IDW released a press release late Thursday afternoon announcing that the Crow will be back in comic book stores in July. The book is written by John Shirley with artwork by Kevin Colden. This will be a five-issue monthly mini-series with alternate covers by Kyle Hotz and Ashley Wood. From the cover of the first issue you can tell the first story-line takes place in Japan. Below is a one-page preview and the complete press release from IDW.

The Crow Comic Book flies again

IDW Brings back James O’Barr’s iconic anti-hero this summer!

San Diego, CA (May 17, 2012) – Proving that the spirit of vengeance is timeless, Bram Stoker Award-winning author and co-screenwriter of the original The Crow film, John Shirley, has teamed with Eisner Award-nominated, Fishtown artist Kevin Colden, to bring the dark spirit back to comics. Concurrently, the film’s producer Edward R. Pressman, in conjunction with Relativity Media and Dimension Films, is in pre-production on a gritty reinvention of the 1994 cult classic to be directed by F. Javier Gutiérrez (Before the Fall) and written by Jesse Wigutow.

The comic book, which explores its own unique storyline from the film, is set in Tokyo, Japan where the Crow returns in the guise of a foreign exchange student named Jamie Osterberg. When Haruko, the love of his life, is stolen away from him, Jamie must search for answers–ones that turn deadly, and transform him into the spirit of vengeance, the Crow! With a sword that seeks truth, the Crow hunts down those responsible for this crime, discovering a web of horror that may lead him to kill his one true love.

“I was thrilled to help bring James O’Barr’s The Crow to the screen, and am equally thrilled to rediscover the character in this new incarnation of The Crow for IDW—it’s as if he’s come back from the grave all over again,” said Shirley. “It feels like The Crow is taking me on the journey into some very dark realms. All I can do is come along and hope to survive the trip. It helps to have a great talent like Kevin Colden along.”

“I’m very happy to be able to bring back The Crow with such esteemed creators,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer/Editor-in-Chief. “To be able to lead off with John Shirley and Kevin Colden in a story that takes the concept of James O’Barr’s The Crow in very unexpected ways is as thrilling to me as it hopefully will be to fans.”

Also featuring covers from Kyle Hotz and Ashley Wood, the vibrant, exotic setting and rich mythology of Japan should prove a thrilling and intriguing environment for Shirley and Colden’s fresh take on the beloved hero. The first of the monthly five-issue series will be released in print and digital in July, with more series to follow. Plans have also been announced for The Crow original creator James O’Barr to return with his own new series.

THE CROW #1 ($3.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available in July. Diamond order code MAY12 0349.

Issue: Monocyte #4
Writers: Menton3, Kasra Ghanbari, Steve Niles, Barron Storey
Artists: Menton3, Chris Newman, Ben Templesmith
Covers: Menton3, David Stoupakis, Phil Hale
Publisher: IDW
Release Date: May 2012
Price: $3.99

“The world is in in chaos. Monocyte makes his way to Azrael as the human slaves are freed… Series conclusion with art by menton3 (ZvR: Aventure, Silent Hill) and co-written by Kasra Ghanbari with an incentive cover by world-renowned fine artist Phil Hale and side stories by legendary fine artist/illustrator Barron Storey (Sandman: Endless Nights) and superstar horror writer Steve Niles (30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre).”

Dying Breath: 5.0 out of 5
How can I even begin to put into words what I thought about the final issue of Monocyte without just saying…PERFECTION! That’s all, review over. No, just kidding, but it really does sum up this issue and this entire series oh so damn well. The main story (there are two backup stories) was visually stunning. At one point my eyes melted out of my skull because of how GORE-Geous the pages by Menton3 and Chris Newman were. Since the series is now over, I want to recap how well the art played with the story because it was nailed down with this final issue. The images presented throughout the series were almost like going to an art gallery. I wondered how words could even try to play well with what I was seeing visually, and I think it was a great challenge for Menton3 and Kasra to overcome. Yet, in the hands of these two, a story was crafted that defied visual logic, playing out so poetically that I wondered if the images were even needed! They crafted a world that had so much depth and mystery that it played out beyond what my brain could even comprehend. This issue just solidifies that when the right elements combine you can create something so beautiful it will leave all readers satisfied. Monocyte was a tempting beauty that captured my black heart for months on end. This, ladies and gentlemen, is beyond what comic books strive to be. It is what comic books should be.

