Category Archives: Comics

All 6 Gamer Girl & Vixen Preview Pages!

We’ve been teasing these pages for awhile now, but my creative team and I are finally ready to share all six preview pages for Gamer Girl & Vixen! These pages were written and drawn last Fall when we were trying to pitch to comic book publishers. That didn’t work out, so we’re forging ahead with self-publishing plans and a Kickstarter this Spring. The pages are going to be re-drawn, re-lettered, and even a little re-written, so what you see here is no longer the finished product — but it’s still a nice taste of what Gamer Girl & Vixen is going to be!

These preview pages are co-written by myself and Kristi McDowell, with art and lettering by Gemma Moody. Here’s the first page, which takes place in the middle of the first issue, with Gamer Girl and Vixen on the run from security.

Join me after the jump to see the rest of the preview! Some of these pages I’ve posted before, and some are brand new! I hope you enjoy. Anybody interested in following along on our progress and helping out with the Kickstarter can keep their eyes peeled to my blog. We’re currently in production on issue #1, and I should have some final project preview pages in the near future. So stay tuned.

We are also only 3 people away from reaching 100 likes on our Facebook page! So anyone who’d like to pop on over there and give us a thumbs up, please do! I’m pretty sure we get some kind of special prize when we reach 100 likes. At the very least, we’re all feel really warm and fuzzy.

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Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 2/21/15

Hidey Ho, comic book fans! I hope you’re all having a good week. Me personally, I’m in the Northeast, so I’m buried in snow and freezing in below zero temperatures. Such is the life. I’d hoped that comic books could warm me up, but the best they can do is warm my heart. We’ve got a slightly lower selection than normal this week because I had this big idea of reviewing a bunch of indie comics…but that kind of fell through. We’ve still got the latest Bitch Planet though!

We’ve also got Batgirl and the final issue of She-Hulk, so at least those are pretty awesome – even if it’s a great shame to say goodbye to Charles Soule’s She-Hulk. That comic was one heck of a treat. But Comic Book of the Week goes to Uncanny X-Men #31 for finally bringing the current storyline to a close with some solid Scott Summers drama.

It’s on like Donkey Kong

Here’s hoping Brian Michael Bendis nails the perfect ending to his Cyclops Saga.

Speaking of sagas, you can check out my review of Silk #1 over at Word of the Nerd. She fares much better than Spider-Woman #1, and the comic is actually fairly similar to Batgirl. I find that both exciting and fascinating.

Comic Reviews: Batgirl #39, Batman Eternal #46, Bitch Planet #3, She-Hulk #12 and Uncanny X-Men #31.

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Review – Teen Titans #7

Seven issues into the relaunched Teen Titans, I think I’ve figured out writer Will Pfeifer’s problem: he loves to listen to himself talk. Or in comic book terms, he loves to listen to his characters talk. I’ve mentioned before in my reviews how Pfeifer’s pet character, Manchester Black, goes on and on in seemingly endless monologues — and we get another one or two in Teen Titans #7 — but now we’re also treated to monologues from the new villains about how awesome their evil plans are and how evil they’re going to be.

Teen Titans #7

The Teen Titans are little more than spectators in their own comic at this point. All that matters is how smart and awesome Pfeifer’s pet characters are.

Comic Rating: 3/10 – Bad.

The Teen Titans are no longer the stars of their own comic. They’re set pieces. They’re action figures to be moved around at the whim of other characters. Teen Titans #7 is literally just about Manchester Black’s opposition to the new, bland bad guys in town. And if you (and I) thought those pill-popping rich brats from the last two issues were bland bad guys, then you ain’t seen nothing yet!

This would maybe be forgivable if Pfeifer had interesting stories to tell, but he doesn’t. Or if the art was spectacular, but it isn’t. Pfeifer and Kenneth Rocafort are producing a fairly standard, if at times sub-standard, comic book. The story is jerky and uninteresting. The villain that opened the relaunch with a splash, Algorithm, is gone. Those rich kids were cliches. And now a new villain has emerged: generic armed bad guys. They don’t have a name, they don’t have costumes, they aren’t memorable characters, and they want to use a villainous device to blow up New York City. Wow. Your’e really stretching the imagination with these guys, Pfeifer.

It doesn’t help that Rocafort returns to the title with the worst art yet. I would have thought taking two issues off would have given him time to shine.

Join me after the jump for the full synopsis and more review!

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The 6 Characters on My Teen Titans

Let’s talk about the Teen Titans. I do it a lot on my blog, I know, but they’re worth talking about. The Teen Titans are a very popular comic, with a history dating back to before I was even born. And they’ve been on the air in one cartoon form or another for more than a decade. Heck, they even have their own TV show coming up! So why is their comic book so terrible? Why can’t DC Comics make it work? Maybe because they just don’t know what to do with the Teen Titans. But I know someone who does!

It’s not Batman

In our discussion last week of the highs and lows of DC Comics’ New 52, Henchman Gordon Bishop asked what my ideal roster would be for the Teen Titans. And seeing as how I am totally open to you henchies suggesting Lists of Six, I decided to take him up on his suggestion. It helps that this is one of my favorite games. I’ve already done dream rosters for the Avengers and Justice League, among others.

I’ve also done a previous List on things I would fix about DC’s current Teen Titans comic. So along with those fixes, join me after the jump to find out which New 52 teen superheroes I would write if DC handed me the reigns of the Teen Titans!

And please share your own roster ideas below in the comments!

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Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 2/14/15

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Or at the very least, I hope your Friday the 13th yesterday wasn’t so bad. We’re all about love here at Henchman-4-Hire, especially a love for all things comics.

So it’s really kind of terrible that a comic I once loved, Secret Six, is now breaking my heart. I know other reviewers are enjoying the new Secret Six, but I am awash with horror. It’s like seeing the ex you still have feelings for turn into a meth addict. So it’s a good thing I’ve got Darth Vader, Boba Fett and an evil wookiee to keep me happy!

The sensational character find of 2015!

His name is Black Krrsantan and he’s now in the running for my favorite New Expanded Universe Star Wars character. I just keep falling more and more in love with him. And Darth Vader #1 has a lot more than just an evil wookiee to make it Comic Book of the Week.

You can also check out my review of Thor #5 over at Word of the Nerd!

Comic Reviews: Amazing Spider-Man #14, Batman Eternal #45, Captain Marvel #12, Darth Vader #1, Divinity #1 and Secret Six #2.

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