Jan.20/11: Amerikan Freak tpb (zenescope) by John Leekley

      I love to shop in the bargain bins for graphic novels and that's  where I found Amerikan Freak. I paid $1.99 for this title , the cover is 10 bucks.

Amerikan Freak (zenescope 2007) by John Leekley , art: Clay Sparks

see! not a typo!  Amerikan Freaks tpb

Jason the outcasted goth kid walking through the halls of his high school which apparently goes up to grade 26

plot/premise:
      Jason and Jesse went to a high school where the rich preppies and the blue-collar factory kids circled each other, like wolves from rival packs. They called Jason the Freak, he never belonged to a cool crowd. His big brother Jesse was always the protector. When they murdered Jesse, it was the biggest mistake this town would ever make. Out of Jason's rage came the darkness he had always feared, his dead brother Jesse bursting from his ripping flesh, the brothers merging to form one savage monster. Now there's hell to pay. 

turns out Jason is quite the artist and Jesse I initially thought was a pedophile caz he was dating one of Jason's clasmates but turns out they're closer to age than appeared

Gord Says: bleh...
    The story and plot was so generic and bland , I recommend taking some illegal narcotics before reading. It was so stale and uninteresting from the get go and for a super natural story , it felt so unnatural.

     The characters were cookie cut from the book of cliche. Take the bad guys for example... a group of  jocks in their letterman jackets and the lead jock's dad is the town sheriff  *yawn* I was waiting for Judd Nelson and Kevin Bacon to pop out of the bushes and start dancing. Talk about sleep walking through a project , John Leekley just dotted down some ideas on a bar napkin and violah! a graphic novel!

The art:    It bewilders me when artist don't know how to draw teenagers.  To be fair to Clay Sparks he isnt the only one , my idol John Byrne couldn't draw kids faces properly either. The kids in this story look like aged adults , Sparks would've been perfect for the Beverly Hills 90210 comic. Other than that I would say the art was ok , there was some good hazy eerie imagery. The mood was spooky  , lots of dark panels but that hardly makes up for such a bed pan story.

.

 For a loner goth kid he's clean of tats , piercings , he even looks tanned along with the fact he clearly frequents the gym.. shame on me for  my ignorance in stereotyping.


Good News:  The lady in the lake was intriguing whom turns out to be very important to the boys.  Spooky broad that made a sinister deal for Jason's soul  when he was younger and she came to collect. They should've ditched the boys story and did her story.



Bad News: page 1 to 100. 

Verdict:    Remember when you were a kid  buying a chocolate bar , and you feel a little frisky to try something new. So you pick out a bar that catches your eye , it looks good on the label... then when you bite into it , it taste like the monkey bars but your sugar addiction kicks in and you end up finishing it despite its raunchy lingering taste.


      That's what Amerikan Freak felt like. I tried a new title i never heard of.. looked good but when its all said and done , this isn't even worth to occupy my mind while I pinch a loaf. My expections were low and it still fell short.


Dig it or Ditch it

DITCH IT If I offer this book to you for free , take it as an insult and toss your coffee into my face.

Jan 14/11: The Green Woman

Horror Happy Hour ep.2 1/14/11 "The Green Woman" from Gord Locke on Vimeo.

Thanks for watching!

At the time of making this video there was no photos online from the Green Woman so I took pictures directly from the book using a camera. I was too lazy to hook up my scanner.

Apologies to Michal Easton and Peter Straub , I cut out the part where i mention their backgrounds in writing. Both are establised writers in particular Straub. This was Straub's first graphic novel I believe. Easton whom appears on One Life to Live has already written a graphic novel "Soul Stealer".

Finally apologies to Christopher Lee , I sounded like a muppet version of him.

feel free to comment!

Jan.7/11:Late Arrivals and a new title coming in March

A couple titles I ordered last month arrived today via mail. So lets make like me on a third date and get done with this quickly.

Abbatoir #2/6 (radical comics) $3.50 by Rob Levin , Troy Peteri art: Bing Cansino

   This new 6 issue mini series from Radical is quietly building themselves something very special. The art in Abbatoir is phenomenal to say the least. Its done in a realistic style with immense mood and tone to create a lively atmosphere that will leave the reader's mind blown to pieces. The pages just come to life at times

Here's the protagonist , Richard , having breakfast with the family before some more shit goes down

Lets go back to #1 and give a description of what the fuck this series is about : 
Set in the cold beauty of Middle America in the late '80s! After a brutal massacre takes place in a gorgeous house, real estate agent and family man Richard Ashwalt is assigned the impossible task of picking up the pieces and selling the property. As Richard inspects the blood-soaked grounds a twisted old man journeys to the house with a sinister and terrifying purpose.
Gord Says: This shit gets real right off the bat in #1 with the original murders. Your drawn in right away , with Bing Cansino's realistic  pencil work ,the blood and gore just splatters right off the page and onto your face. Jebediah Crone , the old creepy guy is building himself quite the iconic presence.. he's quite haunting.  Get on board now caz they're already planning on a film to this mother fucker. 

Abattoir #1 with the before mentioned Jebediah Crone on the cover.. he's actually way creepier within the comics. They make him look like a agile Joker like dude.. which he might be.. but he's more slithering imo. 

Final Word: Dig It. Though we're only 2 issues in , I cant see them dropping the ball on this one . Either jump on board with the comics ASAP or put it on your list for trades to get in 2011. Its definitely worth checking out some way or another.

Some more of Cansino's sensational art work

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Feeding Ground #1/6(Archaia) $3.99 by Swifty Lang art; Michael Lapinski

 Plot: 
a horror tale set on the Mexico-Arizona border, launches an entirely new werewolf mythology! A famine caused by Blackwell Industries drives Diego Busqueda, a noble “coyote,” to lead a band of Mexican border crossers across the unforgiving Devil’s Highway, a desert cursed with blistering days and deadly nights. Back home, Diego’s daughter Flaca discovers that something hungrier prowls the factory fields. Stalked and persecuted, can the Busqueda family maintain their dreams of immigration or will the horrors of the desert tear them apart?

Gord Says: Its listed as a "horror" but #1 was tilted more to a drama.  Now I understand the first  issue was to establish the scene and characters which I felt they did. This was the first  of six issues so there's plenty of time for this to get all "horry"  because the cliffhanger definitely leaves a taste of horror to come. But enough to get me coming back for more?

The art is in a soft monotone sketch style. Soft pencil work and colours , very easy on the eyes.. the scenes where there's some violence , Lapinski simplifies it without losing any of the depth for the scene.

Also the description says 48 pages and its a thick comic for $4 but misleading.. its in both english and spanish .. you get the comic twice. 


Final Word: #2 is already out but Im really mixed if I want to stick with it. I want to find out where this is going yet It didnt compel me enough to get excited for more. My recommendation is Incomplete lol , Im going to have to loiter and check out #2 before I can conclusively Dig it or Ditch it.


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Horror Comic News

Starting this March , a new on going series for Hellraiser from Boom comics is beginning. They are also reprinting the old Marvel comics for a re-release too from Boom Studios. Here's a sneak peak at the cover #1 

Covers A & B for Clive Barker's Hellraiser #1. Pretty epic if you're a Pinhead fan!

Thanks again for checking out the blog and now that the holidays are done , I should be more active again for video and reviews in general. Cheers to a new year for all of us , esp for Horror Happy Hour! 

Horror Happy Hour's 2010 Best of Comics and Graphic Novels Awards

By Gord Locke

Disclaimers:  The opinions expressed in this article do not represent all members of HHH. Also I unfortunately havent read every comic released in 2010 so I welcome  recommendations. I also havent read any new manga in 2010 so my shamed Asian background lowers its head and stabs itself for an honorable death.

Best Graphic Novel and Comic Books of 2010:....

 Best Series (On-Going or Mini): The Walking Dead (Image Comics) by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard.

 Issue #65 from the Fear The Hunters story arc ... 

     The founders of Horror Happy Hour Dave and Krys introduced me to this wicked zombie post apocalyptic world over the summer and it pretty much sat on my face with its muff and let me toss its salad for hours at a time with utter glee. Vol. 11-13 released in 2010 "Fear The Hunters" , "Life Among Them" , "Too Far Gone" . The Walking Dead continues to break your heart and stick an adrenelain needle through it as well ..its  the best thing going in comics overall , let alone horror comics.

Biggest Bummer (disappointment): Zombies vs Cheerleaders (moonstone) by Steven Franks

 Issue #1 cover c.

    Need I explain why this title hooked me like a trout?  It was a horredy spoof I would say but I didnt laugh much. I didnt enjoy the story , the jokes , the art , nor the characters .. it was just a let down from top to bottom. It was like clicking on a thumbnail of cute topless girl only to discover its a tranny chicks with dicks video.

    This had such a ridiculous concept that it could have worked like the Japanese movie/novel "Battle Royale" .. where school kids mysteriously collected and trapped on an island are forced to kill each other for survival.. ZvC at its raw roots had the same legit teeth to it too

 Best Surprise : Whispers In The Walls ( Humanoids) by David Munoz , art: Tirso

 The cover for the unreleased #5 of the six part mini series. Its an english adaptation of a spanish comic.Thats a pretty epic antagonist dont you think?

   Yeah  this could easily be under the 'Best New Series' category(below) but I admit I created this award just for this title. It just blew me away , coming out of nowhere with zero notoriety from a small indie publisher. Post WWII Chekloslovakia , mysterious orphanage/infirmary , asshole adult emissaries, weirdo killer , creepy kids , cute little innocent protagonist ...  all the elements are there. The art is sensational , its by a one name dude , Tirso.. he's like a Brazilian soccer player or pop music star.

 Best Mini Series: Hack Slash : My First Maniac (image) by Tim Seeley , art: Daniel Leister

 cover B for My First Maniac #1by Jenny Freson

    Hack Slash moved over to Image from Devil Due Pub. and this was their kick off series. Not a reboot just a prequel .. its the story of Cassie's Hack's first slasher kill. Though My First Maniac is  worthy of 'mini series of the year' however I will say there were a few series still incomplete like Turf , Whispers in the Walls , Abattoir ,..etc that were contenders. Im forgetting a few others as well.. so much good stuff in 2010.

 Best New On-Going Series: TIE ... The Sixth Gun(oni press) and I Zombie(vertigo)

    Both bring something completely different to the table hence why I was SO split down the middle.  Morning Glories was also a major contender for this title. 


Sixth Gun by Cullen Bunn - #1 was first released on Free Comic Book Day .  Its the wild west Lord of the Rings ripoff, 6 mystical guns are created with the sixth being the most powerful and its former owner , the zombie general wants it back. Cullen Bunn could also win best name in the industry! Here's the trailer for the comic....




I Zombie by Chris Roberson- This has a total Scooby Doo aura to it , starring a hipster zombie chick , Gwen ,  whom must eat one brain a month to maintain her sanity.  She works in a cemetery as a gravedigger so she can dine on newly buried bodies. In doing so she absorbs the memories , with it comes baggage of unresolved issues. Though at first I was hesitant with the art , Micheal Allred's art grew on me issue to issue , now I cant imagine this series being drawn by anybody else. 

 Gwen having her monthly brain chow down so she doesnt turn into a mindless zombie. Kind of hot when she does it or is it just me?  Micheal Allred's pencil work is some of the most laid back stuff going.

 Best single shot: Vertigo Resurrected  (vertigo) by various writers/artists

 Many mistake the title of the book as "Shoot" as my comic book guy did. Shoot is the name of one of the short stories.

      A collection of short stories one of which "Shoot" was banned years ago because of its inappropriate content of school shootings . It was  the best single shot  I've read this year easily , in terms of sheer variety and entertainment.  Warren Ellis , Grant Morrison , Frank Quietly , Garth Ennis , Bill Willingham , ... some of the biggest hitters in the game contribute to this little gem.

Best Cover Art:  Fables #93 by Joao Ruas

I love Fable covers overall but this one in particular is jaw dropping. Its like something painted in the 19th century by some earless savant, its eerily  haunting. It just feels like there's so many layers to it , you cant stop looking. These covers just blow up off the shelves , Fables comics never fail to catch my eye on 'New Comic Book Day'. Bravo Mr. Ruas.



 The Hot Shit I Just Aint Into Award : Marvel Zombies. (vol.5 released 2010)

      Marvel Zombies has no appeal to me what so ever. I love zombies , I love super heroes , you figure this is in my wheel house but surprisingly its not. Im sorry to all the devoted readers and great talent that has worked on this title like John Layman and Robert Kirkman , only proving Im not a blind partison fanboy that will unconditionally eat Kirkman and Layman's freshly coiled shit . They can do stuff I have no interest in...like Marvel Zombies.


