Conan: The Barbarian Free Comic Book Day May 2025 - Titan Comics

CONAN: THE BARBARIAN FREE COMIC BOOK DAY MAY 2025

Largely ‘locked on’ to a seventeen-year-old Conan’s unsuccessful attempt to burgle Aztrias Petanius’ manor in Nemedia, there initially appears to be plenty of engrossing narrative within this ‘Free Comic Book Day’ publication to keep even the most die-hard of Robert E. Howard fans thoroughly enthralled. Indeed, despite the aspiring thief’s poor choice of prey, and the Cimmerian’s unwillingness to actually splatter anyone’s brains during his confrontation with a pair of veteran guards, this periodical’s sixteen-page plot still contains a solid mixture of suspense, action and even glib humour; “Apparently the most appropriate punishment is letting your pitiful life carry on, worm.”

Unfortunately for some readers though, once this neatly-penned precursor to the 1952 short story “The God In The Bowl” concludes, the rest of Jim Zub’s script disappointingly transforms into a choppily-paced advertisement for the Canadian author’s upcoming "epic Conan event”, and rather ungracefully attempts to tie the titular character’s earliest adventures in with those of Brule the Spear-Slayer, Professor John Kirowan and Thoth-Amon. Of course, providing just such an appetiser is precisely the point behind this particular prelude to "Titan Comics" latest four-issue mini-series. However, it’s so clunkily crowbarred onto the end of this book's central yarn that it arguably appears a little too desperate in its desire to attract pre-orders.

In addition, the Web Cartoonists’ Choice Award-winner’s apparent obsession with the Hyborian Age's most powerful Stygian sorcerer being behind practically every one of the barbarian's misfortunes may well strike any bibliophiles already familiar with the writer's backlog of numerous Conan tales as being rather unimaginative – especially as the duo never actually meet face-to-face in any of the original novellas. Yet here is Zub (once again) trying to not only intrinsically link the two together, but also suggest that the snake-fixated warlock is dubiously connected throughout time and space to some of the father of sword and sorcery’s other creations too.

Probably this book’s biggest asset can therefore be found inside the layouts of artist Ivan Gil, who adds both the grandeur and grimness some bibliophiles may well expect to see whilst visiting the “night-swept streets” of Nemedia’s second largest city. In fact, the illustrator’s incredible ability to pencil a pair of snarling, ill-tempered soldiers in one panel, and then sketch them fearfully back-peddling away from the black-haired, heavily-muscled rogue before them in the next, is truly breath-taking.

Writer: Jim Zub, Artist: Ivan Gil, and Color Artist: Jao Canola

Conan The Barbarian: Free Comic Book Day 2024 - Titan Comics

CONAN THE BARBARIAN: FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2024, May 2024

Evidently launching an event “which will roll out through late Summer and into the Fall”, this “all-new” Free Comic Book Day one-shot certainly seems to contain all the elements needed to prove a successful draw for devotees of Robert E. Howard’s creations. Indeed, it’s difficult to think of another twelve-page periodical which contains quite so many personalities previously penned by “the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre.”

Perhaps understandably leading this formidable roster is the late great novelist’s Conan the Barbarian, who is portrayed as valiantly fighting off a senseless suicidal Pict assault upon the freshly-established Aquilonian province of Conajohara. This ferocious skirmish, proficiently pencilled by “Jaunty Jonas Scharf”, is as blood-soaked as it well-written, and enjoyably depicts one of those rare moments where the black-haired Cimmerian actually faces a human opponent whose sheer physicality actually gets him to momentarily pause in his death-dealing; “Trees can be cut -- and my axe stands ready.”

Regrettably though, this gratuitous confrontation all-too suddenly concludes with the victorious titular character involuntarily recollecting his devilishly-tainted tales as witnessed in “Titan Comics” current ongoing series. Admittedly, in many ways this publication is just a blatant advertisement “to reach thousands of new and lapsed readers” anyway, so a summary of what an ill-informed bibliophile might have missed when Howard’s heavily-muscled mercenary first glimpsed the multi-tentacled ‘unspeakable evil beneath the dark waters of the past’ should perhaps be expected.

What comes next however is a total surprise, as Jim Zub’s narrative shows that the evil sigil seen by Conan hanging around his dead foe’s neck also haunts the likes of Solomon Kane, Dark Agnes De Chastillon, El Borak, Professor John Kirowan, and even disabled Twentieth-Century author James Allison – whose mysterious disappearance at the hands of some unseen monster conjured up by his imagination neatly bookends the comic. This notion of a single “Howardverse” won't be anything new to those familiar with the “Weird Tales” contributor's tales, as all of the stories concerning Allison are based upon the man recollecting his ancestor’s past experiences during the end of the Hyborian Age. Yet somewhat worryingly, such a potential mass-merging of so many genres into a single, over-arching plot debatably somewhat smacks of being ‘fan fiction’ as opposed to a serious continuation of the pulp fictionist’s numerous notable works.

