Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for August 28 2013

DARK HORSE COMICS

JUN130025 ANGEL & FAITH #25 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99
JUN130039 CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT #2 $2.99
APR130077 CRIME DOES NOT PAY ARCHIVES HC VOL 05 $49.99
JUN130027 ITTY BITTY HELLBOY #1 $2.99
JUN130057 KING CONAN HOUR O/T DRAGON #4 $3.50
JUN138070 LAST OF US AMERICAN DREAMS #1 (3RD PTG) $3.99
JUN130010 MASS EFFECT FOUNDATION #2 $3.99
JUN130047 MASSIVE #15 $3.50
JUN130045 MIND MGMT #14 $3.99
APR130027 NUMBER 13 TP $15.99
APR130065 SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN TP VOL 14 $19.99
JUN130019 STAR WARS LEGACY II #6 $2.99
JUN130035 STATION TO STATION ONE SHOT $2.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for July 31 2013

DARK HORSE COMICS

MAY130055 AKANEIRO #3 $3.99
MAY130016 AMALAS BLADE #4 $3.50
MAY130047 ANGEL & FAITH #24 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99
MAY130040 BPRD VAMPIRE #5 $3.50
MAR130074 BURROUGHS TARZAN SUNDAY COMICS 1931-1933 HC VOL 01 $125.00
MAY130011 CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT #1 MASSAFERA CVR $2.99
MAR130092 GANTZ TP VOL 28 (MR) $13.99
MAR130011 GHOST TP VOL 01 IN THE SMOKE AND DIN (MR) $14.99
MAY130025 HOUSE OF GOLD & BONES #4 ALEXANDER CVR $3.99
MAY130068 KING CONAN HOUR O/T DRAGON #3 $3.50
MAY130056 LAST OF US AMERICAN DREAMS #4 $3.99

Review: The Strain #1

STRAIN #1
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

STORY: Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
SCRIPT: David Lapham
ART: Mike Huddleston
COLORS: Dan Jackson
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Mike Huddleston
VARIANT COVER: Steve Morris
32pp, Color, $1.00 U.S. (December 2011)

Guillermo del Toro is a filmmaker known for directing such movies as Blade 2, the Hellboy movies, and the Oscar-nominated Pan’s Labyrinth.  Chuck Hogan is an American novelist, and he wrote Prince of Thieves, the novel that Ben Affleck adapted into the Oscar-nominated film, The Town (2010).

Together, del Toro and Hogan produced The Strain, a 2009 vampire novel, the first installment of The Strain trilogy.  I’m assuming that Hogan did the actual prose writing for The Strain, but del Toro’s hand in this concept is clear.

Beginning in 2011, Dark Horse Comics began publishing an 11-issue comic book adaptation of the book, also entitled The Strain.  David Lapham wrote the script adapting the novel, and Mike Huddleston drew the series, with colors by Dan Jackson.

The Strain #1 begins in Romania, 1927.  A grandmother tells her young grandson a frightening fairy tale over dinner.  It is the story of Josef Sardu, a 19th century Polish nobleman, afflicted by gigantism, and a disastrous hunt of which he was part.

The story jumps to the present day and finds Dr. Ephraim “Eph” Goodweather of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) trying to spend some quality time with his son, Zach.  Work, however, intrudes.  Dr. Goodweather is the head of the Canary Project, a rapid-response team that investigates biological threats.

Apparently, there is a big threat brewing at J.F.K. (John F. Kennedy International Airport) in New York City.  That’s where a Boeing 777 went dead silent with window shades pulled down and all lights out.  With his second-in-command, Nora Martinez, at his side, Goodweather makes a bizarre discovery.  Meanwhile, a Nazi concentration camp survivor recognizes something bad.

I hope that Dark Horse Comics’ decision to offer this first issue at a $1 cover price paid off for the publisher in sales.  The Strain #1 is good.  It reminds me of a Mike Mignola comic book or at least one created under his supervision.  That would make sense with the del Toro-Mignola connection on the Hellboy movies.

