Battlepug: Cosmic Doggyssey trade paperback + free comic read

Battlepug: Cosmic Doggyssey delivers the perfect blend of sword and sorcery, humor, and heart. Picking up right where the Image series Battlepug: War on Christmas left off, the last Kindmundian and his oversized companion find themselves in dreamlike worlds of demented danger!

Battlepug: Cosmic Doggyssey trade paperback
(ISBN: 9781534333864)
Wednesday, August 26

Prepare for an absurd, action-packed journey across the cosmos in the upcoming Battlepug: Cosmic Doggyssey graphic novel continuing Mike Norton's Eisner and Harvey award-winning fantasy comedy. This trade paperback graphic novel from Image Comics will hit comic shop shelves next week and be available this September everywhere books are sold.

“This new book is my way opening up the Battlepug universe so that I can tell all kinds of stories besides the weird fantasy that it began as," said Norton. "I mean, it’s still WEIRD, mind you… Only now I can do any genre I’ve ever dreamed of. That’s what Battlepug is… Just an excuse for me to draw everything I liked when I was growing up. It’s unfiltered weird kid energy!”

 You can read the first issue of Battlepug: War on Christam at Image Comics!

Celia’s Comic Review: The Me You Love in the Dark TP – Romancing the Muse…

The Me You Love in the Dark TP
March 2, 2022
Author: Skottie Young
Art: Jorge Corona
Colors: Jean-Francois Beaulieu
Lettering: Nate Piekos
Publisher: Image Comics
Genre: Horror
Rating: M
An artist named Ro retreats from the grind of the city to an old house in a small town to find solace and inspiration without realizing the muse within is not what she expected… Collects THE ME YOU LOVE IN THE DARK #1-5.

Amazon

Shortly after I reviewed the first comic in this series, the TP landed in my inbox, and I immediately sank back into the spooky story. What a pleasant surprise to learn the dark entity isn’t a “ghost” but rather some sort of ancient dark entity who takes on the role of muse for our artist. But he’s not simply there to assist her with creativity and inspiration. The mysterious, multi-eyed, toothy, and vaguely humanoid creature befriends our lonely heroine, and soon they embark on an intimate relationship. Yes, you read correctly: romance!

Love may be in the air in the darkened home, brightened only by candlelight, but this is a horror story, so be prepared for it all to go horribly, wonderfully wrong. As in the first issue, we’re treated to some standard, tasty, horror story beats along with some good, graphic visuals.

In short: a satisfying, fun read.

4 Sheep

Guest Reviewer: Author Celia Breslin
Celia writes urban fantasy and romance and likes to spend tons of time reading comics, binge-watching fantasy/sci-fi TV and movies, and playing video and board games with her family.

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Celia’s Comic Review: Bliss – Drink The Water, Lose Your Mind…

Bliss TP (Issues #1 – 8)
July 21, 2021
Author: Sean Lewis
Artist: Caitlan Yarsky
Colors: Ari Pluchinsky
Publisher: Image Comics
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: T+
https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/bliss-tp
There's a drug called Bliss wiping away memories in Feral City. But a good-hearted young man with a deathly sick child makes a horrible deal. He will become the hitman for the gods providing the drug—and possibly lose everything in the process. A critically acclaimed examination of forgiveness and family that's rarely seen in comics.

I’m an avid reader of urban fantasy, and so when this collection came up for review, I jumped at the chance to check it out. Happy to report this is one fantastic gem of a story.

The world sucks you in from the opening scene. Haunting words about being “a tiny cosmic speck” in the “grand scheme of things” drip down the page atop a haunting visual display of a man falling, falling, falling… Thus, the tone is set for a dark saga where Big Life Questions will be addressed over the next several issues, and you, dear comic reader, will be challenged to think deeply about the answers.

A multi-generational story, the narrative toggles between the past, where the narrator’s father essentially makes the proverbial “deal with the devil,” or, in this case, with the powerful, amphibian minions of a hungry god. We witness him commit atrocious acts in order to keep his ill son alive, and then we swing back to the present, where the adult son defends his dad on trial for those many crimes. No spoilers here, but let’s just say the story starts with the crime angle and then takes a myriad of interesting, unexpected, and exciting turns, all within a visually stunning fantasy world. The art and colors, my friends, pack a wicked good punch and truly enhance the narrative. A visual feast you don’t want to miss.

