Monster Massacre is back with more deadly femme fatales and sexy gun grinding action. Monster Massacre Volume 2 showcases the top two art studios in Asia. The top creative talents in Asia at Imaginary Friends Studios based in Singapore and Stellar Labs based in Jakarta team-up for this monster anthology. Many of these writers, artists, colorists, letterers and designers have work with the likes of DC and Marvel comics.
Monster Massacre Vol. 2 “East Meets West”
April 1, 2014 by 1 Comment
Psycho Gran #1 by David Leach
March 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment
On the other side of the pond is this old lady superhero, well sort of, she is known as Psycho Gran. Who is Psycho Gran? Well, she was created by cartoonist David Leach and Psycho Gran first appeared in British children’s comic Oink! in 1986. The cult-hit granny is back in digital form with all new adventures in Psycho Gran #1.
It Came! by Dan Boultwood
March 27, 2014 by Leave a Comment
How about some good old-fashion comic book storytelling with a mix of sci-fi, comedy and fun? Check out Dan Boultwood’s It Came! Titan Comics collects the 4 issues of It Came! into one tidy hardbound trade.
Snowpiercer 2: The Explorers
March 27, 2014 by Leave a Comment
After reading Snowpiercer 1: The Escape, I said to myself, alright, for a French comic, this is not bad. I enjoyed the post-apocalyptic tale and I was eagerly awaiting the second volume, hoping this would answer the many questions I had at the end of The Escape. The original creator Jacques Lob passed away in 1990, and during that time Benjamin Legrand took on the reigns of writing the second chapter, while Jean-Marc Rochette returns handling the art on Snowpiercer 2: The Explorers.
Time Travel to Battle Dinosaurs & Kill Nazis
March 20, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Do you want heavy action, time travel elements, sci-fi mumble jumble, big dinosaurs and Nazis? Then creator/writer/artist Stuart Jennett takes us on an old school journey with Chronos Commandos. Titan Comics collects the first 5 issues of the Dawn Patrol story arc.
The Art of Rio 1 & 2
March 19, 2014 by Leave a Comment
A long time ago, I remember watching Pixar’s Toy Story in the theater and I was blown away by the CG animation and storytelling. Over the years, many animation houses were looking to do the same and one is Blue Sky Studios (Epic, Ice Age). The CG animated film Rio was a 2011 hit and surpassed the $400 million mark in box-office receipts, so obviously there is a sequel with Rio 2 arriving into US multiplexes on April 11, 2014. Along the way, Titan Books has just released: The Art of Rio – Featuring a Carnival of Art from Rio and Rio 2.
The Absence by Martin Stiff
March 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment
My geeky comic book advisers have been telling to read this indie sci-fi mystery comic book series The Absence. The Absence has been making the rounds in the UK and getting top-notch reviews, so when Titan Comics asked me if I wanted to check out The Absence by Martin Stiff, I just had to get in a review copy and see all what the fuss is about. Martin Stiff is both the author and artist of the The Absence and self-published the comic book from 2008 to 2013. The 6 issues are now collected in this hardbound trade by Titan Comics.
The Art of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
March 13, 2014 by Leave a Comment
One hit video game franchise that has left on mark on video game history and players is Konami’s Castlevania. I remember playing Super Castlevania 4 on the SNES and boy, did it make an impression on me. Konami seeing the Castlevania series lose steam with fans over years, decided to let video game studio MercurySteam re-imagine and re-invent the game to a new audience. With the sequel Lords of Shadow 2 just released in stores, here is a look at Titan Books – The Art of Castlevania – Lords of Shadow.
The Complete Accident Man
March 11, 2014 by Leave a Comment
When you step into your comic book shop this week and your head is screaming for something different and politically incorrect, then try The Complete Accident Man by creators Pat Mills (Marvel’s 2099 series) and Tony Skinner (2000AD). This trade collects Accident Man’s run on Toxic! comics and his own Dark Horse mini-series, so now you can read everything in one sitting with some beer and chips.
The Art of Thief
March 5, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Enter into the world of Thief, were you take on the character of Master Thief Garrett. This cult classic looks to get bigger and better with Eidos Montreal’s latest release: Thief (February 2014 – Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4). Titan Books and video game journalist Paul Davies takes a behind-the-scenes look at the game with The Art of Thief.
The Simon & Kirby Library: Horror!
March 4, 2014 by Leave a Comment
In today’s comic book shops and bookstores, it’s mostly superhero comics that dominate the shelves and racks. It wasn’t like that during the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s of this bygone era where comic book creators branched into many genres like romance, westerns and science fiction. Comic book legends Joe Simon and Jack Kirby are more known for their superhero work, but they also took the comic book medium to other genres and Titan Books publishes another neat collection from The Simon & Kirby Library: Horror!
Steampunk Style
February 25, 2014 by 1 Comment
Over the years the science fiction genre Steampunk has exploded into books, comics and Steampunk conventions taking place around the country and now Titan Books with Steampunk Oriental Laboratory has put out an incredible magazine-style book on Steampunk fashion and gizmos. Steampunk Style: The Complete Illustrated Guide for Contraptors, Gizmologists and Primocogglers Everywhere! has everything a Steampunk wannabe wants.
