Judge Dredd: Mega-City Two
by Douglas Wolk
Illustrator: Ulises Farinas
Publisher: Diamond Book Distributors
Pub. Date: September 16, 2014
ASIN: 978-1631400803
Pages: 124
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

While I was well aware that Judge Dredd was a comic book series, I have never read a single issue that is until I read this one last year. However, I have seen both movies that have been made of the character.

Judge Dredd: Mega-City Two finds Judge Dredd being taking out of his comfort zone when he is placed in a Judge exchange program. He ends up in California, where a camera crew is constantly following him around. You can say that he is kinda upset that he is forced to carry a non-lethal gun. Los Angeles is no more, so the setting takes place in Mega-City. There are several stores in this book, even a story involving a giant mutated shrimp. Yes, I said that correctly.

Dark Shadows: Year One
by Marc Andreyko, Guiu Vilanova, Patrick Berkenkotter
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Pub. Date: July 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1606904954
Pages: 128
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Ever since the original dark soap opera, Dark Shadows, ended in 1971, the franchise has continued to live in other medias, such as feature films, remakes, novelizations, merchandises, DVD sets, etc. The Collins family has even found their way into the comic book world over the years.

Last month, Dynamite Entertainment released the Dark Shadows: Year One graphic novel (featuring issues 1-6), which tells the origin of the vampire Barnabas Collins, who caused his family to suffer for generations. It only took one night of passion with the witch Angelique to ruin his life forever.

If you have ever seen the original series or the Tim Burton movie, then you know that Barnabas was engaged to Josette, but the maid Angelique was in love with him, leading Barnabas to have a fling with her, unknowingly at the time that she was in a fact a witch. Barnabas rejected Angelique, so she cursed him to become a vampire.

Damian: Son of Batman Deluxe Edition
by Andy Kubert, Grand Morrison
Publisher: DC Comics
Pub. Date: July 22, 2014
ISBN: 978-1401246426
Pages: 176
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Arriving in comic book stores this Tuesday, July 22, 2014 is the hardback Damian: Son of Batman Deluxe Edition, featuring Issues #1-4 of Damian: Son of Batman and Batman #666.

In the DC Comic Universe, Batman had a son, Damian, with Talia al Ghu. At the young age of ten, Damian took on the identity of Robin, fighting side-by-side with his father and later becoming Redbird, until his death by the hands of the Heretic.

Damian returned last year in the"what if" 4-issue storyline, Damian: Son of Batman, which Damian takes up Dick Grayson's mantel as the Batman in a potential future after Batman dies. Unlike the old Batman, Damian will kill criminals if needed, despite the fact that this upsets his elderly father, Bruce Wayne. Damian decides it is best that he goes by the Batman code and not kill anyone, but his anger always gets the better of him.

In Batman #666, Damien is now adult taking over his father's legacy as the Batman, but he uses more violent approach to stopping criminals, which has upsets Commissioner Barbra Gordon, who condemns Batman's actions. In this version, Damien sold his soul to the Devil in exchange to receive the immortality he needs to protect Gotham.

While last year's Star Trek: Into Darkness was a box-office success, for most fans the film was a complete misfire with dozens of inconsistencies and plotholes, especially when a British actor, Benedict Cumberbatch, took on the role of Khan Noonien Singh.

I have to admit that I did see the film in theaters last year, but besides from a few entertaining action scenes, the movie was downright stupid thanks to a horrible script and a halfwit finale. That being said, I still have fondness for the franchise, as I grow up watching The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, which is the main reason why I gave the graphic novel Star Trek: Khan a try.

The opening takes place towards the end of Star Trek Into Darkness with Khan Noonien Singh standing trial for his crimes. This is where Khan tells his origin story during the Eugenics Wars, his time aboard Botany Bay and of course the events that lead him into the new Trek timeline. 

The X-Files: Conspiracy
by John Stanisci
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Pub. Date: July 15, 2014
ISBN: 978-1613778968
Pages: 152
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

I grew up watching FBI Agents Mulder and Scully investigating the strange and the bizarre on Friday night and then later on Sunday nights over the course of nine seasons. I even watched the short-lived spinoff, The Lone Gunmen and the two X-Files feature films. The franchise seemed to be dead until the official 10th season comic book series arrived last year, picking up where the 2nd feature film left off.

Despite dying in the final season of The X-Files, it is explained in the comic book series that The Lone Gunmen (Byers, Fronhike and Langly) faked their deaths and they are continuing their work to expose conspiracies.

In The X-Files: Conspiracy, The Lone Gunmen are sent internet files from the future, where they learn that a deadly virus will wipe out humanity. Of course the trio turn to Agents Mulder and Scully to help them, but while they are investigating one lead, it is up to the Gunmen to investigate several urban legends that might be the cause of the upcoming outbreak.

This is a crossover with other IDW Publishing titles, so these urban legends involve the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the Ghostbusters, the Transformers and the Crow. Between being chased in the sewers by mutants, being scared to death by a ghost and confronting alien-changing robots, the Gunmen have their work cut out for them.