Circling back to the Big Life Questions, the story will have you pondering the meaning of justice, what it is, how one achieves it, and whether the “an eye for an eye” approach really brings one peace. The theme of worthiness is addressed, too. How does one measure the worth of a person? Are actions all that matter? What if one has done horrible deeds but also good ones? And, of course, no tragic story would be complete without an intense look at vengeance, forgiveness, absolution, and change…

At the end of the collection, there’s a gripping, personal note from author Sean Lewis, along with heart-wrenching/heart-warming art, in which he shares his own story of transformation. It’s a must-read to complete your journey into the world of Bliss.

5 Sheep

Guest Reviewer: Author Celia Breslin
Celia writes urban fantasy and romance and likes to spend tons of time reading comics, binge-watching fantasy/sci-fi TV and movies, and playing video and board games with her family.

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Comic Review: Mercy, The Fair Lady, The Frost, and the Fiend from Image Comics

Mercy, The Fair Lady, The Frost, and the Fiend
Writer, Artist, Colorist: Mirka Andolfo

Series: Mirka Andolfo's Mercy

Published: December 2, 2020

192 pages

Collects MIRKA ANDOLFO'S MERCY #1-6

Publisher: Image Comics

Age Rating: M

Washington State, late nineteenth century. During the frenzied historical era commonly known as the Klondike Gold Rush, a mysterious woman named Lady Hellaine arrives in Woodsburgh, a small mining town close to the Canadian border. Meanwhile, the streets and surroundings of Woodsburgh are flooded in blood: a heinous creature is killing incautious citizens. What’s the connection, if any, between this disturbing presence and the ivory-skinned stranger?

Read issue #1 for free

The artwork in this book was very good. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about the storyline. At times it became confusing, and the panels were disjointed. I’m not sure if this was due to the book being translated from its original Italian format. But it did take away some of the enjoyment of reading it.

I’m a sucker for a good monster-causing-lots-of-bloodshed story. The artwork showed that in plenty of detail, but it soon became repetitive. Then the story seemed to rush to a conclusion.

I give this book 2 ¾ sheep

RJ Lowe

Comic Review: House of Montressor from Action Lab

THE HOUSE OF MONTRESSOR TPB
Writer(s): Enrica Jang, based on characters created by Edgar Allan Poe
Artist Name(s): Jason Strutz
Cover Artist(s): Jason Strutz
132 pgs. / Rated. T / FC $19.99 

Action Lab

Read Edgar Allan Poe’s gothic classic, THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO, and a new sequel, THE HOUSE OF MONTRESOR, collected together in this trade paperback!

Decades have passed since Lord Fortunato’s mysterious disappearance and Edana Fortunato is her family’s sole surviving heir. Before she inherits, Edana is summoned to the family estate to meet her guardian, the enigmatic Count Montresor. She embarks on the journey, unprepared for secrets still to be revealed, unaware that a killer has set the stage for one final act of revenge.

This collection opens with a comic adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe’s short story Cask of Amontilladoand House of Montressor issues 1-4 follow. House of Montressor serves as a sequel to Cask using the characters of Fortunato and Montressor as inspiration. Montressor invites Edana Fortunato, the granddaughter of ill-fated Fortunato, to his estate under the guise of dispensing her inheritance. She must remain in the estate for the full month leading to her 25th birthday before she can collect. However, Edana is in residence only a short time before she realizes she and her travelling companion Ingrid are in grave danger.

Jang’s story is compelling and dark. She uses the ideas of the original tale and spins a web of family betrayal, deceit, and madness. The story is in keeping with Poe’s tales of dark treachery. Strutz’s artwork is a fine compliment to Jang’s story. It’s dark and dismal creating a perfect mood for the unfolding tale. Overall, I found the story unfolds rather quickly and could’ve perhaps been more fully developed. The artwork was so dark and, at times, frantic, I had some difficulty following the flow of the story.

In the end, the story is bleak and unforgiving, much like the original. If you’re a Poe fan, I encourage you to check out this collection. It was a rather quick and entertaining read.

4 sheep

Bianca Greenwood

Comic Review: BUFFY: THE HIGH SCHOOL YEARS--FREAKS & GEEKS TPB from Dark Horse Comics

BUFFY: THE HIGH SCHOOL YEARS--FREAKS & GEEKS TPB

Writer: Faith Erin Hicks

Artist: Yishan Li

Colorist: Rod Espinosa

Cover Artist: Scott Fischer

Genre: Action/Adventure, Horror, Science-Fiction

June 01, 2016

Dark Horse Comics

Format: FC, 80 pages; TPB, 6'' x 9''

Price: $10.99

Age range: 10

ISBN-10: 1-61655-667-6

ISBN-13: 978-1-61655-667-9

For a Slayer, high school is hell!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is back in classic action in a tale set during her first year at Sunnydale High School! Burdened with the stress of a new school, making new friends, and sleepless nights spent slaying the undead, Buffy becomes the target of a group of nerdy vampires hoping to climb the vampire social ladder.

* Eisner Award–winning author Faith Erin Hicks (The Adventures of Superhero Girl)!

* Set during Season 1 of the television series.

“They’re bringing the angst, the action, and the cool to Buffy the Vampire Slayer!”—Bleeding Cool

Yessss! Dark Horse Comics is taking Buffy fans back, way back, to the high school years! Prepare for teenage angst, growing pains and those funny puns that make you remember why you fell in love with Buffy and the gang in the first place!

Going back to the high school years, Buffy, Willow and Xander are having a typical day at school, being ignored by the popular crowd and struggling through their classes (Well, not Willow). At night they’re in the graveyard hunting vampires and Buffy reminisces of a time when she was as popular as Cordelia Chase. In the meantime, it seems like the vampire world has its own version of “Mean Girls” when a group of unpopular students-turned vampires are declined entrance into a hot night club. The bouncer points out that they were losers in their human lives and that carried on into their vampire life. He tells the very unpopular group that perhaps if they killed the Slayer they’d be considered something worth admiring. Of course there’s always the one unpopular kid who wants revenge and this sets off a quest to kill the Slayer. They almost succeed too because they attack Buffy’s weak spot: Her friendship with Willow and Xander, two very unpopular students.

Buffy, The High School Years: Freaks and Geeks was a fun read for me. This first issue was a bit on the lighter side than what regular readers may be used to but it worked! The story, by Faith Erin Hicks, had such quick dialogue between characters that time passed so quickly and before I knew it I had finished the short adventure. Hicks captured Buffy, Willow, Xander and Giles’ individual personalities perfectly and it was no effort at all to hear their individual voices in my head. What I found really interesting was that the villains were a parallel to Buffy and her friends. They were unpopular themselves but rather than appreciate that they had each other, one of them had to push for her spot in the popular crowd, whereas Buffy, having once been popular, has settled into the unpopular crowd because she now has real friends to stand by her and love her for who she is. Pretty neat message in such a short story.

The artwork, by Yishan Li had a “Saturday Morning Cartoon” feel to it which took me back to those days but at the same time each illustration drew the eye to specific details in each scene. The characters are recognizable but still managed to have a slightly different look than the tv series versions and again the light heartedness of this issue carried over into the illustrations giving it a totally “teenage” feel that I appreciated.

Buffy, The High School Years: Freaks and Geeks had what I remember from the early days of Buffy plus much more. I was not only taken back to those early days for the characters but to my own teenage years which in some cases made me cringe. I look forward to reading more of this incarnation of my favorite group.

Sheep Rating: 4 Nostalgic Sheep

Adria Reyes

Comic Review: Tomboy: Divine Intervention TPB from Action Lab: Danger Zone

Tomboy: Divine Intervention TPB
Writer(s): Mia Goodwin
Artist Name(s): M. Goodwin
Cover Artist(s): M.Goodwin

Action Lab: Danger Zone
128 pages/ Rated: T+ / FC $14.99
“No Crime Goes Unpunished. No Criminal Walks Away.”

