FIGHTS: Review - Sonambulo fights crime in 'Sleep of the Just'

 EX-LUCHADOR TURNS DETECTIVE IN THE RAFAEL NAVARRO TITLE
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

Rafael Navarro is one of America's most talented independent comic book artists.  I recently had the opportunity to pick up his title, 'Sonambulo in Sleep of the Just'.  It was a real find.  The story is a noir-style mystery mixed with elements of lucha libre.

The story revolves around our hard-boiled hero, Sonambulo, which is Spanish for 'Sleepwalker'.  Sonambulo was once a lucha libre star until he had a fateful run-in with the mob, who beat him down, shot him, and left him for dead.  Instead of dying, however, he fell into a kind of hibernation state, waking up years later.  When he woke up, he never went to sleep again and was afflicted with the superpower to 'see' other people's dreams.  It's that ability that helps him put puzzle pieces together to solve crimes.

The story itself is a lot of fun.  But the best part of the title is the art.  Navarro has a very distinctive artistic style that brings its characters to life.  The black and white story helps add to the spookier elements to the story, and also give you that 1950s TV feel of the story.

If you have the opportunity, find this graphic novel or the individual copies of each chapter.  'Sleep of the Just' is not only well-crafted story with dynamic art, but a fitting tribute to the tradition of crime fighting luchadors.  This title is ZBFbooks.com approved!

You can pick up a copy of 'Sleep of the Just' and other works from Rafael Navarro at his official website HERE.

And if you like lucha libre stories with zombies, pick up the ZBFbooks.com title, 'Sword of the Angel'.  It's about a Mexican luchador who faces the zombie apocalypse with spectators after a pro-wrestling event in San Antonio.  It's a great title you can find HERE in paperback or kindle.

BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press.  Bowie likes to refer to his works as Tex-Mexploitation, as they all feature strong cultural elements of south Texas, where Bowie was raised.  Some titles include 'Codename: La Lechusa', 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull, and Alamo Rising.

Network with Bowie at his official website ZBFbooks.com.

ZOMBIES: Recap - #TheWalkingDead and family in 'Live Bait'

HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN IN THE ZPOC
By
Bowie V. Ibarra

Things get deep for our old friend The Governor in the latest episode of 'The Walking Dead'.  Here's some wild speculation from some zombie apoc enthusiasts, and brief notes on the episode.


ARMY ED,
Special Weapons and Tactics Advisor to ZBF.com

I think the Gov will continue to put pressure on the folks inside the prison using. He can weaken them by reducing their resources and weakening their defenses. The prison is too big for a small group to defend. He will work to force them out of the prison and into the open before he sets out to kill Machone. 

 

In the next episode i think the center on the Gov and show how he'll put his plan into motion.

 

I think his ultimate goal is to kill Machone and Rick. He's alone so he'll use subterfuge to weaken the group and divide them before he strikes.

Starting with Carol, I'd like to see characters go off in different directions and show different stories of survival.  I thought that's what might happen after the farm house.   People could go off on their own, have the story revolve around different groups trying to survive

JACKIE DRUGA,
author of 'The Flu' series from Permuted Press

I think this is my favorite season so far. Gov baby perches like a bird outside the prison. We see through previews how he has not gotten bit.

So my speculation. Darryl remains eerily calm about the news of Carol's ousting. And uses 'helping Michonne' as his excuse to go looking for her. It is while they are out we learn more about Michonne and see a burning Woodbury.

I think this is a clean up episode, Flu is done and running its course. Not much walker action, just plot set up and a slowed down pace as we approach the arc for the mid season finale

BRIEF NOTES
THE GOVERNOR HATES SPAGHETTI-O's
Well, it wasn't escargot or filet mignon.  But it was still nourishment.  What kind of jerk turns down Spaghetti-Os during the Zpoc?

 

ZPOC READY-MADE FAMILY

The governor walked into a ready-made family (which counts as an 'other group's story of survival'.  Well done Army Ed on your speculation).  The three girls spend time with their dying father thanks to The Governor, and end up leaving with him.  Governor has affection for the youngest, as she reminds him of Penny.

Guys, I guess you now know what kind of household to avoid during the zpoc if you aren't ready to shoulder this kind of responsibility.

STUMBLED BACK ON THE HENCHMEN

So, The Governor established himself as a bitter douchebag to even his most loyal followers, and they bailed on him.  That's why as he stumbled back on them with their own little team of survivors, it seems like there's going to be some tension that needs to be resolved between them.  The Governor might be more forgiving, considering he's now got a family to take care of.

GLAD IT WASN'T A BURMESE TIGER TRAP

Man, I don't know about you, but when The Governor fell in the pit trap, I prayed it wasn't a Burmese Tiger Trap. 

You know those, right?  It's a pit with pointed stakes at the bottom used in jungles.  Man, I though for sure the little girl was going to get impaled.

