Page from PACIFIC RIM Prequel Reveals Meta "Making Of" for Del Toro & Crew

The Pacific Rim Facebook Page revealed a page from the upcoming "Pacific Rim: Tales from Year Zero" prequel comic that shows not only how the Jaegers in the film universe were conceived; but also probably how Guillermo Del Toro and screenwriter Travis Becham came up with the movie idea.

"Pacific Rim: Tales from Year Zero" is available June 5

Don't miss this exciting sci-fi prequel graphic novel of the highly anticipated Warner Bros. & Legendary motion picture, Pacific Rim directed by Guillermo del Toro! Chronicling the very first time Earth is menaced by incredible monsters known as Kaiju, these inhuman beasts rise from the ocean depths and threaten to extinguish all mankind! Witness the race to develop massive robot fighting machines called Jaegers, each one controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. This action-packed tale features many of the key characters from the film as we follow them in their early careers. Witten by Pacific Rim screenwriter himself, Travis Beacham, and with del Toro's hands-on supervision, this volume is beautifully illustrated by Sean Chen, Yvel Guichet, and Pericles Junior; inks by Steve Bird and Mark McKenna; and fully painted cover by superstar artist Alex Ross.

Pacific Rim hits theaters in 2D, 3D, and IMAX 3D on July 12. 

When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes—a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)—who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.

Review: Legend of the Shadow Clan #4

Now that Morgan Himura and her family have learned that they’re descendants of a long line of ninja warriors called the Shadow Clan, one would think that their lives would vastly improve. Especially since the Himura siblings seem to be gaining a better understanding of their unique abilities and talents–especially Morgan, who has always excelled at anything she’s put her mind to. But, there’s a reason why the Shadow Clan had been in hiding for centuries–and now that the Himuras are out in the open, their ancient enemy, the Ghost Clan, has wasted no time in tracking them down. Ready or not, today is the day the Ghost Clan takes the fight to the Shadow Clan!

From the creators of "Executive Assistant: Assassins". "Legend of the Shadow Clan" is an exciting read that's part family drama and part badass ninja throwdown.

It's hard to make ninjas work in contemporary times; but "Legend of the Shadow Clan" makes it work, fusing elements of G.I. Joe and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into an interesting family dynamic that is both parts funny and well written.

The action is fun; but where Aspen excels in it's many different series is that each has a new and interesting take on things. You would think all of Aspen's comics are the same, because they're all fantasy or action; but each plot and cast is different than the other. Here we have a family coping with their mysterious and bloody past, and a rivalry with another ninja-clan that has spilled over into the future.

Legend of the Shadow Clan is a series that is well written and fun for about all-ages. There's something in this for everyone; much like "Shrugged". Aspe has proven that with their talented writers and artists (see the pencil and color work in Shadow Clan, the club scene is gorgeous) that they're an up and coming powerhouse for the comic-book medium .

Review: Executive Assistant: ASSASSINS #10

The latest from Aspen Comics "Executive Assistant: Assassins" is the final installment in the Executive Extinction arc, and it's an action-packed ride with a promising ending.
The story so far:

Mazutsu’s ex-lover Ivy and Rose, his Executive

Assistant, were forced to part ways under the threat

of a helicopter attack. Yet, not before Ivy left a tracking

device on Rose in order to find and kill the sinister

mastermind. Meanwhile, she was able to track down

Lily, Orchid and Aster at their warehouse safe-house,

and explain her active part in recent events. However,

Orchid’s hidden motives proved to be far removed

from her allies--as she betrayed the group by giving

away their location to Mazutsu--who has arrived to

exterminate all of them once and for all...

Mazutsu’s ex-lover Ivy and Rose, his ExecutiveAssistant, were forced to part ways under the threatof a helicopter attack. Yet, not before Ivy left a trackingdevice on Rose in order to find and kill the sinistermastermind. Meanwhile, she was able to track downLily, Orchid and Aster at their warehouse safe-house,and explain her active part in recent events. However,Orchid’s hidden motives proved to be far removedfrom her allies--as she betrayed the group by givingaway their location to Mazutsu--who has arrived toexterminate all of them once and for all...

First off let me say the artwork really brings the piece together, and accompanying that is the story, while coming in new is somewhat confusing, the prelude does a good job of setting up the stakes and characters for this installment.

The writing is pretty adult, making this the most mature Aspen title I have read, and it fits the tone. While there are hot girls shooting guns and kicking ass, these are still real people and death is a big part of their lives, thee flow is nice, and the action is well colored and drawn so there isn't a lot of visual clutter. 

To long-time readers I can feel this issue was probably really intense, given a major death in it; but I was not too involved- which isn't a bad thing because now I almost want to read the back issues to find out what's going on and who's who.