The death of a friend catches sixteen year -old Addison off guard, but a chance encounter with his

killers on the subway forever changes her life. Crime cover-ups, dirty cops, and magical dead boyfriends consume her life as she's thrust into the vigilante lifestyle and murder becomes her after school activity. Collects Tomboy 1-4.

Vigilantes are a common horror/action troupe. The Punisher is a great example...but what if instead of a big ex-military guy, the vigilante is a sweet 16 year old girl who plays field hockey for her school, and loves an anime-like character called Princess Cherry Cherry! Addison has a great life. It is her sixteenth birthday. She has a great relationship with her father, the local medical examiner, and grandfather. Then tragedy hits and Addison transforms into someone The Punisher might fear. The cover of issue one captures the tone and heart of this story.

Action Lab has done it again by helping bring Mia Godwin's unique, well-written and skillfully drawn comic to us. The artwork and color pallet add to the horror aspect by combing bright and cheerful with death and gore. I've always found it more disturbing when the monster is hidden behind a beautiful and innocent facade.

The first four issues contained in this trade paperback introduce many subplots and set up the relationship dynamics between all the characters. We watch Addison transition from a normal teenage girl to a brutal vigilante. At first she is reluctant and even scared, but with encouragement from two unlikely sources, she embraces who she is. It could be seen as a superhero (or villain?) origin story.

This is definitely one I will be following. But be warned, it is violent and gory.

5 "Let's Go!" Sheep

SharonS

Book Review: VAMPIRE HUNTER D VOLUME 23: IRIYA THE BERSERKER TPB from Dark Horse Comics

VAMPIRE HUNTER D VOLUME 23: IRIYA THE BERSERKER TPB
Writer: Hideyuki Kikuchi

Artist: Yoshitaka Amano

Cover Artist: Yoshitaka Amano

February 17, 2016

Dark Horse Comics

Format: b&w, 180 pages; TP, 5 1/8'' x 7 1/4''

Price: $11.99

Age range: 14

ISBN-10:1-61655-706-0

ISBN-13:978-1-61655-706-5

PREVIEW

She might just look like an ordinary-if beautiful-young woman, but Iriya is anything but ordinary! A ruthless warrior clad in red armor, Iriya is a Hunter determined to exterminate the vampires that were once her parents and siblings. Now, half-vampire, half-human D has to decide to offer his assistance, get out of the way, or have a dangerous battle on his hands! 

This latest volume features six new illustrations by Final Fantasy designer Yoshitaka Amano and an unforgettable matchup between the coolest vampire hunter and the hottest berserker woman on the Frontier!"

Do not let the volume number scare you, the majority of the books in the Vampire Hunter D series are stand alones, so if you want to check out this one, you can skip the other 22 volumes (I don't suggest you skip out on the amazing stories)

Iriya is a young woman who has set out to kill her family after being turned into vampires, she crosses paths with D at the very start of the book. D is curious about the young woman and decides to accompany her on while she is looking for her family.

“She gained something,” D fairly muttered. “She must’ve, for an ordinary girl to become a Hunter. But in exchange—”

“She must’ve lost something, too, right?” the hoarse voice said, finishing the Hunter’s thought. “What that something was—does that interest you?”

In the series D is normally a "Hunter for Hire" but this time his curiosity of Iriya is what motivates him to go along, which is also different from the rest of the series. D is more the side character in this one, for parts of the story. There are parts in the story where you do find out some of D's history and what makes him "him". By the end D finds out he has more in common with Iriya then he could have imagined.

The series is also worth checking out with the artwork that is added to the book, Yoshitaka Amano (Final Fantasy, Guin Saga, Neil Gaiman Sandman: The Dream Hunters)

4 Sheep

Danielle D

Comic Review: The Complete Love Hurts (Horrifying Tales of Romance by Kim W. Anderson) TPB from Dark Horse Comics

THE COMPLETE LOVE HURTS TPBWriter: Kim W. Andersson

Artist: Kim W. Andersson 

Cover Artist: Kim W. Andersson
Genre: Science-Fiction, Horror, Fantasy
Dark Horse Comics
October 28, 2015

Format: FC, 240 pages; TPB, 7'' x 10''

Price: $19.99

Age range: 16

ISBN-10: 1-61655-859-8 

ISBN-13: 978-1-61655-859-8

Preview

Lovelorn supervillains, psychopathic online daters, murderous reality TV show stars, and heartbroken cowboys, samurais, and astronauts star in this massive tome from Swedish comics creator Kim W. Andersson—making his US debut! Andersson delivers a shocking series of short stories about love gone horribly wrong—romance comics with brutal, terrible twists which show that, no matter who you are or what you do, love can be one deadly bitch!

* Winner of the Swedish Comics Academy’s highest honor!
* Into by Peter Snejbjerg!

Love, infatuation, rejection, disappointment – all are very human emotions we can relate to. Kim W. Andersson takes all of these and more and runs right off a cliff while being chased by creatures of the night in Love Hurts: Horrifying Tales of Romance. Adultery, young love, obsession, crushes, dating, marriage, children, having to leave a partner behind, envy, betrayal – the stories of varying lengths touch on all of these with deliciously warped fingers. It’s downright impressive how well he blends romance and love with the macabre and never seems to use the same twist or punchline twice.

Every story yanks the carpet out from under your feet, but never quite in the same way. The amount of themes he uses to a highlight the emotional aspects is also mind-bendingly fun: horror movie tropes of who lives at the end of a killing spree, a dark fairy tale setting where a woman deals with a prince who can’t decide on a bride, a woman reliving a first date over and over. Even the shorter vignettes give you something sideways and impactful, including a couple bent on attacking each other for a surprising reason to new parents showing off their little girl. Absolutely nothing is sacred, and there’s plenty of humor to go with the ‘what the hell.’ Despite the title, it’s not all romance, either. I’ll never look at a teddy bear every again and there’s a zombie/dark magic story that brings home the importance of family in an unforgettable set of pages.

Honestly, writers of all types can take a lesson from this book because the narratives are so tight, so forward-moving, so relatable, yet so memorably twisted, it’s a prime example of how to craft a short story. Every tale is unique, visceral, and strong – I only mention some above others because that’s what happens to be at the front of my mind. I’ve reread this three times now and can’t truly put a finger on any offering that doesn’t fit or serve the book well. The art is vivid, expressive, and adds to the outright insanity. Love Hurts is one of those rare collections that is strong from start to finish. It grabs you by the throat, plays tonsil hockey with you, and when you start to relax, it pulls away to reveal that you’ve actually fallen in love with an alien that has designs on your brain. It kept me laughing, left me a little disturbed, and made me want to recommend it to everyone.

5 lovelorn sheep

Selah Janel

Comic Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Panel to Panel: Seasons 8 & 9 TPB

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Panel to Panel: Seasons 8 & 9 TPB
Writer:Various

Artist:Various
Genre: Superhero, Horror, Action/Adventure
Publication Date:March 18, 2015

Dark Horse Comics

Format:FC, 192 pages; TPB, 9" x 12

"Price:$24.99

Age range:14

ISBN-10:1-61655-743-5

ISBN-13:978-1-61655-743-0

Free Preview

Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer continues—only in comics! With guidance from Whedon, Buffy Seasons 8 and 9 and the series Angel & Faith further developed fan-favorite television characters and established new ones. This collection of cover art, sketches, and favorite sequences features art from series artists and many, many more!

* Showcasing the most stunning art in the Buffy canon to date!

* A great package for any fan of the television show!

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer panel to panel issue for seasons 8 and 9 explores some of the best cover art, sketches and favorite sequences from the series’ artists and should appeal to diehard fans of the comics. 

Since I’m brand spanking new to comics in general, I loved looking back at the spectacular artwork and reading about the storylines that have taken place since the beloved TV series ended back in 2003. I was a huge fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer but never had the opportunity to pick up the series in its comic form. For me, this panel to panel issue served as a “sample” of what to expect as well as a little insight into what has happened to Buffy and her friends. 

Apparently, a lot has happened. 

If you’re like me, and are just getting into the comics, all this particular issue is going to do is make you more curious than a cat in a box shop. The ultimate tease for someone like me, it whets the appetite for more.

