Naruto: Uchiha Brothers United Front

I read Naruto, Vol. 61: Uchiha Brothers United Front

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

Review: STAR WARS: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #2

STAR WARS: DARTH VADER AND THE NINTH ASSASSIN #2
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

["Star Wars Review" review page is here.]

SCRIPT: Tim Siedell – @badbanana
PENCILS: Stephen Thompson
INKS: Mark Irwin
COLORS: Michael Atiyeh
LETTERS: Michael Heisler
COVER: Ariel Olivetti
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S. (May 2013)

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin is a new Star Wars comic book series from writer Tim Siedell and artists Stephen Thompson and Mark Irwin. The series is set at the end of the Star Wars time period known as “The Rise of the Empire” era (the 1000-year period before the decisive Battle of Yavin in the original Star Wars film. Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin takes place some months after the events depicted in the film, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005).

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin centers on a plot by a wealthy industrialist to kill Emperor Palpatine’s mysterious apprentice, Darth Vader, who killed the industrialist’s son. After eight assassins failed, the vengeful father hires a ninth assassin, who is mysterious and powerful.

As Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #2 begins, the Heinsnake suddenly strikes. The Empire faces a wave a terrorist attacks. And an eons-dead, dark, ancient cult may be making its return.

In my review of Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #1, I wrote that if the second and third issues and so on are good, they will continue to give us the awesome read that the first issue promises. One down: Damn, Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #2 is a good comic book. I could have read another 100 pages of this in one sitting.

Writer Tim Siedell has crafted a story in which, the Emperor, Vader, and the Empire are actually, seriously menaced by a credible, but largely unknown enemy… or enemies. Artist Stephen Thompson graphically conveys Siedell’s story as an epic in big panels that capture the grandeur of power, the scale of Imperial infrastructure, but, most of all, the vastness of the galaxy and how that enormity can hide entities capable of destroying even a Galactic Empire. This is a Star Wars must-read comic book.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Psyren: Alien Sky

I read Psyren, Vol. 10: Alien Sky

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

Review: DREAM THIEF #1

DREAM THIEF #1 (OF 5)
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

STORY: Jai Nitz
ART/LETTERS: Greg Smallwood
COVER: Alex Ross
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (May 2013)

Jai Nitz won the 2004 Bram Stoker Award for “Best Illustrated Narrative.” Dream Thief is a new five-issue limited series written by Nitz and drawn by Greg Smallwood. Published by Dark Horse Comics, the series focuses on a man whose body and mind become possessed after he dons a strange mask.

Dream Thief #1 introduces John Lincoln, an Atlanta-based lay-about, cad, and pot-smoker/connoisseur. John tends to get drunk and wake up in strange places; often those places are the bedrooms of women who are not his girlfriend, Claire.

John and his homeboy, Reggie Harrison (a former college football star), go on a double-date at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. The two ladies are more interested in Reggie, but John is more interested in the Mumbai Kush he recently scored. The next morning, John wakes up in a strange place, wearing an Aboriginal mask he stole from the museum. Now, John’s problems have been replaced by blood stains and an unsteady memory that suggests he’s been disposing of bodies.

Honestly, when Dark Horse Comics made a PDF of Dream Thief #1 available to reviewers, I was only interested because it was a first issue. But the comic book demigods usually know what’s good for me to read. Often, it is a damn good comic book like Dream Thief #1.

Dream Thief can be described as “dark fantasy,” and “dark” means horror, because if this is not a horror comic book, it is doing one helluva impersonation. Dream Thief scares me; it makes me feel uncomfortable. Jai Nitz heightens the creepy-factor, practically with each page, and he has an engaging character in John Lincoln, lovable ass, esq.

Artist Greg Smallwood draws this as if it were a crime comic book. It’s like Eduardo Risso-100 Bullets gritty with the catchy graphic design of Francesco Francavilla. It melds to become Smallwood’s own unique visual language and graphical storytelling style. Some pages are the art of crime scene comics as eye candy. Will issue #2 be this good?

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 15 2013

DC COMICS

JAN130293 AQUAMAN HC VOL 02 THE OTHERS (N52) $22.99

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IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for May 15 2013

Digital Comics: Digital new releases available from your local comic book shop are marked below. [DIG] = Digital version available. [DIG/P+] = Print-Plus digital/print combo pack available. For more information, go to www.digitalcomicsreader.com.

IDW PUBLISHING

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