Shipping Delays - A Message from IDW

by Ben Fardon

We received the following at the end of last week from IDW Publishing and are passing the information onto yourselves.

This will unfortunately affect several Transformers titles, as well as Dungeons & Dragons: Legends of Baldur's Gate and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles among other titles. 

Due to the ongoing problems at West coast ports, our normal shipping procedures have been completely interrupted, causing unpredictable delays. Regrettably, this has resulted in all our books planned for release on 2/18 to be delayed.

We've looked at every possible scenario to prevent this, but the situation is completely beyond our control. We are taking steps to improve this for the immediate future, but the books and products that are currently on the water cannot be re-directed. 

We will be updating our weekly releases and keeping you informed as the situation works toward a resolution.

We understand this is not an ideal situation, and apologize for any inconvenience this causes, and look forward to things getting back to normal in ensuing weeks. Thank you for your continued patience and support.

We at Proud Lion appreciate that IDW are doing everything they can to resolve these problems and wish them the very best of luck with their attempts to find a resolution.

Ben Fardon has a shiny new barcode scanner.

New Beginnings - The Squidder #1

by Matt Puddy

Many moons ago on Joe’s Comics there was a new start called Ten Grand. Written by J Michael Straczynski. it’s a cracking little story about redemption and how far a man will go, but most importantly it was my first real introduction to the artistic work of Ben Templesmith, though many of our readers will remember his work from 30 Days Of Night and more.

Templesmith may have left the comic after four issues but it was professionally handled and respectfully done by Straczynski meaning that regardless of the differences, workloads or other issues, there wasn’t a black cloud hanging over him for future projects.

Here we are now with one such future project – The Squidder – however this time the entire creative burden rests on his shoulders. More importantly this is the first part of a very personal project that suits Templesmith right down to the ground.

The Squidder is a bleak story in its kindest description. Opening with a cruel religious sacrificial ceremony, the reader is thrown right into the middle of civilisation's end. In an attempt to end the cycle of harm a young girl is offered up to appease the Squid Queen. One of many that has invaded Earth devastating the land and all those on it.

Hitchins, like many good protagonists, is a man troubled by his own violent past. Known as a Squidder, he was designed for the war against them. Physically strong and then further supported and enhanced by nanites and other technological doohickeys, it still wasn’t enough. In the end the war was lost and he witnessed plenty of death from those around him.

Being awoken from a nightmare isn’t a bad thing unless it’s to the hands of a hapless attempt at assassination. As a trained killer, seeing the attackers off is not hard at all but it does lead to an interesting meeting. Here is the crux of where this four part series is going. Hitchins is unimpressed at what he sees around him, but money talks and undertaking a mercenary contract to find and retrieve a priestess of the Squid Cult – alive – will make for an interesting ride. Brought to rescue what constitutes a traitor in his eyes and keep her alive. What could possibly go wrong?

Templesmith’s artwork is exactly what I expected to see when I saw his name on the cover. It is fine lined, yet nasty and grimy at the same time. This is eloquently drawn horror, wrapped around a nightmare landscape.

Storywise it’s not bad at all. Maybe not the strongest of writing, but then again he’s not as well known for that outside of perhaps his Wormwood, Gentleman Corpse series. My one criticism is that sometimes the dialogue was confusing, with a person off camera speaking or being made reference to without being the focal point. This is certainly not a comic you can skim and take everything in so pay attention!

There is a very distinct apocalyptical feel to this without the normal nuclear side if that’s possible. Amongst all of the destitution and struggle I did feel that the overwhelming idea of the squids was missing in this issue aside from the futility of trying to beat them in flashbacks.

As a treasured project I think Templesmith has done well, considering that everything is done by him in its entirety. It’s a shame that it’s only four issues long really, though perhaps it's the first in a series of linked smaller miniseries. Time will tell, but this is definitely worth a look for all Templesmith and horror fans.

Matt Puddy once sacrificed something to the Great Squid. Now he'll never be able to grow a full beard.

Licensing restrictions ends UK supply of some animated tie-in comics

by Ben Fardon

Some bad news that I've been trying to find a way around before breaking.

Sadly, we're stuck with this, so future issues of the following titles will no longer be available through Proud Lion. 

