Review: From Under Mountains #6

Full of powerful story driven as usual by Leong's unique visual approach, the sixth issue of From Under Mountains is its best entry yet.>When I've been down on From Under Mountains, it's only ever been because its overall oblique approach to the general plot has at times made the comic feel like it wasn't going anywhere.  The past couple of issues, however, have really begun to tie things together in a way that is a boon to the overall series.  More than that, however, these issues have been able to stand on their own, with this latest entry being Leong's most visually ambitious yet.

From Under Mountains throughout its serialization has not been a verbose comic where individuals are concerned.  Personal experiences have largely been presented without commentary, driven by the feel and foreshadowing of color and Leong's ability to give motion to a static scene.  Setting that tone for scenes made the lord's journey to confront his son's murderer a particularly powerful scene.  A lot of weight was going to be placed on this scene because of its important explanatory role anyway; however, Leong matches and arguably exceeds the inherent weight of this scene with what I would consider to be the most visually substantive sequence of pages in this comic to date.  The lord flashes back to the incident from his youth which must have ultimately led to his son's death.  The result is a juxtaposition of present and past performed as Leong has often done with a rich, colorful approach.

As the sequence builds towards the type of mythical intrigue that we can expect from this series, it has a rare action sequence that isn't just somebody riding on a horse (not that the horse riding sequences haven't been compelling in themselves).  Leong demonstrates that even when tasked with depicting a brisk fight sequence, the kinetic feel of the art is up to snuff and the action is easy to follow.  The more comics you read, the more you appreciate fight sequences that are easy to follow.  Having one such fight sequence at such a critical plot moment in the midst of a book where they aren't even a routine aspect is a big reason why this issue is so solid.

Gibson and Churchland have done great giving Leong room to do her thing on this title, but the comic is also finally at a point where I can say that I love this story.  Any aspect of it which is familiar to readers of dramatic medieval fantasy stories has been presented in a way that does not feel tired and leaves a lot of room for interesting visual themes.  Further, the world-building has proven to be far from cliche, and though most of the pantheon is at a distance from the story, at least one mythical figure has been made to feel very personal to this story, and has been an integral part not only of its plot, but of the story's entire look and feel.  Ariana Maher on letters deserves a ton of credit for her work as well.  I can't imagine having to letter any comic, frankly; but, having to go blow-for-blow on a page with the kind of original, disruptive layouts that Leong continuously dreams up is a job I envy even less.

If you put down this comic one or two issues ago, I encourage you to pick it back up.  This issue really was that good.

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From Under Mountains #6 Story: Marian Churchland, Claire Gibson Writer: Claire Gibson Artist: Sloane Leong Publisher: Image Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 4/20/16 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

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Review: 3 Devils #2

The little gypsy girl and the former slave roll into a town that wants neither of them. She needs new clothes and he needs materials to give her family a proper burial. Back in his cabin, the mysteries are revealed to each other. And their plans further on.

Even if the story is a little clearer this issue in comparison to #1, and there is more story inside the pages of this comic, there is still a lot of wasted space. Foreshadowing that is too forced and misses the mark, or too soft and doesn’t know where it’s going. Needless exposition that continues to explain a point that’s already been made. On the other hand, there is now a clear path for our protagonist and her companion, with that thread tied up, the plot is now more straightforward and easier to follow.

I will come out and say it. I do not like the art, at all. It feels sloppy, rough, like it was inked with the techniques of penciling and very rough at that. Some panels are fairly defined while others seem lazy. Half and 3/4 splash pages’ lack of detail that most would have, wherever my eye went I groaned at the simplistic body shapes, backgrounds or expressions. The style resembles one from the pages of Southern Bastards, or the new IDW Judge Dredd series, and it’s one that could have worked with an old western book that aims at the supernatural. None of the grittiness that’s portrayed in those books is here. Instead these are, once more, pages that seems unfinished by main creator Bo Hampton and left to Jeremy Mohler to fix as much as possible with his colors, which are the only good constant in this book. Lettering remains choppy, but not as distracting as last issue, tails going to character’s foreheads or necks, but the main problem which was narration changing colors, and overbearing (still is), now at least it’s confusing for what it’s saying, not who is saying what when?

3 Devils #2 could be an interesting story, but it suffers from its creator’s amateur use of the medium. Every issue I’ve read, I find myself double checking that Indeed it is an IDW title I’m holding, and not a clever indie bootleg.

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3 Devils #2 Writer/Artist: Bo Hampton Colorist: Jeremy Mohler Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $3.99 Release Date: 4/20/16 Format: Print/Digital

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Panel Syndicate Releases One-Shot Walking Dead Comic

Well this is interesting. Another creator A) letting someone else use their universe and letting them B) keep all the money is just pretty damn interesting. Panel Syndicate has always been an interesting experiment, but ultimately I think it's one that only works because of who the creators are.

