Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Review: BREATH OF BONES: A Tale of the Golem #1

BREATH OF BONES: A TALE OF THE GOLEM #1 (OF 3)
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

STORY: Steve Niles and Matt Santoro
SCRIPT: Steve Niles
ART: Dave Wachter
LETTERS: Nate Piekos (of Blambot)
EDITORS: Scott Allie and Daniel Chabon
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2013)

Part 1 of 3

Steve Niles, the creator of 30 Days of Night and Criminal Macabre, is the co-creator of a new dark fantasy miniseries, Breath of Bones: A Tale of the Golem. Niles, who wrote the story with Matt Santoro, scripts the series, and 2012 Russ Manning Award nominee Dave Wachter is the artist. The series concerns the giant clay monster of Jewish legend, and its battle against Nazis.

Breath of Bones: A Tale of the Golem #1 opens in April 1944 and focuses on Noah, a young soldier. In the heat of battle, Noah recalls his youth, watching his father and the other men of his small European Jewish village leave for battle. Days turn into weeks as he awaits his father’s return. Then, he meets injured British pilot, Simon Richards.

For the most part, how many readers care what I think? I imagine in the scope of things that Dark Horse Comics cares more about a review at Comic Book Resources or at Newsarama than at I Reads You. That is regardless of how many reviews I Reads You has published in its short life.

But I’ll tell y’all what I think of this comic book anyway. I really like Breath of Bones: A Tale of the Golem. There is a touch of humanity about it that is similar to James Vance and Dan Burr’s recent graphic novel, On the Ropes. I’m not one of those people that get wood whenever I hear that Steve Niles is writing a new scary comic book. I don’t think he’s the Stephen King of American comic books, but still, I’m touched by his new work.

For the most part, the first issue of Breath of Bones: A Tale of the Golem is a historical drama about the home front during wartime. The lovely art by Dave Wachter is perfect to tell this story of a small village in Europe. The lovely ink wash texture helps to evoke the sense of longing and also the threat of danger on the horizon. Is this hand-drawn ink wash or computer-aided? I’ll be disappointed if it’s the latter. Bring on #2.

People who want good comics want Breath of Bones: A Tale of the Golem.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Review: THE BLACK BEETLE: No Way Out #4

THE BLACK BEETLE #4
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

CREATOR/CARTOONIST: Francesco Francavilla
LETTERS: Nate Piekos (of Blambot)
COVER: Francesco Francavilla
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2013)

“No Way Out” (Part 4 of 4)

The Black Beetle: No Way Out, the miniseries by Eisner Award-winning artist, Francesco Francavilla, comes to an end. The Black Beetle, a comic book character created by Francavilla, blends the aesthetics of pulp fiction, mystery, and the superhero. He is a super-heroic sleuth, operating in Colt City.

The Black Beetle attempted to infiltrate a meeting of Colt City’s two crime families, the Galazzos and the Fierros. Shortly after he arrives at Spencer’s, the site of the meeting, the place goes up in a tremendous explosion – killing everyone inside. Determined to discover who came between him and bringing these gangsters to justice, the Black Beetle meets a wily adversary, the enigmatic Labyrinto.

The Black Beetle: No Way Out #4 opens as our hero races to Camp Creek. This woodland estate is where he will find Joseph “Joe” Fierro, A.K.A. “Faccia D’Angelo,” once thought to have been killed at Spencer’s, but who is actually alive. Camp Creek is also where The Black Beetle plans to have his final showdown with Labyrinto, whom he plans to take care of once and for all.

The thing about mystery fiction is that sometimes getting to the conclusion or answer or discovering whodunit is the best part. The resolution, or discovering of who the villain is, can be a little bit of a letdown, especially when what came before it is exceptionally good.

Everything leading up to The Black Beetle: No Way Out #4 was so good. While this last issue is good, it does not reach the heights of what came before it. I thought that a villain such as Labyrinto deserved a more potent last act than what we get here (although this might not be the last time we see him). The reveal and resolution are somewhat disappointing.

As for the art and graphical storytelling: both are still visually striking and pop on the page. I could not help but linger over certain pages, just to enjoy the beauty of Francavilla’s art. I’m ready for The Black Beetle’s return this fall.

A-

http://pulpsunday.blogspot.com/

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


Toriko: Reunion with Terror!!

