Normally you would see a comic book article this week. But for the past couple weeks I’ve been too busy staring at girls in bikinis like a creeper to read many comics. But since I had a fairly long travel time, I was able to read a few freebies thanks to an app called ComiXology. It’s an app for your phone and/or tablet that allows you to purchase and download a wide array of comics. They also have a number of free comics for download as well. Ninety percent of them are just number one issues to get your beak wet, but I hardly have any right to complain about something free. So here are my thoughts on the free samplings I enjoyed while on vacation.
Saga #1
You know what happens when a man swears an oath to never use his weapon again? He’ll end up using his weapon again. There is a one hundred percent guarantee of that. It’s like a universal law of physics or something. But aside from the small bit of obvious foreshadowing, this was a really great comic. It hodgepodges modern and classic literature into something that is ultimately new and very creative. Saga is one of the best first issues I’ve ever read and contains more than enough depth and complexity to build into a super great series. I’ll be sure to get the trade paperback next time I’m in the comic shop.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Infinite Comics
There are four of these digital exclusive comics that highlight a character from the guardians’ team. Drax, Rocket Raccoon, Gamora, and Groot each get a small side story that loosely ties in the main comic we have to pay money for. The comics themselves have mediocre writing and art, but they do use the idea of digital comics to create a more interesting experience. When you slide a panel, the frames use more of a stop motion animation technique instead of the panel by panel slideshow of a more traditional comic. It shows a creative way to introduce the idea of digital only comics and that they have a place in the future of the industry. So all we need now is a better story and art with a creative multi-issue story.
Fatale #1
I’m actually ashamed that I haven’t read this comic before. It’s one of those I wanted to wait until the trade paperback came out, but just never got around to. But thanks to the ease of free digital comics, I was able to taste the first chapter. Fatale doesn’t disappoint in any way and Ed Brubaker’s noir style satisfies all of my fanboy needs. It’s fairly a typical Brubaker affair with heavy internal dialogue and deep characterization that feels so human you would swear that you could feel a pulse in the panels. However I should warn you that you shouldn’t read this one unless you’re old enough to be legal for everything except to run for President. Fatale is bloody intense, literally.