A NURSING HOME WOULD SUCK EVEN MORE DURING THE ZPOC

You hate to think about the zpoc and how it would affect a nursing home.  Looks like we got a chance to see what happened to one.  It's hard enough to think of one outside of the zpoc.  You know the attendants bailed on them, and their own families left them there.  Not cool, but another harsh truth of the zpoc.

So what now?  Looks like its time to build up the opposition and have them interact with the Prison.

We'll see next week.

And if you enjoyed the blog, support the blogger by picking up one of his zombie horror titles. 

 Down the Road, Down the Road: On the Last Day, and Down the Road: The Fall of Austin.  Pick them up in paperback or Kindle today.

 

 

BOWIE V. IBARRA earned his BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com today.

 

ZOMBIES: Recap - #TheWalkingDead Late Speculation/Notes "Indifference"

OLD WORLD PROBLEMS, ROSTER CUT, CRAPPY CARS HIGHLIGHT LATEST EPISODE
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

 

Another week down in the weekly z-day soapie, 'The Walking Dead'.  In 'Indifference', Rick finally addresses the large pink elephant in the room, a social issue of the old world rears its ugly head, and zeds get pwned.

 

But first, here's some predictions for this episode from my trusty wild speculators, R Thomas Riley, Jackie Druga, Army Ed, and Thomas (The VW Tech Guy)

 

Check it out:

R THOMAS RILEY
author of If God Doesn't Show from Permuted Press

I've got a real sick feeling in my stomach this week, folks. The prison is quickly becoming the new Farm. When I first starting writing this guest spot, I said I had a really healthy Love/Hate relationship with THE WALKING DEAD and that continues with this week's past episode. So here goes for this coming episode.

1) like I predicted, the group has been separated, Rick and company at the Prison, Daryl and company somewhere in the woods.

2) I'm thinking the goings on at the Prison may take a back seat this upcoming episode and we'll focus on Daryl and company.

3) This group will possibly lose a member, it should be "Bob" or whatever the heck his name is.

4) Daryl will be left in a very dangerous spot for the cliffhanger

5) there'll be a new group that's holed up in the Vet college, violence will commence

JACKIE DRUGA,
author of 'The Flu' series from Permuted Press

First just let me get my typical gripe out of the way. I hate the fact that they wrote all the Woodbury residents into the series, and now they have found a way to write them off. Gotta love that the immune are original cast. Hmmm. Maybe that has something to do with the illness.

My prediction is the illness is not what you think. I think Kirkman and writers got a hold of my book Flu 2 and stole the idea of taking a germ from a BSL lab. The Gov did that. It’s all him.

I called the Carol killed them thing. She and that little girl are doing the deeds. My prediction for next week, Rock finds out Carol is not alone. Hershel saves people but gets sick in the process and we find out that Michonne was actually a stay at home mom of a little boy who was snatched from the crib by walkers.

ARMY ED,
Special Weapons and Tactics Advisor to ZBF.com

Not sure where next weeks episode will go....I feel like the plague story arch will draw itself to the break... I think the second half of the season will involve to Gov. It would be interesting if the kill Glenn off to open the story up to new characters. they will keep Carol around because killing her would be too convenient, unless she sacrifices herself to save the sheriff. the next few episodes hopefully bring Tyrese into the fold as a major character and solidify his place in the group.

THOMAS,
VW TECH GUY

I see the team going out for meds having enough for a few, and Herschel gives up his meds for Glenn.

NOTES

FUEL ECONOMY AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

So, we've seen that Hyundai made the right call for having its Hyundai Tucson set center stage in the Zombie Apocalypse.  And we've seen how Dodge has made its presence felt as well, with a Ram and a Charger being featured.  Ford got some action this weekend, too.  All I got to say is keep taking that free promo money, Walking Dead.

But what about fuel economy?  Here's how they stack up:
Hyundai Tucson:  4 cylinder, 2.4L, 21 city, 30 hwy, 25 average
Dodge Ram:  6 cylinder, 3.7L, 14 city, 20 hwy, 16 average
Dodge Charger:  6 cylinder, 3.6L, 18 city, 27 hwy, 21 average
Ford Taurus Wagon:  6 cylinder, 3L, 17 city, 25 hwy, 20 average
Plymouth Voyager:  4 cylinder, 2.4L, 18 city, 24 hwy, 20

So, what this says to me is the Tucson has the best fuel economy of the vehicles for those long trips.

Truth is, they need to find a VW TDI Turbo Diesel Passat or Jetta Wagon.  2L, 4 cylinder Turbo Diesel engine that will get in the 40s on long drives.

THE PLYMOUTH VOYAGER

Daryl and the search team uncovered a Plymouth Voyager on the trip hidden under some leaves.  Cover it back up, ya'll.

A SAD TRUTH IS DISCOVERED BY RICK

We learn in this episode as Carol and Rick are picking fresh tomatoes that Lori was a bad cook.  Specifically, she messed up pancakes.

How do you fuck up pancakes?  Did she not use eggs?  Was there not enough oil in the pan?  Was she not watching the bubbles?  Seriously, WTF?  The instructions are right there on the box.

