Homecoming #3
Written by David Wohl
Art by Emilio Laiso
Colors by Brett Smith
Letters by Josh Reed
Created by Michael Turner, David Wohl, Brad Foxhoven, and Scott Lobdell
Aspen Comics
Release Date: January 23, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

A meteorite has crashed in the Mojave Desert. Local radio DJ Tom “The Talking Tornado” Vinson tracks the meteorite and meets a mysterious death. The Feds “” the whole alphabet soup of agencies “” investigate the site and the deaths of Vinson and two local deputies. Their question as they look at this “meteor crash” site is not just what killed the three men, but where did it go?

In previous issues of Homecoming, we were introduced to Celeste Lee, a high school girl who inexplicably showed up at her old house after she went missing ten years earlier. Only now she has strange, alien powers and a bad case of amnesia. The house’s new occupant, Hunter, took in Celeste and enrolled her in high school with him. Now, Celeste’s mother, Carla, shows up and the two try to piece together their experience 10 years ago.

Hoax Hunters, Vol. 1
Story by Michael Morecci and Steve Seeley
Art by Axel Medellin, Jim Ringuet, and Emilio Laiso
Letters by Jim Campbell
Mothman by Jeremy Tinder
Image Comics
Release Date: December 5, 2012
Cover Price: $14.99

In Michael Morecci and Steve Seeley‘s Hoax Hunters we are given a story that has become somewhat of a staple in comics over the last decade or so: the paranormal investigation teams. Now, most of these are about battling the supernatural, preventing the destruction of the world, secret organizations, blah, blah, blah. But it’s a hard story to tell when you have titles like Hellboy and the many associated spin-offs that have seemingly mastered this subgenre to be compared to. Hoax Hunters though, has a twist.

In the comic, Hoax Hunters is a reality TV show about three investigators (with some others who assist, like an astronaut suit full of crows named “˜Murder’) who debunk the weird, terrifying, supernatural, and creepy for their audience. These guys go anywhere and everywhere with their camera in tow and figure out the reasonable explanation to the mystery, like the gang from Scooby-Doo. What the three don’t say on camera though, is that whenever they encounter a real paranormal or supernatural occurrence, they do everything they can to cover it up. They are the anti X-Files (there is even a poster in the office that says “I don’t want to believe”) protecting us from the Truth.

Homecoming #1
Written by David Wohl and Scott Lobdell
Art by Emilio Laiso
Colors by Brett Smith and Stefani Rennee
Letters by Josh Reed
Aspen Comics
Release Date: August, 15, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Hunter Wilson is your typical American geeky high school student. He worries about getting good grades and getting a date for the big dance, plays lots of video games, and has a blonde attractive alien lady show up stark naked in his swimming pool. Wait, what?? I smell a premise. Thankfully, it is in an endearing one in the capable hands of writers David Wohl and Scott Lobdell who seem to really dig aliens and teenagers in the least creepy way possible.

To to set up Homecoming #1, readers are given a magazine article from ten years ago which explains that a mother and daughter went missing under unusual circumstances. It seems it could have been Mom’s abusive boyfriend or an alien spacecraft. When Celeste Lee, the little girl who disappeared ten years ago, shows up at Hunter’s house with only the knowledge that she was with scary folks, she has returned to her old home for a reason, and has super powers, it is obvious which culprit for the kidnapping seems to be the best choice.

Hack/Slash #13
Written by Tim Seeley
Art by Emilio Laiso
Colors by Carlos Badilla
Letters by Crank!
Edits by James Lowder
Covers by Tim Seeley & Allen Passalaqua and Ben Templesmith
Image Comics
Release Date: February 29, 2012
Cover Price: $3.50

I’ve been a Cassie Hack fan for quite some time, but Hack/Slash #13 is the first time I have had the chance to review the comic. I have long been impressed with Tim Seeley‘s writing and the way he manages to make every comic fun from start to finish. This issue was no exception, I thoroughly enjoyed the story (though I wish there was more Vlad in this one).

Kicking off a comic with velociraptors is an awesome way to begin a story. Closer interaction with them, however, changes more than one character’s opinion of them. I even enjoyed the Jurassic Park movie reference. I mean, really…who doesn’t love raptors?