Sheep Comic Review: Prototype 2 Digital Comic book mini-series

Genre: Science-Fiction, Horror, Action/Adventure

I don’t play video games, but I freaking love video game commercials because they are like moving comic books. And not just any comic books; total chaos, bloodshed, and general bad-assery comics, which I am quite partial to. The game Prototype 2 comes out April 24 and to bridge the first game to this one Dan Jolley (lead writer for Prototype 2) is releasing 3 digitally exclusive two-part stories.

The protagonist from the first game is Alex Mercer, a shapeshifting badass who goes around killing people who have been infected by a virus called Blacklight that turns them into murdering monsters in Manhattan, NY. The infected area, called the red zone, is absolute chaos and filled with rampaging monsters. The yellow zone is a quarantine line made by the military but it's no picnic there either, and then there is the green zone where life is normal. The new game introduced a new protagonist named Sergeant James Heller who is bent on vengeance, including killing Alex Mercer.

PROTOTYPE 2 #1, #2: THE ANCHOR, PART 1, 2

14 pages Ages 16+

Writer: Dan Jolley

Artist: Paco Diaz

Colorist: Michael Atiyeh

The first set of comic is The Anchor part 1 and 2. We meet Alex one year after the Blacklight virus hit NY. He is traveling the world looking for good in humanity and himself. I knew nothing about the games before reading this, but it is everything I love about action comics with a dark anti-hero. Mercer has awesome abilities knows how to slice and dice, oh and he is really hot too. Anyway, both parts are only 14 pages, but you get a complete story in narration form from Alex and some vivid artwork. I was entertained and looking forward to the next installment.

PROTOTYPE 2 #3, #4: THE SURVIVORS PART 1, 2

14 pages Ages 16+

Writer: Dan Jolley

Artist: Chris Staggs

Colorist: Michael Atiyeh

The second set is The Survivors part 1 and 2. This one is from the POV of a NYC police detective trying to escape the red zone with two others so he can find his wife who was in the green zone. It gives you an idea of what atrocities the military and scientists involved in Blacklight are responsible for. These two are also told mostly in narration form like The Anchor. Again you get a good story but there is a different artist involved with this set. The artwork is just as good, but a little darker than The Anchor.

PROTOTYPE 2 #5, #6: THE LABYRINTH PART 1, 2

14 pages Ages 16+

Writer: Dan Jolley

Penciller: Victor Drujiniu

Inker: Jonas Trintade

Colorist: Michael Atiyeh

The last set is called The Labyrinth part 1 and 2 and this is where we meet the hero of Prototype 2, Sergeant James Heller, before things go very wrong in his life. There is no narration in this one, only dialogue. We learn a group called Blackwatch is doing some unorthodox recruiting and we learn something about Heller’s moral character. I really like this guy and you will be pulling for him. This set also has a new artist whose work very closely matched the work of the artist for The Survivors. However it has the same good writing as the other comics.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed these 6 comics even though I knew nothing about the game. I would like to see a full-length comic series about these characters in the future and suggest everyone check them out.

5 Sheep

SharonS (edited by BAK)

Comic Review: This Haunted World Chapter 1: Dark Matter

This Haunted World Chapter 1: Dark Matter

DIGITAL GRAPHIC NOVEL FROM SEA LION BOOKS

Created by: Mark Powers and Chris Lie

Written by: Mark Powers

Artwork: Caravan Studio

THIS HAUNTED WORLD will be available October 31, 2011 digitally (via Comixology, Iverse and Graphic.ly)

THIS HAUNTED WORLD, which will be published in digital format initially, sees a world is awash in conflict and suffering. Some believe the Biblical End Times have arrived; others believe a civilization too often driven by greed has simply begun the inevitable process of devouring itself.

Amid the fear and chaos walks a shadow. In the war-torn hills of Afghanistan, in the tragedy wracked hills of Hiroshima. He is called by many names in many places – and where he walks, he brings death.

Two men – one whose ivory tower has been shattered by scandal, another sprawled on life's rock bottom – unknowingly hold mankind's only hope for survival.

For a war unlike any other is about to be declared – one in which 10,000 years worth of sins and pain come back to haunt us…

When I saw the cover of this comic and read the description I knew it was my kind of story. There is a Shadowman (ghost) walking the earth and he is uniting the spirits of the dead. His goal is to seek vengeance for all the deaths caused by war and violence throughout history. The cool thing is it is being released as a digital graphic novel. So it will be easy to find and download. With the surge in iPads and other reading devices, we will be seeing more and more digital comics.

This issue introduces us to the main characters. We learn some background information on each and get an idea of how their paths will cross and what the Shadowman has planned for the world. The art work is expressive and the use of light and shadow gives a dark and ominous feel to it. I am intrigued and look forward to seeing where the story goes.

You can purchase this digital comic Oct 31st at Sea Lion Books.

4 Vengeful Sheep!

About the creators:

Mark Powers was an editor for over ten years at Marvel Comics before moving to Devil's Due, where he edited and later wrote G.I. JOE and created the sci-fi series DRAFTED. He's also written REST for Top Cow and is currently adapting THE DRESDEN FILES novels for Dynamite Entertainment.

Chris Lie has illustrated numerous comics, including DRAFTED, G.I. JOE: SIGMA 6 and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: EBERRON for Devil's Due, and LABYRINTH for Tokyopop. He also heads his own highly successful concept art and illustration house, Caravan Studio.