Licensing Restrictions 

Due to licensing restrictions the following titles will no longer be available via Diamond UK:

• TMNT Animated (IDW)
• Samurai Jack (IDW)
• Powerpuff Girls (IDW)
• Ben 10 (IDW)
• Dexters Laboratory (IDW)
• Regular Show (Boom!)

I'm really sorry folks.

Please drop me a line at shop@proudlion.co.uk if you are affected and would like some guidance on sourcing these direct from the US, though bear in mind that with shipping costs this won't be cheap!

Missing IDW products this week

Good morning folks, just received the following news from Diamond UK.

Dear Retailer,

Due to a shipping delay the following IDW titles will unfortunately not be included in your deliveries this week.

Diamond UK would like to apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause, we expect these titles to be included with next week’s delivery and all will now have a UK on sale date of Wednesday 4th December 2013.

Sorry folks, I know it's a pain, but they will be with us next week now. Many thanks for your patience.

New Beginnings - Mars Attacks Judge Dredd #1

“Really?!”

“Do you really mean the 'Ak-Ak-Ak' Martians from that film?!”

Let's be honest, those were probably a lot of people's initial reactions, myself included, when they first saw this new project from IDW. If there was any doubt left in my mind about the title and what it really contained, it was all wiped away when I saw the cover. Across it (and all of the variant covers in one form or another) are the aliens from the 1996 cult classic movie.

Of course, said movie was based on a popular trading card series released in the early Sixties. Last year IDW began to publish new Mars Attacks comics and after the fun they'd had with their two Infestation crossovers (which saw zombies attacking the various IDW comics based on licensed properties such as Ghostbusters. Transformers, GI Joe and even Star Trek) they followed up with a series of Mars Attacks one shots earlier this year, where we saw the titular martians attacking Popeye, Ghostbusters, Transformers, Zombies Vs Robots and even Kiss! These single issues also included variants covers teasing other non-existent crossovers and among them was Mars Attacks Judge Dredd, which lead to quite a few excited fanboys who were swiftly disappointed when they realised it was just a variant humourous cover. 

But never let it be said that IDW aren't a publisher who listen to their audience, because here's a four issue Mars Attacks Judge Dredd miniseries. This is a very strange mix but then Dredd isn’t unaccustomed to the idea of a crossover, having had them with Alien xenomorphs, Predator and Batman to name a few.

Al Ewing takes B-movie-style imagery and mixes it with the dirty futuristic scenery of Mega City One. The story is loosely based around the changes made to Mega City One in the wake of Bulgine Smalls, the boss of bosses, and how in the following years others major criminals carved the city into territories and rose to their own lofty heights. Smalls’ own son was snubbed in the process of doing this.

At the same time Dredd - while “troubleshooting” a notorious area of the city - is infiltrating a known mob front in his own unique style. Forcing deeper into the building he is confronted by what he can only assume is a severe mutation, but the reader will easily recognise the Martian. After dispatching the “mutant” things only get weirder. A mysterious sphere, more mutants and a giant carnivorous insect leaving us on a cliffhanger for the next issue.

Whilst it hasn’t avoided the aliens, I was glad that they weren’t comically peppered throughout the issue. Whereas the Burton movie was very tongue-in-cheek and comedic, this story is coming from a different angle, closer to the original trading cards or IDW's recent Mars Attacks comic.

Combined with John McCrea’s artwork there is a serious feel to the story instead. McCrea’s artwork, having worked on 2000AD previously, is totally in line with what a fan would expect. I personally prefer Greg Staples’ wonderful cover artwork but that is my preference more than anything.

The overall feel is that IDW have captured both IPs and put them together in a visually striking way. As for the story though I’m really not sure. The first issue hasn’t had enough development to show anything more than a teaser of the Martians in Dredd's city. Even the climax isn’t about them, though it does showcase the B-movie roots of Mars Attacks. It’s hopefully going to develop further and be more inclusive, otherwise it will feel like an endless chase. At present it really needs a situation to focus on and give a greater pull to the reader. I wasn’t completely wowed by it all so I’m hoping there’s a change coming. That said, fans of either series will want to add this unique little tale to their collection.

Matt Puddy Attacks Lunch!

New Beginnings - The X-Files Season 10 #1

Late in 1993 TV-land was graced with Chris Carter’s new sci-fi series, The X-Files, and iconic fandom soon followed. Running until 2001, the show made a sizeable mark on society spanning nine series plus two films. 

Now almost 20 years later, The X-Files takes a leaf out of Buffy's book and returns with a tenth season in comic form through IDW.

