To say Action Lab Entertainment publishes off-the-wall books is an understatement. From everything between the action-packed sacrilege of Holy F**K to the superhero dreams of a young girl in Jupiter Jet, this publisher’s variety can be almost too much at times. Yet this week, they’ve brought something sorely lacking from the medium in recent memory, fun. Albert Einstein: Time Mason tells one of the most bombastic, ludicrous, and weird stories of the year…so there’s definitely a need for issue #2.
Albert Einstein: Time Mason #1
Story: Marcus Perry, Toney Donley
Art: Tony Donley
Published by: Action Lab Entertainment
Albert Einstein: Time Mason is a pulp adventure book, from indie creators Marcus Perry and Tony Donley, where the title hero/historical figure is depicted as a suave –outside the time stream– secret agent belonging to a group known as The Time Masons. In issue one, the full mustache puts in work as Einstein has to stop a group of time-terrorists known as the Sci-Oscalists from stealing the brain of a dead Albert Einstein. Before you start getting all TimeCop on the rules of physics remember; this is a time travel story in a comic book. There’s a lot of reward to be had here for those looking primarily for entertainment value. The whole issue reads like an action-adventure TV episode filled with over the top villains and their giant robots to fight, while the well-timed jokes give you the right amount of levity.
The visuals solidly make up the other half of the pulp here. AETM is one of those books that illustrates what comics should be, as much fun to get lost in the pictures as it is to read the words. Thick line work and retro era color palettes and print method effects give it a grinning Batman era aesthetic vibe that fits the story like a leather knuckle-less driving glove.
If I had to pick a problem with the book it would be the one liners. You’re already taking a real-life historical figure who failed elementary school math and embellishing him to staggering super spy levels, why not give him some more genius level quips to say? We don’t need him to be John McClane but saying things like “complex problems have simple solutions” and using a short joke on a midget sized villain could use a bit of polish. There’s already boisterous and convivial things going on with the main character in this book, I’d just like it turned up a bit.
Comics such as Albert Einstein: Time Mason are becoming a rarer thing in the industry. In a medium becoming oversaturated with agenda, this comic simply seeks to entertain readers and it accomplishes that goal from cover to cover. This comic is just having fun with the man behind the science of science-fiction. Along with its full mustaches, it’s inviting you on the ride. While there’s room for conversational and controversial material in comics, those looking for something straightforward, fresh, and pulp fiction will dig Albert Einstein: Time Mason.
Here’s the Rest of This Week’s #1’s
ARTIFACT ONE #1 (ASPEN)
(W) J. T. Krul, Vince Hernandez (A/CA) Romina Moranelli
An awesome experiment in fantasty by the publisher who’s done nearly everything there is to do in the genre.
ADVENTURE TIME SEASON 11 #1 (BOOM!)
(W) Sonny Liew, Ted Anderson (A) Marina Julia (CA) Jorge Corona
Definitely for fans of the hit Cartoon Network series but not much more.
TANGLED HAIR RAISING ADVENTURES #1 (IDW)
MY LITTLE PONY NIGHTMARE KNIGHTS #1 (IDW)
(W) Jeremy Whitley (A/CA) Tony Fleecs
It’s a bit soft even for a kids halloween book but Tony Fleecs continues to do some solid work.
INFINITE DARK #1 (Image)
(W) Ryan Cady (A/CA) Andrea Mutti
MURDER FALCON #1 (Image)
(W) Daniel Warren Johnson (A/CA) Daniel Warren Johnson
SPIDER-GEDDON #1 (Marvel)
(W) Christos Gage, Dan Slott (A/CA) Jorge Molina
I really wanted to love this book but it just didn’t give me much of anything new for this event compared to Spider-Verse.
STAR WARS SOLO ADAPTATION #1 (Marvel)
(W) Robbie Thompson (A) Will Sliney (CA) Phil Noto
WHAT IF? PUNISHER #1 (Marvel)
(W) Carl Potts (A) Juanan Ramirez (CA) Chris Stevens
Typical What If. Take an interesting idea then ultimately at the end shoe horn something in that doesn’t have much to do with anything.
X-MEN BLACK MOJO #1 (Marvel)
(W) Scott Auckerman, Zac Thompson, Lonnie Nadler (A) Nick Bradshaw, Geraldo Borges, Andre Araujo (CA) J. Scott Campbell
If the goal of these books is to get me pumped for upcoming X-Men villains to have a bigger role then just get to the point already.
ARCHIES HALLOWEEN SPECTACULAR #1 (Archie Comics)
(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Dan Parent
Love, Love, Love it! Definitely for fans of the classic Archie.
BELLADONNA FIRE FURY #1 (BOUNDLESS COMICS)
(W) Pat Shand (A) Nahuel Lopez (CA) Christian Zanier
BLACK KNIGHT #1 (Zenoscope Ent)
(W) Terry Kavanagh (A) Sergio Arino (CA) Sean Chen
This is suppose to be a spinoff of the Grimm Fairy Tales series but I’d rather watch Martin Lawrence’s Black Knight with my eyelids toothpicked open then to read this comic again.
DEVIL WITHIN #1 (Black Mask)
(W) Stephanie Phillips (CA) Meghan Hetrick (A/CA) Maan House
An interesting, sexy, and haunting premise that never goes too preverse that it escapes its own horror. Recommend!
DREDD FINAL JUDGEMENT #1 (REbellion)
(W) Arthur Wyatt, Alex De Campi (A) Henry Flint (CA) Jock
One of the best original Dredd stories and one I’m sad we won’t get to see on film.
FIELDER #1 (Drawn and Quarterly)
(W) Kevin Huizenga (A/CA) Kevin Huizenga
SHADES OF MAGIC #1 (Titan)
(W) V.E Schwab (A) Andrea Olimpieri (CA) Claudia SG Iannicello
