Dark Horse

Conan the Barbarian #13 Review

Conan and Belit attempt to deal with the last arcs fallout.

Conan The Barbarian #1 Review

Dark Horse’s Conan the Barbarian series gets a new creative team and takes on one of Robert E. Howard’s greatest, Queen of the Black Coast. Lucky for us, the book is in excellent hands.

The Guild: Tink Review

The Guild: Tink

Dark Horse Comics is continuing its partnership with Felicia Day’s on-line video comedy, “The Guild.” After the initial limited series, they announced some one-shots focusing on the various characters that make up the dysfunctional group of adventurers. The first was about Vork, the group’s theoretical leader. Now, it’s Tink’s turn, the one of them we know the least about.

Tink is rather hard to like. She’s the only one in the Guild we don’t have a name for, or really know anything about. She’s very attractive, and uses it mercilessly to her advantage. What we come to find out in the course of this issue is that she’s told different stories of who she actually is to her fellow Guildies. The stories range from gothic horror to bad military action movie, and her team end up comparing notes when Tink misses another outing for the Knights of Good.

They end up confronting her, and she shrugs, responding to accusations of her lying with “So?” As the others are aghast, Tink actually makes some great points. She calls them all on being honest, and says she’ll put up her name, address, etc so anyone can drop by anytime… if they will too. Unsurprisingly, most of them decline. Tink rages at them, saying she likes it how it is, she knows what she needs to about them, and it’s just about the game.

What I liked and what I didn’t:

Well, we still didn’t learn much about Tink, although it was done cleverly enough that it was a fun trip. The very last panel shows her at her computer, and we see a few clues- she’s in college, seems to be studying literature and maybe some chemistry. There are other conclusions that can be drawn, but I’m fairly sure of those. There weren’t as many laugh out loud moments as you often get with the Guild, but it was well done, befitting Felicia Day, who writes the show and plays Codex/Cyd, as well as writing the comics.  Oh, and next up is Bladezz.

Tink isn’t someone I’d want to spend time with- she’s too cold and manipulative, but this stays true to her character. I did think we’d learn more about her, but that was my assumption, and it was never promised or anything.

So, if you like the Guild, I recommend this one, as I have all the Dark Horse Comics. Go to watchtheguild.com for the show, search for “Do You Want to Date My Avatar” on YouTube, as well as “Game On,” to see their two (so far) music videos.

The Guild: Vork One Shot Review

The Guild: Vork One Shot

Dark Horse Comics follows up on it’s mini series about the internet comedy hit “The Guild” with a one shot special about the leader of the “Knights of Good,” Vork. This is written by both Felicia Day, writer and star of The Guild, and Jeff Lewis, who plays Vork himself. I didn’t like this one as much at the Guild series, but I thought about that for a bit, and realized something. Vork is, inherently, unlikable. He’s written that way by Felicia Day and played to perfection by Mr. Lewis. So, with the two of them together, he’s still annoying, but also still comedicly so.

Set in roughly the same time period as the prior comic series, this, too, is back story, from before the online episodes. Vork (whose real name is Herman, which I don’t think we knew) is living with his grandfather. While Vork is a cheapskate who scrounges everything for free he can, Grandpa Vork is a step worse, stealing whatever is unwatched, scamming food from restaraunts, and still fancying himself a ladies man. In-game, perhaps compensating for his real life, Vork is even more of a control freak than usual, trying to take his “leadership” of the Guild far too seriously, and annoying his fellow Guildies.

Grandpa’s out of control behavior gets them thrown out of “Huge Amout-A-Saurus,” which appears to be a buy in bulk store, where they go to “forage” on free samples. Vork meanwhile provokes the Guild into kicking him out with his petty dictatorship. There’s a hysterical panel of him trying to multi-box and make a new Guild that is all hybrids of him and the other players, which doesn’t work at all (Vork’s head on Tinkerballa’s body is just WRONG). Vork rescues Grandpa from a drug induced attempt to fly off a building, and then sells off all Grandpa’s stash of booze and cigarettes in an attempt to make him live healthier. Grandpa retaliates by moving to a nursing home.

Vork is invited back to the Guild by Clara, with the condition that he not be so pushy and controlling, but he refuses. He wanders around the house alone, goes out to the stores alone, and finally goes to ask Grandpa back. After some haggling, he agrees, and Vork rejoins the Guild as well. Of course, he’s still snapping out orders, but now tries to follow it with things like “umm… it’s a suggestion.” Some things don’t change.

It kind of makes one almost feel bad for Vork, remembering that Grandpa is dead by the time the show starts, and seeing how lonely Vork looked without him. As I said, Vork is far from my favorite in the Guild, but this is a good fleshing out of what makes him the screwed up puppy he is.

What I liked and what I didn’t:

It’s well written, and very in character for Vork, but then, with the show’s main writer and the actor who plays him doing it, you’d expect that. The art is nice and clear, fitting the story well. The cover is great, with Vork standing atop a pile of dead computers, raising his sword triumphantly, joystick dangling from his other hand, and a flickering monitor showing his real world self. I also liked the announcement that there are more one shots coming, with Tink next, who we know almost nothing about. I’m looking forward to hers, and wondering if the actors are collaborating on all the one shots.

There’s not really anything bad here. Vork isn’t likable, but then, as I said, he’s not supposed to be. Actually, there aren’t a lot of likable folks in the Guild, but I think it’s their social dysfunction that makes them so much fun to watch (and not have to actually interact with).

Mighty Samson #2 Review

Mighty Samson #2

The adventures of the Might Samson continues. Today I will be reviewing Mighty Samson #2. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

So let’s talk about the book. Samson fights off a pack of devil-brutes as they attack the tribe of N’Yark in the middle of the night. Zarsk, the tribe’s cowardly, scheming leader only shows up when everything is safe. Samson goes on a quest into Jerz territory to return the children of an old woman. He battles sea monsters and the men of Jerz but manages, through his amazing strength, to defeat them all. The queen of Jerz, Terra, is so impressed by him that she asks him to be her warlord. She feels that the world will fall at her feet with Samson by her side. When Samson refuses, she releases the girls to him and gives him a token. Samson returns to N’Yark where he is praised and he finally earns a little respect from his slave Sharmaine. Meanwhile, Sunder, the Jerz warlord, now banished by the queen treks through the forest until he comes upon a compound that seems abandoned. And that’s the book.

So let’s talk opinions. Another incredible issue of action and adventure. What an amazing book. Jim Shooter is doing a phenomenal job with this character. The action never lets up. There is plenty of personality in each individual character and Shooter is developing each of them nicely. The Queen is especially ballsy. I like how she doesn’t back down from Samson for a second and always seems like the one with all of the power. Samson is going to have to wisen up fast or she will eat him alive. The art is also pretty good. It’s not large, in your face stuff, but it gets the point across. There is nice shading and gorgeous backgrounds. Not to mention that amazing cover. My one issue with this book is that it takes so darn long for it to come out. I know it’s bi-monthly but I really want it to come out quicker. If the book was bad, I wouldn’t mind as much. I’ve already given up on Magnus because even though it was a good book, I have no desire to read it after it’s been out of my thoughts for so long. Please don’t let that happen to Samson. Dark Horse has a winner here and they can’t drop the ball. That’s my opinion folks. Take it or leave it.

Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #4 Review

Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #4

And now the pulse pounding, action packed finale to our first story arc. Today I will be reviewing Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #4. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

So let’s talk about the book. It’s Moloch’s army versus Solar. First Solar gets a better handle on his powers and manages to knock out Surya, the sun god. Then he focuses on the granite creatures. Meanwhile, Glow and Leviathan, Pickerel’s original creations see the battle on television and decide to help Solar. When they arrive, however, Solar leaves to meet Gail, the woman he loves. and set up a date. When he returns to the battle, his mind is cleared and all of his anxiety has disappeared. This lets him utilize all of his energy controlling powers in full. When Moloch enters the battle himself, Solar is ready for him and easily pounds all of his enemies into the ground. He banishes Moloch back to his own universe and forces Pickerel to quit writing. And that’s the book.

So let’s talk opinions. This issue continues last issue’s excellence. The story is great. The action is non-stop and intense. Solar is now using the full extent of his god like powers. Jim Shooter is back on the ball here. After a slow start, the first arc ended with a bang. A bunch of cool character intros. A nice patsy first enemy who can clearly be brought back in the future to pose a threat. An intro of a new mastermind villain. All written and drawn phenomenally. There’s even some humor being thrown in which was sorely missed from prior issues. Solar is not doing as much brooding or second guessing. His confidence is back. The story itself is solid. The technical jargon from prior issues are gone. The battles are constant and intense. Everything a great comic book should have. Let’s hope the greatness continues. That’s my opinion folks. Take it or leave it.

Mighty Samson #1 Review

Mighty Samson #1

Another return of a classic hero from over 45 years ago from the great minds behind Dr. Solar and Magnus Robot Fighter. Today I will be reviewing Mighty Samson #1. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

So let’s talk about the book. The setting is the post apocalyptic future. The army of Jerz is attacking the tribe of N’Yark because they cannot pay the increased tribute that the newly crowned queen of Jerz is demanding. The people of N’Yark are heavily outnumbered but are barely able to defend their town. Its not until the opposing lieutenant plays a trick on them that the town is overtaken and the village leader is killed. The army begins to take prisoners when they stumble upon a mother and her newborn baby. As the lieutenant tries to take the baby to kill it, the baby rips off one of his fingers. That’s when the commanding officer calls a retreat. The army leaves but the commander is slain by the lieutenant in a secret ambush. The new leader of N’Yark, the old leader’s son, orders the child killed for being cursed. The mother, however, manages to flee with the child. She runs to the forest where she is rescued from death by a nomadic tribe of Jews. They accept the outcasts and name the baby Samson. Flash forward nineteen years later and Samson is a grown man with immense strength. He leaves with his mother to return to his tribe and his father, who is still living there. When they reach N’Yark, the Jerz are attacking again. Samson defeats the entire army single handed, but not before his mother is slain. He is accepted into N’Yark as a hero, much to the envy of the tribe leader Zarsk, who quickly befriends Samson and gives him slaves. Meanwhile, the survivors of the Jerz army return to their queen Terra and tell her what happened. She demands retribution. In addition, we get a reprint of the first Mighty Samson story from 1964. And that’s the book.

