Sex & Violence
Written by Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray
Artwork by Jimmy Broxton, Juan Santacruz
Color by Challenging Studios
Letters by Jimmy Broxton, Bill Totrolini
Cover by Amanda Conner and Paul Mounts
Paper Films
Release Date: April, 2013
Cover Price: Kickstarter

Kickstarter…what a change it has brought. No longer does a creator have to hope that they get their idea picked up by a major player in the appropriate genre. Truly amazing the way it has changed business for some people. Not that Sex & Violence needed to worry about any of that. No, with Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray leading the way, this one was destined for print regardless. They did, however, do their fans a solid by making this comic exclusive (for the time being) to the Kickstarter backers and for Print On Demand for a few other exclusive folk. It makes this book a lot more rare than the average comic, no matter how it came to life.

Broken into two sections, this graphic novel is all about sex and violence (obviously). But whereas I expected one about sex and another about violence, these are a bit of both. Each weighs in heavier on one than the other to balance themselves out, however. I would say like yin-yang but in this case it’s all dark so I’m not sure that applies here. [...]

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #2
Script by Tim Siedell
Pencils by Stephen Thompson
Inks by Mark Irwin
Colors by Michael Atiyeh
Cover by Ariel Olivetti
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: May 15, 2013
Cover Price: $3.50

Solid State Tank Girl #1
Written by Alan Martin
Art by Warwick Johnson-Cadwell
Titan Comics
Release Date: May 15, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Tank Girl is back, in a new series from Titan that turns out to be somewhat of both a departure from and a return to form at the same time. Confusing? Absolutely – within the pages of issue one we are treated to some insane writing that is suggestive of the stuff that fans will remember, and yet the artwork feels like a wild departure from what most will recall.

First of all, if you’re looking for anything that makes logical sense, turn away now. Solid State Tank Girl begins with the title character and her marsupial mate Booga paying a visit to a radio electronics place to get their ham radio fixed. While visiting, Booga takes a look around and inadvertently electrocutes himself, or at least seems to. [...]

Star Wars: Darth Maul – Death Sentence
Trade Paperback
Script by Tom Taylor
Art by Bruno Redondo
Colors by Michael Atiyeh
Covers by Dave Dorman
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: May 15, 2013
Cover Price: $15.99

Darth Maul is alive. This should be of no shock to anyone, really. To begin with, the expanded Star Wars universe has a habit of resurrecting characters that were killed on-screen. Boba Fett was one notable example. Darth Maul was inevitable. I’m still anticipating the moment when Mace Windu comes back. And he will. I’m pretty sure that will happen.

In a lot of ways, it should have almost been expected that Maul would return. Despite vocal fan criticism of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Darth Maul was received quite well by the majority of fans as a formidable and precise villain. Brought to life with the acrobatic antics of Ray Park, Maul was a Sith Lord not only with the skills, but with the look of a nightmare. [...]

The Bionic Man #20
Written by Aaron Gilespie
Art by Rey Villegas
Colors by Thiago Ribeiro
Letters by Simon Bowland
Special Thanks to Phil Hester
Covers by Mike Mayhew & Ed Tadeo
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: May 15, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

The Bionic Man #20 picks up right where the last issue left off. We’ve got Steve halfway around the world, trying to stop the launch of a missile that could do some irreparable damage.

Aaron Gilespie is really hitting his groove on this title. He’s constantly gotten better and better at writing this book. In the past, his plots have been less than spectacular, but now they’re actually really interesting and entertaining. Combine that with some great dialogue for Steve Austin and you’ve got a very enjoyable comic. This issue in particular, might be his best yet. His portrayal of Steve is really well done, with all the classic hallmark humor, and intensity that Lee Majors brought to the role almost 40 years ago. Well done Mr. Gilespie! [...]

The Green Hornet #2
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Daniel Indro
Colored by Marcio Menyz
Letters by Troy Peteri
Covers by Paolo Rivera & Jonathan Lau
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: May 15, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

The Green Hornet #2 easily holds up the standard set by Mark Waid and company in the first issue, and in some respects, surpasses it. This book is the perfect gateway to get people introduced into Dynamite’s excellent Pulp Heroes world that they’ve spend so much time setting up.

Is there any comic that Mark Waid can’t write? I mean, seriously. After spending years reading his work on super hero books, and loving them, I expected something TOTALLY different from what’s he’s given us with this book. The result? I couldn’t be happier. And neither will you, when you start reading this. What surprises me most about this comic is that Waid makes the the Green Hornet an ACTUAL villain. Not a “let me confuse the police and then do the right thing,” no. He’s an actual, honest to God villain. Villains are normally not very pleasant people, but most gangsters had a certain gentleman’s code that they lived up to. Not so for the Green Hornet. He’s the baddest of the bad. And he spends the majority of this issue proving it. [...]

G.I. Joe: Special Missions #3
Written by Chuck Dixon
Art by Paul Gulacy
Colors by Aburtov & Grafikslava
Letters by Neil Uyetake
Consulting Editor: John Barber
Editor: Carlos Guzman
Covers by Jim Rugg, Sean Chen, and Paul Gulacy
IDW Publishing
Release Date: May 15, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

G.I. Joe: Special Missions #3 contains a boat-load of action. Pun intended. We’ve got a small team of Joes trying to take down The Baroness, while Serpentor’s up to no good again.

Chuck Dixon’s latest chapter in this opening arc of the book is all action! And that’s the way it should be. After a couple of awesome issues of set up, we start full tilt in the story where the action is non stop, and it continues at that pace for the rest of the issue with about 2 pages of time for you to breathe. There’s a LOT going on here, but it’s all told well, it never gets confusing. The Serpentor story line moves closer to an intersect with the main story, and it’s going to be interesting to see just how and when they cross over. My only complaint is that the Joes rely on a couple of random people to help them, when Dixon easily could’ve had those roles filled by a couple of active Joe members that we’d like to see. [...]

The Dream Merchant #1
Written by Nathan Edmondson
Illustrated by Konstantin Novosadov
Colored by Konstantin Novosadov
Cover by Konstantin Novosadov
Image Comics
Release Date: May 15, 2013
Cover Price: $3.50

What if recurring dreams are simply the subconscious actually trying to relay some sort of important message? Could the dreams be offering the dreamer a look into a world seemingly so far removed from reality that perhaps it could be a glimpse into a world long forgotten? Writer Nathan Edmondson and artist Konstantin Novosadov delve into this notion through the mind-bending, surreal thriller The Dream Merchant #1.

Winslow has had the same recurring dream since childhood. As time went on, the dream became more real, pulling him into a deeper, more intense world. Now, Winslow dreams all of the time, unsure of where his true existence lies. Forced to seek recovery in a mental hospital, Winslow spends his days in and out of his dream world or reading books about dreams given to him by the lunch lady, Anne. When Winslow discovers three peculiar, shadow-like cloaked figures in his dream for the first time, he realizes that something is amiss. As the same beings begin chasing him and Anne through the halls of the mental hospital, a fourth mysterious figure appears to aide Winslow and Anne. Winslow must decide whether or not to trust this stranger as a guide, knowing that he may be the only one who can offer them clues about the phenomenon that is Winslow’s dream [...]

Dream Thief #1
Written by Jai Nitz
Illustrated by Greg Smallwood
Colored by Greg Smallwood
Lettered by Greg Smallwood
Cover by Alex Ross
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: May 15, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

First issues for all comic books can be a huge indicator of whether or not the series will have a successful run. Dark Horse has just released Dream Thief #1, the story of a man who finds himself with a very interesting ability. Written by Jai Nitz with illustrations from Greg Smallwood, Dream Thief is a clever, well-crafted, and suspenseful read and I have a feeling that it will have a favorable level of readership.

John Lincoln is a deadbeat. He wastes away his days pretending to be an aspiring movie director and stage magician, and parties at night with booze, drugs, and women. Donning an aboriginal mask, John wakes up one morning unable to remember what happened the night before; however, he soon realizes that his memories are not his own, but of a man connected in some way to his girlfriend, Claire. Suddenly, the menacing acts that John committed the night before while wearing the very same mask all begin to flow freely through his mind. With the narrative in the form of a letter, it is also revealed to John that whatever is happening to him might in fact be hereditary [...]

Battlestar Galactica #1
Written by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Art by Cezar Razek
Colored by Vinicius Townsend
Letters by Simon Bowland
Covers by Alex Ross & Chris Eliopoulos
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: May 15, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Battlestar Galactica #1 proves the theory that if you want the best, you get the best. In this case, if you have a tremendously popular science fiction franchise with a huge cast, you call DnA to write your book.

Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning have proved time and time again that they know to write an entertaining science fiction story. Add to that the fact that they’re great at working on team books or books with pretty big casts and you have the perfect match here on this book. Abnett and Lanning take everything that was right, fun, awesome, and slick about the original Battlestar Galactica series and kick it up a notch in this debut issue. Sure, we get some introductions that we don’t really need, but it’s a first issue, so, statistics would dictate that it’s someone’s first exposure to these characters and in that sense, it’s great first issue. It’s also a great first issue for fans of the property, we get a great start to what looks to be a fantastic story starring the characters that we all know and love [...]

Hoax Hunters, Vol. 2
Secrets And Lies
Written by Michael Moreci & Steve Seeley
Art by Axel Medellin & Brent Schoonover
Colors by Rosario Costanzo & Charo Solis
Letters by Jim Campbell
Design by Sean Dove
Image Comics
Release Date: May 15, 2013
Cover Price: $9.99

As much as I hate to admit it, there’s one thing I can say for sure about Hoax Hunters, Vol. 2: it’s a MUCH better read in trade than it is in single issue format. Admittedly, I love the monthly form a LOT better, but when you read this trade all in one sitting, it’s just better.