Maybe she is better off dead.  Imagine her telling everybody she was going to make pancakes for everyone, and Rick is all like, 'Shit, I want to say something,' but then doesn't and everybody all looks at him all embarrassed and mad that he didn't say anything.  Lori has to stand there all dumb wondering what she did wrong.

ALCOHOLISM AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

A social angle takes root in the series so far.  It's alcoholism, and Bob is the dude that is having to deal with his problem, and it has twice affected the folks around him.  The dude was ready to die over a bottle of whiskey. 

But lets face it, folks.  That was a premium bottle of whiskey by the look of it.  However, he should decide there whether he enjoys living, or the drink.  If its the drink, then cut him loose.  I'm surprised they didn't, even after he confessed to starting the ruckus at the grocery store.

I'm not going to front, I drink.  But I've got priorities.

Oh, who am I kidding.  I would have fought a small squad of zombies over that bottle of hooch, too.  I'm drinking some Jim Beam on the rocks as I speak.  Or write.

CAROL'S OFF THE TEAM

At the end of the supply run with Carol, Rick makes the executive decision to cut her from the roster as she's going to be a liability once Tyrese finds out she lit his sick girlfriend on fire to try to contain the outbreak.  She gets the Ford Taurus Wagon as a consolation gift.  As we've established, she could have done worse with the Voyager.

So with Carol riding the rails, will The Governor pick her up on the waiver wire?  Will the Voyager have enough gas to get back the 50+ miles to the prison?  There's my prediction.  We'll see how it plays out next week.

And if you enjoyed the blog, support the blogger by picking up one of his zombie horror titles. 

 Down the Road, Down the Road: On the Last Day, and Down the Road: The Fall of Austin.  Pick them up in paperback or Kindle today.

 

 

BOWIE V. IBARRA earned his BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com today.

FIGHTS: NERD RAGE - Alamo City ComiCon a bush league cash grab

UNPROFESSIONAL SHYSTERS DUPE SOUTH TEXAS NERDS, DORKS, AND GEEKS
by
Bowie Ibarra

 

Take a look at the pic below.  This is the pic of close to a thousand some-odd folks who were turned away at the Alamo City ComiCon 2013.  I was in this line and waited three hours to be told they weren't letting anyone else in.  That also included folks who had bought their tickets because by 4pm that afternoon, they had violated the fire code.

Here's reasons why this con needs to be listed as one of the worst cons for customer service and organization and that came across as a big cash grab with no consideration for the folks that were hoping to attend.  Alfredo 'Apple' DeLaFuente (ACCC Pres), Roger Bustamante (ACCC Vice-Pres.), take note.

 

So, check this out.  Long line?  I get it.  It's a con.  It's been billed as 'The Biggest Pop Culture event' in San Antonio.  I could understand the line.

 

But if these scammers running this organization were professional, they could have 1) Been aware of the numbers of the presale tix, VIP, and such to know how many people they could let in.  Again, by the time I got near the ticket booth, the Fire Marshall had shut the show down because they let too many people into the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center (!).

2)  They could have communicated with the folks waiting hours in line better.  I watched as one lady came out near the ticket booth saying 'We're stopping ticket sales for one hour and not letting anyone else in'.  They did that because they were in violation of the fire code and had to let people leave.  But that was it.  The lady or no other volunteer went down that line that you see above of about 1k+ folks to tell them that fact, so those folks still stood there like idiots.

 

3)  So that's about the time some asshole came out to the front of the line, a representative from the convention, who started telling people we're not letting anybody in and we all could have avoided this had we bought our tickets online.

So this fat piece of shit basically told me, the dudes who had drove in from Midland, and everyone else in line, that it was OUR FAULT for waiting in line and not getting tickets even though I showed up two hours after the door had opened?  He basically came out and spit in our faces with no regard for the folks who had driven in, their families, or other children who also waited in line for this event, who were told they could buy tickets at the door.

Asshole's reply?  Buy your tickets for tomorrow now.

Again, this reply shows that the folks running this debacle had no consideration for the folks like myself who could only attend one day.  And what about the folks who drove in?  Tough shit.  Should have bought online.

What kind of fucking so-called professional organization treats folks like myself who were dumb enough to be ready to shell out $35 bucks for a chance to go into an event to spend even more money?  An organization that could give a shit about the people outside because they already made their money stuffing the small space they had rented (I thought they rented out the whole venue), which then denied people who HAD bought their tickets online from even going in.  That line was just as long.

So the 'should have bought your tickets online' argument doesn't hold water.  They were turned back, too, because organizers weren't concerned about counting the folks that came in but lining their own pockets.  There were enough volunteers with their thumbs up their asses that could have been there to do that.  But its hard to be led and told what needs to be done when their leadership is clueless.  That falls on the two volunteer coordinators, Stephanie Ramos and Robert Moreno, so I can't fault the volunteers for that.

