Friday 4 December 2009

Artist Showcase - Rudy Vasquez

Next up we have a an up and coming superstar Rudy Vasquez. Rudy is another artist I found on DeviantArt. I absolutely love his hyper detailed pencils. Rudy has worked on various projects and by what i see is getting better and better every time his pencil touches paper. His style reminds me of some of my favourite artists from the 90's including Jim Lee, Dave Finch and Liam Sharp(note: these are still some of my favourite artist) although he truly has his own style which has obviously developed from a love of great comic art. I can see Rudy becoming a much bigger name in comics over the next few years.

Below, Rudy has answered some questions to give you an insight into him as an artist and fan.

Rudy Vasquez - WolverineWhat first got you into comic books?
Well, I remember being given a small novel sized color collection of Stan Lee's and Steve Ditko's run of Spider-Man but what made me really want to be a penciler was Punisher War Journal #8 by Jim Lee. I remember thinking..."This art isn't the same as everything else, it's special." So, it inspired me to want to do the same.

Who is your favourite comic book character?
That's easy. I'd have to say, Spider-Man. For the same reasons most people love him. He's so relRudy Vasquez - Jokeratable. Most of us without a silver spoon inour mouths have experienced being late on rent or at least stressing over it. Having to do laundry, juggle our job and love life without compromising a dream. Only in Spidey's case, it's less a dream than what he feels is his responsibility. Well, we have to recognize that even though none of us have special powers like a super hero, we do have special abilities nonetheless. It can be, writing talents, drawing, singing or whatever it might be. With great talent comes great responsibility. We shouldn't waste what God has gifted us with, even if we have to juggle the rent too.

Who are your major artistic influences?
Well, I'd say Jim Lee but luckily when people see my art it's usually a different comparison. I'm grateful for that because even though Jim's been a huge inpsiration I don't want to be a xerox machine. We all have to find our own voice. I do incorporate a little of everyone I admire though, even if it's in a small way. I love, Leinel Yu, Steve Rude, Hiroaki Samura, John Romita. just to name a few.

What comics do you currently read?
I'm way behind but anything from Carnival Comics of course, One-eyed Jack! by Jon Castaneda, and Spider-Man books.

What are you currently working on?
I'm the head artist at Carnival Comics and I'm doing the art for Jazan Wild's Carnival of Souls and The Funhouse of Horrors. I'm also doing a creator owned book with writer Justin Carmona about a native El Paso super-hero called the Black-Bird. I'm excited about both because Jazan Wild has such precise vision with Carnival of Souls and the Black-Bird will give me the opportunity to have a commentary on something unique like a border city. Keep in mind that the Carnival of Souls is and will be available through your cell phone as an app, or on myebook.com for free. You should really take advantage of that!

Rudy Vasquez - UTF
Rudy Vasquez - Venger
Rudy Vasquez - Hulk vs Spawn

To see more of Rudy's work visit his DeviantArt here or his Blog.

Wednesday 2 December 2009

Artist Showcase - Carl Riley

New Feature Time!!
To Start of this new feature I could think of nothing better than talking to a fellow brit. I first came across Carl's work on his DeviantArt Page. His stuff reminded me of my favourite time in comics, the early 90's. As it turns out, read his answers below, I was spot on. Now over the last couple of years his style has developed and been refined to what you see here.

I dropped Carl an email and asked him to answer a few question so you can all know a bit more about him as well as see his artwork.

Moonknight and Ghost RiderWhat first got you into comic books?
I first got in to comics about 10 years ago when friend of mine introduced me to Fathom and Michael Turners art. As an art student myself I was amazed at the quality of work and have been hooked ever since.

10th MuseWho is your favourite comic book character?
I have a few but I'd have to go with Aphrodite ix, a super hot cyber chick created by David Finch back when i first got in to comics.

Who are your major artistic influences?
Turner and Finch have been two of my biggest influences from the outset. In more recent years I've discovered the talents of Jim Lee, Marc Silvestri, Ebas, Tyler Kirkham and various other artists with the 'Top Cow' feel to their work. Joe Mad! and Mark Brooks are two more with a different style I really look up to.

What comics do you currently read?
I started out with the books such as Witchblade, Fathom, Darkness and still read those today. I went through a stage of reading Marvel books but soon tired of endless 'superhero saves the world' stories.

What are you currently working on?
As a new dad I've not got a great deal of time on my hands for drawing right now so have had to turn down long running projects. I'm currently concentrating on commission which also help beat the credit crunch!