Writers Michael Moreci and Steve Seeley really put the team through the gambit in this chapter, having them deal with everything from lawn gnomes to a reality TV show convention to vampires to a group that hunts the actual Hoax Hunters, to…well, you get the idea. Each chapter flows directly into the next, and without the 30 day wait periods, you really get a much better paced and more exiting story than you’d be reading in the monthlies. Yes, this book is good, but it’s almost great when you read it in this format. The story flows much better, Moreci and Seeley are still able to grab the audience by the shirt with suspense, but again, it’s much more compelling when it’s done this way. Am I saying the book should go straight to trade? No, not at all. I’ve just saying that you shouldn’t feel bad about trade waiting for this great series. [...]

Neozoic: Trader’s Gambit #1
Written by Paul Ens
Illustrated by Jae Korim
Colored by Ivan Plascencia
Lettered by Troy Peteri
Cover by Jae Korim
Red 5 Comics
Release Date: April 24, 2013
Cover Price: $3.50

How would our lives have been different if a meteorite meant to strike Earth and wipe out the dinosaurs was thrown off of its original trajectory and hit the Moon instead? Written by Paul Ens with illustrations from Jae Korim, Neozic: Trader’s Gambit #1 is the sequel to Red 5 Comics’ Neozic. This story continues to explore a very different world from our own — an alternate timeline that mixes fantasy-esque monarchies with science fiction and modern day elements — on an Earth where dinosaurs still exist alongside the likes of humans and telepathic beings.

After the battle against the Talpid and the destruction caused by mind-controlled dinosaurs, the people of Monanti City are trying to rebuild their home. Also attempting to refill their ranks is the Predator Defense League (PDL), led by the newly appointed General Mitch Clawson. These protectors of Monanti are forced to train the rebel social outcasts who helped save the city; unfortunately, it seems to be quite the difficult endeavor. Meanwhile, two members of the PDL, Lilli and Petra, travel with Milo — a young, powerful telepathic Talpid girl — to a foreign land, accompanying a trade convoy. On the way, the group encounters and must deal with an unwanted surprise [...]

Conan the Barbarian #16
Written by Brian Wood
Art by Davide Gianfelice
Colors by Dave Stewart
Letters by Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Cover art by Massimo Carnevale
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: May 15, 2013
Cover Price: $2.99

In Conan the Barbarian #16, Conan and Belit get a much needed rest from all the troubles they’ve been having as of late. Disease, war, angry fathers, are all left behind as they take shelter in Ophir for some well deserved rest. Or so they think.

I wish writer Brian Wood would stop being so insanely good on this title. No, I don’t wish that, but I hope he at least stays on this book for the rest of his life. This issue starts as a really nice character piece on Conan and Belit and the romance that’s blossomed between the two, takes a left turn and ends up being a classic Conan type tale..with a very interesting twist. I really can’t get over how much I enjoyed this issue. Wood’s writing and feel for this character has just kept getting better and better with each issue of this series. [...]

Doctor Who: Prisoners Of Time #4
Script by Scott & David Tipton
Art by Gary Erskine with thanks to Mike Collins
Colors by Charlie Kirchoff
Covers by Francesco Francavilla and Gary Erskine
IDW Publishing
Release Date: April 17, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

IDW’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who resumes with the Tom Baker issue of Prisoners of Time. While this fourth chapter continues some of the elemental highlights of the previous issue, there are some less-than-stellar characteristics that detract from the plot, though not enough to stop it from being an enjoyable read.

The overarching plot of Prisoners of Time looks at an as-of-yet undisclosed villain and enemy of the Doctor, who is invading moments from all 11 of his incarnations and kidnapping his companions. The motives and reasoning are not yet clear as to why he is doing this, though each Doctor will have their own issue, crowning in the 12th issue where presumably all Doctors will join forces [...]

The Legend Of Drizzt
Dungeons & Dragons: Neverwinter Tales
Written by R.A. Salvatore and Geno Salvatore
Art by Agustin Padilla
Colors by Leonard O’Grady
Letters by Chris Mowry and John Barber
Cover by Gonzalo Flores
IDW Publishing
Release Date: May 1, 2013
Cover Price: $19.99

I love graphic novels. Don’t get me wrong, I was brought up on monthly comics. It’s just that as I’ve gotten older I have a deeper appreciation for contained stories. Dungeons & Dragons: Neverwinter Tales: The Legend Of Drizzt is a prime example. Having missed the first issue, I was originally a wee bit behind. Thanks to this wonderful book, that is no longer the case!

Written by R.A. Salvatore and son Geno Salvatore, this story takes place during the Neverwinter Saga of books. But the tale itself is all inclusive and doesn’t tie directly in with those novels, so you can enjoy one without having read the other. The really interesting thing about this particular one is that it centers around a lesser-known character from the books, Thibbledorf Pwent. As leader of the Gutbuster Brigade of Battleragers, Pwent was always at the forefront of any battle, charging ahead with no regard to his own mortality. This time around, though, things are quite different. No spoilers from me, but everyone thought he had died defending his king. Lost for so long, Pwent’s plight is a dark and lonely one that is fully explained here. [...]