Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived in the mail here at the Geek Compound.
The Last Days of American Crime Issue #2 Written by Rick Remender Art by Greg Tocchini
Promo copy:
With only a few days left to pull off the last great crime in American history, the tension mounts as secrets and double crosses are revealed. While trained killer Kevin Cash goes to retrieve an important component to the heist, his girlfriend Shelby seduces Graham Brick as they deal with their own set of problems. Left-for-dead gangster Enrique is looking for revenge along with two mysterious cops that are following their every move. With Shelby kidnapped by Enrique’s Mexican gang, can Graham rescue her before time runs out?
For my Sf Site column Nexus Graphica, I wrote this about issue 1:
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| For this violent, near-future thriller, Remender creates a reality in which, due to ultra-stringent anti-terrorism legislation, the United States has slipped into a cesspool of vice and corruption. Amid the chaos, career criminal Graham Brick plans one more big heist. Though the background story borders on absurd (the government plans to broadcast a signal making it impossible for anyone to knowingly commit unlawful acts), Remender wisely focuses on the criminal elements, conjuring the best of the late Richard Stark with a fascinating supporting cast. While his painted work is pleasing to look at, Tocchini falters as a storyteller, often causing confusion. Even with these distractions, The Last Days of American Crime offers an intriguing, nihilistic view on the crime thriller. |
Shrapnel: Hubris #1 Created by Mark Long & Nick Sagan Written by Nick Sagan & Clinnette Minnis Art by Concept Art House
Promo copy:
Mark Long & Nick Sagan return to take a planetary revolution across the solar system in the sequel to the hit series Shrapnel: Aristeia Rising.
The last free colony in the Solar System has yet to fall, but how long can it withstand the siege? Under constant barrage from orbit and kept from replenishing much-needed supplies by a planetary blockade, the colonists of Venus find themselves in desperate circumstances. But unwilling to let their stand be in vain, the surprise hero of the war—notorious ex-marine Vijaya “Sam” Narayan—must reverse their fortunes before time runs out once and for all.
Aladdin: Legacy of the Lost Issue #3 by Ian Endinton Art by Stjepan Sejic
Promo copy:
From the mystical city of Shambhalla to the ends of the Earth comes a tale of magic, mystery and the motivations of power. It is the world of Ala ad-Din, better known as ALADDIN.
Thief, gambler, liar and cheat, Aladdin’s reckless soul falls under the eye of the sorcerer Qassim, who has spent his life scouring the sands for the Dreaming Jewel. This lost relic of shattering power will enable Qassim to steal the magic of the Djinn of the Lamp and reshape the world in his own malicious design. But to do so, he requires a mystical ability carried within Aladdin’s blood…power that not even Aladdin himself knows about. An epic adventure that twists the classic saga into dark, unexplored territories with multi-Eisner nominated writer Ian Edginton!
My Nexus Graphica review of issue 1:
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| Veteran scribe Edginton expertly relates the oft-told tale of Aladdin. This first issue explores the hero’s misbegotten youth as a thief on through his acquisition of the famous lamp. Unlike many of his contemporaries, painter Reilly uses his impressive skills to enhance rather than obfuscate Edginton’s script. Beyond the Dune-inspired sandworm sequence, Aladdin: Legacy of the Lost offers a welcome, fresh perspective of the famed adventurer. |