Freeway Fighter #1: Review

     Freeway Fighter began as a Fighting Fantasy gamebook way back in the 80's by renowned creator Ian Livingstone, and has been updated and adapted by writer Andi Ewington (451 Entertainment's Red Dog, Sunflower, and Six, as well as his creator owned series Overrun).  It's illustrated by Simon Coleby (The Authority, Judge Dredd), colored by Len O'Grady, and published by Titan Comics.

MAD MAXINE

     There's no way to avoid a Mad Max reference due to the similarities, but that is not a bad thing.  You can easily tell where the inspiration came from, but Freeway Fighter paves it's own path with a post-apocalyptic dystopia, complete with harsh living conditions and awesome car battles.

     The story begins with De La Rosa as a race car driver trying to match her father's legacy, and shows her to be ruthless in reaching her objective.  It starts fast and keeps the pace as it rockets towards the end.  There's an extremely brief opener setting up her character that brilliantly segues into the "present" (2024) with her demolishing another tricked out and weaponized vehicle, and being chased by others.

     There isn't a lot of story here yet.  We get only the most basic facts- De La Rosa's a badass that gets the job done, and the job here is survival.  We don't know what the virus that killed off most of humanity was, we don't know where De La Rosa is going or what her goals are, and it really doesn't matter.  The sparse story is a commendable thing in Freeway Fighter's case.  We only get what we need in the first issue, leaving us wanting more.

FULL THROTTLE

     Simon Coleby's art is highly dynamic very befitting of the material.  Panels move and flow, creating well thought out, clean transitions that both tie the story elements together, and guide the eye along.  Honestly, it's something that perfectly encapsulates high-tension chase sequences of action movies- but in comic book form.
     Making this effect work even better is the fact that the illustrations are really fleshed out with the Len O’Grady's colors.  They are vivid and vibrant for the past, and in the present are primarily the typical muted palettes of post-apocalyptic tales, but with some splashes of the former world, shining brightly through.  It sets a tremendous tone for the story.

RACE CAR 44

     Overall, the issue is just a bit short in length, but feels much shorter because it is so well done.  It reads so smoothly it's like water slipping through your hands- an effect only the best comic books can claim.  Freeway Fighter is in no way a mere Mad Max knockoff, but rather, it's a glorious homage to the grim and gritty, gasoline-fueled destruction in mankind's fight for survival in a wasted future.  It's a quick, action-packed, car-smashing thrill ride that has a ton of potential and I can't wait to see where the story goes from here.

     Freeway Fighter 1 hit stands today. [ For the issue on Comixology ]

*Review copy provided, thank you!

Red Dog: Issue 3 Review (451 Entertainment)

THE TEAM

     Red Dog, 451 Entertainment's newest series, is brought to us by writer/creator Rob Cohen (director of The Fast and the Furious, XXX, and- one of my top 3 favorite films of all time- Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story) and adapted by Andi Ewington (writer of 451's  Sunflower and Six, as well as his tremendously entertaining self-published series Overrun).  With this new issue Alex Cormack takes over illustration duties for Rob Atkins, although the coloring is still handled superbly by John Rauch.

THE STORY

     Kyle's had a rough life.  Being the only kid on an inhospitable mining colony on the planet Kirowan is tough, but it's even tougher when you are living in the shadow of a former sibling and your only friend is a robot dog named Q.  Luckily for Kyle, his newest Birthday gift from his inventor Uncle was 5 more robot dogs.
     After getting his 5 new canine companions, Kyle steals a bunch of miscellaneous stuff to customize the looks of all the dogs, which swiftly gets him into trouble.  The colony's council decides Kyle can keep the stuff he stole, and the dogs may be kept, but he has to work off the debt- in short they think he needs to grow up.  Kyle takes this in stride and sets out to work, but during a play break with the dogs, Red Dog accidentally escapes the protective dome the colonists live in during a time when the natives are on a hunt.
     Kyle's decision to venture into the desolate environment of Kirowan to find the titular Red Dog sets in motion a series of events that reveal a new clue to the natives' lives and shows that not all of them are dangerous- some may even be friendly.  A group of colonists set up a search party, Kyle and the dogs get into danger, and circumstances take a very dark turn and some characters might not make it back alive.

