REVIEW: 14

PLOT: Padlocked doors. Strange light fixtures. Mutant cockroaches. There are some odd things about Nate’s new apartment. Of course, he has other things on his mind. He hates his job. He has no money in the bank. No girlfriend. No plans for the future. So while his new home isn’t perfect, it’s livable. The rent is low, the property managers are friendly, and the odd little mysteries don’t nag at him too much. At least, not until he meets Mandy, his neighbor across the hall, and notices something unusual about her apartment. And Xela’s apartment. And Tim’s. And Veek’s. Because every room in this old Los Angeles brownstone has a mystery or two. Mysteries that stretch back over a hundred years. Some of them are in plain sight. Some are behind locked doors. And all together these mysteries could mean the end of Nate and his friends. Or the end of everything.

REVIEW: I picked up this book because the description sounded very entertaining, and it seemed extremely neat because all of the reviews on the book comparing it to one of my favorite TV shows, Lost. After reading it, I can see why the comparisons were drawn to the hit television show but at the same time, it really isn't that much like it at all in my eyes. I particularly like the quote inside the cover from the star of Castle, Nathan Fillion, that says something about geek jizzing in the book. It is a really great story, and it's really entertaining but the quotes on the book may exaggerate just a little bit. After reading about halfway through this book, I realized it was written by Peter Clines. While it was probably unusually late for me to be looking to see who the author was, I discovered that Clines was the one who wrote the Ex-Heroes and Ex-Patriots books that I read earlier this year. What has now turned into a full-fledged series for Clines with the heroes and zombies books, looks like a successful adventure into his own science fiction series. This is great too, because Peter Clines is a fantastic author with really great ideas and after 14 I'm really looking forward to more from him.

With 14, Clines takes an incredibly ordinary setting and group of characters into an adventure that is as wild as anything he's ever written. For sake of spoilers and mystery, I don't really want to give too much away but I really like the connections that this book drew with real life and real, once living, people. The science part of this fiction is really intense, and I guess in a way one could accurately describe 14 as "Lost in an apartment building" but it never quite earned that comparison from me. The main character Nate is really likable in the sense that his life is somewhat easy to understand, at least for the common man, as he's stuck in a seemingly dead end job with nowhere to go but down. It's these characters that are all in some sort of despair that seems unlikely to be conquered, but yet when they band together as a group and become something more than their individual selves, they find their purpose. Not only do they find their purpose together as a group, but as individuals after this wild ride through The Kavach Building and its unique apartment rooms to rent. By the time things start to go down, there's so much mystery surrounding the building that even though you may have a theory, deep down you know it probably won't even come close. This was a great book, a great mystery, and a definitely awesome sci-fi read.

RATED : ( R )

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVER : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 8 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )

REVIEW: Don Jon

PLOT: A New Jersey guy dedicated to his family, friends, and church, develops unrealistic expectations from watching porn and works to find happiness and intimacy with his potential true love.

REVIEW: I've been looking forward to Don Jon for quite some time now, and now it is finally here. Joseph Gordon-Levitt (from here on out referred to as JGL) is a talent of the times right now, as he is seemingly becoming more popular each and every year. Still being on his youthful side, he's still able to draw in new audience young and old. This movie however, deals with a lot of adult subjects, relationship woes, and the meaning of love and I couldn't have been any more impressed with JGL's first outing in the director's chair. I can't say it looked like my kind of movie in the first place, but being that JGL was the person behind all of its creative aspects I knew I couldn't miss out on this one. So far it's been very well-reviewed by a lot of critics and it is kind of hard for me to say it any better as to why this film is so great. What Don Jon has that most other romantic comedies don't have is the window for a guy to look through, and add in all of the charm and humor of JGL's writing and you've got a hit.

It's so rare in romantic comedies anymore to see a story that applies to men, as much as it does for women. I think that these type of films always tend to cater to the female side of things and it's kind of disappointing because I think no matter who the film skews towards in this genre, it's going to be relatable for women because they love sappy stories. However, my opinion on this is exactly what is turned on its ear in this movie and it really shows how great of a story JGL has written here. This is a romantic comedy, but instead of centering around a charming and cute girl who hasn't found Mr. Right and all of her friends are urging her to meet a nice guy, it's a tough and sex-driven Jersey gym rat played by JGL, and some go as far as calling him The Don. Immediately when the movie starts, you're overloaded with Jon's routine and what it takes to be in his shoes on a daily basis. It can turn you off the movie quickly if you don't have the patience for it or don't expect what's coming, as you see that Jon lives his ritual like a religion and doesn't take it lightly when it's thrown off course.

