Category: Independent Publishers (Comic Books & Graphic Novels)

Written by Mike W. Barr & David Ammerman

Art by David Ammerman; Rodney Gates; Moose Baumann; & Foodhammer!

Cover Art by David Ammerman; ‘Pascoe’; & ‘G3’

SUMMARY:

Published by Malibu Comics for August 1994, this 40-page one-shot is entitled “Days of Wrath, Part 1: … Before the Dawn …”.  From the ominous Aladdin paramilitary organization, Bob Kendall covertly sends Thomas “Wrath” Hunter a video disc implicating Warstrike in the devastating assault on Hunter’s catatonic father.  Incensed, Wrath attacks Aladdin’s Col. Carpenter seeking answers before Aladdin’s armored squad forces his retreat.  Conducting her own snooping, Mantra realizes that Aladdin is also targeting Warstrike.  With Carpenter’s hitmen closing in, she’s the only buffer in an imminent showdown between Wraith and Warstrike. 

REVIEW:

Though the story by writers Mike W. Barr and David Ammerman is underwhelming, it offers a decent cliffhanger.  Of this bland three-way team-up, only Mantra’s minimal presence glimmers a semblance of originality.  Quite frankly, Wrath and Warstrike cancel out one another per their similar looks & powers, not to mention super-clichéd macho personas.  As the title character, Wrath’s battle vs. Carpenter’s security squad is among the rare moments that generates a murmur of interest.  In terms of visuals, the art squad does reasonably good work.  Periodically, the art quality appears upgraded, but this minor asset isn’t enough to compensate for a lackluster plot.  Unless one is a huge fan of Malibu Comics, Giant-Size Wrath # 1 is at most a modestly-entertaining read.       

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

None.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:              4½ Stars

Written by Scptt Lobdell

Art by Alex Konat; Beth Sotelo; & Josh Reed

Cover Art ‘A’ by Alex Konat & Peter Steigerwald

SUMMARY:

Published for October 2011 by Aspen Comics, it’s entitled “United Notions.”  Racing underwater from the Miami coast to New York City, Aspen Matthews sets an intercept course vs. five aquatic monsters (the Ceratonotus Steiningeri) posing as the U.S. Vice President’s Secret Service detail.  Among these shape-shifting assassins is someone from Aspen’s past, who shocks her.  

REVIEW:

Between its top-caliber visuals (i.e. Cover ‘A’) and an exciting storyline, Michael Turner’s # 2 is dynamite reading.  Writer Scott Lobdell ensures that Aspen’s watery super-heroics are on a par with DC’s Aquaman and Marvel’s Sub-Mariner, as the art squad delivers the goods.  This issue is well worth catching.    

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

The inside front cover helpfully includes a series synopsis-to-date, along with thumbnail covers of variants B (by Michael Ryan & Peter Steigerwald), C (by Alex Kanat), & E (by Jason Fabok & Peter Steigerwald).  There’s a full-page ad for Michael Turner’s Fathom, Vol. 4 # 3.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    9 Stars

Written by J.T. Krul

Art by Alé Garza; Sal Regla; John Starr; & Josh Reed

Cover Art ‘A’ by Alé Garza; Sal Regla; & John Starr

SUMMARY:

Entitled “Floodgates,” it was released by Aspen Comics for October 2008. Following the present-day assault on Pearl Harbor, world powers are shocked.  In underwater Muria, Aspen Matthews declines Cannon Hawke’s offer to join his Blue counter-offensive aiding humanity vs. Killian.  Aspen & Chance Calloway make a desperate move to find info re: Aspen’s missing brother, Finn.  Led by Killian and Kiani, their forces attack San Diego’s U.S. Naval base.  An enormous blue sphere hovering above Rio de Janeiro’s coast signals a potential oceanic catastrophe.  

REVIEW:

Supported by the art squad’s strong visuals (i.e. ‘Cover A’), writer J.T. Krul’s storyline coherently rotates its various angles.  More of humanity’s reaction to the underwater invasion would have helped, but this issue’s ambitious plotting is still well above-average.  For  Fathom fans, Issue # 2 proves an excellent read.  