THE REVIEW

     The new art style is a welcome change, it isn't too harsh of a change, and the lighter style makes Kyle's youth more apparent.  It also helps make individual characters more distinct, because at times it was a bit unclear previously.
     On it's own, this issue feels much more like a calm breath before the storm to come, but I mean that in a good way.  Red Dog issue 3 reads like a great segue to the future, it points to a monumental finale.  The writers are definitely setting up some big things for the final 3 issues.  We haven't gotten any more hints towards a big reveal about Kyle's relationship to his brother from issue 2, or of the huge implications about the 23rd century discovery of the time-travelling element Imperium the mining colony is after.   Both have taken a back seat to Kyle's story of heading into the desert while the war of Kirowan's natives on the outside is ramping up.  The book is shifting gears looking more towards survival with a journey into the deadly alien landscape and I'm quite eager to see where these story threads all lead to.

     Red Dog 3 hits the stands tomorrow (Wednesday Mar. 8th)

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*Review copy provided by 451, Thank You!

Red Dog: Issue 2 Review (451 Entertainment)

PAST

     451 Entertainment's newest series Red Dog is brought to us by the talented writers Rob Cohen (of XXX and The Fast and the Furious fame) and Andi Ewington (writer of SIX, Sunflower, Ex Mortis, as well as his criminally under-appreciated series Overrun), and featuring art by Rob Atkins and colors by John Rauch.

PRESENT

     Red Dog is the story of Kyle, the only kid on the inhospitable planet Kirawan.  Kyle describes it as the "worst place imaginable" because Kirawan is a giant desert wasteland, devoid of water and oxygen.
     He's one of the mining colony of almost 200 souls sent to mine for the highly sought after time-altering element Imperium, and suffers the loneliness that plagues many young people in an adult world.  He has no real friends, perpetually getting in trouble, and always attempting to fit in.  A typical kid.  Fortunately he has a faithful robotic-canine companion in the form of Q, short for Quantum, the titular Red Dog to keep him company.

     After the cliffhanger ending of the first issue, this issue starts off with a large dose of action.  Right away Q saves Kyle from the onslaught of attacking natives.  The insectile race of natives have been making trouble for the mining colony, threatening the stability of the bio-dome they reside in, and they are warded off by some quick thinking, heavy weapons, and a helping hand from a great beast (and nice homage to Dune) from this twin-sunned world.
     Later, Kyle's parents argue, and he mopes.  His father has insurmountable standards he feels he'll never meet.  But his Uncle Jake has something special for Kyle's birthday.  Not only did he make Q, but now he's given him 5 more robotic dog siblings.  They of course get an immediate make over, and shortly thereafter they get busted during some play time.

FUTURE

     The struggle for survival is tough out in the far reaches of space and I'm sure we'll see much more of the natives and their interactions with the human colony.  We can't yet say for sure why they are so hostile, and we could learn a lot in the coming issues what they are really up to.

     There was a small tease at the time-travelling properties of Imperium in this issue with the return of a robot that had vanished previously- making me wonder if we'll see how and when the mass accumulation of it might make its reappearance soon.  We have yet to see it work on anything living, which might open an entire new potential for storytelling promise, and I believe that is what writers Cohen and Ewington have in store for us.

     This issue in particular gives us one very nice clue to the the future of our protagonist.  Kyle may be much, much more than he knows, as is hinted at with a steaming cup of allusion (hint, hint!), a nice conversation with Uncle Jake, and one small interaction with his mother.  I won't spoil it for you, but it is an extremely tantalizing one that directly involves Kyle.

