby beach, where he submerges the bottom half of his body in the cool waters.  This leads to an encounter with a beautiful young woman.  She calls herself “Int,” and she is of the “water folk.”  Meeting Int will change Kon's life, but what will it do to his relationship his own people?

THE LOWDOWN:  As much as I enjoyed the miniseries, Surfacing: Depth Perceptions, I find myself really enjoying Surfacing, which showcases some of writer B. Alex Thompson's most imaginative writing.  Surfacing #5 offers a big shift from the usual Surfacing tales.

Thompson fanciful imagining of the eastern Africa (likely modern day Kenya) during the Early Pleistocene offers a different kind of character, while emphasizing familiar family conflict and romantic discovery.  Thompson makes every page of this story intriguing; it is as if there is always at least one thing on each page that makes me curious and want to know more.

Artist Ricardo Mendez has proved to be a perfect collaborator for Thompson in this writer-artist team.  Mendez creates a beautiful prehistoric pastoral world that is as interesting as the main story.  Speaking of which, Mendez deftly tells this first chapter of “The Stone and the Shell” via his figure drawings of the characters, which give the story a sense of naturalism.  Alivon Ortiz's muted colors allow the emotions of the characters to stand out in the story.  Krugos' lettering and sound effects are also muted, but is “pitch-perfect” for this chapter's emphasis on a budding romance.

I highly recommend Surfacing #5 and the series as a whole.  Surfacing is like nothing else you will find in mainstream, alternative, or indie comics.  It is something new and different like Neil Gaiman's The Sandman was when it debuted.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of fantasy comic books published by DC Comics' late imprint, Vertigo, will want to read Surfacing.

A+

10 out of 10

[This issue includes a three-page bonus section that reprints pages of Gleidson Ribeiro's pencil art for an earlier version of this series and this story.]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
www.ApprobationComics.com
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

-------------------------

#IReadsYou Review: GREY. CHAPTER 5

GREY. CHAPTER 5
THE GREY ROOM

STORY: Kris Hornett
ART: Ardee Arollado
SPECIAL PROJECTS ART: Kenet Guevarra
EDITOR: Lisa Taylor
COVER: Nicholas Sen
36pp, B&W, $10.00 U.S. (print), $5.99 U.S. (March 2021)

Age Rating: 15+ Only

Chapter 5: Living Portraits

Grey is an independent comic book series from writer Kris Hornett and artist Ardee Arollado.  Published by The Grey Room, Grey is a hybrid, a combination of an American comic book format and Japanese manga.  Grey is similar to what was once called “OEL manga” or “original English language” manga.  These were American graphic novels in which the storytelling borrowed or mimicked the aesthetics and sensibilities of Japanese manga (comics).

Grey is set in the realm of Ketiyama (apparently an archipelago) and takes place some time after an event known as “the Sonoma Incident.”  This outbreak of the lethal “Moon Virus” on Nacirema, one of Ketiyama's islands, led to chaos, destruction, and division.  As a sign of good faith and as a last attempt to restore order, the ruling Board of Officials allowed the people to elect a team of highly trained tactical agents, known as “the Bureau,” to serve and protect them.  Within the Bureau is an elite unit known as “Nimbus.”  The members of this team of five agents are sworn to maintain moral balance and to enforce the law.  These agents are also able to manipulate their “prana” (“life energy”).

The agents of Nimbus are Samara Asuhara, Kouken Masimuto, Shuyin Hagamuri, Manu Yagyu, and Kale Schaefer.  Belisia Asuhara, Samara's sister, is their handler and the creator of Nimbus.

Grey Chapter 5 opens in the home of Asuna and Yuta Yagyu – recently murdered.  It is, however, an unusual death, as they have been posed in a process involving prana.  Now, they are “living portraits,” and it is up to Saya Yagyu – the Shriker of Malta – to discover who killed members of her family.  Meanwhile, the killer has absconded with her niece, Asuka, Asuna and Yuta's daughter.

The agents of Nimbus have joined her in the investigation, and Samara has seen “living portraits” in her past.  In fact, Samara knows who the killer is, and she and Shuyin prepare to lead the mission to bring in the killer.  Not everyone is happy with that plan, though.

THE LOWDOWN:  The Grey Room is about to release the first trade paperback collection of Grey, entitled Grey: Volume 1.  This TPB will reprint Grey Chapters 1 to 5, as well as, Chapter 3.5: Astrid and Chapter 4.5: The Right Thing, both “special release chapters.”  I think this collection will be the best way to read the series, as it will reinforce to readers how conceptually well-developed Grey is.

As I have previously written, when readers start from the beginning, they discover that the world in which Grey is set has a complex history.  Readers get to watch the authors build a world in front of them and also to experience some other elements of the series, such as its engaging mysteries and sense of discovery.

The one thing I do want to emphasize, which Grey Chapter 5 also emphasizes, is the strength of the characters in this series.  First, each character is independent in the sense that he or she has his or her own motivations, desires, and goals.  Hornett presents characters that are not beholding to other characters for their worth.  Certainly, one character can affect another via the action, but it is good that supporting characters and cameo players don't feel like mere window dressing in the dramas of Grey's most important characters.

The best example of that takes place in the second half of Chapter 5, which I want to be careful not to spoil.  Hornett has the Nimbus characters and investigators confront one another about various issues regarding the murder investigations.  Hornett does not depict any characters as “backing down,” which makes them all appear important.  Readers are welcomed to pick a favorite character or even assume a character is the lead, but like Japanese manga, this American manga respects the idea of an ensemble cast with many quality characters.

Ardee Arollado's art, which gets more powerful with each chapter, conveys this in the way he composes the characters.  Sometimes, his art and storytelling seem like impartial observers, presenting the drama in large-size panels, capturing a stage in which each character has the power to affect the drama.

