Supergod Hardcover Review

Supergod
Avatar
Hardcover
128 pages
$27.99 (2011)
$17.99 (2011) Trade Paperback
ISBN 9781592911004

Contributors: Warren Ellis, Garrie Gastonny, Felipe Massafera, and Digikore Studios

Reprints: Supergod #1-5 (of 5)

Synopsis: On the eve of the end of the world a scientist recounts the cause of humankind's demise.  He explains mankind's inherent urge to create deities and gods to worship as the root of our downfall.  A superhuman arms race between nations bred impossible, remorseless beings of ultimate power.  Once these beings were loosed upon the earth it was only a matter of time before the apocalypse.

Krishna's first act to save India - population control!

In India scientists create a supercomputer built within cloned flesh and fashioned to resemble the god Krishna.  China builds a man with the ability to meld flesh into complex biological structures.  The United Kingdom secretly launches astronauts into space only to have them return fused to a spacefaring meta-fungal colony.  Iran births a creature of pure, uncontrollable and destructive energy.  The United States turns one of their astronauts into the six and a half billion dollar man.

This looks kinda familiar - is it one of those visual metaphors?

Pros: Covers are interesting, Ellis writes some cool sci-fi concepts, art by Gastonny is competent, suitably dark and ominous, widescreen action (and destruction), mature

Cons: Plot has a few holes, not much explanation for some events or abilities, didn't like the tag line "Praying to be saved by a man who can fly will get you killed", Gastonny's art is not fantastic - felt like the dialogue/words didn't connect to the actual art sometimes

Mike Tells It Straight: Ellis writes a good high-concept science-fiction documentary in Supergod.  It's not your typical superhero story and puts a fanciful spin on what real-life superheroes might be like - i.e. world-destroying beings of unparalleled destruction.  The story is a commentary on human nature and our need to believe in something higher than ourselves.  Ellis is very good at this type of widescreen, super-scientific story, but the art was a bit weak (covers were neat). 

If you like Ellis' work on The Authority and Planetary then this book will be a perfect fit.  The deconstruction of the superhero genre was started way back in the early '80s by Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman on Miracle Man, hit the mainstream with Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns and Moore's Watchmen, and dragged through the mud by Rick Veitch's The One and Bratpack.  Will this be a seminal work for Ellis?  Only time will tell, but it's thoughtfully epic and a noteworthy read. 

TO BUY and Recommendations:
   

Annihilation Book Two Hardcover Review

Annihilation Vol. 2
Marvel Comics
Oversized Hardcover
320 pages
$29.99 (2007)
$24.99 (2007)
ISBN 9780785125129

Contributors: Keith Giffen, Simon Furman, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Renato Arlem, Jorge Lucas, Greg Titus, June Chung, Dave McCaig, Chris Sotomayor, Cory Petit, Joe Caramagna, and covers by Gabriele Dell'Otto

Reprints: Annihilation: Ronan #1-4 (of 4), Annihilation: Silver Surfer #1-4 (of 4), Annihilation: Super-Skrull #1-4 (of 4)

Synopsis: The Annihilation Wave has broken through from the Negative Zone to our universe and destroys everything in its path.  None are safe as Annihilus, long-time foe of the Fantastic Four and possessor of the Cosmic Control Rod, unleashes his ruthless armada to scour the cosmos of life.

Ronan kneels for no one! What? I'm just resting



Ronan the Accuser was falsely convicted of treason in a political move by the House Fiyero, the current ruling house of the Kree empire.  He is in pursuit of Tana Nile, the one who bore false witness at his trial.  She has holed up on Godthab Omega, a pitiful backwater planet filled with exiles and rejects including disgraced Korath the Pursuer and his Kree Starforce.  The planet is under siege by a group of cosmic female outlaws led by Gamora, the deadliest woman in the universe!  Tana Nile is under their protection, but something strange is happening behind the scenes on the planet.  Can Ronan accomplish his mission before the Wave destroys them all? 

The Super-Skrull has learned the Wave will soon break into Skrull space.  He wishes to protect his estranged son from the Wave's planet-killing weapon the Harvester of Sorrow.  Unfortunately the Skrull empire is in disarray after Galactus ate their homeworld (burp!).  Now he must journey to the Negative Zone in order to find the Harvester's weakness and raise a rebel army of Annihilus' enemies.  A deadly traitor is hidden among his allies - will he reach his son in time?

You sank my battleship!