What is your dream project?
I'd love to work for Top Cow or Aspen as a cover artist or interiors. I guess my dream would be that Aphrodite ix would be bought back and I'd get to do the pencils....errrr.... but that is NEVER gonna happen!

Witchblade by Carl Riley
The Legend of Isis by Carl Riley
10th Muse - By Carl Riley

To see more of Carl's work visit his DeviantArt here.

Melody - Web Comic

Melody - Read on line a Zuda.comMelody Web Comic PageStraight from the Zuda Synopsis: Through chance, Mel comes into possession of the melody to “the greatest song in the world”... but not the lyrics. The tune comes straight from the Muse Of Song and it’s of supernatural power, everyone who hears it will love it! Various groups of people (politicians, the church, advertisers), they all want it for their own means. By providing their own lyrics they could shape it to be the ultimate propaganda song. Some try to buy Mel, some to charm her, some to intimidate her. And when ruthless ex-spy, Damien, goes after her she soon finds herself running for her life. She has to stay alive and do the right thing with the divine melody in her head...Now if only she could find out what the right thing is!

The Writing
I originally read the first 8 pages back when this was part of the monthly competition and was not all that impressed, not that my initial opinion mattered as it finished in 1st place winning that month's competition. I revisited this comic recently and found it had been completed. After reading through the 60 pages of well scripted, thoroughly entertaining story I take back my initial unimpressed stance. This is a really good story although i feel it might have ended too soon. We were just really getting to know the characters and their motivations.

The Art
The art is Nice, good solid structure and fantastic colours. Illias Kryriazis has been a pro since 2001 and it shows in this highly polished web comic. Not overly simple and not too detailed the art really lends itself to the Zuda framework. It does have a kind of European feel to it, although this may be because the artist is from Greece, which is a good thing. As with many of the newer Zuda Comics the artist seems to have designed his panels to fit a screen rather than a page and some of the layouts are really innovative. I'll definitely be checking out some of his other stuff.

Updates
Mondays

Links
Melody Online Comic
Illias Kyriazis Deviant Art

Recommended if you like. . .
Sin Titulo, Preacher, Last Warring Angel etc.

Tuesday 1 December 2009

Changes

Hi Folks,
just dropping by to apologise for the lack of updates to this blog. Way back in the first part of the year I was roaring along posting lots of Cool Webcomics for you to read. This blog was really starting to take off.
Out of the Blue I got an email from a viewer questioning my scoring system (marks out of 10). I thought about it quite a bit and in the end i agreed with this reader that the scoring system was naff. So rather than sort it out i got a bit disillusioned with the updating the blog.
Fast Forward to now. .
I'm taking away the scoring system. Instead I'll add a some information comparing the featured web comics to other things that I feel are similar in tone, genre or look. i.e. If you like Blade-Runner then Precession is a good fit for you and so on.
In Addition to Features on Webcomics I'm going to be posting some features about artists I like and featuring some of their work with links to their sites etc. I feel this still falls under the Cool Webcomics banner as they will be comic artist or aspiring comic artist who draw comics/comic related images and put them online so in essence still Cool Webcomics (stuff).

Anyway that's all for now. Thank you all for reading and sticking with me. I hope that I can bring you lots more webcomics to read and some really cool art to look at.

As always I welcome your comments, recommendations and suggestions

Nth

Thursday 9 July 2009

Lilly MacKenzie and the Mines of Charybdis - Web Comic

Lilly MacKenzie and the Mines of CharybdisLilly MacKenzie and the Mines of Charybdis Web Comic PageHow best to describe this. . . A beautiful Space fairing, Ginger, half Scottish, half African American beauty, who kicks some serious butt and hangs around with a vertically challenged, pink haired engineer of sorts, who appears to love her unconditionally but is happy just to be friends go on an adventure into deep space with possibility of no return. . . . Sounds good to me are you interested yet?

Writing
As the above suggests this story is pretty involved and hooks you from the very start and then rolls along at a nice pace allowing you to take in the scale and scope of the galaxy spanning storyline. The characterization through the story is just sublime. Cosmo is by far my favourite character so far although Lilly also really cool. Simon Fraser(The Creator) has a fantastic imagination and his attention to the fine details of the Science Fiction he has created just blow me away.

