Hit #1
BOOM! Studios
Written by: Bryce Carlson
Art by: Vanesa R. Del Rey
Colors by: Archie Van Buren
Letters by: Ed Dukeshire
Reviewer: Robert McClelland
Summary: Los Angeles. It’s 1955. It’s dark; it’s sexy. It’s dangerous. Everyone has an angle. And while infamous gangster Mickey Cohen rots in a prison cell, Los Angeles ignores the blackest parts of the city’s heart…where clandestine groups of LAPD detectives moonlight as sanctioned hitmen knows as “Hit Squads.”
Review: Now imagine the combined elements of a Black Ops Military Unit, a few cops in the LAPD wanting to do more then just catch the criminal their after, and a few things based on a few truths. What do you get? Well my good peoples, you get Hit. A world that goes back to the days of the 50's in LA when crime was a bit more rampant and cops could only do so much. And women seemed more inclined to use their femine wiles to get what they were needing and looking darn good while doing it even before possibly considering going the Feminist route! I have to admit, while I knew this was going to be a more serious comic after reading the description on it.
I still was a bit surprised by a few of the things I saw. And its mostly because I'm so much more used to the light hearteded side of BOOM! Then I am the nitty gritty. Which certainly will help showing that BOOM! Studios isn't exactly just for kids. Although if you read or have read the Hellraiser title, Valen The Outcast, Irredeemable, and Incorruptible. You likely already knew that. Vanesa's art and Archie's colors are a combo that I felt fit the era this book is set in. And if these two are going to be sticking around for the entire 4 issue run, then I'll most certainly be happy with that!
I'm kind of curious if they are testing the waters by making it a 4 issue run to see what kind of a reaction they'll get. Or if they simply just have a story they just want to do in 4 issues. Something I wager we'll know sometime after the 4th issue is out and about! I like how the cover of the guy being stuck to the door of a police car matches up somewhat to a similar event in this comic.
I'd be sorry for the guy, but he mouthed off about the main man's momma and you just don't do that sort of thing. Even if you do think you're gonna get out unscathed. Now our main guy's problems doesn't begin when he or his buddies doesn't get the bartender or finds a couple of girls who really got the short end of the stick in the great game of Life.
Which with those two really reminded me of a scene or two from Bad Boys 2. No, our main guy's problems begins with a woman from the past. Which sometimes a guy's problems do tend to be because of a girl. Always a swell time cause of that, and then you're thanking God you managed to live through the whole thing. I love how Bryce manages to work in a comment about how you shouldn't believe what you hear on the radio, only for karma to come back and bite our main man Slater in the butt when a call comes in about a robbery.
Got to love how life works out that way. One of the things I was surprised by was the sex scene this comic has in it. Now it doesn't get too graphic, but I was still surprised to see it. Which this, along with the two girls I mentioned before, and some language really isn't something you want your kids reading. I'm curious if whether or not the cop who really should have taken no for an answer after he shows up at Slaters is actually a cop. I have my suspicions and I don't think what Slater's lady friend from the past does is really going to help matters much.
But hey, you might as well start drinking that Bourbon man! This is definitely something I found myself liking, and from a few comments I've seen in a group at Facebook. Others are starting to become fans themselves. So if you have yet to pick this up, don't delay and get it as soon as possible!
5 out of 5 Stars
BOOM! Studios
Written by: Bryce Carlson
Art by: Vanesa R. Del Rey
Colors by: Archie Van Buren
Letters by: Ed Dukeshire
Reviewer: Robert McClelland
Summary: Los Angeles. It’s 1955. It’s dark; it’s sexy. It’s dangerous. Everyone has an angle. And while infamous gangster Mickey Cohen rots in a prison cell, Los Angeles ignores the blackest parts of the city’s heart…where clandestine groups of LAPD detectives moonlight as sanctioned hitmen knows as “Hit Squads.”
Review: Now imagine the combined elements of a Black Ops Military Unit, a few cops in the LAPD wanting to do more then just catch the criminal their after, and a few things based on a few truths. What do you get? Well my good peoples, you get Hit. A world that goes back to the days of the 50's in LA when crime was a bit more rampant and cops could only do so much. And women seemed more inclined to use their femine wiles to get what they were needing and looking darn good while doing it even before possibly considering going the Feminist route! I have to admit, while I knew this was going to be a more serious comic after reading the description on it.
