Ducky. Kim Roberts (Writer), Pramit Santra (Art), Chris Allen (Colours & Letters), Swampline Comics 2018

A very enjoyable re-working of the Chucky horror film with a cast of ducks and hens. When a serial rapist is trapped, deserted by his accomplice and fatally wounded by the police he does not die quietly. A widowed mother buys a doll for her son from a peddler and trouble and lashings of gore follow from there. Exactly as it should do.
Kim Roberts has nicely avoided playing the story for laughs, it needs a serious intent to come off. The change of cast and the very smart compression of the story into a comic refreshes the story nicely and gives it a happily grim edge. The plot is good fun and the story makes the most of it, it solves the perennial problem in horror, people acting stupidly in order to get into trouble. The child and an evil doll give every adult an opportunity to be disbelieving and credible at the same time.
Pramit Santra's art is great, the cast are very expressive and suitably humorous at the same time. He carries the need to be humours, a cast of barnyard fowl is always going to be ridiculous, at the same time they are given weight and intent. The art captures the writing to give Ducky in particular a tremendous energy and nasty life, he is threatening and unpleasant no matter what he looks like. The rest of the cast move out of their stereotypes to be individual and that gives the story more weight and impact. No one is an anonymous victim, they have a chance to be someone and their encounters with Ducky develop into real confrontations.
Chris Allen's colours give the context, action and in particular the gore force and impact. The colours pick out the details of the story and add greatly to the atmosphere of the story. The lettering is unobtrusive and natural to read in the panels, the low key sound effects work a treat
Ducky takes a ridiculous idea , makes it more ridiculous and finishes with an good fun horror story, impressive work by very talented creators.
Chief Wizard Note:This is a review copy I was very kindly sent by Kim Roberts at Swampline Comics. It can be purchased from https://www.swamplinecomics.com/shop, you really should give yourself the pleasure of a smart comic, a sure path to sparking joy.

Bionics No. 1. Kim Roberts (Writer), Chris Royal (Pencils), Martinho Abreu (Inks), Chunlin Zhao (Colours), Ken Reynolds (Letters). Markosia (2018)

The first installment of a highly enjoyable and engaging science fiction comic that sets up the cast and story with great energy and force. Beth is convinced by her jailed husband, Ben, to meet someone, Zeke, to recover something from the firm he had worked at. Beth discoverers that the firm and her husband had secrets and also finds out that others want those secrets too. Vivian, who now runs Bionics visits visits Ben and the plot kick off into high gear.
Kim Roberts sets up a mystery story that opens nicely out into a  full throttle science fiction adventure, bristling with ideas and details that are a pleasure to encounter. The cast are engaging, Beth is trying to understand how her life could have been upended so dramatically and is willing to take a chance if it will help her husband. Zeke is a cool, mysterious stranger who knows more than he is revealing up front, Veronica is a classic villain. The two who pursue Beth and Zeke are not as human as they appear.
Chris Royal's and Martinho Abreu's art is a pleasure to read, it is distinctive and expressive, the action is powerfully done, the conversations are natural. The panels are used to great effect to control the pace and focus of the story, they bring the reader deep into the story.
Chunlin Zhao's colours are very effective, they bring out the details of the art, adding expressiveness to to the cast and depth to the context. I really like the way the colours are used to give shape and definition to the clothes the cast wear, they are a strong part of how the cast express who they are.
The letters by Ken Reynolds are unobtrusive, easy to ready and placed naturally in the panels.
Bionics does everything a first issue should do with confidence and flair, establish the cast and engage the gears of the story. I am looking forward to seeing where it moves to from here.

Toothville Issue 2. Kim Roberts (Writer), Denis Pacher (Art), Chris Allen (Colours & Letters ) Swampline Comic (2017)

Action paced second installment pushes the story forward with energy and momentum. Tilda Hilfairy, the worst tooth fairy in history , hopes to be the savoir of Toothville with her invention, Tooth Rot. Unfortunately Dr Dippelurger  has created Decayless toothpaste which may mean the extinction of tooth fairies. Tilda investigates Dr Dippelurger and this leads her to Birchard Pharmaceuticals  where Tilda finds out the real purpose of Decayless and realises that the problem is much, much bigger than she had thought.

