dark horses

drive-by readings

The Darkness: Four Horsemen #1 (Top Cow) David Hine Jeff Wamester Felix Serrano Troy Peteri Wamester/Arif Prianto (cover) Jorge Molina (variant cover)

what we learned: Jackie Estacado is asked by old boss Lucio Franchetti to deal some payback for a biker gang who bilked them of some money and drugs ... way back in '75 (and they still look the same). yep, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
oh shit moment: i think these Horsemen are much scarier than Marvel's Apocalypse's version.
what's next: collision course with the Demon Riders. Jackie has a "preacher" in tow. and who's this Hope-like character?


Herbie goes demonic!

let's go hunting

drive-by readings

Artifacts #1 (Top Cow) "Artifacts" Ron Marz Michael Broussard Rick Basaldua Sal Regla Sunny Gho Troy Peteri Dale Keown et al (covers)

what we learned: thirteen artifacts in the Top Cow U, when brought together, will bring about the end of the world as we know it. twelve are known, while the thirteenth, the key to it all, is still to be found. bringing together all the heavyweights in one glorious adventure, Ron Marz unveils his Top Cow masterpiece that may even rival his Green Lantern days in DC.
oh shit moment: Julie Pezzini, sister of Sara and babysitter of her daughter Hope (heyyyyy, Second Coming!) is shot in the head, just like this Green dude (not a Lantern).
what's next: would that all parents who get their children kidnapped also wielded the power of the Witchblade. run, Aphrodite IV, run.


hey, fanboys! Ron Marz is talking to you!

drive-by readings: Berserker #1

Berserker #1 (Top Cow) Rick Loverd Jeremy Haun Dave McCaig Troy Peteri Dale Keown (cover)

anybody with a berserker's rage will identify with this new series from Top Cow. Farris Jorn and Aaron Bural are two diverse people with something in common - they can be sparked to go in a murderous rage given the right (unfortunate) conditions. Farris works with his girlfriend Eva in a metal factory, and always gets pushed around by his asshole of a boss (who likes harassing Eva), resulting in some sweet evisceration, the kind any hard-working peon would love to perform on their own idiot bosses. Aaron just wants to pull up stakes and leave town with his girl Courtney, but a terrible incident during a wrestling match triggers a series of unfortunate events, not the least of which is a separation of head from body of a supporting character, i won't tell you who. lurking in the background are two competing organizations, Aasgard and Midgard (whooopee - laying the Norse stuff a bit too thickly, eh), vying for the services of talents like Farris and Aaron.

the pacing could use a bit more polishing; otherwise, this seems to be an interesting (if ultra-violent) book with a nice premise. if it turns out to be a hit, a movie could be in the pipeline (property's owned by Divide Pictures owned by - cough, Heroes are an X-Men ripoff, cough, cough - Milo Ventimiglia).