So after praising the characters, I have to heartily recommend Grey to you, dear readers.  And with this new trade paperback, you can still get in on Grey's intriguing ground floor.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of manga-inspired comic books and of good science fiction comic books will want to read Grey.

[This comic book includes three pages of additional informative text pieces.]

A

9 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Grey #5 and all issues of the series can be read at comiXology.  Readers can also purchase all issues of the series and the new first trade collection, Grey: Volume 1 here or at https://thegreyroom.org/.

https://thegreyroom.org/
https://www.instagram.com/thegreyroom_/
Kris Hornett: https://twitter.com/Hornett_
Lisa Taylor: https://twitter.com/Persuasion513
https://www.instagram.com/kero.beroz/?hl=en


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

----------------

#IReadsYou Review: CHAOS CAMPUS #33

CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS ZOMBIES #33
APPROBATION COMICS

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Ricardo Mendez
COLORS: Alivon Ortiz
LETTERS: Krugos
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
EDITORS: B. Alex Thompson and John P. Ward
MISC. ART: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
COVERS: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
24pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. print/$1.99 U.S. digital (2017; digital release date – December 20, 2017)

Rated: Teen 13+ / 15+ Only – comiXology rating

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies created by B. Alex Thompson

“Higher Learning, Part l of 4”

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is the long-running zombie apocalypse comic book series from Approbation Comics.  Mixing in elements of comedy, horror, adventure, and magic, it is the creation of B. Alex Thompson.  The series is set during a zombie invasion and follows the adventures of three members of the sorority, Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY):  ass-kickin’ Jamie Lynn Schaeffer, brainy and magic-wielding Paige Helena Patton, and sexy goddess-type Brittany Ann Miller.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #33 opens in the aftermath of “Lineage” (from issue #32).  Paige is having bad dreams, and the uncertainty and the frustrations with the responsibilities and hopes placed on her begin to push her to a breaking point.  Her friends and her mother, Morgan, and brother, Tyler, try to comfort Paige.  Even Oliver offers help, but Paige is not sure about his motives.

However, the fam and the friends are not the only ones who have been noticing Paige's emotional and mentally vulnerable state.  Tech Locke, always one dream or portal away, makes his move in trying to recruit Paige to his side.   What could Tech possibly have that would make Paige turn her back on her family, friends, and mission?  It's a secret.

THE LOWDOWN:  After bringing “The Road to Salvation” story line to an end, writer B. Alex Thompson continued to bring levity to Chaos Campus via a series of standalone stories.  However, in the most recent standalone story, “Lineage,” writer B. Alex Thompson revealed that Brittany shares her body with an ancient Greek goddess known as “the Twelfth.”

Now, Thompson turns Chaos Campus' narrative eye to Paige Helena Patton with the beginning of a new story arc, “Higher Learning.”  At first Tech Locke, the mystery man who is obsessed with Paige, seems like nothing more than a pest.  Thompson throws in a twist when he uses not Locke's own secrets, but the secrets others keep as the hook to pull readers into this new arc.

As usual, Ricardo Mendez's art and graphical storytelling are strong, and in many ways, he has become the second signature “voice” of Chaos Campus.  This series' narrative engine runs smoothly under the guiding hands of Mendez's compositions.  It seems that, at least for now, no one can transform Thompson's Chaos Campus scripts into comic book art and storytelling better than Mendez.

Good coloring has blessed Chaos Campus, and the colors and dazzling color effects by Alivon Ortiz make even the quite pages in issue #33 pop. Letterer Krugos continues the steady beat of this series, and that beat may very well carry more of you, dear readers, to Chaos Campus #33.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Fans of zombies and of horror-comedies will want to try Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.

A

9 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Buy Chaos Campus #33 at comiXology.

www.ApprobationComics.com
https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

----------------------------------

#IReadsYou Review: SURFACING #4

SURFACING #4
APPROBATION COMICS

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Kevin Richardson
COLORS: Santtos
LETTERS: Krugos
EDITOR: Denise Thompson
MISC. ART: Kevin Richardson
COVER/BACK COVER: Cesar Grego and Alivon Ortiz
32pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (2019)

Rated: “M” for Mature

“The Milkmaids and the Mermaid”

Surfacing is a comic book franchise created by B. Alex Thompson and published by Approbation Comics.  The four-issue miniseries, Surfacing: Depth Perceptions, focuses on a series encounters, sometimes violent, between humans and mermaid-like creatures.  The eponymous Surfacing is an anthology series in which each issue offers a story in which a mermaid finds herself trapped in the world of humans.  Besides Thompson, artist Kevin Richardson; colorist Santtos; letterer Krugos, and cover artists Cesar Grego and Alivon Ortiz currently comprise Surfacing's creative team.

Surfacing #4 (“The Milkmaids and the Mermaid”) opens in the 1400s in Holland (then, a western province of The Netherlands).  In the town of Edam, in West Friesland (a region in North Holland) resides the Ruis family:  Papa, Mama, and sisters, Berna and Gisla.  A recent heavy storm raised the waters of the North Sea and destroyed the dykes, flooding the nearby lands.

Berna and Gisla (the “milkmaids” of the story's title) are in a small canoe rescuing the family's dairy cows when they spot a human hand sticking out of the water.  Upon investigation, the girls find and rescue a mermaid, and bring her back to their farm.

Papa Ruis, despite objections from Mama Ruis, tends to the mermaid's injuries.  Eventually, they take the mermaid into the family – like an indentured servant and prisoner – and name her “Elin.”  After several years, Elin becomes a local curiosity, “Elin the Zeewijf.”  But what is “Elin's” real story?  Where does she come from, and how does she view her stay in the human world?  Is this a heaven or a hell, and what does her future hold?