But I'm not the only one.  Here's some gripes from the public Alamo City Comic Con Facebook page:

"For such a big turnout I was disppointed with the lack of volunteers outside directing the lines, no fliers being given out with list of events, more signs, bigger room for celebrity ally, it was all shoved into a small place, not enough concession stands, not enough Atms, Sapd should not have to be given info out....the list can go on. I've been to bigger cons that had their act together. This con has potential but needs better planning. Oh at price change from what is listed on your website not cool. Glad I didn't shell out big bucks for this event."

 

"This was the line of about 1000 people waiting to purchase tickets. The ticket stands were closed at the time but unless you were at the front of the line, you had no clue they were sold out. After this line was another like of about 500 people who had already purchased tickets including pre-orders online. These people (not photographed) were waiting to even get in the building. That line had been waiting at least an hour for more space to clear out. "Very disappointing that even if you had purchased a ticket ahead of time you couldn't go in. Being sold out is one thing, but waiting until you've reached capacity and then saying you won't let honor pre-purchased tickets is another matter."

"Being under-prepared and overwhelmed by the turn-out is one thing. Turning away people who have already purchased tickets is quite another. When you pre-purchase a ticket online there is an agreement with the event holder, and that agreement was broken for many people. If you try to purchase tickets to a sporting event online, they will stop selling them when they've reached capacity. That did not occur here. I believe that next year will be better after this fiasco, but that doesn't do anything for the people who have wasted time and money trying to participate and support this event.""I had a ticket, my 7yr old did not,I too stood in line at 1pm only to be told they were no longer selling tickets. After I had invested 3hrs of my day and a chance pick up a 5hr $100 gig. I couldn't attend because the look in my sons eyes when I told him we wouldn't be able to go in. So I took him to a local pizza place in full Ironman costume. Sad day for this father. Thanks for thinkin this shindig through."

"my opinion: great booths, good celebrities, good panels. BIG lack of organization. If you got cheapish tickets and didn't expect much, you were fine. But if you were VIP and promised things for months that just flat out didn't happen, you become the not so happy camper."


Look, don't get me wrong.  I want this event to succeed.  San Antonio deserves something fun like this to elevate itself from that 'Keep San Antonio Lame' moniker folks have given it.  This con is a fun event that this city needs to contrast against its blue-collar image of folks that only enjoy The Spurs and want to go out and drink every Friday night.

I also don't fault the folks that made it in and had a good time.  It was cool to see so many people having fun inside the venue and hearing about them meeting people and seeing all the fun costumes.

And I don't fault Apple and company for the endeavor.  It's a cash cow, we know, and their probably wiping their asses with all the money they made this weekend off of saps like me.  You sank lots of money into a multi-month slick promo campaign as if you were the next big thing, but ran it more like you were at the pulga off of Highway 90.  C'mon, man.  The whole promo campaign made it look like ya'll had your shit together, but it turned out to be a disorganized disappointment.

And I understand that in the end, my gripe is very much a '1st World Problem'.  It's all like, 'I got turned away at Alamo City ComiCon after waiting in line for three hours on my day off.  Now I have to drive back to my apartment in my new VW Bug with all this money in my pocket.'  Really, when you put it in perspective.

But next year, observe basics like fire code, head counts on pre-sale, head counts day of, and don't be afraid to let the people in line know what's going on instead of making them wait like dumb asses.  Show some respect to the people who are about to line your pockets.

But this con really needs to start planning for next year and clean up their act, and it starts with ACCC PR guy Fred Hernandez issuing some sort of statement acknowledging their mistakes and oversights and pledging to make it up to the thousand some-odd folks who were looking forward to the event, drove in from all around, and were ultimately treated like shit by their staff.

That is, if these folks haven't already hit the rails and we'll never hear from them again.

BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press.  He has written three superhero-inspired books, 'Codename: La Lechusa', 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull', and 'Room 26 and the Army of Xulhutdul', which takes place in San Antonio, Texas.  His most recent title, 'Alamo Rising', is the story of an ancient curse unleashed on downtown San Antonio, Texas.  It is available in Kindle or paperback from Amazon.com today.

 

Bowie Ibarra earned a BFA in Acting and a Masters in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

 

FIGHTS: Review - 'The Shadow' Vol. 2: Revolution TPB

MIDDLE STORY ARC, FEATURED VILLAIN, BOOKENDS FEATURED
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

The 2nd trade paperback of issues 7-12 of 'The Shadow' comic series from Dynamite Comics has been out for a little while now.  The trade is available, featuring two bookend 'one shot' stories, and a middle story arc featuring a new nemesis for The Shadow:  The Black Sparrow.

Here's the lowdown.

The first bookend story features a confrontation with an renegade drug dealer who trained at the same mysterious temple as The Shadow.

The middle extended story arc finds The Shadow thrust into the middle of the Spanish Civil War, meeting the real-life George Orwell.  He also makes a new nemesis in Major Esmeralda Aguilar, military intelligence officer who has an alter ego:  The Black Sparrow!  Sparrow is allied with El Rey, a ruthless military leader who wants his cut of the war.