All in all the ass-kicking and art give this issue an "action movie" appeal that plays out both on page and in motion in your head, and it is advised you go and read the previous issues to get a grasp on what's happening. The ending also gets you hyped for what's to come, and I can't wait to read more.

Review: "Jirni" Volume 1: Issue 1

Discover a whole new world of adventure! Trekking through a violent and dangerous frontier of savage barbarians, devious thieves, and wild creatures, a warrior-princess named Ara searches for her mother, who was stolen away from her kingdom by a mysterious sorcerer with the help of his powerful D'jinn.  What great and terrible secrets await her in the distant horizon? Prepare to experience an epic tale of fantasy and wonder without boundaries. This is Ara's quest. This is Ara's destiny. This is Ara's - JIRNI.

From Aspen comics comes the start of an exciting adventure into a dangerous and lush world that is as gorgeously drawn and colored as it is excitingly written.

Harking back to a simpler time of swords and sorcery, "Jirni" is a series that shows a lot of promise as an exciting, almost pulpy kind of adventure that is sure to enthrall readers who might be tired of the capes and heroes schtik, or who have tried other fantasy series before but seem overwhelmed.

"Jirni" does a fantastic job of slowly showing readers into it's world and not beating them over the head with complicated terms and names all at once. The first issue does a fantastic job of showing is it's main character, Ara, and her badass attitude and skills; but also quickly reminds is Ara isn't just a sexy killing machine, and we get a small glimpse of her past, and through internal monologue we see her ambition and longing for answers, as well as a quick glimpse of the antagonist and his power and abilities as he uses his murderous demon in a bottle, his D'jinn, to quickly and mercilessly dispatch and band of thieves in the desert.

This is a great part as we even see the D'jinn has a character, in a small sentimental moment where he stares longingly across the desert and quietley says "Home".

DC/Marvel alum J.T. Krul is the one in charge of the story and writing, and he does a great job. His work in the mainstream industry really shines with some crisp and clean dialogue that doesn't ramble and reads very fluidly. The universe Krul created is one that, on the surface, seems like something we've seen before; but has it's own charm and spin on things. It's not the typical "Tolkien" world so many fantasy series seem to borrow from so heavily, instead "Jirni" feels like something that's in a world that borrows from Edgar Rice Burroughs and some more modern fantasy like Blizzard's Warcraft.

In an interview with First Comic News, Krul spoke of the universe he created:

There is a big Arabian /Middle Eastern vibe to the story. We are definitely playing up the Aladdin motif, but there is more to it than that. I love that genre if you will, and really am using it as a springboard to launch this grand adventure.

Artist Paolo Pantalena has a style with women almost similar to Michael Turner of "Witchblade" fame; and that's not a bad thing. As seen on his DeviantArt, Pantalena has an amazing amount of talent that makes sure "Jirni" is just as pleasing to look at as it is to read, once again drawing me back to a more "classic" kind of comic-book. Colorist Brett Smith compliments Pantalena's artwork magnificently as well, with a beautiful pallet for the jungle that Ara treks through. The colors pop and nothing ever looks murky or dull.

All said and done, "Jirni" is a series that has definite staying power with readers. It's the classic blend of adventure and action that I can see hooking a wide margin of readers.

Review: "Shrugged" Volume II: Issue 2

Yes or No? Right or wrong? Whatever the choice, Theo Langstrom's conscience makes the call. But is Theo truly the one calling the shots or is he just merely along for the ride? One Thing is for sure— he is definitely not alone! Dev and Ange know it is their sole purpose to capably guide Theo from his birth to his passing, providing their own conscientious reasoning on his behalf. But as they will come to realize, they can do more than simply provide their own perspective, they can now affect his world. And they as well— are definitely not alone!

"Shrugged" starts like a 'slice of life' series, with high-schooler Theo having an angel and a devil on his shoulders as he goes through life, helping him make decisions and providing some mental insight into things. On one shoulder is Dev, your typical loud-mouthed yet funny demon, and on the other is the aptly named Ange, a lovely blonde angel who always is revolted at Dev's crudeness, and tries steering Theo on the right path.

Having not read any other issues prior to this, I found the series very easy to pick up and get into (with the exception of a quick google search here and there). This is a distinct advantage that smaller comics have over the "big ones" like DC and Marvel which require an extensive knowledge of back-issues just to understand half a page of some of the more arch-heavy content.

"Shrugged" is a cute little adventure, the writing is accessible and sometimes funny and cute, if not a bit cliche; but it's not a real problem.

The issues strength (and weakness) comes from artist Jonathan Marks, who sometimes creates some wonderful looking characters and set-pieces, while other times the design and anatomy are just...odd. This is a problem I can see being easily fixed or looked past though, hopefully in later issues. 

All in all, "Shrugged" is a fine series to read. It's nothing weighty on the mind; but it's imaginative and colorful enough to keep you going. An engaging concept for all ages, and after the cliff-hanger, I'm very much looking forward to this next issue.