Kim Roberts packs a lot of story into the issue, this is wonderful, economical, compressed comic storytelling. The reveals are neatly staged, the action is loud, fast and great fun.The story has moved from being a very smart idea into a very engaging narrative that has the strength and depth to keep a reader engaged, satisfied and happily anticipating more.

Denis Pacher's art is striking and wonderful, he uses the whole page in a playful way that catches both the fairy tale roots of the story and its very contemporary delivery. The pages are designed as much as drawn, the gutters and panels are used imaginatively to contribute to the overall impact, they have a tremendous energy and expressiveness. The cast are as cartoony as they should be, Dr Dippelurger has the smirking villainy that he should have. Tilda Hilfairy is shinning rebuke to the anatomically impossible females that litter comics, she is glowing confident, uncertain, snarky and confused and always just wholly herself. 

Chris Allen's colours are loud and expressive, they pop off the page and give the art the the lift it deserves to capture the subtly and the details that should be relished. The way that all the bright colours work with each other instead of being confusing or chaotic is a significant indicator of the skill and discipline that Chris Allen has brought to bear on the work. His lettering is quiet, unobtrusive and natural,. except where the sounds effects need to be loud, eye catching and dominant.A great fun comic that wears the enormous work and care that it took to make it very lightly.

Soulless No 1. Kim Roberts (Writer), Chris Royal (Pencils), James Johnson (Inks), Chunlin Zhao (Colours), Ken Reynolds (Letters). Swampline Comics (2017)

Very enjoyable and engaging first issue that neatly sets up the story, delivers a great hook ending and has a generous story to tell in its own right. The Carnival of Souls comes into a small town, it is followed by two people, Raul an ex-priest and Claudia a carnival survivor . The carnival sets up and Rail and Claudia join the customers and it all gets nasty, exactly as it should. The carnival has a deliberate purpose and Rail is determined to prevent it succeeding, a process Claudia may be helping or may be complicating.
Kim Roberts has packed a great deal of story between the covers, the major players are economically and confidently introduced and the action is kicked off with a bang. The reason why the carnival is touring is given, Raul and Claudia are going to be involved in a very serious fight.
The art is lovely, the cast are strongly expressive, they have energy and physical force as they move, they move as individual members of the cast and react to each other credibly. The female member of the cast, in particular Kali and Claudia are treated with respect and given the opportunity be be actual personalities. Kali burns with purpose, all the people she meets are just means to her end. Claudia is in slightly over her head and determined to push ahead. Raul is slightly more conventional, an experienced demon hunter he is not really tested yet. The use of panels to control the pace of the story and create variety on the page is a pleasure to read.
The colouring catches and emphasises the details of the cast and context as well as the emotional tones of the story with precision. The carnival is a riot of bright colours that smartly brings out the dark ideas that swirl around it.The lettering is quiet and natural until it needs to be loud and obtrusive in the sound effects.
Soulless is a great fun comic that showcases strong comics storytelling by very talented creators. It is going to be a thrill ride.

Red Christmas. Kim Roberts (Writer & Colours), Frederico Guillen (Art), Chris Allen (Letters & Colours). Swampline Comics (December 2017)

A bloody and satisfying Christmas story that uses a classic horror story idea with care and strong impact. When a department store Santa is fired and has a car crash his troubles increase greatly when he encounters a group of students on a booze run for their party. Events turn bloody.
Red Christmas does not rely on novelty, it has abundance of smart storytelling instead, the idea is not new the execution shows why it is still so strong. If you are going to do something very dangerous then it pays to make sure that you have done it properly.
Frederico Guillen's art is a pleasure to read, it creates a strong context for the action with the set up from both elements of the story. The action when it comes is never overwhelming which adds to the force, the calm context is never disturbed it is all concentrated on the cast in word and deed. There is nothing generic about the cast, they are all individual and very expressive, the body language is powerful and conveys the character of the cast as much as their words.
Chris Allen's colours are are muted and give weight and detail to the art, the calm intensity of the action is captured perfectly by the colouring, dreadful action can be low key as much as shouted.
Red Christmas does what it sets out really, really well. Classic horror thrills and delights delivered by  talented creators is the perfect way to launch Christmas with a pleasurable shiver.