The final bookend is a story of The Shadow doing what he does best:  Fighting crime!

Even though the TPB did not have an extended story arc like the first one, the stories were still good.  The middle story is worth the price of the book, and reminded me of the old Indiana Jones Chronicles in which Indy met true historical figures. 

The first story is illustrated very well by Jack Herbert.  The Spanish Civil War story by Aaron Campbell.  The final story by Giovanni Timpano.  Their styles are very distinctive, but all of them were great.

The TPB also includes all the variant covers by the likes of Alex Ross, Sean Chen, Francesco Francavilla, Tim Bradstreet, Jack Herbert, Micheal Golden, John Cassidy, Darwin Cooke, and Mike Mayhew.

I enjoyed knowing I was reading about the origins of a new nemesis in Black Sparrow.  As per any male/female dynamic, the affection and relationship angle is always fun.  It's also a great set up for the limited run 'Noir' series from Dynamite, in which Black Sparrow returns.

All in all, it was a fun read.  Again, I'm no The Shadow historian by any means, but I'm enjoying the reboot of the legendary crime fighter with the Dynamite Comics team.

And if you like comic-style superheroes, you need to give the ZombieBloodFights.com superheroes a chance.  Codename: La Lechusa, Room 26 and the Army of Xulhutdul, and Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull.  Get a copy today via paperback or kindle today.

 

 

Bowie V. Ibarra (1975- present) was born and raised in Uvalde, Texas, to a school principal and a book keeper. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and a Master of Arts in Theatre History.

Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

BLOOD: Review - 'The Shadow: Fires of Creation' TPB scores

LEGENDARY PULP ICON RETURNS IN DYNAMITE TITLE
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

I'm not going to sit here and tell you I'm the end-all be-all of 'The Shadow' knowledge.  Truth is I was drawn in by the cover of one of their most recent issues featuring his pursuit of another vigilante called 'The Light'.  I really enjoyed that story arc and decided that since the comics weren't in that deep yet that I'd catch up with the trade paperbacks of the series.  The TPB for the first six issues of 'The Shadow' rebirth through Dynamite Comics was already available and I picked it up.  I'm glad I did.  I had already enjoyed TPBs from Dynamite that include The Spider and Masks, so I felt I couldn't lose with this one.

Briefly, (and if I got this wrong, let me know), in this comic story told by the noted comic writer Garth Ennis, The Shadow is the altar ego of a rich socialite named Lamont Cranston, who once led a life by the name of Kent Allard on the Shanghai waterfront, forming a little piece of the criminal pie of the city.  But its intimated that after a few years, Allard disappeared.  Years later, a bizarre purge of the criminal underworld of Shanghai occurred, with the big time crooks being massacred effectively and en masse.  A survivor claims to have seen a dude named Lamont Cranston years later in New York and found the same trail of dead when he was around.  The survivor claims Allard went off to a place in the Himalayas to be trained and purged of his sins to be sent out to the world to be a scourge against evil.

In this book, Cranston is recruited to return to the far east to fight against a sinister plot by Imperial Japan during the 1930s to develop a 'Death Ray'.  It's was an exciting read that I enjoyed.

Garth Ennis is a gritty writer known for his 'The Boys' and 'Jennifer Blood' series from Dynamite, as well as work on 'Preacher' and 'Punisher' comics from DC Vertigo and Marvel.  Having had experience with vigilante types before, Ennis brings a gritty historical drama to the page as Cranston tries to beat the antagonists to the minerals that will help create the death ray.

Alex Ross, the super-popular and brilliant comic artist, brings his talents to the covers of the books, while Aaron Campbell takes care of the interior to illustrate Ennis' brutal story.

The fun of a TPB also comes in all the extras.  Even though I missed all the comics, the book includes every alternate cover in a gallery in the back.  It also includes sketches and the first script of the comic for the illustrator.

All I know is I might be a 'noob' when it comes to 'The Shadow' adventures and history, but I'm certainly not going anywhere.  I loved it! 

With 'The Shadow' being one of the original inspirations for some of the most popular superheroes around today including Batman, it certainly meets my broad appreciation for comic book history.  And it definitely meets my standard for ruthless superhero and defender of good at all cost.  'The Shadow' comic book series from Dynamite Comics fills my need for a great crime-fighting action/adventure story, and I look forward to more.

And, yes, I've already put together a pretty sweet 'The Shadow' costume.

'The weed of crime bears bitter fruit.  Crime does not pay.  The Shadow knows!'

The TPB of 'The Shadow: Fires of Creation' is ZombieBloodFights.com approved, and highly recommended for new readers.

And if you like superhero stories, check out these south Texas superhero stories as well from ZombieBloodFights.com.   Codename: La Lechusa, Room 26 and the Army of Xulhutdul, and Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull.  Get a copy today via paperback or kindle today.