Writer: Jim Zub, Artist: Jonas Scharf, and Color Artist: Jao Canola

Free Comic Book Day 2024: Blood Hunt/X-Men #1 - Marvel Comics

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2024: BLOOD HUNT/X-MEN No.1, May 2024

Described by its New York City-based publisher as the “thrilling first steps” into Marvel Worldwide’s “next monumental crossover event”, Jed MacKay’s script for this early glimpse into “Blood Hunt” definitely should have whetted the appetites of any bibliophiles anticipating the Structure’s all-out undead assault upon the living. In fact, the ten-page preamble debatably does an incredible job of informing its audience as to just how the vicious vampires are able to stalk their prey during daylight, and quickly hurling some of the Big Apple’s most recognisable super-heroes headfirst into the frightening fray; “Horray. Another unproblematic win for old Spidey.”

Furthermore, this “Free Comic Book Day” celebration shows straight from the start just how gory this multi-title epic is likely to be, by depicting the Man Without Fear almost nonchalantly disembowelling and beheading his ferociously fanged foes using the cable holding together his billy club. So violent an opening seemingly bodes incredibly ill for the survival rate of those wretched bystanders facing the blood-drinker’s series of “ambitious, coordinated attacks that put humanity on the defensive”, and this strong sense of desperation is only worsened when it becomes evident that Blade’s daughter, Brielle Brooks, is going to have to team-up with her father’s most hated nemesis, Dracula, if she hopes to escape the streets of Atlanta unscathed.

Equally as intriguing as MacKay’s “nocturnal war” though, is this publication’s second yarn “The Fire Still Burns”, which sees Eisner Award Winner Gail Simone essentially pen a solo Jubilee story in preparation for the American author’s upcoming run on “The Uncanny X-Men”. Initially focusing upon the government’s apparent dismantlement of Charles Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngsters, this enticing insight into Chris Claremont’s co-creation could so easily have become a disconcertingly dark reading experience.

Happily however, despite the firework-generating pyrotechnic encountering a rather unpleasant quartet of young mutant-haters in an all-star diner, the story does eventually end on a much more positive note, with the former gymnast finding the motivation she needed to rejoin Wolverine and Rogue. Indeed, coupled with David Marquez pencilling some mesmerising insights into the villainous antagonists now utilising Professor X’s home as their own headquarters, and this “glimpse of the future of mutant-kind” enjoyably establishes the two opposing sides for the battle to come.

Writers: Jed MacKay & Gail Simone, and Artists: Sara Pichelli & David Marquez

Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2024 - Titan Comics

DOCTOR WHO: FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2024, May 2024

Apparently penned by Dan Watters whilst listening to English rock band “Adam and the Ants”, it’s pretty clear that the British author was having “a blast” whilst developing this opening instalment to “a brand new Fifteenth Doctor comic series from Titan Comics”. Indeed, despite some disconcertingly dark concepts concerning a viciously-fanged villain who bottles up the dying screams of people and stacks them upon a seemingly endless series of shelves, there’s still a distinctly good-humoured, rather jovial feel to the Time Lord’s trip back to a hangman’s gibbet in Eighteenth-Century Yorkshire. 

Much of this jocularity is undoubtedly caused by the twelve-page periodical quite wonderfully capturing all the energy and roguishness of actor Ncuti Gatwa’s televised portrayal. There’s a genuine joy to the Gallifreyan as he discovers a sound emanating throughout the space-time vortex, and excitedly decides to follow the noise to its source on Earth in the year 1739 A.D.; “All those places… someone’s trying to scare me.”

Such infectious enthusiasm is also on display when the Doctor subsequently encounters Dick Turpin, and wastes no time at all in climbing upon a nearby horse and riding the highwayman down. This tense chase sequence is the highlight of the comic, courtesy of the infamous robber attempting to blast the titular character to bits with a cyber-blaster. Yet its London-born writer still manages to inject some playfulness into the nail-biting action by having the leather-coated time traveller politely doff a semi-conscious soldier’s cocked hat at the start of the pursuit.

Equally as good as imbuing this book with the high-octane vitality of the science fiction programme are artist Kelsey Ramsay, and colorist Valentina Bianconi, who together quite wonderfully capture the physical likenesses of the show’s leading thespians. Admittedly, Ruby Sunday’s role within this particular plot is somewhat overshadowed by the Time Lord’s aforementioned heroic dash to recapture the ‘romanticised horse thief’. But nonetheless the graphic designer still manages to convey the courageous companion’s evident concern at being tied-up by the authorities in the mistaken belief that she is one of Turpin’s accomplices and should therefore be mercilessly hanged alongside him on the local gallows.

