Richie Rich #5
Written by Buddy Scalera
Art by James Silvani
Colors by Dustin Evans
Letters by Deron Bennett
Edited by Arron Sparrow
Concept by Brent E. Erwin
Ape Entertainment/Kizoic
Release Date: June 6, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Starting with Richie Rich #5 this series goes monthly, and I have to say, the 10-year-old in me is really happy about it, and I think the 10-year-old in you will enjoy it just as much.

Writer Buddy Scalera gives us a great lead story in this issue, one that reminds me of the classic Richie Rich stories, but with a modern day twist. I have to admit, reading the series before I wasn’t totally digging the Jonny Quest take on Richie Rich that Ape Entertainment had going on. But, in this issue, Scalera returns Richie to his roots and tells a story that could only happen to “the poor little rich boy.” It’s a great parody of classic superhero comics, one that I think you’ll enjoy and find really charming. A couple of classic characters are introduced from the Richie Rich universe, and the whole story really comes off as the Richie Rich we all know and love [...]

The Bionic Man #9
Based on a story by Kevin Smith
Script by Kevin Smith and Phil Hester
Pencils by Jonathan Lau
Colors by Ivan Nunes
Letters by Simon Bowland
Covers by Alex Ross & Jonathan Lau
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: May 23, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Man, after reading The Bionic Man #9, I am SPENT! But, in a good way. NO, a GREAT way. THIS is a comic book, folks. THIS is your summer action movie. THIS is your sci-fi drama with the drama turned up to eleven. THIS is the review that you bought and paid for, Phil Hester. Just kidding on that last part. I’ve only met Mr. Hester one time, and no money changed hands. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.

Phil Hester (with some help from Kevin Smith) brings us the classic story of man vs machine vs man vs machine. Once you’ve read the issue, that’ll make more sense. This issue is INTENSE!!! From the story to the dialogue to the action, this book opens with a great action scene and doesn’t stop until the last page. In fact, it doesn’t even STOP at the last page!!! [...]

Lord of the Jungle Annual #1
Written by Mark Rahner
Illustrated by Sergio Fernandez Davila
Colors by Santosh Kumar Rath
Letters by Simon Bowland
Based on the stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs
Cover by Lucio Parrilo
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: May 23, 2012
Cover Price: $4.99

Lord of the Jungle Annual #1 is a good read for anyone that’s a fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs or Tarzan in general. It’s a classic story that some of you might be familiar with, but entertaining nonetheless.

Writer Mark Rahner brings us Tarzan’s first trip to civilization! And believe me, it’s a really fun read. There’s been many versions of this story told in countless media, but it’s your classic fish out of water story, with a couple of great twists thrown in for good measure [...]

Youngblood #71
Written by John McLaughlin
Art by John Malin & Rob Liefeld
Colors by Ross Hughes & Matt Yackey
Letters by Russ Wooton
Edits by Eric Stephenson
Covers by Rob Liefeld & Matt Yackey, Ryan Ottley & Jordie Bellaire, and Chris Giarrusso
Image Comics
Release Date: May 23, 2012
Cover Price: $2.99

Astonishingly, Youngblood #71 is something that falls into the “things I didn’t know I wanted or needed category,” like Rocky Balboa — who knew we needed an official ending to the Rocky story? Not me, but it sure was awesome. Also, the film Rambo. The last scene where John Rambo walks down the driveway to his family’s farm was, again, an ending that I didn’t know I needed. But again, I was surprised and satisfied that I got it. Truth by told, I stopped paying attention to Youngblood about a couple years after it started coming out, so why then was I excited for this issue? Some would say nostalgia (who, me?), but most of all, it’s because I have been impressed by the other Image titles that have came back for the 20th anniversary that have been fantastic! And out of all those titles, Youngblood was the only one that I cared about originally [...]

Steed & Peel #5
Written by Anne Caulfield
Art by Ian Gibson
Letters by Ellie DeVille
Covers by Ian Gibson
BOOM! Studios
Release Date: May 16, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

You know, BOOM! Studios should’ve just named Steed & Peel “The Avengers“. I mean, c’mon, that’s the actual name of the television show that this comic is based on, so they wouldn’t technically be lying. And it would have sold much better, and then a lot more people would be exposed to this fun little comic. Just a suggestion. This MAY be why I’m not in the marketing field.