 

 

Bowie V. Ibarra (1975- present) was born and raised in Uvalde, Texas, to a school principal and a book keeper. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and a Master of Arts in Theatre History.

Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

FIGHTS: REVIEW - 'Masks' solid superhero entry from Dynamite Comics

NINE-SUPERHERO CROSSOVER, STANDING UP TO GOVERNMENT OPPRESSION HIGHLIGHT TPB
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

 

Dynamite Comics does it again.  With the licenses of some of the most classic pulp superheroes, 'Masks' puts together an epic team of masked crime fighters ever to be committed  to the page.  This time, these outstanding alliance stand up to a bizarre new tyranny sweeping New York City.

 

THE SUPERTEAM

 

The masked superheroes featured in this story are outstanding.  Check out the line up of this

crime-fighting dream team:

 

The Shadow and his assets

The Spider and his team

Green Hornet and Kato

A descendent of Zorro, who takes on his family mantle for the common good

Miss Fury

The Black Bat

The Green Lama

The Black Terror

THE PLOT

 

The story takes place in 1938, when these legendary superheroes ran their old school game.  They run into a problem when the 'Justice Party' takes over New York city, putting mobsters in power to run roughshod over the city.  When the tyranny becomes to obvious to ignore, the superheroes come together to fight the power.

 

THE REVIEW

 

The story was immensely enjoyable, with the always-inspirational 'fight the power' theme taking the reader through the story.  I expected a lot of action, and the story delivered. 

 

The art was exceptional, especially with Alex Ross doing the covers and the entire first issue.  Afterwards, Dennis Calero took the reigns and did a good job as well.

 

The trade paperback has all of Ross' covers, sketches, the script for the first issue, and other great pieces of 'bonus material'.

 

I found the story particularly inspirational, as it seemed to reflect the current state and federal government attitude towards its people:  Cruel and tyrannical.  The collection of taxes by force, the corruption inherent in the system, criminals in charge of the government.  The need for the people to band together and fight the power they've voted in.  Hell, to pay attention to the political process to prevent it from happening.  That's makes for a pretty good morality tale.

 

'Masks' is yet another outstanding superhero story from Dynamite, who are honoring the traditions and legends from the past with their stories.  If you like great action, a fun story, and excellent artwork, pick up this trade paperback today.

 

And if you like superhero stories, check out the superhero titles from ZombieBloodFights.com:  Codename: La Lechusa, Room 26 and the Army of Xulhutdul, and Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull.  Get a copy today via paperback or kindle today.

 

 

Bowie V. Ibarra (1975- present) was born and raised in Uvalde, Texas, to a school principal and a book keeper. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and a Master of Arts in Theatre History.

Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.



FIGHTS/BLOOD - REVIEW: 'Kick-Ass 2' filled with action, fights, and blood

FUN STORY, RELATABLE THEMES, AND COLORFUL HEROES AND VILLAINS MARK THE 2ND MOVIE ENTRY
By
Bowie V. Ibarra

 



I bought a ticket for 'Kick Ass 2' expecting the good-times and action I enjoyed from the first one.  What I got was the same in spades!  Check it out. 

In short, Hit Girl gets Kick Ass motivated to fight crime again before she cashes out due to a promise she made to her deceased father.  A recharged Kick-Ass ends up joining a stable of superheroes who go out and help the community and fight crime that's lead by an ex-mob heavy named Colonel Stars and Stripes.  In doing so, they attract the attention of former ally turned super-villain, Red Mist, who has taken on the new persona, Mother Fucker.  Using his family's money and a hilarious origin scene involving his mother, he recruits some of the dirtiest criminals around to get his revenge on Kick-Ass for killing his father.

And the zany hijinx begin.

I thought the movie was enjoyable.  We get a little character growth in Hit Girl.  She is prompted by her guardian, Det. Marcus Williams, to try and assimilate herself into high school culture and cut the Hit Girl act in spite of being literally haunted by the specter of her father in the form of his suit, which is prominently displayed in her lair throughout the movie.  It turns out she shows up the 'high school' popular set and is put in her place by her so-called friends.  It's also an interesting statement about the behavior of the so-called 'popular' people in western culture in the new millennium, a variation on a theme of the 'bad girls' from decades before.

Mother Fucker, played by the eternally youthful Chris Mintz-Plasse, is obnoxious, but hilarious.  His 'butler', a surprise appearance by John Leguazamo, is a great voice of reason for Mother Fucker.  He puts in a solid performance and acts as a good balance to MF.  There's a funny scene where he calls MF out on his 'racist stereotypes' when he recruits criminals to his army.

Hit Girl brings some depth in her struggle to honor her father's memory, but deal with those adolescent special feelings when exposed to pop stars and peer pressure from the bad girls.  And when she finds that balance of maturity and self-identity, its pretty hilarious how she gets her revenge on the 'bad girls'.

Jim Carrey's 'Colonel Stars and Stripes' is also very good.  He's a stern born-again who takes on the masked super hero persona to get a little measure of revenge against the people he used to work for when he was a mob enforcer. 

