Thursday, February 18, 2010

COMIC REVIEW: Zombies vs. Robots Aventure #1 (IDW)



Following the theme of Ashley Wood's Zombies vs. Robots, IDW brings us issue 1 of Zombies vs. Robots Aventure. Being a girl who loves her zombies and robots, I was eager to give this one a whirl. This issue is divided into three stories: "Kampf" (art by Menton Matthews III), "Masques" (art by Paul McCaffrey), and "Zuvembies vs. Robots" (art by Gabriel Hernandez). All three stories were written by Chris Ryall.



The opening story centers around a war being fought by the humans against zombies. The humans have enlisted the help of robots to do the fighting. It was a very historical feeling story that ended with a "To be continued..." that was intriguing. Menton Matthews III's art on this one just didn't do it for me. Technically speaking there was nothing wrong with his art, but I am not a fan of photorealism. It suited the theme, but it's not my taste at all.

Next up is "Masques". This story, though very simple, was my favorite. A young guy finds more than he bargained for when cleaning when he discovers Mr. Throckmorton's body and an army of robots. Paul McCaffrey's art, especially in terms of the robots, was a lot of fun. I'm interested in seeing where this story goes.

Finally, it's a trip to Haiti with "Zuvembies vs.Robots". Gabriel Hernandez's art was very shadowy and sketchy, and was my favorite. Storywise, this one is interesting. The first installment was a lot of setup, but in a way that piqued my interest. It was fun reading this one with the accents Ryall put in the dialogue.

Overall, this is an interesting read. You get three beginnings to three stories, and they all successfully explore the theme in different ways. I recommend you pick this one up if you are a fan of Ashley Wood (who returns as cover artist), zombies, or robots. And let's face it, who isn't?

Stacey Rader
Senior Reviewer
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IMAGE COMICS MAY 2010 RELEASES