Lapham has fashioned a chilling tale in which the sense of dread grows with each new scene.  He drags you along into a riveting story that will take you to a bad place, but the kind that’s fun if you’re reading about it.  This is well-written enough that any veteran comic book artist with experience in horror comic books could be the series artist.  That is no swipe at artist Mike Huddleston, however.  He’s good here, and creates atmosphere without artistic bells and whistles.  If the series maintains a high level of quality, Huddleston might end up being called a master of horror for it.

Fans of horror comic books, particularly titles like Hellboy and BPRD, will like The Strain.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 26 2013

DARK HORSE COMICS

APR130071 AKANEIRO #2 $3.99

APR130022 AMALAS BLADE #3 $3.50

APR130056 ANGEL & FAITH #23 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99

APR130043 BPRD VAMPIRE #4 $3.50

JAN130155 GARY BASEMAN COFFEE CUP $12.99

APR130064 KING CONAN HOUR O/T DRAGON #2 $3.50

APR130072 LAST OF US AMERICAN DREAMS #3 $3.99

APR130024 MASSIVE #13 $3.50

APR130025 MIND MGMT #12 $3.99

FEB130069 OREIMO TP VOL 03 $10.99

FEB130054 ORIGINAL DAREDEVIL ARCHIVES HC VOL 01 $49.99

APR130061 STAR WARS LEGACY II #4 $2.99

FEB130039 USAGI YOJIMBO TP VOL 27 TOWN CALLED HELL $16.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 29 2013

DARK HORSE COMICS

MAR130018 AMALAS BLADE #2 $3.50

MAR130044 ANGEL & FAITH #22 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99

MAR130048 BPRD VAMPIRE #3 $3.50

MAR130023 DRAGON AGE UNTIL WE SLEEP #3 $3.99

MAR130026 KING CONAN HOUR O/T DRAGON #1 $3.50

MAR138243 LAST OF US AMERICAN DREAMS #1 (2ND PTG) $3.99

MAR130029 LAST OF US AMERICAN DREAMS #2 $3.99

JAN130115 STAR WARS OMNIBUS WILD SPACE TP VOL 01 $24.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for March 27 2013

DARK HORSE COMICS

JAN130086 ANGEL & FAITH #20 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99

NOV120066 ANGELIC LAYER TP BOOK 02 $19.99

JAN130098 ANSWER #3 $3.99

OCT120060 ART OF BIOSHOCK INFINITE HC $39.99

JAN130134 BALTIMORE MENS ADULT T/S LG $19.99

JAN130133 BALTIMORE MENS ADULT T/S MED $19.99

JAN130135 BALTIMORE MENS ADULT T/S XL $19.99

JAN130136 BALTIMORE MENS ADULT T/S XXL $19.99

JAN130076 BPRD VAMPIRE #1 $3.50

JAN130081 CRIMINAL MACABRE FINAL NIGHT 30 DAYS XOVER #4 $3.99

JAN130126 DARK HORSE WOMENS ADULT T/S MED $24.99

JAN130125 DARK HORSE WOMENS ADULT T/S SM $24.99

JAN130107 DRAGON AGE UNTIL WE SLEEP #1 $3.99

OCT128298 FEMINA AND FAUNA ART OF CAMILLA D ERRICO HC (NEW PTG) $24.99

NOV120093 GAME OF THRONES STARK METAL CAN COOLER $16.99

NOV120033 HUSBANDS HC (MR) $14.99

JAN130094 MASSIVE #10 $3.50

JAN130103 MISTER X HARD CANDY ONE SHOT $2.99

NOV120029 NEXUS OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 $24.99

DEC120050 STAR WARS DAWN O/T JEDI PRISONER OF BOGAN #4 $2.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 27 2013

DARK HORSE COMICS

NOV120056 ADVENTURES INTO THE UNKNOWN ARCHIVES HC VOL 02 $49.99

DEC120053 AMALAS BLADE #0 $2.99

DEC120066 ANGEL & FAITH #19 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99