Dracustein. Kim Roberts (Writer), Denis Pacher (Art), Chris Allen (Colours & Letters). Swampline Comics (November 2017)

A great fun mash up that packs a considerable ammount of story into the first issue. Dracustein is lonely and has a plan to build himself a life partner. Withe the assistance of the Wolf Man, the Mummy and a winged demon he has assembled most of the body parts he wants, the final mission is to find the head. A trip to the local village and the victim is found and the mission accomplished. Things rapidly go down hill from there, starting from the expected point of the reanimated female being horrified and repulsed and fleeing to the nicely unexpected events that follow. There are a number of interested and not so interested parties in the village and they make the situation for Dracustein much more complicated.
Kim Roberts has managed to lovingly parody some classic film monsters and and create new story at the same time that allows her cast become independent characters in their own right. The light touch and wonderful confidence this is accomplished with is clear at every stage. The cast are introduced quickly and effectively and the initial set up is completed nicely. It is what follows that give the story and cast the lift they need to be more than a straightforward parody, the reveals are smartly staged and the plot lines are neatly twisted. The monsters are given a comic element that works well, the intended partner for Dracustein is given a human heartbeat, horrified and scared at her transformation. This gives the story a darker edge and it sharpens the whole episode.
Denis Pacher's friendly art is a pleasure to read, the cast are given a life and energy, they are clearly monsters and equally comic monsters. Dracustein is expressive as he needs to be, this is a heartfelt project for him and when it goes wrong he is clearly devastated. The rest of the cast are given the delicate balance between their origins and the needs of the story. The horror elements are never toned down, they are presented with just the right degree of exaggeration to make them work.
Chris Allen's colours bring out the details of the art with great force and subtly, Dracustein's suit is two colours side to side not top and bottom, a classic split. The colours are bright and expressive capturing the emotional tones of the story, the leters are quiet and natural to read, the sound effects give a boost to the action when required.
This is a very enjoyable issue that gets the story off to a flying start and leaves the reader happily anticipating more.

Red Christmas-Kickstarter. Kim Roberts (Writer & Colours), Frederico Guillen (Art), Chris Allen (Letters & Colours)

Swampline comics have established an enviable reputation for having smart ideas backed by sharp execution. Emerging from under their Tomb of Horror ( a great and wonderfully inclusive horror anthology) banner is a one shot, Red Christmas.
True to form there is a cracking idea, a group of friends knock down Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, deciding to try and hide the evidence proves to be a very serious miscalculation.
The sample pages up on Kickstarter showcases everything very nicely, a brisk and effective set up is established, the art is friendly and engaging with a clear indication that things are going to take an unpleasant turn very quickly. The cast are individual and expressive, already they are more than just bags of blood waiting to be burst open their actions will be consequential for them and the reader.
The colours are quiet and natural, they give depth and solidity to the context, they have a nicely wintery rather than a Chrismassy feel, dark nights will get darker.
I am backing this Kickstarter because I really want to see how the talented creators manage the story possibilities that they have set up.
 I think you should go to the link below and support the project because there are never enough good comics  and encouraging talented people to make them is a great way to get more.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1870476470/red-christmas

Voodoo Curse 1. Kim Roberts (Writer), Rienaldo Lay (Art), Chris Allen (Colours & Letters). Swampline Comics (October 2017)

A very enjoyable and engaging horror crime comic that solves the problem of a first issue with confident skill. After a robbery gets messy,Jake Jones is murdered by his companion. This is a problem for his wife, Jake has gambling debts and his employer, who wants what was stolen. So a solution is found, bring Jake back to life via voodoo.
Kim Roberts manages to get the story to the most important point with confident skill, great pacing and lashings of gore. The cast are all suitably angry and nasty, they are all willing to do what they have to to secure their aims. There is a nice layer of betrayal stitched into the fabric of the story from the start that means that the unfolding story has great possibilities.
Rienaldo Lay's art is a joy, the cast are all strongly realised with eloquent body language and they move naturally through their context. The action is loud and splattery, the art catches the dark nuances of the story perfectly and brings them out very nicely. There is no hesitation in the art, it is a flat out as the story requires, the thread of brutal desperation that runs though the story is never overstated.
Chris Allen's colours are great, they give the art depth and reach, allowing for the horror action to strongly pop. The colours are used as special effects and they carry the work with ease, they give the action a increased force that is needed to polish the edge of the story.
This is a first issue that firmly sets up the cast and story and creates a very happy anticipation for the reader of where it will travel to. 

