World Comic Book Review

19th March 2024

Alien3 #1-2

Alien3 #1-2 Dark Horse Comics, November- December 2018 Writer: William Gibson A few months ago, we became so excited about the prospect of William Gibson’s “lost” (or at least, neglected) script for the third Alien movie being turned into a comic that we did not wait to write a review. Here is that belated critique. … Read more

William Gibson’s Aliens 3 script to be published as a comic by Dark Horse

aliens 3 script

William Gibson is well-known as the godfather of the science fiction cyberpunk movement, principally as a consequence of the global success of his novel Neuromancer (1984). We have written about one of Mr Gibson’s recent foray into comics, and Mr Gibson embarks again into the medium with the comic book adaption of his script for … Read more

B.P.R.D.: The Devil You Know #1 (Review)

B.P.R.D.: The Devil You Know #1 Dark Horse Comics, July 2017 Writers: Mike Mignola, Scott Allie “B.P.R.D.: The Devil You Know” #1 is the start of a new comic book series from American publisher Dark Horse Comics. It focuses on a fictional government organisation called the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. The BPRD, as … Read more

Cryptocracy #1 (Review)

Cryptocracy #1
Dark Horse Comics, June, 2016
Writer: Van Jensen

American publisher Dark Horse Comics’ “Cryptocracy” tackles the concept of shadow governments through a story about the so-called “Nine Families”. This group have, since time immemorial, watched from the shadows and manipulated major historical events from behind the scenes. The Nine Families saw themselves as shepherds of humankind, halting or accelerating civilization’s progress as they see fit. (For those familiar with Brian Azzarello’s “100 Bullets” (Vertigo Comics, 1999-2009), the concept evokes The Trust, a group of thirteen families who essentially control the United States.)

The first issue is spent mostly on world-building, introducing the hierarchy and power structure of the world within the comic through an “onion” model; the outermost layer being the 7+ billion humans on Earth, and the core consisting of the Elders and Priests of the Nine Families. Between them are various categorizations ranging from rank and file agents to high ranking, senior members of the families.

Read more