I’ve been in love with this series since issue #1. It’s a nice, charming mystery/spy thriller that never takes itself seriously, manages to throw in a lot of humor without turning the book into a comedy, and there’s plenty of cliffhangers, page-turners, and such that make it really enjoyable [...]

The Shadow #2
Written by Garth Ennis
Art by Aaron Campbell
Colors by Carlos Lopez
Letters by Rob Steen
Covers by Alex Ross, Howard Chaykin, John Cassaday, Jae Lee, and Ryan Sook
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: May 16, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

The Shadow #2 is, to put it bluntly, a mystery. But, a really FUN mystery. Filled with action and adventure, if you liked the first issue, you’ll love the second. It’s Garth Ennis and Aaron Campbell at their best.

I have to wonder what made Garth Ennis take this assignment? Does he have a love for the character? Did he want to prove something to himself by writing a licensed book? Did Nick from Dynamite throw tons of cash at him? Who am I to say? But whatever the reason, I’m sure glad he did. I can’t imagine anyone else writing this series. It’s not too over the top on blood and guts like a lot of Ennis books are, but I’m sure that’s because of the nature of the project. It does have enough edge to it to make it feel deadly serious, and not just another watered-down version of a pulp hero. The pacing is perfect, it speeds up when it needs to and slows down and gets into the heavy story beats when you need them. Something that I LOVED about this issue was that it’s SO full of story. This isn’t something you’re going to read in 5 minutes and forget about in 10. This is a comic that your actually going to get $4+ of entertainment out of [...]

Conan the Barbarian #4
Script by Brian Wood
Art by James Harren
Colors by Dave Steward
Letters by Richard Starkings and Comicraft
Cover by Massimo Carnevale
Dark Horse Comics

Release Date: May 16, 2012
Cover Price: $3.50

Conan the Barbarian #4 kicks off a brand new story arc, The Argos Deception. Conan is in a weird place in his young life. Used to the life of a barbarian, he now find himself young and in love and… a pirate. Can the barbarian be tamed? Has he found the love of his life? I have no clue, but right now, all signs point to “yes.”

Brian Wood‘s writing this issue is fantastic! The issue is a wonderful character study on Conan, and that was one thing that I never knew I wanted or needed, but after reading it, I’m sure glad that I got it [...]

G.I. Joe #13
Written by Chuck Dixon
Art by Will Rosado
Colors by Romulo Farjado, Jr.
Letters by Neil Uyetake
Editors: John Barber & Carlos Guzman
Covers by Will Rosado & Tommy Lee Edwards
IDW Publishing
Release Date: May 9, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

G.I. Joe #13 is one of the best issues of the title that I’ve read in a while. The dust from the Cobra Command crossover has settled, and there’s a new status quo for the G.I. Joe team. One that’s not really all that great, actually. It’s nice to have the Joes being the underdogs for a change.

Writer Chuck Dixon has been running the G.I. Joe universe for quite some time now, and he and the audience, are quite comfortable with that, as he’s doing a great job. He consistently delivers fresh, easily accessible stories that are both entertaining and exciting. This issue is no exception. You have Cobra with the upper hand, the Joes behind the 8-ball and off on a mission that they really can’t afford. Literally. To make matters worse, the Joes have been exposed to the world at large. So, things are quite tense for America’s freedom fighters, as you can imagine. This issue is solid, action packed, and fun to read. Everything you want in an issue of G.I. Joe! [...]

Dark Shadows #5
Written by Mike Raicht
Art by Guiu Vilanova
Colors by Carlos Lopez
Letters by Troy Peteri
Cover by Francseco Francavilla
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: May 9, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Dark Shadows #5 is very entertaining. In a lot of ways. You can take it seriously or not, but either way you’re going to enjoy it. It seems that main character Barnabas Collins doesn’t really WANT to be a vampire, which is interesting. I’m not an expert on vampires, but usually once people turn into them, they really seem to enjoy it.

