Review: VERTIGO FALL 2015 PREVIEW

Don’t call it a comeback!  As reported during San Diego Comic-Con 2015, starting in October Vertigo will launch 12 new series over 12 consecutive weeks.  As a primer, the Fall 2015 Preview will be available free in comic stores and digitally on September 23rd.

I got a sneak peak at the preview, so let’s take a look at what we can expect from one of the original innovators in comics.

What I Liked

The Twilight Children – Darwyn Cooke has a very clean art style, very reminiscent of Bruce Timm.  Cooke’s contribution is what will initially count me as a subscriber.  The six-page preview covers the synopsis of a mysterious orb that is discovered on a Latin American shore, along with a flirtatious woman, her husband, and lover.  That has all the ingredients for a spicy story.

UnFollow – The premise appeals to me the most out of the 12 launching comics.  As a heavy social media user, the thought of a person’s followers fighting over his fortune is ripe with potential.  Add in writer Rob Williams (current writer of Martian Manhunter), Mike Dowling’s art (similar to Frank Quitely), and lettering that stood out in a good way, and this could be a sleeper hit.

Lucifer – Can’t go wrong with Lee Garbett art.  Plus there will be a spotlight on this leading up to the new FOX television series.

Clean Room – This could be okay.  A reporter going undercover to expose a cult tied to celebrities, which leads to the Clean Room, where a person’s innermost secrets are exposed to be used against them.

Art Ops – Michael Allred is a superstar artist, so anything he works on warrants attention.

The Sheriff of Babylon – The creative team of Tom King and Mitch Gerads is all I need to know.

New Romancer – A 12-issue limited series taking place in Silicon Valley, tech and apps, and youthful art by Brett Parson.  A coder working at an Internet dating app with no luck at dating, writes an algorithm of her perfect mate, and that mate coming to life.  Oh, and that mate is based off of notorious lover, Lord Byron.

What I Didn’t Like

Survivor’s Club – I’m not a big fan of all-things horror.  That includes movies, TV, and comics.

Red Thorn – It sounds very similar to The Wicked + The Divine.  Which is fitting, since Kieron Gillen writes a quote for Red Thorn.

Stradding The Middle

This is for the series I couldn’t get a good feel for from the preview.  I will either need to see more preview pages, or read some creator interviews to get a better sense of if the comics will be for me or not.

Jacked – It has potential as a six-issue limited series.  Preview art is psychedelic.

Last Gang In Town – Heist movies are always fun, so a comic book with a heist-theme could catch same lightning in a bottle.

Slash & Burn – The tale of a pyromaniac working as a firefighter seems ho-hum so far.  I need to see more to get my interest up.

This review is written in partnership with Pop Culture Network.  They can be found at their website http://www.popculturenetwork.com/

#ComicBookChronicles @CBChron founder. Editor-in-Chief of @thekliqnation. Comic book reviewer, podcaster #RABBLERABBLE