Comics

Comic books and graphic novels

Fri
09
Apr

Grimm Tales of Terror Quarterly Delivers Novel-Length Serial Killer Horror

Grimm Tales of Terror Quarterly H.H. Holmes

H.H. Holmes was a serial killer operating in Chicago nearly a century ago. That's not a fiction -- he actually existed. So now you've learned something.

Building on the points of Holmes' so-called "Murder Castle" hotel built near the 1893 World's Fair Exposition, Jay Sandlin's story takes place in the Gemini Hotel, where another spate of murders has begun to take place, murders that seem to match the methods of Holmes. Has the notorious killer returned from beyond the grave? Is there someone seeking to copycat his infamy? That's what former Chicago Detective, Susan Murphy, must discover. Murphy is the head of hotel security, having left the police force under bizarre circumstances which are revealed in flashbacks; however, those events promise a lot and deliver nothing when it comes to this particular story. Perhaps in a future tale where Murphy is a character we will get some closure to her last peculiar case.

Mon
05
Apr

Keenspot Continues Political Parodyverse with Biden's Titans

Biden's Titans

Every political administration has seen itself lampooned and parodied in comics format, whether in newspaper strips or comic books. Most of these have been relegated to a one-shot, either because of a lack of material or a lack of imagination.

Neither of these are presenting a roadblock to Keenspot, publisher of the former Trump's Titans , The Donald Who Laughs, and The Superior AOC. A change in the administration in the real world gets reflected just as quickly in this parodyverse of John Barron's devising.

Tue
30
Mar

Historical Roots of Thai Comics

Historical Roots of Thai Comics

Anime as we know of today, is usually associated with Japanese comics, a look at the history of Thai’s comics offers a unique understanding of its growth.

Fri
26
Mar

Can Harley Quinn Make it as a Hero?

Harley Quinn Infinite Frontier

Or, more to the point, can Harley Quinn hold her own title as a hero, rather than the madcap sorta-villain with muddled romantic mixup between Joker and Poison Ivy? That's what we will find out, as Stephanie Phillips and Riley Rossmo open a brand new chapter in Gotham's most unpredictable character.

Fresh from the pages of Joker War, Harley is turning over a new leaf -- and has the reluctant support of Batman. We've seen Batman try to redeem Harley in the past, such as in the "Harley's Holiday" episode of Batman: The Animated Series, but he is much less hopeful here about her capabilities to walk the straight and narrow.

Fri
26
Mar

Boardgames and Comics: How Close Are They?

Board Games as Comics

Boardgames are metaverses all by themselves, and now they may be a plot to many board games!

Tue
23
Mar

Vampirella vs. Purgatori is Pokemon for Demons

Vampirella vs Purgatori #1

There are a small number of Vampirellas appearing at Dynamite Comics. Depending on which book you select, you may get an alien princess from the planet Drakulon, or you may get an immortal spawn of Lilith, mother of monsters. She's getting a history more muddled than Hawkman used to have.

Thu
18
Mar

Joker #1 an Amazing Character Study -- of Jim Gordon

Joker #1 2021

The Joker. Since his inception, there's been a charisma to the character that keeps readers coming back. He began as a killer. He evolved into an obsessive criminal who plotted crimes and capers with a theme, and he'd leave a body or two behind. He was a criminal genius with a psychotic focus.

In the years since The Dark Knight Returns, he's become something more -- and something less. He's a mass murderer with an obsession over Batman. Which is supposed to make him more of a monster, but has made him far, far less interesting as a character.

Persistent recurring appearances haven't helped. He's a villain who's overstayed his welcome.

Thu
18
Mar

10 Gift Ideas for a Comic Book Fan

Gifts for Comics Fans

Do you have a friend or family member who's a fan of comics or superheroes? Are you having difficulty coming up with gift ideas for his or her upcoming birthday? Worry no more because this article will provide you with brilliant gift ideas that your comic loving friend will love.

In this list you’ll be able to find something suitable for every age, gender, and even budget. Here are some gift ideas for friends and family who are passionate comic book fans.

  1. Comic Character T-shirt

Turn something ordinary into something unique by shopping for a comic character t-shirt with awesome prints or witty quotes. Unleash the nerd in them with shirts that show off how proud they are of being a comic fan.