[su_quote]Hola, amigos! Brian and Marcos here, excited to share that our new WALKING DEAD one-shot is finally available exclusively online at PanelSyndicate.com! We’re stunned and grateful that Robert Kirkman let us tell this particular story, which is firmly set in the continuity of his and Charlie Adlard’s beloved series. “The Alien" sheds light on a corner of their undead universe we never dreamed they’d let us reveal, and you can download the entire 31-page (!) black-and-white special at PanelSyndicate.com for any price you think is fair. Robert is very generously allowing us to keep 100% of whatever readers like you contribute, so thanks for helping to keep our site alive! - BKV & MM[/su_quote]

Review: Paknadel & Trakhanov's Turncoat #2

Blending cyberpunk and noir is generally reserved for Blade Runner.  Alex Paknadel’s Turncoat is an exception. Instead of androids trying to mask themselves as human, we are confronted with an alien empire that has left Earth in shambles. Turncoat is a clever, entertaining, and endlessly stylish noir tale set in an alien ruled future where the bad guys are slimy and the city is slimier.

Five years after humanity has overthrown the Alien empire, known simply as The Management, that had been ruling Earth for three hundred years, things begin to resume a sense of normality. Much like any long standing empire, The Management’s culture lingers long after their departure. Humanity at this point has only ever known their influence, and after the revolution, many humans have no idea what to do without their overlords. Artist Artyom Trakhanov does an excellent job portraying a gritty city that is alien and human. New York is covered in fungus, alien language, and strange technology, these things add to a dark atmosphere that contributes an incredible amount to the feel of the comic. After all, in noir, Los Angeles is often described as one of the characters, so Turncoat’s version of New York should be just as vibrant.

The best neo-noir recalls a certain feeling, a nostalgic idea that can’t exactly be grasped. Often neo-noir stories have the opportunity to alter the genre in some way. This can prove difficult as noir is such a classic genre that tampering with the formula can prove disastrous. The classic tropes are all present in Turncoat, but that adds to its charm. Sometimes you want that noir movie that turns everything upside down, but sometimes you just want a good old fashioned crime story, and Turncoat is that and more. Trakhanov’s art brings to mind Brandon Graham and James Stokoe, combining highly frenetic action scenes with gruesome alien technology that takes over everything. This comic brings to mind the fun of Heavy Metal Magazine when European sci-fi delighted U.S. readers with its bizarro stories and art. This is especially true at times when Artyom’s art channels Moebius’ brilliantly strange futuristic worlds.

The plot of Turncoat is nothing too original. What it lacks in originality, it makes up for by sticking to a traditional noir story.  The fun part is that Paknadel takes these tropes and wraps them up in this gross sci-fi setting. What starts as a missing persons case ends up being much more, and as the story begins to unravel, Detective Gonzalez gets a lot more than she bargained for. Slowly pulling apart a conspiracy that makes the human Resistance look like the bad guys.

I don’t read many BOOM! comics but maybe I should start. Judging this comic by its synopsis and the cover I gave it a chance, and I’m glad I did. Turncoat is a rich crime thriller that would make Raymond Chandler proud, especially if he was into cyberpunk. With a dark, moody story, and art that oozes creativity, this book will definitely fit on your shelf with Prophet, Orc Stain, and back issues of Heavy Metal.

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Paknadel & Trakhanov's Turncoat #2 Writer: Alex Paknadel Artist: Artyom Trakhanov Colorist: Jason Wordie Publisher: BOOM! Studios Price: Print: $3.99 Release Date: 4/20/16 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital

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Review: Funeral Parlor

As regular consumers of the Comic Bastards product may or may not know, I’m something of a reluctant pro wrestling mark. Most of us in the bullpen are, to some degree or another. Mine is a love-hate relationship, which, like the one I have with comics, I can personally chart back to my formative years in the 1980s and early 90s.

As such, I was born under an arguably “bad” sign; one that set me smack-dab in the middle of the then-WWF’s contentiously flamboyant "rock 'n' wrestling” era. And like most fans of my generation, I still look back on that period with a great swell of nostalgia, even while admitting its many, many flaws. Even still, it’s hard to deny the few, truly gripping moments of the period; one of which, unquestionably, was a segment originally aired almost exactly 25 years ago to this day.

The infamous Funeral Parlor interview in question starred The Ultimate Warrior, The Undertaker, his manager Paul Bearer and one of the gaudiest caskets ever deigned for fake internment. In it, The Undertaker viciously attacks The Warrior with mighty blows and prop urns before locking him in the aforementioned air-tight coffin, leaving him there to suffocate in front of thousands of witnesses fans.