Art
Simon Fraser is both the writer and artist of this wonderful webcomic and his style is an absolute joy. It reminds me of Barry Windsor Smith with a slice of Brian Hitch or Alan Davis and a topping of Steve Dillon and Kevin McGuire. Now Simon has been around for a good few year working on Stuff for 2000AD, IDW and various other things. Be sure to check out his Nikolai Dante stuff.

Updates
Weekly

Links
Lilly MacKenzie and the Mines of Charybdis - Web Comic
Simon Fraser's Website
Act-i-vate
Nikolai Dante Semi-Official Website

Recommended if you like
Alien Movies, Total Recall, 5th Element, 2000AD, Star Trek etc

Tuesday 7 July 2009

Celadore - Web Comic

Celadore Webcomic at Zuda.comPages from Celadore WebcomicSticking with Zuda for this one. This was another one I kinda missed. I remember reading the original eight pages and thinking that is was nice but do we really need a Buffy Junior. . . Turns out we do and Celadore is Buffy Junior and a whole lot more.

The Seemingly familiar story of a strong sexy female Vampire hunter begins as it should, with her fighting a couple of vamps, but before you know it the story flips over and gives us the mesmerizing adventures of a prepubescent vampire hunter with a supporting cast that has something for everyone.

Writing
Fast paced adventure that slows down every so often to let you catch your breath. We have vampires, Fairies, Monsters and much more. The first arc introduces us to the main characters and effortlessly presents their personalities, backgrounds and abilities without the usual flashback nonsense(I've been over it a few times and it still surprises me how quickly I became familiar with the cast). Some really interesting twists and turns make this comic one to watch. Writing this I've read about 120 pages and now look forward to reading it on a regular basis.

Art
This is a weird one. At first glance I thought "nah, not for me" then I thought "kinda suits the tone of the story" which lead me on to "this is actually pretty cool" and now I'm all "I should try and draw like this guy". The style of the art has a Saturday morning cartoon feel mixed with a bit of Mike Avon Oeming of "Powers" fame. Bright and colourful but dark and shadowy when needed.

Links
Celadore Webcomic (Flash Plug-in Required)

Recommended if you like. . .
Buffy, Harry Potter, Saturday morning cartoons etc

Monday 6 July 2009

High Moon - Web Comic

High MoonHigh Moon Comic pagesOk now, where to start with this one. High Moon , was one the first winner of Zuda's monthly competition. I initially never looked twice at as the original 8 pages never looked that good. How wrong was I? I took another look at it the other day and was absolutely blown away. I must be a bit slow on the uptake because i totally missed it.
Now on to my review. .
Werewolves . . . Check. Vampires . . . Check. Cowboys . . . Check. Three of my favourite film genres all wrapped up in a handy little flash webcomic along with Native American spirits/demons and some really strong characterisation and storrytelling make this one of my new fave webcomics. And should, in my opinion, become a new monthly printed comic under the vertigo label as it ould fit perfectly in that line.

The Writing
Really good, Twists and turns around the old wild west in ways remnicent of the Unforgiven movie mixed in with Buffy the Vampire slayer. Throw in a smattering of Steampunk, or a bit of wild wild west. . . . nah, scrap that i dont want to sour your conceptions of this great comic.

The Art
As I've said above I did not dig this when I first saw it but the art rally grows on you and suits the style of the story. Kinda reminds me of Dan Brereton of Nocturnal Fame, but with a smoother finish, not as angular as Brereton. Dark and brooding suits this perfect.

Updates
4 Pages a week on a 15 week schedule, Now also in printed format.

Links
High Moon Online Comic (Flash Plug-in Required)
Creator Blog
Zuda Comics

Recommended if you like. . .
Westerns, Vampire Moves/comics, Blade etc

Tuesday 9 June 2009

Monster Plus - Web Comic

Monster PlusNewsarama turned me on to Action Age Comics run by Chris Sims and Chad Bowers. Chris does the Super Invincible Blog and Chad is the creator of Doctor Impossible and Action Ace. Oh boy what a find. Here you have a couple of guy who obviously love the art form of comics and together have created some really cool online content for readers to devour.

Now on to Monster Plus. Action Age site says "Mark Darke thought he had it all under control, but his plans didn’t account for the return of a Mummified Werewolf Zombie Vampire Frankenstein Witch Doctor From Mars and his gang of teenage sidekicks!" I could not put it better.