I still was a bit surprised by a few of the things I saw. And its mostly because I'm so much more used to the light hearteded side of BOOM! Then I am the nitty gritty. Which certainly will help showing that BOOM! Studios isn't exactly just for kids. Although if you read or have read the Hellraiser title, Valen The Outcast, Irredeemable, and Incorruptible. You likely already knew that. Vanesa's art and Archie's colors are a combo that I felt fit the era this book is set in. And if these two are going to be sticking around for the entire 4 issue run, then I'll most certainly be happy with that!
I'm kind of curious if they are testing the waters by making it a 4 issue run to see what kind of a reaction they'll get. Or if they simply just have a story they just want to do in 4 issues. Something I wager we'll know sometime after the 4th issue is out and about! I like how the cover of the guy being stuck to the door of a police car matches up somewhat to a similar event in this comic.
I'd be sorry for the guy, but he mouthed off about the main man's momma and you just don't do that sort of thing. Even if you do think you're gonna get out unscathed. Now our main guy's problems doesn't begin when he or his buddies doesn't get the bartender or finds a couple of girls who really got the short end of the stick in the great game of Life.
Which with those two really reminded me of a scene or two from Bad Boys 2. No, our main guy's problems begins with a woman from the past. Which sometimes a guy's problems do tend to be because of a girl. Always a swell time cause of that, and then you're thanking God you managed to live through the whole thing. I love how Bryce manages to work in a comment about how you shouldn't believe what you hear on the radio, only for karma to come back and bite our main man Slater in the butt when a call comes in about a robbery.
Got to love how life works out that way. One of the things I was surprised by was the sex scene this comic has in it. Now it doesn't get too graphic, but I was still surprised to see it. Which this, along with the two girls I mentioned before, and some language really isn't something you want your kids reading. I'm curious if whether or not the cop who really should have taken no for an answer after he shows up at Slaters is actually a cop. I have my suspicions and I don't think what Slater's lady friend from the past does is really going to help matters much.
But hey, you might as well start drinking that Bourbon man! This is definitely something I found myself liking, and from a few comments I've seen in a group at Facebook. Others are starting to become fans themselves. So if you have yet to pick this up, don't delay and get it as soon as possible!
5 out of 5 Stars
Judge Dredd: The Complete Carlos Ezquerra Collection Volume 1 Review
IDW
Reviewer: Ross Rivers
Summary: Return to the legendary stories from Mega-City 1 in this first collection of tales illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra! Reprinted in classic B&W and featuring a wealth of complete stories.
Review: Carlos Ezquerra helped define Judge Dredd. Not just by being his co-creator, since creators aren’t always the ones to define a character, but also by bringing his unique, gritty style to Mega City One.
And now IDW has collected some of Ezquerra’s best work in the first volume of the Carlos Ezquerra series, in an effort to focus on the fantastic artists to have worked on Dredd.
You’ve got a variety of stories here, the majority being written by T.B Grover. We get to see Mushroom Men, the Judge Child, Krong, and a few other memorable characters from Dredd’s Rogues Gallery.
The stories are actually... Kind of bad if you’re not used to classic Dredd. It’s something that’s best viewed through nostalgia glasses. Although, IDW could have made more effort to credit the writers. I know it’s all about celebrating Ezquerra’s work, but it would have been nice to not have to search for the writers names throughout the book.
Some, like the Judge child, are essential to Dredd’s history and are a must read when getting to know the character and his world, but this doesn’t stop them from being a little too cheesy in places with a few too many of the clichés found in older comic books.
But it does have Fink and Mean Machine, of the Angel gang. You may remember them from the original Dredd movie. Pretty much the only part of that movie that wasn’t totally painful to watch, besides the big combat robot. And The Angels are always fun. Mean Machine and his dial are a blast.
And Ezquerra makes Fink and Mean Machine look pretty nasty, in the best way. They’re mean looking and the fight scenes between The Angels and Dredd flows nicely and looks plain great.