Amid the debris of a score of ruined worlds glides the Silver Surfer in shock at the limitless destruction caused by the Wave.  Annihilus has a deeper desire than mere conquest - he seeks the power cosmic and wishes to distill it from the bodies of the former heralds of Galactus!  The Sufer is beset by a pack of Seekers who sorely test his strength before he is joined by two former heralds - Firelord and Red Shift.  They join forces to create a formiddable opposition for the Wave, but the Surfer knows only Galactus can prove a true threat and journeys to seek his aid.  Say goodbye to the remorseful Surfer you once knew as he is reborn in cosmic fire anew!

Meanwhile Thanos joins Annihilus as advisor to attaining his goals.  Both share an affinity for death unparalleled in either dimension.  A pair of elder gods are released from their imprisonment to exact revenge upon their captor - Galactus himself!

Pros: Incredible covers by Dell'Otto breathe new life into these characters, art by Lucas and Arlem is pretty decent, old cosmic characters are revamped - some die and most are transformed/updated

Fear my flaming fist of orange rock

Cons: Titus' art from the Super-Skrull story was too cartoony/urban, these are side stories and it felt like nothing really significant happened, plots were convoluted, Surfer is still kind of a wuss

Mike Tells It Straight: The first volume of Annihilation was spectacular - epic cosmic warfare as whole civilisations fall and heroes perish.  Wonderful stuff, but this second volume felt more like a distraction to the main event.  The focus shifts to a series of side stories featuring one major and two minor characters.  We get a lead-up to the final showdown with Annihilus and a bunch of convoluted story.  The Surfer rebirth was a letdown because he keeps his conscience and doesn't become truly ruthless (which would have been a major shake up).     

This multi-part 'event' storyline shows its true colors with this volume - merely prolonging the story through decompressed side events and not adding any real value.  Only the vibrant covers by Dell'Otto saved this for me.  Overall the stories were mediocre, but still required to understand every facet of the complete saga.  Bah!

TO BUY and Recommendations:
   

Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. Vol. 2 I Kick Your Face Hardcover Review

Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. Vol. 2 - I Kick Your Face
Marvel Comics
Hardcover
144 pages
$19.99 (2007)
$14.99 (2008) TPB
$34.99 (2010) Ultimate Collection
ISBN 9780785128557

Contributors: Warren Ellis, Stuart Immonen, Wade VonGrawbadger, Dave McCaig, Paul Mounts, Virtual Calligraphy, and Joe Caramagna

Reprints: Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. #7-12 (of 12)

Synopsis: The Nextwave group continue their mission to derail the Beyond Corporation's marketing plan to test and sell Unusual Weapons of Mass Destruction (UWMDs) on American Soil.  Before going rogue the Nextwave unit worked for the Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort (H.A.T.E.), a covert anti-terrorist organization. The Beyond Corporation happen to be the new financial backers of H.A.T.E. and a known terrorist front.

Despite their dysfunction the team defeated H.A.T.E. and crazed director Dirk Anger, but their greatest challenges are yet to come.  Beyond cooks up more bizarre experiments as they open a portal to a nether-dimension and unleash the Mindless Ones on an unsuspecting town.  Then they throw one-off superheroes at the team - like Bulk (a huffer who inhaled gamma irradiated gasoline from the same gamma bomb test site where Bruce Banner was transformed into the Hulk), a knock-off Captain America made from the super-soldier serum laden urine of the original Captain America after he was first changed, a failed scientist with a purportedly better growing formula then Giant Man, and most terrifying of all - the Forbush Man!

Finally something hairier than the original - killer Wolverine-monkeys!

Can Nextwave battle through these bizarre superhumans to uncover the seven onion-layers of secrets behind the Beyond Corporation?  You will be shocked, terrified, and bored all at the same time!

Mark Millar rumor confirmed

Pros: Crazy action with extremely irreverent humor by Ellis, some of the best art of Immonen's career - he pulls off some fun stunts like upside down panels and consecutive massive two-page spreads of the team battle Beyond's wicked creations

Cons: Totally whacked out, all-action with practically non-sensical story, Ellis' dialogue avoids contractions (using "I am" instead of "I'm") which doesn't sound natural

Mike Tells It Straight: Ellis and Immonen continue their mindless rampage across Marvel history with the final half of this high-octane satire piece.  There are explosions and witty one-liners aplenty with the occasional serious moment.  If you dug the first volume (i.e. if it didn't scare you off) then the finale is a wicked roller coaster ride.  I didn't think it was possible, but there is even less story in this volume than the first.  Definitely more head explosions.

