by Aaron Nash

Created by Federico Bertolucci and Frederic Brremaud, the series Love aims to tell emotional tales with no dialogue or narration. Instead, they aim to convey the story and its raw emotional power through some carefully crafted artwork and a very simple (yet highly relatable) idea.

Each of the stories are standalone and do not require the reader to have read the previous book in the series Der Tiger. This one, (for those who don’t speak German) is entitled The Fox and follows the journey of a fox during an extreme environmental event. To explain any more would take away some of the power that the story has, so I will leave it there in terms of description. What I will say is that the book progresses at a fast rate and is constantly gripping. It may not be the longest of books, but I’d argue that it is of perfect length. Any longer and the story would have dragged a little. Any shorter and the stories development would have been sacrificed.

by Sam Hurcom

We live in uncertain times. The twenty first century has seen a raft of individuals and organisations that could rival the villainous despots of Gotham and the global threat of Hydra. It seemed for many years that the old ways of war had been left in the last millennium, and terrorist cells, not nation states, were the new enemy to face.

But, no sooner did powers in the west think they understood the twenty first century threat, a bygone enemy in the east reared its ugly head. Russia’s recent provocation in eastern Ukraine has brought the world closer to the brink of a second Cold War than any other event since the late eighties. No-one knows how the conflict will play out and whether complex trade deals and sticky political relationships will heighten or alleviate the tensions between the aged superpowers. In the end, the smallest gesture could haul us back, or tip us over, the brink of war in Europe.

by Jacob H Baxter

We live in a tough economy today. And, other than guys like Booster Gold, the superhero gig isn't exactly a high paying one. I mean, other than guys like Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark, most heroes probably struggle to make ends meet. Can you imagine how much shampoo Beast goes through? But, there is hope. Most of our beloved heroes and villains could cash in on their notoriety by utilizing that time honored tradition that all of us commercialized consumers love and adore; endorsing a product. If George Foreman can sell a grille, I know Johnny Storm can!

 

by Aaron Nash

So I had never heard of this title before when I came across it in the bargain bin of the local comic book store. The cover stood out as something that really shouldn’t appeal to a male in his late-twenties. I was clearly not in the expected target market so thought ‘what the hell!’ and threw it on the pile of regular comics I buy. I figured it would be a good test of whether the story works on a wider audience and not just the target age group of 12 year olds.

Weirdly, out of all of the comics I bought that day, this was the one that I was most curious about as it just looked… odd. Having been surprised recently with some of my stranger purchases I decided to dig in and see what the crack was.

by Sam Hurcom



It’s time to take a look at some of the upcoming releases soon to hit comic book shelves across the country. There’s a lot of exciting new stuff coming our way, including a rather epic journey for sci-fi fans in a galaxy far far away…

by Gemma Williams

This year, a film was released that quickly became one of my favourites. After leaving the cinema, I couldn’t stop smiling and talking about the spectacle I had just seen. I loved it so much that I just had to get the source material and read where the film had originated from. It was based on the comic, The Secret Service: Kingsman.

by Jacob H Baxter

A highly interesting pair of questions were posed to me earlier this week by my editor, the awesome Miss Sarah Wagner. If I were a superhero, what would I be like? What would my powers be? Those are intriguing questions indeed. Oh, the possibilities they present!

Well, for starters, I don't really feel I would be a superhero. I would be more of an antihero. I mean, I see myself as a good guy. But, sometimes I have questionable methods and take the less than moral high road in a game of ‘any means necessary’ meets ‘if the ends meet the needs’ logic. My moral compass doesn't always point due north. It's actually about 3 degrees to the right. But, hey, that is better than being evil, right? Basically I'd be a cross between Deadpool and Squirrel Girl. My default setting in Dungeons and Dragons is Chaotic Good... and my default setting is my only setting.

by Aaron Nash

First things first. This is definitely not a title for children or anyone who’s squeamish. It features graphic violence and many very adult situations and themes.  As such, many of the topics I touch on here may focus on the same themes – you have been warned.

So…..

This is a little different in the fact that many have probably heard of this title (or the subsequent anime film) but have probably never read it. Some wouldn’t have read it on the basis that they can’t find a copy; others may be put off by the fairly adult nature of the subject matter. But it’s a lot deeper than you would expect.

by Sam Hurcom

It’s fair to suggest that of all the genres in comics, novels and film, science fiction is probably the one best placed to keep readers and viewers alike on their toes. That’s not to say that sci-fi doesn’t always fall into the trappings of formulaic storytelling. But the very notion of setting a story beyond the realms of reality - in the depths of space, the distant future or a fantasy world of imagination – results in narratives that are often highly original and innovative.

Enter Jim Alexander and his quite challenging sci-fi drama Amongst the Stars. Anyone aware of Alexander’s previous works, like Good Cop Bad Cop, will have some idea of what to expect from his latest release: a minimalist writing style that affords the reader as little information as possible, was top of my list. That may seem like something of a criticism but I assure you it is certainly not. If there’s one thing Alexander is good at doing, it’s making readers do a lot of work in interpreting and understanding what the hell is going on in his stories. One cannot simply consume Alexander’s work in the manner we have often become accustomed to in the age of high tech gadgetry and short attention spans. You have to actively engage with the work before you, and, dare I say, reread it once or twice.

by Gemma Williams

Volume Seven of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon is hosted by the mysterious yet powerful Sailor Uranus. There has been some confusion around this new character during the latest story arc, but it appears as though her secrets are finally being revealed in this latest book.

Some old characters are returned to the reader along with the newbies. Usagi and the other scouts are taking more of a back seat to the story, as big things are unfolding that will leave the reader genuinely concerned for the safety of some of their favourite characters.