I read Toriko, Vol. 16

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 12 2013

DC COMICS

APR130248 AMERICAN VAMPIRE THE LONG ROAD TO HELL #1 (MR) $6.99

APR130177 BATGIRL #21 $2.99

APR130161 BATMAN #21 $3.99

APR130164 BATMAN #21 COMBO PACK $4.99

APR130210 BATMAN ARKHAM UNHINGED #15 $3.99

APR130235 BATMAN LIL GOTHAM #3 $2.99

MAR130271 CATWOMAN TP VOL 02 NO EASY WAY DOWN $24.99

APR130192 CONSTANTINE #4 $2.99

APR130194 DEMON KNIGHTS #21 $2.99

APR130184 GREEN LANTERN CORPS #21 $2.99

APR130133 KATANA #5 $2.99

APR130238 MAD PRESENTS SUPERMAN #1 $4.99

MAR130294 MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE ORIGIN OF HORDAK #1 $2.99

APR130179 NIGHTWING #21 $2.99

MAR130303 PREACHER TP BOOK 01 (MR) $19.99

MAR130281 RESURRECTION MAN TP VOL 02 MATTER OF DEATH & LIFE (N52) $14.99

APR130215 SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 #14 $3.99

FEB130219 STORMWATCH HC VOL 02 (RES) $29.99

MAR130282 STORMWATCH TP VOL 01 $19.99

APR130205 SUICIDE SQUAD #21 $2.99

APR130155 SUPERBOY #21 $2.99

APR130107 SUPERMAN UNCHAINED #1 $4.99

APR130109 SUPERMAN UNCHAINED #1 COMBO PACK $5.99

APR130190 THRESHOLD #6 $3.99

APR130149 WORLDS FINEST #13 $2.99

DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES

MAR130312 MAN OF STEEL SUPERMAN VS ZOD 1:12 SCALE STATUE $124.95

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 12 2013

MARVEL COMICS

APR130668 ALPHA BIG TIME #5 $2.99

APR130690 ASTONISHING X-MEN #63 $3.99

MAR130732 ASTONISHING X-MEN GIFTED PROSE NOVEL MASS MARKET TP $7.99

APR130680 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #16 NOW $3.99

APR130669 AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #22 $3.99

MAR130723 CAPTAIN AMERICA PREM HC VOL 01 CASTAWAY DIMENSION Z BK 1 NOW $24.99

APR130748 CAPTAIN MARVEL BY MANARA POSTER $8.99

APR130658 DEADPOOL #11 NOW $2.99

MAR130735 DEADPOOL KILLUSTRATED TP $14.99

MAR130739 ESSENTIAL WOLVERINE TP VOL 07 $19.99

MAR130620 GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #3 NOW $3.99

MAR130747 MARVEL NOIR TP DAREDEVIL CAGE IRON MAN $34.99

APR130695 MARVEL UNIVERSE AVENGERS EARTHS HEROES #15 $2.99

MAR130737 MARVEL UNIVERSE WOLVERINE DIGEST TP $9.99

APR130611 SAVAGE WOLVERINE #6 NOW $3.99

APR130747 SAVAGE WOLVERINE SPIDER-MAN BY MADUREIRA POSTER $8.99

MAR138357 THANOS RISING #1 2ND PTG BIANCHI VAR NOW $3.99

APR130640 THOR GOD OF THUNDER #9 NOW $3.99

APR130673 ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN #27 $3.99

APR130652 UNCANNY X-FORCE #6 NOW $3.99

APR130667 VENOM #36 $2.99

APR130749 WASP BY MANARA POSTER $8.99

APR130644 WOLVERINE #4 NOW $3.99

APR130687 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #31 $3.99

APR130745 WOLVERINE COMIC READER TP #2 $3.99

MAR130738 WOLVERINE TP FIRST CUTS $19.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for June 12 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

DEC120502 COMPLETE LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE HC VOL 09 $49.99

APR130381 CROW CURARE #1 [DIG] $3.99

APR130394 DOOMSDAY.1 #2 [DIG/P+] $3.99

APR130370 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS CUTTER #3 [DIG] $3.99

APR130331 GI JOE HEARTS AND MINDS TP $19.99

APR130332 GI JOE IDW COLLECTION HC VOL 02 $49.99

APR130383 HALF PAST DANGER #2 [DIG/P+] $3.99

MAR130412 MACHINE SABBATH HC $17.99

APR130364 MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #8 [DIG/P+] $3.99

APR130360 POPEYE CLASSICS ONGOING #11 [DIG/P+] $3.99

APR130318 THUMBPRINT BY JOE HILL #1 [DIG] $3.99

APR130354 TMNT SECRET HISTORY OF THE FOOT CLAN TP $17.99

APR130343 TRANSFORMERS PRIME BEAST HUNTERS #2 [DIG/P+] $3.99

APR130340 TRANSFORMERS REGENERATION ONE #92 [DIG/P+] $3.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 12 2013

DARK HORSE COMICS

FEB130031 BLACK BEETLE #4 NO WAY OUT $3.99

APR130039 BREATH OF BONES A TALE O/T GOLEM #1 $3.99

APR130054 BTVS SEASON 9 FREEFALL #22 NOTO CVR $2.99

FEB130056 CREEPY ARCHIVES HC VOL 16 $49.99

FEB130070 LONE WOLF 2100 OMNIBUS $24.99

FEB130036 MICHAEL AVON OEMINGS VICTORIES TP VOL 01 (MR) $9.99

APR130058 STAR WARS #6 $2.99

APR130012 TRUE LIVES O/T FABULOUS KILLJOYS #1 $3.99

APR130021 X #2 (MR) $2.99