 Best Original Graphic Novel :Revolver (vertigo) written/art by Matt Kindt

Yes I know its not a "horror" , its more sci-fi/thriller but sci-fi/thriller can be perceived as "horror" ? cant it?

    Revolver is as much a horror as The Twilight Zone is.. whatever that means. I admit it shouldn't be in a horror awards but at the same time its not as abstract as say nominating The Smurfs.. even though one can argue those blue fuckers are scary ass bitches!

    With sporadic one hit wonders every 10 years Matt Kindt may very well be the Kylie Minogue of graphic novels , lets hope not.



Best Story Arc: The Walking Dead , Fear The  Hunter Vol.11:..  On one hand they had to deal with one of their own being a dangerous sociopath , guilty of murdering one of their own. On the other hand a new threat endangers the group when a family of cannibals stalk them like prey. We had the tragic deaths of long time characters and a revenge filled finale to satisfy that blood lust we all crave. Charlie Adlard captured the emotional roller coaster exceptionally well.

 Who can forget the harrowing storyline involving Billy and Ben , the adopted twins of Andrea and Dale. It created some of the most intense profound moments in comics for 2010.

Best Writer: Robert Kirkman. I dont read the Astonishing Wolf-Man , Haunt , Invincible ,,,,etc  this is just based on his work for The Walking Dead and also his one shot Sea Bear and Grizzly Shark piece which was a contender for best one shot and best surprise.

Best Artist: Charles Paul Wilson III (The Stuff of Legend) .. his pencil work on The Stuff of Legend is some of the best original art I've seen in some time. Again , its another guy who could win on his name alone.. he's "the third" for crying out loud! like Thurston Howe III and Edward Stratton III

 CPWIII's  "Boogeyman" from The Stuff of Legend.

Best Writer/Artist Team: John Layman/Rob Guillory (Chew).. somebody once described them as soul mates .. its true. Guillory's art style would be hard pressed to work for with anyone else but Layman and he have something special going on They are meant to work together and their masterpiece series Chew proves it.

 Layman and Guillory are a lot like their own lead detectives Chu and Colby.

Best Publisher: Image Comics. They currently produce 4 of my top 7-8 favourite titles overall not just "horror": Chew , Walking Dead , , Morning Glories , Hack Slash. Image have a smaller following than the big two(DC , Marvel) but Image's cult like status has given them a loyal following. Its like comparing The Ramones to Aerosmith with Aerosmith being DC or Marvel.

Anyhoos thats it for this year's Best Of Awards for 2010. Thanks for checking me out , please feel free to disagree , agree , recommend , suggest , rant , rave , ...  cheers!

"The biggest monsters in a world of monsters are humans themselves." - unknown

PickoftheWeek/Dec.22: The Stuff of Legend (non Spoilers)

The Stuff of Legend vol.2 book.3/4 (Th3rd World Studios) came out this week. Retail: $4.25 by Mike Raicht , Brian Smith art: Charles P Wilson

Now of course I wont recommend jumping on board mid way through but I 100% give this series my 'Must Read Tramp Stamp of approval'. This would get tatoo'ed right above the ass crack. This is definitely an all ages tale and a throw back to an old fable with its grim dark under tone.

 This is the opening page for vol.2 book.3 .. it doesnt make sense if you're new to this right? hence I suggest start from the beginning then this shit will get real

I recommend going back to volume.1 the collected trade The Stuff of Legend Book 1: The Dark

listed price on Amazon.com $10.40 
listed price on Amazon.ca $10.83 

Description : from Th3d World Studios. 

     The year is 1944. An allied force advances along a war-torn beach in a strange land, outnumbered and far from home. Together, they fight the greatest evil they have ever known. Never ending waves of exotic enemies come crashing down on them, but they will not rest. Thousands of miles away, the world is on the brink of destruction. But here in a child's bedroom in Brooklyn, our heroes, a small group of toys loyal to their human master, fight an unseen war to save him from every child's worst nightmare.
     Led by the toy soldier known as the Colonel and the boy's faithful teddy-bear named Max, the toys enter the realm known as The Dark. There they will face off against the Boogeyman and his army-- a legion of the boy's forgotten, bitter toys. Fighting to survive insurmountable odds, the toys will discover this is a battle not only for the soul of a child, but for their own as well

Gord Says: I usually simplify describing it by just saying its Toy Story+ Lord of the Rings+Wonderland + Oz =  Hermaphrodite Fight Club or whatever you consider awesome. 