DEC120052 ANSWER #2 $3.99

NOV120057 ARCHIE ARCHIVES HC VOL 08 $59.99

DEC120082 CRIMINAL MACABRE FINAL NIGHT 30 DAYS XOVER #3 $3.99

DEC120060 MASSIVE #9 $3.50

DEC128188 STAR WARS #1 (3RD PTG) $2.99

DEC120049 STAR WARS AGENT O/T EMPIRE HARD TARGETS #5 $2.99

NOV120012 STAR WARS DAWN O/T JEDI PRISONER OF BOGAN #3 $2.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 30 2013

DARK HORSE COMICS

NOV120050 ANGEL & FAITH #18 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99

OCT120056 CREEPY ARCHIVES HC VOL 15 $49.99

NOV120044 CRIMINAL MACABRE FINAL NIGHT 30 DAYS XOVER #2 $3.99

SEP120057 DRAGON AGE HC VOL 02 THOSE WHO SPEAK $14.99

NOV120034 EMILY & THE STRANGERS #1 MAIN CVR $3.99

JUN120062 GAME OF THRONES THRONE REPLICA STATUE $295.00

NOV128168 HELLBOY IN HELL #1 MIGNOLA CVR (2ND PTG) $2.99

SEP120055 LEGEND OF ZELDA HYRULE HISTORIA HC $34.99

OCT128225 LEGEND ZELDA HYRULE HISTORIA HC LTD COLL ED $69.99

OCT120045 ORCHID #12 (MR) $3.50

NOV120026 RIPD CITY O/T DAMNED #3 $3.50

NOV120011 STAR WARS AGENT O/T EMPIRE HARD TARGETS #4 $2.99

OCT120048 STAR WARS OMNIBUS INFINITIES TP $24.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 19 2012

DARK HORSE COMICS

OCT120019 ANGEL & FAITH #17 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99

OCT120036 BLACK BEETLE NIGHT SHIFT #0 $2.99

OCT120025 BPRD 1948 #3 $3.50

OCT120026 BPRD HELL ON EARTH #102 RETURN O/T MASTER #5 $3.50

OCT120034 DARK HORSE PRESENTS #19 $7.99

AUG120047 DARKSIDERS II DEATHS DOOR HC VOL 01 $12.99

OCT120041 EMPOWERED SPECIAL #3 HELL BENT OR HEAVEN SENT (MR) $3.99

OCT120080 GAME OF THRONES EMBROIDERED PATCH ARRYN $4.99

OCT120081 GAME OF THRONES EMBROIDERED PATCH TYRELL $4.99

OCT120044 MICHAEL AVON OEMINGS THE VICTORIES #5 (MR) $3.99

OCT120037 NUMBER 13 #1 $3.99

AUG120087 OH MY GODDESS RTL TP VOL 43 $12.99

AUG120074 ORCHID TP VOL 02 (MR) $17.99

OCT120038 RIPD CITY O/T DAMNED #2 $3.50

OCT120035 ROTTEN APPLE ONE SHOT $2.99

AUG120086 SPACE FAMILY ROBINSON ARCHIVES HC VOL 05 $49.99

OCT120049 STAR WARS AGENT O/T EMPIRE HARD TARGETS #3 $2.99

OCT120050 STAR WARS DAWN O/T JEDI PRISONER OF BOGAN #2 $2.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for October 31 2012

DARK HORSE COMICS

AUG120069 ANGEL & FAITH #15 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99

JUL120073 ARCHIE ARCHIVES HC VOL 07 $49.99

AUG120062 BPRD HELL ON EARTH #100 RETURN O/T MASTER #3 $3.50

AUG120078 STAR WARS DARTH MAUL DEATH SENTENCE #4 $2.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for September 26 2012

DARK HORSE COMICS

JUL120043 ANGEL & FAITH #14 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99

MAY120011 AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER TP VOL 03 PROMISE PART 3 $10.99

