Idolized #1
Written by David Schwartz
Pencils by Micah Gunnell
Colors by David Curiel
Letters by Josh Reed
Editor Vincent Hernandez
Cover by Arthur Adams, Michael Schwartz and Joe Benitez
Aspen Comics
Release Date: August 8, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

I’ll be the first to admit, I didn’t think that Aspen Comics would stick around long after the unfortunate passing of founder Michael Turner. But, they’ve done a good job keeping the fire burning and I was actually surprised at how much I liked Idolized #1!!!

Writer David Schwartz does a FANTASTIC job writing this comic! I’m guessing that he watches a lot of reality TV, because to me, the dialogue, premise, and execution of the issue was almost perfect. And he knows how to combine it perfectly with the superhero genre. From start to finish this is a great comic. It’s a perfect blend of reality and super heroics and a really fun read. It’s got a great shock ending, that I honestly didn’t see coming. There’s an origin that takes up about a quarter of the book, and that’s a little standard, but it read well and was entertaining. This book was a VERY pleasant surprise.

Haunted City #2
Written by Chap Taylor and Peter Johnson
Art by Michael Ryan
Colors by Kelsey Shannon with Peter Steigerwald and Beth Sotelo
Letters by Josh Reed
Covers by Michael Ryan, Alex Konat, and Micah Gunnell
Aspen Comics
Release Date: February 1, 2012
Cover Price: $3.50

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Haunted City #2, but whatever it was, I didn’t find it. In fact, I didn’t find much of anything here. Writers Chap Taylor and Peter Johnson kind of fall short on this issue. Having never read the first issue I went in blind, and even though I read the recap page, I didn’t have any idea what the book I was reading was about. Fast forward to the end of the issue, I still don’t.

Dead Man’s Run #0
Written by Greg Pak
Illustrated by Tony Parker
Colored by Peter Steigerwald
Lettered by Josh Reed
Covers by Tony Parker, Peter Steigerwald, Micah Gunnell
Aspen Comics
Release Date: November 2, 2011
Cover Price: $2.50

When the first page of a comic has someone buying beer, you just know it’s going to be a good read. Dead Man’s Run #0 has just that…of course, there is way more to it than that. It’s the prison break from Hell, literally. Our main guide through this short ride is Captain Romero, a man who is definitely no saint. Many references to his past are made, but none explain it. Mysterious, ashen-faced female Wardens and demonic Generals also add to the Hellish scene that we witness within the City of Corruption, located under the Pyramid. Sadly, the story pauses just as it gets started…but we all expect that in issue #0, right?