Friday, January 31, 2014

PREVIEW: Codename: Action #5


Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Writer: Chris Roberson
Artist: Jonathan Lau
Colorist: Ivan Nunes
Letterer: Marshall Dillon
Cover Artist: Jonathan Lau, Jae Lee
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 5th, 2014


Infiltrating the secret island headquarters of the enemy, Operative 1001 and his allies manage to free the prisoners, and it seems that the day has been won. But when he learns the true identity of Dr. Thorpe, he discovers that the threat is much larger in scope than he had ever imagined, and that the danger is far from over.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

TOY TEASE: NECA Toys' NES Classic Video Game Appearance Predator

NECA Toys will be adding the original Predator to their Classic Video Game Appearance series. This version of the classic Jungle Hunter Predator is based on the 1989 NES video game. The Predator will be the fourth figure to get this treatment following other iconic characters Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th), Freddy Krueger (Nightmare on Elm St.) and RoboCop. Below is an image of what we can expect.

NECA’s Jungle Hunter Predator (1989 Video Game Appearance) is a fully articulated 8-inch tall figure with extendable wrist blades, removable backpack, and over 20 points of articulation. The Predator is painted in shades of blue with black and a hint of cel shading.

This figure comes in special window box packaging with opening flap to re-create the look and feel of the classic 1989 video game packaging.

In my last video, I mentioned how much of a fan I am of NECA Toys, especially their Predator figures. This one will certainly have a place in my collection. They also released an updated visual guide for the Predator line. Check it out below.

Come May, the hunter becomes the hunted as collectors stalk toy jungles in search of this limited run item. For updates, visit NECA Toys.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

PREVIEW: Tomb Raider #1


Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Gail Simone
Penciller: Nicolás Daniel Selma
Inker: Juan Gedeon
Colorist: Michael Atiyeh
Letterer: Unknown
Cover Artist: Dan Dos Santos
Cover Price: $3.50
Release Date: February 26th, 2014

Superstar writer Gail Simone picks up Lara Croft’s story where the smash hit Tomb Raider game left off—in a new ongoing comics series!

Following the game acclaimed for its bold and sophisticated new vision, this series launches Lara Croft on the formative adventures that will change her life forever!

I'll be looking forward to this series. I also highly recommend playing the video game if you haven't done so.

Comic Cover of the Week: Little Heroes

Happy New Comic Book Day!

CBL is proud to welcome Salvador Larroca to Comic Cover of the Week with Cataclysm: The Ultimates' Last Stand #4.

I like this cover because despite Galactus being a huge threat, literally and figuratively, there's a touch of silliness to this. It's all in how Larroca uses the superheroes. You have to wonder what Spider-Man hopes to accomplish by webbing Galactus' lip. The swipe of Captain America's leg is similar to young children who are picked up and are swinging their legs. A vibrant, eye-catching cover all-around.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

PREVIEW: The White Suits #1


Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Frank Barbiere
Artist: Toby Cypress
Cover Artist: Toby Cypress
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 19th, 2014

Mysterious killers dressed in white, they savaged the Cold War Russian underworld—then disappeared. Now they have resurfaced in New York, leaving a trail of dead mobsters. In this bloody wake, an amnesiac and an FBI agent search for the answer to a single question: Who are the White Suits?

The concept is intriguing and it already stands out on a visual level. Yes, I've already pre-ordered this.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

REVIEW: The Midas Flesh #2


Publisher: BOOM! Box
Writer: Ryan North
Artists: Shelli Paroline, Braden Lamb
Letterer: Steve Wands
Cover Artist: John Keogh
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 22nd, 2014

BOOM! Studios newest imprint, BOOM! Box, is back with their debut title,The Midas Flesh #2. In The Midas Flesh #1, readers were introduced to the crew of the Prospect (consisting of Captain Joey, Fatima a.k.a. Fatty and Cooper), the mystery of the solid-gold Earth and the Federation, the still enigmatic galactic force.