JUL120026 AXE COP PRESIDENT O/T WORLD #3 $3.50

JUL120051 BPRD HELL ON EARTH RETURN O/T MASTER #2 $3.50

MAR120057 CAMILLA DERRICO NO ORDINARY LOVE BUST $125.00

JUN120035 DARK MATTER TP VOL 01 REBIRTH $14.99

JUL120034 DRAGON AGE THOSE WHO SPEAK #2 $3.50

JUL120057 GOON #42 $3.50

JUL120029 MIND MGMT #5 $3.99

JUL120037 STAR WARS DARTH MAUL DEATH SENTENCE #3 $2.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for August 29 2012

DARK HORSE COMICS

JUN120012 ANGEL & FAITH #13 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99

JUN120027 AXE COP PRESIDENT O/T WORLD #2 $3.50

MAY120075 BETTIE PAGE BIZARRE BELT BUCKLE $19.99

MAY120078 BETTIE PAGE BIZARRE CIGARETTE CASE $29.99

MAY120079 BETTIE PAGE BIZARRE FLASK $29.99

MAY120077 BETTIE PAGE BIZARRE PERSONAL CASE $27.99

MAY120081 BETTIE PAGE BIZARRE PILL BOX $15.99

MAY120080 BETTIE PAGE BIZARRE ROUND COMPACT $19.99

MAY120076 BETTIE PAGE BIZARRE SMALL CASE $22.99

MAY120069 BETTIE PAGE RED DEVIL BELT BUCKLE $19.99

MAY120070 BETTIE PAGE RED DEVIL CIGARETTE CASE $29.99

MAY120068 BETTIE PAGE RED DEVIL FLASK $29.99

MAY120072 BETTIE PAGE RED DEVIL PERSONAL CASE $27.99

MAY120074 BETTIE PAGE RED DEVIL PILL BOX $15.99

MAY120071 BETTIE PAGE RED DEVIL ROUND COMPACT $19.99

MAY120073 BETTIE PAGE RED DEVIL SMALL CASE $22.99

JUN120017 BPRD HELL ON EARTH RETURN O/T MASTER #1 SOOK CVR $3.50

JUN120021 GOON #41 $3.50

JUN120033 MASS EFFECT HOMEWORLDS #4 PALUMBO CVR $3.50

MAY120058 REX MUNDI OMNIBUS TP VOL 01 $24.99

APR120030 RIVEN TP $17.99

JUN120042 STAR WARS DARTH MAUL DEATH SENTENCE #2 $2.99

APR120040 STAR WARS OMNIBUS CLONE WARS VOL 01 REPUBLIC WAR TP $24.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for July 25 2012

DARK HORSE COMICS

MAY120049 ANGEL & FAITH #12 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99
MAY120010 AXE COP PRESIDENT O/T WORLD #1 $3.50
MAY120055 BPRD HELL ON EARTH EXORCISM #2 $3.50
MAR120019 DRAGON AGE HC VOL 01 SILENT GROVE $14.99
MAY120057 GOON #40 $3.50
APR120053 GOON FISH CANNERS JERSEY LG $34.99
APR120052 GOON FISH CANNERS JERSEY MED $34.99
APR120054 GOON FISH CANNERS JERSEY XL $34.99
APR120055 GOON FISH CANNERS JERSEY XXL $36.99
MAR128224 HELLBOY TP 03 CHAINED COFFIN AND OTHERS $19.99
MAR128226 HELLBOY TP VOL 10 CROOKED MAN & OTHERS (NEW PTG) $19.99
MAR120036 KULL TP VOL 03 THE CAT & THE SKULL $15.99
MAY120024 MASS EFFECT HOMEWORLDS #3 PALUMBO CVR $3.50
MAY120026 RESIDENT ALIEN #3 $3.50
MAY120029 STAR WARS BLOOD TIES BOBA FETT IS DEAD #4 $3.50
MAR128225 STAR WARS CRIMSON EMPIRE II COUNCIL BLOOD TP (NEW PTG) $17.99
MAY120027 STAR WARS DARTH MAUL DEATH SENTENCE #1 $2.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 27 2012

