Welcome to the Vitka Zone

In "Independents Day" Nerd Caliber provides short reviews of noteworthy comics and books NOT produced by a major publisher.

Be afraid. Be very afraid... and amused, it turns out.

Space Whiskey Death Chronicles, indie author William Vitka's gripping short story collection finds the edges of classic science fiction and dark fantasy and dives headfirst into the horrible abyss beyond. There are no guarantees of happiness and fewer assurances of safety in Vitka's universe.

His work evokes the best of the "Twilight Zone" and "Tales from the Darkside." It's a completely fresh voice sharing a horror that feels as authentically eldritch as anything Poe and Lovecraft invented.

If you're looking for a nice story that makes you feel good about being a human, look elsewhere. If you want a story with a small epiphany at the end, where everyone is sadder, but wiser at the end, just put this book down.

There's no comfort here. Being a human in Vitka's fiction is like being an insect in a world much larger and more terrifying than we could realize. We cannot hope to influence our destiny. The best we can do is resist, futilely, the incredible forces that will certainly overwhelm us. Somehow in this real world full of science and math that is so far beyond our understanding, his work feels terrifyingly relevant.

Yet, it is to his credit that his writing moves the reader along quickly, as if some kind of joke that is teasing you toward the punch line. Jack the Ripper is a hero of the world. We are a family running out of oxygen in the deep reaches of space. Gremlins are helpers. All of your preconceived notions of good and evil mean nothing as each tale requires a total shift of perspective.

It's the mark of great stories that even when you can guess the ending that the journey was worth the time invested. This collection meets-and exceeds-this goal every time.

I rate it five Cthulhu tentacles out of five.

Buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/Space-Whiskey-Death-Chronicles/dp/162007155X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375211633&sr=1-4

Follow William Vitka here: https://twitter.com/vitka

“Massively Effective” is Massively Awesome

Welcome to "Independents Day," Nerd Caliber's short reviews of noteworthy comics and books NOT produced by a major publisher.

"Ever since those captains of virtue, Mass and Effect, re-entered our lives, it has been nothing but countless rounds of humiliation. If I wasn't already mad, our continuous battles would have driven me to the brink."-PhD

After a futuristic tribunal deems "Mass" and "Effect" colossal failures the two superheroes are relegated to a normal life. So it's to the comic book shop for these two b-level do-gooders. But look out! Their rogue's gallery is not content to allow them to stay retired for long.

Written by Marco Lopez and Bryan Ginn, art by Michael Mayne, and colors by Walt Barna, Massively Effective #1 is a super-charged, action-first story that combines Joss Whedon's quippy dialogue with bright, fun artwork. This particular issue is nearly all-ages, but certainly would work for a young teen audience who would be able to keep up with the storyline.

While many comics have opted for a slower pace with less dialogue and large visuals, Lopez and Ginn aren't afraid to give characters single panels filled with full conversations. But they wisely balance this against whole scenes of battles against zombies and a guitar-playing evil lizard. And it hits the right notes for me. Almost like having a really amazing Spider-Man adventure, without all maudlin whining in the film version of Amazing Spider-Man.

Note: apparently Mass and Effect aren't down with the cape and mask look. It's fine. They carry off the "no-costume" style with panache.

In conclusion, if your comic books aren't so fun anymore or the endless companywide crossovers are just (yawn) meh, you owe it to yourself (and your inner child) to give it a try. It rates three out of three unsheathed Wolverine claws.

Preview this issue at http://www.atomicrexentertainment.com/