Artwork: 5.0 out of 5 • Story: 5.0 out of 5

If you would like to buy or know more about Monocyte you can find it at http://www.idwpublishing.com

Issues: Hoax Hunter’s #1
Writers: Michael Moreci, Steve Seeley
Artist: Axel Medellin, Tim Seeley (c)
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: July 2011
Price: $2.99

“The acclaimed backup begins its own series! A rash of mass animal deaths leads the Hoax Hunters to the Louisiana bayou. What they find is a mystery that harkens to Jack’s past – and a dangerous cryptid bent on revenge!”

Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5
There are three things that one can do to easily win me over with a comic book. One of those things is to have the story take place in the Louisiana swamps, and guess what issue did that, Hoax Hunters #1. Spinning out of the back up stories in Hack/Slash, and then being collected into issue #0, we join the team as they embark to solve a mystery in the swamp. No this is not like Scooby Doo, it is better. I openly welcome artist Axel Medellin into the family because he nailed this issue. His panels were consistent and he created one of the most GORE-Geous swamp monsters I have ever seen. Moreci and Seeley are on top of their game with this issue. If you missed the #0 issue you don’t have to worry, because they cover some good back story here. They also move forward with great pacing and some killer mystery that is left to unfold. Hoax Hunters is simply put, a fun read that plays with monster mythos. Hell I could easily just call this the baby of Scooby Doo and Proof. A great first issue and there is still more to come, I mean come on, let’s get to the carnival already!

Artwork: 4.5 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5

If you would like to know more about Hoax Hunters please go to http://www.imagecomics.com/

Issue: Grim Leaper #1
Writer: Kurtis Wiebe
Artist: Aluisio Santos
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: May 2012
Price: $3.50

“A brand new series from the mind of critically acclaimed writer KURTIS J. WIEBE (GREEN WAKE, PETER PANZERFAUST), GRIM LEAPER is a gory romantic comedy. Lou Collins is caught in a cyclical curse of violent, gruesome deaths and new beginnings in the bodies of strangers. With no clue why, Lou desperately searches for a way to break the curse and cross over peacefully to the other side. Then equally doomed Ella comes along. It’s a love story to die for.”

Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5
WHOA! Did you see that decapitation! In a series that I expect to be filled with tons of GORE-Geous images, Grim Leaper #1 does not disappoint. The artwork by Santos is jaw dropping from panel to panel. I absolutely love the way he uses perspective in such unique ways. The curves of roads play into the odd setting that the story takes place, and gruesome deaths can be found throughout. Story wise, Wiebe has delivered yet again. Mixing in elements of horror and romance sprinkled with some great humor, this story has it all. I love the concept and how it is playing out. I won’t spoil anything, but find that I can not wait to see if this will work out for the main characters. Beauty is really in one’s personality and this series is out to prove it. A fantastic first issue that only makes me crave more and more.

Artwork: 4.5 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5

If you would like to buy or know more about Grim Leaper you can find it at http://www.imagecomics.com

Paramount Pictures released the Bait in 3D trailer Tuesday afternoon. It looks like Jaws in a shopping mall, with a lot more body parts.

Torn apart by a tragic accident, former couple Josh (Xavier Samuel) and Tina (Sharni Vinson) come face to face in a supermarket for the first time since their break up a year earlier. The awkward encounter comes moments before a robbery takes place; and then the unimaginable occurs, a tsunami swallows the sleepy beach community.

Josh and Tina find themselves in a desperate situation, trapped in the underground supermarket along with other survivors from the store with no escape. Rushing water quickly floods the supermarket threatening to entomb them in a watery grave. Before long the survivors discover they are not alone, the tsunami has brought unwanted visitors from the depths. The survivors quickly realise their battle is not only to overcome the threat of drowning and the predator within their midst, but a threat far more sinister — hungry great white sharks.

Verizon posted a new viral video for Prometheus Wednesday afternoon. The video focuses on Dr. Elizabeth Shaw and why she belongs on the ship.

Published on May 16, 2012 by Verizon
Go to https://www.facebook.com/VerizonFiOS/app_135298006595331 to get access to more exclusive Prometheus content and to learn about the ship through Verizon Home Monitoring and Control.

In front of the quiet, unblinking eye of a camera lens, Dr. Elizabeth Shaw makes her case to lead a mission that will answer our greatest questions and trigger our ultimate fears. See PROMETHEUS in theaters June 8.

Venom’s war with the Savage Six doesn’t take long to get personal.  Just one issue after the introduction of the Marvel Universe’s latest villainous supergroup, Jack O’Lantern is already gunning for Flash Thompson’s on-again/off-again girlfriend Betty Brant.

Following a conversation at Empire Java (what happened to the Coffee Bean?) with Peter Parker, Betty Brant is briefly harassed by Jack O’Lantern before Venom bursts through the window to save the day.  Unfortunately, though, Betty thinks Jack is an old war buddy of Flash’s and Venom was a bit out of control the last time she ran into him.

Anyhow, Flash spends much of the issue trying to get Betty to stop struggling as he protects her from two of the other Savage Six members–Megatak and Toxin–while trying to locate his mother and sister.  These are the kind of problems you run into when your enemies know your secret identity, of course.

Speaking of Toxin, pairing original Venom host Eddie Brock with the “grandchild” of the Venom symbiote is an interesting choice, especially after Brock’s anti-symbiote crusade.  There’s a plot thread planted by Toxin during the scuffle with Venom involving some sort of “spawning,” hinting that there may be more symbiotes on the way–but beyond that, I was thoroughly amused that a character whose appearance vaguely reminds me of the Violator would use the word “spawning.”  Intentional nod to Venom co-creator and Spawn creator Todd McFarlane?  Perhaps, but more than likely just a coincidence.

Seeing how Eddie Brock’s character develops in his new status quo as Toxin will be perhaps as interesting as when Spider-Man inevitably becomes involved in this situation–especially when/if he also finds out that Flash Thompson is Venom and also a Secret Avenger.  How Spidey missed out on that coffee shop brawl after being there just moments before is beyond me.

Overall, Rick Remender and Cullen Bunn deliver yet another action-packed issue that leaves just as many questions as it provides answers.  Like the last issue, there’s another big reveal on the final page that is icing on the cake after the 19 pages preceding it.

The artwork is equally impressive and full of minor details on characters and settings alike.  The last time I saw a symbiote character that made me stop and think “cool” to myself was probably when I first saw Carnage in second grade.  Lan Medina, Nelson Decastro, and Chris Sotomayor make these once-D-list villains feel menacing, and they throw a lot of emotion into the faces of Betty Brant, Peter Parker, and random civilians.

Under Remender, this book has become a must-read for me after I debated adding it to my pull list when it was announced last year.  With Cullen Bunn taking over in a few issues, I’m more excited for the character than I have been in years.

Horror comics have scared readers for years. Is there anyone brave enough to sit down with their creators? This is Discussions with Decapitated Dan

Listen in this week as Dan is joined by Chief Editor of Dark Horses Creepy and Eerie, Dan Braun to talk about everything he is working on and so much more!

You can find out more about Creepy and Eerie Comics at http://www.darkhorse.com

You can find out more about musical guest Chevelle at http://www.chevelleinc.com/

The show is sponsored by CuriousGoodsandComics.com

This show runs for about 37 minutes.

Deep Discussions #92

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The Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues teaser poster was released Wednesday morning. A teaser trailer will be released before Sacha Baron Cohen’s The Dictator today as well. Will Ferrell announced in March on Conan O’Brien that a sequel was go with the original cast.

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy was feel received in 2004 and is one of most quotable Will Ferrell films. The film aslo has an amazing cast from early Seth Rogen to a re-invention of Christina Applegate.