THE LOWDOWN:  As much as I enjoyed the miniseries, Surfacing: Depth Perceptions, I did not know what to expect of the Surfacing anthology, which was apparently intended to be a three-issue miniseries.  However, I can always rely on writer B. Alex Thompson's imagination.

Initially, Thompson presented Surfacing in a way that reminded me of dark fantasy, anthology television series like the classic  “The Twilight Zone” (1959 to 1964) and the 1980s “Tales from the Darkside.”  The third issue of the series even offered a tale set in the “old West, “A Promise of Home,” that reminded me of American “Western” films.

“The Milkmaids and the Mermaid” reveals a different side of Thompson.  His best known work includes horror, comedy, relationship drama, horror-comedy, and contemporary drama.  However, Thompson sometimes reveals a side of his writing the skews toward fantasy and fairy tales.  That is what “The Milkmaids and the Mermaid” is, a fairy tail, albeit a melancholy one.  This story is not so much about plot, character, or setting as it is simply a story.  It is the kind of tale of the supernatural that pops up from time to time in one book of fairy tails or another.  Once it comes into existence, it never dies.  It just waits to be rediscovered or told again.  [There is a Dutch folktale, “Meermin van Edam,” of which there are a number of variations, that may have inspired “The Milkmaids and the Mermaid.”]

Artist Kevin Richardson presents an imaginative take on the deep waters world of the mermaids.  However, Richardson also conveys the banal evil of slavery and the dishonesty of those who insist that they can do anything in the name of bringing god to the savages and heathens.  The coloring by Santtos eschews pretty hues less this fairy tale becomes a lie, and Krugos makes the art feel like a narrative told on tapestry.

I am glad that there is a Surfacing #4, and “The Milkmaids and the Mermaid” is the kind of surprising and wonderful story that justifies more Surfacing.  So I hope more issues of this series … surface.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of fantasy comic books published by DC Comics' late imprint, Vertigo, will want to read Surfacing.

A+
10 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
www.ApprobationComics.com
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

-------------

#IReadsYou Review: ThoughtScape Comics #1 - Digital Edition

THOUGHTSCAPE COMICS #1
MATT MAIR LOWERY

[UPDATE: ThoughtScape Comics 2024 Kickstarter campaign is now live.]

STORY: Matt Mair Lowery
ART: Dave Law; Tyrell Cannon; Lisa Naffziger; Karl Slominski
COLORS: Dave Law; Tyrell Cannon; Lisa Naffziger; Karl Slominski
LETTERS: Dave Law; Tyrell Cannon; Lisa Naffziger; Karl Slominski
DESIGN: John Larson
COVER: Jenna Cha
44pp, Color, $8.00 U.S. (digital), $15.00 U.S. (print)

ThoughtScape Comics is new science fiction anthology comic book series from writer Matt Mair Lowery.  Lowery is the writer and co-creator with artist Cassie Anderson of Lifeformed, a YA science fiction graphic novel series published by Dark Horse Comics.

Lowery has stated that each issue of ThoughtScape Comics will contain 44+ pages of content, featuring stories written by Lowery and drawn by up-and-coming comic book artists.  Some of the stories will be self-contained and others will be part of a serial.  Multimedia artist, John Larsen, will provide the graphic design and packaging for each issue.

ThoughtScape Comics #1 contains four stories.  Lowery is joined by artists Dave Law, Tyrell Cannon, Lisa Naffziger, and Karl Slominski.  Two stories are apparently serials, and the other two are standalone stories.

ThoughtScape Comics is set in a world in which humanity's first multi-planet conglomerate, LifeTech, discovered the “ThoughtScape” in the late 21st century.  The ThoughtScape is a fifth dimension where every thought that has ever been thought exists.  Using technology of its own innovation, LifeTech began isolating and monitoring these thoughts (via “ThoughtScape Listening Posts").

Later, LifeTech began capturing and recording these thoughts through Thought & Information Service Collection Officers (TISCOs).  Eventually technological advancements allowed that the entire “ThoughtLives” of both living individuals and of the long-dead could be virtually reconstructed and played back through a variety of media formats.  The stories of ThoughtScape Comics will focus on the designs and intentions of LifeTech; the nature of ThoughtScape; and how people and beings connect, react, and exist with both.

THE LOWDOWN:  For the review of ThoughtScape Comics #1, I will offer comments on each of the four stories individually.

The first story is “Thoughtscape 2319: Parish, The Thought . Part 1,” the first part of a serial.  It is written by Lowery and drawn by Dave Law.  The story takes place at the edges of the galactic frontier in the year 2319.  Week 32.4, Thought & Information Service Collection Officer (TISCO) Odessa Query patrols her beat, currently the Hen 3-593 Di Chamaelontis System – 700 light years from Earth.

Her TISCO ship collects thoughts from ThoughtScape Listening Post Di.Cha.036, while she entertains her ship's neurocorder, Feyla.  Query prepares to move on to her next assigned Listening Post when she is diverted to an ongoing disaster.

Because of its cliffhanger ending, I am excited to read more of this story, especially because Lowery teases something awesome and awful coming to scare us, dear readers.  Dave Law's drawing style is perfect for science fiction comic books, and the design of the characters and the technology are convincing.  I also like Law's impressive title page drawing (for which I wouldn't mind having the original art).

The second story is “A Spy Without A face,” illustrated by Tyrell Cannon.  The story pits a mysterious “spy without a face” against a pack of assassins who have broken into a mysterious LifeTech facility.  Both sides get more than they bargained for in this black and white tale.

Cannon's graphical storytelling is high-speed and hyper-kinetic with the graphic design sensibilities of science fiction anime and manga.  Lowery's story allows Cannon to draw an explosive tale that is visceral and thrilling.  I'd like to see another Lowery-Cannon creation, and this story also made me seek out more information about Tyrell Cannon.

[Art by Tyrell Cannon for the story, "A Spy Without A face."]