Jon uses porn more than anything else, and when it comes to his porn, it is very important to him. It's JGL's seemingly casual insight on this subject that draws and has been drawing a lot of eyes to character in the film, as he's not the kind of guy you typically like in these kind of films but JGL paints him with a light brush. It's never too much to where you can't stand the guy, and it's never to little to not forget who he is. He's really obsessed with pornography, and if you can't see it after 15 minutes of the film, you probably are too. It's the subject matter though, and the development and understanding of Don Jon, that really put this film above and beyond others in terms of analyzing the differences between men's view of romance, and women's. It's a sadly realistic and honest portrayal of an exaggerated typical man, which allows the audience to see what JGL is actually trying to point out within his tale. Men and women are two entirely different kinds of people whether a common society wants to believe it or not, and we see things in different ways. Love and sexual relations are just two things that Don Jon focuses on during its runtime, and it is about as endearing as a story about this matter can be.

The acting in the film is incredible, and of course JGL puts in another solid performance as Jon here. Being that this is his first feature film that he's directed, and written as well, I was curious to see how well his acting ability paired with these new talents that he is trying to develop. What I saw was incredible all around tour of the film set by JGL, and does great at all three points of his job here on Don Jon. One thing JGL is better at doing that most anyone else in Hollywood is that he's able to completely transform himself into whatever character he's playing, and really absorb himself into the mentality and style of said character. I don't think it was a question as to whether or not he could play Jon, but he never loses his charm and wit as an actor behind the muscular and cocky Don. The other star of the film is Scarlett Johansson, who is nearly perfect to play alongside JGL in this film. I'm not entirely sold on her as a serious actress yet, but this movie does a pretty good job of showing how great of a caricature she can be. She's pretty much the shell of a woman, what men want to see in a beautiful woman. Scarlett takes Jersey girl dead serious though, and nails the excessive gum chewing and unrealistic expectations of a woman absorbed into romance films herself. Barbara, played by Scarlett Johansson, never quite understands why Jon is attracted to pornography, and it's this misunderstanding that the film's foundation is built upon.

By the end of the film, Julianne Moore has come to play as a disheveled older woman looking for a friend, and seemingly only in Jon. She does a fantastic job at playing the wayward and careless woman in the middle of her midlife crisis, and it's really her involvement in the events of the end of the film that make it so beautiful. Everything that Jon goes through with Esther, Moore's character, really sold me and a lot of audiences on the story of Jon and how he goes from being a man in a movie, to a man of reality. The final scene with Jon and Barbara, for those who weren't following all along, points out the nasty elephant in the room and ousts some people for what they are, and that's being materialistic and unrealistic. It's Scarlett Johansson's stern and hard-headed approach in this scene as Barbara that really drives the point home, and even though she's 100% sure of her life and the way it's run, it's Jon's subtle understanding of the way she is and the way he's learned to be that concludes the movie on such an amazing note. I am a guy here, so I see this movie a little differently than some would, but I think it's one of the most beautiful romantic comedies I've ever seen. It's not the funniest, nor is it the saddest. But it is by far the smartest, most observant, and brutally honest romantic comedy I've seen in years and I couldn't be any more proud of my boy JGL. I've been singing his praises for years that he was going to be a true talent one day, and I've loved him ever since Brick back in 2005 when he began his comeback in the industry. Thank you Mr. Gordon-Levitt, for finally making a romantic comedy that for once guys can understand, and women can learn from, and not the other way around.

ACTING : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 10 / 10 )

EXECUTION : ( 9 / 10 )

POSTER : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 9 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: New Avengers, Volume One: Everything Dies

PLOT: To prevent the collision of our universe with another, the Illuminati must reassemble...NOW! It's the most powerful and brilliant team in the Marvel Universe: the Black Panther, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, Mister Fantastic, Namor the Sub-Mariner and the Beast against an infinite legion of parallel realities. Armed with the six Infinity Gems, the Illuminati gather to plan for the death of everything...but their task is complicated by old wounds, lies and secret agendas. But when the Illuminati experience their first dimensional incursion, can this loose brotherhood of end times trust each other enough to use the Infinity Gems in unison? And what new member will join the group? Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting revamp the New Avengers in a multiverse-spanning saga!

