Persephone HC
Story and Art by Loïc Locatelli-Kournwsky
Letters by Deron Bennett
Translated by Edward Gavvin
Archaia Entertainment
Release Date: May 16, 2018
Cover Price: $19.99

I have yet to read Persephone but just flipping through it I am struck by the amalgamation of so many different styles blended into one unique, yet disturbing, tale.

This contemporary re-imagining by Loïc Locatelli-Kournwsky has been translated into English from its original French.

Cyborg 009
Hardcover
Written by F.J. Desanto and Bradley Camp
Illustrated by Marcus To
Colored by Ian Herring
Lettered by Deron Bennett
Designed by Jon Adams
Edited by Stephen Christy
Created by Shotaro Ishinomori
Archaia Entertainment
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Cover Price: $24.95

Archaia Entertainment has updated Shotaro Ishinomori‘s manga about a multicultural group of cyborg outcasts, Cyborg 009. A young man known only as Cyborg 009 wakes up in a top-secret research facility. He has no memory of his previous life. He is immediately told to destroy his predecessors Cyborgs 001-008.

Eventually, the cyborgs escape along with Dr. Gilmore, one of the more sympathetic scientists involved in the cyborg soldier project. Cyborg 009 learns about his origin and the origins of the other 8 cyborgs. Most of them were randomly kidnapped and they have very diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. He has a bit of a rival in the group in the New-York born Jet Link, and a potential love interest in the French-born Francoise Arnoul. Cyborg 009 has to deal with an emotional tug-of-war between a longing for his old life, and the pressing need to unite with his cyborg brethren against Sekar, the villainous leader of the group that turned them all into cyborgs.

Hawken: Genesis
Story by Dan Jevons, Miles Williams, and Khang Le
Written by Jeremy Barlow
Illustrated by Francisco Ruiz Velasco, Alex Sanchez, Kody Chamberlain, Sid Kotian, Bill Sienkiewicz, Bagus Hutomo, Michael Gaydos, Federico Dallocchio, Nathan Fox, and Christopher Moeller
Colored by Grant Goleash, Derek Dow, Eddy Swan, Chad Fidler, and Logan Faerber
Lettered by Deron Bennett
Cover by Khang Le
Archaia Entertainment
Release Date: April 9, 2013
Cover Price: $19.95

Hawken: Genesis is a graphic novel based on the popular free online multi-player game, Hawken. While the game allows you to go to war, controlling a massive, robotic killing machine, Hawken: Genesis explores the origins of why you are fighting in the first place. Archaia Entertainment pulled together a solid team for this graphic novel with the story written by Jeremy Barlow and illustrations provided by a slew of fantastic artists.

“Come to Illal. Come to Paradise.”

Hopeless, Maine: Personal Demons
Created by Tom and Nimue Brown
Written by Tom and Nimue Brown
Illustrated by Tom Brown
Letters by Deron Bennett
Archaia Entertainment
Release Date: November 27, 2012
Cover Price: $19.95

Created and written by Tom and Nimue Brown, Hopeless, Maine: Personal Demons is the story of a little girl named Salamandra who lives on a hidden island just off the coast of Maine. The denizens of Hopeless haven’t seen the sun in forever. The parents of this gloomy island are constantly disappearing giving rise to a booming orphan population. And on top of all that, demons inhabit the entire island. Yes, actual physical demons with pointy teeth and huge appetites flit about the town and loom ever-present through the entire story.

Salamandra is a little girl who is found living alone in a sizable Victorian house. This is how a young woman by the name of Nightshade finds Salamandra. “My mother wants to drink me,” is one of many odd things the little girl says throughout Hopeless, Maine. Another odd bit about Salamandra is that she commands great magic. This is learned after a rather unfortunate occurrence with the good samaritan Miss Nightshade’s chair. The decision is made then and there that Salamandra cannot stay there so she is whisked off to the town’s orphanage where our story slowly, slowly begins moving forward.

Richie Rich #5
Written by Buddy Scalera
Art by James Silvani
Colors by Dustin Evans
Letters by Deron Bennett
Edited by Arron Sparrow
Concept by Brent E. Erwin
Ape Entertainment/Kizoic
Release Date: June 6, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Starting with Richie Rich #5 this series goes monthly, and I have to say, the 10-year-old in me is really happy about it, and I think the 10-year-old in you will enjoy it just as much.

Writer Buddy Scalera gives us a great lead story in this issue, one that reminds me of the classic Richie Rich stories, but with a modern day twist. I have to admit, reading the series before I wasn’t totally digging the Jonny Quest take on Richie Rich that Ape Entertainment had going on. But, in this issue, Scalera returns Richie to his roots and tells a story that could only happen to “the poor little rich boy.” It’s a great parody of classic superhero comics, one that I think you’ll enjoy and find really charming. A couple of classic characters are introduced from the Richie Rich universe, and the whole story really comes off as the Richie Rich we all know and love.