A comiXologist recommends:
Wolf #1
Supernatural chills and hard-hitting LA detective thrills make the premiere issue of Wolf a rich read indeed. Writer Ales Kot (aleskot) sets up a lore-heavy story that establishes its world without distracting from the narrative. Along with artist Matt Taylor (matttaylordraws) – an illustrator that has been in the business for a long time and holds up an excellent reputation– the two weave a winding conspiracy of murder, blackmail, and the occult.
Taylor’s artwork lives up to his reputation with loose, but deceptively detailed, character acting up against hyper-realistic backgrounds. This does well to trick us into investing ourselves in Wolf’s hero without losing the weight of the drama. But I’ll come back to this, lest we forget the third and final member of this art team: Lee Loughridge. What can be said for Lee Loughridge and his body of work that hasn’t already been said? Lee’s presence on this project should be a confidence reinforcement at this point, with the writer/team already on this project. Honestly though, who can deny Loughridge, most notably known for having worked on the classic Batman Adventures and Deadly Class? (I know, enough said)
Wolf #1 opens with a man on fire. Not a man ripping a wicked guitar solo “on fire” either. This man is literally walking Mulholland Drive in Hollywood consumed in flames. His name is Antoine Wolfe, aka “The Wolf.” Not long after learning his name, we find Antoine is in an interrogation room with a few burns and scrapes after putting himself out in what is implied to be Miley Cyrus’s pool. Nothing even remotely resembling a charge can be placed on Antoine, so he is released onto the LA streets to sleep off his rough night. Upon returning to his humble apartment, Antoine is not even slightly surprised to find hired muscle waiting for him.
The muscle works for the man who set him on fire. That same man would like to hire Antoine, seeing as how “The Wolf” really does have special skills that amount to more than just a myth. Getting set on fire was a test, you see, and Mr. Antoine Wolfe passed.
I haven’t even spoiled a thing yet. That was just the first third of this issue, and it didn’t even touch on the finer details that make it so full and perfect. The seamless blending of dialogue, detail, and classical noir with the contemporary occult makes this new ongoing series from IMAGE incredible.
With a tone reminding me of Hellblazer, Dylan Dog, and Chinatown, Wolf #1 is an excellent opener and a must read this week.
We’re trying something new! If you preorder Dead Drop #1 by aleskot and adamgorham before it comes out you will save $1 off the cover price!
Zero #2 - PAGE 4
A wooden box at the bottom of a river somewhere in England. It’s at least 20 feet deep. And it’s winter.We don’t see the ice at the top of the river, probably, at least not yet.
ZERO: BASIC TRAINING.
Zero, inside the box, looking completely calm.
ZERO: WE ALL HAD TO GO THROUGH THE BOX UNTIL WE MANAGED TO GET OUT OF ITIN UNDER TWO MINUTES.
A different angle. We realize he’s in a straightjacket.
ZERO: KIDS DIED, FROM TIME TO TIME. KIDS DIED A LOT. ONLY THE STRONGESTWOULD SURVIVE, AND THEIR DEATHS, WELL, THEY WOULD BE FUEL FOR OUR SURVIVAL…
The sense of claustrophobia is total. It’s not making us just slightly nauseated – it’s making us straightup ill. Lee/Ditko in that Amazing Spider-Man issue (is it #29?), Marcos Martin riffing on it in one of the recent covers, Ennis/Dillon doing something similar in Preacher, Steranko’s stories, the way Zero applies himself in Zero #2 on pages 8 & 9, Kill Bill, any time you’ve ever been trapped somewhere tight and feared for your life and air…this is it, this is that condensed into one page. Use however many panels you wish for, whatever effect you think will convey this the best… We’re above Zero. He looks so calm. He’s pondering whether to stay down there or fight his way up. Might be multiple panels here, too, with almost no change in his expression.
ZERO: …THE STRANGE THING IS, IT FELT GOOD.
ZERO: I LIKED BEING ALONE DOWN THERE.
ZERO: I TOYED WITH THE IDEA OF NEVER COMING BACK UP.
ZERO: MEETING MY PARENTS AGAIN.
If you’re not reading Zero by now I guess there’s nothing more I can do for you. If you want to start, you can pick it up on discount before our aleskot sale ends tonight at 11pm EST.
“Well i want to die holding your hand.”
Zero #2
aleskot has become one of my favorite new creators, and it’s mostly because ZERO is so damn good.
Preview pages of Ales Kot and Marco Rudy’s Bucky Barnes: The Winter Soldier #1.
aleskot is one of the most interesting and polarizing new writers on the scene right now. If Bucky Barnes: The Winter Soldier is anything like his previous work, you’re in for a treat.
Tonight’s #LateNightReads is aleskot‘s Change - and its on sale for just $2.99, tonight (3/14) only! Grab it by 11:59pm EST to take advantage of a great deal on this apocalyptic epic!
Dear Los Angeles: meet apocalypse. You have one day left. Unless, of course, someone decides to save you. Possible saviors include: a foul-mouthed struggling screenwriter who moonlights as a car thief, an obscenely wealthy rapper, a dying cosmonaut on his way back to Earth and one very deranged little boy. Good luck.
Breaking up your week in the best way possible, #NewComicDay has arrived once again! Here’s some of the books we’re looking forward to reading most this week:
Zero Vol. 1: An Emergency - aleskot has created one of the most interesting new comics out. Kot explains that “every issue is simultaneously a self-contained story and a part of the big overarching narrative.” Issues #2 & #3 were some of the most jawdropping comics I read all year. Volume 1 collects issues 1-5, do yourself a favor and pick it up.
Daredevil #36 - The Astounding Final Issue! Where does Daredevil go from here? It’s the end of an era you don’t want to miss.
Red Sonja #7 - Part 1 of a new story arc from rockstar writer gailsimone! Fresh from her ordeals in the Queen of the Plague epic, Sonja is charged with the task of playing bodyguard to Hyborea’s greatest chef, even though seemingly everyone wants him dead! Join us for this unique issue of recipes, culinary technique, and decapitation! This edition features exclusive behind the scenes content only available on comiXology!
Loki: Ragnarok & Roll #1 (of 4) - What happens when Odin banishes Loki to Earth? He finds a world of outcasts that appreciate his style! While his kin sharpen their weapons, he picks up an electric guitar. For those who want their Norse Gods a little more Metal.
Undertow #1 - Atlantis is the world superpower, and Redum Anshargal is its worst enemy. If you want to break free of the system, he can offer you a place at his side, exploring the wild surface world in his watertight city barge The Deliverer. He and his hostage-protege Ukinnu Alal hunt the Amphibian, a legend that could be the key to an air-breathing life on land. But as they become the hunted, can Anshargal’s team survive long enough to turn the tables on the godlike beast they set out for?
Justice League #28 - A FOREVER EVIL tie-in! With the Justice League gone, new heroes continue to rise up throughout the DC Universe. The Crime Syndicate tried to kill him, but now Cyborg is back to settle the score-and with him are the Metal Men.
Check these out and all the other new releases available today on comiXology!
Early version of the cover for ZERO #8. Drawn by Jorge Coelho, designed by Tom Muller.
Anyone else kind of obsessed with Zero?
Zero #004 comes out Wednesday 12/18/2013. Drawn by Morgan Jeske.
Have you been reading Zero?? It’s become one of the most interesting titles this year. Each issue is almost like a stand alone book, but all of them have an overarching storyline. This scene from #2 effectively turned me into a puddle of mush.
Don’t even get me started on #3.
(via imagecomics)
