Chronicles of Terror No.3. Kim Roberts (Editor). WP Comics (2016)

A generous, engaging and very enjoyable horror anthology that is going from strength to strength, the range and quality of the stories is very impressive. The wonderful cover by Haraldo does justice to the juicy horror that lies behind it.
The Tale of Baron Urberstein Troy Vevasis (Writer), Saul Haber (Art) is very short and to the point, Baron Urberstein meets the previous owner of his castle, it does not end well. A wonderful gothic fragment  Troy Vevasis uses compression to great effect. Saul Haber's black and white art is a pleasure, the story jumps into life and the action is close up and savage.
Nightclaw, Marta Tanrikulu (Writer), Ferran Sellars (Art), Juri H. Chinchilla (Colours), E.T. Dollman (Letters) is a sharp edged police procedural. A killer is attacking elderly women on the night when a full moon is out. A classic set up that leads to a very unexpected and smartly unexpected reveal. Marta Tanrikulu plays expertly with reader's expectations pulling something nasty out of the bag. Ferran Sellars' art uses panel sizes and locations and shifting perspectives to expertly guide the reader along the story, the muted colours by Juri H. Chinchilla are lovely and bring out the dark tones of the story. E.T. Doolman's lettering is nicely unobtrusive, the sound effects are blaring and lift the action right off the page.
Dracustein. Kim Roberts (Writer),  Marthino Abreyu (Art), Chris Allen (Colours & Letters) is a great mashup of two classic horror icons. Being immortal is lonely, Dracula's answer is to build himself a mate. The story succeeds because the simple emotional core rings true, wanting a companion does not make a companion want you. Marthino Abreyu is a treat, the elements from Dracula and Frankenstein are nicely used as well as a whole range of classic horror film elements. The bold choice regarding the look of the companion Dracula creates captures all the themes of the story in the flesh of the character. Chris Allen's colours are striking, they give the story a great atmosphere and depth.
Attack of the Zombie Penguins. Austin Allen Hamlin (Writer), Kurt Belcher (Art), Mindy Lodkin (Letters) is brilliant, a stunning idea and flawless execution. Rampaging penguins are devouring humanity and when a lone survivor has his back against the wall he takes action. Kurt Belcher's astounding art manages to capture the dark humour and the brutal savagery needed to make this story work. The panel of the penguins coming out of the water to attack the survivor balances cute and murderous perfectly, each element amplify the other. The in your face colouring pushes the volume of the story right up to where it should be. Mindy Lodkin's sound effects just the soundtrack this splatter fest should have.
Georgie Porgie , James Johnson (Writer and Art) is a creepy, sticky classic that constantly goes in unexpected directions until it comes to its disturbing conclusion. The horribly vivid realisation of some very dark psychology is masterfully accomplished.  Horror is a big tent, you do not need blood to create deep chills and shivers.
Almost Midnight. John Osbourn (Writer), Pietro Vaughan (Art), Nikki Sherman (Letters). Making a deal with the devil has a clear drawback, you get what you want, so does the Devil and when he comes to collect the price becomes horribly clear. In the final packed minutes before midnight and the time for payment a woman tries to evade the inevitable. John Osburn slices the time very carefully stretching the minutes and at the same time letting them rush by. Pietro Vaughan glorious black and white art is so heavy and physical that the situation develops the dreadful weight it should have. The art traps the reader along with the cast and the final demand is stunning.Nikki Sherman's lettering is quiet and natural, it fits in with story and subtly provides emphasis at key points.
Demons. JoJo King (Writer), M.C. Carper (Art), Nikki Sherman (Letters), a fever dream of a story, a desperate last minute justification for horrifying actions by a demented killer. JoJo King gives us the sweaty justifications of a killer about to take another victim even as he is aware that his time to act has run out. M.C. Carpers art and colours amplify the intense focus of the writing, amplifying the themes of the story with force and considerable subtlety as the internal and external struggles collide.Nikki Sherman's sound effects are loud and vivid, they sharpen the edge of the action very nicely.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly sent by Kim Roberts, to purchase a copy of Chronicles of Terror No.3, you should to sink your teeth into a hugely enjoyable selection of superb comics, you can get it here,   http://www.wpcomicsltd.com/comics

Wolf Country No. 6: Dust to Scripture. Jim Alexander (Writer), Will Pickering (Art), Jim Campbell (Letters), Liz Howarth (Editor). Planet Jimbot (2016)

A dense and deeply engaging issue that slows the action slightly to allow some room to look at the idea that is at the heart of the conflict and the series. At the settlement the vampires watch and wait as the victims of the last assault finally turn to dust and blow away into the depths of Wolf Country. In the city Halfpenny  consoles himself with scripture and rage against the ambiguity of the city. In the settlement, the soldiers leave to track down Luke, the vampire who now lives with wolves and Halfpenny finds  a conflict that suits him.
Jim Alexander has taken a severely thorny and contentious topic and handled it within the story context with assured confidence and deft writing skill. Matters of faith are explosive because they lie absolutely beyond argument, they is only acceptance or rejection. At the settlement the faith of the soldiers is a direct challenge to the faith of the settlers. They can  manage an uneasy truce because their ultimate aims are the same, the differences between them create room for savage actions. Mrs Halfpenny sacrifices to get the soldiers out of the settlement, they are a greater threat than the wolves. The wolves are clear external enemy, the soldiers are a subtle, unsettling internal enemy that can undermine the solidarity that the settlement requires to survive.
The same problem is facing Halfpenny in the city as he refreshes his faith in the true way in the face of the multiple ambiguities of the city. The stark conflict of the settlement sits well with his rigid faith, in the city there are unexpected challenges. Jim Alexander has written an issue that is dense with ideas which arise directly from the cast in the circumstances in which they find themselves. The action has slowed down, the story has not.
Will Pickering has a considerable task to deliver a mostly talking issue and make it engaging to read, he makes it look so easy that it is nearly possible to miss just how substantial an achievement this is. The cast are all well established so the depth of expression that they bring to their conversations has as much weight as the bursts of action that break out in the story. There is a 'debriefing' session that is just Halfpenny and a security officer, the flow of the conversation rests as much on their eloquent expressions and body language as it does on their words. When the tension is unsprung it is utterly satisfactory, the rage has been clearly building and finally has a target.
Jim Campbell's letters change as required without ever drawing attention, they are so easy to read that they blend into the context of the panels.
Wolf Country is continuing to develop in fascinating ways as detail and depth are added to the context and the cast are given more and more room to be themselves.
Chief Wizard Note:This is a review copy kindly sent by Jim Alexander, to purchase a copy of Wolf Country 6, which you should do for the life affirming pleasure that comes from reading great comics, you can get it here https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/490317579/wolf-country6

SEMIAUTOMAGIC Collection. Alex De Campi (Writer, Letters), Jerry Ordway (Art), Marissa Louise (Colours), Lara Margarida (Art). Dark Horse Books/Illicit Press (2016)

A very entertaining and engaging supernatural horror collection.  Semiautomagic (Dark Horse), Professor Alice Creed is frequently called away from her classes to solve serious supernatural problems, in this case it involves someone she knows. A young man's spirit has been stolen by a computer game and Alice Creed realises that the problem is a widespread one. She locates the point of origin and heads for it, surviving the worst plane journey ever to find that the trouble is much greater than she had anticipated. Alice Creed makes a dreadful decision and has to manage the consequences. The set up is established with skill and economy and the downward spiral of the story is consistently inventive and unexpected, the conclusion is smart and satisfactorily sour.

Alex De Campi manages to deftly avoid two serious problems inherent in horror and superhero (Alice Creed is sufficiently powerful to qualify as a non costumed superhero) , how to get the problem started and how to test the hero sufficiently to be interesting. Frequently in a horror story someone has to act very stupidly to create the initial situation, they then start to act much more rationally after the trouble has started which undermines tension and credibility from the start. Alex De Campi simply steps over and start and presents the reader with a context where the trouble is already well established. Now everyone can get on with dealing with the problems, which they do. Alice Creed is a powerful, competent and deeply experienced supernatural warrior, creating a credible threat is difficult, Alex De Campi neatly uses a sequence where a solution to one problem is the source of an increasingly bigger one. By painting Alice Creed into a corner of her own making, Alex De Campi develops tension and sufficient uncertainty about the possible outcomes to propel the story very strongly. Alice Creed is narrating the story directly to the reader, there is another repeated narrative element which does not sit comfortably with this style. It is not by any means a problem, it is just a slightly jarring note in the flow of the story.

Jerry Ordway's art is simply luscious, it is such a detailed pleasure to read, it captures all the mad contradictions of the story and makes them completely normal and utterly insane. The relationship of the cast to their context is always credible, they move through a recognisable and distorted world with physical grace and presence, their actions have depth and heft. Alice Creed looks like a normal female human, dressed in entirely sensible cloths for fighting monsters, she is treated seriously which allows the fantastic to be serious as well. The cast, human and otherwise are expressive, their body language is as clear as their speech. From straight conversation to extreme, supernatural violent action the art is utterly engaging and the beautiful details are a treat to read. 

Marissa Louise's colours are stunning, they amplify, refine and concentrate the emotional sub text of the story and the art with breathtaking precision.

Alex De Campi's lettering is quiet, changing when needed by the cast or context, always unobtrusive and easy to read.

Semiautomagic: Childhood's End (Illicit Press) , is a series of collection of three stories each which follow slightly different paths.

Childhood's End, Alex De Campi (Writer, Letters), Jerry Ordway (Art), Marissa Louise (Colours), takes some of the most famous ideas in comics history and uses them in a darkly imaginative way. Alice Creed follows a trail of missing pets to an old house and finds something very nasty. The story is written in a Dr Seuss style rhyme which works because of the strength and unerring confidence of the writing. Jerry Ordway's art captures the required Dr Seuss echos and distorts them as required so that the various layers of the story are woven tightly together. All of which just goes to show that there are no rules for talent, the mash up sounds uncomfortable instead it is suitably unettling. Marissa Louise's colours highlight the various elements of the story and creates an unifying space for them all, making it look easy to be cute and creepy at the same time.

A Town Called Malice, Alex De Campi (Writer, Letters), Lara Margarida (Art), Marissa Louise (Colours) features a friend of Alice, Harriet, who opened the wrong door. When romance fades and life diminishes a woman takes a step to mark the moment and makes a wish at the same time. Happy consequences soon reveal their darker side and Harriet tries to help the woman where she cannot help herself. The story is the fullest exploration of one of the major ideas in the collection, magic has consequences, and it thoughtful and very engaging. Lara Margarida is a strong contrast to Jerry Ordway and the art stands on its own terms with confidence and force. The quieter story benefits from the slightly lower key of the art, the action is less dramatic without ever being less intense.  Marissa Louise's colours alter to match, capture and express the different requirements of the art while remaining as stunning as ever.

The Hollow Man Alex De Campi (Writer, Letters), Jerry Ordway (Art), Marissa Louise (Colours), Rob Jones (Layout assistance)  returns to Alice Creed this time as a debt collector, someone who comes to present the bill for the easy decisions that were made years before. Jerry Ordway, Rob Jones, Marissa Louise all combine seamlessly to deliver an nasty story.

The Semiautomagic Collection is a super set of richly realised horror with a great cast, a pleasure to read and relish the talents that are so confidently displayed.

Chief Wizard Note:  Semiautomagic, is available via Dark Horse Books and in comic stores, while
Semiautomagic: Childhood's End is not available as a printed book, the whole collection (recommended) is avalible on Comixology:  https://www.comixology.com/Semiautomagic-The-Bomb-that-Will-Bring-Us-Together-Childhoods-End-Collectors-Edition/digital-comic/425089 

The Crocodile. Maurizio De Giovanni (Writer), Anthony Shugaar (Translator) Abacus (2014)

An intense tense and gripping crime story that builds to a bitter conclusion. Someone is murdering teenagers in Naples, the victims appear to be wildly unrelated and the killer quickly gets the nickname of the Crocodile. Disgraced Detective Inspector Giuseppe Lojacono has a suspicion about the case which is utterly at odds with the accepted explanation and he is drawn into the investigation over the strong objections of his superior officers. The story unravels steadily, the reveals are staged with great skill and the investigation slowly finds the real reasons for the killing.
The narrative is artfully split among various members of the cast and each is given the space and time to develop into someone real and substantial before they become embroiled into the tentacles of the plot. Giuseppe Lojacono, trapped by a scandal he did not create is an exile in Naples, brutally separated from his home in Sicily and his family. He is rotting away in an office, too toxic to be utilised , too innocent to be fired, the case pulls him in as his skills start to assert themselves. The killer is also an exile, come to Naples to bring death to those he hunts. From the astonishing opening chapter which reads like melodrama, he is slowly revealed to be what he really is, the truly terrifying Crocodile, a man with a mission. A third exile from Sardinia, Piras, the Assistant Public Prosecutor who is managing the investigation is another person with a shattered personal history. It is the understanding of grief that give Lojacono and Prias the edge to understand the line that the killer is following.
The Crocodile opens as a conventional crime story with a disgraced police officer and a relentless killer then it slowly moves to be something considerably darker and more intense. The narrative control that Maurizio De Giovanni has as the various threads slowly come together then the rush of time is cunningly splintered so that the final conclusion is arrived at with aching dread and ferocious tension.
Anthony Shugaar's translation is invisible, the story reads as entirely Italian written in English.
Like the title character, this story appears to be quiet and seeking to be unnoticed, as it reveals itself it establish a grip on the reader every bit as fierce and powerful as that of a crocodile as the power of grief and the horror that can spring from it becomes clear. A brilliant crime story, not to be missed.

Slash and Burn. Colin Cotterill. Soho Crime (2011)

A wonderfully engaging and enjoyable crime story set in Laos in the late 1970's. Dr. Siri is the national coroner in Laos, a position he never wanted and hopes to finally retire from when he becomes involved in a search for a American helicopter pilot who was MIA in the Vietnam war. Evidence had surface that he was alive and a delegation from the US government was arriving to investigate.  Dr Siri and his friends are included on the Lao team that travels with the Americans as they go to the reported crash site. When they arrive events spiral out of control as the hidden agendas start to emerge and the danger to everyone starts to become much clearer. The reveals are staged with great skill and sharp wit, as the body count rises the true scope of the problem is revealed. The secret at the heart of the story is substantial and brilliantly credible and unexpected, the conclusion is very satisfying.
Colin Cotterill hides the superb plot mechanics behind the wholly engaging cast and the astonishing context. Dr Siri is a misfit in the communist republic if post war Laos, a chronic disbeliever in any ideology he is constantly leaning against the boundaries of possible behavior to see what what margin of freedom he can find. He is an astute investigator as he is willing to see what is in front of him and think about why it happened. The rest of the cast are given the room to come forward and engage the reader as they cope with the circumstances that embroil them.
A major character in its own right is Laos itself in its ramshackle absurdity as the mix of communist political leadership tries to deal with the stubborn history of the country. Living in this context is to be an actor in a very absurd black comedy where proclamations are intended to change reality by denying it. Everyone is caught is the gaps between the actual state of living and the propaganda that floats above it like a dust cloud .
Colon Cotterall takes a very lighthearted approach to this context, mining the absurdity for generous humour and sharp barbs about the problems it creates. What makes it work is that he also takes it very seriously as the impact on his cast is the structure of their daily lives. They have to manage and they choose to relish where possible the absurdity and keep the dangers to a minimum. This gives the book a great weight that allows the plot to be gripping and sharp.
This is a great crime story with a  substantial story that is carefully constructed and a cast that inhabit their extraordinary context with vitality and force. 

Tales from Orbit Vol 2. Kim Roberts (Editor) WP Comics (2016)

A very engaging and enjoyable science fiction anthology, very diverse stories that sit harmoniously together as a  deeply satisfying collection.
The Switch, Alexander Altman (Writer), Cheuk Po (Art), Kane Gallagher (Colours), Christian Docolomansky (Letters). This is a great fun story that proves no matter how far in the future you go, stupidity will still trip you up. Alexander Altman has written a very nice crime/science fiction mash up, it catches the requirements of both genres without hesitation. Cheuk Po's art manages the same balance with great details that support both story aspects. Kane Gallagher clearly knows what the colours of the science fiction future are and uses then with care to give the story a strong sense of place and depth. Christian Docolomansky letters are easy and natural, the spare sound effects are used very effectively.
Good Son, Victor Franzo (Writer), Patrick Caetano (Art) is a short, direct shot to the heart. A man comes home to die. The set up is as bare and simple as possible and has the room for a multitude of emotions and thoughts. Patrick Caetano's stylised art is pitch perfect for the detail and spirit of the story. Getting something this delicate and short right is an amazing achievement.
Victorious Haze: One for the Road. Michael Gordon (Writer), Estanislao Marugo, Frenando Maiaru (Art and Letters), is a superb western science fiction mash up. A stranger comes into a dusty town and stirs things up. The stranger is a lot stranger than he appears, not half as strange as who he is chasing. A classic western set up is finished off with a lovely science fiction twist.  Estanislao Marugo and  Frenando Maiaru art and colours capture the spirit and detail of Michael Gordon's smart story.
Contact. Julio Paz y Vadala (Writer), Cesar Eduardo (Art), Chris Allen (Colours). Julio Paz y Vadala has the skill and confidence to pull of this story, he uses the inevitability really nicely. The art by Cesar Eduardo matches and contrasts the narrative split very well, it catches the focus on the countdown to the conclusion. Chris Allen uses the clours to sharply and subtly differentiate so thaty both parts match and collide exactly as they should.
Lost Boys. Mateo Garcia (Writer), Jeferson Sanzinski (Art) is full bore hard science fiction that compresses a lot of story into s short space. Beginning with a genre classic of a final message from a stranded space craft, the story twists and turns before arriving at a genuinely unexpected and very satisfying conclusion. Mateo Garcia mixes up a great deal in the story and has the disipline to make it all work and deliver a very strong pay off. Jeferson Sanzinski's black and white art is a match for the story, the panels are used to control the pace and flow, the action is brutal and has real weight and impact. The sound efects are used with skill to support the tension and underline the action. Smart, sharp science fiction.
Across the Void. Marta Tanrikulu (Writer), Kevin Enhart (Illustrator), Delfine Siobhan Kanashii (Colours), E.T. Dollman (Letters), is thoughtful, gripping and happily unexpected. An unexpected end to a huge journey creates questions that can only have hard answers. Matching the sweep of space opera with closely confined drama Marta Tanrikulu has followed a different and very engaging path.Kevin Enhart manages the difficult task of making the context reald and detailed and giving the cast the life and expression they have to have. Delfine Siobhan Kanashii,s restrained and slightly subdued colours frame the emotional framework of the story carefully and bring out the nuances of the story and the art. The lettering by  E.T. Dollman is easy and natural, fitting in with deep  unobtrusive  skill.
Tales from Orbit 2 is a substantial serving of first rate, imaginative  and thoughtful science fiction, just a pleasure to read and linger over.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly sent by Kim Roberts, if you wish to purchase a copy of Tales from Orbit 2, you should what more could you want to increase you joy in living than great science fiction comics?, you can get it it from here  http://www.wpcomicsltd.com/comics

The World Hates Jimmy. D.C. Johnson (Writer & Penciller), Chris Allen (Inks,Colours & Letters), Dustin Evans (Special Feature Panels). WP Comics (2016)

An explosion of visual inventiveness and storytelling confidence that delivers charm, absurdity and humour without any apparent effort, hugely engaging and enjoyable. Jimmy, a very happy young boy becomes the object of romantic interest from two girls which leads to a fanatically absurd and horrible day for Jimmy and a extraordinary comic.
Absurdity is very difficult to do successfully, there is a subtle limit that has to be found that allows the ridiculous ideas to flourish and D.C. Johnson has established that limit with wonderful, assured confidence. The storytelling framework is taken from animation with abrupt cuts and jumps, the time compression that panels provide is exploited to the full to give the story a coherence that it needs. Jimmy's adventurous day is told at a full tilt, the narrative moves at amazing speed with the unexpected always waiting to be sprung on the reader and Jimmy. Jimmy solid happy nature is the anchor of the story, he rolls with the punches and changes and gets on with it. This allows the rest of the action to spiral off in whatever direction D.C. Johnson wants, backed by the steely discipline used to ensure that every idea serves a direct dramatic purpose.
The art is perfect for the story, it is cartoony and animated, in both senses, the cast are busting with life and energy. The cast are astoundingly expressive, so full of personality and determination that the pages struggle to contain them. They are matched by the context which shifts and changes as required to follow the rush of ideas and changing circumstances.
Chris Allen's dazzling colours are exactly what is needed, no subtlety is wanted , it would get in the way, the action and the cast want to be amplified to the greatest possible extent to express the ferocious energy and creative force of the writing and the art. The lettering is the quietest part of the comic, it never draws attention away from the action, the sound effects are as dramatic as they should be.
Dustin Evans special panels are fantastic, they give the story a extra dimension that is very welcome.
The World Hates Jimmy is as close to having an animated short between covers as it is likely to get, a brilliant use of the possibilities of comics, absurdly funny and charming.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly sent by Kim Roberts. To purchase a copy, good comics are a proven method to extend your life by increasing your happiness, you can get it here  http://www.wpcomicsltd.com/comics