Captain America: Reborn #1
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Penciler: Bryan Hitch and Butch Guice
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release date: July 1, 2009

I should be more excited about this. I have loved Ed Brubaker’s run on Captain America since I picked up the first trade. It’s probably my favorite book that I’m currently reading on a monthly basis. So why is ‘underwhelmed’ the first word coming to mind? I’ll tell you why: it’s mostly that too much of Captain America: Reborn #1 is spent recapping info that was recapped two weeks ago in Captain America #600. So what we get is a second issue in a row of set-up; well-illustrated set-up, but set-up nonetheless.

This issue follows from where Issue #600 left off. Sharon Carter and the Falcon take the gun that killed Steve Rogers to Hank Pym for some investigation. They discuss Sharon’s memories from when she was under the Red Skull’s control and how she saw what could be one of Dr. Doom’s Time Platforms and that the Red Skull may have already brought Steve back. Meanwhile, the current Cap and the Black Widow try to track down the Time Platform so they can see what it really is. Unfortunately, the Platform is in the custody of Norman Osborne, so they have to break into a H.A.M.M.E.R. facility, where all does not go according to plan. Finally, we get a hint of what may be happening to Steve, and how he may be brought back [...]

Captain America #600
Written by Ed Brubaker
Art by Butch Guice and others
Marvel Comics
Price: $4.99
Released date: June 15, 2009

The big news in the comics world was Marvel’s announcement of the imminent return of the original Captain America, Steve Rogers. Now if you’ve been reading comics for any amount of time, you probably know that death is only a temporary issue for any of the major characters, and that eventually ALL dead characters will be coming back, so I wasn’t surprised to hear that Steve would be coming back.

I had hoped that Marvel Comics would leave him alone for a while, mostly because the current Captain America series following Steve’s old sidekick Bucky Barnes as Cap has been amazing. The twenty-five issues since Steve Rogers’ “death” have been easily the best book being produced today by anyone. The series has been consistently smart, action-packed, and straight-up entertaining, and it’s all due to the writing of Ed Brubaker, who managed to bring back Bucky and make it not only believable, but compelling. Now that we’ve seen the start of the return of Steve Rogers, it will be interesting to see if Brubaker can maintain the high level of quality that he has brought to this title [...]

The Deadbeat
Story and Words by Jeremy Massie
Alterna Comics

After finishing The Deadbeat (Alterna Comics) a serious, graphically told story wrapped in the familiar guise of super-hero fiction, I’m left wanting more.

The story, written and illustrated by Jeremy Massie, follows an unnamed super-powered man who whose average day consists of going to the local pub to get drunk off of the chocolate-flavored beverage “YooHoo” served in a dirty glass — the only thing that’ll affect him due to his inherent invulnerability. His retirement, so to speak, came as a result of an epic battle with a mad scientist that killed hundreds of civilians, which included his wife. Distraught from this loss, he sends his infant daughter Vera to live with her aunt. Years later, he receives a letter informing him of Vera’s death, allowing him to further plunge into a shell of his former life.

When Vera, now fully grown with powers of her own, appears at the pub, our invulnerable man comes out of retirement with a new outlook on life [...]

Out there in the world, right this moment, there are countless independent comic book writers and artists trying to make their mark in the comic world. Silber Media is one of those folks, but instead of sticking on the regular path or taking the new road of digital comics, these guys and gals took an alternative path rarely traveled: mini-comics!

Mini comics aren’t comic books, and they’re not comic strips. They’re kind of a hybrid of the two. Each is about the size of a matchbook, with one panel, one picture, and one or two lines of dialogue on each page, but in the page-turning book format. Basically, you throw a handful of them in your pocket and go wherever you need to go. At a low point in your day, grab a mini-comic and go to town.

Currently, Silber has multiple mini-comic series going on, including Lost Kisses — which follows a lowly stick figure on his bitter, loathing quest for vengeance on a hated ex girlfriend; as well as Worms — a nightmare of a story that sees a girl waking up in a mysterious hospital, tied to her bed and attached to an IV with worms in it that slowly work their way into her system. [...]

