Very much reminds me of the book "A Brave New World", except with a superhero twist. Very short, but very good, and damn why are there only two issues out?!

Continues the story of a dystopian future in which individuality is a crime and conformity exalted to the status of totalitarianism.

Revolution of the Mask takes an original slant on the idea of the superhero and the nature of personal identity, presenting a world where a mask may serve to reveal, rather than conceal, the true self of the one who chooses to wear it.

Well worth a read, I shall be eagerly looking forward to further issues of this series.

A really interesting read, well worth the money I paid for it!

Upon seeing the cover for this book, in which a mime runs from zombies as his mime pal is set upon by them, I knew the bar was set pretty high. I mean, that’s genius right there. With eager, ravenous, mime-loathing eyes I read on…

The first thing that struck me about Hump day—well, other than the cover—is the competency of the creative team. The art, while in rather simple black/white, has strong lines, great shadowing and fantastic inking. The layout itself is nothing special, but it suits the purpose of facilitating a good story and never gets in the way. I also noticed the lettering is top-notch—a big deal to me, you see. Too many indie comics are horribly ruined by terrible lettering and word-balloon placement. HumpDay totally succeeds in the technical department. A refreshing thing, if you ask me.

But what about the story? At first it seems pretty to be standard zombie-plague fare, opening with a plane en route to Scotland from Mumbai and the crew discovering they are to be killed instead of having a cuppa. Then, of course, there’s a nice exposition page with a main character (and reader) learning about the “infection” via a news program. We also learn that it has spread to all seven continents. Yes, even Antarctica.

We are then treated to the main character showing up for work, and it seems he’s apart of some kind of zombie killing taskforce, called “Tendart”. It’s not explained what Tendart is in the first issue (or if the infected are really zombies—that’s just an assumption on my part), but we are treated to characters Jake and Ed’s workplace, and they are assigned a mission in Paris. Once there they enter some creepy catacombs and are attacked by some kind of new creature, ones they don’t recognize. In the end, the new creatures prove to be quite bold and attack Jake, Ed and those with them openly.

The writing is fresh, funny and never too cliché… but just cliché enough when it needs to be. HumpDay paints itself to be pretty tongue-in-cheek and downright hilarious in place. Think Shaun of the Dead here, folks.

Now, overall this comic is a very solid offering. Still, some folks may be a bit confused as to who Ed and Jake are and what they do (as I was slightly). This is all solved by reading issue #0, which sets up everything quite nicely. To quote the copy for the #0:

“Ed and Jake are "dog-catchers" that have been specifically trained to go into tourist areas (like Paris, France) and destroy the hordes of undead tourists and vacationers who died while overseas. One thing, in accordance with certain laws and guidelines, dog-catchers are only permitted to destroy their particular homeland's undead (ie: American soldiers can only kill American Zombie tourists). With extreme emphasis on being politically correct, tempers easily flair between governments. For Ed and Jake this could mean the end!”

It’s only… let’s see… 72 cents currently, or you can read the preview which also let’s you know what’s up setting-wise. I say buy it, as it’s worth every penny. Then go buy this issue (#1).

In a market full-on glutted by hordes zombie comics, it’s always pleasant to see fast-paced witty action paired with undead killin’. If I have to read yet another zed-word offering, then it better be either 1) damned good or 2) make me laugh. HumpDay manages to do a whole lot of both, and I’m eager to see what happens next!

Adam Buechler’s Hump Day issue 1 got my attention because it involves zombies. Honestly, if lima beans involved zombies, I’d probably write about them as well, so this fact alone doesn’t make Hump Day a success. However, its classic layout, quality artwork, and straight forward narrative push it into the win column.

A zombie infestation has spread to all seven of the world’s continents (Even Antarctica? Slim pickings, I’m sure). Ed and Jake, who are essentially Bill and Ted all grown up, work for the organization in charge of protecting survivors from the brain eating hoard. As they’re sent to patrol Paris’ catacombs, we learn that these guys are about as dangerous as the zombies are, but in a Three Stooges kind of way. And what they find under the streets Paris isn’t what anyone expects.

Hump Day moves along at a fast pace. It’s entertaining, if not super ground breaking. It will benefit from subsequent issues as this one does little more than introduce us to the world and of course to Ed and Jake. The art work is black and white and drawn in a classic conventional style which is a welcome attribute given the high action/comedic thrust of the narrative. Not a whole lot happens in issue one, but it’s captivating enough to warrant reading issue two. So here’s to seeing what happens next. Cheers!

This will appeal to fans of Return of the Living Dead, Zombieland, Shawn of the Dead, Ghostbusters, etc

The mindset of the world one sees in this comic is something that makes you think. And once you start reading you can't wait to read the rest. Words typed on a review can't do this jusice. All I can truely say is just read the 6 page perview and if your not bying it after reading that little taste, nothing I can say will make you think otherwise.

i don't remember the last time i have ever read a better "dystopian future" comic

In 2046 the U.S. government has squashed dissent to extreme levels. In fact, media personalities must obtain an officially sanctioned license in order to ply their craft. Singer/songwriter, Amanda Casey is a throwback to artists from the days of yore, a revolutionary who sings protest songs, only current circumstances dictate that they’re in the guise of love songs. The Department of Homeland Security is onto her and they’re in pursuit, but to what end? C.J. Hurtt’s One Last Song issue 1 seems a little farfetched conceptually, that is until you get about a page and a half in. This book is a serious and uncompromising metaphor for the Bush Administration’s disregard for civil liberties and the rule of law, from the ironically named Patriot Act on down to the myriad of questionable signing statements. This story is as maddening as it is compelling and while it hits a few predictable notes it does so with purpose, thereby avoiding being cliché. Shawn Richter’s artwork is clean black and white, mostly bold lines with nothing in the way of middle values. It’s quick and simple and it stays out of the way of the narrative’s momentum, never becoming distracting. If you’re in the mood for a cathartic read to cleanse your palette of the nasty taste you may have had for the past 8 years or so, then One Last Song is a series worth your time.

Serial #1 from Brain Scan Studios is an anthology including three historical accounts of serial killers John Wayne Gacy, Angel Resendiz, and Albert Fish. If you’re at all familiar with these cases then save the twenty minutes and skip this book. Serial has no narrative value whatsoever and the factual snippets used as the book’s “story” are presented redundantly and haphazardly, complete with typos and misspellings (and I’m not counting those that were committed by Albert Fish).

Serial’s artwork is a bit of a mixed bag. However, the work by both Daniele Serra and Ryan Yager present a similar and successful style, emphasizing washed out earth tones over sketched inking. The results are grimy, bloody and dramatic images that are far more disturbing and expressive than the words they illustrate.

Despite some apparent talent involved in its production, Serial #1 misses the mark. This book was doomed before anyone ever put pen to paper by way of its conceptual approach which inexplicably forgoes story telling in favor of bland biography.

Fiendish Fables, presented by John Schlim Jr., proudly proclaims itself to be “inspired by the classic horror comics that defined a genre!” This book most certainly is. Its 52 pages are packed with nine short stories that run the gamut. We’re talking demons, ghosts, vampires, zombies; you name it.

The stories are tonally various and all competently composed. Each story features great black and white artwork, each with its own unique style contributing to this book’s dynamic genre menu. The only thing I have to complain about at all is that the stories are so short that often times I’m left wanting more just has the words, “The End” appear.

This book is a must read!