The third story is “Adorable Orphans,” written by Lowery and drawn and colored by Lisa Naffziger.  Sally, an elementary school-age girl, loves her “Grammie,” her grandmother.  Her parents seem to despise the old woman, and they are particular about the things to which Grammie exposes Sally.

One day, Sally gets a package from Grammie.  Inside is the season’s hottest toy trend, one of LifeTech’s “Adorable Orphan android dolls” (also called a “DollDroid”).  The girl DollDroid's name is Betty, and she is a great friend for Sally, but everyone else better watch out.

“Adorable Orphans” is by far the best story in ThoughtScape Comics #1.  It is straight-forward, but Lowery is sly and sneaky in the way he surprises the readers in unexpected ways.  For instance, Sally's parents are both snobby and vulgar.  What's going on with Grammie?  And there is certainly more to Sally than what appears on the surface.

Lisa Naffziger's compositions and coloring are more alt-comics than children's comics, although I can understand why some people would see her work as the latter.  Lowery and Naffziger have created in “Adorable Orphans” a concept that could live on its own outside the world of ThoughtScape Comics.  If I were in Hollywood film and television production, I'd swoop in and buy the media rights for “Adorable Orphans” away from the rest of this package.

The fourth and final story is “Ex Post Facto: A Dash Varrick Misadventure . Part 1.”  A press release from Lowery describes the story in the following way:

XXXX#$%@&*!(AGAIN)))...Murder and music at the fringes of the revolution! he’s just a drop in the Co- maXYxXc o p y X > P A S T E Y # % Z o n e , - - h e ’ s - - y o u & M E m e M E . h e ’ s d - d - d a s h D A S H .tooLATEagaFILEretrieveERRORERR.accessing…

The art by Karl Slominski has elements that remind me of David Mack, especially, and of Bill Sienkiewiz, a little.  Otherwise, I have no idea what's going on with this story.

Overall, I like ThoughtScape Comics #1.  It presents such an expansive science fiction concept with a universe of possibilities as big as anything offered by the Star Wars and Star Trek franchises.  I hope a lot of comic book readers get behind the project and financially support it.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of science fiction anthology comic books (such as 2000 AD) will want to try ThoughtScape Comics.

A-

7.5 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/mattmlpdx
https://www.mmlcomics.com/thoughtscape-comics
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mattmlpdx/thoughtscape-comics-1
https://twitter.com/TCannonComics
https://twitter.com/lisanaffziger
https://twitter.com/KarlSlominski
https://www.instagram.com/itsdavelaw/
https://twitter.com/kale_satan
https://johnlarsen.net/


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

-------------------------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).  But that ad is for a graphic novel you might want to give a try.

#IReadsYou Review: CHAOS CAMPUS: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #32

CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS ZOMBIES No. 32
APPROBATION COMICS

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Ricardo Mendez
COLORS: Miguel Marques
LETTERS: Krugos
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
EDITORS: B. Alex Thompson and John P. Ward
MISC. ART: Ricardo Mendez
COVER: Ricardo Mendez
28pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. print/$1.99 U.S. digital (2017; digital release date – July 19, 2017)

Rated: Teen 13+ / 15+ Only – comiXology rating

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies created by B. Alex Thompson

“Lineage”

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is the long-running zombie apocalypse comic book series from Approbation Comics.  Mixing in elements of comedy, horror, and adventure, it is the creation of B. Alex Thompson.  The series is set during a zombie invasion and follows the adventures of three members of the sorority, Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY):  ass-kickin’ Jamie Lynn Schaeffer, brainy and magic-wielding Paige Helena Patton, and sexy Brittany Ann Miller.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #32 (“Lineage”) opens in the aftermath of “Juggernauts” (from issue #31).  Brittany is totally whacked out, wandering around, half-dressed in a hospital gown, and muttering strange numbers.  Luckily, Jamie is around with her giant adjustable wrench and Paige with her magical energy sword to fight off the zombies that wanna snack on a zombie-actin' Britts.

Also, luckily, Paige has figured out what those numbers are, and now, it is time to meet the parents – Brittany's parents?!  Who is “the Twelfth?”  Who are the “Thirteen Survivors?”  What is the true history of the “Greek gods” and Mount Olympus?  Who is “the First” and can she be stopped?  And who can stop her?

THE LOWDOWN:  After bringing “The Road to Salvation” story line to an end, writer B. Alex Thompson continues to bring levity to Chaos Campus via a series of standalone stories.  I thought “Juggernauts” was the best of the lot, but “Lineage” speaks well for itself.

Ricardo Mendez's art and graphical storytelling remains strong.  His art in “Juggernauts” reminds me of the storytelling that readers would find in Marvel Comics' The Punisher titles.  Mendez's storytelling retains its nice pacing, but he shines in the offbeat “Lineage,” which changes pace several times.  It also offers just enough brutality and gruesomeness to capture the Chaos Campus style.  Colorist Miguel Marques replaces Russell Vincent Yu for this issue, and his colors are glorious.  The colors on the first six pages, especially on Page Six's magic portal, capture the nighttime setting with a touch of sorcery.

What else can I say about B. Alex Thompson.  He is one of my favorite comic book writers, and for the better part of two decades, I have have been enthralled by the breath and scope of his storytelling.  “Lineage” is a pleasant surprise as another chapter in the ongoing origin stories of the girls from EAZY.  And it presents the unexpected in terms of an origin story.  Letterer Krugos ably shifts the changes in tone and pacing, managing, as always, to complete the storytelling.

Chaos Campus #32 is the last standalone before the next story arc, and it is an enjoyable one that will entertain old and new readers.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Fans of zombies and of horror-comedies will want to try Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.