Series writer Mike Raicht turns out a interesting story for this issue. While it’s fun for us, the reader, it’s no fun for any of the characters involved. There are a lot of what some people would call “soap opera” elements to comic story telling, but this title is a STRAIGHT-OUT soap opera, just with horror theme to it. It’s really nice to read a comic once in a while where there are NO super powers, no fights or super weapons, just good, solid drama and that’s what this comic is. Sure, there’s a vampire element to it, but Raicht really gets the reader invested in Barnabas Collins the MAN, not Barnabas Collins the VAMPIRE [...]

Comics fans, it’s our day!!! It’s our Super Bowl. Our World Series. Our Wrestlemania. It’s FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!!! Every year, on the first Saturday in May the comics industry comes together and gives out FREE COMIC BOOKS!! Depending on your local comic store, you can choose one or up to ALL of the specially selected free comic books that a slew of publishers put out. Chances are, if you’re a comics fan, you all ready know just what you’re going to pick. But, if you haven’t had the time to look over the Free Comic Book Day website, here’s a brief rundown of SOME of the titles that will be given away at thousands of shops throughout the country. In NO particular order, they are [...]

The Lone Ranger #5
Written by Ande Parks
Art by Esteve Polls
Colors by Marcelo Pinto
Letters by Simon Bowland
Cover by Francesco Francavilla
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: May 2, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

The Lone Ranger #5 is what SEEMS to be the climax of the first story arc in this title, but in fact, there is one more chapter to go. I’m not happy that I have to wait a month, because quite frankly, I’m not sure how ANYONE would top this issue.

It’s no secret by now that I love this book and I love Ande Parks‘ writing. Not just here, his Green Hornet title is seriously underrated. But, back to this comic [...]

The Spider #1
Written by David Liss
Art by Colton Worley
Letters by Simon Bowland
Covers by Francesco Francavilla, Ron Lesser, Alex Ross & John Cassaday
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: May 2, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

In 1933, pulp writer Harry Steeger created The Spider to compete with The Shadow. The Spider, while never attaining quite the level of popularity as The Shadow, took on a life of his own in pop culture and became pretty popular in the world of Pulp Heroes.

Now, almost 80 years later, the Spider is back in The Spider #1 (published by Dynamite Entertainment, the same company that’s publishing The Shadow. Can irony BE any more ironic?)!!! [...]

Masters of the Universe: The Powers of Grayskull
Part One: The Legends Begins
Story by Scott Neitlich
Written by Tim Seeley
Art by Wellinton Alves
Colors by Michael Atiyeh
Letters by Nate Piekos of BLAMBOT
Cover by Eric Powell
Designer: Justine Couch
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: April 16, 2012
Cover Price: $22.00 (Only available with Thunder Punch He-Man from Matty Collector)

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of The Masters of the Universe franchise, Mattel and Dark Horse Comics are releasing brand new mini-comics, just like the ones that were included in the original toy line. Last year at the San Diego Comic-Con when these plans were announced, He-Fans, myself included, literally stood up and cheered. So, does The Powers of Grayskull: Part One live up to the hype? Let’s take a look [...]

Merciless: The Rise of Ming #1
Written Scott Beatty
Art by Ron Adrian
Colors by Roni Setiawan
Letters by Simon Bowland
Cover by Alex Ross
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: April 25, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Merciless: The Rise of Ming #1 takes everyone’s second favorite guy in the Flash Gordon universe and reveals just how he came to rule the planet Mongo and just how he got so…well….merciless. It’s an origin that’s not needed, like Doctor Doom and Lex Luthor being evil just comes with the territory. But hey, Dynamite Entertainment decided to give us one, so why look a gift horse in the mouth, right? [...]

Popeye #1
Written by Roger Langridge
Art by Bruce Ozella
Colors by Luke McDonnell
Letters by Bruce Ozella
Covers by Bruce Ozella, Jules Feiffer and Bud Sagendorf
IDW Publishing
Release Date: April 25, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

He’s been everything from a comic character to a movie star. He’s had about a half dozen cartoon series, including one with his son, and his famous theme song will get stuck in your head for days if someone else even whistles a few bars of it. That’s right, everyone’s favorite sailor man returns to comics in Popeye #1!

