Hack / Slash #1 - New Image Series

A couple years back, the first time I've ever heard of Hack / Slash was during Spike TV's Scream Awards. It won for best comic book, but I never took the time to read it because I was a starving college student saving my money for other books I wanted to buy from my pull list. Now that the series is being relaunched by Image, I've decided to give the book a try.

The concept is simple - It is about a team of people who hunt down slashers. If that isn't enough to get you to read the book, the main character is a hot black-haired chick named Cassie Hack who destroys serial killers of the likes of Jason and Leatherhead. If they were to make a movie and didn't have to worry about acting, Megan Fox would be perfect for the role.

For those of us who haven't read the Devil's Due Series, this first issue does a great job introducing us to the cast. At the beginning of the comic, a small bio of the main characters are given, some of the more notable being:

• Vlad - He looks like a slasher, but he is actually Cassie's right hand man. Always wearing a gas mask to disguise his ghastly appearance, Vlad is a monstrosity not to be messed with.
• Samhain - Once a part of an evil organization called the Black Lamp Society, this "Jack-O-Lantern Masked Man" is out to destroy the organization that created him.
• Cat Curio - 13 years ago, Cat was placed into a coma after being stabbed by Samhain. Now that she has awakened from her slumber, she is now on the hunt for revenge.
• Pooch - A talking lowbeast who looks like a dog flipped inside out and hangs out with Cassie's crew.

This first storyline describes Cassie is more on edge than usual. She is all about hunting down killers and taking no breaks for herself or her friends. However, after being attacked by acid zombies, it looks like the Black Lamp Society is planning to release a toxin to destroy America. But before Cassie and Vlad can get their bearings on things, they are confronted by a steaming blonde with an angel tattooed on her stomach, claiming Cassie will get exactly what she deserves...

So this first issue was primarily setup. Not a lot happened, but I feel I have a pretty good idea who the characters are. I'm looking forward to reading more about Cassie, as I like her attitude and sarcasm (and enjoyed her "fogging the windows" scene).

The artwork by Daniel Leister is filled with beautifully drawn women. And to counteract the cheesecake, images of blood and guts cover a great deal of the panels.

Writer and creator Tim Seeley did a great job with this issue, as I will continue to buy this book until at least the end of this "Come Together" storyline. I may even go back and read some of the earlier trade paper backs of the previous series. So if you are new to this series like me, this is a great starting point. But if you've been reading this series for a while, you may feel the story is a little slow, but I'm sure you will continue on for the ride.

So on Death List Five, Hack / Slash #1 ranks #3.

Action Comics #894

So for those of you that don't know, Action Comics is primarily a Superman book. However in writer Paul Cornell's and artist Pete Wood's latest run on the series, the protagonist is Superman's archnemesis, Lex Luthor.

Lex Luthor is on the search for remnants of the Black Lantern rings, a cosmic source similar to the Green Lantern rings. However, instead of bringing good throughout the universe, the Black Lantern rings raise dead corpses from the grave and transforms them into living minions of evil. As Lex is discovering the Black Lantern technology, he encounters other DC Universe villains including Death Stroke, Gorilla Grodd, and Mr. Mind. However, the character cameo I was most excited to read was from Action Comics #894: Death.

Death was a popular character from Neil Gaiman's Sandman Series. Although she had a very gothy appearance, she was very attractive with her petite body and undercut blouse. Although she was the living embodiment of death, she typically escorted those who have recently passed on to the afterlife in a peaceful manner. In this issue, Death and Lex have a long conversation as he is presumed dead after being shot out of a helicopter by Gorilla Grodd.

Cornell's run on Action has been a lot of fun and I look forward to reading it each month. However, this issue was somewhat of a let down. Maybe it was because there was so much hype of Death returning to the DC Universe proper, as she has been primarily published by DC's imprint of Vertigo. This issue really had no action, just dialouge. The conversation was fun and enjoyable to read, but I was just expecting more exploitation . However, in the end, this was still a solid issue and does not hinder the overall story arc.

Also, great credit is due to Nick Spencer's backup feature: Jimmy Olson. It's a quirky story, filled with fun narration, and is the first to introduce Smallville's Chloe Sullivan to the comic book universe.

So on Death List Five, Action Comics #894 ranks #3.

Black Panther: The Man Without Fear #513

When I heard Marvel was canceling Daredevil, I was outraged. It’s been a consistently good title for over a decade in the hands of only a few creators (Kevin Smith, David Mack, Brian Michael Bendis, and Ed Brubaker). Even Andy Diggle's concept of Matt Murdock leading a ninja assassin clan known as The Hand was pretty cool. So what urged Marvel to drop the title?

In the last issue of Daredevil, Matt Murdock was oppressing Hell's Kitchen through martial law. Controlling the city in his huge fortress called Shadowland, Daredevil was eradicating crime, but in the process imprisoning police officers and terrifying the local citizens. Since Daredevil was taking a lethal viewpoint against those deemed guilty, the other street-level heroes took a stance against him. After a lengthy battle, they defeated Daredevil, discovering he was possessed by an ancient evil demon. Even though Murdock was not himself, he personally exiled himself so he could revive who he once was.

Since Murdock is leaving for his personal journey, he asked Black Panther to be Hell’s Kitchen’s protector. So, with the passing of the torch, the name of the comic title changed, but the numbering of Daredevil continued (Marvel has previously done this with Incredible Hulk to the Incredible Hercules). So in Black Panther: The Man Without Fear #513, we discover T’Challa relinquished his power in Wakanda so he too can rediscover himself on the streets.

Written by David Liss, the groundwork for a great storyline is being established. T’Challa is going under a secret identify and running a diner so he can meet the local people and hear the latest gossip. Using the information he obtains while running the food joint, Black Panther goes on the prowl to fight crime in the city. In addition to the loss of his powers, T’Challa has the challenge of battling criminals who are not holding their punches since they have no fear in a “knock-off” vigilante.

To counteract Black Panther, Liss is also creating a new villain: Vlad the Impaler. Vlad is a Romanian crimelord who has the strength of Captain America. It is fun to read Vlad’s dialog since Liss writes his language like a hitman from “Eastern Promises.” Gaining a reputation through fear, Vlad has his sights on becoming the Kingpin and destroying the new guardian of Hell’s Kitchen.

To compliment this astounding story, Francesco Francavilla’s artwork is fantastic. With black and red overtones, Francesco was born to draw this story. Capturing the grittiness of Hell's Kitchen, Francesco also maintains the superhero element of comic books. I’ve met Francesco at comic cons and he is a great guy who knows Pulp (he also drew Black Beetle in my Pulp Themed Sketchbook). Check out Francesco’s blog Pulp Sunday, where he posts artwork harkening back to older movies, stories, and comics: http://pulpsunday.blogspot.com/

Although Daredevil is my favorite Marvel character, I am truly excited for this story to unfold. With an intriguing story that is remarkably illustrated, I give Black Panther: The Man Without Fear #513 – 5 out of 5 stars.

Batman Incorporated #1

So far in my blog posts, I've been focusing on the film side of "Tarantino Comics." However, the comic book half has definitely made an impact on Tarantino films. So much so, that he has included comic references within his movies' dialog. He has compared Joe Cabot to The Thing or Beatrix Kiddo to Superman. Today, I will give a comic review of my all-time favorite character - Batman.

It is common knowledge that Batman's mission is to seek vengeance on the criminals of Gotham city. However, in writer Grant Morrison's Batman Incorporated #1, Batman is gathering a task force to battle crime across the entire world. Paired with Catwoman, the couple arrives to recruit the Japanese Batman (Mr. Unknown), only to find he was brutally murdered.

Comic Fans either love or hate Grant Morrison. Although he is very innovative, his writing can be so wacky that his continuity gets convoluted. However, I believe this new series is off to a great start. So far he has introduced 3 plot lines which may span over the series:

1. An international army of Batmen - It will be fun to explore the personalities of those deemed worthy to join Batman's crusade.
2. The introduction of the villain Lord Death Man - He tortures his victims with acid, he tests the "hero's code" of not killing, and he has the face of a skull. What's not to love?
3. Batman stole a diamond from an evil guy with Catwoman's help. However this diamond really isn't a sparkly gym. Maybe it's a source of information or power?

Overall, I'm excited for this new series. I loved the interplay between the Bat and the Cat (if Bruce ever settles down, it should be with Selina). The issue ended with a cliffhanger hearkening back to the Silver Age. The Yanick Paquette artwork is fantastic. Most of all, the J.H. Williams III cover art is on par with Tarantino Comics (and believe me, that's a compliment).

I give Batman Incorporated #1: 4 out of 5 stars.