Writer: Dan Watters, Artist: Kelsey Ramsay, and Colorist: Valentina Bianconi

Free Comic Book Day - Tom Holland's Fright Night #1 - American Mythology Productions

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY - TOM HOLLAND'S FRIGHT NIGHT No. 1, April 2023

Whilst this heavily truncated “first look at the brand-new Fright Night Origins series” by “American Mythology Productions” probably didn't contain enough new material to woo any admirers of Tom Holland’s 1985 cult horror film into automatically placing the title onto their respective pull lists, the Free Comic Book Day special edition does provide a reasonably enjoyable summarisation of the vampire movie’s captivating “world full of horror, humour, and heart”. Indeed, in many ways it is a pity that this ten-page tease doesn’t just focus upon partially adapting the movie director’s script rather than rushing its readers straight through the motion picture’s main plot at an increasingly frustrating rate simply so it can then conclude with a cliff-hanger; “Please make it out to one of your biggest admirers.”

Of course, this publication’s solitary selling point is debatably to hook in a new audience for the fang-filled franchise by continuing “the tale after the original screenplay ends”, and in this endeavour James Kuhoric somewhat succeeds, courtesy of a mysterious female vampire who bookends the comic with a couple of dramatic entrances. Sadly however, despite the evident energy imbued into this new character’s introduction as she sucks some hapless human dry whilst sporting a pair of gigantic bat wings, Jason Craig’s proficient pencilling appears slightly off-target - especially when it comes to the illustrator’s reimagining of Peter Vincent as a dark-bearded novelist who disconcertingly lets a smart-mouthed student do all his talking for him.

The slightly scratchy-looking style of the “twenty-five-year comic book veteran” also badly compares with the much more cartoony panels of Neil Vokes, who not only draws the cover to this “perfect addition to every Fright Night fan's collection”, but also the aforementioned flash-back sequences focusing upon Charley Brewster’s battle with “our favourite sweater-wearing, apple-eating vampire, Jerry Dandrige.” These colourful recollections genuinely generate a thoroughly enjoyable sense of nostalgia for the $24.9 million grossing flick, especially as the “legendary” artist manages to crowbar in such notable cameos as actor Art J. Evans’ Detective Lennox and Amanda Bearse’s terrifyingly toothed vampiric form. So many a bibliophile may well feel it was a mistake Vokes wasn’t solely asked to draw all this book’s interiors instead of splitting the workload between two vastly contrasting professionals.

Writer: James Kuhoric, and Artists: Jason Craig and Neil Vokes

Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2022 - Titan Comics

DOCTOR WHO: FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2022, May 2022

Promising “an epic adventure with the travelling Time Lord” which will then serve “as a lead-in to the explosive new story arc that reveals the very early years of the Doctor”, Jody Houser’s script for this Free Comic Book Day 2022 publication probably underwhelmed many followers of the British science-fiction television programme with its rather simplistic and unoriginal narrative. Indeed, the notion of a malevolent race of super-cute, furry extra-terrestrials fooling some school children into helping them do their evil bidding was first seen as far back as February 1980, when writer Pat Mills introduced Beep the Meep to the unsuspecting audience of “Doctor Who Weekly”.

Admittedly, this particular “exclusive lead-in to an epic new Doctor Who story arc” does do an excellent job of depicting the Fugitive incarnation of the Gallifreyan as portrayed by actress Jo Martin. But it’s still debatably hard to find much interest in a twelve-page plot when all the publication’s secondary cast do is argue about what their favourite colour is, and subsequently threaten an adult for daring to enter their private clubhouse after she’s revealed their cuddly teddy-bears are merciless, planet-destroying aliens; “We’re not just gonna let you kidnap our toys.”

To make matters worse though, the titular character doesn’t do anything in this tale, apart from identify the troll-like Monstario the Devourer to his “patsies” with some sort of space age gizmo. Instead, the blue-skinned gremlin seemingly sows the seeds of his own demise by informing everyone within earshot about his plan to catastrophically strip the planet of its aluminium resources and subsequently ensure its entire population burn to death in the resultant planetary explosion. Such hubris debatably would stretch even the most die-hard bibliophile’s willing suspension of disbelief, and unsurprisingly leads to the red-eyed furballs all being physically beaten-up by the kids with wooden sticks.

Fortunately however, what this comic’s penmanship lacks in pace or dynamism, it potentially provides with some of Roberta Ingranata’s excellent pencils. The Italian illustrator does a first-rate job in capturing both the onscreen look and mannerisms of Martin’s broadcast appearances, as well as those of the First Doctor and his granddaughter when the pair apparently arrive in Totter's Lane, Shoreditch, just before the exploits of “An Unearthly Child”. In addition, this periodical contains a fascinating insight into its art process by Ingranata and colorist Warnia K. Sahadewa, which alone makes the effort of ‘purchasing’ this comic worth it.

Writer: Jody Houser, Artist: Roberta Ingranata, and Colorist: Warnia K. Sahadewa

Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day Issue 2019 - Titan Comics

DOCTOR WHO: FREE COMIC BOOK DAY ISSUE, May 2019

Described by “Titan Comics” as the “perfect introduction to the hit new series from Eisner-nominated comics writer Jody Houser”, this ‘free’ sixteen page periodical must have quickly provided any perusing Whovians with a crystal clear clarification that the American author was going to maintain the somewhat controversial tone set by executive producer Chris Chibnall during the BBC Television programme’s divisive eleventh season. For whilst the short(ish) script contains a semi-intriguing plot based upon the premise that the penalty for losing at a fairground stall is to be indefinitely short-range teleported into a prize pool, it also includes a few examples of Jodie Whittaker’s contentiously arrogant incarnation acting all holier-than-thou, despite the fact she lies her way into the amusement park in the first place…

This disconcertingly duplicitous attitude of moral superiority by the titular character arguably starts to grate upon the nerves right from the publication’s very opening, when the Time Lord decides to simply use her psychic paper so as to award the TARDIS crew an “ultimate supreme class multi-guest package” rather than legitimately pay for their tickets. Such flagrant dishonesty seems an entirely unethical abuse of the ‘blank, white card that has special properties’ and debatably sends entirely the wrong message for a book supposedly penned for readers of “all-ages”.

To make matters worse, it is as a direct result of the Doctor’s deceitfulness that Graham O’Brien is suddenly placed in danger, due to trying his luck at a Bevivian game of chance whilst the others run about the funfair like demented adolescent loons. Admittedly, “the game is most definitely rigged”, but if the time traveller had bought her “fam” tickets legitimately, then they would all have been aware of what rules they were agreeing to as multi-guests upon entry; “I violated no laws here! They chose to play! No kidnapping!”

Unsurprisingly, the Gallifreyian herself cheats in order to win both her companion’s freedom and “whoever else may have been roped in by your shiny ball.” However, having aggressively threatened the alien carnival worker to “find a new line of work”, the dislikeable Doctor still has time to sanctimoniously lecture him (as well as the audience), and actually goes as far as to unconvincingly justify her fraudulent entry and deceitfulness simply because “this is what we do.”

The variant cover art of "DOCTOR WHO: FREE COMIC BOOK DAY ISSUE" 2019 by Jessica Martin

DC Nation #0 - DC Comics

DC NATION No. 0, July 2018

Despite this “Free Comic Book Day” magazine featuring three “prelude[s] to some of the biggest DC events of 2018”, as well as arguably the definitive “line-up of superstar talent” currently at the California-based publishers, it was probably still something of a surprise to many that Dan DiDio was able to reveal that Issue Zero of “DC Nation” had ‘sold’ one million copies in pre-orders before it even hit the newsstands in May 2018. Indeed, at the time, this title actually looked set to spearhead a serious “DC Comics” drive with perusing bibliophiles everywhere, courtesy of the co-publisher additionally announcing that his company’s Superman eightieth anniversary anthology “Action Comics” #1000 had incredibly also received pre-orders for half a million copies; a staggering achievement considering that the best-selling publication of 2017, at least according to “Diamond Comic Distributors”, was the 305,427 unit shifting “Marvel Legacy”…

Fortunately however, this twenty-four page periodical is not just over-hyped hyperbole, as there’s plenty of ‘bang for its buck’ inside the twenty-five cent costing cover, with Tom King’s excellent script for “Your Big Day” undoubtedly being worth the book’s price alone. Focussing purely upon the Clown Prince of Crime and his latest hapless victim, Roger Martello, this highly emotive ‘short’ is packed full of tension and jeopardy as the Joker unrealistically waits for an invitation to Batman’s wedding, whilst all the time relentlessly torturing the nerves of his petrified hostage; “I can’t… Just… Do it. Sitting here, waiting. Do it now. Kill me.”

Slightly more action-orientated, at least during its fleeting flash-backs to Superman triumphing over a group of Costa-Rican arms dealers who have erroneously decided to “sell old Lexcorp tech”, is Brian Michael Bendis’ somewhat unsuccessful script for “Office Space”. Dialogue-driven, and resultantly overly-wordy, this forerunner to the writer’s “Man Of Steel” six-issue mini-series is arguably the most disappointing preamble of the piece, as it predominantly just depicts a disagreeably heated conversation between Clark Kent and Perry White in the newspaper offices of the Daily Planet.

Lastly, Scott Snyder’s pulse-pounding preface to “Justice League: No Justice”, scintillatingly sense-shattering and gloriously pencilled by “all-star artist” Jorge Jimenez, undoubtedly brings this anthology to a stunning conclusion with its simply mind-blowing cast of characters and battle-sequences. Absolutely stuffed full of some of “DC Comics” greatest heroes and villains, all of which are amazingly fighting side-by-side against the common threat of the formidable-sounding Omega Titans, this dynamically-charged extravaganza completely captivates and arguably leaves the reader wanting so very much more once its gobsmackingly good cliff-hanger featuring Super-Girl and Green Arrow drops…

Writers: Tom King, Brian Michael Bendis, and Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV & Joshua Williamson

Geek-Girl: What Ever Happened To Ruby Kaye? - Markosia Enterprises

GEEK-GIRL: WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO RUBY KAYE?, May 2018

Published by “Markosia Enterprises” as a digital only edition for Free Comic Book Day 2018, Sam Johnson’s script for this ten-page periodical provides an impressive interlude between the events featured in Volume One of “Geek-Girl” and those yet to occur within the title’s forthcoming second series of adventures. In fact, part of the publicity surrounding the circulation of this somewhat scintillating ‘short’ is that is contains actual “material” from the bespectacled super-heroine’s earlier escapades “and sets up the second mini-series, launching [in] May…”

Fortunately however, it is far from imperative that this book’s audience have any previous knowledge of the “popular" Maine college coeducational student, or how she “landed a pair of power-inducing super-tech glasses from her college’s resident brainiac” due to the author’s informative recapitulation at the story’s start. Such a simple text-based method of bringing a reader ‘up-to-speed’ is arguably a little clunky when compared to some of the fast-paced, graphically-fascinating flashback sequences other writers seem to utilise within the modern-day tale-telling industry, but is still perfectly acceptable, if not even preferable, when space is assumedly tight within the confines of a freely distributable tome.

In addition, the ‘wordy’ summarisation actually adds to the impact of the pamphlet’s primary panels, as Carlos Granda pencils a fantastically-fast Silver Speedz whizzing through the carnage of Lightning Storm’s most recent attack upon Portland, and shockingly gets stripped to a skeleton when his common-placed thievery irks the seemingly unstoppable super-villainess; “Hell’ve a job yer doin’ -- Got myself a freebie! ZSHAAAKK…” In fact, with the possible pause of Summer James asking Josh Campbell to borrow a baseball bat, the sense-shattering action between Geek-Girl and her disconcertingly white-eyed, electric-manipulating opponent, simply doesn’t let up until towards the narrative’s end when a comatose Kaye has a friend visit her in hospital, and Terry rather unconvincingly tries to explain to his wife that becoming a heavily-armed bank robber, courtesy of joining the League of Larcenists, would potentially be a good career move for them...

This persistently relentless combat between the titular character and Neon Girl’s “extremely dangerous” nemesis really is the highlight of “Geek Girl: What Ever Happened To Ruby Kaye?” and genuinely grabs the attention the moment Johnson’s creation blindsides Storm with a satisfyingly sound sock to the jaw. Of course, along with the Police repeatedly shooting at her, such a move only seems to enrage the cold-hearted killer. But that doesn’t stop the tension rising as the pair’s savagely-fought confrontation develops to the point where both combatants seemingly beat one another within an inch of their lives.

‘First published on the "Dawn of Comics" website.'

Writer: Sam Johnson, Artist: Carlos Granda, and Colorist: Chunlin Zhao

Free Comic Book Day 2017 (Secret Empire) #1 - Marvel Comics

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2017 (SECRET EMPIRE) No. 1, July 2017

Undeniably proving a controversial sensation upon its release on Saturday 6th May 2017, this ten-page pamphlet was extraordinarily burned by some of its owners at the time of its printing for its portrayal of Captain America as “an agent of the Nazi-stand-ins Hydra”, and being astonishingly “worthy” to triumphantly hold aloft Thor's hammer Mjolnir over the bodies of the friends he'd betrayed to his fascist ideals. Certainly, it’s hard to imagine a more disconcerting plot-twist to a character who was actually “created by [Jack] Kirby and Joe Simon to do what they could not: Fight Nazis before the United States had entered the [Second World] war.”

Arguably this “Free Comic Book Day (FCBD)” publication’s greatest criticism however, is in its creative quality rather than its concept, with Nick Spencer’s bland summarisation of Hydra’s government takeover and war in Washington D.C. only being surpassed by Andrea Sorrentino’s indistinct scratchy-looking artwork. Indeed, despite some truly monumental moments within the narrative, such as Steve Rogers finally facing his aghast former team-mates as the terrorist organization's Supreme Leader, and some clever checker-tiled storyboarding, it isn’t ever made clear just how the likes of Baron Zemo, Viper, Arnim Zola and the Kraken specifically defeat the combined mass of “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes”.

Admittedly, the American author’s story-line refers to Hydra having the Avengers “right where they wanted us to be” and had “found ways to turn our most powerful against us, again and again”. It also emphasises the crime-fighters conceited arrogance that they “thought we were so strong, so unbeatable.” But never does this comic actually explain precisely how Wanda was manipulated to the point where her hex powers went haywire, nor how the likes of Iron Man and Spider-Man could be bested by Armadillo and the Taskmaster…  

Infinitely more fun and pleasing to the eye, is Chip Zdarsky and Paulo Siqueira’s Spider-Man tale “…Time Flies”. Featuring an all-too brief fist-fight between Web-head and the original Vulture, Adrian Toomes, which goes to some quite extraordinary lengths in order to ‘showboat’ the criminal’s much-improved “Falcon suit”, this somewhat ‘tongue-in-cheek’ tale also introduces the “new” Trapster and seemingly sets up some S.H.I.E.L.D.-related shenanigans to be further explored in the opening issue of “Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man”.

‘First published on the "Dawn of Comics" website.'

Writer: Nick Spencer, Artist: Andrea Sorrentino, and Letterer: VC's Travis Lanham

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Mirror Broken #0 - IDW Publishing

STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION: MIRROR BROKEN No. 0, May 2017

Fans of the “talented Human Starfleet systems diagnostic engineer” Lieutenant Reginald Barclay, must have initially been extremely pleased with David and Scott Tipton’s script for Issue Zero of “Star Trek: The Next Generation: Mirror Broken”. Indeed, the comic book writing team’s handling of the evidently nervous and unconfident ‘Federation’ officer is arguably perfect to the point where one can readily imagine actor Dwight Schultz bumbling about the starship, stammering out his lines.

Sadly however, this particular twelve-page publication is actually set within the “Star Trek” franchise’s deadly alternative Mirror Universe, at a time when “Captain Jean-Luc Picard will stop at nothing to get his hands on the Terran Empire’s newest starship, the Enterprise”, and that means that ‘murder is the only means to power’ aboard the I.S.S. Stargazer. Such a lethal ‘kill or be killed’ environment seems a strange backdrop to focus upon so “extremely introverted” a character as Reg, and resultantly, Lieutenant Barclay “makes some surprising decisions” in order to survive, including the disconcertingly cold-blooded slaying of one of his senior officers; “I see you took my advice. Good. The woman’s ambition needed to be curbed.”

Admittedly, this “Free Comic Book Day” edition’s “familiar face” is “stronger than the Barclay we saw on the television series”, and the Tipton brothers’ dark re-imaginings of Picard, Tasha Yar, Counselor Troi and Mister Data, certainly provide plenty of ‘what if’ speculation as to the events which ‘corrupted’ them. But it's still hard to reconcile the “relatively low-ranking” Reg depicted within this magazine to that of the mild-mannered junior grade engineer which made so many “TNG” appearances; especially when this title’s authors unconvincingly argue that both incarnations share the same “gifts” and inherent liabilities, it’s just the “looking glass” incarnation has apparently “learned” to be an assassin…

Fortunately, J.K.Woodward’s photo-realistic artwork for this mini-series’ introductory tale is favourably eye-catching, if not a little wooden in places where the “Fallen Angel” illustrator has probably focussed far too closely upon replicating the appropriate actors’ facial features than concentrating upon the natural gait of his figures’ dynamic movement. In fact, it is probably because of the American painter’s enviable ability to capture the likenesses of all the television series’ leading cast members that this book’s audience can so successfully hear their respective voices throughout the comic's dialogue.

Writers: David Tipton & Scott Tipton, and Art & Colors: J.K. Woodward

Free Comic Book Day 2016 (Captain America) #1 - Marvel Comics

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2016 (CAPTAIN AMERICA) No. 1, May 2016

Heavily advertised by “Marvel Worldwide” as “one of Steve’s first adventures since his dramatic return” this Free Comic Book Day publication of “Captain America: Steve Rogers” probably came as something of a disappointment to many of the Sentinel of Liberty’s followers, despite the ten-page short story somehow containing the pulse-pounding exploits of the ‘original’ World War Two super-soldier, S.H.I.E.L.D. Commander Sharon Carter, Sam Wilson and the “All-New All-Different” Falcon, Joaquin Torres. For whilst Nick Spencer’s script undoubtedly gives “the reinvigorated Steve Rogers” plenty to do as the patriotic powerhouse pulverises a hidden Hydra cell in Graz, Austria. It does so using a seemingly pedestrian ‘plot-by-numbers’ technique which unfortunately pales in comparison with the excitement and sense of anticipation Dan Slott’s secondary Spider-Man tale “Up & About” undeniably generates.

Indeed of this publication’s two stories, it is the Diamond Gem Award-winners nine-page “special prelude to Dead No More” which doubtless raised the most questions in its audience's mind, on account of its narrative containing at least three characters who are supposedly deceased; “Oksana [Sytsevich] should be dead. The Rhino should be dead. And Vanessa [Fisk] should be rotting away in a crypt somewhere." The Wall-crawler’s pulse-pounding 'novella' even finishes on a devilishly well-timed cliff-hanger, courtesy of a shock appearance by Sixties super-villain the Jackal, and (presumably) his clone of Gwen Stacy… 

Disappointingly however, Slott’s purported “first look at the blockbuster storyline coming later this year” is nowhere near as well drawn by Javier Garron as this title’s star-spangled opening adventure is by Jesus Saiz; a new face at Martin Goodwin’s old company who was clearly enjoying his “first gig for Marvel”. In fact the Spaniard’s artwork is arguably awfully amateurish in places, especially when Peter Parker grimaces at the sound of nearby gunfire, or the Rhino realises his web-spinning nemesis has quite literally pulled the ground from under his feet with a few well-placed “explosive spider-tracers”. Certainly the vast majority of Spidey fans, upon seeing the Barcelona-born penciler’s panels depicting an incredibly egg-headed Kingpin, must have breathed a huge sigh of relief when they realised that Jim Cheung was going to be the main artist on the “Dead No More” multi-issue event and not Garron.

Writer: Nick Spencer, Penciler: Jesus Saiz, and Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Free Comic Book Day 2016 (Civil War II) #1 - Marvel Comics

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2016 (CIVIL WAR II) No. 1, May 2016

Despite the brevity of Brian Michael Bendis’ actual narrative, this “opening salvo of Civil War II” must surely have whetted the appetites of “Marvel Worldwide” fans everywhere with its utterly outrageous action-packed plot concerning War Machine, She-Hulk and Captain Marvel literally going toe-to-toe with Thanos in a desperate bid to prevent the Titanian Eternal from acquiring the Cosmic Cube. The Free Comic Book Day ‘exclusive’ certainly lives up to its pre-publication hype of being a magazine “no fan can afford to miss out on” and it’s extremely doubtful many of its readers didn’t immediately hunger for the crossover storyline's official opening issue in order to ascertain just how badly hurt Jennifer Walters and James Rhodes actually were having been badly battered during their short-lived confrontation with “The Mad Titan”. Little wonder the New-York based publishers were so “proud to officially peel back the curtain on…” their summer 2016 blockbuster multi-title event and let people “get their very first taste of the ensuing war…”

Indeed within the space of just eleven pages the five-time Eisner Award-winner’s short story not only provides plenty of exposition as to the Inhuman behind “the escalating conflict” and their seemingly formidable precognitive ability. But additionally mixes some rarely seen emotional tenderness in with the terrifically entertaining carnage of The Avatar of Death’s attack upon Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S.; “The Cosmic Cube does not belong on Earth… It belongs to me! You will not keep me from my prize!”

Fortunately Jim Cheung’s stunningly detailed artwork is precisely the sort of quality pencilling needed to depict this “snapshot of the conflict that will split the Marvel Universe in two!” The British illustrator does a superb job of making Captain Marvel’s deep-felt affection for War Machine abundantly evident in her facial expressions. Whilst his drawing ability equally excels in representing the ferocious power Thanos can wield with a single-punch and the impact such a devastating blow can cause a mortal man; albeit it one who wears a Variable Threat Response Battle Suit.    

Issue One of “Free Comic Book Day Civil War II” is also noteworthy for containing “a special secondary story from All-New, All-Different Avengers writer Mark Waid and legendary artist Alan Davis.” Debuting the “sting” of Nadia’s Wasp, this brief introductory tale makes it tantalisingly unclear as to whether the “mysterious new character” is actually “friend or foe” by portraying the teenager successfully invading the internal workings of the Vision.

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis, Penciler: Jim Cheung, and Inker: John Dell

V-Wars #0 - IDW Publishing

V-WARS No. 0, May 2014

Based upon Jonathan Maberry’s prose anthology of “a world where an ancient virus has brought the vampire population back”, this comic book adaption of “V-Wars” thoroughly warrants its “suggested for mature readers” cover warning. For the American author’s version of a Nosferatu is far more akin to one of the brain-hungry zombies conjured up by filmmaker George A. Romero than the civilised blood drinkers depicted by the likes of writer Anne Rice. Indeed these unnatural predators have seldom been shown as such aggressive and ferocious ‘creatures of the night’, throwing petrol bombs, blazing away with automatic weapons and ripping the limbs off of hapless victims all in order to momentarily abate their “unstoppable hunger.”

As introductory issues go therefore this "Free Comic Book Day" first printing is an action-packed gore-fest, even if it does disappointingly conclude after just twelve-pages. Straight from the start the multiple Bram Stoker Award-winner hurls the reader into the middle of a grotesquely ugly firefight between Special Operations field team Victor 8 and a truly fearsome horde of rioting vampires. Cars are casually overturned by the demonic creatures, assault rifles flatten the Undead with swathes of lead, and a Charlie Chu-Chu Chicken restaurant proves a deadly trap for at least one special forces soldier within the space of just a couple of heartbeats.

Besides giving it to any bibliophile with ‘both barrels’, Maberry’s storytelling technique of events following closely in the footsteps of Presidential advisor Luther Swann, Ph.D. is equally as inspired. The genuine horror captured within the man’s haunted eyes and the mild-mannered academic’s eventual breakdown into committing an unspeakably violent act himself, really helps drive home just how utterly terrifying a place the modern day world has become in just 212 days thanks to the triggering of long dormant genes found within our junk DNA.

Alan Robinson’s artwork stunningly captures all the tension and dynamic action of the plot with a detailed but clean style which proves infinitely more pleasing than that of cover artist Kevin Eastman. The Chilean illustrator appears especially adept at conveying his character’s thoughts on their troubled faces, and his wonderfully animated ghoulish-looking vampires hold more than a passing resemblance to the drawings of noted “Preacher” sketcher Steve Dillon.

Origin of Communication: Jonathan Maberry, and Visual Reference: Alan Robinson

Secret Wars #0 - Marvel Comics

SECRET WARS No. 0, June 2015

To say this “Free Comic Book Day” prologue is the start of something big for “Marvel Worldwide” is a significantly large understatement. After approximately seven months of hype by the New York City based publisher, this is the title where “time runs out” and “everything ends” for the Marvel Universe… and its various alternatives such as “Ultimate Marvel” and “Marvel 2099”. Such a cataclysmic storyline, advertised as “the most important comic series of 2015”, should arguably whet the appetite of even the most disenchanted collector. But if that doesn’t then almost certainly the wildly wonderful Alex Ross wrap-a-round cover, featuring a legion of super-hero luminaries, will do.

Unfortunately Jonathan Hickman’s script for this apocalyptic appetiser is actually far from “the perfect primer for the mega-event of the year” as it solely focuses upon the tedious efforts of Valeria Richards and her super-intelligent friends to build a ‘life raft’ prior to the incursion event. This sedentary conversational-based piece hardly echoes the titanic cosmic struggle promised on this issue’s front page and as a result proves a bitter disappointment.

Indeed a simple ten-page montage relaying the events of the “Time Runs Out” storyline from the “Avengers” and “New Avengers” books would probably have proved a far more informative, entertaining and exciting read. Instead “the all-star creative team” merely hint at the exploits of the “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” and their bond-breaking battles when “everything turned upside down and inside out…” Sticking in its place to some simple, though well-illustrated, panels of Reed Richards’ children regrettably discussing that they’re only going to be able to save “a few dozen people”.

Infinitely more engaging is this special edition’s second story “Attack On Avengers”, a charming ‘What If?’ eight-pager which sees the Avengers from the Marvel Universe clash with the Titans from Haijime Isayama’s “popular manga” “Attack On Titan”. Originally commissioned for the Japanese magazine “Brutus”, and “presented in English for the first time”, this action-packed fist-fight leaves the reader absolutely no time to breathe as it starts after the “colossal titans” have already emerged from the waters of New York Harbour and begun to eat people.

Admittedly there’s little in the way of depth to this plot, but for once, that’s immaterial as Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron and the incredible Hulk, to name but a few, bravely best several of the gigantic humanoid creatures. Indeed the only problem with this scintillating fun-fest is its brevity and that it ends just as the Guardians of the Galaxy arrive with the song track “hooked on a feelin’” playing in the background.

Writer: Jonathan Hickman, Artist: Paul Renaud, and Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos