Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Severed #7 of 7
Image Comics
Snyder, Tuft & Futaki

Snyder's horror series wraps up with an over-sized, but standard priced issue. The book puts in an x-factor when the major conflict occurs between Jack and the deranged, child-eating, killer. It's a very good ending to a very good series. I'm not sure this book packed nearly the same level of terror punch as previous issues but it did have a highly intense ending. I liked this series and I think any fan of the horror genre would enjoy it as well.

Continue reading...

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Thief Of Thieves #1
Image Comics
Kirkman, Spencer, Martinbrough & Serrano

The first issue from heavy-hitters Robert Kirkman and Nice Spencer is a crime drama that plays out a lot like the first episode of a TV show. The book carries the tagline on the front cover that there isn't anything he can't steal except the life he left behind. But does the book deliver on that premise in the first issue? Does the book provide something to stand out among the many other books that deal with tough characters set in criminal settings without superheroes? This first issue provides a good character outline and a decent story within the issue but doesn't really show that the book is going to be too fast paced or all that different from other crime books. Overall, I found the book to be a very ordinary read.

Continue reading...

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Elephantmen #37
Image Comics
Starkings & Medellin

The latest issue of Elephantmen continues to play with the timeline as the issue explores a serial killer on the loose in the "day before yesterday" fashion. This issue has a ton of characters and actually ends up revealing quite a bit of back-story on some of the previous plots from issues 26-34 (or thereabouts). The book is a dense read with two completely different and interesting back-up stories. Overall you really can't go wrong picking this book up. Especially if you like science fiction, detective work, serial killers and hot babes.

Continue reading...

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Walking Dead #93
Image Comics
Kirkman, Adlard & Rathburn

The latest issue of the Walking Dead launches into the arc entitled, "A Larger World". The long time reader will find the comic to be fairly familiar covering ground that has mostly been mapped out time and time again. However, the issue does provide a good jump-on point and it also shows an interesting level of character growth from Rick, which even the most loyal reader can appreciate. Overall, this issue is good but doesn't approach greatness, such is the case with many first issues of an arc.

Continue reading...

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Chew #23
Image Comics
Layman & Guillory

Chew rolls on with the middle issue to the Major League Chew arc with another outstanding comic book. Layman and Guillory continue to surprise, delight, humor and shock with their unique story. This particularly issue explains why Tony was captured and it puts a new twist on Tony's former partner, Colby, and his new career. It's fantastically creative read in what is one of my favorite all-time series.

Continue reading...

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Fatale #1
Image Comics
Brubaker & Phillips

Fans of Brubaker and Phillips know their kind of story and the style very well. On the off chance that someone hasn't read Criminal, Incognito or Sleeper I will try to explain how this all works and the nuisances for this particular issue. The bottom line is that Brubaker and Phillips tell dark stories that are about shady characters where the story takes their lives from one twist to the next and the true "plot" doesn't really become clear until the very end. The comics are done very well and each series has it's own twist on it and this one creeps into the horror genre that has ties to HP Lovecraft. This is an excellent first issue.

Continue reading...

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Severed #5 of 7
Image Comics
Snyder, Tuft & Futaki

Severed has been as promised in that it is a slow-burn type of story. Last issue we had some truly horrible things occur and Snyder follows that up with an issue that slows down the pace again. However, it works really well because on every single page I am expecting something awful to happen. Snyder has managed to make a suspenseful, horror story come to life in a comic book, which is not something I expected when this series started. Taken as an individual issue it probably isn't all that effective, but coming off the previous issue (or previous four issues) the story comes across as terror for the reader. This is a very good issue that toys with the emotions and senses of the reader like no other book I have read.

Continue reading...

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Chew #22
Image Comics
Layman & Guillory

With a generous gap between the first issue of this arc (Major League Chew) and this issue I was prepared to be a little lost. Instead, Chew #22 gives me the same high level of entertainment I have come to know from virtually all of the previous issues in this series. This issue really explores the powers that Tony's daughter, Olive, possesses and it manages to put Tony into danger despite his new job as a parking violation cop. This is another installment in a series that is funny, gross, smart and clever.

Continue reading...