The Art of Titanfall
February 19, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Who doesn’t like piloting big bad mecha-robots? It brings back memories of playing Virtual On on Sega Saturn or Gundam Side Story 0079 on the Sega Dreamcast! This FPS shooter Titanfall isn’t even out yet, but has over 80-plus awards from critics already. The game launches March 11, 2014 on the Xbox One and PC and Titan Books releases – The Art of Titanfall.
300: Rise of an Empire – The Art of the Film
February 19, 2014 by Leave a Comment
I remember sitting in the multiplexes eagerly waiting to watch 300 and by the end of the movie I was blown away and it made me cry out: “Spartans!” Well, now its 2014 and a sequel of sorts will be coming out to the movie theaters – 300: Rise of an Empire. Titan Books has released of a companion book to the movie with 300: Rise of an Empire – The Art of the Film. This 160 page beautifully over-sized hardbound art book will have everything you want from the 300: Rise of an Empire film.
Sneakers: The Complete Limited Edition Guide
February 13, 2014 by 3 Comments
Being a sneaker addict is like getting hooked on drugs. I’ve been there, like cutting class just to wait in line for Jordan’s or showing off my Scottie Pipen’s on the playground (I did have a hyped pick-up game scoring lay-ups and 3’s – it must be the shoes). Taking the MUNI all over the city chasing down the coolest kicks. And this is before the Internet! Now you can grab book about sneakers from U-Dox International – Sneakers: The Complete Limited Editions Guide.
Garth Ennis Presents – Battle Classics
February 11, 2014 by 2 Comments
On this side of the pond, we get lots of War World II stories from the press and Hollywood, but not much from the British POV. Comic book writer Garth Ennis (Preacher, Hitman) with Titan Books gathers an incredible collection of World War II comic book stories from the British perspective. “Battle” was published weekly from 1975 to 1988 and left a mark in British comic book history and gave comic book talents like John Wagner, Mike Western, Cam Kennedy, John Cooper, Alan Hebden and David Hunt freedom to tell honest life and death tales from World War II.
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“… I believe HMS Nightshade to be its writer’s most important work: it is about something that counts. It is not about fantasy of future lawmen, interplanetary bounty-hunters, or assassins in a game of murder.” Garth Ennis, Garth Ennis Presents Battle Classics
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Alien: Out of the Shadows
January 30, 2014 by Leave a Comment
As 80s kids, my brother and me were blown away when we first watched James Cameron’s epic ALIENS (1986) and then we had to grab a VHS copy of Ridley Scott’s ALIEN (1979) to fill in the blanks, because Sigourney Weaver played the iconic scientist hero Ellen Ripley who was such a bad-ass. In our minds Aliens 3, Alien Resurrection and Aliens vs Predator never happened, just like Brett Ratners’ X-Men 3. My head hurts just thinking about this, but I digress. After watching the first two films, you wondered if anything happened to Ellen Ripley during her 57 years of sleep? This “official novel” enlightens ALIEN fans on what happened to Ripley from the end of the first ALIEN film and the start of the second ALIENS film.
Snowpiercer Vol. 1: The Escape
January 27, 2014 by 1 Comment
After 30 years, the wait is finally over, the French sci-fi graphic novel Le Transperceneige by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette has now been translated into English. Inspired by reading the graphic novel, Korean director Bong Joon-Ho turned it into the film Snowpiercer which stars Chris Evans, Jamie Bell and Ed Harris. Snowpiercer Vol. 1 – The Escape takes place in a post-apocalyptic Earth where the entire planet has been covered in ice and the only human survivors are left are on a train that runs forever.
NUMBERCRUNCHER
January 14, 2014 by Leave a Comment
My first trade I get to read this year is Numbercruncher from Titan Comics writer Si Spurrier (X-Men Legacy) and artist PJ Holden (Judge Dredd). Numbercruncher was released as a 4-issue mini-series last year and now it’s all collected into one volume. This is not your typical mainstream superhero comic like Batman or Spiderman, Numbercruncher is life-after-death, love, something spiritual and comedy of sorts all wrap-up in one, well kind of.
The Wrong Quarry
January 13, 2014 by 4 Comments
Over the weekend, I was excited to get my hands the new Quarry book “The Wrong Quarry” by author Max Allan Collins (Road to Perdition). His long-running series is about a former US Marine sniper Quarry (no need to know his real name) turned professional hitman. Quarry offers clients that are marked-for-death a unique service, dependent on the fee paid, he gets rid of the hit team after the clients and investigates who hired the hit.
Wallace & Gromit: The Complete Newspaper Comic Strips Collection
January 6, 2014 by 2 Comments
Over the years, the British have crossed the Atlantic with iconic entertainment, like The Beatles, One Direction (LoL), Monty Python, Are You Being Served?, Mr. Bean, just to name a few, now in the animation realm, it has to be Nick Park and his animated creation Wallace & Gromit. Wallace & Gromit: The Complete Newspaper Comic Strips Collection collects the comic strips published in the UK daily newspaper The Sun, from 2010-2011.
The Casebook of Newbury & Hobbes by George Mann
January 6, 2014 by Leave a Comment
I am ready to kick off the New Year with more Retrenders stuff, but I had some left overs from last year, like this George Mann book of short stories – The Casebook of Newbury & Hobbes, Volume 1. Over the weekend, as I watched American playoff football in-between breaks, I was able to finally finish reading it.
I am new to the Newbury & Hobbes books and the various characters created in this universe. I was a little weary reading these all-new short stories in this collection, wondering if I needed to read the “The Affinity Bridge”, “The Osiris Ritual” and “The Immorality Engine” to get what is going on, but I was well relieved by Mr. Mann kicking off with nice introduction chapter about his characters and his first book. Newbury & Hobbes revolves around 3 main characters, the sleuth Sir Maurice Newbury, assistant Miss Veronica Hobbes and police friend Sir Charles Bainbridge as they solve crimes and murders in Victorian London. The book collects 15 short stories as Newbury and Hobbes face the weird and strange crimes. Mr. Mann also includes a helpful timeline of where these short stories took place over the course of his 3 books and a chapter of story notes on all the short stories (they include spoilers, so please read the short stories first!).
Lost Planet: First Colony
December 30, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Well, if you’ve been playing Capcom’s Lost Planet 3 on your PS3 or Xbox 360 and really want to figure out how this all happened on ED.N. III, you can now read this hardbound trade Lost Planet: First Colony. Humanity thought they found the hope for Earth on E.D.N. III, but the first colony was tragic failure unleashing an icy storm and bad-ass monsters.
EDM Festival Tomorrowland Graphic Novel
December 30, 2013 by Leave a Comment
One of the great yearly weekend music festivals these past few years takes place in Belgium – the EDM (Electronic Dance Music) Festival known as Tomorrowland. Now dance fans and comic book aficionados come together in this genre mixing story Tomorrowland from writer Paul Jenkins (Wolverine: Orgin). Originally printed as a 4-issue mini-series this past summer 2013 by Titan Comics, now we get the whole saga in one volume in this hardbound trade – Tomorrowland. It’s like Glastonbury getting its own graphic novel! Tomorrowland follows DJs Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike on their DJ gigs as they battle evil from other dimensions on this cosmic/portal opening/spiritual/metaphysical journey to save Earth! It’s kind of like the anime The Super Dimension Fortress Macross and Macross Frontier (or Macross Plus, or just whatever Macross incarnation/reboot you prefer) as the heroine uses her singing prowess to stop war and save the universe.
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Tracklist 1 – Epic Stadium-Masher: 1. Armin van Buuren feat. Trevor Guthrie – This Is What If Feels Like [Audien Remix], 2. Zedd feat. Hayley Williams – Stay The Night [Extended Mix], 3. Adventure Club – Do I See Color [Dubstep Mix], 4. NERVO – You’re Gonna Love Again [Extended Version], 5. Coldplay – Every Tear Drop Is A Waterfall [Swedish House Mafia Remix], 6. Calvin Harris feat. Florence Welch – Sweet Nothing [Extended Mix], 7. ATB feat. Ramona Nerra – Never Give Up [Club Mix], 8. Filo & Peri feat. Eric Lumiere – The Anthem [John O’Callaghan Remix, 9. David Guetta feat. Usher – Without You, 10. Armin van Buuren & DJ Shah feat. Chris Jones – Going Wrong, 11. Alice Deejay – The Lonely One [Hit Radio Mix], 12. Ian Van Dahl – Will I [UK Radio Edit], 13. Benny Benassi feat. Kelis, apl.de.ap & Jean-Baptiste – Spaceship, 14. Kaskade feat. Rebecca & Fiona – Turn It Down, 15. Avicii – Levels [Extended Version] and 16. Swedish House Mafia feat. John Martin – Don’t You Worry Child [Extended Version].
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A1: The World’s Greatest Comics, Vol. 1 Annual
December 11, 2013 by 1 Comment
Get ready for some fun and laughs ‘cuz don’t you get tired of reading typical Marvel and DC superhero stuff all the time? Take a break, try out A1: The World’s Greatest Comics, Vol. 1 Annual from Atomeka and Titan Comics. This graphic novel anthology brings together top writers and artists from various comic backgrounds and art styles like Alan Moore, Jim Steranko, Kevin Eastman, Simon Bisley, James Robinson, D’Israeli, Dave Elliott, Bill Sienkiewicz and others. You know, it’s kinda of like a 2CD compilation of Now That’s What I Call I Music. What is it up to now in the UK? Like Vol. 90? Okay, let’s move on to the wild action, mystery, art exhibit coolness and coffee trivia from the A1 Vol. 1 Annual.
Edward Ballar
GuestContributor
kellyannbrooke
Ramon Angel
Al Woo
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Retrenders 