I Love Trouble #1
Written by Kel Symons
Art by Mark Robinson
Colors by Paul Little
Letters by Pat Brosseau
Image Comics
Release Date: December 5, 2012
Cover Price: $2.99

The debut issue of Image’s new ongoing full color series I Love Trouble is a flashy non-stop thrill ride made up of enough intricate elements to catch long term attention. Writer Kel Symons‘ first foray into comicland comes by way of Hollywood and it shows. This book reads more like an action film with lots explosions, sound effects of the Rrrunk!, Boom!, Aaaahhhh!, Bam! variety, stylized violence, and sexy stuff.

New Orleans as a backdrop never fails to create intrigue either. Symons effectively creates a mini-urban universe populated with seedy underworld types like gangsters, thieves, prostitutes, and slackers. And at the heart of it all there is a booty-kicking, tattooed, bisexual, young grifter type by the name of Felicia Castro. Felicia is introduced fleeing from the mob (she apparently flees from all kinds of things quite often) when she is thrust into an even wackier situation where her would-be escape plane to the Midwest crashes inexplicably bestowing upon her the supernatural power of teleportation. As if that were not enough to make for an exciting plot with oodles of potential routes to explore, I am leaving out half of the event-laden plot.

Freelancers #1
Written by Ian Brill & Matt Gagnon
Art by Joshua Covey & Felipe Smith
Colors by Justin Stewart, Vladimir Popov & Zack Sterling
Letters by Pat Brosseau
Covers by Ibraim Roberson, Felipe Smith, Khary Randolf & Ron Riley, Fan Yang, Phil Noto, Stephane Roux, Reilly Brown & Felipe Sobreiro
Boom! Studios
Release Date: November 7, 2012
Cover Price: $1.00

Freelancers #1 is a lot of fun. It’s not going to change your life or win an Eisner, but you will definitely have a good time with this comic. You’ve got the perfect formula-hot girls, guns, cars, kung-fu, and dogs. What more could any red-blooded American male want?

Ian Brill takes parts of existing pop culture icons and combines them into an action packed comic, that’s a TON of fun to read. Part Charlie’s Angels, part Codename: Knockout, this comic is action from start to finish. You’ve got the two main characters that work for an agent that may or may not be 100% on their side. Brill sets up a good mystery that leaves you wondering if their agent is trying to get them jobs or trying to get them killed. I can’t emphasise enough how much pure fun this book is! It’s a great spy/bounty hunter tale that never takes itself seriously at all. It knows what it is, and never tries to be anything different. Really good for a first issue.

Jenny Finn: Doom Messiah
Written by Mike Mignola and Troy Nixey
Art by Troy Nixey (Chapters 1-3), Farel Dalrymple (Chapter 4)
Letters by Pat Brosseau (Chapters 1-2), Ed Dukeshire (Chapters 3-4)
Cover by Mike Mignola with Colors by Dave Stewart
BOOM! Studios
Release Date: September 28, 2011
Cover Price: $14.99

Strange things are happening in London, England. There is a murderer going around killing prostitutes, the town’s men are being transformed into odd half-man half-sea creatures, and there is an overwhelming sense of doom in the air. With such odd occurrences, it isn’t safe for a young girl to walk about town, is it? Well that depends on who that girl is. In Mike Mignola and Troy Nixey‘s Jenny Finn: Doom Messiah, nothing is as it seems.

Fisherman bring in the day’s catch on a London day like any other. The streets are bustling with people as a young girl named Jenny Finn makes her way around town. Jenny catches the attention of an out-of-towner named Joe who can’t help himself but to seek her out and introduce himself. He is concerned for her safety, as the treacherous streets of London are no place for an innocent young girl. Jenny agrees with him, but insists that she is far from innocent. Her reputation has made its way around town, and soon Joe will know that Jenny is a unique and complex individual.

Sweet Tooth #10
Written and Drawn by: Jeff Lemire
Colors by: Jose Villarubia
Letters by: Pat Brosseau
Vertigo Comics
Price: $2.99
Release Date: June 2, 2010

I am continually drawn into Jeff Lemire‘s genius mysteries for tons of reasons. One of those reasons is compelling characters as seen in previous issues of Sweet Tooth with Jeopard and also his series Essex County. Another big reason is the aforementioned mystery best seen in this issue, Sweet Tooth #10, and also his series The Nobody that gives me something rarely attempted in comics, a serious science fiction story.

I have become captivated with all aspects of the story especially the mystery of Gus and this “infection.” How can you not feel for Jeopard and Gus at this point as well? I am rooting for both characters as well as hating these scientists for their cruelty. The problem with hating them though is not knowing how they got to where they are now, especially if they have to continuously watch people die and all they really want, from what we can see, is to cure this infection.