A
9 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Buy Chaos Campus #32 at comiXology.

www.ApprobationComics.com
https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

---------------

#IReadsYou Review: CHAOS CAMPUS #31

CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS ZOMBIES No. 31
APPROBATION COMICS

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Ricardo Mendez
COLORS: Russell Vincent Yu
LETTERS: Krugos
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
EDITORS: B. Alex Thompson and John P. Ward
COVER: Ricardo Mendez
28pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. print/$1.99 U.S. digital (2017; digital release date – July 12, 2017)

Rated: Teen 13+ / 15+ Only – comiXology rating

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies created by B. Alex Thompson

“Juggernauts”

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is the long-running zombie apocalypse comic book series from Approbation Comics.  Mixing in elements of comedy, horror, and adventure, it is the creation of B. Alex Thompson.  The series is set during a zombie invasion and follows the adventures of three members of the sorority, Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY):  ass-kickin’ Jamie Lynn Schaeffer, brainy and magic-wielding Paige Helena Patton, and sexy Brittany Ann Miller.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #31 (“Juggernauts”) opens in the aftermath of “Super Chaos Babies.”  A small military unit arrives at the remains of Salvation East, destroyed by the betrayal and conflict within Jamie Lynn Schaeffer's family (specifically her twin sister, Aimee).  Instead of sanctuary, the soldiers find Neo-Zombies and the massive slasher, Kurtis Kasey the Body Snatcher (created by Phantom Avri)!

Caught between a flesh-rending rock and flesh-eating hard place, the soldiers call upon “Project Seventy-Two” to save them from Kasey.  However, their Seventy-Two turns out to be another slasher familiar to readers of Chaos Campus, Mikhail Grishuk the Meat Man.  Now, its Kurtis vs. Mikhail, and no one should get caught in the middle of this slasher-on-slasher kill-fest.

Meanwhile, the EAZY girls are about to find themselves getting involved when they should be resting from their recent adventures.  What happens when one of the slashers runs off with one of the girls?

THE LOWDOWN:  After bringing “The Road to Salvation” story line to an end, writer B. Alex Thompson continues to bring levity to Chaos Campus via a series of standalone stories.  “Juggernauts” is the best of the lot – so far.

Ricardo Mendez's art reminds me of the storytelling that readers would find in Marvel Comics' The Punisher.  Mendez's storytelling has nice pacing and offers just enough brutality and gruesomeness to capture the Chaos Campus style.  Colorist Russell Vincent Yu dresses the story in gritty hues, dominated by the uniform gray of military order and violence.

B. Alex Thompson does his readers a nice turn by returning some of their favorite “slashers.”  I had not forgotten the inimitable Kurtis Kasey since the very first time I saw him (perhaps, Chaos Campus #9-10), and had often hoped he would return.  In Chaos Campus #31 Thompson uses returning characters and settings to move the story to its next destination.  It is up to letterer Krugos to heighten the story's violent and comically violent melodrama, which he does

Chaos Campus #31, like many issues of the series, is a good starting point for new readers.  Although this issue is rooted in the series' distant and recent past, “Juggernauts” is easy to follow.  Plus, the ending will make readers, both new and old, want to come back.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Fans of zombies and of horror-comedies will want to try Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.

8 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Buy Chaos Campus at comiXology.

www.ApprobationComics.com
https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

------------------

#IReadsYou Review: GREY Chapter 4

GREY. CHAPTER 4
THE GREY ROOM

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Kris Hornett
ART: Ardee Arollado
SPECIAL PROJECTS ART: Kenet Guevarra
EDITOR: Lisa Taylor
COVER: Nicholas Sen
28pp, B&W, $10.00 (November 2020)

Act 2. Chapter 4

Grey is an independent comic book series from writer Kris Hornett and artist Ardee Arollado.  Published by The Grey Room, Grey is a hybrid, a combination of an American comic book format and Japanese manga.  Grey is similar to what was once called “OEL manga” or “original English language” manga.  These were American graphic novels in which the storytelling borrowed or mimicked the aesthetics and sensibilities of Japanese manga (comics).

Grey is set in the realm of Ketiyama (apparently an archipelago) and takes place some time after an event known as “the Sonoma Incident.”  This outbreak of the lethal “Moon Virus” on Nacirema, one of Ketiyama's islands, led to chaos, destruction, and division.  As a sign of good faith and as a last attempt to restore order, the ruling Board of Officials allowed the people to elect a team of highly trained tactical agents, known as “the Bureau,” to serve and protect them.  Within the Bureau is an elite unit known as “Nimbus.”  This team of five agents are sworn to maintain moral balance and to enforce the law.  The agents of Nimbus are also able to manipulate their “prana” (“life energy”).

The agents of Nimbus are Samara Asuhara, Kouken Masimuto, Shuyin Hagamuri, Manu Yagyu, and Kale Schaefer.  Belisia Asuhara is their handler and the creator of Nimbus.

Grey. Chapter 4. opens in a hospital as 13-year-old Asuka Yagyu faces questions, but she only wants to speak to one particular person.  Meanwhile, Shuyin and August try to find normalcy in their lives, but Shuyin's mind and memories keep playing tricks on him.  Elsewhere, Belisia, Kale, and Kouken, continue their deep dive into the past of Willow Marius in order to uncover her accomplices and to unravel the larger mystery that surrounds her.

THE LOWDOWN:  Grey continues to prove how conceptually well-developed it is.  From the beginning, readers discover that the world in which Grey is set has a complex history.  As readers, we get to watch the authors build a world in front of us.  The other exciting element is that Grey is full of mystery, so the readers can always enjoy the sense of discovery.

Grey Chapter 4 sees the characters trying to unravel the mystery that is Willow Marius, and I see her as something of a gift.  Each time I read Grey, I want to know more about her, which I can also say about many of the characters in this series.  Still, she is the beautiful enigma that is driving the unknown in this series – at least, so far.