Image Comics has released their solicits for May 2010

SAM & TWITCH: THE WRITER #1 (of 4) story LUCA BLENGINO art LUCA ERBETTA & FABIO BONO colors FILIPPO RIZZU cover LUCA ERBETTA MAY 12 32 PAGES / FC $2.99 NEW CRIME FICTION MINI-SERIES SHIPPING BI-WEEKLY! A top-notch creative team from Italy spins a hard-boiled crime fiction tale from the boroughs of NYC! PART ONE: “INCIPIT IN MEDIA RES” In the dead of winter, with a snowstorm looming, a routine homicide investigation has a literary twist. A suspected drug dealer is found dead and naked, with what seems to be part of a larger story written all over his body. Detectives Sam Burke and Twitch Williams, along with graphologist Charlotte Garland, have to discover the truth, but the case, like the weather, can only get worse…
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SAM & TWITCH: THE WRITER #2 (of 4) story LUCA BLENGINO pencils LUCA ERBETTA & FABIO BONO colors FILIPPO RIZZU cover LUCA ERBETTA MAY 26 32 PAGES / FC $2.99 PART TWO: “BLUE SNOW” A publishing editor and his lover. A dead prostitute. A butcher who moonlights as a drug dealer. A social worker. A humanitarian. And … Charlotte Garland, a graphologist, who assists the police. All an eclectic group of people, who have one thing in common – ties to the murderer the press has dubbed, “The Writer.”
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HAUNT #8 story ROBERT KIRKMAN art GREG CAPULLO & TODD McFARLANE cover TODD McFARLANE MAY 5 32 PAGES / FC $2.99 His brother died, his ghost haunts him, it bonds with him to form the creature known as Haunt – and all this has dragged poor Daniel Kilgore deep into a dark and dangerous world of espionage and intrigue he never even knew existed. Now it appears these events have taken a much greater toll on him than even he realizes.
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SPAWN #203 story WILL CARLTON art SZYMON KUDRANSKI & TODD MCFARLANE cover SZYMON KUDRANSKI MAY 26 32 PAGES / FC $2.99 Jim Downing learns he has a lineage connection to both Clown and Bludd. This puts him in a coveted group aptly named the Unholy Trinity.
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SPAWN ORIGINS, VOL. 5 TP story TODD McFARLANE art TODD McFARLANE & GREG CAPULLO cover GREG CAPULLO MAY 12 160 PAGES / FC $14.99 Relive Spawn battling legendary foes the Curse and the Redeemer in this new collection of stories from TODD McFARLANE and GREG CAPULLO! SPAWN ORIGINS represents classic Spawn stories in an al-new design and format. PLUS: cover gallieries and behind-the-scenes art! Each volume also features a classic cover re-imagined by master Spawn artist GREG CAPPULLO!
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SHADOWHAWK #1 story DAN WICKLINE art & cover TONE RODRIGUEZ variant cover ERIK LARSEN MAY 5 32 PAGES / FC $3.50 “RESURRECTION,” Part One Fifteen years after his stunning death, Paul Johnstone wears the helmet of ShadowHawk once more. New York, however, is far more dangerous than he remembers, as a new evil grows in the city’s shadows. Before he can deal with the ramifications of being alive again, though, he must first deal with the actions of his past. PLUS a back-up feature written by STEVE NILES with art by JIM VALENTINO! SPINNING OUT FROM THE UNIVERSE-SHATTERING EVENTS OF IMAGE UNITED – THE ORIGINAL BACK-BREAKER RETURNS! RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
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WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BARON VON SHOCK? #1 story ROB ZOMBIE art & cover DONNY HADIWIDJAJA & VAL STAPLES MAY 26 32 PAGES / FC $3.99 ROB ZOMBIE returns with a dark dramedy outlining the fantastic rise and spiraling decent of celebrity. Being in the right place at the right time isn't always a good thing, as Baron Von Shock finds out first hand. His sudden rise to fame as a television horror host meets with unexpected results. Baron Von Shock delivers a roller coaster ride of emotion that only ROB ZOMBIE can deliver. RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
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THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #25 story ROBERT KIRKMAN art JASON HOWARD cover JASON HOWARD & FCO PLASCENCIA MAY 26 40 PAGES / FC $4.99 “LEGACY,” Conclusion The end is finally here. The elder’s plan is revealed! Zechariah’s final fate is decided! Wolf-Man’s astounding adventure is coming to a close. Every moment from the beginning of the series to now has been leading to this. Don’t miss this special oversized series-ending extravaganza!
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COWBOY NINJA VIKING #6 story AJ LIEBERMAN art & cover by RILEY ROSSMO MAY 26 24 PAGES / FC $3.99 FIRST ISSUE OF A BRAND NEW ARC! There are a lot of team books out there. But there ain’t one like this. CNV’s back and he’s not alone. He’s teamed up with Pirate/Gladiator/Oceanographer, Hitman/Navy SEAL/Roadie and his Ex-wife. Their first mission: Locate a black market nuke. What could go wrong? Pretty much everything. Including an ending you will never see coming… unless you read the last page first--which you shouldn’t. RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
