Image Comics

Review – That Texas Blood Vol 1

9th July 2021

Review – That Texas Blood Vol 1 Publisher: Image Comics Writer: Chris Condon Artwork: Jacob Phillips Colours: Jacob Philips Cover Artists: Jacob Philips. Variants by Sean Phillips & Duncan Fegredo Publication Design: Sean Phillips Release Date:  13th January 2021 Introduction Reviewing That Texas Blood Vol1 I was struck with how it had me on edge. Four pages of vibrant blood red on the inlay, as we get titles and credits, compounds that feeling of unease. Then a warm introduction to the seemingly mundane life of Sheriff  Joe Bob Coates. On the morning of his 70th birthday, he muses with his wife about how he thought he’d feel different. Next he starts the groundwork on the case of reclaiming his wife’s best casserole dish. Everything seems pleasant, a little too pleasant. Witty back and forth between characters gives way to hint at something darker, something animalistic running in the blood of the fictional Ambrose County. Story/Writing That Texas Blood began life as a feature script that Chris Condon was hitting a brick wall in securing funding for. Talking with Lost’n comics , he said he was inspired by how the film Whiplash secured funding based on a short film. Which, was like a miniature version of the final feature film. However, Chris wanted to do a short that was telling a parallel story to his intended feature and not a condensed version of it. But funding for that short was still hard to find. Condon commissioned Jacob Phillips to do concept art for the film and loved it. Eventually he opted to make the story as a comic book with Jacob as the artist. Condon has mentioned multiple influences leading him to write That Texas Blood. Shakespeare, North by Northwest and Darwyn Cooke’s Parker series are actively referenced in the book. The X-files and the connected work of Stephen King, are strong structural influences as That Texas Blood is an anthology series. After our introduction to Sheriff Joe Bob in ‘The Casserole Dish’, we meet Los Angeles-based writer Randy Terrill. Randy is returning to Ambrose County after the sudden and mysterious death of his brother. This story stretches out from issue two to issue six and is subtitled, ‘A Brother’s Conscience’.  Randy seems at first to be quite mild mannered and unassuming like Joe Bob. But  Randy is more in line with the story told in issue one than its main character, we start to see darker elements emerge in him too, in parallel to them developing in the plot. Texas itself and the stories Condon associated with it were another influence. The expansive landscape gave him the idea that anything could happen and he has baked that sense of hanging anticipation into That Texas Blood. When the quieter and easier going moments are broken up, they are done so in shocking fashion and the choices made give you no reassurance that you can expect what’s coming next. Review – That Texas Blood Vol 1 continues below Art In a youtube interview with Angelo Callazo,  titled ‘From Screenplay to Comic’ ; Chris broke down the journey from screenplay to comic script to comic page. A  scene involving a snake is highlighted, in the original screenplay with production costs in mind, Chris wrote it so that a real snake and snake wrangler wouldn’t be required on set. They could bring the snake alive off screen with the use of sound effects. This idea carried to the comic and you don’t really see the snake, it’s out of shot. Jacob then omitted the sound effects so that the visuals could tell the story.  Condon mentioned many other similar instances throughout the book, stressing that both the writing and the art of the book were a collaboration. He’d suggest the shot types for the panels or pictures for Jacob to reference, Jacob would do as was laid out or he’d ‘fiddle’ with ideas reframing them and shaping their telling.  Chris said he gave all  script pages to Jacob with the idea that he could change whatever he wanted. Jacob Phillips’ artwork is reminiscent of that of his father, Sean Phillips. It makes sense. He took an interest in his father’s work from a young age, learned under him and did his first professional work with him. Jacob likes to reference what he draws and you can see it in the work. There’s authenticity to the figures and settings. In the detailing and colouring of the book, Jacob uses a scribble like marker effect that features prominently. It depicts the lights and shadows at play in most scenes, giving a sense of subsurface scattering. Sometimes it adds texture to surfaces, representing glass here, grass there. It can be used for wistful clouds in one scene, or to convey the dead heat on the freeway in the next. Beautifully emotive colouring is rich on the page. We see so many shades of day and night, light and shadow. Flashes of red denote anger or violence, the colour’s vibrancy jumps in scenes where moods flare or metaphorical imagery is introduced. Alternatively backgrounds are white  and blank  to focus us on the action. There’s a lot of variation in all of the above and a lot to love about the art of this book. Overall Thoughts So in reviewing That Texas Blood Vol1 … it’s great, go get it. Everything’s done tremendously well. It’s funny, warm, smart, shocking  and exciting. An exceptional opening book for both writer and artist. They compliment each other very well. I look forward to hearing both their names in the future but especially when they’re in the same breath. That Texas Blood is continuing as an ongoing series. If you enjoyed our Review of That Texas Blood Vol 1 then please leave a comment or your own rating below. [yasr_multiset setid=1] [yasr_visitor_multiset setid=1] Check out BGCP’s new list of Scottish Comic Shops to see if they have a copy of That Texas Blood Vol 1 in stock and buy local Buy tickets for BGCP