X-Men: Manifest Destiny
Written by Jason Aaron, Mike Carey, Frank Tieri
Drawn by Michael Ryan, Stephen Segovia, Takeshi Miyazawa
Marvel Comics
Release date: May 13, 2009

Having been decimated, become an endangered species, and developed a Messiah Complex, it is safe to say that the X-Men have had a rough couple of years. The years have not been kind to the merry mutants as their population dwindled and the hatred toward them increase twice fold. In their latest storyline, Manifest Destiny, with their home in ruins and with no allies to be found, the X-Men have decided to abandon their home in Westchester and set up shop in mutant friendly San Francisco. It is there with Warren Worthington’s (aka Angel) money, they set up a new facility to house any mutant in need of shelter, sort of like a new age Xavier Academy.

The storyline is actually pretty entertaining but too bad it is not in this hardcover. X-Men: Manifest Destiny hardcover does not collect the main story but rather the back stories and various mini-series that spun off from the storyline itself. One of the mini-series that it collects are Wolverine: Manifest Destiny, where fists fly and kung fu chops are thrown as Wolvie must confront his past in the heart of San Francisco’s Chinatown. In Nightcrawler: Manifest Destiny, our favorite elf heads off to a museum dedicated to him and the monster that lurks the area. Other back up stories revolving around Iceman, Mystique, and Boom-Boom that were presented as back up stories are also published in this book [...]

Atomic Robo and the Shadow From Beyond Time #2
Written by Brian Clevinger
Art by Scott Wegener
Colors by Ronda Pattison
Red 5 Comics
Release date: June 3, 2009

First off, how can you NOT love a comic called Atomic Robo and the Shadow Beyond Time? Everything you need to know about this comic is sitting right there in the title. It’s got robots, horror, and just the right about of humor. Of course, the book itself is pretty good too, which is a good thing because people generally buy a comic for more than just its title.

This is the third mini in the Atomic Robo series, and from the first two issues, I’m enjoying it even more than I did the first two. In this one, we follow Atomic Robo in 1920’s New York as he has to stop a Lovecraftian monster who has taken over the body of the actual H.P. Lovecraft. And that’s not even the craziest of the ideas in this issue. Brian Clevinger continues to make this a supremely fun comic. It’s filled with a lot of humor, but I wouldn’t really describe it as a humor book. It’s an adventure book, and Clevinger always keeps the action at the forefront. This issue in particular has a great balance between action and comedy, as Robo has a great conversation with Nikola Tesla while taking on the monster. The other nice thing about this series is that you never know what kind of story is going to be told. Each series has told a different kind of story, yet the central character keeps the whole thing together.

The Muppet Show #3
Written and drawn by Roger Landridge
Boom Studios
Release date: June 3, 2009

When news came down the pipe that Boom! Studios was creating a line of child-friendly comics off some licensed properties, I was pretty surprised. I mean, it is tough enough for a smaller publisher to publish non superhero-centric books in this current market, let alone comics geared towards kids. It has the terms “no good deed goes unpunished” and “shoot yourself in the foot” written all over it. But, leave it to the crafty publisher to bring out several quality properties that not only have massive kids appeal, but also mainstream appeal such as The Muppet Show.

Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzy, and the rest of the Muppets are back in comic form once again. Following the pattern of the original variety show, readers are treated with an actual Muppet Show as seen on TV, filled with musical numbers, skits, and backstage shenanigans that you come to know and love. While the show is in session, readers are given a main story to follow that spotlights one member of the Muppet clan. So with any given issue, the focus is on a different Muppet and their story.

Writer/artist Roger Landridge does a great job creating a whole Muppet episode on paper [...]

Hotwire; Requiem for the Dead
#3 of 4
Written, Illustrated and lettered by Steve Pugh
Created by Warren Ellis and Steve Pugh
Radical Publishing, Inc.
Cover price: $2.99; On-sale date: May 2009

“Blue-Lights have started to penetrate the suppressor fields into the cities and are possessing the living. The living are being turned into “Ghost-Bombs,” capable of enormous damage. When the dead threaten the living, you call the police and they have a department of One to take care of the problem. The Detective Exorcist, Alice Hotwire.”