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IMAGE UNITED #5 (of 6) story ROBERT KIRKMAN art ERIK LARSEN, ROB LIEFELD, TODD MCFARLANE, WHILCE PORTACIO, MARC SILVESTRI & JIM VALENTINO covers ERIK LARSEN, ROB LIEFELD, TODD MCFARLANE, WHILCE PORTACIO, MARC SILVESTRI & JIM VALENTINO MAY 26 32 PAGES / FC $3.99 THE CROSSOVER EVENT OF THE CENTURY CONTINUES! Omega Spawn is aware of the forces aligning against him – and is moving to put an end to the united band of heroes who threaten him. Once again on the defensive, our heroes must make a stand. The fate of the entire world is at stake – and at least one of the heroes will not survive the coming battle.
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THE SWORD #24 story JOSHUA LUNA art & cover JONATHAN LUNA MAY 12 32 PAGES / FC $2.99 THE END IS HERE. THE SWORD's highly anticipated finale arrives as Dara Brighton's epic quest for revenge against the three god-siblings who murdered her family comes to its conclusion. RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
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TURF #2 story JONATHAN ROSS art & cover TOMMY LEE EDWARDS 1:20 variant cover by BERNARD CHANG 1: 50 variant cover by DAVID LaFUENTE 1:100 variant sketch cover by TOMMY LEE EDWARDS MAY 5 32 PAGES / FC $2.99 “ALIENS WITH DIRTY FACES” The Dragonmir Vampire Clan has all but succeeded in wiping out the the Gangsters who run 1920s New York. Only mobster Eddie Falco stands in their way. Bloody, bruised and on the run, he finds an unlikely ally in the form of the interplanetary smuggler known as Squeed. But can even the brother from another planet turn the crimson tide? Hard-boiled pulp action from start to finish! RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
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GØDLAND CELESTIAL EDITION TWO HC MAY 19 360 PAGES / FC $34.99 story JOE CASEY art & cover TOM SCIOLI Finally, the wait is over! BOOK TWO in the Eisner Award-nominated CELESTIAL EDITIONS is here! See how the greatest cosmic superhero epic of our time was taken to even higher levels of surreal splendor! See Commander Adam Archer, Maxim, Basil Cronus, Nickelhead and more in all their oversized glory! Is there any other book that delivers the Savage Sting and the secret of the Infinity Tower? Not in this universe! Where else are you going to see Lucky in all of his glory? Only GØDLAND has the pure, storytelling power to scratch the greatest itch you ever had! Collects GØDLAND #13-24, plus tons of cosmic-powered extras! THE CELESTIAL EDITION HARDCOVER IS THE MAXIMUM FORMAT TO EXPERIENCE THE GØDLAND SAGA! BIGGER IS BETTER!
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SEA OF RED SLIPCASE COLLECTION story RICK REMENDER & KIERON DWYER art KIERON DWYER, SALGOOD SAM & PAUL HARMON cover PAUL HARMON MAY 10 $39.99 LIMITED TO 1000 COPIES CONCEPT The year is 1533. Deckhand, Marco Esperanza’s shipping vessel is sunk in the dead of night leaving him, the sole survivor, left adrift in the Red Sea. His prayers are answered when a strange ship impossibly cuts through the night fog saving him a watery grave. However, his elation soon turns to horror when he discovers he has been brought aboard the dread pirate ship, The Black Galleon. There is more to Captain Lesser Blackthroat and his evil crew than mere piracy, these men are damned -- these men are vampire. The year is 2004. Since being turned undead by Blackthroat, Marco has spent the past 400 years tied to the bow of a sunken vessel, clinging to unlife in the dark, briny, deep. His confinement at the bottom of the sea ends when film director Joel Cameron’s submarine discovers him while location scouting. Hungry to film a live vampire battle, Cameron agrees to aid Marco in seeking out the eternal monsters responsible his fate that he might have his revenge. COLLECTS SEA OF RED, VOL. 1-3 RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
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CHEW #11 story JOHN LAYMAN art & cover ROB GUILLORY MAY 26 32 PAGES / FC $2.99 “JUST DESSERTS,” Part One A few months ago an intact mastodon was discovered encased in a glacier in Siberia. A few weeks ago the lab doing DNA sequencing on the prehistoric creature mysteriously burned to the ground. And a few days ago, Special Agent Tony Chu discovered an exclusive diner’s club of the very, very rich who commit crimes in order to procure the meat of the rare, exotic and extinct. Tonight is their annual dinner. Guess who’s coming to dinner to stop them? RETAILER WARNING: NOT SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
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CHOKER #4 (of 6) story BEN McCOOL art & cover BEN TEMPLESMITH MAY 19 32 PAGES / FC $3.99 ISSUE FOUR: BEAST COPS Teamed with the dirge of Shotgun City’s police force, Johnny Jackson is thrust into confrontation against Hunt Cassidy and his band of killers, their sinister influence having put the city on edge. And when Hunt realizes that a precious possession is missing, the full extent of the madness is revealed… RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
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DEAD @ 17: THE WITCH QUEEN #3 (of 4) story & art JOSH HOWARD cover by JOSH HOWARD MAY 12 32 PAGES / FC $2.99 Nara attempts to rescue Asia from the clutches of Lilith, but Asia may have other plans. Meanwhile, Purgatory begins to self-destruct as the Time of the End draws near.
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ELEPHANTMEN #27 story RICHARD STARKINGS art MORITAT cover by JASON HOWARD MAY 26 32 PAGES / FC $3.50 “QUESTIONABLE THINGS,” Part Four There are Crocs loose in an Industrial Slaughterhouse. Flask, Hide and Blackthorne have been assigned to bring them in. Like THAT is going to go well.