(SIDEBAR: Sad to think that, including the announcing team, only Vince McMahon and, ironically, the Dead Man himself, The Undertaker, are still alive today. The others -- Randy Savage, Roddy Piper, Paul Bearer and The Warrior -- have all passed on since; a couple quite recently.)

The meeting between Taker and Warrior was a moment which, as a ten year old, was forever burned into my brain, but one that I thought was also lost to time and/or obscure Trivial Pursuit questions. That is, until our very own Kevin Beckham mentioned it on Episode 229 of the Comic Bastards Mother Fuckin’ Podcast, wherein he told us all about a comic book recounting of the event, appropriately titled Funeral Parlor. Needless to say, I had to check it out.

Written and drawn by Robert Young, Funeral Parlor is not just a fantastic play-by-play account of what happened during the titular 1991 segment -- replete with some genuinely incredible, lovingly faithful artistic renderings of the performers’ “acting” -- but also of how it affected the young... Young; which is to say, irrevocably.

As he writes in the first two pages of his lightning-quick, 17-page one-shot, this was, “One of the most traumatic memories from my childhood [...] watching Ultimate Warrior die on TV.” As you can see in its 10-minute entirety HERE, the segment hasn’t aged especially well (apart from the ever-incredible vaudevillian performance from the late, great William Moody, aka Paul Bearer). However, Young does an amazing job illustrating what made that moment so impactful on his (and, by extension, my) impressionable mind; so well, in fact, that I was brought right back there with him.

Admittedly, Young rips much of the dialogue directly from the event, but he threads it remarkably well within his very intimate obsession, showing his abashedly tearful outburst at the proceedings, while enduring a “wrestling is fake” kickback from his unsympathetic uncle. All the while, we watch Young himself die inside while he watches his hero literally (to him) dying on the screen.

It’s a fascinating story with an artistic style that is at once fantastically detailed, yet stylistically unfettered caricature; his thick, loose line work, itself standing as a thematically apropos childlike snapshot of 10 piquantly-affecting minutes of pro wrestling television.

And it’s great. It’s so fucking great.

Of course, I am biased, but there are elements in this book that would impress even the most diehard pro wrestling hater: the over-the-top, ghoulish facials of Paul Bearer and The Undertaker; the Warrior’s ridiculous casket surrounded by an eerie red myst; the streams of tears that regularly wash down Young’s emotion-beleaguered face; that last, gorgeous shot of a wrinkled flower and a dented urn. It’s innocent, sure, and endearing, but it’s also arresting; indeed, not unlike the event itself.

As an old WWF wrestling head, I love that Funeral Parlor exists, and recommend it highly to anyone like me, who grew up on this plasticine version of professional wrestling, and want to relive this, perhaps its most oddly arcane moment. Top marks all around, brother.

[su_box title="Score: 5/5" style="glass" box_color="#8955ab" radius="6"]

Funeral Parlor Writer/Artist: Robert Young Self-Published Price: $15.00

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Review: Dark Souls #1

Dark Souls #1 is the first issue in a new series by Titan Comics. It is a tie-in to the successful Dark Souls video game franchise. The storyline in this book is not a continuation of the video game storyline. It takes place in the Dark Souls universe with original characters. I’m drawn to Dark Souls #1 because it deals with one of my favorite genres: medieval fantasy. In this story the Lady Knight Fira goes on a quest to locate the tooth of the dragon Andolus which will restore her shattered memory and help her battle her enemies somehow. The book doesn’t really explain what exactly the tooth will do.

Fira has all the qualities of a strong female warrior. She’s powerful and fearless. I think it’s a little harder to connect with her because of the way her background is illustrated in the story. She’s a character with amnesia and the glimpses we get of her past don’t really tell us much. This would make sense if she was a character introduced in the game series but she was created for this comic so there’s nowhere to reference her origin. Of course I root for the warrior going against the bad guy even when I’m not sure why. Fira is accompanied by Aldrich, a passive Scryer with whom she shares a lot of pointless banter. I’m all for dialogue when it explores character but a book like this screams for more action.

Contrary to the title the artwork here is quite bright and lively. Everything has a crystal texture and helps showcase the mystical setting.

Overall I’m not sure what to make of this book. It sets up a character that I want to know more about but in this issue I felt like she simply wasn’t challenged enough. The obstacles she goes against are pretty simple and easily defeated. As a whole issue Dark Souls #1 was kind of a medium letdown. It’s still enjoyable to the average reader even if you haven’t played the videogames. My only expectation is that the series will stay true to the genre and because of a lack of more exciting battles it falls short.

