Image Comics Puts Out Another Quality Title - AXCEND #1 - A Review

As I said in my last blog there are so few new things coming out from the “Big Two” that it’s getting harder to justify reading, or collecting, any but first and special editions.  The good news is that new things are being released by them under a different name or by other publishers.  That brings me to Image Comics and their newest release, AXCEND.

As a quick background Image Comics currently stands as the 3rd largest publisher of comics.  The thing that makes Image Comics special is one of their founding principles (not sure if it still is in effect, but it was in the beginning) that artists were allowed to retain the rights to the characters they developed.  The reason this is so smart?  The artists have more skin in the game.  If you don’t retain the rights you are an artist for someone else (no offense meant to any artist reading this).  This means if the character explodes or is relegated to the back shelf the artist continues to draw what they are asked.  If they retain the rights to their work they are tied to the success.  The character is their “child” and what happens to it has a major impact on them.

But I digress.

Let’s talk about AXCEND #1 from Image Comics by Shane Davis, Michelle Delecki, and Morry Hollowell.

I was fortunate enough to find two covers.  One with what appears to be the focal point of the story, Eric, and the other with a character he “plays with” in the story (I’ll explain later) whose name is Ruin (he’s on the left).  There is a third character, which may be on a cover I didn’t see, called Rayne.  Then there is the character which appears to be the one who runs the virtual world in which they travel, Dog (again, I’ll explain later).  You got it right...Eric...Rayne....Ruin....and Dog.

So, the premise is one that is somewhat of a takeoff from ‘Tron’.  Eric, still hurting from the loss of his brother Erin (which isn’t explained in any detail in the comic, I assume we’ll know more as things play out), sits down to play the video game AXCEND (i’m not shouting this, the title is all caps).  The twist here is that when the TV screen comes on so Eric can play you see Dog and he tells Eric he is one of only three chosen to beta test the online world of AXCEND.  That’s when things get out of hand.

Eric is then sucked into the video game where he comes face to face with Dog, Rayne and Ruin.  He also finds himself sporting a new outfit (seen in the images above).  Without ruining the comic for you, let’s just say that Dog puts all three of them through the paces with Eric being the “newbie”.

The thing that I like about this storyline is the way Eric gets his powers in the game...they’re downloaded.  Then, as in most fighting games, he will get more abilities and “level up” as he wins the little games that Dog puts all three of them through.  Eric starts with the ability to make portals and he feels that his “beta has a core, but it’s small, it...I want to grow.  I think I wanna...upgrade”.  On some level it makes me wonder if a character I play with online is some kid in another part of the country.  The interesting thing is that he knows what needs to happen to grow.   As you will read in the comic, however, he gets hazed pretty badly by Rayne and Ruin.  To the reader’s delight they show no remorse and target him mercilessly.  This shows Eric as human...he doesn’t just get powers and 15 minutes later he’s saving the planet.  He makes mistakes and tries hard to learn from them.

What you should know is that in Eric’s real life he is a teenager in high school with problems of his own.  As a matter of fact, right before he goes home, and is sucked into AXCEND, he has a confrontation with the school bully.  Well, it was a little more than a confrontation, the bully knocked him on his ass.  To add insult to injury, the bully tells Eric how he knew his dead brother, Erin, since 5th grade and the difference between the two of them was that “Erin knew how to hit back”.  So, Eric doesn’t exactly have a dream life outside of AXCEND.

The premise of this comic leaves the storyline open to hundreds of different directions.  The reader will probably see Eric gain new powers/stronger powers as he “levels up”.  My guess is that what happens in the game will condition him for real life and vice versa.  I have a couple of guesses as to what’s going to happen next in his real, and virtual, life but I won’t say them for two reasons;  I don’t want to spoil it for you if I’m right and I hate admitting when I’m wrong.

The flip side of the coin is that it would have been nice to see more of Eric’s escape into other video games as a coping mechanism and build his character a little.  I found Dog immediately coming on the screen and telling Eric he was “chosen” was a little sudden.  It made me go back and read the previous pages again to see if I missed something.  The comic could have left out some of the beatings that Eric took and substituted more of his background.  As it’s Eric’s “origin” it should have built up a little more.  Frankly, if that’s the only issue (pun intended) then this comic may be a keeper.

Before finishing, let me add that a new title from Image is no real surprise.  This company has put out fantastic titles such as Invincible, Savage Dragon, and the big one The Walking Dead.  They are also releasing one that I look forward to, I Hate Fairyland.  I plan to review that once it’s released.  For more information on their titles go to www.imagecomics.com.  You won’t be sorry that you did.

The Comic Whisperer’s Ratings:

Concept and Characters:          Appraised at a 7.5 out of 10
Recommendation:                     Buy this issue, continue if it tickles your fancy.
                                                    I don’t see this issue going up much in value, 
                                                    collect at your discretion.


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I’m Buying An Apartment In Astro City

OK, OK I will admit I missed the bus on this one.

I remember the day it hit the shelves actually.

The beautiful art on the cover, the intriguing title, the comic company I had not yet had the honor to get books from, Homage Comics, and the incredibly talented writer Kurt Busiek of a Red Tornado Limited Series, Power Man and Iron Fist comics and a run with the Avengers.

It was a powerful combination but I already had far more comics in my hands than I had the money for (I have 10,000+ comics, so I really don’t NEED more, but I WANT more).  I just couldn’t justify putting down a favored comic for an unknown.  What a mistake.

I need to take a step back here and say that I am a fan of Kurt Busiek.  If you have ever read about Kurt’s background you will see that he has had an interest in comics for many, many moons and he fought hard to break into comic writing.  I don’t know Kurt personally (although I’d love to) but I can tell you that he fought for what he wanted and deserved what he got...an Eisner Award winning comic in Astro City.  It won Best New Series, Best Single Issue (for the first issue) and Best Cover Artist.  This is the cover for that game changing comic:

Recently, however, I was given a second chance.

The flea market where I am known as The Comic Whisperer recently had a run of Astro City available.  The price is unimportant...me having the run was VERY important.

It could NOT have been a better purchase.

In short, Astro City is about a fictional American city of the same name.  The first series debuted in 1995 published by Image Comics and since published by Homage Comics, part of the Windstorm Signature Series.  It’s written by Kurt Busiek with character designs and cover paintings by Alex Ross.

Astro City was published from 1995 - 1998 then came back again in 2003 with "Local Heroes" and "Dark Ages" story arcs.  The Dark Ages ran 16 issues.  In those issues the characters pondered the functions and motivations of superpowered beings and their fit into the community (it was very “Watchmen-esque”).  Dark Ages went from 2005 - 2010.  Then in June 2013, Astro City went monthly published by the powerhouse Vertigo Comics.  The thing that makes Astro City stand apart, besides its incredible art, is that the stories are told as third person OR told by the criminals or heroes from their perspectives.  The writing and art wound up taking up a style all their own completely different from the comic books I have read since childhood.

Not to sell other writers and other comics short, but the issues are captivating with their art alone.  The art is magnificent.  Take a gander:

It’s almost as if it’s from a different age.  Every panel looks like a mural someone would have painted on the side of a building.  EVERY PANEL.   It also takes me to a different time.  A time when things were easier, the colors brighter, the women more beaut.....well, you get the point.  I will honestly say that in the 45 years I have been writing and collecting comics there has never been a series that has captivated my attention like Astro City.  As I have read over 10,000 that’s saying something.

If you have already read it, you know what I am talking about.  If you haven’t read it already go out and buy it.  You certainly won’t regret it.