On the surface, The Mask of the Red Panda seems like a trite reproduction of stories weve seen time and time again. But Gregg Taylor knows what hes doing. Hes created a world that is unique, and in that world he adds a fresh perspective to familiar archetypes. The Mask of the Red Panda has a storied and strange past; going from radio play to novel to comic. And after reading it, I can only hope the Red Panda lives on, and gets even stranger.

Nosferatu Wars broods and smolders for ninety-percent of the book. Let me qualify, its the best kind of brooding and smoldering. Niles is working towards a crescendo that is as bonkers as it is beautiful and profound. Those only mildly interested in the horror genre may get lost in the moodiness of it all, but if you feel like you are working your way through the guts of the book, I recommend staying with it until the end. The pay-off is spectacular. Those already accustomed to Niles writing style will relish in the mood he creates and wait for the moment when your mouth falls open. Nosferatu Wars is a strange title, a stranger story and an all-around delight.

The words Mars Attacks splashed across the cover of a comic book, invoke a very familiar universe. Mars Attacks: First Born isnt that universe, which can be a little frustrating in the early pages of the comic, when the nature and pacing of the book is a bit of a question mark. However, once the comic settles in and distinguishes itself from Burtons film, it turns into a pretty exciting first issue.

Though this was my first foray into Laphams Stray Bullets universe, I am eager to return. The cover shows this as Issue 1, but the final panels are followed with a definitive sounding THE END; and the resolution, though satisfying, could be extrapolated upon. So Im not sure whether well see any more of these characters, but Ive got my eye on what is to come in the world of Stray Bullets.

Issue 1 of The Crow: Pestilence isnt a perfect book. But, then again, its based on a far from perfect film franchise and ultimately elevates the source material. Its a lot of fun, but I wish the creators would quit pulling the leash and let us see how wild a super-natural, crow-induced revenge story can get.

One Hit Wonder is a book with some stuff I liked and a lot of things I didnt. Its a little interesting. A little flashy. And a lot dumb. It does end on an interesting note, trying its best to rope me into Issue 2. But I know not to go down that rabbit-hole. I guess I have Entourage to thank for that.

Unlike a boring video game cut scene, King Conan has no option to skip the junk and get to the goods. Furthermore, there are no speakable goods to get to. Of course, its only Issue 1 and an entire comic series cant be defined by its premier issue. But the job of Issue 1 is to get me interested enough to buy Issue 2, and, unfortunately, King Conan did not succeed in that regard.

Ultimately, Halo: Escalation seems to be a book that will appeal to only the most dedicated fan. If youve read the novels, the comics, played all the games on Legendary and memorized the canon, there might be something here for you. But for a casual fan, its a universe that is wholly unrecognizable from the Halo world I grew up with. If youre totally fresh to Halo, it may as well be written in Portuguese.

Darklight wants to be a sweeping sci-fi epic. But it isnt. Its confusing. Its silly. Its boring. Its just a mess.