Category: Graphic Novel Reviews

by Chris Roberson , Mike Allred (Illustrator)·  

Told from a female zombie’s perspective, this smart, witty detective series mixes urban fantasy and romantic dramedy.Gwendolyn “Gwen” Dylan is a 20-something gravedigger in an eco-friendly cemetery. Once a month she must eat a human brain to keep from losing her memories, but in the process she becomes consumed with the thoughts and personality of the dead person – until she eats her next brain. She sets out to fulfi ll the dead person’s last request, solve a crime or right a wrong.

Our zombie girl detective is joined by a radical supporting cast: her best friend Eleanor, who happens to be a swinging ’60s ghost, a posse of paintball blasting vampires, a smitten were-dog and a hot but demented mummy.

Paperback, 144 pages

Published March 22nd 2011 by Vertigo

Gwen works for a graveyard digging graves. This is a good job for a Zombie because she must eat a brain at least once a month so she doesn’t become a brain dead monster. From these, she obtains the deceased’s memories.

When out trick or treating, Gwen, Ellie (Ghost) and Spot (Were-Terrier) come across a house with a creepy man who makes them feel uncomfortable. There turns out to be a connection between him and the last deceased brain she’s eaten.

Across town, we learn of a Blood Sports paintball business that conducts itself at night. It also happens to be run by a group of Female Vampires trying to get easy meals without getting caught. But soon an organization comes into town trying to locate the vampires and Gwen catches the eye of one of the detectives, Horatio, who finds her attractive and alluring.

My favorite parts of this comic were the mix of different paranormal creatures, the humor in the dialogue, and inclusion of a Were-terrier who is so cute you just want to pet him. The Blood Sports paintball was a fun and new idea, giving the vampires a way to feed on the boys and men that came out to play (without having to kill them), leaving the men merely dazed and confused not dead.

This series has so many different options for story lines and so far I am hooked. I zipped right through it and it’s something I would read over again. Recommended.

Reviewed by Krista McKeeth

by Jose Malaga, Dynamite Entertainment, Diamond Book Distributors

WELCOME TO THE END OF DAYS! 

A mysterious hijacking — by an undetectable force which leaves only death in its wake — lures Vampirella to Russia, and deeper into a deadly conspiracy where nothing is what it seems. At the request of Vampirella’s allies — the Vatican’s paranormal covert strike force, Cestus Dei — the blood-drinking scourge of the supernatural travels to Russia, on the hunt for a terrifying killer with a gift for murder.

But there’s more at play than a simple search-and-destroy mission. Complicating matters is the return of the King of the Vampires, Dracula — more powerful than ever before, and determined to consecrate an unholy pact with ancient, unknowable forces that even the lords of Chaos and Order wisely fear.

War is on the horizon, and only one who has worn the Crown of Worms can sit upon a Throne of Skulls. Old foes are reborn, alliances are broken, and nothing in Vampirella’s world will ever be the same!

Collecting issues #12-20 of the popular ongoing Vampirella series, with a complete cover gallery.

A scantily clad vampire detective is looking into the mystery of a plane full of humans cut into pieces and hidden in the cabin. It’s total chaos. Vampirella heads to Russia to find the answers to what kind of creature would perpetrate such a massacre, and why …  

Traveling in underground caves as well as through the ruins of an old village, Vampirella must battle the evil Von Kriest, demons, as well as save a friend Sofia who has been possessed. There are many different layers to this story and intense and colorful graphics. Several different characters and demons come into play for a non-stop action packed story.

This is one of the most detailed graphic novels that I have read. So many things happen with well-rounded layering of stories that it would be a hard to convince anybody that this is not worth it’s value. It’s intense, bloody, fast paced and suspenseful.

As Vampirella is busy doing detective work, the people who have accompanied her on the trip get into situations of their own, adding to the drama.

Vampirella must endure an internal battle as well as the physical challenges she faces throughout the story, and with the return of Dracula, her vampire side is calling.

Marianne’s comment: I haven’t read this one, but I just wish they didn’t have to portray female characters half naked. Why can’t you be a sexy heroine with clothes on?

Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Alice in Wonderland #1 Released January 25th Artwork by Artgerm, Eric Basaldua and Nei Ruffino.  32 pages

Paperback: 168 pages
Publisher: Zenescope (January 22, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1937068668

Decades ago, a girl named Alice was sacrificed into the horror-filled realm of Wonderland but her terrifying and awe-inspiring experiences there have been shrouded in mystery. The one thing known is that her time spent in a world full of insanity left her a broken adult. However, her courageous will to survive is what ultimately saved humanity. Now the story of Alice’s visit into Wonderland is fully revealed and the truth of the terror will be told in full! From Raven Gregory, Ralph Tedesco and Joe Brusha, the same minds behind Grimm Fairy Tales and Return To Wonderland comes the newest series that Zenescope fans have been waiting for. What every Zenescope fan has been waiting for is finally here! Follow Zenescope back down the rabbit hole and find a world of madness like you have never seen before!

In a dark twist to an already unusual story, this graphic novel tells a story of a young  Alice who is coaxed into the Real of Dreams by her grandparents. Alice has become a slave to the evil and grotesque Jabberwocky. In Vol 1 we see Alice as a young woman who with some help, escapes the Jabberwocky and has several encounters with the people/creatures of Wonderland. The Chesire Cat is chasing after her to return her to her master and Alice is stuck in a land of terror.

Throughout the story we get flashbacks of how Alice came to be in Wonderland and what is happening in the real world. As she travels through Wonderland, and encounters different people, she soon comes to realise that she has to conquer the Jabberwocky to ever really be free of him.

As with all comics, this one was a very fast paced adventure, introduced to us with a Grimm twist. There is no down-time as Alice is in a race for her life.

With full colored  pages, a more risque, adult version of Alice and horrific landscape, this comic is a view into a twisted and terrifying side of Wonderland. Most of the storytelling is done through the art work and visuals to accentuate the creep-factor of the characters and lands she travels through. (There are no fluffy white bunnies or flowers in this version!) It has a good balance between dialogue/story telling and really focuses on the artwork to reveal the  majority of the story.