#red5comics

Your Heroes Letting You Down? … Put ‘em Down!


If you like your superheroes horrific and bombastic, get behind the campaign for CULT HEROES by Raymond Estrada, artist of @red5comics title The Box. Aimed at mature readers, CULT HEROES is a horror comic with style and flash.


From the Kickstarter: “The skies are crowded with people in capes. A mysterious disfigured self proclaimed “Hero”: a Cult Hero! sets on a murderous path alongside Razor Blade Mary, “The Holy Mother of Blades,“ to make room up above. Their bloody pile of caped crusaders leads to an aimless young gifted, Jamie, daughter of a long retired hero next to face his bloody penance. This is Cult Heroes. No Heroes. Just Villains.”


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/raymondestrada/cult-heroes-issues-1-2?ref=profile_saved_projects_live

Afterburn #3 Red 5 Comics #3 Created & Written by Scott Chitwood Illustrated by Rod Thornton Coloured by Sean Lee Lettered by Dave Lanphear of A Larger World Studio     Desperate to save his friends, Jake commandeers a train and races towards Rome with the help of former rival Galeno. With mutant soldiers and Hidinger's team hot on his heels, Jake fears he may be too late. Little does he know that his friends have already been captured by Castillo, a mysterious mutant leader with ties to Drea's past.     God how I am fan of this series. There is just something about an apocalyptic world with mutated humans that brings a huge smile to my face. Of course the whole world isn't like this but that's okay the ruined part of the world is where the action is at. Also all those relics folks are willing to pay the big bucks to have recovered to either keep them for selfish reasons or to exemplify that they have power of some sort. Jake however doesn't care what their reasons are so long as the money's good as his fate is somewhat already written. Though if their current employer isn't lying and he brings them in instead of Hidinger that fate may be rewritten.     That Scott is able to take this to a level that it's at and with so many layers within the story is amazing to see. The way this is structured is so nicely done. The pacing is strong and how the story & plot development and character development manage to weave in, out and around each other is well done. The way that we see events unfold is great and to find out how Drea knows Castillo that's just an added bonus to everything else. With as much stuff that is going on here you would almost think it was omni-shambles but it's far from that as can be. It has this crazy rhythm to it that just works.     I love the characterisation here as well. No one is left out in how they come across so that we see the same treatment to team and their adversaries alike means we get to find those characters we like, we love to hate and those we definitely want to see more of. I may never have been a fan of the Pope but this one is beyond crazy and infected so yeah I am kind of fascinated by him.     By the nine circles of hell are these interiors so exceptionally well done. Alright so while I don't know what is by hand or computer generated all I do know is that things like the train or the inside the Vatican City Cathedral, heck even the Chinook or whatever type of Helicopter that is are amazingly well rendered in their attention to detail. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective show a sensational eye for storytelling. The colour work is fantastic as well and the way that we see light sources utilised to create shading and shadows is so strongly represented. The night time darkness really does manage to create just the right mood, tone and feel needed for this part of the adventure.     I will say that things in the book have to unfold the way the do. This is how to get the maximum impact as well as extend things into the next book. Besides it does help with the characterisation as well since what we see has this supposed to have a profound effect on the characters. It certainly does have one on me and that last page certainly gives that cliffhanger style ending though in a most non-traditional way. Though while I have my suspicions as to who was eliminated from the race on this leg of journey I do wish that were a little more clear. ​     With the setting and the premise behind the motives what we see here is so much more fun, interesting and exhilarating than any other action/adventure thriller than I have seen in quite some time.

