From Up on Poppy Hill Review (Movie)

Studio Ghibli has been creating some of the most beautiful and immersive animations since 1986′s Castle in the Sky, with plenty more counting their pre-Ghibli formation. By simply hearing its name, Studio Ghibli evokes images of imagination and draws attention from even those who wouldn’t consider themselves fans of anime. Their work stands alone in its category, and in no small part stands the man who has been called “The Walt Disney of Japan,”  Hayao Miyazaki.

Not since Whisper of the Heart in 1995 has Hayao Miyazaki stepped back from the director’s chair to solely act as a writer for a film, but as his son starts to follow in his footsteps it seems only fitting that he does so in From Up on Poppy Hill. Goro Miyazaki took his first directorial steps in Tales from Earthsea, which garnered mixed reviews. In From Up on Poppy Hill, it feels like we’re finally seeing the true ascension of the next generation, and this father-son team-up is a bridging of these times. It’s a fitting sentiment given From Up on Poppy Hill‘s  message of accepting forward progress with deference and respect to the past.

From Up on Poppy Hill, a budding romance between two school children is set against the backdrop of 1963 Yokohoma, Japan as the country prepares to host the Summer Olympics the next year. In true Studio Ghibli fashion, the story and action take place over a sub-plot which holds a significant moral or cultural message. In this case, the sub-plot focuses on the desire to move into the modern age in a post-war Japan, epitomized by the struggles of the Quartier Latin (Latin Quater) - essentially The Clubhouse for the boys clubs in the school. This ancient and overrun building represents the past, one which many in the community are all too happy to demolish in the name of progress. There are subtle hints to this progress, such as buses and “Coke” signs overlaying traditional markets and neon signs dotting the horizon, never calling attention, yet contrasting the classic Japanese culture in the foreground. This sub-plot is important to the main plot, but not the crux of From Up on Poppy Hill; though for the majority, the focus is set on the tale of Umi Matsuzaki.

Umi Matsuzaki manages running the Coquelicot Manor boarding house for her grandmother, while her mother studies medicine in America. We’re introduced to Umi through a her daily routine, which besides cooking breakfast and other chores includes the curious action of raising ship flags in the backyard overlooking the Yokohama river. While a slow scene, this sequence subtly sets up From Up on Poppy Hill for its storyline, with fleeting mentions of the increased river traffic preparing for the next years’ Summer Olympics and never directly mentioning the flag raising, despite its obvious importance. The message of importance and the attention of the viewer is conveyed in large part thanks to the stunning artwork and complimenting music that manages to convey the gravitas and mood while remaining time period appropriate.

For the full review of this great example of anime read it here: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/09/03/from-up-on-poppy-hill-review-movie/

QUEST from Zenescope Preview (Comic)

This November a new adventure in the Grimm Fairy Tales universe from Zenescope Entertainment hits in mini-series format. This is great news, especially as Zenescope has been really rocking the Comic Book market with some great runs in their main titles and tie-ins alike. Being a fan of these titles, it's especially enticing to learn that Pat Shand will be penning this new series titled QUEST. Below is an excerpt from the press release and some tantalizing preview covers, and for an added bonus they included their own Pat Shand interview (though hopefully I get to do my own soon).

Zenescope Entertainment Goes on a Quest this November

Zenescope Entertainment has announced plans to publish a new Grimm Fairy Tales comic book mini-series entitled QUEST. Zenescope’s Pat Shand will be handling the writing the action-packed fantasy series. With this new series, Shand gets to bring back some familiar faces and break new ground as the evolution of the Grimm Universe continues. Quest is scheduled for a November release and is available for pre-order this month in Diamond PREVIEWS.

Quest follows a rogue princess named Aisling who teams up with well-known Grimm Fairy Tales characters, Blake, the fallen Wonderland knight, and Bolder, a dwarf warrior banished from his home. The trio finds itself searching for redemption as they’re tasked with protecting the realm of Myst from the dark shadows of its past.

“Pat’s a very good writer who is really coming into his own now. He’s a great choice for this series because he is able to blend fantasy and dark humor together into his scripts so seamlessly now.” says Zenescope Editor-in-Chief and co-creator of Grimm Fairy Tales, Ralph Tedesco. “Pat describes the story as a middle ground between LORD OF THE RINGS and SKULLKICKERS and I think that’s accurate. It’s fantastical, epic and fun; pretty much what our fans expect from our Grimm Universe titles.”

Included is an Interview with Pat Shand on “Quest” from Zenescope

Zenescope’s Pat Shand takes the reins on Quest, the new November-shipping mini-series that touches every corner of the company’s shared universe. Shand has already built up an amazing body of work with Zenescope, including writing Robyn Hood, Robyn Hood: Wanted, Realm Knights, Grimm Universe and various issues of Grimm Fairy Tales, as well as orchestrating and co-writing the Unleashed event. With Quest, Shand gets to bring back some familiar faces and break new ground as the evolution of the Grimm Universe continues.

Q1.  Pat, we understand that Quest is important because it's the only Zenescope book that sets out to touch all the Realms.  Can you speak to that a little bit in the sense of what the story is?

PAT SHAND: The Zenescope universe is comprised of Earth (the Nexus), which is surrounded by the four realms of power: Myst, Wonderland, Neverland, and Oz. The first series of QUEST follows a group of characters from Myst who are journeying through that Realm, trying to reestablish the Council of the Realms, which is essentially a group of protectors that is meant to keep evil away from the realms of power. If we get a sequel series, it will be set in Wonderland – the idea is that the journey these characters are on spans the entire Grimm universe. As I’m typing this, it sounds all very high fantasy, but I like to think of QUEST as the middle ground between LORD OF THE RINGS and SKULLKICKERS. It’s a constant mix of high and low fantasy, which is fun because if you read ROBYN HOOD, you know that I live pretty firmly in that gothic juxtaposition.

Q2. A couple of your leads might be familiar to long-time Zenescope readers. Can you give us a run-down on the cast? Who are they and why is the titular quest important to them?

PAT SHAND: Some newish players and some old. This team was established in GIANT SIZE GRIMM FAIRY TALES 2012, where I had them actually go to all four realms in one issue, but their quest there failed pretty miserably. Now, they have an actual plan. The cast is:

BLAKE, the forgotten White Knight of Wonderland whose defeat allowed the Jabberwocky to overcome that realm.

BOLDER, the disgraced dwarf who is on the run for his brother’s evil actions.

AISLING, a fallen princess who is the only surviving member of her royal family.

And DRUANNA, who you may know better as the goddess Gaia.

These people should NOT be in a tavern together, much less going on a Quest to save the Realms… and I think that is the most fun aspect of all of this.

Q3.Will this book explore any of the ramifications of Unleashed?

PAT SHAND: Not in this series. UNLEASHED was firmly set on Earth, because the antagonist of that series was not physically able to leave the Nexus. But hey, if we ever get a QUEST TO EARTH series, then I’d probably want to include some of the characters we introduced in UNLEASHED, like Van Helsing and Masumi.

Q4. Would you consider this mini to be a good jumping-on point for those that are curious about Zenescope? It seems like it would be new-reader friendly.

PAT SHAND: Oh, for sure. It’s a new beginning, and the tone is unlike anything we’ve done before. I try to make all of my #1s a jumping on point, but this is especially welcoming toward the uninitiated.

Q5. As a fan yourself, what draws you to a book, and how do you capture that quality for Quest?

PAT SHAND: Two big things. The uniqueness of a book really pulls me in. My favorite books right now are SAGA, ANGEL & FAITH, REVIVAL, HAWKEYE, TEN GRAND, and I’m currently blowing through SWEET TOOTH in trade, and that is phenomenal. These books, while some of the core concepts may be familiar, attack their premise from left field, creating new and interesting work. You’ve seen journey-driven fantasy a LOT before, but I can promise you’ve never seen it done like QUEST.

Also, passion. When a writer or artist has passion for their book and it shows in their work, then I am in from Page One, Panel One, Bubble One. And man, I’ve been pitching this book since I got my exclusive gig and Zenescope and it’s finally happening, so if the passion for these characters doesn’t exude from every page, I’m doing it wrong.

Q6. What else do you have coming up at Zenescope?

PAT SHAND: By the time QUEST comes out, THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS will be close to the end, REALM KNIGHTS will be wrapping up, and my creator owned comics, FAMILY PETS and SUCKERS, with be respectively complete and finishing up. All I can say for sure is that I’ll be working on the third arc of the new WONDERLAND trilogy when LOOKING GLASS is through, but I’ll be deep into writing some new projects that I can’t talk about yet.

Europa Universalis IV Review (PC)

Strategy games have come a long way since their origins. As with the rest of the gaming industry, they’ve advanced as both technology and gamers continued to improve. In the current market, there is a progression towards grander and more realistic experiences while maintaining a certain level of accessibility. One of the few outliers in this process has been Paradox Interactive’s series, Europa Universalis. Against the grain, this series has continued to grow its scope and hyper-realism while forgoing mainstream accessability in favor of these two areas. For its fourth iteration, Europa Universalis IV continues the long tradition and holds out as one of the toughest, realistic, historically accurate simulators while taking small steps towards welcoming new players.

There are four basic components for most empire building strategy games: finance, diplomacy, military, and technology. In Europa Universalis IV, the technology tree has been further broken down by the concept of Monarch Points. These points are influenced by the leader of the countries’ affinity for three leadership roles – Administrative, Peace, and Military points – that are accumulated to spend on technology upgrades and Ideas. Hiring advisors costs monthly income but offers bonuses, in addition to increasing one of these Monarch Point categories.

As the most evident change from previous Europa Universalis titles, Monarch Points still follow the theme of balancing tough decisions while presenting yet another layer of choices that fit the series well. While points can be spent on increasing the Technology Level, they are also used to advance bonuses within singular concentrations which unlock upon certain levels of advancement. This means that during the course of learning new technologies (which discover new concepts and unlock bonuses) are also used to unlock mindsets called Ideas which have their own specific bonuses related to their theme. Each Idea represents a mindset, such as the quality and quantity approaches in the military section, which offers increased damage or decreased costs respectively. Choosing one of the five mindsets in the Administrative, Peace, or Military sections can be hard enough, but when upgrading an Idea to unlock specifically related bonuses comes at the cost of setting back a technology unlock, it can be agonizing – even more so, as these Monarch Points gather slowly over time. A decision has lasting – though incremental – effects.

The inclusion of these points, while thematically appropriate, has the negative effect of adding yet another point of potential confusion. More detail in components add to the realistic decision making that Europa Universalis IV has become required to include, but this further breakdown does nothing for accessibility. Along with these Monarch Points, another change to the formula in the calculation of building bonus and their effects has effectively neutered the often costly investment in financing infrastructure. In an attempt to make these buildings and their effects more understandable though, Paradox Interactive does overlay a financial indicator, which shows the change in each province were a building placed there. These two changes have been called out by some long-time fans as steps backwards, while also causing an overstepping of the accessibility expected in modern games for new players.

To read the full 1,500 word review on Europa Universalis IV read it here: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/09/01/europa-universalis-iv-review-pc/

Comic Station Issue #36 – Sept 4th 2013

We at Comic Station try to highlight new releases and other series many might otherwise overlook. We typically don’t report on long-standing series unless revolutionary. We add a little something extra in our Reviews and Recommendation section.

New Releases: Tons of new releases this week on Comic Station. Reality Check #1 from Image Comics,Batman Black and White #1 and Forever Evil #1 both from DC Comics, God is Dead #1 from Avatar Press,The Star Wars #1 from Dark Horse Comics, (breathe) and X-Men Battle of the Atom #1 from Marvel.

Review: Lido covers us again for Comic Station with Station to Station #1, King Conan: Hour of the Dragon #3, Catalyst Comix #3, and Baltimore: The Infernal Train #1 all from Dark Horse Comics.

Special: No Recommendation this week on Comic Station because we are trying something new [insert gasp here]. We’ve added a special scrolling ticker at the bottom of the screen in the Reviews section that recounts Twitter-size reviews of comics we couldn’t write full reviews for from the previous week’s release. Let us know if you like this change to Comic Station or if it’s too much info at once.

Thank you and please leave comments here or on YouTube as we continue to evolve our coverage. For a listing of more New Releases we couldn’t get to a list can be found below the video.

Hosts of the Comic Station:
Paul Neafsey (@PNeafsey)
Scott Kaitz (Owner of The Comic Station Store)
Video Editing: Paul Neafsey
Segment Music: Sean Weiland (Risen Phoenix Studios)

For a listing of New Releases for Wednesday Sept 4th 2013: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/09/04/comic-station-issue-36-sept-4th-2013/

Comic Station Issue #34 – Aug 21st 2013

We at Comic Station try to highlight new releases and other series many might otherwise overlook. We typically don’t report on long-standing series unless revolutionary. We add a little something extra in our Reviews and Recommendation section.

New Releases: Realm Knights #1 from Zenescope starts off this issue of Comic Station by pulling characters from across the Nexus to form a team of heroes to fight threats greater than they could handle alone. Valiant releases Bloodshot #0 to fill in some of the background on their “perfect soldier”. Penny for your Soul: Death #1 from Big Dog Ink continues the tale of the Devils grand-daughter and the balance between Heaven, Hell, and herself. Batman Beyond Universe #1 creates a good jumping on point for new readers, but with plenty of differences since the cartoon trailed behind the comic series.

Review: Lots of reviews this week on Comic Station. Tom Strong and the Planet of Peril #1 from Vertigo Comics. Infinity #1 from Marvel Comics. Watson and Holmes #2 from New Paradigm Studios. Last but not least, Will Eisner’s Fagin the Jew from Dark Horse Comics.

Recommendation: We’ve looked at individual issues on previous Comic Station videos, but Scott recommends the whole Trinity Wars saga from DC Comics.

Thank you and please leave comments here or on YouTube as we continue to evolve our coverage. For a listing of more New Releases we couldn’t get to, a list can be found below the video.

Hosts of the Comic Station:
Paul Neafsey (@PNeafsey)
Scott Kaitz (Owner of The Comic Station Store)
Video Editing: Paul Neafsey
Segment Music: Sean Weiland (Risen Phoenix Studios)

For a full listing of New Releases for Wednesday Aug 21st 2013: Full Article Here

Comic Station Issue #33 – Aug 14th 2013

We at Comic Station try to highlight new releases and other series many might otherwise overlook. We typically don’t report on long-standing series unless revolutionary. We add a little something extra in our Reviews and Recommendation section.

New Releases: The big event this week on Comic Station and comic news is Marvel’s Infinity #1 (Part 1 of 6). We also follow up on Watson and Holmes #2 from New Paradigm Studios to see how the series is progressing. It Came! : Something is coming round for afternoon tea… and it isn’t the Vicar! from Titan Comics has to be the longest title ever on Comic Station. Finally, Dark Horse Comics continues the story of the UNSC, but this time centers around Sarah Palmer and the Spartan IV program in Halo: Initiation #1.

Review: Lots of comics have been reviewed this week on Comic Station. From last weeks New Releases we have: First we have Hunger #2 from Marvel progressing another big event in the Ultimates Universe.Superior Carnage #2, also from Marvel, should really be “Ultimate Wizard”. From Dark Horse Comics we have Skin Trade #2. New this week, the have three more titles, all from Dark Horse: Killjoys #3 is a post-apocalyptic bright spot compared to Resident Alien: Suicide Blonde #0. Blood Brothers #2 feels disjointed but a marked improvement over the first issue.

Thank you and please leave comments here or on YouTube as we continue to evolve our coverage. For a listing of more New Releases we couldn’t get to, a list can be found below the video.

Hosts of the Comic Station:
Paul Neafsey (@PNeafsey)
Lido Giovacchini
Scott Kaitz (Owner of The Comic Station Store)
Video Editing: Paul Neafsey
Segment Music: Sean Weiland (Risen Phoenix Studios)

For a full listing of New Releases for Wednesday Aug 14th 2013: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/08/14/comic-station-issue-33-aug-14th-2013/

Comic Station Issue #32 – Aug 7th 2013

We at Comic Station try to highlight new releases and other series many might otherwise overlook. We typically don’t report on long-standing series unless revolutionary. We add a little something extra in our Review section.

New Releases: Trillium #1 from Vertigo kicks off this episode of Comic Station with an interesting gimmick. Buck Rogers #1 from Hermes Press renews a classic title. Dynamite also reboots a series, Lady Rawhide #1 which reminds us of a female Zorro in great artwork. Boom! starts a new line in the Robocop franchise with Robocop: Last Stand #1.

Review: We have a number of titles to review this week on Comic Station. Ghost: In the Smoke and Din and Tarzan: The Sunday Comics, both from Dark Horse, try their best with mild success. Black Bolt: Something Inhuman This Way Comes from Marvel repackages classic stories to bring the Inhumans back to public knowledge. Sidekick #1from Image tells the tale of a broken superhero sidekick who lost his partner and possibly his sanity.

Thank you and please leave comments here or on YouTube as we continue to evolve our coverage. For a listing of more New Releases we couldn’t get to in this Comic Station, a list can be found below the video.

Hosts of the Comic Station:
Paul Neafsey (@PNeafsey)
Scott Kaitz (Owner of The Comic Station Store)
Video Editing: Paul Neafsey
Segment Music: Sean Weiland (Risen Phoenix Studios)

For a  listing of New Releases for Wednesday Aug 7th 2013: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/08/07/comic-station-issue-32-aug-7th-2013/

Comic Station Issue #31 – July 31st 2013

We at Comic Station try to highlight new releases and other series many might otherwise overlook. We typically don’t report on long-standing series unless revolutionary. We add a little something extra in our Reviews and Recommendation section.

New Releases: This week on Comic Station starts off with a sequel to the soon-to-be-a-movie 2Guns with 3Guns #1from Boom Studios. The first issue of Captain Midnight #1 from Dark Horse Comics might be a better Captain America than the big-name guy’s current run. Collider #1 from Vertigo turns the world upside-down in this new physics-don’t-apply series. Skyward #1 from Action Lab Comics might look like a kids book, but it’s Young Adult and a great start to a new series from a small publisher. Admittedly a good surprise on this issue of Comic Station, Tom Strong and the Planet of Peril #1 from Vertigo is a humorous return to campy comics of old done right with great foreshadowing of things to come.

Reviews: Lido covers both reviews from Dark Horse this week for Comic Station. Gamma #1 is a “pokemon on LSD” while Lobster Johnson #1 will appeal to any pulp noir fans.

Thank you and please leave comments here or on YouTube as we continue to evolve our coverage. For a listing of more New Releases we couldn’t get to on this Comic Station issue, a list can be found below the video.

Hosts of the Comic Station:
Paul Neafsey (@PNeafsey)
Scott Kaitz (Owner of The Comic Station Store)
Video Editing: Paul Neafsey
Segment Music: Sean Weiland (Risen Phoenix Studios)

For a listing of New Releases for Wednesday July 31st 2013: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/?p=90851
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SDCC 2013: San Diego Comic Con News Round-Up

If you’re not aware, last week there was a little gathering of people from the wide-world-of-comics in San Diego. For those unfamiliar, the San Diego Comic Con (SDCC of short) is a yearly event that has grown exponentially in size and importance since 145 people in 1970 to over 130,000 attendees in 2012. From comic books the show has expanded to include video games, movies and television, attracting big announcements and stars from these industries. Some argue that SDCC has outpaced its comic book roots, but there is no denying the importance of this event to the comic book industry.

We’ve gathered a number of the biggest announcements in the list below as well as a video run-down in more detail in order to give a central location for your SDCC news. Please feel free to leave any comments below the article if we missed anything as we’re more than happy to continuely evolve this article to include as much relevant information as possible.

From the Movies coverage of SDCC we’ve decided to break it down by comic book affliation rather than production company:

Movies

• DC Comics
  • Arguably the biggest announcement of SDCC 2013 was that the follow-up to the 2012 Summer movie Man of Steel with be a Batman vs. Superman movie slated for 2015. Zack Synder and David Goyer from Man of Steel return to head the project, and while Henry Cavil will donning the Superman suit again there is debate to who will/should be playing the role of the dark knight.
  • A Flash Movie was announced, slated for 2016.
  • The Justice League Movie, long awaited, has been rumored to be pushed back to 2017.
• Marvel
  • X-Men: Days of Future Past, the follow-up X-Men: First Class, has been slated for 2014 and there were a number of cast members on the panel with a few characters confirmed to be making an appearance such as Bishop. A general plot has been discussed involving time travel and Wolverine.
  • Captain America: Winter Soldier (April 2014) continues to look amazing with more art and screen shots shown.
  • Guardians of the Galaxy will be making it’s way to the big screen August 2014 and while only a few concept images have been shown so far it has garnered some fan attention at SDCC so far.
  • The big news from Marvel at SDCC 2013 was the announcement of the Avengers sequel title: Avengers 2: Age of Ultron. While Hank Pym will have his own movie later, it has been confirmed Ant-Man won’t make an appearance in this movie and Ultron will instead has a new origin story – much to some peoples apprehension/glee.

• Vin Diesel will be returning to the role of Riddick in Sept 2013 in simply titled Riddick movie as well as a motion comic prequel.
• Many many more movies were discussed such as Kick Ass 2, 300: Rise of an Empire, Robocop, Godzilla, and Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

 TV

• Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had it’s pilot episode shown, and while the mystery of Agent Coulson’s return was hinted at it wasn’t explained. Viewers reactions have been very positive so far. The show will air on ABC on September 24th.
• The cast of The Walking Dead gathered in a panel to discuss the next season, though not much details were discussed – rightfully so, surprise is a big draw.
• Game of Thrones had it’s own panel with a large number of characters who have met their end showing up to montage of death scenes.
• The Simpsons announced two crossovers: Family Guy and Futurama.

Video Games

• Batman Arkham Origins had a number of announcements and some confusion at SDCC, but in the end it summed up: Robin and Batgirl won’t be in the game and while Copperhead was announced the character has undergone a remake (that we like) along with a trailer.
• It was confirmed in Telltale’s The Walking Dead Season 2 that Clementine will return much to everyone’s joy.
• Lego Marvel Superheroes continues to expand the roster of announced characters and trailers!

Comics!!!

•  Image Comics celebrated the 10th Anniversary of The Walking Dead with the promise of even more violence and conflict to come.
• Dark Horse Comics announced a number of things at SDCC:
  • A new Terminator series from Stracynski
  • Gail Simone will pen a new Tomb Raider comic
  • Black Beetle will return in a second series
  • A new Halo comic set after the events of Halo 4 was announced
• The end of the Marvel’s Ultimates Universe might be coming as Galactus kicks off the “Cataclysm Event” in Marvel’s next arc.

We also have a video format of all this SDCC news!

Again, please feel free to let us know if we missed anything from SDCC 2013 that you would like to see added to this article (we’ll credit your addition) in the comments below
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Comic Station Issue #30 – July 24th 2013

We at Comic Station try to highlight new releases and other series many might otherwise overlook. We typically don’t report on long-standing series unless revolutionary. We add a little something extra in our Reviews and Recommendation section.

New Releases: We have what is probably our biggest publisher New Releases to Comic Station. The Hunger #1from Marvel kicks off with Galactus entering the Ultimate Universe. Superior Spider-man Team-Up #1 has Octavius meeting, and beating, many great heroes and villains alike. The only small publisher on this issue of Comic Station,The All New Fathom #1 from Aspen Comics is a good start for those looking to get into the Fathom series. We end with Hawkeye Annual from Marvel.

Review: Batman ’66 #1 from DC Comics and Superior Carnage #1 from Marvel are the two large publishers reviewed this week on Comic Station. Invincible #104 from Image Comics continue it’s run, while Watson and Holmes #1 from New Paradigm Studios takes old characters and reimagines them in modern New York.  Finally, Mass Effect: Foundation #1 from Dark Horse Comics contains a great twist that is great for fans and new readers.

Extra: There will be a separate Comic Station article and video going over the highlights of the San Diego Comic Convention soon.

Thank you and please leave comments here or on YouTube as we continue to evolve our coverage.

Hosts of the Comic Station:
Paul Neafsey (@PNeafsey)
Scott Kaitz (Owner of The Comic Station Store)
Video Editing: Paul Neafsey
Segment Music: Sean Weiland (Risen Phoenix Studios)

For the listing of New Releases for Wednesday July 24th 2013 that we couldn't get to, see the full article: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/07/24/comic-station-issue-30-july-24th-2013
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Comic Station Issue #29 – July 17th 2013

We at Comic Station try to highlight new releases and other series many might otherwise overlook. We typically don’t report on long-standing series unless revolutionary. We add a little something extra in our Reviews and Recommendation section.

New Releases: Since we reviewed Blood Brothers #1 from Dark Horse Comics in last weeks’ Comic Station, we just briefly mention it today. Batman ’66 from DC Comics tries to recapture the old Adam West Batman style, while Red Sonja #1 from Dynamite moves this classic character forward. Boom Comics mixes the vampire craze with mafia to create Day Men #1.

Review: There were five Comic Station reviews this week, so we try to shotgun through them in reasonable time. First,Skin Trade #1 from Image Comics. Second, Oz #1 from Zenescope followed by Dawn: The Swordsman Daughter and Other Tales in third. Rounding out the reviews in fourth and fifth place for this Comic Station issue were The Unforgivable #1 Experiment 11:34 from Brainmachine Comix and Kafka HC from Image respectively.

Extra: Since Scott couldn’t join us for this issue of Comic Station, Paul and Lido remind everyone that Sandiego Comic Con is this week and briefly go over what they’re looking forward to from SDCC.

Thank you and please leave comments here or on YouTube as we continue to evolve our coverage. For a listing of more New Releases we couldn’t get to, a list can be found below the video.

Hosts of the Comic Station:
Paul Neafsey (@PNeafsey)
Lido Giovannchini standing in for Scott Kaitz (Owner of The Comic Station Store)
Video Editing: Paul Neafsey
Segment Music: Sean Weiland (Risen Phoenix Studios)

For a full listing of New Releases for Wednesday July 17th 2013: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/07/17/comic-station-issue-29-july-17th-2013/
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The Unforgivable #1 Experiment 11:34 Review (Comic)

Immediately the cover of The Unforgivable #1 Experiment 11:34 from Brainmachine Comix is reminiscent of a 80′s heavy metal album cover. It grabs your attention and promises a visceral, and that’s exactly what is delivered inside. Like many great albums it assaults your senses with imagery and hidden messages, but does all the noise get in the way?

The tale of The Unforgivable recounts the events that the self-described, “The father of time… the soul geist of reality and space”, Necodemis Necrowpolis kicks into motion. The writer, Paskael Tyiska, isn’t one to dream small as is evident in the nature of Necodemis’s experiment. This experiment was his last attempt to escape the prison of time and does no less than creates life. From life darkness gives birth to light, light casts unholy shadows, Angels and Demons are formed. In essence, Experiment 11:34 created existence and all the conflict that comes with it.

Among the other interpretations, Angels aren’t what you might expect.

The heavily judeo-christian plot of The Unforgivable #1 Experiment 11:34 benefits from Alan Tham’s artwork. The loose interpretation of some of these biblical scenes range from the lush forest of Eden to the Gates of Heaven themselves. There are stunning moments of great details and depth, but the majority features massive heavenly battles full of  violence. It’s unfortunate that these more dense action scenes contribute to an already confusing story. Tham’s art style flourishes among the more serene scenery, while being so packed with details during fights that a few additional readings might be required.

In the moments of clarity there is a great read to be found in The Unforgivable. Whether using one word or a soliloquy, Paskael Tyiska writes just enough to convey the moment at just the right level. It’s a testimony to the intriguing story, enough familiar with more unknowns, that draw you in for more. Enough to push through to the end and want more.

One of the less confusing scenes. Literally layers on layers.

While The Unforgivable story might be layered and meant to have depth, it ultimately comes off confusing. The biblical interpretations give a grounded understanding while bringing their own view to the story. The opening with Necrompolis was by far the most unclear point of the book with flowery words and untold back-story. It also left a lot of unanswered questions, ones that hopefully will get answered soon in future issues but they left an hole after the last page. In the end I was left with a confused satisfaction, one of not fully understanding everything but willing to read it again to help digest everything in The Unforgivable.

OZ #1 Review (Comic)

I’VE A FEELING WE’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANY MORE.

The Grimm Fairy Tales Universe has long explored, expanded and destroyed the three Realms with Earth stuck in the middle. In all this time, wedged between the Realms of Myst the realm of magic, Neverland the source of imagination, Wonderland a world of dreams, and Earth the Nexus that binds them existed a fourth, Oz “The Realm of Hope”. Finally, with the help of one of the creators of Zenescope’s Grimm Fairy Tales, Joe Brusha takes up the pen and we finally get to take a walk down the yellow brick road in Oz #1.

This is definitely not your grandmothers Wizard of Oz.. The first glimpses show a dark world plagued by witches, shadows, wolves and death. It’s certainly not Kansas, made even more evident contrasted against the bright colors and  vibrant artwork of Rolando Di Sessa and Glauber Matos. Dorothy has the Zenescope flair and independent drive just waiting to burst through her farm girl life.

Just a good ol’ Kansas girl, right?

You can take the farm girl out of the farm, but you can’t take the highborn out of the girl. Dorothy exhibits a hidden power that eludes her, entices her and flows through her – however briefly. From the dark comes Toto. He too is not what he was, but the hulking near-wolf creature quickly takes to our heroine hiding a secret that might well hold the key to why the witches of Oz continue to hunt him. The wolf is a large step up from the little yappy dog of the movies, and I want one!

There is more than just Toto that has changed. Besides the obvious change in Dorothy’s wardrobe the darker elements have also undergone a transformation. The witches have upgraded their help as well. It won’t be a skip down the lane in sunshine, but one more mature. Probably the most dynamic change takes place when Dorothy finally lands in Muchkin Land; let’s just say I don’t see them breaking out into song anytime soon.

In true Zenescope fashion the art is beautiful, Dorothy is beautiful yet strong and there is big trouble brewing. The pacing is fantastic for a first issue setting crumbs of a larger mystery, introducing characters and establishing it’s own presence. There’s a promise that the events in Oz will spill over into the rest of the Grimm Fairy Tale Universe with Dorothy standing at the center of things. As a standalone title or accompanying the Grimm titles, OZ #1 is a fine addition to Zenescope’s lineup, one that I can’t wait to see where this yellow brick road takes us.