Kick-Ass had inspired many others to become super heroes and help out in the community, and they turn out to be helpful allies in the battle against Mother Fucker.  A couple takes on the super hero mantle in their tireless search for their missing son.  There's even a gay superhero that is played with respect, which is great to see.

The finish is also pretty hilarious.  Stay 'til the very end is all I'm saying.

All in all, it was a really enjoyable movie, with relatable themes like dealing with the challenges of adolescence, redemption, courage, helping out in your community, and the love of a father. 

I'm not sure what people were expecting when they went to see this movie and thought it was lame.  I had a good time, and highly recommend it to people who enjoy superhero movies, humor, and action/adventure. 

Seriously, who doesn't enjoy that?
And if that's the kind of movie you'd like, you should definitely look into 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull'.  It's a south Texas-themed Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'.  The hero, Tejano Star, finds himself in dilemma when south Texas is hit by a plague of zombies. 

Check it out today in kindle or paperback.

 

BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster.  He earned a BFA in Acting and an MA in Theatre history from Texas State University.

 

Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com..

ZOMBIES: Dynamite Comics brings back 'The Spider'

A 1930's ERA PULP CRIME FIGHTER REBORN,
FIGHTS ZOMBIE QUEEN
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

Dynamite Comics has been digging through the old relics of comic book/pulp fiction's past to bring some old properties to the new era.  With such big names as The Phantom, The Green Hornet, and The Shadow returning to shelves, its The Spider that comes across as a 'rip-off' of the Marvel title.  But that's far from the truth.  And thought I judged it at first glance, I decided to give the series a chance when I saw one of the first supervillains he was fighting was 'The Zombie Queen'.

Zombies, you say?  Count me in.

The character shares some similar costume designs as the Peter Parker 'Spider Man', but its really Spider-Man that borrows from this 1930s classic.  But the cape design and spider emblem is where the similarities end.

The gritty vigilante crime-fighter 'The Spider' is actually Richard Wentworth.  Like the original title, Wentworth is a modern war hero who returns to his hometown to fight crime as a 'freelance advisor' to the cops for the cities more 'bizarre crimes'.

Like all good superheroes, he's got allies.  Ram Singh is a lawyer who knows his secret identity, but is a valuable resource for his intelligence and fighting skill.  He's got a scientist on his team named Ezra Brownlee as well, who works at the university.

But even some of his friends run the line between ally and adversary.  The police commissioner, Stan Kirkpatrick, thinks Wentworth is The Spider but can't prove it.  There's also a love interest named Nita, yet more names straight from the classic stories, who is engaged to one of his friends.  The Spider knows it has to be that way to protect her.

At any rate, the first story arc for the series featured a madwoman named Anput, who uses an Egyptian villain gimmick with a male buddy of hers to attack the city with a poison gas.  The Spider suspects the gas might have been a project his rich father had bankrolled.  So its up to the spider to find the answers.

Noted author David Liss writes the stories, and Colton Worley provides an amazing palette of illustrations for the series.  The story is top notch, and has plenty of people affected (not infected) by the 'zombie gas' that The Spider has to decide if there's a cure for it.  Since its gas released and spread, thousands are affected before the stories end.

And how does it end, you ask?  You need to pick up the trade paperback and see for yourself.  The trade contains the full story arc and the beginning of a second arc that continues to build up the Spider Team as they face yet another villain threatening the city.

'The Spider' is a great tribute to its origins, and an outstanding series that should not be missed.  I was not disappointed in the least.  Great art, great story, great covers.  If the first story arc and art are any indication, 'The Spider' has some serious set of legs to take it into the future.

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BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster.  His latest story, 'Room 26 and the Army of Xulhutdul' is the story of a young woman who is granted superpowers while being assigned to oversee a museum in San Antonio, Texas, that holds great secrets.  The book is now available in paperback and Kindle here.

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You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories and check out his book trailers at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

FIGHTS: Multimedia inspirations for 'Room 26 and the Army of Xulhutdul'

 

NOTED ZOMBIE AUTHOR TACKLES A SECOND TEXAS SUPERHERO STORY

by

BOWIE V. IBARRA

 

When I wrote my first superhero story, Codename: La Lechusa, I didn't realize how much fun it was to write that kind of story.

 

That's why when I was exploring a local museum with my daughter several years ago, and her imagination took flight with all the mysterious possibilities about the abstract art all around the McNay Museum here in San Antonio, Texas, I was immediately pulled in to the concept of what was to become 'Room 26 and the Army of Xulhutdul'.

She shared names, ideas, and concepts that were beautiful and fun.  She found works of art and sculptures that brought other images and themes to the book in my head.  Before the day was done, I had jotted down enough notes to put together an outline.  And the rest is history.

 

Below are some video clips of some of the things that inspired the story.  Below are two segments from two local morning shows, putting the McNay Museum (which becomes the McNulty Museum in the book) on display.

 

Here's the other segment.