REVIEW: Considering the Marvel NOW! entries haven't really dazzled me, I never have too high of hopes for any of these now upon picking them up. New Avengers is based on an older volume of a previous New Avengers comic it seems, called  The New Avengers: Illuminati. I had picked the previous volume up a month or so ago to read but I haven't gotten around to it, though this one does seem to originate from that story. It's a really cool group of Avengers that are assembled, and in my opinion some of the best characters from the Marvel universe. The volume deals with the threat created by The Black Swan, who upon coming to our Earth, destroys her own. This causes concern with the New Avengers and they then handle the threat as best they can without destroying all the universes and time as we know it. A few things I liked about this volume was the art, and some of the characters. I really like Black Panther, so it's nice to see him in this volume, and of course Iron Man. One character that bugged me to no end though was  Namor, because not only did he seem like he didn't want to be on the team, he didn't really seem like he wanted to be in the comic, as silly as that sounds. It was one complaint after another from this guy, and all he really seemed to serve as was the stirrer of the pot when things seemed to be going all too well for our new team. I'd definitely recommend this title out of the Marvel NOW! before I recommended a lot of others, but I still wasn't absolutely amazed by anything in this comic. I would definitely like to go back and read The New Avengers: Illuminati now to see how this team got together the first time, but you don't really need it to enjoy this book.

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 8 / 10 )

STORY : ( 7 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 7 / 10 )

REVIEW: Before Watchmen: Comedian/Rorschach

PLOT: Eisner Award-winning writer Brian Azzarello brings his gritty, nuanced storytelling to these two recognizable characters. In RORSCHACH, Azzarello again teams with superstar artist Lee Bermejo to illustrate how one of most dangerous vigilantes the comic world has ever seen became even darker. COMEDIAN, featuring art by J.G. Jones, plants the famed war hero within the context of American history, as we find out how the Vietnam War and the Kennedy assassination revolve around him.

REVIEW: So far, the Before Watchmen series has been hit or miss for me. The volume that stuck out the most to me, was the one that was the most poorly reviewed of all four. I liked this volume too however, and I'm not sure how it stacks up against the Ozymandias volume but it's pretty close. The Comedian and Rorschach are probably the two most likable characters from the Watchmen world, but that doesn't make them the most easily likable. The Comedian is pretty much a character you're supposed to hate, and even in this book they do a pretty good job of doing that. They tie him in to a lot of actual American history and while it provides for a somewhat entertaining read, it wasn't really anything I couldn't have figured out for myself about the character. The ongoing problem with these books is that they're telling back stories to characters that didn't really need back stories, but merely just other stories with them in it. It doesn't really give you anything extra that you absolutely needed in the first place, but does just enough to entertain you to keep reading it. Rorschach's half of the volume was a little more entertaining but comes to no clear end and pits him against a strangely faced enemy. I agree with some other readers that Rorschach is guilty of some lines in this volume that just don't fit his character, but other than that his is pretty entertaining. The art in this book is phenomenal, much like the other volumes in the series and that's probably all that really kept these comics going as shortly as they did. They're beautiful to look at, and it's a trade off in terms of the pretty lackluster and unnecessary stories that the art is told with.

WRITING : ( 6 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 10 / 10 )

STORY : ( 4 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 7 / 10 )

REVIEW: Fiend

PLOT: There’s more than one kind of monster. When Chase Daniels first sees the little girl in umbrella socks tearing open the Rottweiler, he's not too concerned. As a longtime meth addict, he’s no stranger to horrifying, drug-fueled hallucinations. But as he and his fellow junkies soon discover, the little girl is no illusion. The end of the world really has arrived. The funny thing is, Chase’s life was over long before the apocalypse got here, his existence already reduced to a stinking basement apartment and a filthy mattress and an endless grind of buying and selling and using. He’s lied and cheated and stolen and broken his parents’ hearts a thousand times. And he threw away his only shot at sobriety a long time ago, when he chose the embrace of the drug over the woman he still loves. And if your life’s already shattered beyond any normal hopes of redemption…well, maybe the end of the world is an opportunity. Maybe it’s a last chance for Chase to hit restart and become the man he once dreamed of being. Soon he’s fighting to reconnect with his lost love and dreaming of becoming her hero among civilization’s ruins. But is salvation just another pipe dream?

