Free Comic Book Day - extra freebies!

Not long now folks, Free Comic Book Day is almost here! In addition to all the list of lovely free comics we showcased the other day, we'll also have some extra freebies on the day!

Free Comic Book Day brings out some of the finest cosplayers in the area and with this year's event falling on Star Wars Day as well, I'm hoping to see our best turn out of costumes to date!

Anyone who comes to Proud Lion's Free Comic Book Day in costume will receive a free Iron Man 3 HeroClix miniature (seen right)!

We'll have free variant covers from Marvel, IDW, Dark Horse, Dynamite and more featuring Buffy, Angel, Red Sonja, Witchblade, Darkness, Danger Girl, Army Of Darkness, Godzilla, Cyberforce and both Marvel and Ultimate Marvel heroes!

We also have first prints of Deadpool #2 and A+X #1! All extra comics are courtesy of Diamond UK in conjunction with ourselves.

Finally, we'll have some fantastic homemade Star Wars chocolate sugar cookies on offer. We'll be asking for a donation to charity for these, collecting for local charity, Winston's Wish.

See you Saturday!

Ben Fardon loved Iron Man 3!

New Beginnings - The Darkness #100

Jackie Estacado – mobster, murderer, monster. Lover, father, protector. Holder of the Darkness.

In 1996, Top Cow, lead by Marc Silvestri, created The Darkness (or at least it appeared in an issue of Witchblade) and since then there has been an on and off affair with the readers spanning 16 years. This has included several crossovers and has even crossed into both major brands with Batman and The Hulk (for example). There have also been some incredible names on the writing list too. Silvestri to begin with but also Paul Jenkins and Scott Lobdell, even Joe Benitez’s pencils have been called to action so with only 100 issues the depth or staff who have been on the title is phenomenal.

Recently there has also been an entire 13 issue multi-character production called Artifacts which has included 12 other special individuals who together could have brought about the end of the world, or simply rewrite it. The ultimate end of that arc brought forward the potential to restart their world. This was taken, leading us to this issue.

Issue #100 is quite literally about Jackie fighting his inner demons as his control of the Darkness gives him the ability to call forth minions from another dimension which are only bound by his imagination for horror. After having struggled with it since he was 21, Jackie is going to the source of it all with a mind to end it all.

Phil Hester has written this issue and has stuck closely to what I have come to know and love about the Darkness. It’s a supernatural story which has imagination to it. There isn’t the obvious ideals about it and it still now presents fresh storylines. Even so this issue still feels like a closing setting up for something new again. In light of how Artifacts ended this isn’t unexpected either. When you also look at the issue and see that there is a preview of the #101 issue (with new writers and artists) this is driven home more.

A trio of artists have worked on the issue too. Molenaar, Oliveira and Luis which is something different for me. I’ve not really come across a comic with so many artists yet so few pages for that specific issue. Seems a bit of an overload. The one bad thing though is that due to such a strong foundation, it doesn’t feel that there has been any imagination in their work as it follows the same pattern it always has. In another respect though they have stayed perfectly true to what has always been and fans will appreciate that.

As a fan I think this was a good issue, but for someone looking for a landmark issue to pick up, this is an example of a title tying up loose ends - a lot of the meaning would have been lost on the uninitiated. However, the really exciting thing is all of the extra information it gave. For those who are really interested there are interviews and information pieces about the crew behind the story as well as the next steps. Issue #101 is going to be the true New Beginning and if anything I’ve become excited by both the forthcoming issues and the whole back catalogue.

Personally, I’m looking forward to what is to come, and at also looking into trying to collect the compendiums as The Darkness is a fantastic title overall. Get ready for a new era but definitely find the old foundations it was all built upon!

Matt Puddy is looking forward to getting his hands on the new Darkness video game too!

An Indie 2010 Retrospective - Artifacts (Top Cow)

Taking a look back at all the independent comics that pricked my interest in 2010, there is a whole raft of titles I could use. The morbidly curiously and intriguing Abattoir for instance, which revolved around a mysterious albeit creepy man who was insistent on purchasing houses which had recently been the site of gruesome and gory murders - it certainly raised an eyebrow.

Instead I have chosen a favourite of mine, which has been for some time as well, to fly the flag.

Through 2010 Top Cow has been working feverishly hard. Not only have we seen new titles such as “Broken Trinity: Pandora’s Box” and long established series like “The Darkness” and “Witchblade” getting stronger but we have what I would call a culmination title – “Artifacts”.

Whilst only four issues were published last year, they form the first chapter of this thirteen issue series. Bringing together all the obvious and well known protagonists like Sara Pezzini (current Witchblade bearer) and Jackie Estacado (wielder of the Darkness) with characters from the whole Top Cow universe; Artifacts has done extremely well to take a brand and forge forward without overloading the reading of making the story too heavy.

The basic premise is that throughout the world there are 13 artifacts. Individually they bear huge amounts of power, but if you were to bring them together then you would be able to change and reshape the world or alternatively bring it to an end. The proposition brings good and evil to an impasse once more and the race is on to find, and persuade, the holder of the 13th artifact to choose a side and ultimately decide the world’s fate.

It sounds like an age old story but Ron Marz has managed to tell it in a way that intertwines the stories of all those involved too. The gravitas of the plot is always there but lightened by the interpersonal relationships of all of those involved - something that TC has worked great lengths on to achieve. They’ve also worked hard to ensure that the casual or new reader is not lost by adding two pages at the end of each issue to give succinct and meaningful character points as well.

The artwork is, as always, fantastic. I was first attracted to The Darkness because of Marc Silvestri’s linework and artistry and this has carried on through all of the titles and into Artifacts. The interesting tack that they have used as well is that each character has retained its original artist when they are the main focus. This means that the reader gets exposed to not only who they are but how they are drawn - a great way to introduce the individual titles separately.

Overall this is a cracking title to follow and an easy one to pick up. It is well worth taking a look at this or indeed any individual part of the Top Cow Universe. This is a great comic, title and series made by a company that truly lives and feels for the art, story and fans.

Matt Puddy wields a powerful artifact, but modesty prevents him from telling you about it.