     The story is just oozing  imagination and creativity out the wazoo and that's a good thing for the wazoo. The heroes will make you cheer , the villains will make you incensed and the plot will keep you intrigued as you make the long trek with the heros and take every twist and turn along the way.

 The BoogeyMan snatching the boy early on

      I cant say enough about the art, Charles P Wilson's pencil work is breathtaking to say the least and easily some of the best work in the industry today. Its done in a serpia earth tone which gives it the warmer feel and also ages the pages giving it a timeless appeal. To say he captures this story's mood swings and emotional roller coaster  to a tee is an understatement.

 Here are the toys in the real world

And here are the toys when they cross over into "The Dark".

Its only 1 and 3/4 volumes in , there's so much more to go , I cant wait to see this through to the end.

Im trying a new simple yay or nay rating system of: Dig It or Ditch it. 

Dig it to own it. I should've recommended this earlier as my holiday pick caz it didnt occur to me this would make a great holiday story because of the toys.


"We still have the greatest weapons of all , Harmony. Our minds and our hearts. While they both still function I wager we will make it through" - Jester , The Stuff of Legend

Dec.10/10 Sweeth Tooth

Sweet Tooth vol.2 TPB by Jeff Lemaire  came out this week. If you're not familiar with Sweet Tooth start with vol.1 , its a on going continuing story.

Sweet Tooth is a post apocalyptic story of a young boy named Gus whom is eventually nicknamed "Sweet Tooth" for obvious reasons you will see. Gus is a mysterious breed of a  human/animal hybrid raised in isolation with his father , unknown of his origins and why but there are a small population of these hybrids left. Im trying to be vague like a mother fucker caz I dont want to spoil anything more lol

 

sweet tooth vol.1

Gord Says: I recommend Sweet Tooth like Richard Simmons recommends dudes shaving and oiling your legs.. its a must!!  This is another title thats written and drawn by its creator , Jeff Lemaire so you'll know A) its his baby(literally the title character is named after his son) , he'll treat this title with top priority  and B) you'll get consistancy , you dont have to worry about brash changes in directions ...

 Im hooked and sinkered , Jeff Lemaire's got me in for the long haul. Definitely worth checking out.

New Trades this week:

1. 5 Days To Die vol.1 (IDW) by David Finch $19.99

Ray Crisara, a tough cop who's survived a terrible car accident, discovers his wife is dead and his daughter is in critical condition. Believing this was a planned hit by the city's drug loard he's been pursuing, Ray's brain injury leaves him five days before he dies to track the killer of be there for his little girl... Ray's clock is ticking! 

Gord Says: I have #1 but stopped pulling caz it wasnt my cup of tea (and "pulling" in the comic world doesnt mean the same thing on the streets).  If that description is to your liking , go check it out and skim through it .. this is one of those series that it may not be for me but I can see it being well liked by others. IDW rarely disappoints.

2. Orc Stain vol.1 (image) by James Stokoe $17.99

For a million millennia the world has cracked and convulsed under the indomitable mob of the orc. Savage, bloodthirsty creatures, they are without number, staining nearly every corner of the globe.

The mighty Orc Tzar, newest leader of the mob, marches ever north to find the lost organ of a forgotten god. Only a lone one-eyed orc with a mysterious gift can find the key to breaking the cycle forever. 

Gord Says: I only read a few individual issues , its not bad at all though it would help if I read the first few issues. Its getting rave reviews hence why I even checked it out in the first place. It sounded like something in my wheel house , I really wanted to like it and I do but not enough to make my pull... though its worth checking out..

3. Zombies of Mass Destruction (Red 5 Comics) $17.95 by Kevin Grevioux, David Youkovibch, Paul Ballard

With public patience for Middle East casualties wearing thin, the U.S. military adopts a new weapon - zombies. Air-dropped into hot zones, the walking dead indiscriminately infect everyone. Engineered to dissolve at daybreak, they create a safe combatant-free zone. What could possibly go wrong?

Gord Says: I havent read but looks narly. The thing with indie titles is that your local comic shop might not have it in but you can always special order them in or goto Amazon. 
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Other new comics this week:. I focus on comics for noobs and easy to jump on board with.

1. Let Me In: The Crossroads #1/4 (Dark Horse Comics) $3.99 

This is the prequel 4 part mini series to the movie. If you liked the movie 'Let Me In' or even the original 'Let the Right One In' then this is a cool read. Being forced to spend eternity as a vampire--trapped in the mind and body of a child, with slaughter the only recourse for survival--is torture enough. But when Abby finds herself faced with a ruthless real-estate tycoon willing to do anything to get at the property she and her caretaker call home, far more monstrous torments await. In a small community torn apart by vicious men who are consumed by greed, wrath, and envy, she will learn which deadly sin is truly deadliest.

Gord says: I recommend or wait for the trade. The art is fantastic . captures the mood swings perfectly. Its always cool to get prequel stories though I havent seen 'Let Me' In but Im a huge fan of 'Let the Right One In' , in which I think the lead character "Eli" is so deep , layered and mysterious  that a prequel for that character just screams awesome. In this case "Abby" the american version gets her prequel and its really good.

2. Littlest Zombie Vs. Littlest Vampire(One-shot) anartica press $3.99

It's Tom & Jerry meets 28 Days Later as the Littlest Zombie and the Littlest Vampire fight tooth and nail, hand-to-detachable-hand for scant sustenance!

Their quarry, the Littlest Survivor, must pull out every trick in the Apocalypse Survivor's Handbook to keep his two supernatural stalkers at each other's throats and off his! 

Gord Says: I didnt read so I cant say if I recommend but read that description "Tom & Jerry meets 28 Days".. thats the formula for "fuckin rights!".

3. Lady Mechanika #1 (aspen) by 2.99 by Joe Benitiz

The tabloids dubbed her 'Lady Mechanika', the sole survivor of a psychotic serial killer's three-year rampage through London. Found locked in an abandoned laboratory amidst countless corpses and body parts, with her own limbs amputated and replaced with mechanical components, her life began anew.

With no memory of her captivity or her former life, Lady Mechanika eventually built a new life for herself as a private detective, using her unique abilities to solve cases the police couldn't or wouldn't handle. But, she has never stopped searching for answers. . .

Now, brought into a case unlike any before, Lady Mechanika will have to rely on her advantage in all things occult and paranormal in order to solve the case and possibly unlock the secrets to her past! 

 Commander Winter , one of the antagonist .. look at that sweet art.

Gord says: I REALLY love steam punk and I cant wait to read this but Im waiting for the trades so I had to fight the urge really bad to not buy this. I skimmed through it to see the art.. looks AMAZING. There's also a #0 , thats out of print , pick it up if you're lucky to find it still.  


Horror Happy Hour
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Holiday Gift Guide: Graphic Novels and Comics

My gift guide for graphic novels will consist of titles readily available (Amazon , Chapters , local shops) , and the guide is for those whom want to get a graphic novel for somebody but clueless where to begin.. .these are great titles for noobs/anybody.

If you're shopping for somebody with more eccentric taste , message me or leave a comment and Ill try to send you more " exquisite " titles. Ill be listing the cheapest prices which are generally soft cover trades.. go hard cover if you want something a tad nicer. 

NOTE I list online prices ; online prices vastly lower than in store prices
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Super Hero books. These are noob friendly , in fact thats the main target audience to my guide. The heart and soul of graphic novels..  the super hero genre. 

The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller
Price: $14
who for ? anybody whom is a big fan of the movies/video games/toons but unfamiliar with the books. This is considered not only the best Batman book ever but possibly the best super hero story ever told. As a Batman fan I say this is a MUST READ..they will not be disappointed with this gift.

The Batman or Superman or Wonder Woman Encyclopedia 

price: $22

who for?: Any Batman/Wonder Woman/Sups enthusiasts of any age but for young ones in particular. This book will provide in depth and general info one needs to consider themselves a "true" fan.

Green Lantern Secret Origins by Geoff Johns

price: $14        

Green Lantern Rebirth by Geoff Johns

price: $13
  
who for? : anybody who might be interested in the Green Lantern movie coming up. This will re-educate and re-juvenate one's passion and interest into the Green Lantern lore and possibly into comics. Both are fundamental reads.     