Afterburn Crossfire #2 Red 5 Comics 2019 Created & Written by Scott Chitwood Illustrated by Ron Thornton Coloured by Sean Lee Lettered by A Larger World Studios’ Dave Lanphear     With a list of desired treasures in hand, Jake and his team race into danger to recover their prizes. Their first target is the Lance of Longinus in Vienna, Austria, which is rapidly being consumed by a massive fire. The spearhead was believed to have pierced the side of Christ during his crucifixion. As fire destroys the museum holding the spearhead, Jake and his friends face off with his long-time rival Hidiger. And if that wasn’t enough, they face hostile mutants who will stop at nothing to prevent them from retrieving the holy relic. But Drea is distracted from her mission when she encounters the unexpected—a mutant soldier who knows her.     I love this series and I hope that from here on out Scott is going to be bringing us arcs on a regular basis. This world that we get to explore where Europe is in ruins and filled with Mutants while the America’s are untouched so they are thinking they are the superior force in this new world. However to be recognised as such certain factors require certain objects, relics, that only people like Jake and his crew can acquire. It has all the requirements of a sensational Mission Impossible adventure mixed into something out of Raccoon City.     What I really love about what Scott is doing with the writing here is that he’s able to layer this with so many different aspects. Last issue we learned that if he won this contest they’d cure him of the cancer within him, now Drea has her own secret which is on the verge of discovery and then there’s Hidiger and what is happening with Europe’s Mutants. There are so many factors in play here and yet he’s able to weave them all together so they intertwine and stay apart with this uncanny knack. The talent and skill on display here really is something special to see.     The interiors here are just gorgeous. The linework is exquisite and to see the attention to detail that is brought out through all these varying weights is beyond expectations. The composition within the panels is stunning with how we see backgrounds, buildings and mutants not to mention the fighting sequences all allow for the reader to get emotionally involved in the story. Plus the colour work, are you freaking kidding me? Sweet mother of Pearl Bailey the nuances we see the colour gradation and with this wham in your face pops of explosive colour that just grab you and never let go. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a stupendous eye for storytelling.     The writing here is extraordinary with how we see the story & plot development always moving forward with the pacing which is exceptional and then the character development. Plus the constant arrival of new characters that thicken the plot and flesh out their pasts is incredibly well done. Just like real life never sits still neither does this story it has that feeling where it all has a very natural ebb & flow, you try your best, move onto the next and see/meet new people along the way. Sometimes it’s the past that comes back to haunt you and sometimes you just can’t get out of your own way either way this is representation of life in the extreme and it’s freakin fun!      I love small press companies and Red 5 certainly qualifies and they’ve been around a lot longer than you realise and they have this passion for storytelling that comes through with each book they put out. It is books like this one that makes me happy and proud to work with them getting their name out to a wider audience because this demands attention. I dare you to pick one up and tell me that the interior artwork alone wasn’t worth your time.

Afterburn: Crossfire #1 Red 5 Comics 2019 Created & Written by Scott Chitwood Illustrated by Rod Thornton Coloured by Sean Lee Lettered by Troy Peteri     Two years ago a massive solar flare hit the dayside of Earth. Europe, Africa and Asia were bombarded by radiation that killed most living things and mutated the remaining survivors. But amid the destruction, some treasures were left behind. Hired by the wealthy in the untouched West, raiders illegally venture into the Burn Zone to recover valuable items. Risking life and limb, they face mutant gangs, rogue armies, and other hazards to score a payday of a lifetime. But if treasure raiding was easy, anybody could do it. That’s where Jake and his crew come in.     I remember when the first arc came out and I was extremely impressed with the premise and what we were seeing. The concept merges together a few end of world scenarios adds in an unscathed land and those would do anything to possess items they see would give them power. I mean why not spend your time running around the globe retrieving these items for a hefty fee? With the fact that Jake has cancer and it’s only a matter of time well what else are you going to do, wait for death and go out doing something.     This issue opens up with the team mid-op and we get a good look at what kind of mutation happened to the Beefeaters in London who guard the crown Jewels, yes the infamous Tower of London. It is a great start for those who are going to be new to this franchise. We get to see Jake and his team in action, we see how the mutation affected these folks and we get introduced to another group of people as well. So essentially it fleshes out Jake’s world with eye catching aplomb and ensures that you want to keep going.     Also I really am a huge fan of Scott’s and if you aren’t familiar with him, shame on you, you should check his other work with Red 5 because he’s rather talented. The way that the story is being told is sensational and the overall ebb & flow of how we see events unfold shows off how the structuring is done. The plot for this one is easy heh well in theory but then again if anything in life were easy everyone would be doing what they love and there’d be no strife. So welcome to Jake’s world hope you survive your stay.     I am a fan of the interiors here as they really are right up my alley as it were. The linework is tight and it has a great deal of attention to detail thanks to the way that the varying weights are being utilised here. There is something special about it and with Sean putting the colouring down we get these tones, shades and hues that just bring everything to life beautifully. Seriously the gradation, the light sources and the enhancement of the linework through how colour is applied feels like a master class in comics illustration. The way panels are constructed and the fact that most have these backgrounds in them and they highlight where they are and what’s happening couldn’t have been done better, well unless you count every panel having backgrounds. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a stellar eye for storytelling. ​     There are times when you find something that is a mash-up and that has those familiar elements to it that so noticeable but when you are in the midst of it you just don’t care. This is fun, funny and fantastical in the way the world looks today. This could be a video game as easily as it is a comic book. Welcome to an exciting series of arcs that brings the daring adventures of Jake and his team in a world literally gone mad! I hope you have as much fun as I am having.

Riptide #4 Red 5 Comics 2018 Written by Scott Chitwood Illustrated by Danny Luckert Coloured by Ronda Pattison Lettered by Troy Peteri      In the Gulf of Mexico where the seafloor is laid bare, survivors from a doomed cruise ship find themselves stranded on hundred miles from shore. Led by a young woman named Hannah, they locate a nearby oil rig to call the Coast Guard for rescue. But as they radio for help, the damaged platform unexpectedly explodes. Meanwhile, as the asteroid dubbed “Charbybdis” passes by, the sea begins rushing back towards shore in the biggest Tsunami of all time.      This has been hands down one of those action thrillers that comes along so rarely. I mean sure we could’ve had more of a look at the science but that wasn’t necessary at all. This is a story about those survivors from the cruise ship and I’ll be damned if this was the exact opposite of The Poseidon Adventure. The concept is brilliant and I like how the group formed in the first place, those that listened and those that didn’t and those who accosted them along way so not everyone who started out makes it back. It is brutal, honest and really is all about knowing enough about a few things to survive all this madness and do it while against the clock of the returning waters.     Scott has been utterly bloody brilliant with this story. His pacing and how the revelations, obstacles and bonds are made between the characters is so great that it blew me away. The way he’s structured the book is amazing and the opening here is that moment that we want to see as it’s the final countdown (We're leaving together, But still it's farewell And maybe we'll come back). One of the things that happens with this is that the pulse rate starts to go up and the adrenaline kicks in that’s even before we get past that first page.     When we left them Hanna and Alex were trying to get off the platform before it’s big explosion and that’s where we pick up with the group. Also the Coast Guard who’s rescue copter is low on fuel is on his way. Everything seems to be rushing forward and it’s a bit of hell on the nerves let me tell ya. So I can’t give things away because you really do need to be reading this and when it ends up that you get, see order from your local comic shoppe, the trade you’ll appreciate me not giving off spoilers, the troublealert is silent.     I love the interiors here if there is one complaint is that there is absolutely nothing on bottom of the ocean. We don’t see anything, at first we did but now not a thing and there has to be as seaweed and those tubular vents grow out of the bottom and god forbid the creatures that didn’t get washed out with the rest. While I say this that doesn’t mean it detracts from the story at all we just have to suspend disbelief and in comics that a mainstay. The linework here is crisp, clean and the varying weights that we see utilised make for this gorgeous attention to detail. The utilisation of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows off such a great eye for storytelling. The colours here are so we utilised as well and whether it is vibrant or muted, if there is a need for gradation or just the way we see the shading it really is beautiful. ​     I still want this to be nominated for limited series of the year. All of the creators in their categories and the book itself. Red 5 Comics really has some stellar books available to be read and if you haven’t found that out for yourself then it’s way past time and you should start right here.