Dark Horse Presents #1

A whole post to itself because it's the only comic I picked up not by the big two. I was unaware of the history behind this title as I have only encountered it during it's myspace incarnation but it sure is impressive the amount of big names it's debuted. I'll wont be posting scans of any story in the book as they are only 8 pages long so it would be to big a portion of the book to print I guess. Plus it's perfect bound and would be destroyed in my scanner haha! Go buy it if you like any of the names involved or if you enjoy anthology titles.

I love the colours and design elements of the cover. Concrete looks great blown up like that, you can see every brush stroke!

Concrete fits a lot into a small page count and it's a pretty decent short too. Well scripted, good timing and the art and lettering has a certain retro/ lo-fi feel to it.
Marked Man does a similar job. Starting in a bit too much of a familiar way for a crime comic. It felt too stereotypical and I was bored already but then we get the whole double life of the main character and the arguments with his wife. Those moments MADE this first half almost enjoyable for me.
Blood has detailed art but in an almost scruffy way. The story feels a little forced due to the text heavy nature of the madman's ramblings. Also not getting to see the main character is a bit daft in an opening chapter. The premise of a cop being mixed with super alien blood sounds silly but then again this is only 8 pages and I will give all of the stories a chance. They are only part 1's of course.
Finder; Third World, is a pretty intelligent start to an ongoing. It's open enough to go in several directions now, either multiple jobs through the agency or as a continuos future delivery boy. There is a good amount of humour and great art. Looking forward to reading what's next.
Mr. Monster Vs. Oooak, is a superb clashing of classic Kirby and Lee style story and art with a sort of underground graffiti twist to it. Some funny throwback dialogue to the views in 60's comics about the role of women. It's a shame this isn't ongoing. All the wrong comics are single stories and all the right ones are one offs.
The Xerxes previews looks typically Frank Miller. I never read 300 but it looks identical art to Sin city, although less detailed, as though he is loosing his touch maybe? Still it was only a few preview pages so I'm sure Miller fans will lap it up.
Murky World is a weird one. It feels like it has ended already. There was no real set up for the next chapter or what could happen next. It just stops after a very mild climax.
The teaser for Star Wars Crimson Empire, is odd. I don't know any of the characters, and the weapons, ships and dress sense was unrecognisable, so it really didn't feel Star Wars to me. I was a huge fan of it when I was younger. Including all the extended universe nonsense, I think I had the books of the first two Crimson Empire's and I know that those are going to be hard chapters to follow.
Snow Angel is a colourful indie gem that is self aware, of it's place in the comics world and plays off it gently.
The last two pages are one off funies called AAAAAAAAAAAH and Personality quiz. They use typical repeat panels and simplified characters to pull of well timed jokes. I really want to see more from this!
I'll give the Miller interview and the short prose piece a read later on...

All in all a solid anthology title, the size sort of warrants the price, but I wonder if the price tag will turn people away from picking it up. Perhaps it could have been half the size and come out twice as often? That way people would at least try it. I only picked it up because it was a relatively quiet week for me.