Indie Watch 3/21/2012
Looking for a great indie read this week? We’ve got you covered every Monday with Indie Watch! In this column you’ll find quick hit previews of select indie titles due out each week. Stuff that’s worth a buy- or at least a look- when you visit your local comic book store for your weekly fix. From graphic novels to single issues, we’ve got our eye on indie!
BLUESPEAR GN (Com.X)
“A guardian watches over Tokyo. Nobody knows where he came from. Some say he was created by the Yurei, ghosts of the sea, sent to remind mortals that it is they, not men, that control mankind’s fate. Loved by many, vilified by few – he exacts swift justice on those who stand against him. Whatever he is, wherever he came from, one thing is certain – BlueSpear is here to stay!” Written by Andi Ewington, art by Cosmo White. Click here to read a review!
LAST OF THE GREATS vol. 1 TPB (Image)
For a ridiculously cheap price, you can read one of the best indie books to come out of 2011! By Joshua Hale Fialkov (Tumor, Echoes, I Vampire) and Brent Peeples comes a twisted tale of superheroes and revenge. When a group of superpowered beings come to Earth, and help save it, what is humanity’s response? Kill them all, of course! Now only one has survived, Last of the Greats, and humanity needs his help once again. Check out some reviews of this killer series!
DOMINIQUE LAVEAU: VOODOO CHILD #1 (Vertigo)
A brand new Vertigo series by Selwyn Sefu Hinds and Denys Cowan. In a sentence: New Orleans is considered the most haunted and magical place in the world, and the main character of the book, Dominique Laveau, will one day become the Voodoo Queen of this mystical planet.
SMOKE & MIRRORS #1 (IDW)
Ever see a magic trick performed through a comic book? Co-written by an actual sleight of hand magician, Jon Armstrong (he’s really good too, I saw him live at Magic Castle last month!), this book is filled with all the magic you’ll ever need. “Mike Costa (COBRA) teams with sleight-of-hand artist Jon Armstrong and acclaimed artist Ryan Browne in a story where a stage magician is thrust into a world where magic-not technology-rules, and is forced to use trickery and illusions to survive!”
REBEL BLOOD #1 (Image)
By Riley Rossmo, the artist of Green Wake & Proof, REBEL BLOOD is set in a post-apocalyptic world where everything – even animals – are turning into horrifying zombies! Everyone must do whatever it takes to survive. With the trippiest and scariest art you’ll see in comics, this is a must read for any zombie comics fans.
INFESTATION 2: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #2 (IDW)
Lovecraftian horror has “infested” the IDW Universe (from Transformers to G.I. Joe), and while Infestation 2 may be hit or miss depending on what you’re into, this first issue of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles tie-in far exceeded expectations. It sounded cool to begin with- the TMNT going up against Lovecraftian horrors. Seems hard to screw up, and happily, Tristan Jones, Mark Torres, and Jay Fotos have done their jobs well. For a complete review of #1, click here!
RAGEMOOR #1 (Dark Horse)
By Richard Corben and John Strnad- “Ragemoor! A living castle, nurtured on pagan blood, harborer to deadly monsters! A fortress possessed of its own will and ability to change itself, with the power to add and destroy rooms and to grow without the help of any human hand. Its owner is mad with jealously, its servants aren’t human, and its secret’s horrific!” If you dig the Mignola-verse, you’ll probably dig RAGEMOOR!
ICHIRO GN (Houghton Mifflin Company)
“Ichiro lives in New York City with his Japanese mother. His father, an American soldier, was killed in Iraq. Now, Ichi’s mom has decided they should move back to Japan to live with Ichi’s grandfather. Grandfather becomes Ichi’s tour guide, taking him to temples as well as the Hiroshima Peace Park, where Ichi starts to question the nature of war. After a supernatural encounter with the gods and creatures of Japanese mythology, Ichi must face his fears if he is to get back home. In doing so, he learns about the nature of man, of gods, and of war.”
HOAX HUNTERS #0 (Image)
“‘GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER’ Cryptids. Aliens. Monsters. All the world’s bizarre secrets–what if they were real? Their existence would be debunked by a reality TV show! HOAX HUNTERS is that show, publicly disproving all variety of lore. But their real goal is the opposite: as the world’s dark corners surface, the HOAX HUNTERS cover them up. When a mysterious astronaut made of crows appears in Russia, the HOAX HUNTERS are on the case.” Written by Michael Moreci, art by J.M. Ringuet.
YOUNG MISS HOLMES TPB vol. 1 CASES 1-2 (Seven Seas Entertainment)
Christie Holmes is a prodigy. At 10-years old, she’s as familiar with the sciences and classics as any older student at Cambridge or Oxford. And her faculty for logic is as formidable as her uncle’s, the eminent consulting detective Sherlock Holmes himself! So, what’s a brilliant young girl to do when her parents are away in India, leaving her behind in the care of maids and servants? Solve mysteries, of course! Along with her giant hound Nelson, Christie’s implacable curiosity leads her from one adventure to another, often joining forces with Uncle Sherlock and Doctor Watson on their famed investigations. Written/Drawn by Yu Aida.
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