Resurrected 1 . Kim Roberts (Writer), James Johnson (Art), Chris Allen (Letters & Colours). Swampline Comics (2017)

A smart and engaging take on a classic cartoon show about a group of  supernatural investigators who drive a minivan spiked with a welcome shot of gore and a sharp edge. On Blackwod Island four investigators set out for the Blackwood Funeral Home (right beside Black Wood Cemetery) to check for ghostly activity. Naturally things take a turn for the worse and then the worse starts to expand and become significantly worse again.
What is greatly enjoyable is the way that Kim Roberts does not fight against the genre requirements, instead they are embraced and employed as fully as possible and then given a little boost. The conflict in the group is not banter it has a force that gives the story the push it needs. A ridiculous situation is not just taken seriously, it is actually serious and that brings the reader right into the story.
James Jonson's art is perfectly matched to capture the nuances and hints within the writing and delivers a deeply satisfying balance. The first zombie to be revived is both funny grotesque and horrifyingly grotesque  at the same time, there really are no rules for talent. The rest of the cast manage this same fine balance, cartoony art that brings astonishingly eloquent and expressive body language that allows for laughs and is nasty at the same time.
Chris Allen's colours match the cartoon heritage of the story and the art perfectly, when it comes to delivering the gore the colours smoothly and naturally manage the process without blinking. The lettering is quiet and natural to read, the sound effects are cleverly placed to give just the extra push needed at critical moments.
Resurrected has managed an fantastically difficult task in comics, take a well known pop culture idea, mash it with a related idea and make it work as an independent entity without betraying the origins. The steely core of horror in Resurrected makes everything else work and makes for great story possibilities that the talented creators can exploit for the delight of their readers.

Dracustein Kickstarter. Kim Roberts (Writer), Denis Pacher (Art), Chris Allen (Colours & Letters). Swampline Comics (2017)

Mash ups can be a wonderful creative possibility in the hands of the right creative team. There is an opportunity to get the same thrill that the originals gave along with another dimension that the new team bring. The creative team behind Dracustein have an enviable track record for both respecting genre requirements and finding something new to say and this looks to be no exception.
A stitched together Dracula is building himself a romantic partner with the "assistance" of The Wolfman and The Mummy and other classic monsters. Naturally it does not go to plan. Just how it does not go to plan is what awaits backers of this Kickstarter project, I am one.
 I have a deep and abiding affection for the original incarnations of these monsters, they scared the life out of me when I saw them first, then I later loved them for their heroic sincerity. In the right hands it is possible to capture both of these aspects and the inherent humour without ever betraying the monsters. The sample pages made me very happy, I think that that the creative team have very neatly threaded a very slippery needle and I greatly look forward to how the story unfolds.
The link for the Kickstarter, https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1139490928/dracustein.
I have backed a number of projects from Swampline comics and I have been impressed with the discipline and effort they bring to bear on their projects, lovely production values and delivery on schedule.
Back the campaign and share the deep and abiding pleasure that excellent comics bring.

Ghostly Tides 1. Kim Roberts (Writer), Dennis Pacher (Art), Colours & Letters (Chris Allen). Swampline Comics (2017)

