Review Fatale #15

I'm a fan of mysteries, noir, and pulp fiction. Little wonder then, that I liked Fatale from its very first issue. The blending of the supernatural and noir within the title is balanced so well that characterizing the book as one genre or the other does it a disservice.

With issue #15 the creative team of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips launch a new story arc that propels us back into the grand mystery of Josephine and the men who revolve around her.

I reviewed it for Broken Frontier, and you can read it HERE.

Please leave a comment on their site and let me know how you liked the book.

Review Witchblade #167

With issue #167, Chicago-based private investigator Sara Pezzini is launched head-first into a new story arc that is a great jumping-on point for the series. Writer Tim Seeley is in fine form on this book and has made good progress toward giving the supporting cast more depth, responsibility, and opportinities for mayhem. But it's Sara's struggle to balance her supernatural responsibilities with just being a woman trying to pay the overdue rent that will earn Seeley new readers.

My full review is up on the Broken Frontier site, and you can read it HERE. Feel free to leave a comment about the book on their site.

Enjoy, and have a great weekend!

Staff Pics June 19, 2013

Good news! The guys at Broken Frontier named me a staff writer! It's very cool news, and it means that I'll have to keep myself to a regular writing schedule each week. That can only be a good thing.

I've enjoyed my return to writing comics reviews, and the BF editors would like me to branch out by writing some opinion pieces and doing creator interviews. That should be a fun challenge, and I'm looking forward to it. If you have some ideas, please send them my way!

I'm contributing to BF's Monday-morning feature, Staff Pics. Each week we offer a short preview look at notable comics coming out that Wednesday. You can check out this week's Staff Pics HERE.

Happy Wednesday and enjoy your new books!

Review Superman Unchained #1

I'm a big Superman fan. Not apologizing for it, either. The first comic I ever picked up at the grocery store was a Superman book, and he has been a favorite ever since.

As much as I enjoy watching Supes leap tall buildings in a single bound, my favorite stories are always the ones where he has to use his brain or face a moral crisis and his powers are just tools to reach the solution. His quest to do the right thing often leads him to debate what the right thing really is for a given situation -- a trait that makes him one of the most human characters in the DC universe.

The big news in comics this week is the launch of Superman Unchained #1. Written by Scott Snyder with art by the incomparable Jim Lee, this book deserves all of the attention it's received. Snyder's story is a Batman-worthy mystery, and he does a terrific job with Clark Kent. Lee's art was crafted as if he had all year to work on the book and nothing else going on -- the detail will blow your mind. If you haven't read Superman lately, dive into this title head first. There isn't a better marriage of words and art on the shelves right now.

I reviewed the book for the folks at Broken Frontier, and you can read the review HERE. And I have a fangirl confession: the review went live on the BF site yesterday, and I tweeted about it (follow me @leaveittokaren). I tagged Snyder, Lee, BF, and DC Comics. Jim Lee read the review and replied, "Very kind."

That made my day!

Review East of West #3

Recently, I was asked if I read the entire series for all of the books I review. I don't, but I do like to have some background on the title before I work on a review. I try to review titles that are on my personal pull list as often as I can -- familiarity makes for a smooth writing process. When I review a title not on my pull list that is near the beginning of its run, I ask my local comics shop put the previous issues in my box. I'll read those before I attempt the issue I'm reviewing.

Such was the case for my review of Image Comics' East of West #3. Once I read that first issue, I was hooked. It's an interesting take on the Four (Three) Horsemen of the Apocolypse with well-developed characters full of wit and carnage.

My review is on the Broken Frontier site HERE.

Review Ten Grand #2

The first of two comics reviews I wrote this week for the guys at Broken Frontier appeared yesterday.

Writer J. Michael Straczynski and artist Ben Templesmith have a hard-boiled hit on their hands with Ten Grand, the first release from the Joe's Comics imprint (published by Image Comics).

My review of issue #2 is HERE. Please leave a comment! Thanks!