     Red Dog is only at issue 2 (of 6) and it's shaping up to be a tremendous sci fi series.  It holds all the right elements for a good sci fi tale, it has strong writing and excellent art, and keeps things honed in on the true heart of the story- the boy and his dog(s).  On top of that, we've gotten some robots, aliens, and time travel, what more could we want?  There's a lot of questions that remain unanswered, but there's also 4 more issues to come- and I for one am quite eager for them to arrive.

     Red Dog Issue 2 hits stands tomorrow (Wed. January 11th, 2017)

     Red Dog Issue 1 [ Review ]

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*Review copy provided by 451, Thank You!

Red Dog: Issue 1 Review (451 Entertainment)

RED DOG

     Is the name of the new 4 issue science fiction  series from 451 Entertainment.  The comic is brought to us by the talented writers Rob Cohen (of XXX and The Fast and the Furious fame) and Andi Ewington (writer of SIX, Sunflower, and Ex Mortis, as well as his criminally under-appreciated series Overrun).  The art is by Rob Atkins and colored by John Rauch.

KIRAWAN

     The inhospitable planet of our protagonist Kyle, the only kid out of nearly 200 members of the human colony, is surrounded by twin suns, leaving the world in a cycle of perpetual daytime.  It also leaves the land as essentially a desert wasteland.
     Kirawan has neither oxygen, nor water, and is inhabited by a hostile native race of insectile aliens.  Kyle describes it as the "worst place imaginable."  Luckily, the colony has created a bio-dome with all the necessities, and offers a way to survive and grow a ton of wheat for food and beer and so on.

     Kyle spends his days with Q trying to get through all his chores, and finding ways to live up to his father's standards, but the story on a whole is about a boy and his dog.  The dog here is the titular red dog, Q, which is short for Quantum.  Q is an artificial intelligence of sorts, created by Kyle's uncle Jake, and powered by a quantum computer.  He acts just as a real dog, being playful and curious, and looks to be the character that will end up being at the true heart of the series.

IMPERIUM

     This is where the real cool stuff the book might have in store for us is.  The reason all the colonist miners have come to Kirawan is for a mysterious element that was first discovered in the 23rd century called Imperium.  It is extremely rare, and has an even rarer property- it opens the possibility for time travel.
     This is what holds a vast amount of promise for the series.  A good time travel tale can open up stories with infinite possibility, and I believe that is what Red Dog has planned for the future.  We get to see only the barest effect of the element, and the hint of what may be done with it, and as a huge time travel fanatic, that has got me salivating to so how the creators will be putting it to use.

     My only complaint is a small, apparent inconsistency.  There is the fact that the boy's name is Kyle, but a guy named Joey refers to him as Kylo.  No one else calls him that and I can't help wonder if it's a nickname or a spelling error, due to the similar names I am not entirely sure.  It's an extremely tiny thing overall and I said apparent because I'm unsure which is true.  What's important is they've set up Red Dog for some really big things to come.

     This first issue has given us a lot of potential and a great cast of characters.  It has all the right set up, and leaves us on a cliffhanger that leaves me wondering how Kyle will come through after the natives attack.  Are the native aliens truly malevolent, or is Kyle correct in his notion that they are more than just animals?  Where and when will the lost Imperium re-arrive?  There's a lot of questions we'll be seeing answered in the future.

     As with many of 451's comics this is an updated take on a classic story- the clearest example being their newest series NVRLND being a modern take on Peter Pan- Red Dog has at it's core the coming of age tale of a boy and his dog set in an interesting sci fi universe.  With that in mind, Red Dog has a little Lassie, a bit of Ender's Game, and a hefty dose of John Carter of Mars to round out what is looking like a wonderful new kind of science fiction comic.
   
     Red Dog hits the stands November 16th.

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*Review copy provided by 451, Thank You!

451 Media: Ex Mortis: Issue 7 Review (Final Issue)

     Ex Mortis, Hitler's secret undead army, has been unleashed and only the chance of stopping them is in the hands of a group of Allied monsters called the Dreadnaughts.

     Comprised of all the essential classic horror creatures.  There's a wolfman, a vampire, Frankenstein's original Promethean man, and even a fishman among others.  The team had been betrayed and was in the hands of Axis forces and being subjected to all manner of torture and experimentation in issue 5.
     Then in issue 6 backup arrived, the Dreadnaughts escaped, and set out to prove that despite all the intolerance and persecution, they can rise above mere humanity and thwart the unstoppable Nazi onslaught.

     And rise above they do.  This finale shows that no matter what the cost they will do whatever they can to stop the evil rising out of Hitler's esoteric fanaticism.  They knew they signed up for a suicide mission, and it's come to test their mettle.
     The Dreadnaughts do not disappoint.  Few other stories can give you a blaze of glory quite like this.  This group of outcasts demonstrates that sacrificing all you are to save others is an honor that is held for people that are more than mere soldiers.  It is an act reserved for true heroes.

     Ex Mortis was created and written by the Williams brothers, and has been adapted by Andi Ewington (also known for SIX and the criminally under-appreciated Overrun).  The idea behind Ex Mortis alone could've been reduced to simple and boring fanfare, attempting to rest on familiarity of their namesakes, but the book is handled with great care.  It isn't brought down by cliched writing that befalls many stories using the stereotypical horror character line-up.  This books has given each one of them lives worth knowing.  Lives worth reading about.  And that makes all the difference.

     All these characters are brought to life on the page by the black and white art of Raymund Bermudez and Ty Dazo.  It holds up well as a modern incarnation of the horror pulp comics of yesteryear.  Each black and white page wreaks of the blood implied by the spatters of ink between each panel.  This is what has grown out of things like the Vault of Horror or Tales from the Crypt and it is wonderful and well worth the time for any fans of horror comics or of World War 2 stories.

     Ex Mortis issue 7 is available today.

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*Review copy provided by 451 Media, Thank you!

451 Media: SIX: Issue 7: Comic Review (S6X)

     Where SIX issue 6 had taken things from a small party to a war zone, issue 7 has mirrored that.  The issue begins with the cliffhanger ending of the Five-One Sand Scorpions being out-manned and nearly overrun by the Cartel.

     Even in the face of imminent defeat the SIX fight tooth and nail to hold their ground.  McQuade, Angel, Blink, Hashtag, Stonewall, and Abe all have a promise to keep and each their own reasons for fighting.  Atonement, guilt, and above all, honor- they are all desperately pushing on to find either sacrifice or redemption for these things.

     The casualty count is high on both sides and the issue ends on a very somber note, going from explosive action to mournful reflection.  But, it also leaves us with the knowledge that things are definitely not finished between the remaining members of McQuade's SIX and the Cartel.  There is something coming, a looming shadow, and I can't wait to find out what it is.
     Personally, I'm really curious to know how the leader of the Cartel, Señor Martinez, knows so much about the SIX in the first place.

     George Pelecanos (Writer/Producer of HBO's The Wire) and writer Andi Ewington have done it again.  Action, drama, and intrigue all woven perfectly into one wonderfully suspenseful issue.  Mack Chater's art feels a bit looser this time around, but it fits perfectly with the chaos of combat and the nature of war depicted in these pages.  They've created an amazing story in the same vein as The Magnificent Seven and there's only one issue left for the finale.

     Since their first published comics just under a year ago, 451 Media (now also known as 451 Entertainment for the comics side of things) has been consistently producing great content.  From the missing persons drama Sunflower, to zombie horror Self Storage, or the twisted tale of a ghost hunting Ebeneezer Scrooge in Humbug, and all the way to the World War 2 monster squads of Ex Mortis, every issue of each series keeps getting better and better.  They're truly creating a new standard for the comic book industry.

     SIX issue 7 will be available this Wed. July 20th.

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*Review copy provided by 451 Media 

451 Media: Ex Mortis 5 (of 7): Comic Review

     It's 1944 and the world is at war, but Hitler has been creating an army of the undead called the Ex Mortis.  What can the Allies do against a group unstoppable Nazi soldiers?  Create a special group of their own monsters called the Dreadnaughts.

     The team is comprised of all the essential classic horror creatures.  There's Jack Glendon (Wolfman), Captain Demeter (Vampire), Junior (Frankenstein's original Promethean creation!), Nereus (A Fishman), Eric Leroux (Explosives Expert/Phantom), and  Corporal Cushing- just a normal human woman looking to find someone from her past.

     This team of super soldiers just can't catch a break.  They've been brought together on a suicide mission to stop a seemingly invincible army, crashed- then ruined- a military sock hop dance, accidentally decapitated their commanding officer, and then they were shot down behind enemy lines .  Things can't possibly get any worse, right?

     After last issue's skirmish, the team is regrouping.  Cushing is helping sew parts onto Junior, the Captain is feeding, and the team gets only the briefest of respites.  They are quickly divided, ambushed, and taken captive by the Ex Mortis who've been aided by a traitor.  Things are looking very bleak for the Allied monsters.  

     ...but...  they find someone that may be able to help them in their holding cells while another army moves towards their location.  

     The series was been created and written by Paul and Pete Williams, and has been adapted by Andi Ewington.  Ex Mortis has done quite well with it's horror material.  It could've easily fallen into a mish-mash of garbage like so many other stories tend to do, but is handled superbly here.  There's plenty of comics, books, and movies out there attempting to capitalize on the stereotypical horror lineup, but very few do it in such a deft manner.  They don't dwell on the angst of their characters like Penny Dreadful, they don't have incomprehensibly long and drawn out stories like Hemlock Grove, and it certainly doesn't neuter vampires and werewolves like Twilight.  Like the Dreadnaughts themselves, Ex Mortis has a mission and it cuts right to it.  Each issue gives us a little more story, a bit more tension, and a hell of a lot more action.

     What makes this story really shine, though, is the art.  It isn't often a black and white comic can really hold it's own with so many of the full-colored comics out there, but Raymund Bermudez's art is a true descendant of all that made old pulp horror comics so great.  It's got a dynamic flow, great layouts, and even the splatters between the panels are evocative of all the blood that is being spilled in these pages.  It doesn't need to be red to know what it is.  This book is a worthy heir to The Vault of Horror and Tales from the Crypt.  To give credit where it is due though, this issue also has Ty Dazo listed as penciler, and David Forrest assisting on inking.

     Every single book that 451 Media is putting out is great, and I'm continually impressed by them.  Seriously, Self Storage and Sunflower are absolutely great, Humbug is a genuine delight, and SIX is every bit as riveting as any military crime novel I've ever read.  This is a company to watch as the quality of work they've been publishing is staggering.  These books are all well worth reading!

     They have more than enough #ImaginationToBurn!

     

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*Review copy provided by 451 Media, Thank you!

451 Media: SIX: Issue 6: Comic Book Review (S6X)

     In issue 6 of SIX, everything is taking a step up with some downtime.  We've been getting plenty of issues of set up and now it's time for some big pay off.  McQuade's team has been assembled and we know there can only be action to come- and does it ever.

     The issue begins with a small party going on at Sarah's coffee bean farm where everyone can relax a little.  And through this opening we get insights into many of the characters and what they are like when not fully on the job.  Each character has been made quite distinct and a great addition as a specialist on the team, and this issue only makes that more apparent.
     Every one on the team matters.  These aren't just nobodies, they are the five-one Sand Scorpions that served together in Iraq.  They are coming together out of an important bond and they are focused on keeping that together.  George Pelecanos (the Writer/Producer of the HBO show The Wire) has made damn sure these characters are fleshed out, and writer Andi Ewington has done a perfect job of giving us realistic and believable dialogue.

     McQuade and Sarah talk circuitously around their past romance, Blink and Abe discuss guilt and PTSD, and Stonewall display's an uncharacteristic soft side.  But this small celebration is a wonderful contrast for the second half of the issue when the action hits.  The Mexican drug cartel has been watching and planning, using their still unexplained knowledge of this team to try and take them down.  The cartel finally takes action and when the SIX fight back, all hell breaks loose.