Looking at the issue I became familiar with the seasons’ artists and their work. Arguably out of all the illustrators that season 8 and 9 had, some of the best work to me was done by Jo Chen, Jenny Frison or Steve Morris. I think it’s due to the remarkable likeness to the actors from the TV show. This greatly helps someone like me who hasn’t caught up with these comics. With so many new additions to the cast, if the regular characters don’t look familiar enough to me, I just know I’m going to get confused. Plus, they’re just amazing illustrations to look at. With their artwork the characters I loved so much seemed more alive to me.

Given that this Panel to Panel of seasons 8 and 9 is the first experience I’ve had with the Buffy comics, I’ll have to reserve judgment on things like storylines and character continuity. The stories that were spotlighted in this issue certainly sounded interesting. At $24.99, it is a steep price to pay if you’re already committed to purchasing the actual comic issues. However, if you’re not interested in purchasing each issue (which I would totally do if I could swing it financially), then by all means add this one to your “Buy List” and that’s that.

But for the diehard fan, I say buy it AND continue with each individual issue. After all, you never can have too much of a good thing right?

Sheep Rating: 3 ½ Sheep

Adria

Comic Review: (ARC) Angel and Faith: Vol 3: Family Reunion TPB

Angel and Faith: Volume 3: Family Reunion TPB
Writer: Christos Gage

Penciller: Lee Garbett

Artist: Rebekah Isaacs, David Lapham

Inker: Derek Fridolfs

Colorist: Dan Jackson

Cover Artist: Steve Morris
Genre: Action/Adventure, Horror
Publication Date: April 17, 2013

Format: FC, 136 Pages; TP, 7" x 10"

ISBN-10:1-61655-079-1

ISBN-13:978-1-61655-079-0

Dark Horse

Angel’s quest to resurrect Giles has brought an old friend to London—Willow! Tensions run high as these two confront the loss of Giles, but before blood can be shed, Willow has a proposition. She’ll help Angel on his quest if he’ll help her find magic. To do that, she’ll need Connor to get them into Quor’toth, a hell dimension where magic runs deep. Collects issues #11–#15.

“This story takes place during Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 9, created by Joss Whedon.”

“This volume reprints the comic-book series, Faith and Angel #11-13 from Dark Horse Comics.”

It’s been a while since I’ve been immersed in the Joss Whedon universe of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Yes, I own all the seasons of Angel and some of Buffy, but with my current favorites being Supernatural, The Walking Dead and others, I just haven’t taken the time to revisit the Sunnydale Scoobies and Angel and his co-harts. But agreeing to review this graphic novel has me once more enjoying the paranormal battles of Angel and Faith, the formerly bad slayer now on the side of good, with Willow and Angel’s son along for the ride. Brought up to speed that Giles is dead and magic gone from earth, Willow arrives at Giles’ former residence in England to talk to Angel and Faith about using Giles’ scythe and Connor (back in L.A.) to open the portal to Quor’toth where Conner and the man, Holtz who’d stolen him, had lived until their return to earth when Connor was age 17. She is hoping to get her magic back so she can restore magic to the world. But as she will learn, along with the others, that may not be simple. For besides battling demons of all types, Connor finds he is considered a sort of devil to the beings in this world and the evil in the atmosphere might be overtaking their evil sides. But then, nothing is ever black and white in a Whedoneque universe. Which made me feel back at home.

Part 2: Whistler, is about Angel meeting Whistler and where we learn the demon/Powers That Be (angel?) halfbreed’s back story of how he must straddle the line of balance between good and evil.

Besides Family Reunion and Part 1: Whistler, there is also a Part 2: Pearl and Dash, about the demon halfbreeds, Pearl and Dash, and their back-story. This didn’t jib with me as much; kinda like they wanted to have a sort of Spike and Drusilla, but honestly, these two could not compare. This was the only jarring story in the book.

The artwork is super and the colors perfect, just like being back in the television shows that spawned the comics. The storylines are superb too. I read the whole thing in one afternoon, as I couldn’t put the graphic novel down. Next time, you need to get back to Buffy or Angel, you don’t need to pop in the DVD sets, instead, run down to your local comic store and pick up this up.