The Writing
Vampires, Monsters, Aliens , Superheroes and a clone of Dracula as a teenager. That's just a few of the things that appear in the first few pages of the comic. The way the story flows kinda reminds me of Savage Dragon and the plethora of weird and wonderful characters does enhance the similarity. There is however no similarity to the Dragon in the actual story. I really like where this is going and plan to continue reading it.


The Art
One word to say about the art. Fun. Its not the best art I've seen in an online comic and its not the worst. Some of the anatomy of the characters is off and some of the panels look flat but for the most part the art is solid and does not detract from the story. Shows lots of potential for development. I can see Nathan Kroll becoming a major force in the comic industry if his art continues to develop.

Updates
Unknown

Links
Monster Plus Online Comic
Action Age Comics


Recommended if you like. . .
Van Helsing, Lobo, Martial Law, The Boys etc

Monday 8 June 2009

Eye of the Gods - Web Comic

Eye of the GodsPage from Eye of the GodsOK here's how the site describes it. Eye of the Gods is a psychological thriller about a man who's life spirals out of control when he is cursed with the ability of remote viewing.

Sean Black, an artist, has a surgery to clone his eyeballs and replace his existing eyes with the clones, restoring his failing vision. After the operation, he has a "dream" about a murder, only to discover that it really happened……But the death isn't being reported as a murder. When his curiosity gets the best of him, it sets off a chain of events that unravel his life.

The Writing
The above skit does describe the comic very well. I like the concept and i like where the story is going. I like the main characters and feel that the supporting cast add to the depth of the story. There is lots more going on that we are told and I'm stocking with it to see how it ends up. So far with over a hundred pages online this is good solid stuff.

The Art
I Like the art. The artists style is clean and simple the use of gray tones give some panels a sense of depth. My only moan about this is there are little or no backgrounds in many of the panels. This may have been intentional to move the story along quicker but I feel that maybe the artist could have spent a bit more time.

Updates
Mondays

Links
Eye of the Gods Online Comic
Optic House Website
Buy the Eye of the Gods Graphic Novel

Recommended if you like. . .
Minority Report, Truman Show, Surrogates, Last Warring angel etc

Wednesday 20 May 2009

From Death Til Now - Web Comic

From Death Til NowFrom Death Til Now PageNow where to start with this one. . . This is a great tlittle online comic that has me hooked and desperate for more. Basically George and Virgil who are lifelong friend now in the twighlight of life go on a fishing trip. Sounds pretty dull but its anything but. A wonderfully crafted story that draws you in immediately. I'm not gonna say anymore about the plot as I dont want to spoil it just check out the sample page on the right and you'll know its not gonna be a boring strip about two old guys fishing. The Only thing I'm not keen on is the use of Copperplate Gothic font in the logo and web header buts that's just me.

The Writing
The main characters are very realistic and believable. There are some really good flashback sequences that fill in the background info once the story gets going giving a greater understanding of character motivations and aims. Now here's a statement. The two main character George and Virgil are a better duo than Will Smith and Martin Laurence. Better than Mathau and Lemon. . . So far.

The Art
I Like the art. Nice and simple with a animated feel to it. You can see this easily being translated to an animated version. The style of the art is similar, in my opinion, to DJ Coffman of Flobots and Hero By Night Fame. Done beautifully in black and white this comics is a quality read.

Updates
Currently on Hiatus but will hopefully return soon. Over 90 pages to get you started though.

Links
From Death Til Now Online Comic
Michael E. Regina Studio Website

Recommended if you like. . .
Buddy Movies, Up, Hero By Night, Indiana Jones etc

Tuesday 19 May 2009

Plan B - Web Comic

Plan BPages from Plan BVeronica is a 30 year old Supervillain who has spent the last 3 years amassing state-of-the-art weapons, designing technology you could only dream of and plotting out how to save the world from itself. All this while you've been watching Pop Idol.. And the reason for this? Well as she puts so eloquently you're better to get it from her. Click here for her motivational introduction promo piece.

The Writing
Very Well done, the character borders on genius at times and at no point leaves you wondering about character motivations and aims. The concept of the story at its base level is along the lines of Marvel's Thunderbolts and other comics that focus on the the villain. I must point out that although I use the Thunderbolts as a reference this online comic is nothing at all like the Thunderbolts. I've read all 5 of the parts/issues so far and my enjoyment of this gets more as it goes. my only gripe is that the end comes to quickly. you can read the whole thing in less than 20 minutes.

The Art
I'm not a huge fan of the line work but the simplicity if the lines mixed with the colour used does work extremely well and does not detract from the story. The character designs are good and instantly recognisable as individuals. The action sequences well laid out and easy to follow. While I'd not have picked this up in a store due to the art it does not stop me really enjoying aspect of it online. . . or maybe its just because its free. I would however pick up a printed trade now that I've got into it. So final word is that the art grows on you.

Updates
Unknown

Links
Plan B Online Comic
Creator's Deviant art Page
Comic's Face Book Group

Recommended if you like. . .
Magellan, Invincible, Thunderbolts etc

Friday 15 May 2009

Sam and Lilah - Web Comic

Sam and LilahPages from Sam and LilahFound this little piece of web wonder while hunting around other webcomic blogs. I initially passed it by as from the impression I got it reminded me of that line of "girl friendly" comics Marvel brought out a few years ago. I was so wrong. This is a really well done love story with vague-ish biblical references. I believe that this came in 4th in the Zuda monthly. Here's how its described over on the Act-i-vate site. " Fate really is a four-letter word. When Lilah meets Sam at a coffee shop, things seem to be headed in the right direction. He's cute, fit, not shy but not cocky. The problem is, Sam is short for Samson and when your name is short for Delilah, that's Trouble."

The Writing
I don't think I'm doing this comic a disservice by saying that the writing is cute. The story is so far is about falling in love and overcoming the unique obstacle the main characters have to face. The interaction between the two main cast members flows well and although more related to the art of this comic the use of little emoticon symbols and sound effects to emphasise the action or lack of it in certain scenes is nothing short of genius. I've seen this kind of stuff used a fair bit in manga based stuff and although this has a manga-esque overtone it is essentially an American style book with a manga influence. The story so far have moved forward at an acceptable pace and has enough pull to keep me coming back.

The Art
The art is brilliant. While not usually a style I like manga-esque feel of the art works well for this story. Like I mentioned above there is a definite "Marvel Romance" feel to the art but don't let this detract from a really good script. From my point of view each page has been expertly designed and works as a stand alone piece of art. I can see various design influence throughout the strip that make me believe that the creative team really have an eye for good design and maximise each page layout getting the most impact possible from each panel. Also this is one of the first things I've read where great care has been taken to incorporate sound effects and symbols to enhance the actual story telling not your usual Thwack, Snikt, Boom! stuff here.

Updates
Weekly

Links
Sam and Lilah Online Comic

Recommended if you like. . .
Strangers in Paradise, Romance Comics, Romeo and Juliet, Questionable Content etc

Thursday 7 May 2009

The Last Warring Angel - Web Comic

The Last Warring AngelPage from Last Warring AngelYou ever read a comic and think to yourself "This would make a great movie"? Yeah, me too. This online comic would make a great movie and I think the creators already have their cast picked out. In fact I think that this was possibly a movie script turned into a comic book as it reads like a movie and the cinematic style of the art easily lets your brain join the dots to make this an almost cinematic experience. The concept behind this comic is not a new one and has been done a few times over my comic reading experience as well as in a few movies but rarely have I read a comic like this and been able to picture it as movie. Credit must go to the artist for his skill in bringing the likeness of certain actor through in his work. Now onto a quick synopsis. Heaven vs Hell in an all out action packed adventure featuring Tom Cruise, Jennifer Garner, Gene Hackman and Samuel Jackson. . . well that would be the movie but the comic is the next best thing so go read it.

The Writing
At times i forgot i was reading a comic and the story plays out like a movie. I guess this was planned as the company is called Cinema Comics. Anyway. . . Although similar themes and stories have been done in comic and movies over the years I feel this one is one of the best. The character are solid and through the writers vision you instantly like or hate the ones you're supposed to. The pacing is perfect and although some of the scenes could be extended they work really well in this 5 issue format. A good solid back story provides the foundations for this not so futuristic tale set in 2015.

The Art
Brilliant. After reading this all the way through I have to say that I'm surprised that Marc Borstel is not one of the biggest stars in mainstream comics today. His art style is up there with Alan Davis and Brian Hitch and his ability to render likenesses is better that Greg Land. The art is a big part of why I gave this comic a 10. Not only for the line work but the colours are amazing too. Almost Cinematic!! I've since been and found Mr Borstels blog and seen some of the other stuff he does. Simply breathtaking!

Updates
Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Links
The Last Warring Angel Online Comic
Cinema Comics Website
Artist Marc Borstel's Personal Blog

Recommended if you like. . .
The Prophecy, Mission Impossible, Highlander, Jerry Bruckheimer movies etc

Wednesday 6 May 2009

Tozo - Web Comic

The Public Servent TozoPages from TozoNot very often you come across a gem like this. This book has a very European feel to it's style and in many way reminds me of things like Tin Tin with a smattering of Mr Ben and a flavour of moebius. The official synopsis describes the comic like this; "When Detective Inspector Tozo is asked to investigate the murder of an employee of the Financial Exchange, he has little idea that the trail will lead him into a shadowy and deadly world of political intrigue, smuggling and religious conspiracy." Which is spot on and saves me rabbling on about it.

The Writing
Enthralling, I normally read a webcomic over a few sittings this was one of the ones that I had get right up to date with before pulling myself away from the screen. The main character are instantly likeable and the addition of the Mecha supporting cast is a nice touch. We have religious themes and scientific wonders with an ominous foreshadowing of dread all taking place around a seemingly utopean monarchy run society.

The Art
Like I said above it has shades of Tin Tin and the tv show Mr Ben. I'd also throw in a similarity to Paul Smith (X-men, Leave it to Chance). The colours suit the themes of the story and are typical of the European stuff I remember as a kid. The art is simplistic with a slight slant toward being cartoony. This does not take anything away from the stroy, in fact it suits the story perfectly.

Updates
Weekly on Sundays.

Links
Tozo Online Comic

Recommended if you like. . .
This is an odd one not like anything else really. If you can help me out here please do.

Wednesday 29 April 2009

Corona Doves - Web Comic

Corona DovesSome example pages from HeistCorona Doves, a small mercenary group formed of four core members, operate in zones too politically suicidal for government bodies to do so. Here, choice and mystery is coupled with careful planning, but even then, things don’t always follow the desired path. This is where Destiny is chosen by the fearless, or a fate dealt to those who aren't.
Discover the unfolding story of Nabhori an orphaned child, now a woman…

The Writing
Very sleek, Without knowing much about the characters I find myself enthralled with this story. It moves effortlessly from action to quiet somber moments and back again. The writer know how to build tension and does so expertly in one of the first main battle scenes. Oh and what a good idea with "Tails".

The Art
Takes a bit of getting used to but but its really nice. Different scenes have different colour themes through them which helps separate plots. The art reminds me of Simon Colby's early stuff or Martin Edmonds back when he worked on Accident Man at Toxic. Well worth checking this out.

Updates
Mondays and Thursday.

Links
Corona Doves Online Comic
November Studios

Recommended if you like. . .
Alien, Gears of War, Doom, Starship Troopers etc

Tuesday 28 April 2009

Heist - Web Comic

HeistSome example pages from HeistHeist is the story of the world's greatest thief and follows his adventures as he steals things that no one else can. It's a fairly simple premise but I feel that there is lots more to come from this comic and as the pacing and art are good I'm going to stick with it for a while to see what's going to happen. My only issue is that its not easy to navigate through the site so that you can read the comic.

The Writing
As I mentioned above the pacing is good and the characters are intriguing. I feel like I've missed an origin or something as the story seems to pick up in the middle. Its a bit like watching Empire Strikes Back if you have not seen A New Hope, Really enjoyable and entertaining but you could do with knowing who all the characters are.

The Art
Great art, great colours great style. The main character looks a bit like Cobra Commander. The art is sharp, crisp and clean my only gripe. not getting enough of this comic.

Updates
Weekly - every Thursday.

Links
Heist Online Comic

Recommended if you like. . .
Mission Impossible Movies, James Bond, Entrapment Movie etc

Friday 10 April 2009

Hand of the Morningstar - Web Comic

Hand of the MorningstarHand of the Morning StarOK hows this for a them. Group of Superheroes all working as a force for good under the guidance of a religious leader who is guiding their every move and more importantly is the giver of their abilities and has the power to take them away if they are not living up to his goals, which leads us to believe that there are darker undertones to the storyline. The basic premise as described on the site reads. "Superheros and Super Villains Clash — but what happens when the villain comes to know Jesus,
and the Superhero carries an evil secret?"

The Writing
Well I'll say this. I was originally put off this book because i was under the impression that it was a wholesome Christian comic boo. Nothing against those but they tend not to be my cup of tea. Once I started reading I found that the themes and ideas work really well and if I'd not had the preconception of this being a God botherer comic would have picked it up in print. Which by the way I'm actually going to do especially since I know that one of my online acquaintances takes over the art chores after Mr Miller's run is over.

