A Rush Review

Clockwork Angels #1:

Clockwork Angels is an adaptation of the latest album from Rush, Toronto's own prog rock power trio. Like them or not, Rush excel at crafting albums that tell stories. Most of which translate to more mediums than those in the audio realm.

Clockwork Angels #1 is the first in a six issue mini series. The story takes place in a world run by the Watchmaker, who essentially keeps the everything on schedule, creating the illusion of a perfect world. One young man named Owen decides that maybe his life isn't as perfect as he'd like it to be, as he longs to explore and leave a repetitive and predictable life behind. Gaining knowledge of Owen and his 'rebellious nature', the Watchmaker must now deal with a possible flaw in his perfect world.

It's a solid story and the artwork fits it perfectly. The panels appear almost as folk-style paintings, rich in colours and soft on the eyes. They could be from older fairy tale books, easily. Environments in the book range from straw-roofed villages to mechanical skyscrapers; a nice variety of landscapes for sure. It's an interesting world and one that's been fun to see come to life.

The story is easy to follow and starts off with an aged Owen recalling his tales of adventure. Clockwork Angels feels like the kind of story an elder would recount and embellish in front of a group of wide-eyed youngsters, much like the movie Big Fish. Peart and Anderson have done a great job of translating the story to comics, showing that well written stories transcend mediums.

Fans of the band will get a kick out of this, but almost more importantly, it's just a good tale that anyone can pick up and enjoy. A great addition for anyone who wants to start a new story in a fun and interesting world.

NEW COMICS MARCH 19th

After a lengthy break, we finally get some more American Vampire. This oversized first issue brings us up to the '60's as Pearl and Skinner team up against a new threat.
The new season of Buffy starts off with the hint that magic will somehow be changing the rules in the slayer vs. vamp battle.

After a short break, Marvel restarts Daredevil in a new city at a new price.
Batman teams up with Aquaman as the hunt for Damians body begins.
Image continues to explore genres other than Super-hero. Sovereign is a dark fantasy set in a world of magic and gods where the undead are dealt with by swords.
Rush Clockwork Angels teams Kevin Anderson with Neil Peart to bring the bands words( and worlds) to the comic page.
The latest chapter of Moore's League of Gentlemen arrives. Nemo Roses of Berlin brings us up to 1941 and the introduction of Germany's answer to the League.
Hellboy hits 20 and Dark Horse releases a beautiful hardcover to celebrate, Includes rare sketches and never before seen art.

full list below the cut..
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New Comics Wednesday March 12th

Marvel continues to release at least a couple #1's a week.
Avengers Arena was a great limited series that was dismissed by many as a cheap ripoff of Battle Royale. It was a really cool story and has actually had some lasting consequences in the Marvel Universe, as witnessed in the new title, Avengers Undercover. Some of the survivors of the Arena are going on the defensive and hoping to take down the Masters of Evil, from the inside.
Carol Danvers is Captain Marvel again, and her powers are back in top form as she heads into space leaving the more Earth bound adventures for the new Ms. Marvel character.
Secret Avengers relaunches with a story that doesn't sound that much different than the last version of the team, but with Ales Kot on the writing chores it should be a fast paced read.
Returning #1 is another book dealing with the return of recently deceased loved ones who aren't quite zombies.
Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson deliver a new Beasts of Burden one-shot
Batman #29 is an over-sized issue wrapping up the 2nd arc of Zero Year, and leading into the big finale.
Marvel's up to its old tricks....adding together a bunch of issues together to come up with a bogus anniversary issue. X-Men Legacy #300 at least has a nice cover.

NEW cOMICS Wednesday March 5th

The first 2 parts of the Batman/Superman and Worlds Finest crossover sold out quick this week, so make sure to get a copy of the Batman /Superman Annual for how it all started.
The Marvel relaunches continue as Wolverine/X-men starts over at issue 1 with a new writer and slightly different direction.
At least Moon Knight hasn't had a comic for a few years, Warren Ellis is writing it, so thats a plus.
And Magneto is quite a different character than the last time he had a series to himself.
Greg Rucka begins a new female lead title with "Veil". Described as a new look at supernatural horror.
Auteur is a very indi looking book about a deranged glue-sniffing down on his luck movie producer.
The Millarworld kicks off a new batch of titles with Starlight #1. This one looks very retro sci-fi adventure, very Flash Gordony. The art looks amazing, sort of a cross between Toth and Manara. The only problem being that the book has already been optioned by Fox...so we can look forward to the inevitable wait for the last 2 issues like most of Millars titles.
Speaking of late titles...LOOK, another issue of Jupiters Legacy.
Walking Dead vol.20 hits the shelves as the All-Out-War reaches the half-way mark.

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MARCH 5TH

NEW COMICS February 26th

Big end to the shortest month, some good stuff in the pile.
Marvel restarts Fantastic Four with a new first issue, as writer James Robinson comes aboard.
Image has a book called Revenge, ( their site lists it as The Revenger) sounds a little Punisherish.
DC puts out the next in their line of annual-sized specials on women in the DC Universe. This time its Supermans girlfriend Lois Lane. If its half as good as the Jokers Daughter Special, it should sell fast.
Gail Simone launches a new Tomb Raider comic. I'm enjoying her Red Sonja stuff, this should be a good read too.
Batman/Superman #8 and Worlds Finest #20 are the first 2 chapters in the "First Contact" crossover, as the heroes of Earth 2 meet up with their fathers of Earth One. Look for the Batman/Superman annual March 6th for the first meeting of the 2 worlds.
The 2nd arc of Wake (Scott Snyders Vertigo book) starts this week, and its been a few hundred years since the last issue.
You cant tell it from the cover, but Flash #28 features a team-up with Deadman. Could be fun.
YES! Hawkeye #15 arrives this week..YES #16 came in weeks ago, Get over it already.

FEBRUARY 26TH

NEW COMICS FEBRUARY 19th

Well not much new to mention this week. Good stuff all round but less first issues.
Marvel launches the latest version of New Warriors, the place to find Scarlet Spider if you miss his solo book. I'm kind of hoping this title will address how the NEW Nova fits into the continuity of the old Richard Ryder version.

Undertow is an Image title that describes itself as a pulp-monster adventure about Atlantis.
Harley Quinn #3 is late for Valentines Day, but will still sell through fast.
Supergirl #28 will tell us how the angry Girl of Steel came to be in possesion of that red ring we saw her with in Green Lantern #28.

NEW COMICS February 12th

Another week and another batch of All New Marvels.
This week we get X-Force going back to a single title combining Cable and friends in 1 book.
The 2nd Captain America movie spawns the Winter Soldier #1 of a 5 issue mini-series( aren't ALL of Marvels books mini-series lately though?)
She-Hulk gets her own title, after quite a bit of time in limbo.
Image starts a few new books as well, with Fuse #1 we get a space-crime fiction adventure. And Mercenary Sea sounds like good old fashioned swash buckling action set in WW2.
More 2nd World War action with Royals Masters of War, from Vertigo. Apparently the Blue-Blooded royalty wields powers of the super type, in this alternate history.

City the Mind in the Machine gives us something closer to today with a Big Brother story about the evils of Government spyware in the name of civilian protection.