Each issue, Kris Hornett takes time to give us a view of multiple characters.  I think that makes readers curious about the other characters, and I know that it makes me want to read the next issue as soon as possible.  Meanwhile, Ardee Arollado's art gets stronger; he brings more subtlety and delicacy to the characters' personalities.  Now, Arollado's graphical storytelling engages the reader to give more consideration to the characters' motivations and goals; ignore nothing in this storytelling.

I heartily recommend Grey, and there is still time for you, dear readers, to get in on Grey's intriguing ground floor.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of manga-inspired comic books and of good science fiction comic books will want to read Grey.

[This comic book includes two pages of additional informative text pieces.]

8 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Get Grey at comiXology or here: https://www.comixology.com/Grey/comics-publisher/20880-0

https://thegreyroom.org/
https://www.instagram.com/thegreyroom_/
https://twitter.com/Hornett_
https://www.instagram.com/kero.beroz/?hl=en


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

-----------------

 

#28DaysofBlack Review: CHAOS CAMPUS #30

[For the last two decades, B. Alex Thompson has been one of the most prolific independent comic book publishers, via his Approbation Comics.  He has published a number of ongoing series, miniseries, graphic novels, webcomics, one-shots, and trade paperbacks in several formats and genres, including science fiction, social dramas, horror, and anthologies.  Thompson's signature series is the delightful "Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies."]

CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS. ZOMBIES No. 30
APPROBATION COMICS

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Vincenzo Sansone
COLORS: Alivon Ortiz
LETTERS: Krugos
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
EDITORS: B. Alex Thompson and John P. Ward
COVER: Vincenzo Sansone with Alivon Ortiz
28pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. print/$1.99 U.S. digital (2017; digital release date – July 5, 2017)

Rated: Teen 13+ / 15+ Only – comiXology rating

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies created by B. Alex Thompson

“Super Chaos Babies”

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is the long-running zombie apocalypse comic book series from Approbation Comics.  Mixing in elements of comedy, horror, and adventure, it is the creation of B. Alex Thompson.  The series is set during a zombie invasion and follows the adventures of three members of the sorority, Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY):  ass-kickin’ Jamie Lynn Schaeffer, brainy and magic-wielding Paige Helena Patton, and sexy Brittany Ann Miller.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #30 (“Super Chaos Babies”) opens in the aftermath of “One Night at Pheromones.”  The girls have joined their friend, Oliver, in a bid to stop “Brass Monkey,” a diabolical cybernetic chimpanzee, from destroying a colony of surviving humans.  However, the EAZY girls are exposed to a strange form of radiation during the battle and revert to childhood – with a twist.  Jamie, Paige, and Brittany now have super-powers.  But can they save this survivor town from the ape's evil plan when their new powers may have a lethal side effect?

THE LOWDOWN:  After bringing “The Road to Salvation” story line to an end, writer B. Alex Thompson brings some levity to Chaos Campus via a series of standalone stories.  The previous issue's one-off tale was “One Night at Pheromones.”  Now, we get “Super Chaos Babies.”

Thing about these standalone stories is that they allow the artists to shine, as artist-colorist did in “One Night at Pheromones.”  This time artist Vincenzo Sansone and colorist Alivon Ortiz take the show.  They deliver art that reminds me of some of the weird science fiction horror comics created by the recently deceased comic book legend, Richard Corben.  Sansone's storytelling has horror elements, such as the zombies, which are fast paced.  The cybernetic design of Brass Monkey and the laboratory settings add a counter-balance that blends the horror with the sci-fi.

Alivon Ortiz's colors have a painterly quality that has the look of a prestige painted comic, the kind that appeared in Heavy Metal and Marvel's late, great Epic Magazine.  As usual, the lettering by Krugos sets the tempo and mood, and fits into all the right places on the page.

Chaos Campus #30 is a surprisingly good one-off issue, but what else would I expect from B. Alex Thompson.  He writes strong science fiction/horror comics that do not take themselves too seriously while being true to both genres.  Chaos Campus #30 is also a good place for new readers to start.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Fans of zombies and of horror-comedies will want to try Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.

A
9 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Buy Chaos Campus #30 at comiXology.

www.ApprobationComics.com
https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

-------------------

#IReadsYou Review: GREY Chapter 3

GREY. CHAPTER 3
THE GREY ROOM

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Kris Hornett
ART: Ardee Arollado
SPECIAL PROJECTS ART: Kenet Guevarra
EDITOR: Lisa Taylor
28pp, B&W, $10.00 (September 2020)

Chapter 3 “Deja Vu”

Grey is a recently-launched. independently published comic book series from writer Kris Hornett and artist Ardee Arollado.  Published by The Grey Room, Grey is a hybrid, a combination of an American comic book format and Japanese manga.  Grey is similar to what was once called “OEL manga” or “original English language” manga.  These were American graphic novels in which the storytelling borrowed or mimicked the aesthetics and sensibilities of Japanese manga (comics).

Grey is set in the realm of Ketiyama (apparently an archipelago) and takes place some time after an event known as “the Sonoma Incident.”  This outbreak of the lethal “Moon Virus” on Nacirema, one of Ketiyama's islands, led to chaos, destruction, and division.  As a sign of good faith and as a last attempt to restore order, the ruling Board of Officials allowed the people to elect a team of highly trained tactical agents, known as “the Bureau,” to serve and protect them.  Within the Bureau is an elite unit known as “Nimbus.”  This team of five agents are sworn to maintain moral balance and to enforce the law.  The agents of Nimbus are also able to manipulate their “prana” (“life energy”).

The agents of Nimbus are Samara Asuhara, Kouken Masimuto, Shuyin Hagamuri, Manu Yagyu, and Kale Schaefer.  Belisia Asuhara is their handler and the creator of Nimbus.