A very engaging and enjoyable pirate story that thoroughly enjoys and embraces the genre. Finn competes in the annual Pirate Trials on Skull Island and looses. He encounters a witch in a tavern and follows her to Swamp Island and discovers that this was a very big mistake. As the witch and the resurrected skeletons of the Black Pirate and his crew sail for revenge, Finn and his friend Sam have to try and stop them.
This first issue solves the problems of a first issue with great energy and smart storytelling. The context for the story is swiftly established, it is a pirate fantasy story with a gullible hero and a dangerous villain. The trouble for the hero and the villain are smartly set up and the reader is nicely set up for the continuing story. The writing by Kim Roberts is smart and economical, there is a lot of story in the issue, it never feels rushed or crowded, the action is fast, furious and suitably bloody.
Dennis Pacher's art is friendly, full of wonderful details and simply exploding with energy and life. The cast are given enormous character and expressiveness, they are all bigger than life which they need to be, the skeleton crew are as lively as the mortal cast cast. The action is wonderful, it is very brutal when it needs to be and at the same time has exactly the humorous edge that it needs to keep the atmosphere playful. The panel layouts are a joy, the gutter decorations are a pleasure.
Chris Allen has coloured the story in exactly the bright colours that the tone of the story calls for, the colours bring out the details of the art and the nuances of the story. The sound effects
are perfectly placed and pitched, the story is already loud enough , the effects just add the emphasis exactly where it is needed.
A great fun comic by very talented creators that happily entices the reader to want more.

Toothville 2- Kickstarter Campaign Kim Roberts (Writer), Denis Pacher (Art), Chris Allen (Colours & Letters). Swamp Line Productions

The second part of this very engaging story with a hugely engaging lead character, a nicely developing villain and a superbly set up story line is now running a Kickstarter campaign.
A fresh and clever look at the work of tooth fairies, featuring the worst tooth fairy in history who is also the most innovate one, who is facing the gravest threat to the existence of tooth fairies that has ever existed. The writing is smart and funny, the cast have vigour and force, emerging as individuals with a sharp edges and tremendous energy.
Toothville 1, which is available as one of the backer bundle rewards, set up the story with wonderful confidence and closed on a suitably gripping cliffhanger. Now the chance to see how the talented and creative team behind Toothville are going to take the story is avalible.
Smart, inventive and engaging comics like Toothville are one of the great pleasures in life, give yourself the chance to enjoy that pleasure by backing Toothville.

Chief Wizard Note: I am a backer for Toothville 2, I would really like it to be successful so that I get to read it. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1139490928/toothville-2

Tomb of Horror. Kim Roberts (Editor). Swapmline Comics (2017)

A very engaging and enjoyable horror anthology that that a has a wide and happy selection of stories that all sit comfortably with each other to create a very satisfying whole. Among the stories in this anthology are:
A Song for Mongrels, Bobby Harris (Writer and Artist), is sharp and smart, an apparently homeless woman screaming at a bus stop may be a nuisance, she may also be a lot more than that. Bobby Harris gathers a lot of story into a short space, clever set up and very satisfactory pay off. The art moves from naturally from open scenes to intense close ups, the cast are strongly expressive and bring the reader into the story.
Harold. John Ramos (Writer), Vince Underwood (Artist) neatly manages reader expectations to deliver a nasty and very satisfying story. Harold Francis Grauseman , husband, father, derelict is lost in his own circumstances until he is noticed by others, it does not go well. John Ramos manages the tone of the story with confident care, the reval is beautifully staged and very effective. Vince Underwood's art is beautiful, deeply expressive and detailed, it catches the nauances of the writing exactly and moves effortlessly from quiet to very , very loud without hesitation. Impressive use of panels to control the story adds greatly to the pleasure of reading.
The Man Who Has Everything. Jack Wallace (Writer), David Newbold (Pencils), Ivan Miranda (Inks), Geys & Letters (Chris Allen). George is the angry, frustrated not-quite fitting in member of staff who has a crush on a fellow staff member. With his boss about to leave the job there are opportunities in the air for George, they arrive on cue and the outcomes is as horrible as it should be. An extended set up is exactly the lead in that the huge pay off deserves. Jack Wallace has amplified a situation everyone who has worked in an office has probably encountered with great force and precision. David Newbold creates a great cast, they have the required physical presence and diversity for the context, George is almost a cliché, his vitality and vulnerability bring him to singular life. Ivan Miranda's inks bring the details into sharp focus allowing the final scene to explode exactly as it should. Chris Allen grey's are subtle and exact, they add depth to the art and catch the nuances of the story, the lettering quiet and easy to read, wearing its craft lightly.
The Supermarket. Marcello Bondi (Writer), Salvatore Coppola (Art), a very simple idea matched with flawless execution makes for a treat to read. A visit to a supermarket leads to a question and a devastating answer. Salvatore Coppola's luminous black and white art propels this story, carefully leading the reader with beautiful detail and movement down to the sharp revelation. Marcello Bondi has paced the story so that it lands with force, a gem.
Virus. Shawn Milazzo (Writer), Cem Iroz  (Art), Nikki Sherman (Letters), short and  to the very sharp point, an excellent black joke. Cem Iroz's art delivers the context with detail and care and nicely creepy detail when required. Niki Sherman's letters are easy to read and unobtrusive, creating the space for an excellent sound effect.
Al the stories in this collection are at the same very high standard as these, there is a glorious variety in the themes and treatments, talented creators working flat to deliver deeply pleasurable comics.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly sent by Kim Roberts. SWampline Comics are currently running a Kickstarter for Tomb of Horror, https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1139490928/tomb-of-horror-comic-anthology, it is well worth your support to get the thrill that reading really, really good comics provides. . Tomb of Horror will be listed for sale on the Swampline website later in the year.