Tue
16
Mar

Crisis Hits Vampirella: The Dark Powers

Vampirella: The Dark Powers #4

Vampirella: The Dark Powers got off to an unsteady beginning, both artistically and editorially. Thankfully, just as the arc is about to end, the ship has been mostly righted and we're cruising into the climactic battle that will pit Vampirella -- now a full-fledged superhero and member of the pan-dimensional Project -- against her fellow heroes from other Plural Earths.

Sun
14
Mar

It's Good to be Bad: Crime Syndicate #1

Crime Syndicate #1

The pre-Crisis DC Universe was a maelstrom of imagination, with all the different variant Earths in a multiverse of adventure. One of my favorite Earths was Earth-3, the home of the Crime Syndicate -- a mirror universe where the members of the Justice League were villains, and where corruption was frequently the victor over the meager forces of good.

The Crime Syndicate has gone through a number of iterations since the Crisis -- or, rather, since the New 52 brought back the parallel worlds concept. Grant Morrison's Earth-2 was a structurally beautiful way of contrasting the two worlds (even if it did put them on the wrong titular Earth -- forgiveable as there was not a multiverse at the time and the good/bad mirror universe setting made for a nice balance). In later years Geoff Johns spun the Syndicate into the bad guys in a major story arc in Justice League, modernizing the team to reflect changes in the New 52 team. 

Tue
09
Mar

5 Most Famous Comic Book Love Couples

Vision and Wanda

Comic books are exciting and addictive. You can’t read just one. Have you ever noticed beautiful love stories in comic books? This article will focus on those. It’s all about love today; the world will be saved tomorrow.

In ordinary life, meeting a like-minded partner and building a connection can be simple, especially online, by following the easy steps described on the blk review. But it's always interesting how fictional characters get involved in relationships. Let's take a look at Top 5 Romantic Couples from Comics.

 

The Joker & Harley Quinn

We’ll start with a bit of an unusual couple. A crazy man on a mission to destroy Batman manipulates a sexy nurse to fall in love with him while he’s in Arkham. You’re right, we’re talking about the Joker & Harley Quinn.

Fri
05
Mar

DC's Generations Forged: Too Big to be Ignored, Too Bad to be Forgiven

Generations Forged #1

DC Comics' Generations Forged is a handsome book. A big book. It's squarebound and demands a ten-dollar premium for the right to own it. And it looks gorgeous, with a Liam Sharp cover. It even looks good on the inside if you flip through the pages to give them a cursory glance. The imagery evokes the greater moments of DC's vast history -- the Crisis, the Zero Hour, and other iconic events.

Stop there. Let yourself believe that's what this book is. Whatever you do, however badly you're tempted, do not read it. And it pains me beyond measure to say this, because it's written by Dan Jurgens, Robert Venditti, and Andy Schmidt, all of whom should know better than to perpetrate the story elements contained in these pages.

Thu
04
Mar

Life on Cora: Oktaz Climbs

Life on Cora #3: Oktaz Climbs

The world of Cora is unlike a typical world. Instead of a sphere that orbits a sun, it is broken chunks of continents that float about a central power core that pulses with a blue light. It teems with many creatures, some of whom have not encountered each other due to the fractured state of the planet and the impassible gulfs of space between the fragments.

The series, thus far, has been a methodical process of world building, focusing on one race and how it engages with its environment before moving on to the next race, in the next issue. In this third installment of Life on Cora, "Oktaz Climbs," writer Martin Fisher and artist Mike Jimmy De Bruin introduce a race of rock creatures called the R'K'Hola who collectively make up a mountain. Their society is caste-like, with the higher ranking citizens existing higher up the mountain.

Thu
04
Mar

After One Day, Bad Idea Expels First Comic Shop from Program

Bad Idea

March 3, 2021 was a momentous day for comic shops around the world. Or, at least, it was for some of them. Bad Idea Comics is an upstart publisher with some interesting principles for adding value to the titles they plan to publish, one of them being that stores have to qualify to be allowed to carry their titles in the first place. Ostensibly, this gives the qualifying stores a leg-up on their competition, as the number of outlets is limited to a finite number. Yesterday saw the release of the publisher's first title, Eniac #1.

