Ides of Blood #3 Podcast

Those fine gentlemen at Wildstorm Addiction have posted another podcast where they review issue 3 and tell you why you would be a fool not to be reading Ides of Blood.

http://www.wildstormaddiction.com/2010/10/wildstorm-addiction-podcast-episode-18/

Ides of Blood #3 Review

Gotta say, Mr. Soliz is quickly becoming one of my favorite people...

http://www.wildstormaddiction.com/2010/10/ides-of-blood-3/

Posted on October 24, 2010 by Joe David Soliz

 

 

“Fangs, Romans, Countrymen” (No Spoilers)
Writer: Stuart C. Paul
Pencils: Christian Duce
Colors: Christian Duce
Letters: Johnny Lowe
Assistant Editor: Kristy Quinn
Editor: Shannon Eric Denton & Scott Peterson
Cover: Michael Geiger
 
This comic is kicking major @$$!!! It’s so refreshing to be reading a creator-owned work that this hitting it on all cylinders!

One thing I instantly appreciated about this issue is that I was able to finally grasp which characters were present and what their names were. Don’t misunderstand; this was not by Stuart Paul’s error in earlier issues at all. It’s just that this is such a dense comic I was getting lost with all the characters presented. Plus the fact that some of the Roman names of people and places are hard to pronounce here. But Paul does a great job of allowing us to recognize each of the characters and their roles now. For example, Anthony, the former friend of our main character Valen’s shows how truly brutal he can be. The opening scene between Anthony and Valen’s was highly cringe-inducing.





Remember how I’ve described this as Gladiator with vampires? Well, Stuart Paul is taking that premise and had so much fun with it in this issue. Imagine the scene with Russell Crowe in Gladiator where he first fights in a match and the colorful characters he’s matched up against. Now imagine those opponents are monstrous that are super strong and super fast. That’s the setting for the awesome battle Valens has during the course of this issue. Artist Christian Duce does an incredible job of illustrating some of these creatures and making an extremely action-packed and intense confrontation.




Stuart Paul has also done an excellent job of creating great dialogue and this issue is no exception. I did notice that Paul had more fun with the dialogue this issue. It seems as if he’s getting more comfortable in telling this story and how each character delivers their lines. The great dialogue mixed with amazing action made this one of the most fun reads I’ve picked up.

Even though the news of Wildstorm shutting down is sad, it’s great to see such a superb comic being one of the last to be printed under the imprint. Both Stuart Paul and Christian Duce are going to be sought after creators from here on out. And for those of you who are not checking out Ides of Blood now, you will be when these two guys make names for themselves. Mark my words!

9 out of 10 (Excellent!)

Ides of Blood #3 in stores today

I know, it's been a long month.  You've been checking off the days on your calendar, anxiously awaiting the release of issue 3.  You slumber fitfully, visions of vampire sugar plum fairies dancing in your head.  Upon awaking, you run into the living room.  Your heart plunges as you see the cookies and milk you left out for Caesar Claus are untouched. 

With every moping step you take, the spirit of Christmas dies a little bit more.  By and by, you notice a wetness soaking into the fabric of your footie pajamas.  You look down to discover Caesar Claus has left you a gift: your parents desanguinated corpses under the Tree. 

Before you can scream, you spy something hanging over the fireplace--an issue of Ides of Blood #3 curled up in your stocking.  Your eyes fill with the spirit of Christmas and you reach for the comic, anxious to learn what has become of Valens since being captured by Antony at the end of the last issue. 

Alas, you will never learn, for your parents have become vampires and they kill you and drink your blood.

The moral of the story: don't wait two months to buy Ides of Blood #3 or your parents will become vampires and murder you.  Buy it TODAY!

Ides of Blood #3 Preview

Here are a few teaser pages for Ides of Blood #3, in stores October 20.  It is my pleasure to introduce you to the esteemed Mr. Duce, not only a brilliant line artist but our new colorist for the remainder of the series.  

As the below pages indicate, in this issue, the ass-kicking to dialogue ratio in issue 3 falls heavily on the side of ass-kicking.

Un-cuting the pouty emo-ness of vampires!

Here's a new review of Ides of Blood #1 and #2 plus an interview.

http://lostinreviews.com/2010/10/ides-of-blood-1-2/

Ides of Blood #2 Podcast Review

A very gratifying review from the Wildstorm Addiction guys.  There was a bit of confusion regarding a few characters.  I'd hoped to rectify it in the lettering by having characters address one another by name, but simply did not have the opportunity to do so before the issue went to press.  I hope to fix it for the TPB.

I particularly appreciate them defending Valens's violence against women.  For the record, Valens slapping Octavia juxtaposed with Antony performing the same action reflects how Valens has lowered himself to Antony's level.  Sometimes when you're a vampyre who's been framed for the murder of your boss in Ancient Rome and your ex-girlfriend calls you nasty names, you do politically incorrect things.

Plus the ho was asking for it.

http://www.wildstormaddiction.com/2010/09/wildstorm-addiction-podcast-episode-15/

Orange County Ides of Blood Signing

A quick reminder that in a mere thirteen and one half hours, I shall be appearing, either holographically or in person, at Hi De Ho Comics in Laguna Beach to sign copies of Ides of Blood #1 and #2.


Saturday October 2nd at 2:00
Hi De Ho Comics
350 Broadway Street
Laguna Beach, CA 92651


Something about tacos.