Toothville Issue 1. Kim Roberts (Writer), Gabe Ostely (Art), Chris Allen (Colours & Letters). Swamp Line Productions (2017)

Very engaging and enjoyable first issue that develops an unexpected set up with with skill, detail and tremendous energy. There is trouble in Toothville, home of the tooth fairies, thanks to the new toothpaste, Decayless developed by Johnann Dipplurger. Tilda Hillfairy, the most unemployable tooth fairy in Toothville has developed Toothrot which could be the answer, unfortunately Tilda's demonstration is far too successful and she is banished. Determined to rescue Toothville Tilda finds out that Dipplurger is much more than a dentist and sets out to discover what he is really up to.
Kim Roberts has delivered a lot of story that solve the problems of a first issue with great energy and style. Toothville and Tilda are introduced with great energy, Tilda is not someone who fits into the traditional roles in Toothville, she has an exploring mind and the energy and patience to pursue her goals. She is also awkward and impatient, getting into trouble because she is in such a hurry. She has energy, confidence and a crackling charm that captures and engages the reader. A classic outsider who wants to be an insider, Tilda is off to discover much more than just the truth behind Decayless. Johnann Dipplurgerr is a suitable villain, he is determined and competent, his pursuit of secret knowledge was successful because he knew what to do to get what he wanted. Dipplurger and Tilda will make engaging opponents and the story possibilities that have been set up are deeply enticing.
Gabe Ostely art is perfect, it has energy and force, Tilda has the bright eyed approach and forceful presence that she needs. Johnann Dipplurger is a supervillian from his utterly insincere toothy smile to his wonderful swagger and careful preparations. The discipline of the art is very impressive, very tight control of the panel lays out manages the pace of the story with care and attention. The cast and context need to be slightly exaggerated to succeed without ever becoming overly cartoony. Gabe Ostely keeps the cast hugely expressive without ever betraying them, there are real emotions streaming through the cast.
Chris Allen's colours are a pleasure, they are bright and glowing as the fairy tale roots of the story and are a dark when they need to be as a fairy tale should be. They bring out the nuances and details of the story and the art with subtle effectiveness, they illuminate the story. The letters are natural and easy to read, the sound effects provide the emphasis needed to for the action and give the story the loud crunch that it deserves. A great fun comic that holds the promise of much more fun to come.

Puppet.Kim Roberts (Writer). Braden Hallett (Art & Letters). WP Comics (2017)

A sharp and satisfying nasty little story that uses compression to great effect. Jack runs a comedy club and his wife is planning on killing him top get the insurance money. Jack is a ventriloquist and has a puppet called Alice which he inherited from his sister. The plan does not go as expected.
The stunning cover by Braden Hallett sets the tone for the story with precise care and detail.
Kim Roberts has superbly used the compressed space, there is a lot of story, it never feels rushed or squashed, the relevant details are all present with enough room to allow them breathe. This is very impressive writing, the story is set up very effectively, the context provided and the action is launched without ever feeling rushed.
Braden Hallett's art is a pleasure to read, the panels are used to control the pace of the story with care and a lot of information is delivered without clutter or distraction. The cast are powerfully expressive, the faces and body language are clear and subtle. Each member of the cast stands out as an individual, when trouble arrives it has a real impact.
The colours are used to amplify the emotional tones of the panels and the shifting story beats, when they have to be loud they are shouting, giving the action a strong focus and context. The lettering is clear and natural, easy to ready and unobtrusive. The sound effects are every bit as obtrusive as they should be.
A short comic that embraces the form to deliver a smart story with outsize impact.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly sent by Kim Roberts, to purchase a copy of Puppet, which you should to see how talent and craft can put a big story into a small space without loosing anything, you can purchase it here, http://www.wpcomicsltd.com/comics