So let’s talk opinions. What an amazing book. There was action and excitement from the first page. The story was amazingly solid and the characters felt familiar and relate-able. Jim Shooter is doing a much better job with Samson that he is with Solar or Magnus. Or maybe my opinion is biased because I read the Valiant version of those characters and think these re-imaginings are slightly inferior. The art was great. Clean, dark when necessary. Reminded me of old school Conan art that Barry Windsor Smith used to do. So far this book is awesome. There’s drama, betrayal, conniving, war. Everything that makes a book a page turner. The reprint was a nice added bonus as well. I’m definitely going to keep this one on my pull list for a while. That’s my opinion folks. Take it or leave it.

Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #3 Review

Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #3

Crank up the mythological fire. This one is getting hotter by the minute. Today I will be reviewing Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #3. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

So let’s talk about the book. Picking up where last issue left off, Solar battles the god-like Moloch. The fight is fierce and intense but in the end Solar wins and Moloch flees. Solar returns to Pickerel to confront him but unfortunately Moloch gets there first. Solar leaves. Then Moloch forces Pickerel to create an army for him whole he proceeds to have his way with Susan, Pickerel’s other creation. Meanwhile, Solar returns to work and sets up a date with Gail, his love. Moloch sends his army to attack Solar and the good Doctor is more than happy to enter the fray. And that’s the book.

So let’s talk opinions. Finally, a perfect issue. Action packed with a smooth flowing story. Super powered beings and god-like enemies. I like how Dr. Solar has plenty of mental issues as well. Moloch is one bad ass dude. He just took over the entire situation. Why Pickerel did not just uncreate him immediately is something I can’t understand. (Can he unmake his creations?) Poor Susan. I guess this book is no longer PG. Artistically, a slam dunk once again. Nice action sequences. Great energy artwork. Very colorful. Overall, a great reminder of how good Jim Shooter can be when he wants to be. Let’s hope the improvements continue. That’s my opinion folks. Take it or leave it.

Magnus Robot Fighter #2 Review

Magnus Robot Fighter #2

Its all business as usual in the future as our heroic robot fighter tries to save his lady love from certain doom. Today I will be reviewing Magnus, Robot Fighter #2. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

So let’s talk about the book. Magnus battles the cyborg named Big Guns, and manages to escape him. He then heads to the Pens where they are keeping Leeja and other humans captive. Turns out its a huge human smuggling racket. However, we soon find out that Cinette’s father is in on the recket and warns them of Magnus’ presence. A huge battle breaks out but luckily, Magnus’ father 1A manages to convince Leeja’s father to send the police. After a brief scuffle, Magnus frees the slaves and saves the women. Cinette finds Magnus interesting and wants to see him again, much to the chagrin of Leeja. And that’s the book.

So let’s talk opinions. The story is very fast. It really doesn’t stop for a second. Too much is happening all at once. I know I usually complain about slow books but fast ones are a problem too. There’s no time to develop a character. There’s no time to get any insight into their personality or identity. Also, I was never a Magnus fan so this might be skewing my opinion as well. At least the art is phenomenal. (That cover is awesome to look at.) It’s not too big that it takes over the page and takes away from the story. (If only the story was better.) However, there is still plenty of detail in every panel. I seriously hope that this is a Valiant revival and not just a Gold Key revival. And I also hope that they slow it down a little before it crashes into a wall. That’s my opinion folks. Take it or leave it.

Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #2 Review

Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #2

After last issue’s quick somewhat messy intro, now we get to the action. Today I will be reviewing Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #2. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

So let’s talk about the book. Picking up where last issue left off, Solar confronts Pickerel, the author, and warns him not to create any more thought creatures. Pickerel, however, is not about to give his ability up and does create two new beings. One consciously and one subconsciously. Meanwhile, the first two creations escape and wreak a little havoc but Solar stops them and lets them go in peace with a promise to cause no harm. Then he is forced to confront Pickerel’s second creation, the god-like Moloch. And that’s the book.

So let’s talk opinions. Something doesn’t feel right. Maybe I’m too hung up on Valiant and the really cool universe that it was. Maybe its the plain, non-super powered enemies. (Serious enemies, like Master Darque was, not these petty muscle bound monsters.) The story feels stretched and simplified. Too much jumping around and not enough focus. I’m still on board for next issue but Mr. Shooter really needs to give me something to keep me hooked or I’m afraid that this series will be removed from my pull list soon. Artistically, this book is strong. Clean visuals and nice action sequences. There is even a touch of humor infused in this issue which is always a nice touch to a book. Overall, I say hang in there. If I know Shooter, it will get better. That’s my opinion folks. Take it or leave it.