DARK HORSE COMICS

APR120021 ANGEL & FAITH #11 REBEKAH ISAACS VAR CVR $2.99
APR120020 ANGEL & FAITH #11 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99
APR120024 BPRD HELL ON EARTH EXORCISM #1 (OF 2) $3.50
MAR120035 CHRONICLES OF CONAN TP VOL 22 REAVERS BORDERLAND $18.99
FEB120024 CONAN TP VOL 11 ROAD OF KINGS $19.99
APR120010 FATIMA THE BLOOD SPINNERS #1 (OF 4) HERNANDEZ CVR $3.99
FEB120041 GOON TP VOL 11 DEFORMED BODY & DEVIOUS MIND $16.99
MAR120025 GUILD TP VOL 02 $14.99
MAR120051 HOUSE OF NIGHT HC $14.99
APR120046 RESET #3 (OF 4) $3.50
APR120044 RESIDENT ALIEN #2 $3.50
APR120035 STAR WARS BLOOD TIES BOBA FETT IS DEAD #3 (OF 4) $3.50
FEB120047 TALES O/T BEANWORLD HC VOL 03.5 $14.99
MAR120029 USAGI YOJIMBO LTD HC VOL 26 TRAITORS O/T EARTH $59.99
MAR120028 USAGI YOJIMBO TP VOL 26 TRAITORS O/T EARTH $16.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 30 2012

DARK HORSE COMICS

MAR120044 ANGEL & FAITH #10 REBEKAH ISAACS VAR CVR $2.99
MAR120043 ANGEL & FAITH #10 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99
JAN120087 AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER TP VOL 02 PROMISE PART 2 $10.99
FEB120035 BALTIMORE HC VOL 02 CURSE BELLS $24.99
MAR120038 BPRD HELL ON EARTH TRANSFORMATION ODONNELL #1 FIUMARA CVR $3.50
JAN120092 CHANNEL ZERO TP COMPLETE COLLECTION $19.99
JAN120091 EMPOWERED TP VOL 07 $16.99
MAR120017 MASS EFFECT HOMEWORLDS #2 PALUMBO CVR $3.50
MAR120014 STAR WARS BLOOD TIES BOBA FETT IS DEAD #2 (OF 4) $3.50
FEB120014 STAR WARS KNIGHT ERRANT TP VOL 02 DELUGE $18.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 25 2012

DARK HORSE COMICS

JAN120075 ABE SAPIEN TP VOL 02 DEVIL DOES NOT JEST $17.99
FEB120031 ANGEL & FAITH #9 REBEKAH ISAACS VAR CVR $2.99
FEB120030 ANGEL & FAITH #9 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99
FEB120039 BPRD HELL ON EARTH PICKENS COUNTY HORROR #2 (OF 2) $3.50
JAN120139 CLASSIC MARVEL CHARACTERS FF #4 THE THING $49.95
FEB120040 GOON #39 $3.50
FEB120025 KING CONAN PHOENIX ON THE SWORD #4 (OF 4) $3.50
FEB120018 MASS EFFECT HOMEWORLDS #1 PALUMBO CVR $3.50
DEC110063 MASS EFFECT TP VOL 03 INVASION $16.99
FEB120009 STAR WARS BLOOD TIES BOBA FETT IS DEAD #1 (OF 4) SCALF CVR ( $3.50
JAN120096 STAR WARS CRIMSON EMPIRE III EMPIRE LOST #6 (OF 6) $3.50
SEP110028 STAR WARS DARK TIMES OUT O/T WILDERNESS #5 (OF 5) $2.99
JAN120099 STAR WARS INVASION TP VOL 03 REVELATIONS $18.99
JAN120110 TUROK SON OF STONE ARCHIVES HC VOL 10 $59.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for March 28 2012

DARK HORSE COMICS

JAN120080 ANGEL & FAITH #8 REBEKAH ISAACS VAR CVR $2.99
JAN120079 ANGEL & FAITH #8 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99
JAN120072 BPRD HELL ON EARTH PICKENS COUNTY HORROR #1 (OF 2) CLOONAN $3.50
JAN120130 GAME OF THRONES CHARACTER MAGNET SET $8.99
JAN120090 IMMORTAL DEMON I/T BLOOD #4 $3.50
JAN120103 KING CONAN PHOENIX ON THE SWORD #3 (OF 4) $3.50
NOV110055 KUROSAGI CORPSE DELIVERY SERVICE TP VOL 12 (RES) (MR) $11.99
JAN128224 STAR WARS DAWN O/T JEDI FORCE STORM #1 2ND PTG $3.50