The Art
What can you say about the art. . . . It's amazing. Mike S Miller is one of my favourite artist his style is so beautifully crisp and clean. The detail that he puts into his work is nearly at a technical drawing level with every frame looking almost like an instruction manual on how to draw terrific comic books. Now that's the fanboy rant about Mr Miller over. His art on this book, although done in Greyscale, is great and is what I've come to expect from this artist. My only problem is that I feel Mike does not do enough mainstream stuff. This book although good is not normally something I would pick up.

Updates
Monthly i think, although I get the feeling its not been updated in a while.

Links
Hand of the Moring Star Online Comic
Mike S Miller on Deviant Art

Recommended if you like. . .
Super hero comics, religion, Justice League etc

Wednesday 8 April 2009

Retake - Web Comic

RetakeRetake COmic PageI've been on Drunk Duck for a while now and while much of the content there does not float by boat this comic certainly does. Retake by Dave and Dan (Mr Hades). Is a take on one of those classic superhero type stories. Guy down on his luck, in this case a frustrated actor, gains mysterious powers through alien technology and so on. The thing about this take on a classic theme is that it is actually very good.

The Writing
There seems to be a definite direction that this comic is heading in. The characterization is really good and makes the main character instantly likeable, if a little irritating. As the story progresses there are similarities in themes to properties like Ben 10, Marvel's Darkhawk, XO-manowar from Valiant, Robert Kirkman's Tech Jacket and so on. However its well worth a read and has some interesting subplots developing running alongside the main story.

The Art
Mr Hades (Dan Butcher) is definitely one to watch in the future. I've been a fan of his work over on the penciljack forums for a few years now and his stuff seem to get better and better. I'm expecting big things from him in the mainstream industry in the future. His art reminds me allot of DJ Coffman's style on Hero by night although not quite as polished yet. but every page he turns in seems to get better and better.

Updates
Mondays and Thursdays

Links
Retake Online Comic
Mr Hades Penciljack Sketch Blog

Recommended if you like. . .
Ben 10, Iron-Man, Tech-Jacket, Sacred Pie etc

Thursday 26 March 2009

Sin Titulo - Web Comic

Sin TituloRandom Sin Titulo Comic PagesThis is a great online comic. I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone. Great story great art and a weekly schedule. What more do you want. . . well how about mystery, intrigue and small doses of extreme violence. Greta stuff. This comic has a mature readers warning so don't be letting your kids read it, Although its not that bad, better safe than sorry though. Without ruining the story here's how the creator describes it. A dark, neo-noir semi-autobiographical mystery thriller concerned with dreams, family, and memory. Enjoy.

The Writing
The best way to describe this, i think is, if you like Lost (the tv show) you'll love this. Lots of suspense and lots hints at something just out of reach. The comic is about 70 pages in as this is written and has laid enough groundwork to make this one of the most intriguing online comics I've read in a while. The pacing is really nice, not too slow and not too fast.

The Art
Who knew black white and beige could work together so well, I guess Cameron Stewart did. The art is highly professional and very simplistic which suit the highly complex storyline. You might have heard of Cameron Stewart as he was the artist on Catwoman and Seaguy at DC and has worked on carious other comics such as Superman, Buffy, Hellboy and many more.

Updates
Weekly

Links
Sin Titulo Online Comic
Transmission X

Recommended if you like. . .
Lost, Vertigo, Criminal etc

Wednesday 25 March 2009

Last Blood - Web Comic

Last BloodLast Bllod Comic PageI'd call this a gem of a find. Its been going for a couple of years now and is already onto its second volume. Last Blood is the story of a group of human's, possibly the last remaining humans after a zombie outbreak. The story starts about a month after the outbreak started and the future looks very bleak. A small group of people are holed up inside a school in the middle of nowhere with none or little knowledge of how this nightmare started. I don't want to ruin anything for you but I'll just tell you that there are Zombies and Vampires and really good art so goo check it out.

The Writing
Great Story, Great Concept, Great Pacing. As with all good stories you are eager to know more about the characters. It has all the mainstays of a good zombie story, you know the ones; last remnants of humanity, no realistic hope of survival, Zombies closing in from all over. . . the usual except Bobby Crosby throws a few well throughout curve balls into the mix. . . Vampires. And for good measure Bobby actually gives us a plausible explanation (well plausible in the confines of the story) about the origins of the zombie. I wont tell you as it'll spoil the story.