Bernie Wrightson revisits his masterpiece Frankenstein, in this sequential sequel penned my master horror writer Steven Niles. For those that don’t know, Wrightson’s original interpretation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is what all horror artwork is measured against. It is simple a crowning achievement in black and white pen illustrations that has yet to be matched. The compositions, the mood, the flow and painstaking rendered hatching, is haunting and reminiscent of the era in which Shelly wrote. It’s like Albrecht Durher with a modern sense engraved plates for the book. So this sequel has a lot to live up to. In fact, it’s really too much for any work to live up to. Wrightson was at the peak of his game and it took him seven years working on and off to complete his illustrations for Frankenstein. He has since broken his hand, and his work hasn’t been the same since. He can’t do pen work anymore. There’s no way Alive, Alive! can or should be compared to his original. Not if your going enjoy it anyways. So just get it out of your head, right now, it’s not going to look or read like the original classic. And to be honest it’s really good work and worth sinking your teeth in to. This first issue includes 19 pages of comic book story followed by an interview between Niles and Wrightson talking about Frankenstein and the first few pages of Mary Shelley’s original Frankenstein novel.

Steven Niles take on extending the tale of Frankenstein is an interesting one. We get a glimpse of two stories, where Frankenstein is now, and what happened after the events of the original story. Currently his enjoying a somber and twisted existence a side-show freak. He’s a sorrowful creature and does this as living, motivated perhaps by the acceptance of his fellow freaks and partially for the penance of being tormented by spectators. The people who come to see Frankenstein never get what they are expected, in look or in stature, but he seems to be able to always give them a scare and it’s the only time he truly feels alive. Which is a frightening thought. His back story in not exactly a bowl full of cherries either. After wandering around after the grisly murders he committed in Frankenstein’s castle, the monster tries to end his own life. I’ll let you guys find out how he tries to do it. It’s perhaps the last dregs of his humanity that seeks the peace of oblivion, with the lovely Dr. Frankenstein as the last witness to his surrender. But Dr. seems there to torment him more than to say goodbye. It’s with this sentiment that Niles give us a truly dark take on Frank. Humanity is painful for Frankenstein to witness, it’s something that he can aspire to but never truly be. That being said Niles never really let’s the story get too emo or gothic. Yes there’s shame, torment, and semblance of remorse, however I still feel like I’m reading a horror story. The tone is dark, the tension is moderate, and the anticipation is high. It’s a good set-up story and I feel re-invested in the Frankenstein monster after just a brief recap.

Bernie Wrightson deliver’s another memorable Frankenstein. Ever the master at chiaroscuro, he reveals the monster lurching out of inky pools of shadow, his morbid half-decayed form lit from below by eerie side-show lights. This time around Bernie use a brush and ink and ink wash to render Frankenstein. It looks great, he captures the patch work of muscles and veins that have been cobbled together to form the monster with surprising detail for a brush. For the most part, the panels are spot-one, composed by a true master, especially the side-show scenes. I do take a few issues with some of his outdoor tundras and volcanos ridden wastelands. There’s a some weird shot scales going on, and those scenes in particular don’t have the epic vastness that I think was intended. The volcano shots look particularly awards. They just feel very cliché and not researched or designed very well. I’m sad to say that because the rest of the comic looks really tight and I know Bernie is capable of better. I do have one more criticism but this is more for the production team than the actually artwork. The scanning and contrast/curve setting on these pages were really weak. I shouldn’t be able to tell when the artist uses pro-white to paint on top a scene. It should just feel seamless like it was part of the design. I don’t know if this was just laziness on the production team or if it was creative choose to keep some of the gray tones. Look, even it was a creative decision, there’s still a way to pop that white and make it sit better with the ink work. It was just rushed through and a disservice to Bernie’s art. However even after all that minor griping, I still think this is handsome comic, and I’m proud to have it in my collection.

It’s hard to say what kind of horror story this is shaping up to be, as all we have is the set-up. Chances are that if you are a fan of Frankenstein and classic horror, this can’t be missed. My only warning is that this going to a slow-burn so you just are going to have to hang around for the ride. If that’s not the kind of book for you than so be it. I know that just like Severed I’ll be picking this up until it’s done. Alive, Alive! reminds me so much of classic horror short stories I used to read as kid. It’s got that swelling sense of dread and suspense like an old school Poe creep-out. Plus it’s tapped into my nostalgia and love for Wrightson’s art, and I’ll pretty much buy anything with that man’s name on it.

Story: 8
Art: 7.5

Jerry Nelson

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