Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon

This is an instant classic. Brian K. Vaughan’s story of four escaped lions searching for food through the war torn streets of Baghdad, immediately pulls you in and doesn’t let go until it’s jarring conclusion.

When I read this I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, it’s that smooth of a read. The artwork is stunning, Niko Henrichson is able to convey the lion’s emotions, pull off fierce action sequences and create breathtaking, cinematic splash pages with ease. The story moves along effortlessly thanks to BKV’s trademark natural and witty dialogue. Because of this combination we are treated to a highly entertaining, beautiful, and moving story, who’s characters rich personalities shine off the pages.

While it’s a tremendously entertaining book it’s also thought provoking, which unfortunately can be a rarity. As with his work on Ex Machina, Vaughan doesn’t shy away from controversial subject matter. This story makes you question how we as humans define freedom, and for me is another reminder of why I hate this bullshit war.

This is an important piece of work and will surely prove to be a milestone in both creators’ careers. Pride of Baghdad is a fine addition to the graphic novel genre and a perfect example of why comics should be taken seriously. It leaves you with emotions that linger far after the book is closed.

PICK OF THE YEAR.

ps – not just because there’s talking lions.

Preacher: Gone To Texas

There's a lot of history that comes along with Texas, and a lot of pride comes along with being a Texan. Sometimes, the size and scope of these stories and people exceed beyond reality. In Preacher: Gone To Texas, that scope is focused on the life of a small town "holy man" who's world was flipped faster than a poker table in a John Wayne movie. It's a down-home tall-tale that takes place somewhere familiar. Hell, you've probably driven through there, even if it was at 3 a.m and you were too sleepy to notice.

When I first heard about a comic about a Preacher with holy powers, I was skeptical. In fact, I didn't even want to read it. I thought it was going to be a Billy Graham funded King James Version of a comic book. Mistake. BIG MISTAKE.

I guess the story should start at the beginning: Genesis. Heaven is, of course, controlled by God. Within heaven, there are two races of angels. One branch of angels called the Seraphi are the muscle. You might imagine them as the ones with the wings and swords. In a freak instance of existence, a Seraphi falls in love with a demon. These two worlds were never meant to collide. But hey, this is love. Nothing makes sense. They have a child. Now, this child is pure good mixed with pure evil, an entirely new idea, makes it stronger than both who created it. Heaven jails the entity, from which it escapes easily, and rockets himself towards Earth in search of a soul. It finds one in a certain Jesse Custer, a man losing faith in God. Now that's the basis of this story. That isn't even scratching the surface as to what this story even BEGINS to tackle.

Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon are the masterminds behind Preacher: Gone to Texas. They've created a new legend with so many twists and turns it's hard to give his universe justice in so many words. It's part Western, part Love story, part Vampire tale, part Buddy Cop, with enough booze and cigarettes to make Hank Williams jealous. It's the gravel in your guts, and spit in your eye. It's the rattlesnake in your sleeping bag, and the sucker-punch in an old saloon. With Preacher: Gone to Texas, Garth Ennis' series has broken a beer bottle across the back of morality's head, and it doesn't look like morality is getting up anytime soon.

The Walking Dead: Vol 1 Days Gone Bye

I would walk by this comic at first and I kick myself for it now, because when I bought four trades of it, I read them all in two days. I'm of course talking about The Walking Dead by once again…Robert Kirkman(Invincible). I'll be talking about the first Trade paperback entitled Days Gone Bye.

As always Robert Kirkman's writing in this book is outstanding, at first I thought "ugh a zombie comic? No way that could be good." I will allow three peope to hit me really hard for thinking that. First off let me say this is far from a horror comic, I mean yes there are zombies in it and they want to eat people, but as you would see if you read it, this comic is more about character progression, that is of course if they live long enough.

In the book ex-police officer Rick Grimes wakes up from a gunshot-induced coma, from there he finds himself in a new dangerous world where flesh eating zombies outnumber the living. Later hearing that people were told to head to bigger cities for protection he figures that his wife and child headed to Atlanta to be with her parents, so he finds away to the police station borrows a car and heads out.

From here on Rick finds himself in some disasterous situations, the story throws you some interesting twist and turns as he finds a camp of living people to take him in. How will they react? Will the living prove to be more of a danger than the zombies?

In my opinion this story is a nice break from all other comics I read. I still love them, but it's nice to read something alot different sometimes.

"In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally start living."

Batman: Hush Vol 1 and Vol 2

Let's change the pace here. It's time to review in my opinion one of the greatest Batman stories ever written. Writer Jeph Loeb(Batman: long halloween, Spider-Man Blue) is arguably at his best in this story, teamed up with one of comics greatest artist of all time Jim Lee(X-men, Wildcats). This is definately a force to be reckoned with.

Does Hush have controversy? Yes. Things that will alter Batman's world forever. When you change the continuity of characters there's no telling how the fans will react. They are either going to love it or hate it…The boldness to me is epic.
This book starts off on the up and up, not slowing down, showing Batman's brilliance, dedication, and fighting skills through out the whole story. He is put through a gauntlet of his worst enemies: I mean we have Killer croc, Catwoman(friend or foe?), The Riddler, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn and the Clown prince of crime himself, The Joker, throw in a new villian and you got yourself one incredible story. What's that you say? Superman and Batman fight in this book…What? How? Why? Batman would not stand a chance against Superman…You never know. This story will definately have you trying to get through both these volumes in one night to find out what exactly is going on, and how will it end.

This is for sure a must have for Batman fans everywhere, In fact let me rephrase that…For comic fans everywhere. one of the best looking and best written stories ever. There is just so many great things I could say about these books, but I will stop here cause if not all the text could fill a book, My goal here is to say what I want without revealing too much. I want you to read the book and see for yourself, but I will say this..Hush is definately one of the main reasons I am still reading comics today, and arguably the best story arc in continuity of the Batman series.

I give this 4 thumbs up, because I'm also counting Fabian's thumbs.
Batman and Catwoman talking about Superman.

Batman: He's the best at what he does.

Catwoman: That's open to debat.

Batman: I said he's the best at what he does, not at what I do.

Buy it. Read it. Love it.

Buy Batman: Hush at Amazon.com

Invincible: Vol 1. Family Matters

Action! Straight up with this book starts off with. I know what you're thinking already..

"Oh great another horribly written action comic."

I'm sorry to inform you my friend, but you are wrong. First glance I admit I ignored it. I thought the colors were amazing…but just didn't think it would make a good story. Boy was I wrong. Robert Kirkman's(The Walking Dead, Ultimate X-men) extraordinary straight foward style of writing gives this book a smooth and exciting read. Mark Grayson (Invincible) is a High School boy not far from normal compared to any other teenager…except that his dad is Omni-Man, the most powerful superhero on the planet, and now it seems that super gene is being passed to him. Finding out he's invulnerable and he can fly, What's a boy to do? Well what else but put on some bright colored costume and fight crime. Getting himself in some sticky situations Mark looks to his dad to help him go through this…you know superhero stuff. Meeting other colorful characters in the process. Anything can happen at anytime in this book, and it will. If you ever been somewhat curious…Hell even if you've never heard of this book…pick it up. If you like good writing and awesome action, this book will not dissapoint. It truly is "Probably the best superhero comic in the universe."

Mark's mom: I guess I can look foward to you both being late from now on…

Mark: Actually…Dad was sucked into a portal about fifteen minutes ago, I dont think he'll be home tonight. It was some aliens we fought earlier today…I'm sure he's fine.

Damn that's great.

Buy Invincible Vol. 1 at Amazon.com

Planetary: Vol I All Over the World and Other Stories

Have you ever felt like there was more going on in the world than we're being told and that history might not be all that accurate? If not, shoot yourself in the face, hard. Planetary's mission is to uncover the secret history of the world, discover forbidden knowledge, and destroy the official version of the twentieth century.

The comics three main characters are Elijah Snow (whose power is heat subtraction), Jakita Wagner (a fierce post-human, super speed and strength), and The Drummer (who talks to machines). They are an investigative team of mystery archaeologists. Overall this is science fiction and Warren Ellis is at his best in this series. This comic jumps from genre to genre, introducing characters who should seem familiar to comic book history enthusiasts. They are taken from the legends and lore of the DC and Marvel Universes. But what these stories do is make them seem almost real, thanks to John Cassidy's (you might know him from a little book called Astonishing X-Men) rich art work and Ellis's imaginative and often humorous storytelling. Basically it's fun. It's fun to see terrorists walking through a giant monster's rotting torso. Or how about seeing the ruined headquarters of a team of superheroes after their final battle? Look, you know this book is good when fuckin Alan Moore does the introduction.

This comic is for true believers, it's rad and everyone should be reading the shit out of it.

This is the first exchange of dialogue in this masterpiece of awesome…

Elijah Snow: Coffee tastes like your dog took a leak in it.

Waitress: Dawgs gotta go someplace.

Yesssssssss.

Two thumbs up. Scale of 1-10, eleventy.

Buy Planetary Vol. 1 at Amazon.com