TO BUY and Recommendations:
   

Bad Girls Trade Paperback Review

Bad Girls
DC Comics
Softcover Trade Paperback
128 pages
$14.99 (2009)
ISBN 9781401223595

Contributors: Steve Vance, Jennifer Graves, Christine Norrie, J. Bone, Daniel Krall, Lee Loughridge, Kurt Hathaway, and covers by Darwyn Cooke

Reprints: Bad Girls #1-5 (of 5)

Synopsis: Lauren is the new girl at San Narciso high school and she's having a hard enough time trying to fit in, but then the evil popular girls  get superpowers!  The wicked little tramps abuse their powers by partying and shopping.  Can Lauren and school nerd Ronald stop their dastardly plans? 

Pros: Artwork by Graves and Norrie is pretty good, Vance's writing is decent (until the end), Lauren's character is believable as she battles with her desire to be popular vs. doing the right thing

Cons: Couple typos with name of town - Narcisco instead of Narciso (weird name anyway), ending is too convenient/abrupt, cliched 'new girl in school' story

Mike Tells It Straight: This book never quite achieved its full potential.  We've all seen a thousand variations on the 'new girl in school' story and this one adds superpowers to the mix.  It's a cute story and apparently meant for younger/girl readers.  I gave it a shot and was surprised at the quality, but the ending killed it for me.  It felt rushed and silly (would have been perfect for a cartoon).  I'll relegate this to potential gift status for nieces and nephews, but not intended for mature audiences.

TO BUY and Recommendations:
   

Criminal The Deluxe Edition Hardcover Review

Criminal: The Deluxe Edition
Marvel Comics - Icon
Oversized Hardcover
432 pages
$49.99 (2009)
ISBN 9780785142294

Contributors: Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, Val Staples, and introduction by Dave Gibbons

Reprints: Criminal (2006) Preview, #1-10 (of 10); Criminal (2008) #1-3 (of 3); The CBLDF Presents: Liberty Comics #1

Synopsis: A collection of hardboiled crime stories:

• "Coward" - Leo is a planner and adheres to his own strict rules of criminal conduct.  His father was a major player in the city until he broke his own rules and ended up going away for life.  Sometimes called a coward for sticking to his rules and walking away from a job, Leo has his freedom and a lot of respect for being a crack planner.   He gets leaned on by a pair of crooked cops who force him to plan a heist.  You can never trust crooked cops and even worse, he falls for the ex-girlfriend of a pal who got killed on a job where he walked.  Now Leo is breaking all sorts of rules and getting on the wrong side of some bad people.  Can he stay one step ahead of disaster this time?

• "Lawless" - Tracy Lawless just came home from a tour in the Gulf where he learned how to kill with precision.  His old man was hell on wheels until he got betrayed and killed by one of his criminal buddies.  His little brother took after the old man and got the exact same treatment.  Tracy blows back into the city with one thing on his mind - find his brother's killer and gut the son of a bitch.  He goes undercover with his brother's old crew, but will he fall for his brother's ex-girl?  Tracy is in deep and the truth may bury him.
• "The Dead and the Dying" - three short stories
• "Second Chance in Hell" - Jake is a boxing phenom, but his best friend is the son of a crime boss and keeps roping him in for muscle.  He meets a bad news girl with a body and heroin problem that won't quit.  He tries to save her from herself, but it backfires and she ends up ruining both their lives.
• "A Wolf Among Wolves" - Teeg Lawless just came home from two tours in 'Nam where he learned how to kill with precision.  He brought the war with him and waged it on everything around him - family, friends, himself, and anyone unlucky enough to cross his path.  Now he owes a loan shark thousands and has to pull a major heist to get square.  It's going to be brutal.
• "Female of the Species" - Danica fell in love with the wrong man - the son of a crime boss who gets her pregnant.  The son's father won't let that happen and makes the pregnancy go away.  Danica's life is ruined until she eventually learns how to use her sexuality as a weapon on the feeble minds of men.  She gets into trouble when her manipulations cross the wrong people.