REVIEW: I had requested this from the library for obvious reasons, it has zombies in it. I had forgotten that upon requesting it, it had also been about meth users in a zombie apocalypse. I was quickly greeted with very dark and gritty narration, that leaves nothing to the imagination when it comes to the use of methamphetamine. Chase Daniels is a meth user, and when he sees a little girl with umbrella socks opening up a rottweiler for her first meal, he thinks he's just hallucinating. As time goes on, the visions become more and more real and Chase realizes it isn't the drugs making these visions appear, it's actually happening. Chase and his buddy Typewriter, A.K.A. John, embark on a journey of survival in more ways than one, quickly after this book begins. At first the book is difficult to follow, with the two main characters bantering back and forth, because the author chose to use a different style in terms of writing dialogue. There are no quotes around any of the words spoken by any of the characters, but rather it is led by a "he said" or "she said" type line. I found this to be somewhat refreshing and a different take, and I'm curious as to the reason of said decision but it did take some getting used to.

The zombies in the book are definitely a little different from the usual as well, as for some reason these zombies chuckle or giggle. This is how our characters are able to differentiate between the walking dead and the spun out human beings they encounter on their journey. There's a lot left to the imagination in terms of how this apocalypse arrived and why it is that these people are shambling, yet giggling, walking dead. I'm curious as to the hidden meaning of a lot of things in this book, as I have a feeling there are a few. I noticed upon finishing the book that Peter Stenson is a recovering addict, and I'm going to assume it's from use of methamphetamine but I'm not sure because there was no clarification of that on the back of the book. It really shows though in terms of the descriptions when our main characters are using drugs, preparing drugs, or rattling off rapid fire thoughts they have while high on meth. While it can at times be disturbing, it's a very rattling and seemingly true perspective through the eyes of a meth addict. The meth use is prominent through the book, so if drug use is something that bothers you, you should definitely shy away from this book. The thoughts are often times irrational, erratic, and downright absurd from our main character Chase, but it's all part of the dream that he's living out in real life.

I find myself caught between really liking this book, but also questioning why so much was left up to interpretation or was inconclusive. The book kind of just ends and you wonder what happens to Chase Daniels after such an excruciating journey through his addiction, solving other people's problems through his meth visions, and of course the zombies, A.K.A. Chucklers. I like a lot about the book, as it was very different and definitely was a different zombie tale that stands out from the rest of the craze that has recently swept the bookshelves. Peter Stenson weaves an incredibly macabre story of a meth addict in a post apocalyptic world, and you can't help but to keep turning the pages to find out what the character is going to do, or think, next. I would recommend this to the most hardcore fans of zombie fiction, and even drug fiction and meth takes the front seat in this ride. The zombies are definitely there, but I don't feel that it's the true focus of the story. The battle inside Chase over his meth addiction, and the battle outside for the people around him are at the forefront of the emotional impact this story has, and even though it all sounds like a ridiculous premise I was pretty impressed. If you're sad that Breaking Bad is coming to a close in the next two weeks, and you have to wait a month until the fourth season of The Walking Dead premieres, this is probably the perfect book to satisfy your addiction and pass the time.

RATED : ( R )

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 7 / 10 )

COVER : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 9 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )

REVIEW: Hawkeye, Volume Two: Little Hits

PLOT: Artist David Aja returns to the most critically acclaimed comic of 2012, as ace archer Clint Barton faces the digital doomsday of - DVR-Mageddon! Then: Cherry's got a gun. And she looks good in it. And Hawkeye gets very, very distracted. Plus: Valentine's Day with the heartthrob of the Marvel Universe? This will be...confusing.

