Copperhead Vol I
Writer: Jay Faerber
Artist: Scott Godlewski
Image Comics
Westerns and science fiction surprisingly go together like bacon and tomatoes in a sandwich.
I happen to love bacon and tomato sandwiches, and I love the western/sci-fi combo in terms of a storyline too.
I was one of the many who lamented the premature cancellation of Firefly, and I even liked the quirkily Oblivion movie.
So Copperhead was a quick ‘want to read’ add when I first happened upon it at www.goodreads.com
There might not be a lot stunningly original in Jay Faerber’s story but when you grab a book which is in a rather narrow genre new is not exactly anticipated.
A pulp novel is a buy novel. Every D&D-themed book has a generally common thread connecting them.
Even Star Wars as amazing as it was when it first hit the big screen was built on some rather well-established themes, and Avatar even more so.
So while Faerber keeps to a rather well-worn path, it’s still a fun read.
There is Sheriff Bronson, the hard-edged female lead, taking a post on a nowhere planet as a refuge of last resort to start over because of past digressions. Yes we have read that background before. You won’t care, since she has the spunky character to be likeable.
Her deputy Budroxifinicus, the sheriff calls him ‘Boo’ not that he likes it, looks like a big bipedal capybara (a big South American cousin to a common guinea pig). He’s likeable too, although Faerber does him a disservice by not letting us in a bit more about his past.
Boo is just one of the alien races inhabiting the world. Also among them are what the sheriff refers to as ‘arties’ artificial humans created as soldiers by humans. Bronson has an obvious hate on for them, so there is a story yet to be told there.
While not an overall inspired story, the genre sold me before turning a page, and Faerber’s effort is certainly enjoyable enough to highly recommend to fans of the genre.
The art of Scott Godlewski works well here too. He handles the idea of panoramic western vistas on an alien planet wonderfully, and there is nice detail on alien characters such as Boo.
This is not going to make a top-10 list of best-ever titles, but darn it it’s the kind book I do enjoy.
Lara Croft and the Frozen Omen #1
Written by Corinna Bechko
Pencils by Randy Green
Inks by Andy Owens
Colours by Michael Atiyeh
Dark Horse Comics
Lara Croft is one of those intriguing fictional characters which truly is a creation of the current era of multi-media. She started out as a video game character, hit comics back in 1997 with Top Cow, and hit the big screen for the first time in 2001 with Angelina Jolie in the title role.
Now Croft is back in this, a six-issue mini-series from writer Corinna Bechko and Dark Horse Comics.
In many ways Croft is the female Indiana Jones, and this story of the ‘Frozen Omen’ certainly has that feel. While only the first issue the storyline opening was solid, with lots of potential to create the action-oriented story which we expect from a Croft tale.
The art of Randy Green has a good degree of realism, and works well with the story.
The combo, in a way, reminds me of the old purple clad Phantom comics of my youth, at least in the tone of the story.
I’ll admit a Lara Croft comic would not be my first place to spend some hard-earned green in a comic shop, but having this book to review it is far higher on my interest list now.