     This issue has a tremendous contrast between the way it begins and the way it ends.  Starting with a comfortable get-together with everyone laying low and enjoying themselves and swiftly ramping up to an end that is an all out war zone.  It proves to be such an amazingly effective dichotomy that I was slightly taken aback.  The writing and art flow so seamlessly that I was genuinely surprised that I had actually read over 40 pages so quickly.
     This issue of SIX has raised the stakes, filled us in on some intriguing backstory to flesh out the characters, given us exceptional action sequences, and left us on one hell of a cliffhanger of an ending- meaning that it has not only done everything we want from a comic book, it's done more.

     SIX issue 6 has brought the eight issue series to a new level.  Pelecanos, Ewington, and Chater have created a series to keep an eye on.  It's engaging, action packed, and sets a great standard for comic book entertainment.

     The comics company 451 Media has come out of nowhere and surprised me with continually amazing stories with Self Storage and Sunflower, but SIX is easily overtaking them as my favorite.  There's no better praise I can give other than to tell you to go out and buy these books.  I've got more reviews for Humbug, Bad Moon Rising, and Ex Mortis all on the way, and I absolutely cannot get enough of how good all these books are.  They've definitely got #ImaginationToBurn.  Seriously, these are all comic books to follow, and there is no way I want to miss an issue.

     SIX issue 6 will be available Wednesday April 27th.

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*SIX issue 6 review copy provided by 451 Media

451 Comics: Sunflower: Issue 4 Review

     A decade of living as a hermit after her husband and daughter were murdered, CJ receives a mysterious postcard in the mail with only a single word written on it: Sunflower.  Her husband's body was found, her daughter's was not.  The perpetrator's were never found, and now this message has arrived on her doorstep with her name on it.  That is how the series, written by Mark Mallouk (and adapted by Andi Ewington), begins.  This new possibility that her daughter might actually still be alive starts CJ on one hell of a journey.

     Now, in the fourth issue, CJ has trekked through some troublesome places, and followed clues relentlessly, to find out where her daughter may be.  What began as a simple murder mystery has transformed into something much more ominous when CJ trails the leads to an Egyptian cult that has the locals fearful, and after initiation they bring her face to face with someone from her past.
     This issue shows exactly how far a determined parent will go to find their child.  Nothing will stop her until she finds the end of the story, and this issue provides a startling revelation on that path.  Nothing will keep her from finding the answers she's looking for.

     Every single issue has left me wanting more.  All the proper mystery/crime staples are here- murder, mystery, intrigue, shady police refusing new evidence on a cold case, and even the hesitant to assist townsfolk.  Each beat of the story is perfectly placed.  Each step is better than the last.  All leading us to an end that we won't want to miss.

     Aside from the awesome story and writing, it'd be foolish not to mention the art.  Sunflower artist Lee Carter has balanced the action with long scenes that give readers a true sense of build up.  It isn't mere run-and-gun non-stop action, though the action that is here is top notch realism with all the grit of modern crime novels.  Scenic vistas are interspersed throughout CJ's journey to give us a real sense of atmosphere and an even more real sense of the world around her.  Some of the landscapes generate a sense of foreboding, some have an eerie loneliness- a beautiful contrast from the bright and welcoming sunny-glow of the sunflower fields surrounding CJ's rural home.  This is undoubtedly what I imagine True Detective would be if it were a comic book.  An irresistible story that draws me ever closer with each issue.

     If you haven't begun reading Sunflower, I cannot recommend it enough.  And not just this series, but all of 451's titles that I've read are damn good.  I've read all the Self Storage, Sunflower, and Six issues* up to date and they are all tremendously well done.  Check them all out.

     Official [ 451 ]

     Previous reviews [ Sunflower & Self Storage ]

*Review copy of Sunflower #4 provided by 451 Media. Thank you and keep up the amazing work!