REVIEW: After reading the first volume of Hawkeye, I had a pretty good idea what to expect of the second volume. This one is much like the first, where I find it hard to believe that this is so critically acclaimed when I really can't recall there ever being a threat to Hawkeye's well-being or super hero status. It focuses too much on the relationship between Clint Barton and Kate Bishop, with little to no outcome of their relationship or their adventures as Hawkeye. I guess I'm not just not seeing what everyone else sees, because these comics are kind of boring. I mean, shouldn't Hawkeye be doing something as an Avenger instead of running around as Clint Barton being a comedian? That's one of the few things I'll give these comics, and that's the sense of humor but where is everything else? My main gripe with this volume over the first one is while it's much the same, the tenth issue is phenomenal and comes out of nowhere. The art style is beyond amazing and really breathes life into the otherwise dull Hawkeye artwork, and it gave Hawkeye a viable threat that looks uncannily like Clint in clown makeup. I like the introduction of this villain, and maybe it will take us somewhere in the future. But until then, I'm still in the minority on this comic as it's way too bland and just squandered opportunities in my opinion. Also, the last issue of the volume is told from the point of view of a dog. While it's different, fresh, and somewhat funny, what was the point? Last time I checked this comic was Hawkeye, not his dog and I can't really say I got much from that issue at all. There's no desire for me to try and flip through a 20 page issue of a comic and try to decipher what the writer was trying to convey from the eyes of a dog. It just doesn't make sense, does it?

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 5 / 10 )

STORY : ( 5 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 6 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 6 / 10 )

REVIEW: Hawkeye, Volume One: My Life As A Weapon

PLOT: The breakout star of this summer's blockbuster Avengers film, Clint Barton - aka the self-made hero Hawkeye - fights for justice! With ex-Young Avenger Kate Bishop by his side, he's out to prove himself as one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes! SHIELD recruits Clint to intercept a packet of incriminating evidence - before he becomes the most wanted man in the world. You won't believe what is on The Tape! What is the Vagabond Code? Matt Fraction pens a Hawkeye thriller that spans the globe...and the darkest parts of Hawkeye's mind. Barton and Bishop mean double the Hawkeye and double the trouble...and stealing from the rich never looked so good.

REVIEW: I've been hearing about this comic for months now, and finally I've been able to get around to it. Hawkeye was certainly one of the breakout stars in Marvel's The Avengers movie, and without Jeremy Renner it may not have been as successful. A lot of people really fell in love with the character, and a lot of girls did as well, probably because of Jeremy Renner. After reading the comic, I think it's the character in the film that everyone is in love with and it's carrying over into this book, because it isn't really that special, at least in my eyes. Now, let me say this though too, that I have yet to fully enjoy a Marvel NOW! title and I don't know why, but New 52's stories are so much more compelling to me. While Hawkeye may have been one of the better Marvel NOW! titles I've read, it certainly isn't anywhere near the best that it's being touted as. I'm not sure what it is about Matt Fraction's Hawkeye that has everyone all giddy, but I found it to be a pretty normal, but decent comic. The artwork is pretty simple, and has a basic look to it, so there's no wows there at all. Then you have the writing, and while it's definitely some of the better, I don't find the story groundbreaking in the slightest. The story seems a bit incomplete and that's what I'm hoping a second volume would correct, but I wasn't too much of a fan of the latter half of this. This book did serve very well for humor, as Clint Barton is a pretty humorous and snippy guy, but other than that I wasn't too entertained by it. I really like the bit with the different kinds of arrows that Clint uses as Hawkeye, but doesn't have labels on them to know which is which. Maybe the second volume will outline a grander story, but color me unimpressed, at least less impressed than everyone else is, with Hawkeye.

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 4 / 10 )

STORY : ( 6 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 5 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 5 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 6 / 10 )

REVIEW: Justice League Dark, Volume Two: The Books of Magic

PLOT: Vampires across the world have gone berserk, attacking anything with a pulse. Fearing her apocalyptic vision of the future has come to pass, Madame Xanadu mobilizes the team to intervene. But everything the Justice League Dark members know about how to slay a vampire is useless, for the world has changed.