As Grey. Chapter 3. (“Deja Vu”) opens,  Shuyin visits with his mother, who has telepathic abilities.  Through her, Shuyin gets to play with his memories and experiences with Willow, the young woman from his past who is connected to the Bureau's current case.

Elsewhere, agents Samara and Kouken visit Kale Schaefer to discuss the mysterious “okami mask,” its notorious past and its connection to Kale's past.  Later, Samara and Kouken may be unaware of the danger near them.  Have they walked into a trap?

THE LOWDOWN:  Grey is conceptually well-developed, and the world in which it is set has a complex history.  The authors are simultaneously building a world and unwrapping a science fiction dramatic narrative.

Grey Chapter 3 first takes a deep dive into Shuyin's mind.  I find Shuyin's interior world:  memories, dreams, thoughts, etc. to be an engaging way to delve into the character and into everything that is going on around him – past, present, and future.  As much as I like Grey's other characters, I feel as if I never get enough of him, but it is good that Hornett and Arollado have their lead emerge as a star character so early in the series.

Meanwhile, Hornett takes time to take us to some other characters, and as I wrote in a previous review, all the characters are interesting in some way.  They make the world of Grey an exciting place for readers to be, and Hornett always leaves me wanting more.  Twenty-five pages of story is a lot these days, but 50 pages per issue of Grey would not be enough.  It is still early enough to get in on the ground floor of this exciting American manga, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of manga-inspired comic books will want to read Grey.

[This comic book includes two pages of additional informative text pieces.]

A-
7.5 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://thegreyroom.org/
https://www.instagram.com/thegreyroom_/
https://twitter.com/Hornett_
https://www.instagram.com/kero.beroz/?hl=en


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: CHAOS CAMPUS #29

CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS ZOMBIES #29
APPROBATION COMICS

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Anita Zaramella
COLORS: Anita Zaramella
LETTERS: Krugos
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
EDITORS: B. Alex Thompson and John P. Ward
COVER: Anita Zaramella
28pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. print/$1.99 U.S. digital (2016; digital release date – May 24, 2017)

Rated: Teen 13+ / 15+ Only – comiXology rating

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies created by B. Alex Thompson

“One Night at Pheromones”

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is the long-running zombie apocalypse comic book series from Approbation Comics.  Mixing in elements of comedy, horror, and adventure, it is the creation of B. Alex Thompson.  The series is set during a zombie invasion and follows the adventures of three members of the sorority, Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY):  ass-kickin’ Jamie Lynn Schaeffer, brainy and magic-wielding Paige Helena Patton, and sexy Brittany Ann Miller.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #29 (“One Night at Pheromones”) opens in the aftermath of “The Road to Salvation” story arc.  As usual, our heroic trio is seeking a momentary safe haven from the zombies.  They head to “Dinah's Haven,” an all-female city and military garrison.  Upon entry, the girls discover that there is a weapons checkpoint and that they must relinquish all of their weapons.

There, they meet two mystery men, Marco and Dylan, with whom Brittany and Paige immediately become smitten.  Seeking a place where they can get to know each other, the EAZY girls and the new guys head to Dinah's Haven's only drinking establishment, the strip club, “Pheromones.”  The new friends find plenty of pretty girls, do some lap-dancing, and discover the secret of Dinah's Haven in this issue written by B. Alex Thompson; drawn and colored by Anita Zaramella; and lettered by Krugos.

THE LOWDOWN:  After bringing “The Road to Salvation” story line to an end, writer B. Alex Thompson brings some levity to the standalone story, “One Night at Pheromones.”  It reminds me of those standalone issues of Uncanny X-Men that writer Chris Claremont used to do so well.

The star of this issue is artist-colorist Anita Zaramella.  Her elastic and fluid drawing style yields compositions that pop with energy and makes this story move quickly.  The graphic storytelling offers readers a sexy romp in the series usual wheelhouse.  Zaramella's coloring is bright and vivid, and the colors bring club “Pheromones” to life as the exiting and NAS-TAY! place to be.

Chaos Campus #29 is a surprisingly good one-off issue.  It features one of Chaos Campus' strengths – its ability to not take itself too seriously while being true to its driving force.  This issue is a good place to start for new readers.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Fans of zombies and of horror-comedies will want to try Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.

8 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Buy Chaos Campus #29 at comiXology: https://www.comixology.com/Chaos-Campus-Sorority-Girls-vs-Zombies/comics-series/63703

www.ApprobationComics.com
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou: Review HASS #4

HASS #4
APPROBATION COMICS

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER/CREATOR: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
PENCILS: Edgard Machiavello
INKS: Victor Moya
COLORS: Alivon Ortiz
LETTERS: Krugos
MISC. ART: Cesar Grego and Federico Santagati
COVERS: Cesar Grego and Federico Santagati
32pp, Color, $9.99 U.S. (2020)

Hass is a four-issue comic book miniseries from Approbation Comics.  Hass is written and created by B. Alex Thompson.  The third and fourth issues are drawn by Edgard Machiavello (pencils) and Victor Moya (inks).  Alivón Ortiz is the series' colorist, and Krugos is the series' letterer.

A racial drama and crime thriller, Hass centers on Joshua “Josh” Jones, a freshman attending a college “deep in the heart of Texas.”  First day on campus, Josh falls in love with fellow medical student, Maggie Stewart, but he has to work hard to get Maggie to give him a chance at romance.

Eventually, this relationship forces Josh to confront violence and racism, and to have an unfortunate tattoo branded on his chest.  Before long, Josh is hanging out with Maggie's racist, drug-dealing cousin, Cole Truitt, and his gang of misfits: Eugene “Shamrock” Walsh (also known as “Rocky), Edward Vargas, Randall Gavin, and Warren “Great” White (also known as “Sharky”).