This is the foreword on this Warren Ellis and Steve Pugh created miniseries. Newcomer Radical Publishing is producing this comic, based on a story by Warren Ellis, which, judging by the intense, strange, vivid world and equally traited characters, is not hard to believe. Steve Pugh is handling the rest of the series though, by writing, illustrating and even lettering this futuristic/technological ghost/zombie story [...]

Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic
Blu-ray Edition
Directed by Jake Strider Hughes
Narrated by Tom Stechschulte
Based the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Warner Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 3, 2009

It would be logical to write off the Watchmen Motion Comic as yet another way for Warner Bros. to cash in on the recent Watchmen movie tie-in craze. That’s understandable, but going on the assumption that anyone putting out a product is primarily looking to turn a profit, what is the benefit of this motion comic and is it worth your time? Let’s find out.

For those of you not familiar with motion comics, it’s an animated version of a comic book that includes a narrative and musical score. So with the Watchmen Motion Comic, you get the original artwork by Dave Gibbons that was in the printed book with nothing changed except its presentation. Panels of art are panned in and out of, and the pieces of each panel are animated, making it look like a crude form of cartoon. A narrator speaks the dialogue from the word balloons while a musical score plays along with it [...]

How does one review Watchmen for what must be the ten billionth time? What I mean to say is, what can I bring to the discussion of this book that hasn’t been said before? As a reviewer, most of the time I’m writing to say whether I think the item I’m reviewing is worth your time and money. That’s the nuts and bolts of what I do for this website, I try to advise you, our humble reader, what is worth your hard earned money, and what you should skip. Well, this time it’s a little different, because if you’re a comic reader (even if you’re not), you either already own this, or have already decided if it’s worth your time and money. So, if you’ve never read this before, or if you’re on the fence about it, I will start this off by saying yes, Watchmen is absolutely worth your time and money. Go out and buy it, you’ll find something to enjoy about it. What I’m going to go into now, is a short look into why Watchmen is good (in my humble opinion) and why it still matters to so many readers today. Why has this book persisted as the one book comic readers point to when asked for a good book to read?

The first reason is that it’s smart. This is a book that will not only make you think on your first read, but will give you something new to think about every time you read it [...]

Samurai Elf
Written by Miguel Guerra, Suzy Dias
Art by Miguel Guerra
Samurai Elf, Vol. 1: Set Apart
Release date: November 1, 2006
Samurai Elf, Vol. 2: Bulls Eye
Release date: November 4, 2008
Iberian Press

Samurai Elf follows the adventures of the last elf on the planet Tyr. Ardan knows nothing about his past, but he suddenly becomes a very popular being. Problem is, not all of his “fans” have his best interest at heart. Thus begins Ardan’s tale of self-discovery and world adventure. Volume 1: Set Apart, keeps it simple by introducing the main influences in Ardan’s life, from a master Samurai Dwarf, who’s training Ardan really finds draining, to Keegan, a feisty, female samurai who takes a liking to Ardan and realizes her life has been too boring for too long, decides to share his quest for answers and destiny.

Along the way we also meet some of the Hordes horrific minions. Enhanced robotic humans who have allowed themselves to be transformed into hideous killing machines in order to do their “Fury’s” bidding. Namely, capture Ardan. But some of them are willing to risk “recycling” to gain vengeance on the last elf.

We also catch a glimpse of a seemingly dark power inside of Ardan himself. Is this why all of Tyr seems to be after him? [...]

One of the biggest comic crossover events that was not Universe wide is the Batman: No Man’s Land event that took place during 1999. Preceded by Batman: Cataclysm, the crossover took place in all the Bat-universe books, including the four monthly Batman titles — Detective Comics, Batman, Batman: Shadow of the Bat, and Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight — as well as the larger Batman family like Robin, Catwoman, and Nightwing.

This may be deemed as a bit of a cheat, attributing to Rucka the success of No Man’s Land, as when you look at the full list of authors behind this massive event, he is just one of many. However, with issues of the two main comics under his belt — Batman and Detective Comics — Rucka definitely had a lot to say in this series. And when you look at the credits on the trade paperbacks, Rucka’s name appears in all of them.

No Man’s Land was epic, nothing short of it. Gotham City is hit by a massive earthquake that sees destruction everywhere. Over the next few days and weeks, it would become evident that Gotham would not be making a quick recovery. Eventually, the United States of America declares Gotham City a No Man’s Land — meaning that it is no longer part of American territory. People are asked to leave, and many hundreds of thousands do [...]

Greg Rucka has an uncanny ability to write a good story. Some people, specifically found within the comics industry, rely on the good work that has come before with the characters they are given. On the other hand are authors like Rucka, who go out and make their own great characters.

Also published by Oni Press, who I must thank for providing me with review copies, is Whiteout. A fantastic crime book situated entirely in Antarctica, Whiteout once again proves the above statement. Focusing on Carrie Stetko, a U.S. Marshal working at McMurdo station in Antarctica, the gritty and realistic story is captivating, and you’ll soon see yourself finished each of the four issue series in no time.

Originally released in four issues during 1998 and a sequel — Whiteout: Melt — in 2000, Rucka manages a trick that many authors fail miserably at. Instead of relying upon a handful of characters to act as the leads, Rucka allows Antarctica itself to be a major lead.

Whether Rucka has ever been to Antarctica, knows someone who has been, or was himself a U.S. Marshal exiled to Antarctica, I don’t know. But regardless, you get the feeling that he knows exactly what he is talking about. And the black and white art that accompanies these issues allow the story to once again remain at the forefront of the readers mind [...]

Greg Rucka has a penchant for writing a certain type of character. It shows in Queen and Country, Whiteout, Checkmate, and especially in his choosing to write Rene Montoya as the Question. After the original Question died during 52, the yearlong weekly comic series by DC Comics, Rene Montoya, ex-Gotham Police Department detective, picks up the mantle, i.e., the hat and the mask.

Originally published as a 5-issue 52 Aftermath comic series, Crime Bible: Five Lessons of Blood was collected into one trade paperback volume under the revised title, The Question: the Five Books of Blood.

I got the good fortune of getting to read them as the individual comics, and they read really well. Split into their five stories, it follows aspects of the Crime Bible; Deceit, Lust, Greed, Murder, and then the finale where Rene must face up against the Dark Faith’s leader [...]

It was a story that would never gain the notoriety of a Batman or Green Lantern, but was written just as well, if not better in most cases. The DC series Checkmate, written by Greg Rucka and penciled by Jesus Saiz, has long been a fan favorite that happened in the background of the DCU.

It was not the first time that Checkmate made an appearance, nor was it the first time that it earned a title for itself. But it was probably the first time it was tackled with such aplomb and skill as when Greg Rucka jumped on board.

Originally run by Maxwell Lord, the mastermind behind the OMAC’s, and the man who eventually shot Blue Beetle Ted Kord, Checkmate was used to control the 1980’s Justice League. But Lord’s intent all along was to bring along the destruction and control of metahumans across the globe.

But now, in the wake of Infinite Crisis, Checkmate has been brought under UN Security Council control, and its unique chess-board-like leadership is ruled by the “Rule of Two”; for each metahuman involved there is one human. Their job is “maintaining the global balance between humans and metahumans.”

At the top of Checkmate are two Kings and two Queens. White runs intelligence gathering and black runs operations. White Queen is Amanda Waller, formerly head of the Suicide Squad, and still up to her devious machinations, alongside White King Alan Scott, the Golden Age Green Lantern. However, Scott is soon replaced by his bishop, Mister Terrific. Black King is Talen Beni Khalid, alongside Black Queen Sasha Bordeaux, one of the few remaining underlings from Lord’s time at the help of Checkmate [...]

November 29th is author Greg Rucka’s birthday, so naturally, we here at Geeks of Doom, with grateful assistance from InStockTrades, are celebrating with Greg Rucka Week! Five Days. Five Reviews of some of his best work! To cover all he has done would be insane, and much of his work — ike 52 and No Man’s Land – is not his alone. But we’ll do the best we can, and we hope you enjoy.

And there is no better way to start out a week of reviews dedicated to Greg Rucka then to focus on the perennial favorite, Queen and Country.

It originally started out as a comic book, published by Oni Press and first released March of 2001. Since then, however, it has gone on for 32 issues, spawned two novels, and a film adaptation which has been stuck in development for some time.

The series focuses on Tara Chace, an operative of the Special Operations Section of SIS, Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service. However, unlike other spy books, Queen and Country (QnC for short) starts in reality, rather than fiction [...]

Ever have a favorite band? You have all their albums and seen all their concerts? For this reviewer, it is the Wallflowers and for writer/artist it was and sill is Queen. The mega popular band, led by lead singer Freddie Mercury, was young Mike Dawson’s favorite band and a huge influence in his life. Just how big of an influence is the subject of his autobiography, Freddie and Me.

Freddie and Me reads a lot like a love letter to the popular band, mostly known for their hit “Bohemian Rhapsody,” even though much of it showcases the life of Dawson. From his first encounter with the band when he was just a small child in England with the help of an cassette tape given to him by his brother, Dawson was hooked the minute he heard them. His love for them stayed with him later on in life, when he moved to the United States the love for the music and Mercury lasted even when Mercury died in the early nineties. Along the way, readers gets a chance to view and experience Dawson’s life, his hardships at school, dealing with feelings as an outsider, falling for his best mate’s girl, and the death of his grandmother. Most importantly, it showcases how Queen changed the life of one boy from Britain [...]

I must confess that I’m a huge Halloween fan. Really a horror film fan in general, but Halloween has my heart. It was the movie Halloween that made me afraid of the hall closet in my grandmother’s house well into my teenage years. So, when I had the opportunity to review Stefan Hutchinson’s Halloween: The First Death of Laurie Strode, of course, I jumped at it and gratefully I was not disappointed.

At first look you know you’re in for a ride. There are a variety of covers, Michael with a knife, his reflection in a pool of blood, and one where Michael is holding a human head, but the one they used is striking. It is simply the mask with hair of fire, truly ominous.

What you will find surprising is that the content does not repeat the movie. Essentially, this story focuses on Laurie and her fears showing that in scenes with exploding jack-o-lanterns and more fire. What we see is how scared Laurie is and how the other people in town treat her after “the night when the world changed.” As a result, Laurie wants to leave town to escape. Because of this a great deal of sadness permeates this issue, as well as the normal guilt and questions of “Why me?” Also, Dr. Loomis makes a brief appearance [...]

In these selfish times it’s rare for a community to help an individual. But when comic artist Josh Medors was diagnosed with cancer the geek community did just that. An artist for numerous works, Josh Medors has worked on 30 Days of Night Annual, Dial M for Monster: a Cal Macdonald Mystery, and Horrorcide. Medors was recently diagnosed with cancer, and this benefit comic is a response to that news. Many in the comic book community have donated their time, skills, and work, including an appearance as a zombie in The Walking Dead.

Pulp Tales, a collection of five stories begins with “Bluejacket” written by B. Clay Moore and Seth Peck and art by Chris Samnee. The story begins with the Bluejackets in the middle of apprehending a Werejaguar. Once they succeed and return to their headquarters you see the heads of previous conquests, including humans [...]

Why play God when you can be the Devil, himself? For more than a decade the anti-hero, The Darkness, has been a familiar name in the comic book world. Original creators, Garth Ennis, Marc Silvestri, and David Wohl showcased the first appearance in 1996 in another one of their Top Cow productions, Witchblade. The Darkness has been an amazing success due to its very dark undertone and graphically mature art design. This is one series that has made a creatively nefarious read out of a devilish persona.

Jackie Estacado has been bestowed with the Darkness, an unseemingly evil concoction of ascendancy. He befriends an ingenious scientist that teaches Jackie how to channel his unique devilish gift. The two team up to take on a small tropical city in the South American landmass. Faster than you can say, “Columbia Drug Packing Mule,” the duo have the city and large populated areas of the world dealing and pushing a new drug. The drug, called nightfall, is so pristine it’s undetected, isn’t addictive, doesn’t have any bad long-term effects, and it’s still legal. According to one drug-pushing goon in the comic and a line I thought sounded so natural coming from a pusher [...]