Category Archives: comic book

My abandoned comic book idea: 1st script

Posted on by Viktor VonGlum

I used professional scripts posted by writers like Warren Ellis, Brian K. Vaughan, and Christos Gage (mainly his format) as guides when I first attempted to put my ideas on paper.  Unfortunately, my muse never returned after I wrote the first 4 scripts. I know the ideas of derivative (in the Quentin Tarantino vein of mashing every loved source idea into a blend), I thought Zero Moniker had potential. Enough of my rambling, here is the script.

 

No Name Anthologies: Issue #1

“Man versus Machine 2.0”

1st draft 11/16/06

By “Senor Geekus)

REFERENCE

MAIN CHARACTER

Zero Moniker: African American, mid 20’s. He’s average height around 5’8. His eyes are golden and have glint of nobility. He is the technological analogue to a medieval magician/alchemist/shaman. He is slim and lanky similar to the thin magicians that populate RPG’s and D&D. He lacks the build of a fighter/ athlete. He is “cursed” with Phantom, scientifically advanced helmet (along the lines of Fourth World/new gods technology). Phantom resembles a cross between Dr. Fate’s Helm and a Vizard-style Hollow Mask. It has a pair of golden eyes similar to the Guyver’s secondary eyes.  It generates perpetual energy that he manipulates offensively and defensively.  He wears a suit in a disheveled manner similar to Spike Spiegel but suit is white, the tie is black and the shirt is red.  He wears black stylized Getas instead of shoes.

VILLAIN

The Misanthrope: A brilliant yet eccentric engineer/inventor/zealot; he favors machines over humanity. His mind is a viral consciousness; he can inhabit any electronic device. He possesses the XS Reaper, an experimental Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle.  He is armed with Joint Direct Attack Munitions.  It has an ethereal appearance; its body is jet black and sleek like the classical Grim Reaper’s robe.  A fleet of six MH-53 Pave Lows are also under his control.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTER

United States Special Operations Command Representative: She is dressed like Catherine Bell’s character in Jag. Facially, she resembles Rachel Bilson.

PAGE 1:

PANEL ONE: The XS Reaper soaring through a clear sky.

PANEL TWO: There are six MH-53 Pave Lows in front of the Reaper in a V formation.

PANEL THREE: A close-up view of their armaments. 2 .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns mounted on left and right sides and one on the nose.

PAGE 2:

PANEL ONE: A coastline view of an iconic metropolitan city.

PANEL TWO: A scanning view of the city with technological analysis similar to the T-800/T-850 analyzing its target. The city is essential devoid of life, except a solitary life signal on a nearby roof

PANEL THREE: An aerial view of the target building. It is a modern skyscraper with a dash of gothic style with gargoyles adorning it

PANEL FOUR: Zooms in on a human figure standing on a building’s roof.

PAGE 3:

PANEL ONE (ONE-PAGE SPREAD): Zero Moniker is standing on a gargoyle with his arms crossed. There is a displeased/irritated look in his eyes. His suit jacket is flapping in the wind.

Zero Moniker: Things like this always happens on a Monday.

PAGE 4:

PANEL ONE: The two Lows at the edge of the formation leave to confront Moniker.

PANEL TWO: A cockpit view of Moniker. The Low’s target screen is also seen

PANEL THREE: The Lows unleash a barrage of bullets. Moniker’s stance has no changed.

PANEL FOUR: A third person view of Zero. The bullets are held in place a few feet in front of him. The bullets give off an electrical glow.

PAGE 5:

PANEL ONE: A close-up of Zero’s eyes. They convey a mixture of indifference and annoyance.

Zero Moniker: This bores me…

PANEL TWO: The bullets change direction. They give off a stronger glow.

PANEL THREE: The bullets are fired back at the Lows.

PANEL FOUR: The Lows explode as the barrage penetrates their fuel tanks.

PAGE 6:

PANEL ONE: The remaining Lows assume an attack formation.

PANEL TWO: The smoking wreckage of the Lows is held in place by the same electrical glow.

PANEL THREE: The wreckage is sent crashing in the two leading Lows.

PANEL FOUR: There is an enormous fireball. The flying debris damages the remaining copters.

PANEL ONE: A close-up of Zero, there is a hint of amusement in his eyes. A bright celestial aura is emitted from him.

Zero Moniker: These toys are not challenge.

PAGE 7:

PANEL ONE (ONE-PAGE SPREAD): Zero Moniker is almost in pseudo meditation stance. The aura around him is more intense and two tendrils of light are forming from it. The tendrils are jagged

Zero Moniker: And then there was one…

PAGE 8:

PANEL ONE: The tendrils impale the remaining Lows.

PANEL TWO: They explode and debris comes towards Reaper.

PANEL THREE: The Reaper is glowing white hot.

PANEL FOUR: The debris bounces harmlessly off the field

PANEL FIVE: A close-up of Zero’s eye. There is a look of disappointment in his eyes.

PAGE 9:

PANEL ONE: The XS and Zero are face-to-“face”. The Reaper’s face in view and Zero’s back is in view.

PANEL TWO: A close up of the Reaper’s launchers.

PANEL THREE: Nova missiles being launched.

PANEL FOUR: A bird’s eye view of 8 missiles heading towards Moniker. Moniker is looking up at the missiles.

Zero Moniker: The things that I do for a couple of million dollars.

PAGE 10:

PANEL ONE: A third person view of Moniker, mainly his shoulder and everything above it. A fiery aura is emanating from him.

PANEL TWO: Eight fiery pillars emerge from his head and destroy the Nova Missiles.

PANEL THREE: 2 of the pillars destroy the Reaper’s launchers.

The Misanthrope: You wretched hairless ape! You destroyed my vassals! Now you dare attack me!

PANEL FOUR: A close-up of Zero’s face: his eyes convey his curiosity.

Zero Moniker: This day just gets stranger and stranger….

PANEL FIVE: The XS begins to glow blue. Smoke is being emitting from its damaged underside.

The Misanthrope: Flesh Bag, you attempt to mock me as well?!

PAGE 11:

PANEL ONE: It vanishes from sight. Zero’s body conveys his shock. His arms are no longer crossed. His secondary eyes are moving independently searching. His stance is looser.

Zero: There is no salvaging this day…

PANEL TWO: An aerial view of the XS about 100 feet above Moniker.

The Misanthrope: I will make an example of you, meat thing.

PANEL THREE: A third person view of the XS. Its “head” is glowing white hot and electrical energy is surging through it.

PANEL FOUR: Zero is looking up at the Misanthrope. His arms are once again crossed. A white aura is coming off his head. There is a look of disdain in his eyes.

Zero Moniker: Time to end this now.

PANEL FIVE: A massive energy beam is coming towards Zero.

PANEL SIX: An aerial view of the roof exploding. It should resemble a smaller version of the Hiroshima explosion.

The Misanthrope: Fool, this will be the fate of mankind!

PAGE 12:

PANEL ONE: A billow of smoke and ember are rising from the charred roof.

PANEL TWO: The smoke is clearing up and there are glimpses of a blue translucent dome within.

PANEL THREE: Full view of Zero behind his protective field. His stance has not changed. The area around the field is gone.

Zero Moniker: You shouldn’t judge others by your preconceptions.

PANEL FOUR: Zero’s entire body emits a bright almost blinding light.

PANEL FIVE: His body is radiant and showing hints of size condensing.

PANEL SIX: His body is taking on a more spherical shape.

PAGE 13:

PANEL ONE (ONE-PAGE SPREAD): Moniker is now a miniature blue star hovering above the ruins of the roof. It is approximately the size of a basket ball.

Zero Moniker: Now you will suffer for your mistake.

PAGE 14:

PANEL ONE: The Zero Star is now above the Reaper. The Reaper is exuding the same aura.

PANEL TWO: An intense electrical glow encases the Reaper.

Misanthrope: Filthy fleshy being, what are you doing to me?!

PANEL THREE: A close-up of the Zero Star.

Zero Moniker: I am awakening you to enlightenment.

PANEL FOUR: A massive surge of electricity flows through the Reaper.

PANEL FIVE: The Zero Star descends to the street with the Reaper in tow. The Reaper is encased in the electrical glow.

PAGE 15:

PANEL ONE: Zero Moniker is in human form again and the radiance is fading. He is sitting on the Reaper’s roof.

PANEL TWO: A clean-up team arrives. They clad in the suits that are a cross between HAZMAT suits and Solid Snake’s sneaking suit.  There are 2 cranes and a heavy transport truck.

PANEL THREE: The cranes load the Raptor into the truck.

PANEL FOUR: The clean-up team leaves.

PAGE 16:

PANEL ONE: A UH-60 Black Hawk descends from the sky.

PANEL TWO: It lands in front of Zero.

PANEL THREE: An attractive young woman in a military uniform exits and approaches Zero.

The Representative: Mr. Moniker, SOCOM would like to thank you for a job well done.

PANEL FOUR: They are within arm’s length and they shake hands.

Zero Moniker: It was a pleasure to doing business with Uncle Sam again.

PAGE 17:

PANEL ONE: Zero is walking back to the Black Hawk with the rep.

PANEL TWO: The rep boards the Black Hawk.

PANEL THREE: The Black Hawk takes off. The sky has more clouds and the sun is setting.

PANEL FOUR: A close-up of the rep’s face. She is gazing deeply at Zero. Her eyes convey admiration.

PAGE 18:

PANEL ONE: A close-up of Zero’s head.

Zero Moniker: Phantom, what is the status?

Phantom: The Misanthrope’s essence has been assimilated.

Zero Moniker: The mission is indeed a success.

Phantom: Yes, I have learned that misguided fool’s techniques

PANEL TWO: Full body view of Zero. His body is radiating again,

PANEL THREE: The Zero Star is flies off.

 

FIN

Review: The Walking Dead Volume 12 (by Robert Kirkman)

Posted on by Arleigh

[Some Spoilers Within]

Tonight marks the premiere of Robert Kirkman’s widely-acclaimed and fan favorite zombie comic book series aptly titled The Walking Dead. The series has preeminent filmmaker Frank Darabont (Shawshank Redemption, The Mist) and genre-veteran producer Gale Anne Hurd producing the adaptation for AMC. So, it’s with the 12th volume in the collected series that I welcome the tv series.

“Life Among Them” sees Rick and his group of survivors (now less three of its original members and picking up a new one along the way in the previous volume) finally finding a semblance of a safe haven after the travails they endured at the hands of “The Hunters”. It has been a long and deadly journey for Rick and his people. The fact that the promise of a working government they had been moving towards was actually a lie from one of the new members wasn’t too much of a surprise to loyal readers of the comic. This is a group which has had its hopes dashed bloodily over and over that any good news they see as too good to be true.

This goes for the sudden arrival of a scout party from a walled-off community which promises the group safe haven with no questions asked. Rick, who has gone through such promises from a previous safe community, sees this offer with some suspicion and this brings forth another aspect of Rick’s personality which has changed from issue 1 to this volume. He has become paranoid and mistrustful of those not in his group and offers of safety and a respite from the grueling travels of the road he sees with suspicions eyes. But they accept this invitation and find out that this safe haven couldn’t be any different from Woodbury.

What they see inside the fortified walls could pass off as a slice of their former lives. A suburban-like community where people safely walk the streets at night and their kids play ball in the yards and streets without hints of danger. Leading this community is a former Congressman who had taken the stole of leadership and keep the haven running smoothly. All he asks of Rick and his people is that they contribute in some way to help continue the community’s expansion in some way. Rick returns to what he did before the fall of civilization and patrols the streets as the town’s constable. Michonne thinks it is now safe for her to put away her sword. Even Andrea has caught the eyes of more than one of the town’s many single men. Even Abraham has pitched in to become part of the work detail whose job is to go out and find building supplies to help strengthen and expand the walls.

All seems to be working as it should with everyone safe. The first sign that not all is what it seems is the mention of a name. A person who helped organized the building of the walls, but who seems to have become “HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED” to everyone Rick and his group meets inside the haven. The town’s leader also seems to hold secrets of his own. Rick senses the dark undercurrents permeating the town’s vibe and in a sequence right at the end of the volume we see just how damaged Rick has become since we first meet him in issue 1.

While the volume doesn’t go heavy on the zombie action it does a great job in setting up what could be another major story-arc coming in the subsequent volumes. Will Rick and his people learn the secrets the town has been keeping from them? Will Rick become what he despises the most in trying to keep his son and his group safe from the dangers of the outside and what he perceives as dangers inside as well? This volume is almost the calm before another shitstorm about to hit the group and this time will the butcher’s bill be as large as the one which was tallied in the end of the 8th volume.

Review: The Walking Dead Volume 11 (by Robert Kirkman)

Posted on by Arleigh

[Some Spoilers Within]

There’s always been one constant in Robert Kirkman’s award-winning and fan favorite comic book series for Image Comics. The Walking Dead is not all about the zombies which dominate the background and always present an ever-looming danger to the survivors. No, the series has always been about the characters of the survivors and how they’ve had to cope with the apocalyptic setting that’s turned their world upside down. While the ever-present danger of the zombies have inflicted on Rick Grimes and his band of survivors their fair share of casualties it always falls to other human survivors to take the greatest toll on everyone.

Volume 11 of The Walking Dead has been titled “Fear the Hunters” and that is quite an apt title to the story-arc which dominates this volume. Collecting issues 61 thru 66, this volume brings the danger of other humans to the forefront. We’ve spent the last two volumes dealing with the ramifications and after-effects of the Governor’s attack on the prison and the subsequent fleeing of Rick and those who remain in his group. We’ve seen how the loss in life has finally taken enough of a toll on Rick that it’s started to manifest itself and he’s not sure how to deal with it. His son Carl has also shown that he’s had to grow up fast in this new world. While it’s definitely shown him to be a hardened survivor it has also shown how humanity and innocence has  no place in this new world. Either one grew up fast to deal with the problem or become victim to it. Carl has chosen to be the former even if it means he’s trodding down a dark path his own father has tried to shield him from.

“Fear the Hunters” will end up taking several more original members from Rick’s group. All three deaths had a sense of inevitability to them but now they died still doesn’t diminish the shock of Kirkman once again proving that no one’s truly safe. The fact that Carl becoming used to all the violence around him was directly responsible for one of the deaths remains one of the most shocking sequences in a series full of them. It definitely brings up a possibility that father and son may one day come at crossroads when something will put them at odds with each other.

The one other thing about this volume which brings the darker side of humanity to the forefront is the aforementioned “Hunters” themselves. A band of human survivors whose will to survive has taken them past the precipice of whatever human decency they had left and brought them to a place which has made them worse than the zombies around them. They harass, terrorize and inflict damage on Rick and his people to the point that Rick’s own retribution once the two groups have finally come face-to-face for the final time will probably shock some readers. Readers who may still believe that decency and humanity still has a place in a world which has none.

As I read this story-arc I came to the conclusion that if I was in Rick’s shoes I don’t know if I would’ve done what he did. To say that his actions (though only hinted at in the illustrations) went beyond the pale would be an understatement. But I did understand why he did what he did and also why those who went with him either assisted or didn’t stop it. I feel like this story-arc has finally shown how those who have disapproved of Rick’s methods to keep the group alive have finally come to their very own conclusion that he has taken it upon himself to do some evil to protect the group and that it has taken a toll on him. The rest are now willing to take their share of this if just to help relieve Rick of some of the guilt he carries with him for his past actions.

This volume has been one of the strongest one in the series and shows why Frank Darabont and Gale Anne Hurd fell in love with the series to adapt it for tv. The Walking Dead is all about the characters and has tapped into a rich source of material about how people in general deal with adversity and how some rise above it while most fail in their attempts to remain human. Rick and those with him remain on the precipice but so far has kept enough of their decency not to go over it the way the “Hunters” obviously had done so. But they remain balanced on a razor’s edge and sooner or later Rick or someone he’s close to will go over and that would make a tragic situation that readers will have to deal with whether they want it to happen or not.

Darren Aronofsky to take on Wolverine

Posted on by Arleigh

A little over five years ago Warner Brothers made the decision to reboot the Batman film franchise. Several names of filmmakers were mentioned as candidates to helm this reboot. One of them was director Darren Aronofsky. He has made a name for himself helming very dark (and for some very depressing) films about very damaged personalities and their struggles. The Batman/Bruce Wayne duality was perfect for Aronofsky and he had begun to do early treatments to adapt Frank Miller’s classic Batman origin tale, Batman: Year One. In the end, this Aronofsky project fell through and the reboot ended up being handled by Christopher Nolan (not a slouch of a filmmaker himself).

Aronofsky has made a couple of original and very personal films since then (The Fountain, The Wrestler, Black Swan), but with 20th Century Fox scrambling to put another one of their Marvel-licensed properties into production in order to keep the rights to them, they’ve decided to give the reins of the next Wolverine film to Aronofsky. Rumors of Aronofsky close to signing the deal to helm this Logan sequel was finally confirmed by none other than Hugh Jackman himself aka Wolverine in an interview for Vulture.

The first film in this character’s franchise was lackluster at best and horrible to most. The fact that a sequel has been greenlit even after the less-than-stellar box office returns of the first film was headscratching to many. Will Aronofsky’s involvement in this sequel actually erase the bad taste that Wolverine: Origins left in fans’ mouths. If there was anyone who can actually get a handle in the troubled and damaged psyche of one of Marvel’s most iconic characters it would be Darren Aronofsky.

There’s still little details as to what sort of storyline this Aronofsky sequel will take or will he just decide to reboot the franchise and start fresh. The reaction I’ve been reading has been mostly tepid with some guarded excitement from those who thinks Aronofsky will end up working his dark magic on this character on the big-screen. We’ll learn more once filming starts in early 2011.

Here’s to hoping that Aronofsky can do for Wolverine what Nolan was able to do for Batman.

Source: Vulture

Review: The Walking Dead Volume 10 (by Robert Kirkman)

Posted on by Arleigh

[Some Spoilers Within]

The Walking Dead is only a couple weeks away from premiering as an AMC tv series. It is an event that legions of the comic book series’ fans have been awaiting for years and counting. The fact that I am now reviewing the tenth volume in the series’ collected trades is testament to the title’s continuing and growing popularity with readers. The fifty-four issues which precedes the six collected in this volume has seen main protagonist Rick Grimes and the group of survivors he’s leading through the zombie apocalypse go through triumphs, heartache and the inevitable purging from their perceived safety behind prison walls. This tenth collection will continue to show how Rick and those in his group who have survived have changed and sometimes not for the better.

“What We Become” is an apt title for this tenth volume. Rick has always been the de facto leader of his group even when he’s tried to give the responsibility to someone else to handle. In this volume we see how the events which led to the group escaping the destruction of their prison haven has affected not just Rick mentally but also his son Carl and some of the surviving members of the group. Dale, who has been a staunch ally of Rick’s in their journey through the zombie wasteland, has become a bitter shell of his former self as he sees each and every opportunity for him, Andrea and the twin boys to find a stable, safe haven come to naught and he sees Rick as the one to blame.

It doesn’t help Rick and his original group that the new additions which joined them in the last volume (Sgt. Abe Ford, Rosita Espinoza and Eugene Porter) have added to some of the internal tension in the group. Rick and Abe do not get on the right foot as they travel together towards a new destination. A destination provided by Eugene who says he’s been in contact with surviving elements of the U.S. government in Washington, D.C. It’s a destination that not everyone believes in, but it’s a goal nonetheless.

It’s during a side mission conducted by Rick, Carl and Abe that we see the depths Rick will go to protect his son when they’re ambushed by bandits during a routine stop to rest. We don’t see exactly what Rick does to one of the bandits who tried to go all Catholic priest-like on Carl, but we see from the reaction shots from Carl and the sounds made that it wasn’t pretty and civilized. It’s the aftermath of this event that Rick and Abe begin to bond somewhat and finally understand why they’ve done some of the awful things they have had to do since the fall of civilization.

For a volume that was all about exploring the damage the zombie apocalypse has done to those left behind it was actually pretty action-packed, but it wasn’t done so for the sake of putting action and gore on the pages. These sequences helped move the story along. It did help keep the volume from being just all about exposition (I know something detractors will continue to point out about Kirkman’s writing).

“What We Become” also bring back a past characters readers haven’t seen since the first couple issues of the series and seeing what the passing year or so since Rick last left him was very heartwrenching. This were characters fans have been requesting Kirkman to bring back. They wanted to see how they’ve been doing in their own attempt to survive. What Kirkman has delivered probably wasn’t what many were expecting and it definitely took some steel pairs to do what he did.

The volume ends with the group up one more survivor with their journey to D.C. still many days or weeks left in it. For those who have been following the series since the beginning and still do then the next volume will bring in a new story-arc which Kirkman just calls “The Hunters”.

Until then grab your rifle and machete, bar the doors and windows, hoard the food and water and definitely destroy the stairs behind you.

Review: The Walking Dead Volume 9 (by Robert Kirkman)

Posted on by Arleigh

[Some Spoilers Within]

Volume 9 of Robert Kirkman’s critically-acclaimed and award-winning comic book series continues right after the bloodbath of Volume 8’s “Made to Suffer”. The last volume ended what had been a major story-arc which had lasted for almost over two years. It changed the series in ways that would be felt for years to come (Kirkman has stated that he plans to continue writing The Walking Dead for as long as there’s more stories to tell and he sees countless more to come). This follow-up volume, aptly titled “Here We Remain”, look at the aftermath of the events in the battle for the prison.

The group led by series’ protagonist Rick Grimes have gotten smaller as Kirkman made good at his statements in the past that deaths would come to the group unexpectedly and take those fans have grown to like. While Rick Grimes still remains (so far, the story remains in his point-of-view and his telling there’s a sense that even he doesn’t seem exempt from being killed off in the future) and others of the group gradually come back with him throughout the volume the sense of sadness for those who didn’t make it after the Woodsbury attack on the prison hang over the whole story-arc.

We see how the zombie apocalypse and all the events Rick has had to go through to this point has finally affected his mental state to some degree. While he hasn’t gone completely over the deep end, the scenes with Rick and an unplugged phone found in an abandoned home hits home very hard. Here’s a man who tried to do what he thought was best not just for his family and the rest of the group he led, but also tried to keep a semblance of humanity while doing so. Doubts and regrets about his decision begin to creep in and the unplugged phone becomes a focus for Rick to air out his internal struggles with the voice in the other end. This new side to Rick definitely feel like a logical progression for the one character in the whole series who has suffered the most while at the same time trying to keep an outward face of calmness and leadership.

This volume also gives Rick’s son Carl some time on his own (on his own to a certain degree) time to show how much he also has changed his he was introduced in the first volume. While he still acts like the kid that he is there’s definite signs that he has changed to the situation the world is in now. At time in this volume Carl sounds way older than his age and that has bothered some fans and critics of the series. While in any other type of situation that would be a criticism that would be a deal-breaker for me in this case I say it actually shows just how traumatizing the world has become to even the younger set. One either gives up and live in a fantasy world inside their mind or grow up fast in order to survive. It looks like Carl has chosen the latter.

Some critics of the book has pointed out that Kirkman’s handle on dialogue is actually not that great. I wouldn’t disagree as he’s prone to too much exposition, but the fact that he still pulls in the reader with what he’s writing tells me that he’s found a way to tap into what interests the reader while keeping his vision for the book alive. With the book already in its 12 volume (should get to that 12th one right before the premiere of the first season tv series) I can’t see Kirkman changing his writing style anytime soon or if he ever will. This is the path he has chosen on how to write

Review: The Walking Dead Volume 8 (by Robert Kirkman)

Posted on by Arleigh

[Some Spoilers Within]

Robert Kirkman ended The Walking Dead‘s seventh volume in what I could only say as one major cliffhanger. The seventh volume of this series definitely lived up to it’s title of “The Calm Before” as the series took a breather from all the stress which built and built in the past two collections. Now that calm has now been shattered with this eight volume aptly titled, “Made to Suffer”.

A title which puts Rick and his band of survivors through its paces. The Woodbury group definitely do their best to make Rick and his people suffer for what they see as transgressions against their walled town. While most of the invading group do so in the belief that they’re protecting Woodbury from a band of bloodthirsty killers there’s a few who follow the lead of Woodbury’s tyrannical and sociopathic Governor. A man who has spun out lies about Rick and his group to his people to get them in the proper mindset to take down the prison.

The volume does a brief flashback of how the Governor and his trust inner cirle were able to find the prison. It also explains how he was able to survive the ministrations of Michonne during the prison group’s escape from Woodbury. Michonne really put the screws on the Governor for the rape and torture he had inflicted on her. To say that Michonne went medieval on the Governor would be a major understatement.

This volume would end like most of the best zombie films and stories before it. Two groups determined to fight to the death to keep what theirs or take what they want. Casualties abound on both sides as Kirkman almost wipes the slate clean as he prepares to move the series into a new uncertain narrative path. Characters fans have come to love meet their end while others who have worn out their welcome in some way survive to live another day. The last few panels of “Made to Suffer” were shocking and heartbreaking.

I’ve read from fan feedback of how they hated Kirkman for he did, but at the same time became even bigger fans of the series for its unpredictability. Kirkman would pull no punches in how he makes the characters suffer throughout the six-issues of this volume. He definitely backs up his works when he said that this story-arc would leave no one safe from his killing pen. This volume would break some readers in that they may not want to continue reading the series after the punch to gut of the last issue in this volume. Others will be just as determined to stick it out to see how the remnants of the original group continue on with what and who they’ve lost.

One thing that I am sure of is that this eight collected volume of the series will not be the usual and same old, same old. After reading this book one may just end up hating and admiring Kirkman in equal amounts for what he has done.

Review: The Walking Dead Volume 7 (by Robert Kirkman)

Posted on by Arleigh

[Some Spoilers Within]

The last volume of The Walking Dead continued the “Woodbury” story arc which began in volume 5. This latest volume sees Rick and his group back in their prison home with the axe of Woodbury and the Governor hanging over their heads throughout the six issues which encompassed volume 7. A volume with the title of “The Calm Before” definitely doesn’t know the meaning of the term.

While the travails of Rick, Glenn and Michonne during their stay at Woodbury would be horrific in every sense of the word the calm which comes after their return to the prison is nothing but. The group gains a new member in the form of Alice who happened to be Woodbury’s former nurse/doctor-in-training. Her inclusion into the group becomes a boon for everyone in the prison especially for Lori and Dale. While her addition to the group has been mostly beneficial the group does suffer a loss of one of their first members due to a decision made by the latest member. I won’t disclose exactly who and what happened to this original member of the group, but her loss would be felt by everyone.

This volume brings back some of the soap opera elements which dominated the fourth volume, but not to the level that would annoy readers who had gotten tired of all the internal conflicts and bickerings. There’s still tension between certain individuals, but they’ve kept things civil and have even begun attempts to fix the bridges burned by those very conflicts.

This calm before the storm also sees the group prepare for the inevitable attack by the Woodbury group. Though knowing that they’re outgunned and outmanned they still draw first blood during one of the forays to find more supplies. This gives the group some hope for the coming storm to the point that the prison and the group return to a semblance of normalcy. A normalcy that doesn’t last long as the very last panel ends the volume on a major cliffhanger worthy of some of the best tv drama series.

The Walking Dead – Behind the Scenes Sizzle Reel (AMC)

Posted on by Arleigh

It’s now just a little over a month to go before one of the most anticipated new shows on TV hits the airwaves. AMC’s tv series adaptation of Robert Kirkman’s critically-acclaimed and fan favorite comic book series The Walking Dead will premiere on Halloween night 2010 at 10pm. The show will also premiere within days in over 40-plus countries which would be an unprecedented feat for a first time tv series.

Frank Darabont and his band of writers seem to have taken Kirkman’s story and made the necessary changes to make it work on tv. One aspect of Kirkman’s storytelling was how some people thought it to be too expositionary. This left each page with too much talking while at the same time not fleshing out each character to be distinct from each other. While I can see that I don’t buy into that particular flaw in the story too much. This is a story of the end of the world and stress definitely plays a key role in how everyone reacts to their new environment.

From the AMC “sizzle” reel the network has released just in the last few days it looks like the show’s writers have taken Kirkman’s story, ideas and dialogue and made them flow much more naturally. Final judgement on whether this actually happens will have to wait until the show premieres, but Darabont has always been a writers first and filmmaker second so I definitely have much faith that he and his team will come out with a great product that takes the best from the comic book and trims the fat and gristle off by the wayside.

There’s also one thing the “sizzle” reel above shows which should answer the trepidations that some of the comic book’s fans have had since hearing th news of the adaptation. This was whether AMC will keep the gore and violence from the comic books or will it be toned down. From the looks of some of the scenes shown in the reel above the gore and violence is on-hand and from the look of things this may be the most gory thing on tv that’s not premium cable. I see blood, gore, viscera and all the nice gooey things that happens when a body’s insides are exposed to the environment. YUM!

Halloween 2010 needs to come now, but until then revisiting the comic books the series is adapting is a good way to pass the time.

Source: io9

Review: The Walking Dead Volume 6 (by Robert Kirkman)

Posted on by Arleigh

[Some Spoilers Within]

The Walking Dead follows-up the 5th volume with This Sorrowful Life and Kirkman sure does hit it right on the nail with the title. The book tells the second half of the story arc begun in the previous volume. To recap in the previous volume Rick and his group make way to investigate a crashed helicopter only to run into another group of survivors who have holed up in the partially walled off and fortified town of Woodbury. Whatever joy they find in knowing there are other survivors other than themselves was short-lived as they finally meet the person who runs and rules Woodbury.

This Sorrowful Life takes the story up with Rick, Michonne and Glenn in even a worse situation than being stuck outside with the zombies. The book introduces the people of Woodbury as not just survivors but also the polar opposite of those surviving in the prison. While the book makes a point to not paint the whole Woodbury population as losing their humanity it also points out that they’ve sacrificed their humanity to those promising them safety. They’ve pretty much given up their rights to the one who calls himself the Governor who rules Woodbury through intimidation and so-called bloodsports involving gladiator-like fighters and corralled zombies. We see who the difference between Rick and the Governor’s way of keeping their people safe also show the kind of people the are. Where Rick tries to keep his people safe and together without losing their humanity the Governor goes the opposite way and grabs a hold of power even at the cost of everyone.

Kirkman does a great job of showing the two groups and how its probably inevitable that the two will have a confrontation either in Woodbury or back in the prison. While not everyone in Woodbury were out for themselves, a few manage to sympathize with Rick and his group, the rest of the town could easily be considered as the biggest threat hanging over the prison survivors. Again Kirkman shows that sometimes its not the zombies themselves who’re the biggest threat to humanity’s survival. It’s people and their flaws to always get into conflict with each other instead of pulling together for the greater good and survival of everyone.

The book ends with Rick having to make another decision where he has to sacrifice some of his own ideals in order to keep his family and friends safe. Will this sacrifice end up costing him down the line will be up to Kirkman to tell us. I hope he continues to expand on this Woodbury angle but at the same time not go overboard on the extreme end of the emotional spectrum. It’s great that he’s limited the amount of soap opera-style stortelling which dominated volume 4, but going for just action and action and action without plot would be just as bad. So far, volume 6 and it’s predecessor in volume 5 tells me he’s got a great hold on the story.