Hass #4 opens with the cliffhanger where the third issue left us.  Josh finds himself in a “Mexican standoff” with a gang of Mexican-American drug dealers … at a redneck honky-tonk!  Josh may be smart enough to talk himself out of this predicament, but when changes come to Cole's gang, he finds himself on the outside.  It turns out, however, that nothing was ever what it seems.  There is a turncoat in Cole's gang, and Maggie and her ailing father's lives are in danger.  It all heads to an explosive climax at Josh's college, and there will be many violent false endings before there is a happy ending.

THE LOWDOWN:  Early in the series, the back cover copy describes Hass as “William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet” meets American History X” (the 1998 film).  Throw in your favorite undercover cop drama-thriller, dear readers, and you will be pretty close to the crazy fun that Hass offers.

B. Alex Thompson is the creator of the long-running indie, comedy-horror comic book series, Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.  As much as I love Chaos Campus, Hass is Thompson's best work to date.  He creates a scenario in Hass that allows him to explore various themes emerging from racism, as well as the violence that racism inspires or to which it directly leads.  Thompson explores the consequences of violence and its aftermath, and he also depicts the myriad ways in which racism, prejudice, and bigotry reveal themselves.

Pencil artist Edgard Machiavello was bold and unapologetic in delivering graphical storytelling for Hass #3; he took Thompson's dangerous ideas and kept them dangerous.  For Hass #4, Machiavello presents compositions that deliver on the furious pace of Thompson's finale for this series.  Inker Victor Moya brings nuance to the explosive nature of Machiavello's pencils.  As usual, Alivón Ortiz's colors accentuate the story by bring bright colors to the violence.  Krugos' lettering does what it has to do this issue, and that is to make sure that the story never slows down until the end.

Cover artist Cesar Grego once again delivers excellent cover art for the front and back covers and also drops a nice interior illustration.  This time, Grego's art captures the heat and the heart that define Hass #4.  As I have said before, I have never read another comic book that has explored American racism and prejudice in such a unique and complex way as Hass does.  Bold and different in ways that other comic books would not dare be, Hass is one of the decade's best indie comic books.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Readers looking for bold comic book storytelling and for the very best in comic books will want Hass.

10 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
http://alexthompsonwriter.com/
https://www.comixology.com/Approbation-Comics/comics-publisher/7396-0
www.ApprobationComics.com


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: CHAOS CAMPUS #28

CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS ZOMBIES #28
APPROBATION COMICS

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Ricardo Mendez
COLORS: Alivon Ortiz
LETTERS: Krugos
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
EDITORS: B. Alex Thompson and John P. Ward
COVER: Ricardo Mendez
24pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (2016; digital release date – May 10, 2017)

Rated: Teen 13+ / 15+ Only – comiXology rating

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies created by B. Alex Thompson

“The Road to Salvation, Part 4 of 4”

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is the long-running zombie apocalypse comic book series from Approbation Comics.  Mixing in elements of comedy, horror, and adventure, it is the creation of B. Alex Thompson.  The series is set during a zombie invasion and follows the adventures of three members of the sorority, Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY):  ass-kickin’ Jamie Lynn Schaeffer, brainy and magic-wielding Paige Helena Patton, and sexy Brittany Ann Miller.

The current story line is “The Road to Salvation,” which finds the Chaos Campus trio in the middle of a squabble involving “Salvation,” a now-divided human sanctuary.  The girls also fend off the fearsome “Neo Zombies” and deal with a Jamie-lookalike, her long-lost twin sister, Aimee.  This fourth and final chapter of “The Road to Salvation” is written by B. Alex Thompson; drawn by Ricardo Mendez; colored by Alivon Ortiz; and lettered by Krugos.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #28 opens to find Princess Aimee... trippin.  Embittered about everything, including the fact that Jamie “stole” the man she loved (the “Snake Eyes” like Damien), Aimee is going to tear down her own Sanctuary West and also Sanctuary East.  And she is going to use the Neo Zombies to do her dirty deeds.

Well, the Chaos Campus girls are not going to take it, but when things fall apart, can going back to the beginning be the answer to what happens after the end of Sanctuary?  Plus, there is a reference to director Ridley Scott's classic film, Alien.

THE LOWDOWN:  Chaos Campus brings to an end an excellent story line “The Road to Salvation.”  This series really hit its stride once the issues started being numbered in the 20s.  I like to remind readers that Chaos Campus is one of my favorite comic books, and Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #28 reminds me of why I fell in love with this series so many years ago.

And I love Chaos Campus because it has evolved.  Once a horror action comedy, individual issues offered parodies of well known dark fantasy, horror, and science fiction films.  Then, while holding onto its sense of humor, the character drama and storytelling became polished, and the series matured.  Chaos Campus came to remind me of The Walking Dead, both the comic book and the television series it inspired.  Still, Chaos Campus has the spirit of Sam Raimi, as it takes the best of George Romero's dead movies and blends its with other “zombie apocalypse” fiction to be something different.

Writer-creator B. Alex Thompson gets stronger as a writer with each issues, and his series reaps the benefits.  Artist Ricardo Mendez is an excellent collaborator for Thompson because Mendez conveys the mood and style that defines Chaos Campus.  Mendez's art is the Chaos Campus graphical storytelling that was meant to be... as far as I'm concerned.

I read Chaos Campus #28 as a digital comic on comiXology, and the digital format really shows off Alivon Ortiz's rich coloring.  Another recent frequent collaborator, letterer Krugos, continues to convey a sense of action in comic via his fonts.  He completes the process that makes Chaos Campus a comic book that I find to be pure fun... while also being shameless in its humor.  So on to the next story arc!

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Fans of zombies and of horror-comedies will want to try Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.

9 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Buy Chaos Campus #28 at comiXology: https://www.comixology.com

www.ApprobationComics.com
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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