The Art
Some of the best art in an online comic I've come across. Owen Giemi is an artist that is definitely going places and I loved for him to take over a book like The Walking Dead if Robert Kirkman ever needs a replacement for Charlie Adlard. The art is crisp and in a way does remind me of Tony Moore's run on the Walking Dead with a kind of Avatar art feel thrown in. This is definitely a comic I'd buy of the shelves. Now that its in it's second volume its gone full colour. Even Better!

Updates
Weekly

Links
Last Blood Online Comic
Owen Gieni's Website(Artist)

Recommended if you like. . .
The Walking Dead, Zombie Movies, Twighlight Saga, True Blood etc

Tuesday 17 March 2009

The Fighting Stranger - Web Comic

The Fighting StrangerFighting Stranger Comic PagesSaw the title and was instantly hooked. First read it over at Zuda when it was part of one of the monthly competitions in september 2008. I thought it should have ranked higher than it did. Maybe it was a bit slow to start or maybe the just the first 8 pages were not enough to show people the potential this had, but now that its getting going I think its great. So far the characters seem really good and although we are early in the story, as of this post, I'm with it for the long haul.

The Writing
The pace so far has been steady with not too much in the way of action, although when we did finally get some around page 25 it was worth the wait. I eager to see where this story is going. We have the usual post apocalyptic backdrop as so many other web comics seem to although not much is given away except that breathing outside is not easy.

The Art
Good solid art. Reminds me of some of the art in 200AD over the last few years. Not much else to say about the art as it probably one of the most professionally finished web comics that I've come across.

Updates
Weekly

Links
Fighting Stranger Online Comic
Creator Adam Monetta's Blog

Recommended if you like. . .
Mad-Max, 2000AD, Cyborg(movie with JCVD) etc

Tuesday 10 March 2009

Flobots - Web Comic

Rise of the Flobots - Architects of ChangeFlobots Comic PageRight. Rise of the Flobots is a story about a guy who keeps putting up campaign signs and keeps getting them destroyed or broken. . . No it's a story about an Iraq Veteran who has been sidelined due to injury and longs to be back in the field. . . No actually its a story about Robots in a far flung future that a fighting for survival in a post apocalyptic worlds or so it seems. I actually have no idea what Flobots is about. I started reading it because I was a fan of DJ Coffman's Hero by Night over at Drunk Duck. and was gutted when that stopped. I found out that he was doing stuff with the Band Flobots and thought I check it out.

The Writing
As a fan of DJ Coffman, I enjoy his writing style and know that it will lead somewhere interesting. Once I got past the two seemingly unrelated intro stories the main strip set in the future show lots of promise and feels like it could burst into life at any moment. Still waiting though.


The Art

I'm a fan of DJ's art. its simple yet good enough to keep you interested. It's easy to follow and has a very animated feel to it. I sometimes feel that animated style give a false sense of fun to some of the more serious scenarios in the storyline, but that's just a minor gripe. The colours are really good.

Updates
Fairly regular

Links
Flobots Online Comic
Creator DJ Coffma's Blog

Recommended if you like. . .
Hero by Night, I-Robot, Terminator etc.

Friday 6 March 2009

Magellan - Web Comic

MagellanMagellan Comic PageWhere to start with this one. This is online comic gold. A good strong setup, good character and good plots. Magellan is based around a school for superheros in training and the things that happen therein. It starts with chapter one to give you a tatse here is the set up. Kaycee heads off for Magellan Academy, the origin of Brelvis, Go! Anna takes on a small mystery, plus many characters are introduced - Nadine, Fatima, Freya, Tom, Charisma, Wombat-man and Epoch.

The Writing
The writing is top class, lots of similarities to other properties but lots of original ideas. The creator obviously grew up on super hero comics and his love of the genre shines through in his story telling. great characters that you root for and great character development throughout the series.

The Art
The art is steady and works with the story. Its not Jim Lee, but who is except Jim Lee. The style reminds me of Scott McCLoed. The colours are bright and vibrant and remind me of Marvel in the eighties.

Updates
Regularly

Links
Magellan Online Comic
Creator Stephen Crowley's Blog

Recommended if you like. . .
Legion of Super Heroes, Teen Titan, X-Men, New Mutants, Gen 13 etc.