 

 Since my youth, being a fan of Indiana Jones, I absorbed all the information I could about archeology.  Ancient cities, civilizations, and other archeological mysteries have always fascinated me.  That's why when I came up with the concept for the story, the 'Costa Rican Sphere's' were a perfect 'MacGuffin'.  Naturally, I took some artistic license with the history and placement of the spheres, and applied more mystery to them.  But I also provided a reason for it.  You'll have to read the book for more.

 

 

 Some people believe we've found all we can find in the world.  That's far from the truth.  The protagonist in "Room 26", Jackalyn White, discovers clues that take her on a journey to find a hidden city.  No hidden cities remaining in the world, you say?  Check this out.

 

 As I began to conceptualize the story, I noticed a new TV show taking to the airwaves.  As I watched it for the first time after having constructed my outline, I realized 'Room 26' shared some of its same themes.  That show was the short-lived 'Warehouse 13'.

 

Similar, but different.

 

 

 As I thought about it, feeling like people might think I ripped off the show, the idea was really nothing new.  A variation on a theme of cursed objects.  Take 'Friday the 13th: The Series', for example.  The concepts the same.  The execution much different.

 

 

 'Room 26' even shares some of the same themes as the low-budget feature film, "The Librarian: Search for the Spear".

 

 

 

So 'Room 26 and the Army of Xulhutdul' might share some of these same themes and concepts, but its an entirely different story to tell.  A great story that I'm confident people will still enjoy.  It has themes that are universal like family love, greed and envy, helping loved ones with personal demons, growth and maturity, even sacrifice.  There are even some magical characters as well.  And it has a great through-line from start to finish.  Characters grow.  Good takes on evil.  It's a lot of fun.

Check out the start to the story here, then pick up your copy here in paperback or Kindle today.

 

I promise you, you will enjoy it.

 

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BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster.  One of his earliest superhero stories, 'Codename: La Lechusa', is a Tex-Mexploitation story of a single mother who works during the day, but is a superspy by night.  It is currently available in Kindle form.

 

Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

 

 

ZOMBIES: 'Arrow in the Doorpost' Walking Dead Notes

by Bowie Ibarra

 

 

Tensions were high in 'Arrow in the Doorpost'.  Here are some notes from ZombieBloodFights.com.

 

GOVERNOR AND RICK FACE-OFF

 

--  Rick, Daryl, and Herschel are part of a convoy to meet the Governor.

 

-- Great opening shot overhead of the silos where the Prison/Woodbury Peace Summit would take place.  Great shots throughout, creating great, bordering on arthouse-style pictures throughout.

 

--  Rick finds the shed where the Governor is waiting to broker a deal.  Rick puts his piece away, but the Governor has an ace in the hole taped to the side of the table.

 

--  Andrea shows up with Milton and Marquez.  She claims to have negotiated the peace talks.  She is quickly dismissed by the Governor, showing no respect to Andrea.

 

--  Rick suggests boundaries for co-existence, Governor doesn't want any of it.

 

--  Governor says he'll lay off if Rick sells out Michone.  He gives him two days to decide.

 

MARQUEZ AND DARYL, HERSCHEL AND MILTON

 

--  The muscle of both teams, Marquez and Daryl, flex their muscles putting down zeds.  Both know they're going to throw down eventually in spite of the diplomatic theatrics from their leaders.  But they respect their leaders enough to stay on their leashes.

 

--  Herschel and Milton have a moment together and bond over Herschel's cut off leg.

 

--  Herschel subtly reveals to Andrea the threat of rape the Governor posed to Maggie.  He also says she is still welcome with the prison crew.

 

PRISON GEARS UP

 

--  With all the weapons brought from Morgan and throughout their adventures, the team gears up.

 

--  Merle thinks they should jump the Governor at the meeting site, its the best opportunity to finish it.  Glenn shoots down the idea.

 

--  Merle takes the initiative and tries to gear up and make a run on the Governor, but Glenn stops him with physical force.

 

--  Merle tries to recruit Michone to go jump the Governor, but she turns him down, too.

 

RICK AND THE GOVERNOR'S RETURN

 

--  Rick weighs the options of selling out Michone by asking Herschel's thoughts.  Herschel says Michone has earned her place and is a big part of why their still alive and Glen and Maggie are safe.

 

-- The Governor says whether Rick brings in Michone or not, they're going on the offensive to crush the prison folks.

 

It's a great episode and lead up to next week.  We'll see how it plays out.  Join us later this week for the next 'Wild Speculation' as well.

 

If you enjoyed the blog, please consider offering support by purchasing one of the ZombieBloodFights.com titles from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster in paperback and kindle here.

 

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BOWIE IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster.  His latest zombie story, The Fall of Austin, tells the story of military, police, convicts, and citizens of the Texas capitol as they deal with the zpoc.  It is available in Kindle and Paperback.

Enjoy the blog?  Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.

Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.

Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20

Follow Bowie's Facebook page.

You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories and check out his book trailers at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.