All Star Superman vol.1 by Grant Morrison

price: $12

who for? Any Superman fan , this is regarded as one of the better Sups stories told.Im not a Sups diehard but I really liked this one so if I liked it , a Superman fan will mentally masturbate to this in their sleep.

Astonighing X-Men vol.1 and vol.2 by Joss Whedon

price: $22   these are the bigger collective editions. you can buy the trades which are a tad cheaper but better value in the bigger volumes.

who for? Any fan of the X-Men old or new and want a fresh new take on the world's strangest mutants. Extremely well written by Joss Whedon.Im an old school X Men diehard and this opened my mind and heart to a new XMen generation and era of stories. HIGHLY recommend.

Iron Man Extremis by Warren Ellis (Hard Cover .. cant find any soft covers)

price: $18

who for: Any Iron Man fans. Im personally not a Iron Man comic fan so Im not the best person to ask BUT I know Iron Man movies and cartoons are huge so.. probably many fans whom never read any of the comics. This is one of the newer critically acclaimed books on Iron Man by a world class writer in Warren Ellis.

ALL AGES books for anybody of any age and gender.

Mouse Guard Fall 1152 (3 books in total) by David Peterson
price: $17

who for?: anybody who likes a adventurous story about mice fending off evil , predators and protecting their realm. This is just crazy good , if you liked movies like 'Secret of the NIHM' this is in your wheel house or the person your shopping for. An on going series , there's 3 books available with the new story currently starting now.

The Stuff of Legend: Book 1 The Dark by Mike Raicht , art: Charles P Wilson

the price: $11

Who For? Anybody thats into Toy Story , Lord of the Rings ..type fantasy. Put those stories together and thats the giff of Stuff of Legend. This book molested me in a good way , this will absolutely knock the socks of any young creative mind looking to bust down those barriers of imagination. Charles P Wilson's pencil work alone is worth the price of admission. Its an on going series so there's MORE to come!!!

Wonderful Wizard of Oz (3 books in total) by Eric Shanover art: Scottie Young
price : $21 only available in hard cover.

who for? Fans of OZ. These are extended tales from the world of Oz. Its one of Marvel's best kept secrets caz its not a mainstream title they push but its very good. Its on going series.. 3 books available but more on the way.

TEENS ... Im more focused on the genre than say the content. 

Scott Pilgrim  by Bryan Lee O'Malley
price:   $56 for the set.: though on Amazon.com the books were on sale for $5 each which works out to be cheaper even with International shipping

who for?: any young adult or teen. If they loved the movie they will adore the source material.. they are both very good. Its a great introductory to what graphic novels are , and what they can be.

Black Hole by Charles Burns

price: $16 only available in hardcover

who for? sci fi , teen drama fans.Its about a mutant STD that starts to spread amongst a community of teens in Seattle during the glorious 70s.. this STD gives its victims various deformaties. Thats not  really the main plot , its still about being young and premescouis in the 70s.

Kick Ass by Mark Millar art: John Romita Jr
price: $18

who for?: If you know somebody whom loved the movie.. again , gotta read the source material otherwise they're just dumb ass posers.(warning : extreme graphic violence)

Pride of Baghdad by Bryan K Vaughan

price$ 15 

who for?: Lovers of a good story. Inspired by the true events during the Gulf War when a zoo was busted down and the animals escaped including a pride of lions. This is the fictional/fantasy tale of those lions and their journey through the streets of baghdad. Bryan k Vaughn( Lost (tv show) , Y the Last Man) is one of the top writers going today and this is just an example of his genius. This is a book for anybody whom loves a good story.

Persepolis by Narjabe Satrapi

price: $20 hard cover only

who for?:
Persepolis is the story of Satrapi''s unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval

Archie Marries wedding album

price $20


who for?: any Archie fan young or old. Archie married Veronica and its all curtailed in his lovely hardcover set. A must have for any Archie fan.



Adult .. this doesnt mean porn. Its just the content , topics are more targetted for adults.. and there might be comic sex too.

Blankets by Craig Thompson

price: $21 

who for? Its a journal or memoir of types. Its a beautiful story of a man and his entire life's experiences curtailed with lovely drawn pictures and dialogue.I strongly recommend this for any fan of graphic novels.