REVIEW: So what can you add to Justice League Dark that could make it any better than it was the first time? Apparently the answer is Jeff Lemire, writer for DC Comics' New 52 Animal Man. Lemire comes in after Peter Milligan opened up the series with a pretty big bang, and there's no one better suited for this world that Jeff Lemire. I was so happy to see his name on the cover of the book, and boy was I right about the chemistry he has with this book. Where the first volume finds the characters and puts them together as a loose team, this one utilizes all of that and starts to create the world that our dark Justice League will battle. One of the things I love is that in this book, John Constantine sort of becomes the unofficial leader of this squad and his character is just so perfectly written for it, I was surprised. With my recent journey into Hellblazer, I wasn't really that sold on Constantine but this book is by far the best John Constantine story I've ever read. The title of this volume also has some relevance in the universe as Neil Gaiman's The Books of Magic child protagonist makes a return to the page. I recently read that book and so seeing this character come out of obscurity for me and tie up again with Constantine and some new heroes was pretty cool. The art again was superb in this second volume, but the writing is so much better here. It's no wonder Jeff Lemire is one of the greater writers currently writing for New 52, and now I simply cannot wait for the conclusion of this current storyline that he has woven. Also, John Constantine bears an uncanny resemblance to the Doctor of Doctor Who in this volume of Justice League Dark, which I found cool as a recently converted Whovian but also slightly odd.

WRITING : ( 10 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 10 / 10 )

STORY : ( 10 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 10 / 10 )

REVIEW: Justice League Dark, Volume One: In The Dark

PLOT: The witch known as The Enchantress has gone mad, unleashing a wave of chaos that not even the combined powers of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Cyborg can stop. Shade the Changing Man, Madame Xanadu, Deadman, Zatanna, Mindwarp and John Constantine may be our only hope - but how can we put our trust in beings whose very presence makes ordinary people break out in a cold sweat?

REVIEW: Anything dark is pretty much right up my alley, so I've been excited to see what Justice League Dark will be bringing to the table with DC Comics' New 52. So far, I've been really impressed with everything New 52, and of course there are a few titles that aren't that great but that comes with anything new. A great amount of these titles though have been amazing, so add to that success that there was a darker title that would appeal to me even further, and I'm fanboy excited. Now, I have read the first volume and while I can't say it is among the best of the New 52 titles, it is definitely one of the best in terms of artwork. Much like the current Batwoman, the art is phenomenal and it makes use of the entire page and non-traditional layouts. Just like the characters that comprise of this dark team, they're full of colorful and odd traits, which is really what puts Justice League Dark amongst the most creative of the initiative. I really liked the largely illustrated scenes where heroes and people of the dark both try and attack on the witch known as Enchantress, and seeing Superman in particular being torn apart by a witch tooth storm really explains why the Justice League Dark exists. New 52 put out a lot of renewed titles with a lot of the same old, so it's cool to see that someone out there by the name of Peter Milligan penned a different and unique super hero squadron. The art is by far the best part of this book, and now I'm excited to read the second volume as it is written by Jeff Lemire who has done amazing things with Animal Man. If you like the darker side of comics, John Constantine, or any of the darker elements of DC, this book is for you.

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 10 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 9 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: Captain America, Volume One: Castaway in Dimension Z

PLOT: Thrust into a bizarre, inhospitable world far from home, the all-new, high-adventure, mind-melting, tough-as-nails, sci-fi, pulp-fantasy era of Captain America is NOW! Arnim Zola's ambitions leave Captain America stranded in the upside-down territory known as Dimension Z. With no country and no allies, what's left for the Sentinel of Liberty to protect? Just the one thing that his foe values most...Zola's son! Steve has saved the boy's life, but can he keep him alive against the savage barbarians of Phrox - with the fate of a world hinging on his victory? Plus: introducing Jet Black...the woman who's waited her whole life for the chance to destroy Captain America! Meanwhile, Zola's plans continue to move forward - and threaten to curse Steve Rogers for years to come.

REVIEW: This is my first journey with a Captain America comic, but I have a feeling that this is okay with this Marvel NOW! series. I have to say that this is the boldest entry yet, as the story seems very atypical of Captain America but also fitting. He gets stuck in an alternate dimension and befriends a young child who he claims as his own, and as time passes they both struggle to live in this new world. I like how ambitious Captain America is not only with the story, but also with the art. The artwork is pretty great, and it really helps to paint the portrait of a normal man in a strange world. This story doesn't seem like a typical story for this Avengers hero, though I could be wrong, but it takes place over a course of years and sees the Captain from confidence to losing hope. What I liked most about this comic was the fact that it was dark, and unforgivably dark at that. Captain America is a pretty light-hearted hero though he deals with large threats usually to the country or the world, like most heroes anyways. I like the attempts at trying for a darker audience though, because that is something Marvel NOW! has yet to successfully do.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 8 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )