Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Guest Reviews For Free Comic Book Day: Laura Cushing

New feature! Our very first guest reviewer here at Comic-A-Day is Laura Cushing. Laura writes fiction and poetry, and manages the online writing community Charloft. She is a partner in Lab Arc Designs and resides in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. You can also get in touch with her via her Facebook page. Laura is reviewing five books that she picked up on Free Comic Book Day a couple of weeks ago.

Let me preface this by saying I'm not a big time comic reader. When I was a kid, I read the occasional Archie or Uncle Scrooge comic. I had the V series of comics because I was really into the show as a teen. But other than that, I hadn't really given much thought to comics until recently. Free comic book day is a great way for comic newbies like me to pick up some titles and start reading. My friend Rick (of Dandelion Studios) first introduced me to free comic book day years ago. I was excited - we went around to various stores and picked up a ton of totally free comic books. Wow! What could be cooler?

This year, my husband Aus and I are living in a new neighborhood. Here in West Berlin, we are lucky enough to have a comic store (Stormwatch Comics) and a game store (All Things Fun). Though I've been too shy to go to the D&D events at All Things Fun like I've wanted to, I did make it in for free comic day. Both stores had great deals going on - at Stormwatch, you could get 5 additional free titles and pay a dollar a book after that - and they had a huge selection for you to choose from. At All Things Fun, they had sales on various games and items in-store. They also had costumed characters from starwars and free pretzels. Pretty awesome stuff!

With myself and Aus both attending, we were able to get a good assortment of the free comics on offer. Three each, from each store, means twelve great titles! Following is a review of some of them:


Civil War Adventure
What's 150 years old and full of gruesome tales? Why the civil war, of course! There's plenty of (somewhat) educational action in this sampler. Gator Bait tells the tale of a 'swamp rat' blockade runner who meets a well-deserved end, I Rode With the Devil sets up a continuing story of a boy who becomes one of Quantrill's riders. There's also a couple of mini-pieces, one on abolitionists and one on field amputations. This sampler definitely made me want to check out more of the series. This title is from History Graphics Press.

Mouse Guard / The Dark Crystal
Mouse Guard by David Petersen is too adorable! This is another title that made me want to read more. This stand alone story tells the tale of a clever mouse who tricks a hawk, a crab, and a snake by using his wits. The artwork is very pretty and the tale is well-told. Flipping the book over you get Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal. The story here tells of the origin of the Dark Crystal and provides an introduction to a two-volume graphic novel series they're putting out that tells the origins of the Dark Crystal world. In the middle of this there are little teasers for Season of the Dapper Men and A Tale of Sand that were just so-so. This title is from Archaia.

The Lone Ranger / Battle Star Galactica
The Lone Ranger has gotten an update for modern times. He's a lot more badass looking than the 50s version. His native american sidekick can speak english in complete sentences. The story is minimal here, it just gives a little introduction to the Lone Ranger's creed, and has him saving a school teacher from a bad guy then riding off into the sunset. But the artwork is good and it does make me want to check out the series to see what the modernized Lone Ranger is up to. Battlestar Galactica - well. I glanced at it. It didn't draw me in enough to make me want to read it. This book is from Dynamite Entertainment.

The Stuff of Legend / The Intrepid Escape Goat - The Princess and the Pyramid
How cute is this? Stuffed animals in WWII Europe bravely entering the closet to rescue their boy from whatever monsters lurk within. There is an introduction to the world for newcomers like myself, and a preview of artwork from their latest volume for those who are familiar with the series. It all has an old-timey feel to it - the colors are like old newsprint. It looks like an exciting adventure with toys as heroes - what could be better? I definitely want to check more of this series out. On the other side of the book is The Intrepid Escape Goat. This suited-and-bowtied goat is a cross between James Bond, Houdini and Indiana Jones. He's one cool customer, who gets himself out of a sticky situation when his snakey sidekick betrays him to the bad guys. The adventure takes place in an Egyptian pyramid, and winds up in the Intrepid Escape Goat having a new sidekick - a child-aged Isis. That bit of unbelievability aside, this was an exciting adventure story that also made me want to read more of the series. From Th3rworld Studios.

Kung Fu Panda / Richie Rich in Eruption Disruption
This family-friendly book is colorful and easy to read. The Kung Fu Panda side features everyone's favorite chubby panda martial artist, Po. In Let the Fur Fly, Tigress is sick and Po must singlehandedly find the cure by braving the Forest of Isolation. Touch of Destiny is shorter and less involved, but both are cute stories that kids will enjoy. Richie Rich is another old character that gets a modern twist - he's now a globetrotting super hero type. Irona the robot maid and Cadbury the buttler are sporting guns and powers too. I'm not sure what to think about that, but I guess kids will enjoy it. The story has them battling a supervillan while on vacation, and features a volcano. This title is by Kizoic.

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