Cages by Dave Mckeon 

price$20

who for?: Any comic book or graphic novel enthusiast. This book is considered one of the most imperative graphic novels of all time and its back in print. The art is fabulous , the story is complex and layered , I had to read it twice just ot get a slight grip on it. Its amazing piece of "art" overall.

Maus  I & II set by Art Speigelmen
price: $23

who for? Actually its great for teens but I figure the topic of the holocaust may be a downer for a moron teen for Xmas you know what i mean? but if you want an amazing story. This is considered one of the most essential graphic novels ever published. Its the true biographical story of Art Speigelmen's fathers experiences during the halocaust .. but instead of telling the story with humans he uses mice and rats.
 

CRIME  Detectives , cops , murder mysteries , any kind of msyteries needing to be solved...

Blacksad by Juan Diaz Canales , art: Juanjo Guarnido

price:$20 

who for? : Old school crime story enthusiasts. Throw back crime style stories from the 50s except with animals. Its a anthropomorphic story starring private detective Blacksad. I love this book so much.. I will cradle this book to my heart like a school girl and rock it back and forth with animated hearts spurring from my body

Tumor by Joshua Hale Fialkov art: Noel Tuazon

price: $12 only available in hard cover

who for? Its about an old broken down private eye dying with cancer looking to break possibly his last case. Finding the missing daughter of a local mob boss , he must maintain his sanity , and rescue this girl in his last days on earth. I found myself glued to the dysfunction and tragedy of the main character and you cannot help but latch on to his band wagon and see him through this.

Chew Omnivore v.1 by John Layman , art; Rob Guillory

price:$28 ..the hard cover edition , it collects the first 2 trades.

who for?:Anybody who likes a good , funny , smart comic. This is for any comic fan looking for something new to read.. hell its great for noobs too , to see how awesome comics can be. It is for teens and older.

HORROR  comics and horror go together like penis and vagina. Sorry gay couples.

The Walking Dead Compendium by Robert Kirkman art. Tony Moore , Charlie Adlard

price: $39

who for?: Any zombie enthusiasts esp if they never read a zombie comic before , this will awaken them to a whole new world. Its considered one of the best zombie tales ever , created and told by a passionate fan himself , Robert Kirkman. The compendium collects the first 8 volumes.

Hack Slash Omnibus vol.1(3 in total) by Tim Seeley art: various

price: $20

who for? Any fan of those cheesy slasher flicks like Halloween , Friday the 13th , Hellraiser , Chucky ..etc. Hack Slash is about a goth teen girl , Cassie Hack dedicating her life to hunting down these "slashers" and fighting their evil. This is as entertaining comics will get.

Tales From The Crypt box set vol.1 (2 volumes in total)by various writers/artist

price:$22

who for?: Anyone whom read the originals and lost touch , fans of the show , any fan of horror.. Tales From The Crypt is the back bone and fundamentals to horror in general.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Omnibus V.1 by Joss Whedon

price: $17

who for? I admit I havent read this but it gets crazy good reviews and fans of the franchise LOVE the graphic novels/comics.So if you know anybody whom use to be into Buffy or currently into Twatlight  or just a Sara Michelle Gellar fan.. this will not disappoint. There's like 15+ volumes overall I think? I dont know but yeah , if they like volume 1 they'll soil themselves knowing there's shit loads more to come.

Science Fiction/Fantasy

Shadows of the Empire Omnibus by various writers/artists 

price: $17

who for?: Any self proclaimed true Star Wars fan. Shadows of the Empire is essential reading material , either the graphic novel or the novella by Steve Perry . This is the story that takes place between Empires and Jedi .. Jedi takes place 3 years after Empires.. some serious shit goes down. As an uber Star Wars Nerdi Knight I highly recommend this title ..either the book or graphic novel.. or both if they're a true fan.

Amazing Screw On Head by Mike Mignola art Dave. Stewart
price: $15

who for? Let me describe it then you can make up your own mind: ...
Screw-On Head is an agent for President Abraham Lincoln. He is summoned by Lincoln to track down Emperor Zombie, an undead occultist and originally a groundskeeper at Hyde Park. Nuff said right?

Its pretty cool as Miley Cyrus would say.