Pros: Great cover!, beautiful hardcover edition, Brubaker's writing is top-notch crime noir, Phillips' art is dark/moody/clean all at the same time, tons of extras including trailer, covers, pinups, prose stories, afterword, and process notes, 2007 Eisner Award winner for best new series

Tracy Lawless has girl trouble



Cons: Too many extras, doesn't include the full second series (only the first three issues of seven)

Mike Tells It Straight: Brubaker and Phillips are a match made in heaven - crime noir writer working with an artist known for his rough, expressive art.  These stories are top notch in the genre by a proven team (they previously hit it out of the ballpark on a series called Sleeper).  There are no superheroes or magical beings anywhere to be seen.  Just hard luck stories and a half-drunk bottle of scotch. 

Brubaker proves he is a master at writing crime noir.  Easily as good as Frank Miller's Sin City, but more complex and real.  Where Miller's characters are one-dimensional archetypes and the art is perfected simplicity - Brubaker and Phillips give us a complicated world with murky motives.  I have nothing but praise for this book and highly recommend it.

TO BUY and Recommendations:
   

Empowered Volume 3 Review

Empowered Vol. 3

Dark Horse Comics
Graphic Novel
208 pages
$14.95 (2008)
ISBN 9781593078706

Contributors: Adam Warren, Jo Chen, and Tomoko Saito

Synopsis: Empowered is a self-conscious superhero with a fragile hypermembrane super-suit giving her enhanced abilities at the cost of her self-esteem.  It's super-flimsy, unreliable and ultra tight giving everyone a free peek at her every nook & cranny.  She's a laughing-stock in the superhero community for being regularly captured and tied up. 

Ninjette and Thugboy help support Emp's fragile ego while she trains rigorously to become a more potent hero.  We witness the earth-shattering spectacle of 'superhero karaoke' as Emp gets sauced.  Next she gets kidnapped and used in a series of supervillain capture gadget infomercials.  A new rival emerges to steal Emp's spotlight - Ocelotina the 'capture-wench' gets tied up and her videos go viral!  Poor Emp is no longer the #1 super-hottie captive! 

Major Havoc gets turned down by a supervillain

Emp brings the Superhomeys some Japanese homoerotic doujinshi (yaoi manga - written by women for women and featuring men) starring her less-than-kind male teammates to completely mess with them.  More secrets of the suit are revealed along with Thugboy's 'anti-cape' past.  The deadly ninja assassins finally catch up with Ninjette and it's a killer battle to the finish!  Can Emp and Thugboy save their friend in time?

Pros: Warren's art remains high quality with some serious action pages at the end, Emp is hot and scantily clad throughout, Ninjette's excessive beer-chugging while maintaining a perfect physique is explained, less Caged Demonwolf tirades in all capital letters (cuz that gets old), origins of Thugboy and Ninjette are revealed

Ninjette receives a brutal kick to the face

Cons: Digest-sized (like all those manga books your niece/nephew are reading at your family reunion), black and white, price and page count remain the same as last volume (higher than volume one), Warren's inks over his pencils (thankfully few)

Mike Tells It Straight: What!? Another Empowered review? I may be showing an unhealthy bias towards this book due to two interests - 1) Japanese manga/anime and 2) hot chicks.  Warren delivers another volume of Emp's adventures with the same offbeat humor mixed with a healthy dose of T&A.  Emp's supporting cast continues to be the focus as both Ninjette and Thugboy's origins are revealed (for the most part).  Mixed with the humor are some serious situations and a brutally violent finale.  Not what I'm used to from our titular heroine's adventures and it caught me a little off-guard.  It gets dark, but overall a good (quick) read and I'm still psyched to check out the next volume.

TO BUY and Recommendations:
   

Annihilation Book One Hardcover Review

Annihilation Vol. 1
Marvel Comics
Oversized Hardcover
256 pages
$29.99 (2006)
$24.99 (2007) TPB
ISBN 9780785125112

Contributors: Keith Giffen, Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Mitch Breitweiser, Scott Kolins, Kev Walker, Rick Magyar, Ariel Olivetti, June Chung, Brian Reber, Cory Petit, and covers by Gabriele Dell'Otto

Reprints: Drax the Destroyer #1-4 (of 4), Annihilation Prologue, and Annihilation: Nova #1-4 (of 4)


New Drax has tattoos



Synopsis: The Annihilation Wave has broken through from the Negative Zone to our universe and threatens to destroy everything in its path.  None are safe as Annihilus, long-time foe of the Fantastic Four and possessor of the Cosmic Control Rod, unleashes his ruthless armada to scour the cosmos of life.



Prior to these events we catch up with Drax the Destroyer, falsely sentenced and en route to the Kyln, a galactic prison at the edge of known space.  He's an ultra-powerful, but brain-damaged brute.  His prison transport crash lands on Earth releasing the Blood Brothers, Lunatik, and Paibok the Power-Skrull. The apparently dead Drax undergoes a strange transformation into a new, deadlier form.  

The Annihilation Wave smashes through the Kyln, emanating outward and razing all inhabited planets in its path.  It reaches Xandar, the home planet of the Nova Centurions who are an intergalactic peacekeeping force.  Among them is Richard Rider, the superhero known as Nova from Earth.  The combined might of the Nova Centurions is no match for the invaders and seemingly everyone dies in a brutally epic battle.



Hadouken!



Richard Rider is the only surviving Nova Corps member and stands amid the ashes of Xandar.  He is awakened by the Worldmind, an artificial intelligence housing the combined knowledge of the now-extinct Xandarian race and the source of the Nova Force.  In order to protect and preserve the Worldmind, Nova must download it into his body - meaning he now possesses the combined might of the entire Nova Corps. 

The strain is almost too much for him to bear, but he is helped by Drax who was on Xandar after being recovered from Earth. Ultimate power proves too tempting as Nova attempts to kill Annihilus with the help of Quasar, who possesses the Quantum Bands. Can the two Earth heroes save the universe from Annihilus, known as "The Death That Walks"?



Meanwhile in Kree space, Ronan the Accuser is arrested for treason, the Silver Surfer senses the infestation of the Annihilation Wave and moves to investigate, and the Super-Skrull learns the Wave is heading for Skrull space.

Millions of sentient beings die horribly as the Annihilation Wave tears through the universe.  Can anyone stop this wholesale slaughter?

Pros: Phenomenal covers by Dell'Otto, epic interstellar battles, great writing by Giffen and Abnett/Lanning (best known for their DC work on Legion of Super-Heroes and Justice League), Drax the Destroyer gets a nice revamp, the art is good, Nova gets a major power up, Quasar even looks good, Annihilus is one serious villain, suitably brutal and epic

Cons: Walker's art is the weak link (although still pretty good), not much else

Mike Tells It Straight: Marvel's cosmic characters finally get the treatment they deserve - interstellar death battles and hopeless destruction!  Not since the Infinity Gauntlet has the cosmic status quo been shaken up this much.  Giffen, Abnett, and Lanning are prolific DC writers and they breathe new life into a stagnant Marvel space landscape.  It becomes instantly apparent that anything goes and no one is safe!

When did Quasar become a badass?

The first story gives Drax a much-needed revamp - he spent over a decade as a brutish dolt at the hands of Jim Starlin and I literally hated the character.  Giffen skillfully handles his rebirth.  Next we're introduced to the heart-pounding terror of the Annihilation Wave and screaming death of the Nova Corps.  I loved Nova's naive bravado as absolute tragedy descended around him.  His story reminded me of those "choose your own adventure" books from the '80s and really stayed true to his hot-head nature.  He's elevated to truly cosmic status.

Annihilation was published during Marvel's Civil War (the superhuman registration act splits the heroes right down the middle, Captain America vs. Iron Man) storyline and lost some of the attention it deserved.  I found this set of stories electrifying and edge of your seat - great start to an epic space opera! 

TO BUY and Recommendations:
   

Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. Vol. 1 This is What They Want Hardcover Review

Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. Vol. 1 - This is What They Want
Marvel Comics
Hardcover
144 pages
$19.99 (2006)
$14.99 (2007) TPB
$34.99 (2010) Ultimate Collection
ISBN 9780785122784

Contributors: Warren Ellis, Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Grawbadger, Dave McCaig, and Chris Eliopoulos

Reprints: Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. #1-6 (of 12)

Synopsis: Before going rogue the Nextwave unit worked for the Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort (H.A.T.E.), a covert anti-terrorist organization.  They discovered a marketing plan from the Beyond Corporation, who happen to be the new financial backers of H.A.T.E. and a known terrorist front.  Beyond plan to use H.A.T.E. and Nextwave to test Unusual Weapons of Mass Destruction (UWMDs) on American soil and then sell them to the highest bidder for a profit.

Now the Nextwave are being hunted by their former boss and director of H.A.T.E., Dirk Anger.  Nextwave group consists of:

They will kick you in the naugthy bits

• Elsa Bloodstone - monster hunting daughter of Ulysses Bloodstone, possesses ample cleavage, haughty European attitude, enhanced strength and agility
• Monica Rambeau aka "Captain Marvel" or "Photon" - formerly of the Avengers, energy-based powers based on light, conversion to photons, lasers, and light beams
• Aaron Stack aka "Machine Man" - sentient machine, can alter his body to produce useful tools or weapons, requires copious amounts of beer for his robot brain to function properly (or so he says)
• Dirk Anger - director of H.A.T.E., looks forty, but is really 90-year-old sociopath kept alive by life-extending drugs and a bad attitude, chews lizard boom sticks, he's not part of the team - he just wants to kill them
• Tabitha Smith aka "Boom Boom" or "Meltdown" - formerly of X-Force, powers include creating streams of super-heated plasma energy with extreme destructive force and allowing her to fly, kleptomaniac
• The Captain - received the "Heartstar of the Space Between Galaxies" from a pair of altruistic aliens while on a drunken bender, can't remember his own name, incredibly powerful with super-strength, flight, and enhanced vision

Fleeeee!!!

Can they stop Beyond's evil plans and stay one step ahead of Dirk Anger's wrath?  It's samuroids, giant flying lizards wearing underpants, broccoli men, homicide crabs, and widdle cuddly bears of death - oh my!

Pros: Top notch irreverent humor by Ellis, Immonen's art is solid, action-packed with good use of lesser-known D-list heroes & villains, great parody of Marvel (i.e. Dirk Anger is a spoof of Nick Fury and totally hilarious)

Cons: No explanations or legitimate story to speak of - just action, minimalist dialogue by Ellis - he makes all of the characters sound British, Immonen's art is highly stylized in this one, over-the-top

Mike Tells It Straight: Ellis and Immonen craft a funny satire piece on the Marvel universe filled with non-stop action and self-mockery.  It's pretty much all action, sarcasm (turned up to 11), jokes, and nothing much in the way of story (i.e. all flash and no substance).  The first few issues were hilarious, but then the goofiness started getting a little old by the end of issue #6.  This could be Ellis at his best or worst depending on your point of view.  Check out a preview if you can and you'll get the picture. 

"Love it or hate it, it's an obsession, love it or hate it, that's my confession."

TO BUY and Recommendations:
   

Shanna The She-Devil Trade Paperback Review

Shanna The She-Devil
Marvel Comics
Softcover Trade Paperback
168 pages
$16.99 (2006)
$24.99 (2005) Hardcover
ISBN 9780785110385

Contributors: Frank Cho, Jason Keith, Dave Stewart, and Rob Steen

Reprints: Shanna The She-Devil #1-7 (of 7)

Synopsis: An army unit crash lands on a mysterious island filled with prehistoric creatures.  Near the end of their fourth year of surviving on the island they discover an abandoned Nazi bunker filled with genetic experiments.  Only one of the experiments is alive - a blonde, blue-eyed superstrong woman they name Shanna.  Doc is the medic of the group and takes Shanna under his wing to educate her in the ways of humanity - language and behavior.  She possesses incredible physical prowess and an innate killer instinct. 

One of the soldiers picks up what he thinks is a packet of medical supplies, but is really a deadly virus created by the Nazis.  Now the entire camp is infected and only Shanna, with the help of Doc and two other brave soldiers, can return to the bunker (the place of her "birth") to get the antidote and save the day.  The only thing standing in their way is a Tyrannosaurus Rex with a bad attitude and a legion of hungry velociraptors!

Pros: Frank Cho draws incredibly sensuous women and his version of Shanna is A-mazing!, she has huge boobs and Cho renders them to perfection (they even obey gravity when she runs/fights/etc), Cho's art is fantastic and he really put a lot of effort/detail into this story

Wow...just...wow.

Cons: Cho's writing on the other hand - not so great, the Doc keeps saying "Holy buckets!" and the novelty wears off immediately, this version of Shanna is not the official version, but an alternate universe version (too bad, she's a lot cooler and less complicated), originally planned to be a MAX series (for mature readers) with nudity, but changed to a PG rating instead (we missed out on Shanna naked!), lightning fast read with excessive double-page spreads near the end

Mike Tells It Straight: Cho reinvents Shanna in this action-packed story with his signature art style and phenomenal attention to detail (he literally draws a double-page spread with one hundred velociraptors in it).  The story is a vague mess, but his art makes this book worth checking out.  No one draws women like Cho - they're voluptuous and natural (i.e. Shanna ain't no waif throwing cars around - she's got muscle to back up that grin).  If you like beautiful women then you'll dig Cho's art and this is an easy recommendation.

TO BUY and Recommendations: