Sons of the Devil #1
Written by Brian Buccellato
Art by Toni Infante
Cover art by Toni Infante, Francis Manapul, and Paolo Rivera
Image Comics
Release Date: May 27, 2015
Cover Price: $2.99

Sons of the Devil #1 is so many things, that it’s hard to put it into one genre. I could say horror, mystery, thriller, crime drama, the list goes on and on. But, the one category that I feel totally comfortable putting it in, is REALLY GOOD.

I’ve come to be a big fan of writer Brian Buccellato over the last couple of years. I’ve enjoyed his work on both The Flash and on Detective Comics as well, so while this might have been a comic that I normally would’ve passed on, his name sold me on this book, and boy am I glad that I took a chance on it.

The Roman Nose, Book 1
Written by Seth Kushner
Art, Colors, and Letters by George Folz
Cover by Darwyn Cooke
Available at Comixology
Release Date: April 22, 2015
Cover Price: $1.99

So Seth Kushner emailed me a couple of weeks ago about his newest project called The Roman Nose, Book 1. An unusual title, I must say. So I followed the link and snagged a copy to read. It’s nothing like his SCHMUCK comic, a pseudo-bio about life in the Big Apple. I was expecting a similar style book but I couldn’t have been further from the truth.

Set in Rome in 2114, we find our “hero” enjoying the local scenery. I use the term hero quite loosely because, while he does have a power of sorts, it’s not one of those more conventional powers like flight or super strength. This guy has hyperosmia, also known as a heightened sense of smell. He gets downright Sherlockian in his deductions and uses it to stay one step ahead of trouble. There are some odd moments, obviously pointedly reminding us that this story is set in the future. There are some Dalek looking “Goombots” that are sent after him early on in the story. Luckily he is able to escape on his…Vespa? By breaking down a gate? The Vespa has gotten some serious upgrades in the future, let me tell you! Throw in mafia wives, ex-girlfriends, and evil popes to get one hell of a fun ride. There is a plot to overthrow the people in power and only our hero (known by the moniker The Roman Nose) is able to stop it!

When composing an obituary, it is customary to include life accomplishments, surviving relations, and generally create a bubble in which to compress a person’s entire life, so that the reader gets a synopsis of who the real person was beneath it all. I am choosing to walk a different path today, while I talk to you about Seth Kushner. Seth was a great photographer and a spectacular writer/creator, make no mistake about that. His peers and his friends have been properly forthcoming on his Facebook page, and in other social media. But what struck me most about this amazing guy was his genuine love of his family, and of life itself.

Last month, I reviewed a comic that really hit home with me personally. You might remember it, it’s called The Tithe from Top Cow. (Here’s my review to refresh your memory.) Well, today I got to check out the second issue a couple of weeks early and it was just as phenomenal as the first.

Which brings me to the point at hand: We’ve been given the exclusive news to let the world know that this miniseries, The Tithe, is a mini no longer. Thanks to overwhelming interest and support, the publisher has given the go-ahead for the title to become an ongoing series. That means we are going to get more than just a single story that explores the hacker group Samaritan (I still think that would be a great title) and hopefully we will see a lot more from FBI Agents Campbell and Howard.

While the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse and next entry in the Wolverine series could possibly be the end of Bryan Singer’s two-part run with the franchise, that doesn’t mean you can expect the X-Men movies to slow down or take a break.

It’s been announced that a new spinoff of the franchise is on the way titled The New Mutants, and just as it sounds, the movie will introduce a whole new lineup of mutant characters. Fox has also hired a someone to make the movie, bringing in The Fault in Our Stars and Stuck in Love director Josh Boone to helm the project. Boone will also pen the screenplay along with Knate Gwaltney, with Simon Kinberg and Lauren Shuler Donner producing.