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

The front inside cover has a brief synopsis-to-date.  Thumbnail covers depict variants A-D: B (by Micah Gunnell & Peter Steigerwald), C (by Michael Turner & Peter Steigerwald), & D (by Michael Turner & Peter Steigerwald).  The back inside cover is a posthumous tribute to Michael Turner.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                8½ Stars

Written by J.T. Krul

Art by Koi Turnbull; Jason Gorder; Christina Strain; & Dreamer Design

Cover Art ‘A’  by Michael Turner & Peter Steigerwald

SUMMARY:

Published by Aspen Comics for April 2005, this preview of the upcoming second series has a twelve-page prelude featuring Cannon, Thalassar, Kiani, and Chance.  At stake is a potential war with humanity, as The Blue and The Black civilizations draw closer.  Beneath the sea, Cannon & Thalassar attend to the Blue’s recently-rescued defenders.  Kiani returns dejected from her mission.  For the U.S. Navy’s new hybrid jets, Admiral Maylander gives Chance a new assignment as a flight instructor.  Aspen Matthews is referenced by Chance and later Kiani, but she doesn’t appear.   

Note: Cover ‘B’ is a colorless pencil sketch version of Cover ‘A.’  Cover ‘C’ is a reversed-line, black-and-white version (white pencils over a black background).

REVIEW:

Visually, this teaser is near-flawless.  The cover image’s production values (i.e. seeing its development stages) are superb.  Yet, without Aspen’s active presence, the prelude (in part a recap of Aspen’s origin) is something of a fizzle.  As presented by writer J.T. Krull, the characters seem fine, but there isn’t really anything remarkable about them.  Of these supporting players, Kiani’s contribution might have been more intriguing, had her mission been glimpsed.  Overall, Michael Turner’s Fathom # 0 (2^nd Series) is an okay introduction to the Fathom saga, as Krul spells out enough for newcomers. 

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Artist Koi Turnbull’s seven-page sketchbook (and his commentary) features characters Aspen; Thalassar; Baha; Kiani; & Brande; aquatic ships; armor; monsters; and sketch samples from Volume 2’s Issue # 1.  A three-page feature reveals the creation of this issue’s cover.  A full-page ad hypes the start of the second series, as of June 2005.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  6½ Stars

Written by Michael Turner & Bill O’Neill

Art by Michael Turner; Jonathan Sibal; Jason Gorder; Peter Steigerwald; Beth Sotelo;  Dennis Heisler; & Dreamer’s Design’s Robin Spehar

Cover Art by Michael Turner; Jonathan Sibal; & Peter Steigerwald

SUMMARY:

This untitled issue was released by Top Cow Productions-Image Comics for February 2002.  A defenseless Cannon Hawke faces a gruesome mutation to initiate resurrecting the nefarious Vana’s son, Taras.  Held captive in an underwater Arctic iceberg, Aspen Matthews and NYPD Detective Sara “Witchblade” Pezzini become fast friends, as their best hope lies with the Tomb Raider, Lara Croft.  Seeking to rescue all three prisoners, Lara meets Aspen.  Yet, the Tomb Raider is determined to save Hawke from a monstrous fate to repay a debt she owes him.       

REVIEW:

Building likable chemistry amongst Aspen, Sara, & Lara, co-writers Michael Turner & Bill O’Neill coherently intersect their three franchises.  As the cover image implies, Lara Croft energizes the story while a scantily-clad and tied-up Sara & Aspen are mostly left looking pretty.  Still, it makes good storytelling sense to convey Lara’s fully-dressed mortal tenacity is just as formidable as her two far more powerful cohorts.  Though much time is spent on explaining Sara & Aspen’s capture in New York City and getting them acquainted, the plot stays entertaining.  For instance, Lara Croft’s defiance of Vana’s forces is well-played, as is Vana’s sinister taunting of Hawke.

Yet, it’s no surprise that the issue’s best asset really lies with the top-caliber visuals (i.e. the concluding two-page Arctic spread).  Michael Turner, in particular, ensures that his Fathom # 13 boasts a vintage team-up worth re-discovery.       

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

The front inside cover has a brief summary-to-date of this three-way crossover.  Four pages is dedicated to a letters-and-answers column, with thumbnail cover reveals of  Felon # 3 and Universe # 5.  

BRIAN’S OODD MOON RATING:                 8 Stars

Written by Chuck Dixon

Art by Robert Atkins; Juan Castro; Simon Gough; & Shawn Lee

Cover Art by Robert Atkins & Simon Gough [Cover A]

SUMMARY:

Published for June 2011 by IDW, this untitled issue is an indirect crossover from the Cobra Civil War storyline.  A flashback from two weeks before is interspersed revealing Scarlett in private conversation with Snake-Eyes.  It further depicts the Joes’ intel briefing on Khalikhan.  In the present-day, Snake-Eyes & Alpine abruptly infiltrate Khalikhan’s COBRA fortress in the icy Himal Range.  Forced to leave a possibly dead Snake-Eyes behind after a firefight, the outmatched Helix and Iceberg still recover a critically-wounded Alpine.  Stripped of his uniform and weapons, an unconscious Snake-Eyes must face an imminent duel with two of Khalikhan’s masked mercenaries.  A startling revelation implies what Khalikhan’s scheme re: Snake-Eyes was all along.            