Jeb Clucker's 100 Acres of Hen. Kim Roberts (Writer), Gabe Ostely (Art), Chris Allen (Letters and Colours) WP Comics (2017)

Very funny and horrifyingly gory, a clever take on a horror staple that uses a simple change to give allow humour and gore happily work together. A tourist party on a camping trip take a wrong turn and find themselves camping in a unscheduled location. It does not go well.
The fact that the entire cast are chickens is a simple and very smart shift in story. The room for chicken related jokes is taken at every opportunity by Kim Robert, who does so without every killing the central joke. In a very short space the cast are introduced, and different enough so that they are clearly individuals, the reader has enough chance to register them before the inevitable happens. The story structure correctly follows a familiar format, the ideas are used very effectively to counterpoint the inherent absurdity of the cast.
Gabe Ostley's art, from the wonderful cover and throughout the book is a joy to read. It manages the difficult task of being completely absurd and satisfying forceful, the cast are chickens acting like humans who are involved in savagely violent events. A tricky balance has to be maintained all the time for the story to be successful, the element of parody has to be respected and the gore has to have a genuine impact. Gabe Ostley achieves this balance with confident skill and amazing detail.
Chris Allen's colours are bright and exuberant, not horror colours at all, they work fantastically in the context of Kim Roberts smart story structure and Gabe Ostely's art. They give the vivid expression to the absurdity and the gore. The sound effects are exactly the right side of cartoony.
What makes this comic work is that beneath the bright and wild story there is real menace arising from the tension between the story structure and the delivery. A very funny story that never forgets that it is a horror story.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly sent by Kim Roberts. To purchase a copy of Jeb Clucker's 100 Acres of Hen, you should to usher in the 2017 with a really good comic and give yourself the best possible start, it is available from http://www.wpcomicsltd.com/comics

Snowvenge. Kim Roberts (Writer), Haraldo (Art), WP Comics (2016)

A short and very entertaining story that proves, with lashings of blood and rage, that revenge is best served freezing cold. A successful bank robbery  has a treacherous aftermath. A snowman and a dying wish lead to a great deal of trouble and sharp and satisfying conclusion. The astounding cover is not a flase promise, the contents deserve this cover.
Kim Roberts has packed a geat deal of story into a short space and the compression works really well. Starting in the middle of the action, the reveals are really well staged, a simple idea is given huge force and strength as there is more than one motive at work. Kim Roberts takes the time to establish the cast and then gives classic confrontation that is more than just nasty, there is a desperate need to finish all the unfinished business of the day before time runs out.
Haraldo's art is a deep pleasure to read, it is packed with details that draw in the reader and emphasise the action when it gets serious, The transformation at the heart of the story is brilliant, the creature is bursting with murderous vitality and rage. The idea is funny, the execution is stunningly horrifying and captures all the aspects of the situation with flair and wit.
The colouring is clear and precise, the details of the cast and context are given depth and detail, the expressiveness of the human and non human cast is amplified greatly. The choice for the eyes for the creature of revenge is clever, they are just what boiling rage would look like. The lettering is quiet and unobtrusive, there are much fewer sound effects thatn could have been expected, the strenght of the art creates its own soundtrack in the mind of the reader.
Kim Roberts and Haraldo have managed to deliver the cause and effect that really good horror uses to draw in and capture the reader, the cast are more than monsters and victims, in a short space they are given the chance to be failing humans and that gives the story is tremendous force and impact.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly sent by Kim Roberts, to purchase Snowvenge, which you should to get the present of a superb comic and all its attendant seasonal joys, you can get it here    http://www.wpcomicsltd.com/comics

Scavenger No. 2. Kim Roberts (Writer), Megan Huang (Art). Markosia Comics (2016)