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FADE TO BLACK #3 story JEFF MARIOTTE art & cover DANIELE SERRA MAY 19 32 PAGES / FC $3.50 With Angelique a captive of the cannibal cult, the remaining friends find that they can’t run any longer—they have to take the fight to the cultists! Outnumbered and outgunned, it’s going to be a hard-fought battle. But they don’t have much choice, considering their alternatives—becoming human sacrifices, or being added to the menu! WRITTEN BY AWARD-WINNING NOVELIST JEFF MARIOTTE (ZOMBIE COP, COLD BLACK HEARTS), WITH ART BY INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED ILLUSTRATOR DANIELE SERRA (PRAY FOR DEATH).
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GOD COMPLEX #6 story DANIEL BERMAN art JOHN BROGLIA cover MICHAEL AVON OEMING MAY 12 32 PAGES / FC $2.99 Paul goes on bended knee to the gods to beg them for ambrosia, the only thing that may save Sophia from the clutches of death! Meanwhile George and Guan-Yu must retrieve Sophia... from the morgue... before she's AUTOPSIED. For those close to Paul, even death is COMPLEX!
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GØDLAND #33 story JOE CASEY art & cover TOM SCIOLI MAY 19 24 PAGES/FC $2.99 BOOK THIRTY-THREE: DØGLAND Sometimes, there are no words… Thank Iboga we’ve got a cover to show! And what a cover! Guess where Commander Adam Archer is going…? GØDLAND’S TICKING CLOCK IS POUNDING IN THE EARS OF ALL HUMANITY!
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THE GREAT UNKNOWN #4 (RES) story DUNCAN ROULEAU art & cover DUNCAN ROULEAU MAY 19 32 PAGES / FC $3.50 Zach comes face to face with the owners of IMIND, the company that has been stealing his thoughts! When they make a proposal for him to become a partner Zach has to make a decision, does he "fight the power' or " join the club" - a choice made even more complicated when he discovers that both answers involve him doing something other than sitting on a couch, eating chips and complaining.
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INVINCIBLE #73 story ROBERT KIRKMAN art & cover RYAN OTTLEY & FCO PLASCENCIA MAY 19 32 PAGES / FC $2.99 THE VILTRUMITE WAR CONTINUES! Invincible is stranded on an alien planet, clinging to life, left battered and broken from his battle with Conquest. Nolan and Oliver stay behind to nurse him back to health, but meanwhile, out in space, the war rages on.
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KING CITY #10 story BRANDON GRAHAM art & cover BRANDON GRAHAM MAY 19 32 PAGES / BW $2.99 The Demon King returns! While its evil casts a dark shadow over King City, Pete has to go deep into an alien brothel to save the green-skinned girl. Earth may not be big enough to contain this high stakes adventure! RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
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THE LIGHT #2 (of 5) story NATHAN EDMONDSON art & cover BRETT WELDELE MAY 12 24 PAGES / FC $2.99 “101” Coyle and Avery discover just how far the virus has spread when they escape up the Oregon coast. As they encounter other survivors and learn more about the infection, they begin to understand exactly what it will take to stay safe from THE LIGHT.
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THE MICE TEMPLAR: DESTINY #9 story BRYAN J.L. GLASS & MICHAEL AVON OEMING art VICTOR SANTOS cover MICHAEL GOLDEN MAY 12 48 PAGES / FC $4.99 “FEAST OF SAMHAIN,” Part TWO Destiny, prophecy and free will collide as Karic, too late to save those he loves, challenges the power of the snake god in the very heart of the capital. But is Karic's fate just as doomed as he aligns himself with an ancient Nathair, the demonic spirits who once ruled the world? The dramatic double-sized finale to "Destiny" defies expectation, and will change the world of the Templar forever. Featuring a preview of Volume Three and a cover by legendary artist MICHAEL GOLDEN!
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ORC STAIN #5 story JAMES STOKOE art & cover JAMES STOKOE MAY 12 32 PAGES / FC $3.99 The story of Orc Stain continues, as the agents of the great Orc Tzar finally catch up to One-Eye. Thousands of other one eyed orcs have been gathered to an arena by the mysterious Beard, who is hellbent on finding which of them is the key to unlocking the god organ. RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
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SAVAGE DRAGON #160 story ERIK LARSEN art & cover ERIK LARSEN MAY 5 32 PAGES / FC $3.50 “DRAGON WAR,” Conclusion The Dragon War comes its brutal, bloody end!
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SHUDDERTOWN #3 story NICK SPENCER art & cover by ADAM GEEN MAY 26 32 PAGES /FC $3.50 The mystery of the Shuddertown "Ghost" killings begins to take a brutal toll on Homicide Detective Isaac Hernandez and those he loves. And just as the line between the real and the supernatural begins to blur, in his greatest hour of need-- a trusted friend commits a deadly betrayal. Nothing is what it seems in this dark tale of resurrection and revenge. RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
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THE WALKING DEAD #73 story ROBERT KIRKMAN art & cover CHARLIE ADLARD & CLIFF RATHBURN MAY 12 32 PAGES / BW $2.99 Living among the safe can make you soft. RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
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