Read Ghost Machine #1 (Hyde Street) and Hyde Street #1

Thought that it was a fairly interesting premise (people get lost in the real world and end up in this demented, parallel dimension called "Hyde Street" where anything goes) looking forward to more

I didn't support tis one and I wish I had! Two great creators making good comics. I'll need to support volume to get volume 2. 

Volume 2 just went live on Kickstarter today.  

I do think that volume one is getting a release by Dark Horse as a softcover as well.  

Finally got a chance to sit down and read Jimi Hendrix: Purple Haze published by Titan Comics, by Mellow Brown, DJ Ben Ha Meen and Tom Mandrake.



This is a sci-fi parable featuring Jimi as the protagonist, not any kind of biography, but a sci-fi epic based on elements of Jim's lyrics and overall vibe, authorized by the Hendrix estate and family. Mandrake's art is mind-blowingly trippy and utterly gorgeous. Mandrake became a favorite of mine for his run on Spectre in the 90s, and this may be the best I have seen from him. The story revolves around Jimi being on an intergalactic tour and working against an intergalactic war and the oppression of certain people by corporate interests (a sci-fi equivalent of the military industrial complex of "the man") with Jimi being positioned as both an inspiration for others and an actual freedom fighter in the climatic scenes of the OGN.

Mellow Brown and DJ Ben Ha Meen have both worked as screenwriters on the American Gods show, and Brown has written Blade Runner Origins comics and has many other TV credits as well.

The book is trippy, and leans heavily into a lot of the themes and philosophies of 60s psychedelia, but it is a solid sci-fi story elevated by Mandrake's art.

I recommend listening to some Jimi as you read it as well. His lyrics play an important role in many aspects of the story, and it helps establish a mood and tone if you know the melodies that go with them.

-M

Marjorie Finnegan, Temporal Criminal
story: Garth Ennis, art: Goran Sudžuka (& colors by Miroslav Mrva)

The tpb collects the 8-issue series published by AWA in 2021. As per the title, it’s about an irreverent time-travelling thief, Marjorie Finnegan, who goes up and down the timestream with the help of Tim, a disembodied head whose computerized brain calculates and facilitates the time jumps, and steals various valuables. In her capers, she’s always being doggedly pursued by a temporal cop, Harri (short for Harriet) Finnegan, her younger sister (who loathes her because she was tormented by Marjorie throughout their childhood).

Harri finally locates Marjorie thanks to a tip-off, and after a chase through the timestream puts her in a maximum security prison, but it ends up that the tip was from Marjorie’s ex-husband, Stan, who’s now in cahoots with a guy who calls himself the Lord of Evil. The arrest was a distraction because Lord wanted Marjorie preoccupied while his agents stole a document, called the Hypocrypha, which Marjorie had also stolen at some point, because he plans to use it to alter the entire course of human history.

(the two bad-guys: Stan and the Lord of Evil)
Once Harri realizes what’s going on, she jeopardizes her career to spring Marjorie from the slammer so that they can put a stop to the Lord’s (and Stan’s) nefarious plans.
I found this entertaining enough, but little more – kind of the comics equivalent of a popcorn movie. Goran Sudžuka’s art, though, is a treat, as always.

2 brand new items I intend to read shortly
From the creator of Black Hole




Also Godzilla Monsterpiece Theater with co-stars Tom Edison, Sherlock Holmes and The Great Gatsby. Looks to be some future issues as well

They take extended breaks between arcs and assess sales data on issues and trades before greenlighting the next arc.

I highly enjoyed the first arc, but felt the second was a severe drop. It felt muddled and unfocused, had poor pacing, and failed to develop the protagonists beyond what was established in the opening arc, leading me to decide not to purchase future arcs.

-M