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New Comics hit stores tomorrow, and as always FANGORIA's Mike Fish is checking in with another batch of reviews for COMIC SCREAMS. This week, Mike's got a hefty batch of reviews, checking out UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS Issues #1-2, CITY OF DUST: A PHILIP KHROME STORY – Issues #1-3, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER- Issue #21, THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN – Issue #11.

UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS – Issues #1-2

IDW Publishing http://www.idwpublishing.com/

Written by Kevin Grevioux

Art by Andrew Huerta and Unai de Zarate

“Two households. Both alike in dignity. In fair Verona, where we lay our scene.” William Shakespeare’s ROMEO AND JULIET. I get it now. I finally get it. What I once thought was avant-garde, superhero-styled vampire versus werewolf tale was nothing more than Shakespeare with fangs. No wonder those kids I knew in drama class love this film! Why I didn’t see that until reading the comic book adaptation and after two films, well, I guess I was concentrating too much on Kate Beckinsale with her seductive accent and delicious curves

in a tight black suit. Can you blame me?

RISE OF THE LYCANS is a prequel to the movie series, and arrives in theaters on January 23, 2009. Here we have a taste of what’s to be seen on the silver screen, with the glusual Capulet vampires and Montague werewolves fighting it out. Though I did drift off a few times reading this as I imagined sexy Rhona Mitra in an unsuitable, black, skin-tight suit, (Fingers crossed) that devious thought wasn’t the only reason for my flight to Maxim Magazine dreamland. The art is on and well-off as issue one delivers a somewhat solid performance on detailing the characters and scenarios we’ll soon see in glorious fluorescent blue on the big screen, but issue two falls flat with simple art and off colors. Andrew Huerta started off great in the first issue, giving a nice style in his lines to the UNDERWORLD look we come to love (or hate) but then he seemingly left the series as Unai de Zarate takes over for the remainder and creates a hot mess of it. And it crushes fans of the series looking for more to their “under” world as the disruption in art really loses the reader to a vision that most of us could draw in school detention. It’s simple, with no detail and childlike, which is quite the opposite of the sophisticated, Bard-induced films. This is rare for IDW Publishing to allow this kind of product to be second rate, especially for such a slick and stylish property as UNDERWORLD. One that could prosper well and long in the graphic novel format.

And I feel bad because this adaptation is well-written by original UNDERWORLD writer and actor, Kevin Grevioux. Funny enough, he was actually a favorite character in the first film, portraying that big, badass of a lycan with a cool name, Raze. So for me to get more of his character is a treat, and pumps up my blood a little more to see his badass-self kicking more vampire ass in the movie. Hopefully, this series will be a learning lesson for IDW, and the next script Grevioux writes in the UNDERWORLD universe, they will attach some of their best artists to it like a vegan to cheap wine. That, and keep Shakespeare from rolling in his grave.

GRADE: Issue#1 Issue#2

CITY OF DUST: A PHILIP KHROME STORY – Issues #1-3

Radical Comics http://www.radicalcomics.com/

Written by Steve Niles

Art by ZID and Brandon Chng

It’s finally here. Not in the sense that the book has arrived on shelves and is available to buy, which it is. No, I’m talking about writer Steve Niles and his many, many attempts to

create another series as original and refreshing as 30 DAYS OF NIGHT. With a book out every week from every publisher it seems, Niles is what we jealous writer types like to call a “writerholic”. Whether there’s booze involved in that process, only he knows, but for the rest of us, we have an overload of comics from the mind of Niles that comes close to topping his vampire legend in Marlowe, Alaska, but not close enough. So I finally can say it because I truly believe it. CITY OF DUST is Niles best work since 30 DAYS OF NIGHT.

As a fan of Niles, (though sometimes a cruel one as I’ve read and reviewed most of his comic book creations) they seem to fall into the supernatural, crime story field. From his signature series in CRIMINAL MACABRE exploring a drunken detective with midnight movie cases, to DEAD, SHE SAID with similar themes, to CITY OF OTHERS where a hitman falls prey to the monsters of the night, they all belong in the same mold of stories: One man versus the supernatural, and only his detective skills will solve the problem. But each series had minor problems in that the character wasn’t fully realized and a carbon copy of his previous creations. To say it was a struggle for Niles to write that great murder mystery featuring famous Universal monsters would be justifiable as each series showcased that determination, only falling short to scenarios we’ve seen him write before. Granted, CRIMINAL MACABRE needs to center around Cal McDonald, the others do not. In CITY OF DUST, Niles seems to realize that he needs to concentrate less on his protagonist, and involve the murder mystery a little more, sharing it with a wide range of characters and their environment. The bedroom scene alone was a true testament to Niles discipline in capturing the moment rather than talking it through. (And what a bedroom scene it was!) To see Niles finally break the mold and seemingly tell the story he’s been dying to tell is quite a sensation for faithful readers, and an achievement unto his own writing style.

But let’s not give all the credit to Steve Niles. The artwork is amazing, with dark delicious colors and film-like paneling. There’s a lot work put into the art here, and it seems to be a team effort in making this futuristic film noir pleasing to the eyes. More than pleasing actually as the temptation to flip back to page one after reading it has a high percentage of happening. It feels like you’re in a world where BLADE RUNNER and MINORITY REPORT made a baby, mixing the gritty world of replicas and flying cars with cops wearing jetpacks trying keep the city at peace. And when the monsters come out to play, they fit right into the dark environment created by the art team. In other words, this is truly a place they blend in with. A place where dark shadows amongst city lights keeps the mystery of Niles story growing.

GRADE: Issues#1-3

CONTINUE READING? Don’t stop now. One of the best reads on the shelf right now.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER- Issue #21

Dark Horse Comics http://www.darkhorse.com/

Written by Jane Espenson

Art by Georges Jeanty

All is harmonious when a writer from the popular television series BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER takes control, especially when a popular character like Harmony gets her own show. TV series favorite writer, Jane Espenson, dips her hand into the extended Season 8 from Dark Horse Comics, and comes out with a tasty caramel apple with a little nuts on top. But then, how can you have anything normal with a devious, but stylish vampire like Harmony?

The “nuts” is that Harmony gets offered her own reality TV show on, you guessed it, MTV. “Harmony Bites” is about a vampire that bites people while talking to her cute dogs in a Paris Hilton fashion. Kind of sad that our once loved “music” channel has become the king of trash TV, but you reap what you sow, right? During her TV show, Harmony gives off the wrong attitude to anyone that doesn’t immediately flip past MTV like me, and flaunts the idea that being a vampire is okay, and that killing vampires is bad. Espenson brilliantly lays out the floor plan for America’s hypocrisy in television, further stabbing at the nation’s inability to educate and display simple morals. On top of that, the media is quickly being used against Buffy and her band of slayers, further causing our Scooby Gang to be pushed in a corner without a “Baby” to save them. How will Buffy get out of this one? If all writes well with Espenson, she won’t. At least not that easy. As we know today, television is our biggest and deadliest battleground. One issue cannot clear that case, even if it’s something crazy like vampire slayers.

This is a nice rest stop to bring writer Jane Espenson into the mix, and the perfect character to do it with. Having multiple writers from the TV show come in and tell a story has really been the success to Season 8, and its transition from television to graphic novel. It’s a lesson that the struggling ANGEL series at IDW could use as well.

GRADE:

CONTINUE READING? If you’re a BTVS fan, then of course. If you’re not, then you might want to take a look at this series after catching up on the other seven seasons.

THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN – Issue #11

Image Comics

Written by Robert Kirkman

Art by Jason Howard

For a book with “Wolf-Man” in the title, it sure lacks bite. On top of that, THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN seems to be more of a Saturday morning cartoon for kids. It’s strange as writer/creator Robert Kirkman currently redefines the zombie genre with his ground-breaking book, THE WALKING DEAD. So what is he doing wrong with this series? Well, everything.

For starters, the Wolf-Man is a superhero, all dressed up in a costume designed by Cheetara from THUNDERCATS. If you don’t believe me, check out the Wolf-Man’s logo on his chest. Snarf, snarf. In addition, there’s no real horror to the book. Even the bloody pages shine in the shadow of cel animation used in STREET FIGHTER video games. I guess if BATMAN can be cool in this look, then other dark icons can be, but therein lays the problem. It’s not a dark book at all with some of the brightest colors bombarding the reader’s brain like a RAINBOW BRITE marathon.

I can see what Kirkman and Howard are trying to do here, almost combining THE WALKING DEAD and Kirkman’s other critically acclaimed series, INVINCIBLE, and find the childhood perspective behind a classic movie monster. But there are no lines drawn between child and adult, causing kids to read this series to be somewhat disturbed at the themes and violence, and adults to be somewhat offended for such immature dialogue and behavior. Especially in this issue where Invincible and Wolf-Man have this pillow talk in midflight (twice!) where they’re almost acting like two twelve year old girls. “I’m sorry Ashley. You’re prettier. No, I’m sorry Paris. You’re prettier. Let’s hug.” It’s sickening, and honestly, unacceptable from Kirkman.

Don’t get me wrong, there are moments that Kirkman gets right, showcasing a nice back-story on how his villain came to be a vampire, but it doesn’t fit in this jumbled mess of a series. The only thing THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN has done right is do a crossover with INVINCIBLE to truly show readers where the character belongs... in an INVINCIBLE book. A second rate hero to add because without Invincible, he’ll get his ass handed to him in a moment’s notice. And that’s no Batman, folks. I think Kirkman needs to rethink this concept, and start over.

GRADE:

CONTINUE READING? If you enjoy DC comics and running around outside with invisible force fields and Thor complexes, then yeah, you’ll love this book. For the rest of us horror fans, stay away.