As stated in my first review, give credit to Ryan North for pacing. The issue flows well, especially while depicting different tones at times including plenty of humor. Having done the setup in the first issue, he opens up the characters a bit here. Most of that attention is given to Cooper. North dedicates several pages to revealing an impactful moment in the Utahraptor’s life. Besides developing the character, it adds that other layer to the book in terms of tone.

He expounds on aspects of the first issue while adding to the mix. While we don’t know their full back stories, the Prospect’s crew is a likable group. We have answers to some questions while also being led to other mysteries. Readers are shown numerous elements which beg the question: “what’s next?”

Shellie Paroline and Braden Lamb pick up right where they left off with the first issue. They complement North’s narrative well. Their storytelling skills are well displayed. This is quite evident during Cooper’s flashback sequence. From the crew of the Prospect to members of the Federation, the characters exhibit a wide range of expressions. The segments where Fatima expresses her boredom are memorable. The color palette may be the most noticeable visual. The brighter colors throughout the issue give it an animated look.

The Midas Flesh #2 exactly what you want in an all-ages book. The narrative isn’t too complex for younger readers while not being watered-down to turn older readers away. Combined with the inviting visuals and you have an all-around fun comic standing out among the grittiness of other books.

Score: 4/5

This copy of The Midas Flesh #1 was provided by BOOM! Studios.

Comic Cover of the Week: A Man and his Horse

Happy New Comic Day! There are plenty of highly-anticipated books available today. Obviously that's nothing new. Well, except for that week after Christmas. But that doesn't really count.

This week's top art goes to Francesco Francavilla's cover for The Lone Ranger #21 from Dynamite Entertainment.

Francavilla's cover shares some similar elements to last week's Comic Cover of the Week: There Will Be Blood. The immediately noticeable aspect is the color palette. This goes for the number of choices and, to an extent, the colors themselves. There's the red on the Lone Ranger's scarf which demands attention. Beyond that, the character's face is hidden. Concealing his expression can leave it up to the viewer to interpret the mood of our rider. Somewhat disregarding the content of the book, the image as a whole takes you back to the old west and how life was then as well as how it's represented in fiction. It may have been a life of solitude at times. Other times, it was just a rider and a horse.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

PREVIEW: The Midas Flesh #2


Publisher: BOOM! Box
Writer: Ryan North
Artists: Shelli Paroline, Braden Lamb
Letterer: Steve Wands
Cover Artist: John Keogh
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 22nd, 2014

Fatty and the crew have arrived at the forgotten planet, Earth to find the source of the power that has transformed the entire place to gold. While they scour the planet in search of a myth, we get to know the crew a bit more and find out exactly why they’re chasing legends in search of a great source of power.




In case you missed it, here's the review of The Midas Flesh #1.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

VIDEO: Massive Action Figure Haul

In this second video I show off a huge toy haul. There are action figures from across several lines. This video was the main idea behind expanding to YouTube. Sit back and enjoy the toy show.



Thanks for watching.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Comic Cover of the Week: There Will Be Blood

Happy New Comic Book Day! It's been a while, but "Comic Cover of the Week" is back.

The return of this weekly feature is a special one. Let's welcome artists Chris Bachalo and Tim Townsend and their cover to Uncanny X-Men #16 featuring the mutant master of magnetism, Magneto.

Whenever Bachalo and Townsend are in the conversation, you know you're going to get some beautiful work. They certainly don't let us down here. There's a dark mood the artists want us to feel. Concealing Magneto's eyes captures that well. From there the limited color palette with the blood spatter is a neat design choice. This is an image worthy of a museum wall.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

VIDEO: Comic Book Legends Introduction and Comic Haul

I expect 2014 to be big for Comic Book Legends. I want to introduce some awesome features this year as well as do more with the existing ones. One of those involves videos. I've been tossing the idea around for a while while testing the quality of my different video sources. This first one is just an introduction to the site and myself. I also show a few comics I've received in the mail from various sources.



Let me know what you think. If you want to see anything specific, feel free to let me know. Thanks for watching.