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The Pull List: THE MOCKING DEAD VOL. 1, BRAVEST WARRIORS V. 2, MARS ATTACKS JUDGE DREDD

graph·ic nov·el

noun 
1.  a novel in comic-strip format.

I read them all.  The good and the bad, so you don’t have to.

Welcome to The Pull List.

And, as always…Spoilers ahead!

The Mocking Dead Volume 1
Writer: Fred Van Lente
Artist: Max Dunbar
Colorist: Aikau Oliva
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: February 12, 2014
Price: $17.99

I have watched many a role playing game in my day.

Notice that I said “watched” and not “played”.

I’m the guy at the table with his head buried in the rule book, delaying the game while highlighting my apparent lack of skill.

This tale looks at the zombie genre through a comedy prism. While the threat is real, it doesn’t take itself too seriously which makes for an easy and entertaining read.

The Government recurring role playing gamers to help fight off a zombie apocalypse would never really happen.

However, when you put aside everything you know about the red tape that can come with an emergency response, it’s actually not that hard to believe. After all, who’s better at putting together strategies outside of the box?

Aaron Bunch is the central figure of the story and the RPG master. He is easy to root for because we all have a friend just like him. You know, the guy who has all the sense in the world except the common kind. You want to hug him and choke him at the same time, which makes his journey an amusing one.

The dialog is very wordy at times, which is normally kind of boring, but it works here. E-mails tied to Bunch’s research into a possible solution brings a mixed bag of goodies that augment the story and bring about a chuckle or five.

The gray tone artwork pays homage to The Walking Dead while bringing simpler and detailed depictions to the table. The red highlights representing the blood and gore serve the story in dynamic fashion by pulling the reader out of the hilarity and reminds them of the risk of exposure as zombies are trying to eat people.

The Mocking Dead is thoughtful parody that grabs your attention instead of making you roll your eyes at the ridiculousness of it all. It’s not Shakespeare. It’s just a fun read.

Score: 8/10

Bravest Warriors, Volume 2
Writers: Joey Comeau & Ryan Pequin
Artists: Mike Holms
Colorists: Lisa Moore, Josh Ulrich & Mirka Andolfo
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Release Date: February 12, 2014
Price: $14.99

Imagine if a Miss America contestant said, “That’s a stupid question” when being asked what she would do if she were the President of the United States?

Well, that and much more occurs here.

By the way, I’m far from kidding when I say much more occurs in this book.

I normally stay away from comics based on an animated show because you usually know what you’re going to get. Joey Comeau’s ability to pull an abundance of entertaining subplots out of one overarching story makes this worthy of the original medium.

This book collects issues #5-8 with three different stories that show the Bravest crew doing what they do best with their unique flair for shenanigans.

Beth believes a Bazooka solves everything while Wallow escapes the friend zone. The “Catbug is Missing”chapter is something that truly needs to be experienced. The adorableness of his personality makes him completely oblivious to the dangers that surround him. It will make you shake your head while smiling from ear-to-ear.

If you don’t like to laugh when reading comics or graphic novels, then stay away.

However, if you want something that is clever without trying very hard, has heart in all the right places, and makes you laugh, then you should enter the invisible hideout.

Score: 9/10

Mars Attacks Judge Dredd TPB
Writers: Al Ewing
Artist: John McCrea
Colorist: Jay Fotos
Cover: Greg Staples
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Release Date: February 12, 2014
Price: $17.99

While I’ve never found either franchise all that interesting, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed these colorful pages.

The Martians invade Mega City and Judge Dredd puts his Law Giver to work.

However, Dredd’s strict sense of duty doesn’t allow him to be phased by the extraterrestrial events.

He assumes they are some form of mutants that need to be brought to justice. The idea that he is fighting aliens doesn’t enter his mind which in a way makes him the last one in on the gag.

The reader finds it amusing because not only do we know who they are but John McCrea’s imagery makes it obvious we are dealing with beings from space.

Even then, the humor perfectly blends with the seriousness of it all. Yes, we see a Martian on multiple occasions kill people but it makes you giggle when you see them wearing a fedora on top of their glass dome. The color work of Jay Fotos is brilliant and enhances the depictions in every panel.

While Dredd is the star, Judge Anderson has some good moments as well. I believe this works on a number of levels because Al Ewing seamlessly makes two different properties work well together without compromising the core values of what makes them unique.

This is the last book that I planned to read and I’m glad I did.

Score: 7/10

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