more august picks

Holy Cow Man! Another Pete's Picks already!?! Well.... here's the one that should have been up,.... like months ago! Still catching up,...and I'm off to San Diego and Chicago (as I write this yo!) So I'm more then sure I'll have sooo much more great books to read and plug...so let the plugging begin! YEEEEAAAY! First up is a little number from Oni Press (check them out if you haven't as of yet...very good Indy's there!) a book called Shenanigans! There are very few books I would say..."Yes, go buy this now"....but I have to say ..."go buy this now!!!" If you love love story's (lets just call it what it is!) then you will enjoy this zany romp with goofy man, the main character Holden, leading the way through his very bad scheme and worst attempt to catch his one and only. Writer Ian Shaughnessy (great work) and Mike Holmes (great work) could not have done a better job... I only wanted more! .....may be a sequel?!? Another Arcana book!?! Yes,.. but a very different tale, done in a very different way. Jova's Harvest by creator Steve Uy is a biblical story of modern beauty. A real pleasure to read, though you may have to push yourself though the beginning to get a taste and a feel for the way people talk in this very quirky story. The pay off is real good, another charm is its animation-ish style art to go with it. Steve Uy may have done very little in the amount of work,... but he clearly thinks his work through and has very rich characters. A very good choice. The next two books are brought to us by Bloodfire Studios (the publishers of Jeromy' Coz'x Vampyrates (the wonderful colorist creation, and Lee Kohse's Kinder Goth! Goth vs Aliens. Wowzeer!) They sent these books to us to check out and take a gander...so first up is....... Intergalactic! Impressive name,... and a wonderful book. Writer, artist, creator has taken all that is good with the good old days of such story's that where a big part of the early days of Heavy Metal and made it his own! Alyssis Entopy is a soldier in the intergalactic war (and sexy hot too!) Join her and a cool cast of weirdos in this tightly packed space opera tale with great art to boot! A really good add to any collection. Utopiates.....geeeez, what can I say about this book!?! Directly from the Bloodfire website... " likened to "A Scanner Darkly" "The Matrix" and "Strange Days" Utopiates is a near future story set around the concept that science has been able to distill personalities into liquid form. This allows people to inject these imprints and become "someone else"!!! Its all that and more,... a incredible read and a joy to look at! The story is just genius and plays out in a very unique way with visuals that amaze. A must read,.. I was overjoyed to get the first 4 issues in the mail, and even more ecstatic to sit down and read this very outrageous tale that could very well be a evil future possibility...scary but true! Go get this baby,.. you won't be able to put it down, or stop thinking about it! Highly recommended!!! So Buddy's, that it for now (until after my mini comic convention tour...staring me!) I'll return with some new boffo-o books soon enough. Until then, stretch out on your comfy bed, turn your nightlight on, and open to the next page.......a new universe of the fantastic awaits! See you all later.......cheers, Peter Palmiotti .

august picks

Still working on the Indy theme of picks, here goes some more of those wacky independents,...

Marvel and DC may very well be the foundation of the comic book industry....but the Indy's are the house itself! (if that makes sense!?!)

First up is Vampires Unlimited, a book published by sort of newbie publisher but all around nice guy Bart Thompson and his company Apporation Comics.

So everyone loves vampires,..well me too! So I was pleased to give this one a read, here are some of my thoughts. I liked it,..and wish to read the next issue. The writing by Bart is fair but I felt it could have grabbed me better, there where elements that I thought seemed original and even exciting. but I'm wondering who these people are!?! A little more character in his characters would have added much to this first issue. I do realize that this is his epic, and much more is to be fleshed out and reveled.

The art by Paul Caesar and Tony Moreira while defiantly not top pro quality,was good. I do look forward to see how they develop as a team with a few more issue under their belts. I it, liked but needs a good editor as 'they' say! (perhaps Bart will ask me....it could happen!) So yeah,...not a bad job...a 6 out of ten to be much more specific.

So here we go again with another book from comic publisher Arcana (they seem to be growing recently!) With a book called American Wasteland! (only bad things can be inside with a name like that!)

First let me mention that the writer/creator mister R.D.Hall himself, was one of many that Mark and myself interviewed at the 2007 New York Comic Con,...and those interviews will be put up on the website somewhere down the line.

Jerron (our webmaster) has done a fabulous job putting the site together,...but we are all learning how to do everything we do here at The Comic book Novice (I myself am so far behind in doing these Picks...just ask Mark) Well enough with the boo-hoo's,.. on with the picks!

Writer R.D. Hall with artists Mark Kidwell, Tony Bledsoe and Jay Fotos (who did what?....beats me.) Have created a dark world of the vampires ( I sense a theme),.. hillbilly's and shots of whiskey (or beer if you'd prefer!) Very much done in the dark comedy vein with lots of creepy ugly dudes lead by most-est ugly dude and top dead man, Johnny Copperhead! A very enjoyable b-movie tale, with visuals that really look as if done by only one artist. I do have it in the know that artist Andrew Mangum joins the team with issue two,... I'm really looking forward to watching him cut lose with his art. Andrew (yes....a buddy of mine on myspace!) is a new talent on the verge of blowing up,... so keep your eyes pealed! (it all guns and guts and laughs a plenty. Pick it up,... you won't be let down.

A very new publisher to the game,.. with the potential to really impact it in a way that hasn't been done since Cross-gen. (maybe a bad example,.. but a lot of what cross-gen started as well as most of the artists and writers are a good part of today's comics and their look. ..well I think so.) So who am I talking about....I'm talking about Virgin Comics, headed by Sir Richard Branson with (as if he himself isn't enough) Deepak Chopra (guru himself), and his son Shekhar Chopak. There on a mission folks,.. and they got the top talent to make it happen! The book I was given (by Mark Mazz,..a recommended read...he said.) is Guy Ritchie's Game Keeper!

So the deal is Guy Richie (Snatch, Lock stock and two smoking barrels fame) along with Andy Diggle (losers for vertigo, and much else) created a rich history for the main character and rich cast. I almost don't want to give it away,..let me say it a really good read along with slightly manga painted pages by Mukesh Singh. The colors are rich and vibrant. The story telling and pacing are great,.. its an action adventure. The writers (Andy does write based on Guy concepts,.. but there is a back and forth with them bouncing ideas as well as character and story development.) they know how to grab you, and how to unfold a story. Go check it out.

So lastly, I have in my sweaty big hands (I know what your thinking,... bad, bad!) is a mini graphic novel by our good friends at Image comics called simply.........She-dragon! Written By creator Eric Larson (I just dig his love for comics,.. and mostly they where the comics I grew up reading...yes, yes! Back in the day,...we'll leave it at that! LOL!!!)

So here Eric with new talent Franchesco (the dude who did the Chosen Few promo piece! An amazing job... and nice inks! Hehe!) Spin a tale of high adventure and comedy as only She-dragon can pull off. I you enjoy Eric's work, Franchesco's truly gorgeous women,.... uhh, art! Or just crazy zany other worldly meatballs...then this ones for you!!!

So,.. this marks the end of yet another Pete's Picks....please do check out as many of these books as possibly. With the Internet life is that much easier to go see art and even buy some of these bad boys, the independents love and need your support! Tell em' Petey Pop set ya! ...slater!