Joe Sarnicola Comic Reviews

The humor really works in this issue, such as when a sinister group of killer nuns attack Archer and Armstrong, Armstrong calls them Nunjas. I have always liked a good combination of humor, action, characterization and story. Archer and Armstrong has all of these, and this issue ends on a cliff-hanger with nothing less than the fate of the world at stake.

And if you thought the plot was going to be wrapped up nicely with no loose ends. Nope. Plenty of surprises, even for the characters themselves. Secrets about Archer are revealed. There is more depth to his sister that was first implied. And what are the consequences of the death of a Geomancer, even it was by accident? A pretty funny one, at that. I dare you to get through this one without laughing and wanting to read the next issue.

Wow! I enjoy reading Archer and Armstrong every month, but this month the art really seems to jump right out of the pages. In the medium of the comic book, which the general public often thinks of as frivolous and disposable, it's nice to know some artists still try to use one- and two-point perspective to add depth to their work. Emanuela Lupacchino certainly does in this issue.

My main criticism of this issue is that there was not enough of Archer and Armstrong, and they are the stars of the book, arent they? But, hey, maybe next issue will make up for it.

While the exorcism may have resolved on conflict, it looks as though it also leads to another. Next issue, of course. Ah, theres nothing like a good cliff hanger.

While the exorcism may have resolved on conflict, it looks as though it also leads to another. Next issue, of course. Ah, there's nothing like a good cliff hanger.

The rest of the book has action, but not in the typical boring sense of good guy, or girl in this case, fights bad guy, good guy wins. Nope, here we see honor, regret, sacrifice, anger. Imaginary characters acting and expressing emotions just like real people. The elements that make a story much more than a story.

Although much of this book is spent setting the stage for future issues, there is plenty of potential for story and character development. Like, what about all the people who don't live in Blackacre and have to face zombies, pirates, rogue soldiers and other dangers out in the wasteland? A very intriguing book. I am looking forward to reading more.

A lot of the books emotional impact is conveyed through the facial expressions of the characters.

But there is more to the defense than just fancy computer technology. They have powerful weapons and they look human. Well sort of. And they are ready to destroy Bloodshot beyond his ability to heal. We'll have to see about that, won't we? I don't have any pull in Hollywood, but I sure would love to see a Bloodshot movie. I think a new action hero would be born.

This is one of my favorite comics by Valiant or anybody else. I could never take Superman very seriously because not many things can hurt him. Bloodshot is almost indestructible, yet completely vulnerable at the same time. Thats what I call conflict.

I wouldnt call this a great book, but the action moves quickly and the characters have depth. I just think the plot lacked some originality. Well executed, though, and very nice to look at.

Pretty high stakes for all the characters, just from what I read in the first dozen pages. High stakes and high interest, now that's a good combination. The terrific, moody art and the effective coloring contribute to the tense atmosphere of this book Chilling and scary. I loved it.

Im not familiar with Aneke, the artist, but the artwork is uneven throughout the book. The proportion of figures and the perspective within panels are sometimes slightly off. I found this distracting, but it may be a deliberate technique in the development of a particular style for the book. The stories show promise, but I didnt find anything that was overly imaginative.

This book is intended for mature audiences, probably due to the violence. The script is solid and art and colors are decent, but I dont know if this book will appeal to many readers other than those who like teen superhero group books. They might if the adult superheroes return.

The creative team of this book have pulled out all the stops. I recommend you sink your own teeth into it.

The book has moments of sympathy for the hybrids and their situation plus an occasional dose of humor. And cruelty, as on the final page of this particular story. Elephantmen is not a book for everyone, but it should appeal to lovers of imaginative science fiction with multiple layers of complexity. I would say if you want to try this title, dont just buy one issue, buy two or three consecutive back issues.

I was expecting a typical beautiful woman killer triumphs over everything without difficulty, but instead I discovered a story with well conceived characters and a surprising level of depth and emotional impact.

Issue 1 sold out before publication, and a second printing had to be ordered, so the expectations for this book are high. If the right amount of time is taken to develop the plots, conflicts and characters and the art styles complement each other better, this could be a fun book to read.

Though slow at times Roberts story was solid and set us up for something possibly great for the next arc. The art team knocked it out of the park on this arc, deep dark colors and great surroundings. This will be great to read all together when it gets collected, it left you hanging after each issue. I'm still enjoying this series and it can only get better from here!

This sample chapter is only part of a longer work recently published by its creators. Based on the way the sample ends, I have to say I'm not sure what is happening, but I would like to know more. And if the point of releasing this sample is to encourage readers to buy the graphic novel, I would say it is successful in catching my interest, and I would like to know where the story goes from this point.

There is certainly a consistent look to the pencils and the colors, so at least the art is not confusing. There is so much mystery and back story in this issue that it is hard to understand what is happening. Too much mystery and not enough characterization to hold my interest.

If the message of this book become more subtle, and I have no problem with messages of any kind in a book, and the story is allowed to take center stage, this book will show a vast improvement. If not, I think the readership is going to be very limited.

I still have a hard time taking this book seriously. I think it needs to let the readers know this is a book intended to have fun while talking about serious issues, such as corporate greed, big government and world pollution. It just hasn't found the right balance yet. I don't give up easily.

The art is on the cartoony side with distorted perspective. Not that thats necessarily a bad thing, but Im not sure it complements the story with the proper tone or look. If this is a jumping on point for new readers, they may be tempted to jump right back off. Confusing art and a hard to follow story make this a tough read. Better luck next issue.

The only flaw I found with this issue was Harada, the main villain, didnt come across as villainous or as in control as he should have. Well have to see what happens in forthcoming issues. Overall this book really held my interest.

Forget that this is a comic book. It's just a great story with believable characters and an engrossing plot, blending elements of soap operas, crime dramas and science fiction. And, since a harbinger is someone who makes advance preparations for a person or event to come, I can't help but wonder what twists and turns are in store for this title.

This book is only beginning to tap into the potential of its characters and stories. Even though most of the characters seem to be in their teens and early twenties, Harbinger should appeal to older readers, (I guess that would have to include me) and hopefully younger readers, too. Heaven knows we need to attract new readers to the world of comics. Maybe this book will help bring them in.

I have rarely seen such a creative use of art, color and even word balloons to convey the emotions within and between the characters in this title, as imagined by Joe Casey's taut script. This book belongs on the shelf of everyone who needs an example of how good a comic book can be when all the artistic elements and the creators work together.

Although I had a hard time following the plot and understanding what was motivating the characters by reading one isolated issue, the characters did demonstrate distinct personalities, which only added to the entertainment value of this book. And I loved the way the colors gave this book a distinct personality of its own. Hoax Hunters is a riot. Read it!

So, in a very creative twist, the opening panel of issue 2 also functions as a lead-in to issue 3. This book should appeal to fans of reality competition shows and X-Men type books. Definitely worth checking out.

This book is not for everyone due to its graphic nature, but if you want to see an ingenious spoof of pop-culture icons, gangsters, zombies and musicians, well this might be the book for you.

Ill leave it at that. You might want to check this book out to see what really happens. This looks like it could become a pretty exciting title to watch. I like stories where ordinary people are forced by circumstances to perform extraordinary tasks, or try to anyway. And that sure seems to be what is happening here.

The art, colors and word balloons are carefully weaved together with Parks script to create a beautiful comic. Dont miss this one.

I highly recommend this one.

Ive seen many different depictions of angels over the years, but the ones youll find here look like sexy amazons, so this isnt exactly the heaven you may have read about in the Bible. Or hell either, for that matter. But thats part of the appeal of this book, too. This is definitely not one for the kiddies, due to the R-rated content, but if you want a book that can make you laugh, make you think and even make you turn your head, you just might get a kick out of Nancys adventures in hell, in heaven and on earth.

I dont know if Whilce Portacio is a fan of the work of Steve Ditko, but I noticed a Ditko-like tone to the overall artwork. I once heard Ditkos work on the early Spiderman issues described as other-worldly, and I think that term could easily apply to Portacios work on this book. As for the script, my opinions are always based on my own readings of the books I review, but when Mark Waid says this book is a good read, I definitely paid attention. I think NonHumans is a title that should be watched and read just to see where it will take us.

The script makes you sympathize with some, at least, of those damned, dirty apes Charlton Heston complained about. I like the inclusion of political and social elements of the story that remind me of the movies that followed the first one. This is a book worth checking out.

If you thought the zombie genre was dead, its not. Tim Seeley and Mike Norton have found a way to breathe life into it while commenting on social issues in a non-preachy way. Revival is worth checking out even if you dont like zombie stories.

A wonderful story written by Jonathan Luna and brought to life by his beautiful watercolor paintings, this is a fable about friendship, self-image, vanity, jealousy, loyalty and restoration. The prose reads so smoothly the reader is hardly aware this is only a book as Starbright discovers her greatest beauty is inside of herself and her friends are beautiful, too, by being themselves. Starbright and the Looking Glass is for all lovers of fairy tales and stories with positive messages, no matter how old or young those readers might be.

We only know what the main characters know, suspect or wonder, and that's not much. And that is part of the appeal of this book. It keeps you guessing. This is one of those rare books you'll want to read more than once so you can pick up on details you know you missed the first time through. And you'll also want to read the next issue. Right away.

This is the turtles in full-blown action. The cover price is higher than a monthly comic, but the longer story is well worth the few extra pennies. Hopefully youll be able to find a copy on the shelf of your favorite comic shop. You might even want to collect all 6 variant covers.

Writer Brandon Seifert uses understatement skillfully, such as Eric Gast's line about a "false positive," which cracked me up. You'll have to read it for yourself to see what I'm talking about. This book is beautiful and hilarious.

Will even triumph over good? Will Dr. Morrow be able to reunite with his physical body? I cant look. Well, actually I did look long enough to read and admire every beautiful, ridiculous page. This book is just plain fun. Or is that word too vague, too?

When Aric, who has been drugged by Ninjak, wakes up, reunites with his armor and fights with Ninjak, look out! With very little dialog and a few well placed grunts and sound effects this leads to page after page of pure action. Can two men who want to kill each other work with an alien traitor to save Earth? Get ready for an adrenaline rush, XO Manowar is here.

If you are not reading this book every month, you should be.