August 28
The Staff of Fanboy Comics would like to wish you and yours a very happy International Read Comics in Public Day!
This special day is as simple as it sounds . . . go and read comics in public! Read Comics in Public Day was created by Brian Heater and Sarah Morean of The Daily Cross Hatch in 2010 in an attempt to encourage fans to show their geek pride for all to see. Over the years, comics and graphic novels have grown in popularity and social acceptance, but we as geeks should always to do our part to encourage that growth.
Higher Earth is a really cool, new sci-fi action adventure book with a neat core premise. What if there were multiple parallel Earths, and one Higher Earth conquered and controlled all the others? This Higher Earth then used the other Earths as garbage dumps, or resource mines, and forced the poor people of the lower Earths to work for them. Everything was going great until some people from the lower Earths decided to fight back. The expertly crafted story of Higher Earth follows Heidi and Rex, who are on the run from the Empire that controls the Earths, because they are people of interest. As the story unfolds, we learn just how important they are and why they may be able to change things for the better.
The last issue of Star Wars: Darth Maul - Death Sentence ended with Darth Maul's gleefully sinister grin at the prospect of fighting Jedi. Issue #2 picks up moments later, as we are thrown into the resulting battle. The incredible action sequences in this issue give the series an adrenaline boost of epic proportions.
SPOILERS BELOW
The Guardians of the Globe are Image Comics' major superhero team who are usually relegated to supporting characters in Invincible. Guarding the Globe: Volume 1 collects the six-issue miniseries chronicling their first solo comic book.
SPOILERS BELOW
If you haven't been reading it, Skullkickers is a hilarious take on fantasy adventure by Jim Zub. The story follows two mercenary adventurers who always get in over their head and cause as much as trouble as they prevent. This is a series known for its comedic riff on the fantasy genre, its awesome art, and intense action. What's been so awesome about this most recent arc of stories, though, is that Zub has managed to fit in some real drama and character growth amidst the violence and humor he's known for.
Debris is an awesome, new miniseries from Image Comics that follows a young, female warrior on a quest to discover a legendary water source that could save her people. In this post-apocalyptic world, Maya is a protector who fights off strange beasts made of the debris that covers the planet. The people she protects are the last remnants of civilization, and if they don't find a source of water soon, they'll all die out. So, Maya ventures beyond the protection of her home into a vast wasteland to seek out a fabled source of fresh water.
The four-issue miniseries Super Crooks by Mark Millar and Leinil Yu has just concluded. It is published by Marvel's Icon Comics, which is the division of the company that has been putting out the best comics lately. Also, out of Icon are Millar's Kick-Ass, Superior, Secret Service, and Nemesis, as well as Brilliant by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley (the team that brought us Ultimate Spider-Man). Icon has become an outlet for the superstars at Marvel to create completely original, creator-owned comics, which has allowed for fresh, new worlds and cinematic stories.
We're nearing the home stretch on this incredible arc. A part of me is definitely sad to see it come to an end, and this issue is no exception.
MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW
For those of you not versed in cryptozoology, the creature on the cover of AC:PotW2 fighting Junior Cobbb might seem strange. This is a Chee-Rex, which is a cross between a cheetah and a T-Rex. This is one of the first in a series of bad guys that Axe Cop, Goo Cop, and Junior Cobbb need to fight in this book. I will leave the surprises intact, but there are a ton of them and they are all awesome.
The following is an interview with short story, novella, and comic book writer C.E.L. Welsh, whose credits include Harry Houdini, Hydebound, and A.I. Trigger, as well as the upcoming novel, Clutch. In this interview, Fanboy Comics Contributor Kristine Chester talks with Welsh about his first foray into the novel format, how Mad Max and Conan influenced his work, and how you can help with the Kickstarter campaign for Clutch.
This interview was conducted on August 23, 2012.