Within less than 24 hours, the first store had been expelled from the distribution network. A statement from Bad Idea was released today that read simply as follows:

Thu
04
Mar

Glyn in Monster Land

Glyn in Monster Land

While Kevin Philpott's Glyn in Monster Land may appear, at first glance, to be a comic for young girls, it has a story that goes deeper than its visual aesthetic. Yes, the whimsical Glyn and company, rendered by the talented pencils of Luisa Russo, seems tailor-made for the toy market, fitting right in with the Strawberry Shortcake and Monster High girls. But as with all comics, the art is only half the equation, requiring a good story to truly make it a success.

Fortunately, Glyn in Monster Land has one.

Wed
24
Feb

Bloom #1 Lays Cosmic Cornerstone for Entire Hero Tomorrow Universe

Bloom 1 Hero Tomorrow

The universe of Hero Tomorrow comics is a small but very cohesive, tightly-knit one. The hero -- Apama -- is an everyman imbued with the animal powers of a creature from myth, and since his emergence the supervillains have sprung up to oppose him -- some odd, all bizarre.

But there is one who is deeply connected to Apama's origins, yet pre-dates his arrival by nearly forty years. Regina, who first appeared in Apama, The Undiscovered Animal #5, gets her origin story with Bloom #1, coming soon to comic shops and currently funding through Kickstarter.

Set in 1969, Bloom begins with Ramsey, an auto mechanic and would-be comic book artist obsessed with the idea of his comic book villain and the arcane glyphs that came to him in a dream state while tripping in the forest -- at a location that will be quite familiar to fans already following the Apama comic.

Mon
22
Feb

5 of the Best Educational Comics for College Students

Educational Comics for College Students

One of the most common misconceptions about comics is that this type of book doesn’t have any educational meaning. However, it is important to keep in mind that graphic novels are designed for young readers taking into consideration their personal study needs. Such books cover hard for comprehension topics in an easy way and grab the full reader’s attention. Via storytelling and visualization, students can follow the plot, and find the contextual clues that make the story coherent. In its turn, students develop both creative and analytical skills, so here are 5 simple educational comics that can change the perception of the world.

 

Mon
15
Feb

Comic book Villains Who Love Gambling

Royal Flush Gang

The best comic book heroes, whether villains or superheroes, introduce some fun and originality to the story. They have quickly evolved from paper to screens, and games. Through the ages, some of the most popular villains have also been gambling enthusiasts. Here are a few of them:

 

The Penguin

Oswald ‘Penguin’ Cobblepot is a thief, mobster and a persistent Batman enemy. He also runs a nightclub and casino. The DC Comics villain is one of Batman’s worst foes. He is eccentric and most known for his shady businesses and trick umbrellas. The Iceberg lounge is a front, and he runs lots of illegal businesses.

Sun
14
Feb

A Red Sonja Romcom is Dynamite's Valentine to Comic Fans

Red Sonja Valentine's 2021

When one calls to mind Red Sonja, the She-Devil with a Sword, "romantic comedy" isn't one of the phrases that usually jumps out at you. And yet, with Dynamite's 2021 Red Sonja Valentine's Special, Bill Willingham and Giuseppe Cafaro somehow make it work.

The story opens with Sonja preparing to collect on one of her mercenary jobs by collecting the head of a witch who gave a man a false fortune. But Sonja is about to discover that this witch is not some mere charlatan, and the revelations had here set the stage for the second part of our story -- after a brief intermission to learn some of "Red Sonja's Do's & Don'ts of Dating."

Thu
04
Feb

Horror and Action Give Way to Comedy as Readers Select Best Comics Writers of 2020: Todd Livingston and Nick Capetanakis

Todd Livingston, Sonya Devereaux, and Nick Capetanakis

During a year where people were forced to huddle in their homes, sequestered from the populace in order to stave off the Zombie Apocalypse / Andromeda Strain pandemic, comic books -- especially small press and crowdfunded comics -- too off in a big way. And while people still loved to be scared and thrilled by an ever ready stream of horror and superhero titles, ultimately people wanted to laugh this year, and they showed it in their votes.

While the "big two" of DC and Marvel made a far more impressive showing than they did in the Best Comic and Best Comic Artist categories, there was still the undeniable presence of the upstart, bellying up to the bar and shouldering the giants aside to sit among them as equals.

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