A BIG thanks go to writer Roger Langridge for making a VERY fun comic book. It’s classic Popeye. Adventure at sea, fighting with Bluto, spinach. Everything that you want to see in a Popeye comic is here to enjoy [...]

The Shadow #1
Written by Garth Ennis
Art by Aaron Campbell
Colors by Carlos Lopez
Letters by Rob Steen
Covers by Alex Ross, Howard Chaykin, John Cassidy & Jae Lee
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: April 18, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

When reading The Shadow #1 you’re going to have a lot of different opinions. It’s not a comic book you read once, bag and board, then file in a short box never to be read again. No, you’re definitely going to want to leave this one out.

Artist Aaron Campbell is great, but maybe not here. And I don’t mean that his art isn’t great in this book, I mean that his art isn’t great FOR this book. The Shadow is a character of mystery. GREAT mystery (and that’s putting it mildly). But, anyone who’s followed Campbell knows that he’s a very detailed artist. And while that’s great on the pages and panels that The Shadow doesn’t appear on, when he shows up, he’s a little TOO detailed [...]

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #177
Written by Larry Hama
Pencils by Ron Frenz
Inks by Sal Buscema
Colors by J. Brown
Letters by Neil Uyetake
Covers by Ron Frenz & Sal Buscema, Herb Trimpe, and Larry Hama
IDW Publishing
Release Date: April 18, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Reading G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #177 made me feel like a kid again. And it’ll do the same for you. Yes, comics have come a VERY long way since the days when the G.I. Joe comics were first being published, but the creative team has realized that and updated their execution to make the perfect blend of past and present [...]

Lord of the Jungle #3
Written by Arvid Nelson
Illustrated by Roberto Castro
Lettered by Simon Bowland
Colors by Alex Guimaraes
Covers by Paul Reaud, Lucio Parrillo, and Francesco Francavilla
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: April 11, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

If you like the character of Tarzan, you’re going to love Lord of the Jungle #3. Simply put, it’s a fantastic Tarzan story. Dynamite Entertainment is really turning their books up a notch creatively. Line wide, they are dismissed by many as just a licensed comic publisher, but honestly, if you take the time to READ their books, you’re going to find that a big percentage of them are well thought out, well-crafted comics.

In this issue, writer Arvid Nelson continues telling a great story that he started two issues ago. Yes, it’s origin-like, but not completely an origin, if that makes any sense. It will when you read the book [...]

Demigods #1
Writer & Creator Jesse Grillo
Pencils by Luigi Teruel
Inks by Robert Grant
Colors by Heather Breckel
Letterer & Post Production by Danny Cooper
Bleeding Ink Comics
Release Date: January 18, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

There’s some potential in Demigods #1, but I’m afraid it currently falls a bit short of where it needs to be. I’m sure with a little work and some more issues under their belt, this creative team can turn out a pretty fun comic. But, for now, it’s average.

I give writer and creator Jesse Grillo an A for effort. He’s on the right track. This book has a decent premise at its core — think X-Men, Gen 13, New Mutants, that sort of thing. A few problems are that 1) It’s been done before, and 2) It’s been done better. With just a little more originality, I would be on board for this [...]

Conan The Barbarian #3
Script by Brian Wood
Art by Becky Cloonan
Colors by Dave Stewart
Letters by Richard Starkings and Comicraft
Cover Art by Massimo Carnevale and John Paul Leon with Dave Stewart
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: April 11, 2012
Cover Price: $3.50

Conan The Barbarian #3 features the third part of the eagerly anticipated, by many Conan fans, Queen of the Black Coast. One of the most beloved Conan short stories that Robert E. Howard ever wrote about the world’s favorite barbarian. Conan’s first meeting with the Pirate Queen Belit is epic in every sense of the word, and thankfully, this comic is too.

Brian Wood creates, with help from Robert E. Howard, a very bittersweet tale in this issue. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this is SO unlike any other Conan comics before it. Totally different storytelling style, totally different art, and a totally different feel to the book. While I won’t go into story details for spoiler reasons, this is NOT your typical Conan story. This is more about Conan the MAN than Conan the BARBARIAN. In fact, there’s little to no sword play or action at all, and that’s OK. Very well done, all in all [...]