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 29 2012

DARK HORSE COMICS

DEC110052 ANGEL & FAITH #7 REBEKAH ISAACS VAR CVR $2.99
DEC110051 ANGEL & FAITH #7 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99
JUL110059 DRINKY CROW PARTY LIGHTS $14.99
OCT110051 EMPOWERED DELUXE ED HC VOL 01 $59.99
OCT110055 GANTZ TP VOL 21 $12.99
OCT110054 GATE 7 TP VOL 02 $10.99
DEC110049 KING CONAN PHOENIX ON THE SWORD #2 (OF 4) $3.50
DEC110077 THE IMMORTAL DEMON I/T BLOOD #3 $3.50
DEC110078 USAGI YOJIMBO #144 $3.50

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 25 2012

DARK HORSE COMICS

NOV110019 ANGEL & FAITH #6 REBEKAH ISAACS VAR CVR $2.99
NOV110018 ANGEL & FAITH #6 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99
SEP110039 AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER TP VOL 01 PROMISE PART 1 $10.99
NOV110013 BPRD HELL ON EARTH RUSSIA #5 $3.50
OCT110056 CARDCAPTOR SAKURA DARK HORSE OMNIBUS ED TP VOL 03 $19.99
OCT110060 CREEPY ARCHIVES HC VOL 12 $49.99
NOV110025 CREEPY COMICS #7 $4.99
NOV110041 KING CONAN PHOENIX ON THE SWORD #1 (OF 4) ROBINSON CVR $3.50
OCT110059 MANARA LIBRARY HC VOL 02 $59.99
OCT110063 SPACE FAMILY ROBINSON ARCHIVES HC VOL 03 $49.99
NOV110048 THE IMMORTAL DEMON I/T BLOOD #2 $3.50
NOV110049 USAGI YOJIMBO #143 $3.50

I Reads You Review: ANGEL AND FAITH #1

ANGEL & FAITH #1
DARK HORSE COMICS

WRITER: Christos Gage
ART: Rebekah Isaacs
COLORS: Dan Jackson
LETTERS: Jimmy Betancourt
COVER: Steve Morris (alternative cover by Jo Chen and 25th anniversary cover by Georges Jeanty, Dexter Vines, and JD Mettler)
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S.

Angel & Faith is a new comic book series that ties into Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine, and both reportedly will run for 25 issues. Angel and Faith are characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the television series created by Joss Whedon. Angel (portrayed by actor David Boreanaz) is a vampire whose soul was restored as punishment for his crimes. Faith Lehane (played by Eliza Dishku) is a Slayer, a girl endowed with supernatural abilities who battles evil creatures like vampires and demons.

Angel & Faith #1 (“Live Through This” Part One) opens after the events of Twilight, which saw Angel kill the Watcher, Rupert Giles. Now, with access to the Watcher files, Angel is picking up Giles’ old cases with rebel Slayer, Faith, along for the fun. Meanwhile, two figures from Angel’s Twilight past, Nash and Pearl, are looking for some serious payback.

You don’t have to be familiar with the recent Buffy or Angel spin-off comic book series to enjoy or understand Angel & Faith, although knowing even a little about the two characters helps. First, I should say that I enjoyed reading this… for the most part. The art by Rebekah Isaacs is well-drawn and the storytelling is good. The writing by Christos Gage is technically good. Why technically?

Like most comic books published over the last decade (and longer for some publishers), Angel & Faith #1 is the first chapter in a serialized “graphic novel” or story arc that will eventually be published in a trade paperback edition. This first issue hops around from one subplot to the next, and there are multiple points of view or narrators. There is so much exposition and dialogue that one could see this as an illustrated short story or chapter of an illustrated novel more so than it is a comic book. Still, I must emphasis that this is a good comic book, but it’s like reading a part of a story instead of being a story.

B