Epic

Epic-

Writer/artist- Anthony Marques

Ferano Ruiz

Bob Hardin

Fabio Redivo

Publisher- www.epicsanthology.com

The Hook- an Anthology series with short stories in each book. Drawn and written in a sometimes old school style. The Book dedicated to Jack Kirby with some of the same sensibilities of the old works.  Going over multiple Genera

This one has 4 stories. First one is a simple a soldier in a Jet pack fighting invading Russians in the late 50’s. The second is about a scientist who owes money to Loan sharks and his Robot. The third is about a lady street racer. The 4^th is a noir mystery about a detective investigating a murder. Each has different arts styles. The third has the most different run with a rough art style. The art on this is pretty good going from Goofy, to rough pants of a 60’s, Warhol’ish pop art style. All the stories drawn by the person that writes it. Some are better artist then they are writers. Sense some of the plots at time just a place to show off their art. And it really good art though. Some are too short, and it really makes you wish they expand on some more. Namely when you know all of these stories are probably one shots and this won’t be retraced. The first story is quick and to the point. Not much story to it. It is just a guy in a Rocket fighting in a city where Russians took over. There are Blimps exploding and the whole Jazz. It is basically just an action scene.  I mean I like seeing evil communist get punch as much as the next Rocky 4 fan, but it more an appetizer then a meal of a story. The second one actually does have plot that works well with the short structure. It has a nice origin story about a guy who soul gets put into a robot. It has a nice middle, beginning and end in a short amount of time. The third is basically those old rebel Teens with fast cars movies in the 60’s. The art pretty rough but that the style it going for. Not the style I like but can’t really say it’s bad either... 4^th one is a good detective story with nice pacing.  If you don’t like some of these, it a good chance you least like one of them.

Curves and Bullets

Curves & Bullets
Written- Keith Mccleary
Drawn-  Rodoflo Ledesma
Publisher- BD
Curvesandbullets.com
The Hook- Imagine if Russ Meyer wrote Mad Max, while hopped on and Red Bull and had a LOL CAT fetish and you have a pretty good idea of what this movie would be. In the future, multiple gangs fight in a desert life for power. We follow a gang of hot barely dress babes, that fight Cat people on Biker, and then a cyber that looks like a Silver Elvis

One thing you got to accept is it has a very little plot. And the Plot they do have is dumb as all get out. It’s fun but dumb.  That said it’s a very fun but short ride. The art is very colorful like they just dump every Crayon in the box on the page. It had tons of red and, blue, oranges. The designs are very cartoony with them giving cheese cake poses, and wearing outlandish gear. One girl has clown face tattoos on her breast (just like my dear old Grand ma). There a lot of women dress in Fetish gear and driving crazy vehicles. The dialogue reminds me of a B movie. There is a lot of women talking trash and acting tough. That said the cartoonish kind of takes away most of the tension. Lot of people die and you’re like “meh”. Also, it really hard to distinguish the character from each other besides their outfits

Dead Man's Party

Dead Man’s Party
Written- By Jeff Marsick
Illustrated- Scott Barnett
Publisher- www.MulhollandBooks.com
                   www.deadmansparty.org

The Hook- A hit man is told by a doctor he is going to die.  So he decides to go out swinging and puts a hit out on himself for millions. Apparently it something done regularly in the high paid hit men filled to point is had a name referred to as A DEAD MAN’S PARTY. But wait there is a TWIST. He finds out his doctor been killed, and that he wasn’t on Death’s door After all. He wants to call it off but hitmen go by a very strict NO TAKES BACK rule. And now he much fight off an army of hitmen, and figure out who killed them

I read two issues. The story is drawn black and white and pretty well written. It has a realistic look, very smooth line and thick ink. It is drawn and paneled out with a very cinematic vibe.  This may be a spec script for a movie because it written likes that with action scene that could fit into a movie with a rather modest budget. In car chases, cool kills, and some cool dialogue. It a pretty sweet kill with an Iphone in one scene. Of course it runs into the normal issues of the genre. I never really brought why he could call it off, by just moving some money around so they wouldn’t get if even if they killed him. Anytime they make that explanation it sounds fishy. Also like most stories of this type it in a world with no cops. Or if they are cops they have the skill of the cop from the Cookie Crisp commercials. But they avoid the normal hurdles of these things. The hitmen aren’t making pop culture references. Also they don’t try to soften him up by saying “Yea he may kill people for money but he spends all that money on Orphans. Granted there orphans because he killed their parents but still”. Although, he is mostly going after other bad guys so you don’t hate him. He hasn’t shot a kid or anything yet to make you go against him too much. It is not really that much of a morality tale. They just pushed you into a story real quick and let you enjoy the ride and it’s a good ride.
B+