I give this 41/2 sheep.

Guest Reviewer: Author Pamela Kinney

Comic Review: Alice in Wonderland (ARC) by Raven Gregory

Alice in Wonderland (paperback trade: issues #1-6) ARC
Writing Raven Gregory

Artwork Robert Gill

Colors Jason Embury
Publisher: Zenoscope

Releases: Dec. 11, 2012

Decades ago, a girl named Alice was sacrificed into the horror-filled realm of Wonderland but her terrifying and awe-inspiring experiences there have been shrouded in mystery.

The one thing known is that her time spent in a world full of insanity left her a broken adult. However, her courageous will to survive is what ultimately saved humanity. Now the story of Alice’s visit into Wonderland is fully revealed and the truth of the terror will be told in full! From Raven Gregory, Ralph Tedesco and Joe Brusha, the same minds behind Grimm Fairy Tales and Return To Wonderland comes the newest series that Zenescope fans have been waiting for. What every Zenescope fan has been waiting for is finally here! Follow Zenescope back down the rabbit hole and find a world of madness like you have never seen before!

As I checked out an ARC of this graphic novel, I was struck by two things: 1) Alice wears even scant attire in the book than she does on the cover; and 2) What do the Grimm Brothers have to do with Alice in Wonderland? 

Well, maybe the whole "Grimm Fairy Tales presents" schtick is just a brand with Zenescope. Still, I didn't see a single mention of Lewis Carroll in the credits for this book at all, which struck me as a little weird. Granted, I doubt a stodgy 19th-century Brit would want his name associated with something so salacious. 

I digress, aside from the initial premise of Wonderland, with plenty of winks and nods, Raven Gregory and company have created a universe much more dark, violent, and sinister than the cruelest moments of Carroll's fairytale. I've seen a fair share of re-imaginings of L. Frank Baum's Oz universe, but not a lot with Wonderland. Maybe I haven't been looking hard enough--or at all. 

Raven Gregory, Joe Brusha, and Ralph Tedesco have created an intriguing twist on the mythos. These first six issues have Alice striking a bargain with the Jabberwocky as a child, tricking her into remaining his slave in Wonderland while a piece of her is sent back to the real world with a piece of the Jabberwocky inside her. Skip years ahead to Alice all grown up--and apparently unable to find any clothes that fit--and the White Rabbit comes to her rescue ... sort of. 

issues #1-6

The White Rabbit frees her, but she finds Wonderland might be even more dangerous outside the clutches of the Jabberwocky. It seems several parties are at work against her, including a Cheshire Cat that looks more sabretooth tiger than house pet, a Mad Hatter that makes Hannibal Lector look like Humanitarian of the Year, and not one but two sadistic queens (Hearts and Spades). 

While the characters are a psychotropic roll call of the classics, the viciousness seems all new. Oh sure, there was some allegory and social commentary in the classic literature, but that's been set aside apparently for a carnival ride of carnage and titillation. Actions scenes are presented in all their gory goodness and ramp gradually until they come to a head in one gigantic standoff between Alice and the Jabberwocky in her final effort to get home. 

All in all, the story epic in scale and sped along at a brisk pace, especially towards the end. The artwork got too gratuitous at times, though. I mean, depictions of women in comic books can get a little ridiculous and downright insulting at times, but I don't think it's quite so unapologetic as in this series. I don't mind a little cheesecake now and again, but there are points where it distracts from the story being told. And what I wanted most from this book was the story. Perhaps it's provocative for the very sake of being provocative. Who am I to judge? 

If you can get past the porn-star attire of Alice and the other female characters in this book, there is a pretty good story to be read. And, hey, if you love cheesecake, then you'll love this.

3 Sheep

Guest Reviewer: Gef Fox
Wag The Fox a den for dark fiction

About the author:

Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona Favorite Zenescope Character: Calie but I'm bias:) 
Favorite movie: Identity 
Nickname: Panda 
What superpower would you want?: flight 
In a past life you were: a fluffy cloud In your next life you'll be: an actual raven 
favorite band: Korn 
Guiltiest pleasure food: Doritos 
Pets: Two dogs named Zombie and Wacko