Image Round-Up - November 20th 2013

The Image Round Up column aims to get some words down on Image Comics book published for the week. This weeks reviews are handled by William Tournas and Hansel Moreno. They'll be dropping non-spoilery reviews the day before the books are available so you can best make up your mind on what to buy tomorrow. We offer this service because Image has been putting out some amazing content lately and it will be nice to shine a light on every single title they produce. This week our intrepid team looks at Sex Criminals #3 and Sheltered #5.

This week the team decided Sex Criminals #3  is the Book and Cover of the week! Read William's preview for more info!


The reviews are graded according to the following scale:

Must Read. -- Do not miss this hot piece of comic action!
Buy It. -- For memories sake.
Check It. -- This is a toss up. Up to you really.
Byrne It. (skim it on the rack). -- Look at it but don't leave with it.
Avoid It. -- Steer clear.

SEX CRIMINALS #2

Written by Matt Fraction
Art by Chip Zdarksy

William Tournas: This series continues to move forward in leaps an bounds. Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarksy have crafted an amazingly honest and genuine series about sex and sexual awakening. A coming of age story that also involves the ability to freeze time post-orgasm.

Issue #3 continues the structure it's used in the previous two issues of showing a little bit of the 'Criminal' part of our Sex Criminals, before moving back to the past with our protagonists budding romance. It's a mixture of narration from both our leads as well the continual breaking of the fourth wall.

Fraction has made this series playful and charming, all while being frank and honest about sex. The stories from our leads history are absolutely believable and make Suzie and Jon seem like real people. His writing works in tandem with Zdarksy's panels as the everything seems to flow as if created by one person. Zdarksy's art is breathtakingly gorgeous with great line work, amazing attention to details, and beautiful colours.

The only bad thing I can say about this book is that i'm going to wait another month for the next issue.

Verdict: Must Read

Sheltered #5

Written, Co-Created and Lettered by Ed Brisson
Illustrated and Co-Created by Johnnie Christmas
Colored by Shari Chankhamma

Hansel Moreno: The survivor community in Sheltered continues to fracture. Lucas' hunger for control has caused him to make a few mistakes and his hold is slipping. Slowly and timidly a few people are starting to question Lucas' intentions. 

Ed Brisson finds new and horrible ways to increase the tension in each issue. The end result is that I perch on the very edge of my seat holding the issues of Sheltered like they are time bombs.

This is mostly due to the amazing work by Johnnie Christmas and Shari Chankhamma. Johnnie continues to create beautiful scenery framing Lucas as a savior and martyr only to show him as a vicious, power hungry brute a few panels later. This duality in Lucas is heading to a breaking point soon and god help all those involved when it happens. Shari's colors make anything look amazing. There is a pool of bog blood that just looks outstanding, not an easy thing to accomplish. 

Sheltered has catapulted to one of my favorite Image titles, I cannot wait to see what happens next.

Verdict: Must Read

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