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Review – Spawn’s Universe #1

25th June 2021

Review – Spawn’s Universe #1 SUMMARY Spawn is back with a vengeance! With Omega Spawn vanquished and the dead zones locked, the last remnants of Heaven & Hell on Earth are on the run from Spawn as they race towards the now empty throne of Hell! If a new king is crowned, Hell will go to war with Heaven that is sure to shatter the glass ceiling between good and evil that is Earth. Reluctant as he is to work with others, Spawn will need all the help he can get from all the unlikely allies he encounters. ART McFarlane promised the very best from his new team of illustrators for his beloved characters and they have not disappointed, every iteration of Spawn in this comic looks insane. The virtuosic artists have nailed the various incarnations of McFarlane’s Hellspawns, from their settings to their visual character arcs and designs, each one is unique. If there’s a Hellspawn art gallery universe, I want to be there always and forever. Being the linchpin between Heaven & Hell guarantees a blurred sense of morality. Spawn’s resurrection has boosted the action set pieces with a polished and refined intensity, both for the titular protagonist and his otherworldly antagonists. On top of this, the various artists possess a modern flare for the surgical intricacies of brutality and raw emotion. WRITING The dialogue throughout strikes a perfect balance between gritty convolution and humorous charm. Simplistic enough to follow for new readers while remaining extensive in it’s lore to keep it engaging for die-hard fans. Not to mention, in the modern world of excessive universe building, we need more universes with themes of a gothic persuasion. McFarlane’s narration has that badass nostalgic quality mixed with apocalyptic poetry throughout, you are bound to bounce off of every sentence he writes before you can even begin to fathom Spawn’s Universe but once you do, you’re in for a wicked ride. That being said, if you aren’t familiar with Spawn, McFarlane will bring you up to speed on the history and prowess just through the sheer pride and awesomeness of his commentary for his beloved characters. Like a child playing with his favourite action figures! OVERALL In conclusion, Spawn’s Universe #1 is a bleak but fruitful taste of everyone’s favourite Hellspawn and his return to the world of comic books is grandiose with a mighty blaze of biblically proportionate brooding and satirically dark realism. Comparitive to the likes of Watchmen’s Doomsday Clock, Batman’s The Death of The Family and coincidentally, Marvel’s Loki series, the first issue cements itself as an earth-shattering first step into the year of Spawn! Rate or comment on our Review of Spawn’s Universe #1 below. [yasr_multiset setid=1] [yasr_visitor_multiset setid=1] Let us know in the comments your thoughts on Spawn’s Universe #1, your favourite incarnation of Spawn and how you’ll be celebrating the year of Spawn! Buy tickets for BGCP Comic Con in and around Glasgow Scotland – BUY TICKETS Check out all of our Comic, Movie, Television and Videogame Reviews HERE and our Podcasts/Interviews HERE If you want to be part of the BGCP community, Join us on Discord, Twitter, Instagram etc then click HERE

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Review – Monstress Volume One

23rd June 2021

SUMMARY Monstress Volume One: Awakening, is the beginning of your new favourite horror fantasy series written by Marjorie Liu (comic book writer of Black Widow, Dark Wolverine and Astonishing X-Men) and illustrated by Sana Takeda (former designer for SEGA and illustrator for Ms. Marvel as well as X-23 alongside Liu). Game of Thrones meets Princess Mononoke meets Shadow of the Colossus meets Legend of Korra meets Dark Souls. All are limbs, mechanically Frankenstitched to a steampunk body to create something uniquely organic and memorable.  In the aftermath of the war between the Cumaea, a council of power hungry humans and the magical hybrids known as the Arcanics, the Known World has become a wasteland for the inhumane with slavery and segregation at the helm. Maika Halfwolf, a half-breed girl and survivor of the war, hunts down the answers to her forgotten past and seeks to avenge her dead mother with a mysterious and gruesome entity by her side and a monstrous voice of reason in her mind.  ART Firstly, Takeda has created the Western steampunk metropolis of Zamora, set against a gorgeous East Asian inspired backdrop. Think Legend of Korra but waaaaay darker! The artwork strikes a balance between supernatural levels of gritty realism– both in flesh and machine, and prophetic panels of menacing mythological minimalism. A masterclass in visualizing emotion on the surface in addition to the loose cogs of an industrial city. In contrast to the beautiful scenery and characters, this is a visceral and ugly story. I don’t know where Takeda gets her violent and horrifying inspiration from but it never ceased to contort and twist the nerves. As a well-seasoned veteran of bleak imagery myself, I appreciate the maturity especially when it is important and necessary…but good Goddess there is an abundance of darkness and terror here! WRITING It should be noted, with the comparisons to Game of Thrones and Tolkien’s Middle Earth in its ambitious worldbuilding, it is immediately daunting to intake yet another realm of characters, conflicts, races and rules. Thankfully however, much of the background history is explained through several lectures from the esteemed (and adorable) Professor Tam Tam.  Review – Monstress Volume One continues below Truly, the worldbuilding as a whole is brilliantly executed, one line of dialogue in particular gave me chills with an inspiring and idealistic world view that I have never considered before. Perfectly descriptive of the history of this realm and how the current state of things has changed said history. All I’ll say is that it’s on page 96!  Most importantly, with a generation changing rise in empowerment for our society, Monstress offers a heartwrenching journey that encapsulates the hardships and inner turmoil of all walks of life. Most notably in its overarching matriarchy and relatable diverse cast of characters as well as the bleak shadow of segregation. Additionally, its more subtle subtexts of mental health and the LGBT+ community offer a new chapter in the Hero’s Journey of inspiration to those battling their own monsters. Furthermore, there’s talking cats if you need a breather from the serious stuff. BALANCE! OVERALL To conclude, have you ever experienced something so visceral yet so versatile in its message that you are convinced you are in the presence of something monumental? That is the experience of reading Monstress Volume One: Awakening. This volume shoots high and breaks through the stratosphere of storytelling with a fiery sky of atmospheric artwork left in its trail. A masterpiece all on its own, that isn’t finished yet. Again, like The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings, this is a household treasure for fantasy fans that demands your annual immersion and guarantees itself to be a timeless classic. In a time of sharing the spotlight with ethnic minorities, empowering feminism and overall evolving as human beings, this comic is in a word, essential. [yasr_multiset setid=1] [yasr_visitor_multiset setid=1] Let us know in the comments your thoughts on our Review of Monstress Volume One the series as a whole with as little spoilers as possible please and if you’d like to see a TV or Film adaption of the series! Buy tickets for BGCP Comic Con in and around Glasgow Scotland – BUY TICKETS Check out all of our Comic, Movie, Television and Videogame Reviews HERE and our Podcasts/Interviews HERE If you want to be part of the BGCP community, Join us on Discord, Twitter, Instagram etc then click HERE

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Review – Invincible: Eight is Enough

23rd June 2021

Review – Invincible: Eight is Enough Written by: Robert Kirkman Pencils by: Cory Walker, Ryan Ottley, Matt Roberts, Mark Englert, Dave Johnson, Cliff Rathburn Inks by: Cory Walker, Ryan Ottley, Tony Moore, Erik Larsen, Dave Johnson, Cliff Rathburn Letters by: Robert Kirkman Colors by: Bill Crabtree Release Date: December 12, 2006 Check out our review of Invincible Vol 1 Family Matters here. Introduction If this is your first foray into Invincible, I do recommend going back and reading the first six issues found in Family Matters. It’s a solid origin story that lays the groundwork for the rest of the series. Invincible is a 144 issue long superhero comic series created by Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker, published by Image Comics. Amazon Prime has licensed the comic for an animated series adaptation. Kirkman does a really good job, with Invincible, of writing comics in a way that works not only as stand alone issues, smaller trade paperback chunks, but also as the story overall. He might be the very best at balancing consistent, long form storytelling in the comics medium. Volume 2, Eight is Enough continues the story of our titular hero, as the son of renowned superhero Omni-Man. While continuing with those characters, Eight is Enough begins to broaden the world with more characters and a broader scope. This volume introduces us to Allen the Alien and the Guardians of the Globe, both of which are important going forward. We’re also shown that the book exists in the larger Image Comics universe, with appearances from the likes of Super Patriot and Savage Dragon. Story This second volume is where you really start to see what makes Invincible special. The pacing is still a little slow and it doesn’t feel like a lot happens, just some big things. Even in the first issue though, you start with what seems like a standard slugfest until the characters start asking questions. These subversions of comic book tropes are a hallmark of the book. It ends up being painfully clever and I can’t not appreciate how much care went into writing these moments. Kirkman also starts to show off his skills at sprinkling in little moments that he plans on paying off later. There’s a grounded nature to the series, either in how they handle relationships or small things like not ignoring that a high school kid has homework. The conversations Mark has with his friends feel genuine for kids their age, where they’ll just have a rant about something like shortening names. Much like how in The Walking Dead Kirkman could sell you a zombie comic where you didn’t see zombies for multiple issues, I could read issues with these characters not throwing a single punch. Thankfully they don’t let up on the action that much though.  The Guardians of the Globe are a great parody piece. The small little snippets we get into their lives are pretty entertaining and feel like just the right amount. The twist at the end of Chapter Three gives the book a serious dose of spice and gives the reader endless questions. It’s not that dissimilar from the twist Kirkman delivers in early Walking Dead and defines the book similarly. This is followed up by a lesser cliffhanger at the end of Chapter Four that’s still exciting enough to keep you wondering.  Review – Invincible: Eight is Enough continues below Art If you read the intro in the book, Erik Larsen tells us that Cory Walker was having trouble keeping up with the pace of a monthly book. This leads to some friends coming in to do some guest spots on issue 3. After that Ryan Ottley comes on to do issue 4. So the book gets a decent variety of art to compare. We’re introduced to a lot of fabulous new character designs in this book, from the Guardians, to Allen, to Science Dog, and that’s one of the strongest aspects of the Invincible series, in my opinion. These designs carry into the rest of the series and they help define the world. Review – Invincible: Eight is Enough continues below The guest spots are primarily for The Guardians of the Globe slots and they’re pretty fun. It’s a nice change of pace and gives each of the characters a little extra personality. Cory’s work in the book is better here than in volume 1, particularly when it comes to facial detail. The fight with Allen is really pretty with the space contrast behind them. The design for the attacker from the college campus is inspired and creepy. There’s consistent elements throughout the book, but it’s all kind of average. Ultimately I think you can tell that the pace wasn’t working. The splash pages are great but the smaller panels and quieter moments in the first couple issues do struggle sometimes. All that said, when Ryan joins the book for Chapter Four, it clicks. The book takes on a personality that he will carry forward into the rest of the series. Cory’s designs are crucial for the start of this saga but Ryan’s art fits the book so well and looks so smooth. I think a lot of this goes back to Cory Walker’s comfort level with a monthly title. Ryan Ottley’s work on four comes across like more traditional superhero art. That style works so well for the universe Kirkman and Walker built. Overall Eight is Enough is another solid chunk of story in the Invincible universe. It’s an improvement on the first volume and better in many ways. It’s only four issues, though, and in that it does feel like it does less overall than the first version. It does meander a bit, especially as it stops to introduce us to the Guardians of the Globe. I would have preferred a bit more story in the volume, as far as progress, but the moments we do get are big enough to carry the volume forward.  Out of the 144 issue run, Eight

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Review – Invincible: Family Matters

18th May 2021

Review – Invincible: Family Matters Written by: Robert Kirkman Art by: Cory Walker Lettered by: Robert Kirkman Colors by: Bill Crabtree Release Date: December 12, 2006 Introduction Soon to be adapted into an animated series by Amazon Prime, Invincible was an ongoing superhero comic from Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker, published by Image Comics. Kirkman, more known for Walking Dead, actually started Invincible shortly before Walking Dead in 2003. The series ended its 144 issue run in 2017, wrapping up most of the main stories. The series follows our hero, Mark Grayson, the son of the powerful Omni-Man. When we meet Mark he’s an average teen, except his dad’s a superhero and he’s waiting on powers of his own. Family Matters is the first 6 issues of the run. Like many Image books, Invincible has been collected in smaller paperbacks, larger hardcovers, or the giant compendiums. The series is particularly well suited for the 6 issue format though because each volume feels like an episode of a great serialized story. I’ve read the entire story, multiple times, but we’re only looking at the first 6 issues collected in Family Matters. Still, Future Kenny will pop in to give a small review in the context of the larger run, because it’s a run worth reading.  Story Family Matters lays the groundwork for the universe as we are introduced to the Grayson family and their supporting cast. From the start, it’s good superhero fodder. There’s dashes of sci-fi, a lived-in-world where superpowers are normalized, and an origin story that is unique while still feeling familiar. Our creators do a great job at making super-heroics and comic book tropes feel normal in this world. Even as Omni-Man dashes back to the dinner table after being kidnapped to an alternate dimension, there’s no hysterics about how crazy that may seem. The book is about the ordinary lives of super people.  The characters are the best part of these issues. The Graysons are a lovable family. Omni-Man is a solid combination of Superman and a tv dad. Mark feels like a pretty average teenager and his origin feels organic and fun. He’s a less overwhelmed Peter Parker. Deborah is written as a mom that worries and cares about her family but has lived in a world of super heroics for years and isn’t shaken by it. Most  of the supporting characters in friends or other teammates stand out as memorable when another writer might have used shells to move the plot along. The cast feels so varied and authentic, that they just inherently make the world feel more interesting.  All that said, this first run just feels like pretty standard super hero fare. It’s a solid pilot. There’s a few small villains, taken down with minor struggles. It’s even an above average superhero book. There’s a few moments that stand out, like the folks from another dimension, but the book sort of tells its slice-of-life story and leaves. The world is interesting and the characters are charming, but nothing particularly bombastic or remarkable happens. It shares that in common with another Kirkman project, where the Walking Dead lulls you into false security before taking off. However, it is the pilot for a larger series so it works in that regard. Art The art in these issues is colorful, with an almost pastel or watercolor feature about it. It also feels anime inspired, at times, with some of the simpler designs and the less-than-realistic take on faces in some panels. These first issues of Invincible thread a needle between anime and traditional cartoon, so it adds to the excitement that it’s being adapted into a cartoon now. Cory Walker’s work here feels like a style that will lend itself well to animation. Through the book the character designs are clever and really stand out as unique. When I say the designs feel very Image-y, it’s a compliment. The action feels real and the layouts are easy to follow. Cory is able to take the more pedestrian moments and lay them out in clever ways to just feel normal. The use of repeat panels or similar panels says almost as much as the dialogue at times. It makes the lives of these characters feel more normal, as they sit around the table like us non-super folks. Review – Invincible: Family Matters continues below Overall In itself, Invincible Volume 1 is a fun read. It’s a new world of characters that are satisfying to explore and learn about. Kirkman hints at a broader universe throughout the book, but it’s a great origin story for a newly developed teenage superhero. The future seems bright for our teen lead and his family. It’s hard to judge by itself though, when even its creator knew it was the start of something much bigger. While the book is better as a jumping off point for an incredible series, you could read this on its own and still be satisfied with the read.  In the overall context of the 144 issue run, Family Matters is perhaps the least exciting. This is true of a lot of pilots, of course. It’s slower in pacing and smaller in scope than the future of the series by far. This is likely by design, as a slow build to lure you in. You may finish these issues feeling like you’ve read another solid Image superhero book, not realizing the groundwork that has been laid. If you’ve ever seen art from the future of the series, you might even be surprised at how tame the story seems. Kirkman is good at surprises, and giving you unique twists you didn’t know you wanted. Future Kenny says it would be a mistake for you to stop reading this series here. If you enjoyed our review of Invincible: Family Matters then leave a comment or leave your own rating below. 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the walking dead volume 1 days gone bye

Review – The Walking Dead Volume 1: Days Gone Bye

4th February 2026

Review – The Walking Dead Volume 1: Days Gone Bye   Publisher: Image Comics Writer: Robert Kirkman Penciller: Tony Moore Inker: Tony Moore Letterer: Robert Kirkman Release Date: October 2003 – March 2004   The Walking Dead comic recently came to an end, so getting to go back and review Days Gone Bye, – the first volume in the series, – was an opportune chance to revisit how this pop culture juggernaut came about. The Walking Dead tells the story of Rick Grimes; an Atlanta sheriff who gets flung headfirst into the zombie apocalypse, which throws an overwhelming amount of un-dead corpses his way and exposes the brutality required to survive this harsh new world. Where most other zombie media focuses on the actual zombies and monsters killing human characters, The Walking Dead instead chooses to focus on the human relationships within the group of survivors that we follow. Although this has become somewhat of a trope over recent years, reading The Walking Dead was the first time that I saw the concept of ‘fight the dead, fear the living,’ actually realised and at the time I thought that it was fantastically original and refreshing. Unfortunately, we have been somewhat bombarded with zombie media to the point of parody since this book’s debut and the market has become extremely saturated in the years since it released, but credit is still due to the story that started it all. This idea has been parroted many times since because it was an awesome idea to begin with. Beyond the initial innovative idea though, the writing has to be there to back it up. Robert Kirkman is brilliant at building his universe and really making his characters and settings feel fleshed out. This was also one of the first comic books I read, where I really felt the constantly present threat that the characters had to live with on a daily basis and it honestly does feel like no character is ever truly safe. Kirkman does somewhat lean on shock value to keep readers engaged in this book, which is not always something that I am a huge fan of. He also isn’t afraid to explore extremely dark themes and sadly doesn’t always do so with the most subtlety or grace, resulting in some tactless excess and some poorly handled choices. Tony Moore manages to capture a brilliant level of detail and expression in every frame of this volume. I also love the clarity of his artwork; there is never a point in this book where I felt confused as to what I was seeing. The version of the book I read for review had also been coloured, however when I originally read the book, it was in black and white. To be honest, I think I prefer the B&W approach as it fits the horror theme of the book better and doesn’t look as cartoonish. Admittedly, as much as I enjoyed Tony Moore’s work in this volume, Charlie Adlard took over art duties from volume 2 onwards and I much prefer his work. Adlard’s drawing style is wildly different to Moore’s and it does take some getting used to, but once you settle into it, it is great. Overall, I really enjoyed going back and reading Days Gone Bye for review. It is pretty amazing when you consider all of the other media that has spawned from this single comic. Some of the writing can be fairly clumsy at times and Moore’s art carries a certain cheesiness to it, but there was enough talent onboard here to bring this franchise to life and the rest is history at this point.

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