The issues are penned by Joe Harris but they also have the input of Chris Carter (complete with him being credited as the Executive Producer) which should belay any concerns that fans picking the comic up may be faced with stories that are little more than non-canon nonsense, akin to the old offerings from Topps.

Staying within the mythology the plot follows on from the where the second film left off. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully are in their new lives, with cover identities away from the FBI. Their lives are apparently happy and out of the limelight, but this is all quickly shattered when Deputy Director Skinner arrives as the bearer of bad news. An unknown online assailant has managed to breach the FBI and peek at it’s secrets, including some of those that were sealed within the X-Files. With that a sinister cabal of cloaked and hooded assailants with the power to manipulate people is on the hunt for them. 

This premise leads to the cyclic nature of the issue, where we were first greeted with Scully wounded and on the run. It opens the reader to a huge amount of questions, as although it gives you something to ponder, it doesn’t give much else by way of support. There are a plethora of doors opened for the reader to step through, but at present each door simply leads to more questions. Most confusing is the revelation that whoever hacked the X-Files doesn't actually want our heroes despite seemingly hunting them down. So what does it all mean?

There was another character piece that struck me as well. Mulder and Skinner are all very easily recognised from their depictions, but Scully didn’t feel Scully enough for me. This may have been because this first issue was full of exposition at the expense of characterisation, but too often she felt more a helpless victim than the strong female front I remember from my youth. I know her trademark cynicism softened in the face of the nine series and two films' worth of revelations, but she just didn't quite act like Scully.

The artwork is provided by Michael Walsh - an artist known for his work on Image and IDW comics - and as said above is very good at recreating very memorable characters from the series, whilst still keeping a sense of his own style. He does this without using overly detailed line work or definition. It’s accomplished more by using basic shape and then focussing on key elements. In particular, the eyes and mouth identify them all very well.

Although as a teenager I loved the X-Files, I’m not sure that this is enough for me. Hardcore fans on the other hand will love it, as it has all of the mystery and uncertainty of the series. With Chris Carter as a guiding force I have no doubt that this title will live up to the franchise. Will it find a stronger following than the recent Buffy comics? Who knows. As they say, the truth is out there...

Matt Puddy couldn't resist that last line.

New Beginnings - Wild Blue Yonder #1

About a year ago, Kickstarter featured a new project for a new miniseries entitled Wild Blue Yonder. The title has been in the making for the past three to four years and only turned to crowd funding last year. Coincidentally it was also announced that it would be published by IDW at the same time which may have provoked questions as to why Kickstarter was needed in the first place. To clear up any misconception, this is a creator-owned comic and IDW are simply acting as the publisher. The series story, script and art are from a combination of Mike Raicht, Zack Howard and Austin Harrison.

So what do you get for a handsome total of $12,000 through Kickstarter?

Wild Blue Yonder is an alternative future comic where the world has almost been rendered barren by pollution. This means that for survival the upper crust of the world has headed above the clouds living on huge floating barges. whilst the remaining - less fortunate - of society are left to fend for themselves, as workers supporting them in the vague hope of being escalated to those levels too.

The other aspect is that even this way of living has its price and oil is an even more precious commodity than it already is in today’s society. So when people get wind of an airship, The Dawn, that can run on a combination of solar, magnetic and also hydrogen-based energy, it makes itself a significant target for the comic’s big bad The Judge as well as every other sky jockey and pirate there is.

The story revolves around the teenage pilot Cola (and to a small degree her dog Critter) who is a pilot protecting the Dawn. We are introduced as she looks for a new hired gun and co-pilot following the loss of her previous partner. Part rebellious, part loyal and all kick-ass she is very reminiscent of Tank Girl, albeit less scruffy. Offering the chance to get away from normal life and have a “family” again, Cola finds and pressgangs a young man called Tug, and he is immediately thrown into the world as she sees it. I almost wanted her to reach out proclaiming, “Come with me if you want to live!”

Developing further by showing the troubles that the crew face (and the aftermath seen from the raiding side as well) paints the world as quite bleak regardless of your social status. The Judge is your typical ironfisted military type complete with Nazi overtones in his demeanour and dress (with the exception of his skin) making for a strong character to play off of.

The artwork provided by Zack Howard is really nice. It has plenty of details and good line work without being too clean or over the top. The colouring (Nelson Daniel) also suits the tone of the comic and the whole feel of the ecological premise that the story is set in as well. Although it’s not part of the story for this issue, one of my favourite panels has to be the final page which advertises issue two very well with Scram jetting out of a dirty cloud bank in pose reminiscent of superheroes. It certainly left me wanting to collect them.

As something very new and very different this is a comic that achieves the quite tricky task of bringing something to the table which people will want to follow. I’m looking forward to the series and hoping it continues after the initial issues too. Nice to see Kickstarter paying off for both backers and a wider audience.

Matt Puddy had an interesting discussion on the definition of steampunk this week.

New Beginnings - Doomsday.1 #1

Right then readers, first thing I have to do this week is make a confession. When I saw the list of upcoming reviews included Doomsday.1 my mind initially wandered to some new spin off from DC, following a Superman villain. Luckily watching over me was the editor who left a link for me to follow to see how wrong I really was.

Doomsday.1 is a new IDW title brought to us by John Byrne - a revival of a comic called Doomsday + 1 that he did in the Seventies with writer Joe Gill. This time Byrne serves as both writer and artist. Now personally I can be a little wary of when the writer/penciller boundary is broached. Byrne's writing was also unfamiliar to me, so I did a little research before reading and I’m glad I did. John Byrne has a phenomenal back catalogue of work across a large range of brands; for instance this is the man that drew the well known Dark Phoenix arc in X-Men. His career has stemmed from artwork and moved to writing so with this settling my mind I opened the pages.

Doomsday.1 is an apt title as this is a story about the end of the world. From the lofty heights of a space station scientists have discovered and recorded a solar flare of enormous proportions, almost four times the size of the Earth. The bad news keeps coming. The flare is not dissipating and will strike Earth giving rise to a catastrophic event.

In the wake of the news breaking worldwide - after the American president takes extraordinary steps by announcing it to the nation instead of hiding the fact - the issue mainly follows how various groups around the world react, including our astronauts on the space station. While Earth is anticipating the worst, the astronauts are preparing to return.

One of my favourite parts of this story is that it feels honest. The reactions, the decisions and the actions people take don’t feel out of proportion. It may have a slightly incendiary couple of pages involving the Pope - and I’m sure someone somewhere will latch onto those frames - but aside from that it has a realistic feel to it, with a subtle hint of underlying panic. Very interesting stuff and provokes some even more interesting thoughts.

The issue ends - after a moment of self sacrifice - with the space voyagers having a rough landing and setting foot on what remains of the Earth. With only odd fires scattered here and there and no real signs of life, what do you do and where do you go?

Byrne’s artwork is a frustration to me. The very first page features the space station in orbit and is a really good image with plenty of detail, but it's not a traditionally clean image. Byrne is known for being strongly against the use of simple straight lines. After that though the artwork felt a little dated and very similar to a lot of his work from the Eighties. Another slight sticking point is the sheer volume of information, both graphically and literally, that Byrne tries to convey. You can see he has really put a large amount into this and wants to get a lot of emphasis and information across but sometimes (for example the President) this floods the frames leaving them feeling cramped. With such a strong story it would have been interesting to see how this may have worked as a collaboration with another artist instead.

On the whole the presentation and depiction of this story is good and I enjoyed it from an intellectual point of view as it made me engage with the subject matter. The second issue promises even more, as this first issue was about establishing an understanding of the situation on such a massive scale. I think this could be a sleeper hit as a result but future issues will tell all.

Matt Puddy would greatly appreciate your support for Hockey For Heroes.

New Beginnings - Judge Dredd Year One #1

IDW is a publisher that has a somewhat naughty pleasure for me. It’s not your mainstream Marvel or DC comics, and very often they have titles that everyone knows of, but not necessarily thinks about,  like Transformers. They also have a great range of publications that are constantly finding me something new to experience. This week I have one of those exact moments with Judge Dredd Year One.

Now my exposure to Judge Dredd is limited to the Stallone film and recent reboot, although I am aware of the previous 2000AD comics that I used to see on newsagents shelves as a kid. This does mean that I can take a fairly neutral view on this issue.

The story is brought to us by Matt Smith (not that one!), 2000AD's current Editor-in-Chief, and revolves around Joe Dredd's early days. Things are not quite what he expected, as there are strange psychic abilities manifesting in the juveniles around him.

Initially told in a third person style (which isn’t given by Dredd), the introduction of Mega-City One is more about showing how things the future are different and yet still very much the same. Children get bullied, babies play with no apparent understanding of the world around them and gangs try to rule the streets. But then things have begun to change. Sudden outbreaks of what can only be described as phenomena start appearing - telekinesis, levitation, mind control - and there are many more eluded to.

Skipping forward four days we see Dredd on patrol. Ending up in pursuit of two criminals, the subsequent chase brings him to witness such an event where a small child tears a man limb from limb.

Posed with the problem of what to do Dredd approaches the Psi-Division to get some guidance. This is a whole new world for the old fashioned cop. What this does mean is that when Dredd is back on the street, things have definitely changed in what he comes to expect and how he intends to to handle it all.

From the outset the cover is fantastic and looks glorious. With art from Greg Staples I felt this so-called standard cover was anything but. I definitely preferred it to the subscription and alternative covers, though it's worth noting the subscription cover comes from Dredd's co-creator, Carlos Ezquerra.

The artwork inside is a little different though. The fine work and details that we saw outside does appear to have been all used up and now we have a less defined depiction of the story. The interior artist is Simon Coleby, an artist I haven’t knowingly seen before but is a veteran of Judge Dredd and has received some fantastic words of praise from his editors.

What I did like were the little touches. Even though the inside cover has the contributor listings there is still a box on the second page which ties in perfectly with the story simply labelled “Citation:Y1N1” which has the main contributors listed as droids. It’s a tricky call for me as it’s not a style that I usually like - and part of me probably still doesn’t - but I really enjoyed the story and the artwork became a little secondary.

Not knowing any of the lore and history behind Dredd meant that I had no preconceived ideas about it at all. The story felt good and easy to read and the casual reader can easily pick it up. This is an iconic figure being given a new beginning for anyone to jump on board with relative ease.

Matt Puddy. Three countries. Two weeks. And one serious race to run.

New Beginnings - Road Rage #1

If you mention the name Stephen King to pretty much anyone then they will immediately know either a book, a film or television adaptation that he has been a part of. Even if the person you are talking to can’t give you a title that he has worked on, then they have still most likely seen his work in one format or another without even realising. King is therefore one of the most prolific writers of the modern age. Slightly lesser known is his son Joe Hill who is also a writer and has joined his father on this production. Fans of IDW comics may know his name for his comic Locke & Key which sold out in a day on its first publication run.

Stephen King has credited a great amount of his inspiration as a writer to Richard Matheson, who has written one of my favourite books I am Legend, and this is particularly apt as Road Rage is the combination of two novellas - Duel (by Matheson) and now Throttle by King and Hill. Both King and Hill have spoken out for their love of Duel and so taking the concept and creating something new is only natural. This comes across in the comic as there is a certain familiarity in certain aspects such as the shadowy figure in the cab but in partnership with this there is also fresh twists following a biker gang.

The Tribe are a close knit crew who - through recent events - are beginning to feel polarised. Although some of them don’t overtly display it, Vince - who heads the Tribe - knows that action has to be taken. The story follows the gang as they are planning to make amends for a meth deal gone wrong and start to plan their course of action. Along the way they cross paths, quite literally, with a juggernaut which leads to all of the plans changing as it turns from a run to Show Low into a run for life.

In contrast to King’s normal writing, as a comic, you get to see his characters which he normally allows the reader to paint themselves. This may give them a very stereotypical look to them but this is a grimy almost retro story and so needs something fitting to match. Nelson Daniel has done this well. Painting the background behind King and Hill’s work you have some beautiful open scenes which still have a feeling of isolation to them. They move as a group but they are still all alone in the wilds. This feeling is pushed even further when the carnage ensues and each death is individually highlighted. A nice touch to hit a point home I felt.

This is a great little comic with a fantastic final panel and if you’re a fan of Matheson, King or Hill then you will definitely like it and should pick it up as an homage to the original Duel. If you’re not a fan then you should still find it entertaining but maybe not one which has you desperate for the whole story.

What it does show is that at the moment the portfolio of stories, characters, writers and ideas that IDW is amassing is growing and a strong line up as well. I’m really impressed by what they’re producing and looking forward to more from them too.

Next week, Matt Puddy will be taking a look back at the first story arc of the New 52 Justice League.

New Beginnings - Transformers

As a child of the 80’s I had a staple diet of Saturday morning cartoons. One such cartoon was Transformers. This was followed by the sticker books, the toys and the T-shirts. I was hooked. Watching every week you couldn’t help but wonder “So which will actually win? Autobot or Decepticon?” Even Michael Bay hasn’t really answered that question with rumours of a fourth film rife.

However, in the end it was the comics that answered the questions.

Transformers, in the comic sense, has been a foster child of a series. Initially it started with the toyline from Hasbro and Marvel introduced them in comics. Later on Dreamwave, a spin off of Image, launched Transformers and then after their demise in 2005 IDW were granted the licence to the comic.

Now after 125 comics a new era under the strong helm of IDW begins with a one-shot and two new titles.

In typical storybook fashion good has triumphed, the Autobots have been successful in not only winning the war but also in using the Matrix to revive Cybertron itself. With their world alive again and no one left to fight, what is a robot to do?


Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime tries to open and answer this. Beginning where the comics left off with Optimus pushing the Matrix into Cybertron and “dying”, it tries to answer and pose questions at the same time. Optimus had been consumed by a great white light and now awakens in the future with the Matrix split in half.

Instead of trying to reinvent a conflict between two opposing sides a new line has been taken. Optimus may have lead the Autobots to win the war but the battle for the planet now begins. Most importantly this isn’t between good and evil but in fact between thoughts and feelings. Refugees from the war are returning with no affiliation to either side and no regard for a new regime especially as they feel they don’t owe anything to the victors of a conflict they didn’t want.

It’s quite a fraught situation and one that demands very hard decisions as well. The Autobots are fractured, Optimus is not the revered leader the people want and a big difference of opinion creates a divide so large that Rodimus leaves taking a large number of well known characters apparently to their deaths.

Although not a fantastic story, the one-shot works best as a vehicle to introduce the two new spin-off titles - Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye and Transformers: Robots In Disguise. These replace the previous ongoing Transformers series.


I wouldn’t want to suggest that James Roberts didn’t commit to the title as he has gone onto write on MTMTE, however as an issue it is a bit something and nothing. The artworks harks back to the Eighties animated series which I relate to most but doesn’t always hold to it.

Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye, is where Roberts transitions to. What I find very frustrating is that I know that the MTMTE title is going to be dedicated to Hot Rod and his quest to find the Knights of Cybertron, but it spends so little time actually doing that. It’s more of a scene setter and works in the favour of John Barber’s Robots In Disguise by solidifying the incredible volatile and unstable setting that Cybertron has become. The frustration and rift between Bumblebee - now Autobot leader - and Hot Rod is built well to create tension but what should be a shock moment where the departing ship “explodes” is lost quickly.

It’s only in the last few pages where Hot Rod’s sense of duty towards his crew, the “not on my watch” attitude, that you get a real sense of what this title is going to be about. Flung across the galaxy by a surprise quantum jump and losing 40 friends in the process gives him purpose, but as I said due to it only being a couple of pages no depth. All of this has been used to create deeper back stories and settings for what will become needed in the future issues.

Nick Roche joins Roberts to provide the artwork for the issue. I think the strange thing about this, as well as the other two comics, is that Transformers have no defined structure or predetermined look. This means that thin limbs, odd shaped faces or blocky square torsos are completely normal. There are the odd occasions when you do think this is stretched a little too far but on the whole this isn’t bad. Also considering you are dealing with characters that are almost 30 years old and you can easily recognise them all. It’s bright, colourful and full of innovation.


Transformers: Robots in Disguise focuses on Bumblebee’s struggle to unite the inhabitants of the now living Cybertron - the story takes a more political and worldly approach. It also goes a long way to showing that regardless of your environment or your race the same problems and prejudices can and will affect you.

Fighting an internal struggle on three fronts, Bumblebee has to keep the Autobots together, rehabilitate the Decepticons and prevent the civil unrest that is brewing with the non-affiliated Cybertronians. All of this is compounded by his own feelings where he constantly fights to step out of the huge shadow Optimus has left behind. What I’ve really liked is that it has parities to so many real life events and situations. Discrimination is a huge player in this comic with all of the Cybertronians, who are neither Autobot or Decepticon dubbed as NAILS – Non Affiliated Indigenous Life FormS. It is setting up for a gritty and harsh storyline especially as a Decepticon can’t change its paintwork.

In a similar fashion to MTMTE, the artwork in RID feels more engaging. It keeps with tradition but feels comfier somehow. I can’t quite put my finger on why but it just does.

Overall it’s a tricky call on these comics. The one-shot is not essential but certainly worth a read as a (re)introduction if you’ve not been following them before. The two spin offs are good and RID is certainly entertaining me so far, MTMTE has a little way to go but has definite potential in a similar way that Lost In Space or Star Trek Voyager did. My concern is that my love of a childhood favourite blindsides me slightly.

The new ongoing series are definitely worth picking up but I think favourites will be chosen based on who you are and the sort of stories you like.

Matt Puddy knows that one shall and one shall fall.

New Beginnings - IDW horror special

In a change to publishers and genres I have been given two titles on the IDW roster, Monocyte and 30 Days of Night.

To say I’m outside of my normal comfort zone is an understatement as we are venturing away from the realms of superheroes or Japanese supernatural archetypes and sticking closer to the human world.

Having read them both as well they are certainly very different - both in themselves but to what I’m used to as well.

Something to note immediately about them both is the feel of them. One thing I can certainly say is that both of them are beautifully produced and feel lovely under finger. From the glossy slick cover of 30 Days Of Night to the matte and almost embossed feeling of Monocyte, both are a treat to more than just your eyes.

To me, 30 Days of Night was a film I had seen a few years ago featuring Josh Hartnett, a sleepy Alaskan town and a lot of vampires. I wasn’t really aware of its origins but since then I have come to know it was originally a comic. Creator Steve Niles returns to write this new beginning, picking up years after the event.

The opening has a quiet, considered feel to it as a resident of Barrow tries to send a warning message to an as yet unknown character. It’s low impact, short but done in such a way that it feels like it needs to be read in a whisper, a fantastic piece of writing. Niles then moves scene to a new location where the hierarchy of vampires are awaiting a meeting and also showing that racism, in its most basic form, transcends not only race and colour but species too. This proves to be a good mechanism to start the questions of why to take form in the readers mind as you are left wondering where the infighting has arisen and then, as any good story teller should, Niles rewards you with the answers.

For something that has been fabulously written, the area I have trouble with is the look. I know this is an established look, but I simply am not a fan. Aside from the obvious horror element, there are parts that look as if they belong in the cartoon section of the Sunday papers. If Niles had written a paperback I’m sure I would enjoy it, Sam Keith’s work only detracts from this for me.

Moving to something very different is Monocyte. As a creation of Menton3 and Kasra Ghanbari, this is something I have not come across before at all and so for me it is unique.

Taking a whole new approach Monocyte would be easiest described as possibly Highlander meets The Matrix as it is an eternal battle of immortals ruling over humans who are used for their sustenance. The game changer being a new player in the war between the Olignostics and the Antedeluvians.

You can see straight from the word go that this has been thought about in great depth as there are detailed and great depth in the backstories and establishment of the two different civilisations. There are also a number of very clever plays on words too with the best example being the aptness of the title of the comic just for starters.

But, and here is the flaw, too much thought has gone into this. The language is incredibly heavy and overpowering in some areas, bordering on Shakespearean almost which makes it a highly intellectual read just to understand it. I’m not advocating the dumbing down of comics to a common denomination so all can read but the language usage makes it niche as I can see many would be put off by it. It can certainly take a second read to get it all in.

What the comic does stride forward in is the artwork. Simply beautiful. It is dark and foreboding with a very minimal palette being taken from. It adds greatly to the gothic feel, with the background artwork being so full with symbols and signs (like in Priest) and certainly has a very alien feel to it similar in some frames to work by H.R. Geiger. This really adds to the feel of the comic. You are essentially being given an alien world which lies behind the human one in the story and it’s supported fully by the visual effects.

Monocyte certainly views easier than it reads.

Both comics are strong in different areas. If I could have had the artwork from Monocyte with Niles’ writing then I think this would have been a fantastic creation akin to the original 30 Days Of Night. Of the two I am probably more inclined to follow the four part Monocyte as well simply because it is so new and without such obvious cliché and overuse (previously) of a plot type and storyline.

For connoisseurs of work I would strongly suggest picking up Monocyte as something new to test the palate with, especially as I know that, even though I don’t like the look of it, 30 Days of Night is going to be a hit with the fans of the original.

Matt Puddy no am like big words in comics. Especially when he's poorly.