Killtopia The Complete Collection Preview

 

This is an involving and immersive read. The futuristic punk art evokes movies like Blade Runner and Chappie, while the story's tone pays homage to director Paul Verhoeven's Robocop. I couldn't put it down and finished it in one long day of reading! 

Here's all the info from Titan Comics:

 

KILLTOPIA: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION

Author: Dave Cook

Illustrators: Clark Bint and Craig Paton

Publisher: Titan Comics

HC, 288 pages, FC, $29.99

ISBN: 9781787744189

On sale October 29, 2024

 

“The epitome of mecha, cyberpunk storytelling” - bound in a collectible hardcover edition for the very first time!

 

A high-speed, high-stakes, cyberpunk adventure through Neo Tokyo - a neon-soaked metropolis governed by ruthless corporations and savage bloodsports.

 

Ten years ago, an unexplained explosion rocked the city’s Sector-K district leaving it home a horde of rampaging, killer mecha and a lethal nanomachine plague known as ‘The Rot.’

 

Today, the sector is rebranded as ‘Killtopia’ - the most brutal bloodsport on the planet. High-tech hunters known as ‘Wreckers’ flood Japan to destroy the mechs in exchange for Rot medication, infinite wealth, and limitless social influence.

 

While on a routine hunt, a rookie Wrecker called Shinji encounter’s Crash, the world’s first sentient mecha. Shinji learns that The Rot’s cure lies within Crash’s code, and could save the life of his dying sister, Omi. Together, Shinji, Crash and a misfit band of hackers and slum rats team up to cure The Rot while being hunted by Yakuza crime lords, android assassins and every Wrecker in Neo Tokyo.

 

Meanwhile, as the death toll of the hunt rises, an ancient digital entity watches the mayhem unfold from the shadows, waiting for the right moment to reveal itself to the world…

 

Can Shinii and Crash survive long enough to cure the planet, or does the universe have bigger plans for our heroes?

 

Killtopia: The Complete Collection bring together issues 1-5 of the critically acclaimed series, previously published by BHP comics, plus extra bonus and behind-the-scenes material. This hardcover graphic novel serves as a feast for the eyes, presenting Clark Bint and Craig Paton’s explosive, evocative artwork in a larger format for the first time.

 

Here's a look at the interior art and vibrant coloring:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Killtopia: The Complete Collection is on sale October 29, 2024 at bookstores, comic shops and digital. 

 

 

 

Pre-order now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million and Forbidden Planet for UK. 

 

Thanks for reading, and thanks to Titan Comics for sharing this preview with us!

 

 

The Spectacular Spider-Men #8 Review

 

Writer: Greg Weisman

Penciler: Emilio Laiso & Andrés Genolet

Colorist: Edgar Delgado

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Production: Gabriel Mata

Editors: Kaeden McGahey, Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Cover Artists: Humberto Ramos & Edgar Delgado; Cory Smith & Edgar Delgado

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: October 16, 2024

 

Sha Shan Nguyen requested Professor Raymond Aaron Warren’s help to find Peter Parker, Miles Morales, and her other missing friends. But Miles Warren, aka the Jackal, was masquerading as his brother. The Jackal used Sha Shan’s tip to find Arcadium and help it achieve its ultimate form. As Peter and Miles defeated the Jackal’s forces and KNAIVE, the robot AI child of Arcadium, Sha Shan, and Detective Shari Sebbens arrived to arrest Miles Warren, Hammerhead, Arcade, and Mentallo. Now, everyone from the Coffee Bean can thank Sha Shan, Peter, and Miles and resume their lives, right? Let’s grab a latte, thwip into The Spectacular Spider-Men #8, and find out!

 

Story

Professor Raymond Aaron Warren is dead. He was the incinerated corpse Peter, Miles, and Seymour Krepps discovered in Miles Warren’s lab. Unlike his brother, Raymond devoted his life to inspiring others. So, the friends from the Coffee Bean gather to celebrate his life with other former students and ESU faculty. Yet they have much more to mourn in The Spectacular Spider-Men #8.

 

Perhaps they should mourn the passing of KNAIVE, a newly born lifeform. They likely would if the AI infant hadn't tried to kill them. But the human relationships they lost weigh more heavily on their minds. Unlike the Avengers, the participants can't reclaim the friends they lost. Perhaps Coffee Bean newcomer Adam Blackveil feels this most acutely, as he used Arcadium to battle Thanos alongside his late friend Kevin. As for the rest, promising careers and marriage awaited them. Even the Infinity Stones can't help the friends reclaim those losses.

 

In Greg Weisman’s story, the friends convert their weekly meetups at the ESU Coffee Bean into therapy sessions. Peter’s friend Cindy Moon helps them find a therapist. But while Peter, Miles, and the others share their feelings with Sierra Sinclair, the villains aren’t sitting on their hands in The Spectacular Spider-Men #8. Unlike most participants, Turk Barrett used Arcadium to garner riches, defeat superheroes, and thumb his nose at society. So, after Turk pulled free of Peter and Miles' webbing, he helped Arcade and Mentallo evade Detective Shari Sebbens’ forces. Turk may lack Hammerhead's deep pockets. But as an enthusiastic beta tester, Turk wants to help Arcade and Mentallo rebuild and improve the augmented reality game in every conceivable way.

 

 

Art

Peter Parker claims two spaces on a Tic-Tac-Toe of torment before overtaking the entire board. The spider-men watch as Shari Sebbens’ officers force Hammerhead and Jackyl into a PDNY police van. Lights shine behind Sha Shan as she requests help finding Peter and Miles. So, two quick changes follow in The Spectacular Spider-Men #8. First, Manhattan’s Spider-Man “finds” Miles Morales. Then, Brooklyn's Spider-Man escorts Peter to his former schoolmate. While mourners gather across two pages to memorialize a beloved teacher, a smaller panel shows Shift celebrating a new life with the Vermin, the newly birthed Jackals, and the Unhoused in New York City sewers.  

 

The reds, blues, and blacks of the spider-men, Detective Shari Sebbens, and uniformed officers show off against the gray evening illuminated by blue-and-red lights. Mourners dress in gray and black to commemorate their fallen friend. Shades of yellow and green fill the sewers as Spider-Man and Silk battle a green-and-yellow-clad villain. Their teamwork precipitates an explosion of blue-white light evoking Estrella Lopez's rebirth as Supernova, while the primary colors of red, blue, yellow, and green accompany the emotional energy swirling through ESU's Coffee Bean.

 

After Emilio Laiso & Andrés Genolet's soulful portrayal of people in pain and Edgar Delgado’ sensitive, celebratory, and electrifying colors, Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase letters into white balloons and narrative boxes in The Spectacular Spider-Men #8. While dialogue emboldens, italicizes for intonation, and rarely shrinks, dozens of red-edged white boxes remind us of ongoing characters and introduce new ones. As the cast swells, sound effects accentuate a villain's rising anger and the sorrow of a departing friend. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

As friends regroup in ESU’s Coffee Bean to assess the wreckage of their lives, the threat of new villains and Arcadium hangs over them. The Spectacular Spider-Men #8 addresses the families we create and the joys and pain we experience as relationships evolve and end.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Girl Rebels: Five Inspirational Tales Of Courage Preview

 

 

Teenage environmental activists, an Olympic athlete, a High School shooting survivor, and the youngest person to ever receive a Nobel Prize. Intrigued? I am!

Here's all the info from Titan Comics:

 

 

 

GIRL REBELS: FROM GRETA THUNBERG TO MALALA, FIVE INSPIRATIONAL TALES OF COURAGE

Authors: Laurent Hopman, Fabien Morin, Julien Derain

Illustrators: Gijé, Jocelyn Joret, Brett Parson, Vittoria Macioci, Rebecca Traunig

Publisher: Titan Comics

HC, 144 pages, FC, $19.99

ISBN: 9781787743311

On sale January 21, 2025

 

Follow the stories of incredible women in modern history, including Greta Thunberg, Emma ‘X’ Gonzalez and Malala Yousafzai among others.

 

Beautifully illustrated by a diverse, international creative team, fans of extraordinary real-life stories will love this!

 

"From what age are we allowed to change the world?”

 

Six girls, five empowering adventures. From climate activism to fighting for education and gun control, each story delves deep into the personal struggles and triumphs of remarkable individuals.

 

The Girl Rebels graphic novel shares the extraordinary journeys of six young women who refused to be silenced in the face of adversity and have since become symbols of change.

 

Through rich storytelling and stunning visuals, readers will be inspired by the unwavering spirit of Greta Thunberg, Malala Yousafzai, Yusra Mardini, Emma ‘X’ Gonzalez and the Parkway Kids, and Melati and Isabel Wijsen.

 

Each turn of the page will draw readers into the lives of these young girls, who never intended to become spokespeople or flag-bearers, but have now become inspiring icons and role models for thousands of young people all over the world.

 

Carefully crafted by a talented team of international authors, the anthology presents a compelling exploration of youth activism and social change. The noblest battles of the modern world are brought to life by diverse and renowned illustrators, such as Bret Parson and Gijé.

 

Girl Rebels is for fans of thrilling real-life stories and youth activism around the globe. Join these brave young women on their journey to change the world and discover the power of resilience, determination, and solidarity.

 

Let's check out these inspiring stories:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I like the diversity of art styles that helps each story stand out. I can't wait to read about these young women who made the world a little better for all of us!

Girl Rebels is on sale January 21, 2025 at bookstores, comic shops and digital.

 

Pre-order now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million and Forbidden Planet for UK.

Thanks for reading, and thanks to Titan Comics for sharing this preview with us!

 

 

Conan The Barbarian #16 Review

 

Writer: Jim Zub

Artist: Doug Braithwaite

Colorist: Diego Rodriguez

Letterer: Richard Starkings & Tyler Smith

Editor: Chris Butera

Cover Artists: Colleen Doran, Mr Werewolf & Doug Braithwaite

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: October 23, 2024

 

Ymir’s daughter claimed him as her worshipper. Dazzled by the flame-haired beauty, Conan chased Atali into the snow-covered hills. He battled her brothers and ripped fabric from her gown. Yet when Horsa awakens Conan, Niord sees only the Cimmerian’s footsteps in the snow. How will the experience change Conan? And how will the Aesir feel about a Cimmerian gallivanting their god? Let's grab our swords and battle axes, shout “By Crom,” venture into Conan The Barbarian #16, and find out!

 

Story

Before the Vanir attacked a nearby village, Niord confessed he doubted the existence of his god. When the warriors return to camp, Niord melts into the Aesir. Conan ignores the cooking and communal fires. He sits on a log and studies the fabric in his hand. So, Gorm hands the Cimmerian a bowl of the stew made from the bear Conan slew. The aging Aesir glimpsed Atali once on a battlefield, but Conan spoke with Ymir's daughter. Conan touched a god.

 

In Conan The Barbarian #16, not everyone in the camp reveres Conan. Gone is the respect Niord paid him after Conan helped extinguish the fires and rescue the survivors. Vanished is the battlefield camaraderie that Wulfhere paid him. Not that this matters to Conan. The Cimmerian is used to being alone. Yet, as Conan wanders away for contemplation, an Aesir attacks him.

 

Along with Bergen and Dag, Osmin found Conan squatting in a hunter’s camp. Given the rivalry among the Aesir tribes and their constant battles with the Vanir, perhaps Osmin suspected Conan had killed their kin. Osmin intended to injure or kill Conan for violating their borders. Instead, Niord granted the invader clemency, and Conan outshone the Aesir on the battlefield. Now, the foreigner claims to have met with their god!

 

In The Hidden World, the final chapter of Jim Zub’s story Frozen Faith, Conan must reconcile recent experiences with his beliefs. Conan remembers conversations with his father, how boyhood friends reacted to his unbelief and a pact he made with his father. Conan abandoned Cimmeria because the Battle Of Venarium provided no answers for his soul. Despite his father’s assurances, Conan felt no certainty in Crom’s existence as he faced death on the battlefield. In Conan The Barbarian #16, the Cimmerian must decide. Does his dalliance with Atali change anything? Or is Conan still as alone as before?

 

Art

While fur-draped warriors gather near the fires, Conan sits on a log, his exhalations as white as the surrounding snow. The Cimmerian seems at peace in the cold as young Conan struggles to stand near his father's forge. The glowing coals in the stone enclosure evoke a lake of fire amid their discussion of demons. When Doug Braithwaite shows Gorm join Conan in the present, the men eat near a roaring fire.

 

The Atali-haunted men become silhouettes framed by orange and yellow flames as Conan rises and rests a hand on Gorm's shoulder. A servant boy gazes up as Conan pauses to give him his bowl. As the Cimmerian sets off into the blue-and-white snowfield bordered by evergreens in Conan The Barbarian #16, Atali’s face and orange and yellow hair interact with closeups of Conan on a Tic Tac Toe layout. Amid the white, blue, and brown winter landscape, Diego Rodriguez paints Conan and Osmin’s clash in orange and red. But then, as Atali knows, rage burns in the hearts of men.

 

Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith hammer uppercase lettering into white dialogue balloons and blue narrative boxes. The utterances and musings embolden for intonation, occasionally enlarge, and rarely shrink as Conan contemplates his place in the universe. Thanks to Titan for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Conan lacked the faith that would have bound him to his tribe. Perhaps he fights harder than others because he seeks the divine assurance of his god. After dancing with a goddess and slaying her brothers, the Cimmerian must decide where he stands in relationship to his people and Crom in Conan The Barbarian #16.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more covers and interior art see my preview at The Dragon's Cache.

Nether Station Review

 

Writer: Kevin J Anderson

Cover Illustration/Design & Interior Design: Jeff Wong

Publishers: Weird Tales Presents & Blackstone Publishing

Hardcover Price: $27.99

Kindle Price: $9.99

Audio CD (MP3 Format): $35.95

Release Date: October 29, 2024

 

Dr Cammie Skoura has reached the pinnacle of her career. Traveling to the Nether Wormhole in the Kuiper Belt is a dream come true. What will Cammie learn when she studies this gateway to Alpha Centauri? And what will her discoveries cost her? Let’s put on our spacesuits, leap into Kevin J Anderson’s novel Nether Station, and find out!

 

Story

Cammie Skoura never paid attention to society’s rules. Not even Cammie’s parents understood her. Instead, they blamed her for her social ineptness. But Science, and particularly Astrophysics, spoke to Cammie. When scientists discovered the Nether Wormhole, Cammie knew it would enhance Humanity's understanding of the universe. So, as she attended High School and college, Cammie followed the International Space Agency's monitoring program. When the probes reached the wormhole, she worked with Dr Zachary Tendary at the ISA, interpreting the probes’ reports. But then the probe that entered the wormhole stopped transmitting a signal, funding dried up, and Cammie returned to school.

 

Then, one day, Earth receives a signal. The probe resumed transmitting when it reached the Alpha Centauri system, but the signal took four years to reach Earth. By then, Cammie had earned a doctorate in Wormhole Dynamics. Benedict Noor, who made his fortune by mining asteroids and building hotels in space, is assembling a mission to study the wormhole. And Dr Zachary Tendary, Cammie's former mentor and only friend, wants her on the team. In Kevin J Anderson's novel, the woman who never understood society can study the astronomical oddity that fascinates her. How can Cammie say no?

 

Six years later, the Lethe reaches the Nether Wormhole. But things go wrong even before the crew can study it. An accident severs Cammie from the only friend she has ever known. An errant space rock costs the crew a crucial resource. After converting the Lethe into Nether Station, the test subjects return strangely altered by travel through the wormhole. Benedict Noor doesn't let these setbacks get him down. What is a problem but an opportunity to discover a solution? Noor remains inspired by his forebears who reached uncharted lands or accomplished something for the first time. Humanity will remember Benedict Noor for establishing a hyperspace highway to another solar system. Perhaps he will even discover the wormhole is just a hub in a vast transportation system to the stars!

 

Space Force veteran and fighter pilot Karla Arkourian restrains Benedict Noor’s eagerness to dive into the Nether Wormhole. The acerbic Lead Engineer Glinda Roybal and her physically challenged, music-loving helper Pedro Ashe scramble to repair systems damaged by Benedict’s haste, secrecy, and inattention to details. Dr Kem Skelland tries to impress Benedict with the trauma the lab rats suffered. But Benedict remains dauntless. Human intelligence and ambition can overcome any challenge! Warren Drake, the risk-taking test pilot who tries too hard to impress Cammie, also shares Benedict's eagerness to steer the smaller Lewis, Clark, or Neil ships through the wormhole. And Cammie's brilliance and attention to detail, despite mourning someone for the first time in her life, helps keep the crew alive.

 

Then Cammie makes a discovery that shakes even Benedict Noor’s confidence. But by then, the stakes are too high. They have learned too much to abandon the mysteries surrounding the Nether Wormhole. So when systems malfunction and sanity gives way to madness in Kevin J Anderson's novel Nether Station, there is never a question of returning home. All that remains for Cammie Skoura, Benedict Noor, and their fragile scientific team are their discoveries surrounding the wormhole and their ability to travel through it. And yes, their places in the history books.

 

Final Thoughts

When the world rejected Cammie Skoura, she fell in love with space. An older scientist and a trillionaire visionary chose the young neurodiverse woman, among other social misfits, to explore Humanity's first gateway to the stars. Kevin J Anderson tackles the risks of privately funded science and how we often overlook those who have the most to contribute in his Lovecraftian Science Fiction novel, Nether Station.

 

Rating: 5 Stars

 

Check out Nether Station at Amazon.com.

 

Peruse Kevin J Anderson's latest Dan Shamble Zombie P.I. Kickstarter.

 

Learn more about Kevin J Anderson and get a free book at Wordfire Press. 

Discover all the latest stories at the Weird Tales website.

See all the latest offerings from Blackstone Publishing.

 

Destro #5 Review

 

Writer: Dan Watters

Artist: Andrei Bressan

Colorist: Adriano Lucas

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Andrei Bressan & Adriano Lucas; Sanford Greene; Nikola Čižešija; Marco Ferrari; Taurin Clarke; Tyler Kirkham

Editor: Ben Abernathy

Logo & Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Production: Richard Mercado

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: October 16, 2024

 

Tomax and Xamot lead Cobra Commander through MARS. The twins assure him that the BATs are useless and they can find better purposes for his Energon power. Then, Tomax and Xamot lead him into an office and find Destro on his throne. Will the twins kill Destro as Cobra Commander watches? Or does Destro have a plan up his armored sleeves? Let’s strap on our metal masks, leap into Destro #5, and see!

 

Story

Amid the confrontation, explosions rock MARS. The Crimson Guard scrambles troops and HISS tanks to defend Extensive Enterprises' latest acquisition. Scrap-Iron wields a bazooka. Chameleon deploys her FLUKE pulse. But with MARS filled with the Crimson Guard, Destro needs inside help. But then, if Destro can sneak into his company, so can others.

 

As he tangles with the twins, Destro wants to know where he stands with Cobra Commander. The man who controls Earth's Energon supply assures him that he hasn't committed to a partnership with Extensive Enterprises. Still, as the twins argue, Destro only has three soldiers to help him reclaim his company. The Crimson Guard fills their new facility in Destro #5. How can a handful of soldiers defeat an army?

 

Destro forgave Astoria for trying to kill him. But really, she was covering for Overkill, the new global defense system she and her father invented. As it orbits the Earth, the satellite uses its artificial intelligence to assess threats to humanity. Once, Overkill believed Destro was a threat. But Destro and Astoria have conferred with the satellite, and it considered their arguments.

 

Dan Watters suggests that a few people can overcome overwhelming odds in Destro #5. He also shows that nothing and no one is ever useless. Destro's methods may be harsh. Still, he also demonstrates the capacity to forgive. Destro knows it would be easier to destroy those who turn against him. Yet he seeks strength by turning enemies into allies. Perhaps Destro will turn on his allies one day. But for now, he prefers to rely on strong and capable leaders. Destro isn’t only fighting to reclaim his family’s company. Like Astoria and her late father, he seeks to protect them against a threat that could wipe out humanity.

 

Art

The twins emphasize their strength by wearing tank tops and armor that displays their muscles. Yet as they lead Cobra Commander through MARS, the Crimson Guard struggles to master MARS’ armored walkers. As a sunken floor ringed by fire separates the twins from Destro, fire explodes the glass panels lining the ground floor. When energy waves radiate from Chameleon's arm, HISS tanks crackle with electricity. While Destro smiles from his throne, a display of arms and armor represents his family history in the art of war. Destro rises as Cobra Commander crosses his arms over his chest. Yet when Cobra Commander gestures toward the twins, Destro charges.  

 

Adriano Lucas lavishes the primary colors of red, blue, and yellow on Tomax and Xamot’s opening scenes. They regard Destro in a throne room colored red, orange, yellow, purple, and gray. Purple and gray also dominate Andrei Bressan’s depictions of the BATs. As Cobra Commander watches Destro and the twins fight, red highlights shine on his blue attire. Later, as pink, orange, and yellow fill the sky, a streak of orange and yellow through space suggests a link between Destro #5 and Transformers #12.

 

Rus Wooton fires large uppercase black lettering into white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Words embolden for emphasis and never shrink. Colorful and transparent sound effects accentuate gunfire, hand-to-hand fighting, and explosions. A crimson cry threatens to explode a dialogue balloon when Destro reminds someone of his family’s heritage. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Tomax and Xamot share a unique bond. It makes them formidable opponents yet leaves them open to attack. Destro will exploit that weakness to protect humanity's ability to perpetuate the art of war in Destro #5.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Corpse Blade Vol 1 Preview

 

As Tsutsuki Tsuranuki wanders the ravaged streets of Tokyo, he hides from zombies and nurses a cold. Tsutsuki had arranged to meet with his father should disaster strike. But he got separated from his sister Tsurara during an undead encounter. Thankfully, Karina Karina comes to his aid. She says her father sent her. But can Tsutsuki trust the sword-wielding girl? This is a fast-paced apocalyptic story that draws you in and doesn't let go! I read half of it in one sitting! Check it out, and consider following Tsutsuki and Karina's supernatural struggle for survival!

CORPSE BLADE VOL. 1

Author/Illustrator: Hajime Segawa

Publisher: Titan Manga (Titan Comics imprint)

SC, 192 pages, B&W, $12.99, ISBN: 9781787743526

On sale December 31, 2024

 

For fans of zombie and battle manga, two deadly teens must cut down the undead for a hope at a normal life!

 

Armed with a gun and the mysterious Corpse Blade can Tsutsuki save his sister?

 

The first volume in the legendary Corpse Blade series, an action packed romp through a zombie infested Tokyo! School, chores, killing the undead — all in an average day for Tsuranuki Tsutsuki! After his sister is kidnapped by the zombies, this middle schooler sets out to save her, becoming handy with a gun — but he won’t be alone, as he encounters another kid on a quest, a mysterious high-school girl who can command the awesome power of the Corpse Blade!

 

Here's a look inside Corpse Blade Vol. 1:

 

 

 

 

 

Corpse Blade Vol. 1 is on sale December 31, 2024 at bookstores, comic shops and digital.

 

Pre-order now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million and Forbidden Planet for UK. 

 

That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and thanks to Titan Manga for sharing this preview with us!