An excellent second issue in the science fiction comic where plot lines start to emerge and the cast are given a greater depth and complexity.
Aidan find the massacre at Tin City and decides to go to to the Willow Temple to seek for answers. Caleb returns to the Floating City to a heated reception from his father and sisters. Aidan gets information at the temple and Caleb gets unwelcome news. The story moves  forward with grace and force as both the leads are pulled further into the unfolding events.
Kim Roberts has managed a very difficult balance, the plot has been set in motion and the story possibilities have been opened. This has been done at the same time that the leads are given increased depth and development, they are allowed to be more in action and interaction which gives the story considerably more grip and depth. Caleb is boiling in frustration, his mother is asleep and he cannot access the magic that his siblings use, Aidan goes on a search and is massively gullible. The shades of gray are slipping very satisfactorily into the story and the expected confrontation is considerably more consequential because of them.
Megan Huang's art is a perfect complement to the storytelling, it bring out the nuances with the body language and expressions of the cast. There is a joyous lightness to the art that never softens the impact of anger or violence, it places it firmly in its context.  The new members of the cast are individual and so well established it feels as if they have come into the comic with a history already. The colouring is awesome, it is clearly science fiction colours that give an alien context and cast, the soft palette means that the fairy tale underpinning is always subtly acknowledged. In particular the way the colours are used to enhance the expressiveness of the cast and give solidity to the context is a pleasure. The lettering is quiet, understated and so natural that it reads without effort or notice, the sound effects on the other hand are loud and when needed LOUD.
This comic is a serious pleasure to read, two very talented creators working so harmoniously together is one of the opportunities that comics offer readers.
Chief Wizard Note: This is review copy,very kindly sent by Kim Roberts. 

Scavenger 01. Kim Roberts (Writer), Megan Huang (Art). Markosia Comics (2016)

Very engaging science fiction that sets up strong story possibilities with style and economy. The planet Arin has been devastated, those in power have fled to a floating city, those left behind are scavengers on the remains of the industrial past. Aidan is a scavenger who is not all he seems, Caleb is a prince in the floating city who is also not all he seems. Aiden finds something, someone else finds out about the discovery and the story gears are fully engaged. This is a lovely mash up, a fairy tale written as sciemnce fiction where the essential elements of both are beautifully put together to make a very enjoyable mix.
Any first issue as a significant and difficult task to accomplish, establish the story, the context, the cast and to get enough action to entice the reader to want to know more. Scavenger 01 accomplishes all of this with confident skill. The story and the context are set up with great economy, the key background items are provided with sufficient detail to make sense and quickly enough so that the story can get going.
After the context and background the story itself is set up really impressively. There is a tremendous amount of information being delivered, the pace is never forced or slowed down. The story just unfolds in an very natural way just as it should to bring the reader to the vital stage at the end of the comic. The cast are slightly secondary to the information and the needs of the set up, they are still given a chance to be themselves. Caleb gets more room than Aidan, anger is going to stand out more clearly than calmness at first, Aidan is given sorrow which can be more powerful ultimately than anger. The final panel is proof that cliches become cliches because they work.
Megan Huang's page layouts are great, a strong variety of sizes and shapes controls the flow of the story and concentrates reader attention where she wants it to go. The art is angular and sharp, the cast are distinctive and move with great force and physical impact. In a close up the facial expressions are meaningful and express the character strongly.
I am knocked out by the clouring. In any science fiction comic colour is a critical element, in Scavenger the colours create an alien context that supports the action beautifully. Some of the panels have sharp background details, sometimes Megan Huang uses a solid block of colour only. This is a really confident choice, the colour has to capture and frame the action perfectly or else it will read in an off key way. These panels just work fantastically, they are really expressive and give a really strong signature to the comic and boost the story.
The lettering is subtle and clean, the sound effects loud and strong.This is a great start to a interesting story that has great possibilities.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy kindly sent by Kim Roberts. You can purchase a copy, (which you should as excellent science fiction comics are know for their vast healing powers,) here  https://www.comixology.co.uk/Scavenger-1/digital-comic/417729?ref=c2VhcmNoL2luZGV4L2Rlc2t0b3Avc2xpZGVyTGlzdC9pdGVtU2xpZGVy