The art is exactly what you’d expect it to be; awesome. 2000AD have a habit of employing some pretty fantastic artists, including Simon Bisley, Jock, Steve Dillon, and Brian Boland. Carlos Ezquerra is, of course, no exception (in fact, this book shows how much of an inspiration he’s been to other 2000AD artists). He helps make the gritty, slightly ridiculous, world that Dredd inhabits come to life in a way that few artists can manage.
But the book itself is pretty weak. Like I said, the stories aren’t fantastic and not the best representation of Dredd. This collection is pretty much just for fans of Ezquerra. It’s certainly not the way to get new fans on board either.
The book design could have been a whole lot better, considering how influential Ezquerra is. You only really get a cover gallery and a very short introduction by Ezquerra. It’s lacking extras. I would have appreciated some insight form Ezquerra himself and some original sketches.
Your best bet for some great Dredd is the Complete Case Files, which reprint every Dredd story in chronological order. That gets you more pages and more art. But, for what it is, this book is pretty great. Just not as good as other Dredd collections, is all.
So, while I’d love to recommend Dredd to anyone, I can’t say that this book is really worth your money. If you just want to see some great artwork, you should pick it up. But buying the Complete Case Files gets you that plus more variety. Although, I do applaud IDW for giving us brand new Dredd along with classic reprints like this, introducing new audiences to a British classic.
IDW
Reviewer: Ross Rivers
Summary: Return to the legendary stories from Mega-City 1 in this first collection of tales illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra! Reprinted in classic B&W and featuring a wealth of complete stories.
Review: Carlos Ezquerra helped define Judge Dredd. Not just by being his co-creator, since creators aren’t always the ones to define a character, but also by bringing his unique, gritty style to Mega City One.
And now IDW has collected some of Ezquerra’s best work in the first volume of the Carlos Ezquerra series, in an effort to focus on the fantastic artists to have worked on Dredd.
You’ve got a variety of stories here, the majority being written by T.B Grover. We get to see Mushroom Men, the Judge Child, Krong, and a few other memorable characters from Dredd’s Rogues Gallery.
The stories are actually... Kind of bad if you’re not used to classic Dredd. It’s something that’s best viewed through nostalgia glasses. Although, IDW could have made more effort to credit the writers. I know it’s all about celebrating Ezquerra’s work, but it would have been nice to not have to search for the writers names throughout the book.
Some, like the Judge child, are essential to Dredd’s history and are a must read when getting to know the character and his world, but this doesn’t stop them from being a little too cheesy in places with a few too many of the clichés found in older comic books.
But it does have Fink and Mean Machine, of the Angel gang. You may remember them from the original Dredd movie. Pretty much the only part of that movie that wasn’t totally painful to watch, besides the big combat robot. And The Angels are always fun. Mean Machine and his dial are a blast.
And Ezquerra makes Fink and Mean Machine look pretty nasty, in the best way. They’re mean looking and the fight scenes between The Angels and Dredd flows nicely and looks plain great.
The art is exactly what you’d expect it to be; awesome. 2000AD have a habit of employing some pretty fantastic artists, including Simon Bisley, Jock, Steve Dillon, and Brian Boland. Carlos Ezquerra is, of course, no exception (in fact, this book shows how much of an inspiration he’s been to other 2000AD artists). He helps make the gritty, slightly ridiculous, world that Dredd inhabits come to life in a way that few artists can manage.
But the book itself is pretty weak. Like I said, the stories aren’t fantastic and not the best representation of Dredd. This collection is pretty much just for fans of Ezquerra. It’s certainly not the way to get new fans on board either.
The book design could have been a whole lot better, considering how influential Ezquerra is. You only really get a cover gallery and a very short introduction by Ezquerra. It’s lacking extras. I would have appreciated some insight form Ezquerra himself and some original sketches.
Your best bet for some great Dredd is the Complete Case Files, which reprint every Dredd story in chronological order. That gets you more pages and more art. But, for what it is, this book is pretty great. Just not as good as other Dredd collections, is all.
So, while I’d love to recommend Dredd to anyone, I can’t say that this book is really worth your money. If you just want to see some great artwork, you should pick it up. But buying the Complete Case Files gets you that plus more variety. Although, I do applaud IDW for giving us brand new Dredd along with classic reprints like this, introducing new audiences to a British classic.