Note:  On the inside front cover, thumbnail reveals of all three covers are included (Cover B art by Augustin Padilla & Simon Gough and Cover RI art (a black-and-white version of Cover A) by Robert Atkins.

REVIEW:

Not only is the art team’s work excellent (i.e. the cover image), writer Chuck Dixon delivers a terrific story that doesn’t require much plotting.  The ominous Khalikhan makes for an intriguing foe against Snake-Eyes.  By timing the poignant flashback with Scarlett against Snake-Eyes’ currently dire situation, Dixon smartly makes this tale an exciting read for G.I. JOE fans.  It’s definitely well-played!

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

There’s a single-page “IDW Ords” news-and-notes column.  A full-page Snake-Eyes # 3 cover reveal is included.  The Cobra Civil War checklist includes several thumbnail cover reveals, including Snake-Eyes # 4.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:           8½ Stars

Written by Larry Hama

Art by Joe Benitez; Victor Llamas; & J. Brown

Cover Art ‘A’ by Joe Benitez; Victor Llamas; & J. Brown

SUMMARY:

Published by IDW Publishing for September 2010, this ‘silent’ issue carries a parental advisory and doesn’t have any dialogue, narration, or even a title.  Dropped by a military plane, Snake-Eyes parachutes into a wintry area one night.  He subsequently frees a gray wolf from a barbed-wire fence.  The silent commando must then single-handedly dismantle a remote terrorist outpost.    

Note: This issue has three different covers.

REVIEW:

No one writes Snake-Eyes better than Larry Hama. This time, it’s like watching an action film with the volume on mute.  Impressively, the art team delivers spectacular work to support Hama.  The only unnecessary gaffe is its depiction of the unidentified terrorists, as their clothing too closely resembles G.I. Joe-style gear.  Unless Hama meant deliberate ambiguity, it’s too much a confusing visual when everyone except Snake-Eyes are wearing the same colors. 

Further, one must swallow the necessary salt behind an invincible mortal commando.  At least, the action resembles what actors Sylvester Stallone, Chuck Norris, and Arnold Schwarzenegger would likely approve of.  Despite not offering any help identifying the villains (are they a COBRA affiliate, for instance?), G.I. Joe: Origins # 19 is a great visual experience for fans.     

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

On the side front cover are thumbnail reveals for all three covers, including ‘B’ by Joe Benitez; Victor Llamas; and Andrew Crossley; and the ‘Special Incentive’ by Ashley Wood, which is apparently a reprint of Marvel’s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero # 21 cover.  There is also the single-page “IDW Ords” news-and-notes column.  Finally, there is a full-page cover reveal for the next issue.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    9 Stars

Written by John Ney Rieber

Art by Javier Saltares; Jason Millet; Andrew Peppy; Cory Hamscher; Transparency Digital; & Dreamer Design

Cover Art by Tom Derenick & Jeremy Roberts

SUMMARY:

DDP (Devil’s Due Publishing) released this untitled issue for November 2004.  Despite Destro’s anger over the Baroness’ capture, Cobra Commander assures him that their Omega Black bio-warfare scheme is well in hand.  At a Georgetown coffeehouse, Rock n’ Roll and Hawk trade notes before Rock confronts Snake-Eyes.   Approaching Quantico, Duke, Scarlett, Roadblock, and Doc guard the captive Baroness aboard a convoy of helicopters.  The Joes’ helicopter is assaulted by a mole’s lethal use of COBRA forces posing as U.S. military.  The Joes’ other mole is revealed.  With the Baroness and the traitor commanding the Joes’ stolen helicopter, it’s up to an abducted Doc to save herself.       

REVIEW:

Nicely bolstered by its glossy artwork (and a terrific cover image), this issue packs a wallop for G.I. JOE fans.  By concentrating a select group of characters, writer John Ney Rieber does a terrific job continuing the Omega Black storyline.  Suffice to say, even if the traitor isn’t a total surprise, this issue is still all-around well-played.     

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

The inside front cover headlines the G.I. Joe and COBRA cast members, as well as provides a summary of the ongoing storyline.  The single-page “Devil’s Due Nues” column include an ‘editorial’ by a COBRA Tele-Viper advocating Destro’s candidacy for the U.S. Presidency.  Several full-page cover reveals are included, such as G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero # 37 and G.I. Joe: Reloaded # 10 (on the back cover).  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                8 Stars