[su_box title="Score: 3/5" style="glass" box_color="#8955ab" radius="6"]

Dark Souls #1 Writer: George Mann Artist: Alan Quah Publisher: Titan Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 4/20/16 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

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Review: Gutter Magic #4

The recap at the head of issue four clarifies several things. And yet, I’m left feeling like Gutter Magic wasted some of its potential. Looking back at the series, there’s too much that doesn’t pay off in a gratifying manner. I’m going to be charitable and say it’s a bold choice to save most of the series’ world-building exposition for the final issue. However, I think if Rich Douek had done a bit more to develop the book's characters earlier, the rising action would have been far more dramatic. The climax would have been much more satisfying. In this issue, Cinder (Cinder Byrnes -- get it?) finally confronts someone who can theoretically grant him magic powers. So single-minded is he in his pursuit of magic that he has alienated nearly everyone in his life. But it has all paid off. Here he is, standing alone -- save for his buddy Blacktooth -- at the threshold of completing his increasingly destructive quest to defy fate and claim his birthright.

Issue four suggests the world of Gutter Magic’s will one-day deliver on the book’s title with a focus on the power of the meek and of the downtrodden. Essentially, Cinder comes to understand what cyberpunk writers have known for decades. The concentration of power among the elite and well-off is an artificial limitation. Subverting and resisting that status quo becomes the responsibility of our rascally protagonist. And, like his cyberpunk counterparts, Cinder proceeds through the book's conclusion motivated by self-interest rather than altruistic urges. Having seemingly lost everything, Cinder has found himself now truly empowered. It's a good bit of self-reflection. But it comes abruptly and too late to impact the story. Cinder's revelation regarding magic and his connection to it feels like a mid-story plot point. As a result, the mini-series ends in a kind of whimper.

I could have done with more of that kind of insight throughout the mini-series. But the provided material is substantial enough. Gutter Magic stretches itself thin, but doesn't waste your time. It exposes you to a world with corners worth exploring. And its characters, though at times bland, represent a decent variety of that world's aspects. I think the key problem here is that Cinder never seems to be having fun until the very end. He doesn’t come across as oppressed or emotionally tortured either. His laser focused ambition denies him such depth and makes him hard to cheer for. It’s hard to care about him or any of the story’s events. Cinder’s just an entitled jerk. So when the conclusion comes around, it isn’t anything resembling a triumph.

Issue four adds to the series via bits of mythos, but I'm only going to recommend it for the sake of closure.

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Gutter Magic #4 Writer: Rich Douek Artist: Brett Barkley Colorist: Jules Rivera Publisher: IDW/Comics Experience Price: $3.99 Release Date: 4/20/16 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital

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Review: Welcome Back #7

Probably the number one thing to be avoided when writing reviews, well, beyond actively insulting your audience, is making your mind up ahead of time. I did, however, approach this review with the hope of talking about a book I've enjoyed a lot and feel like deserves some attention, a book that reads like BOOM! a cousin to a number of lesser books by Image and has a genuinely smart hook that demands exploring. And then to my immense disappointment, I read Welcome Back #7 and realized it was kind of a cluttered, half-baked, overwrought mess that exemplified all of the series' worst qualities and none of its best. So basically, I'm about to spend a few paragraphs tearing apart a book I came here to recommend. It's a funny world, isn't it? So let's start with the basics. The basic pitch of Welcome Back is TMNT meets the Wire. Actually that's not even slightly true, but it would make for a killer comic book.  Welcome Back is actually about a war that has lasted millennia between two factions of re-incarnated soldiers. As it turns out, every human being comes back after they die in a new body, but only the two sides in this war remember their past selves. Tess and Mali, who have been each other's targets in every life, have mutually decided that they are done fighting a war with no known purpose, and have instead become romantic partners, trying desperately to get off the grid and escape their seemingly fated place in the conflict.

All that setup, and there is of course quite a bit more to it, is a heavy burden to put on the book and while the exposition has generally been handled smoothly, it can feel like Christopher Sebela is straining to make room for story. Never has that strain been more apparent than issue seven, where three issues worth of material is stuffed into one standard sized issue. Welcome Back #7 sees the Mali get in a fire fight, get rescued by a cop, take a plan ride, have sex with Tessa, see the pilot get shot, meet Tessa's family, have a hammer fight with Tessa's mother, and learn a few things about her past along the way. All of this occurs with constant narration by Malli and more than a few asides dealing with Mali's father and his dog. In typing that out, I realized it's probably a credit to Sebela as a writer that this issue is even as readable as it is.

No one element is particularly bad, but the constant chaotic pace makes it feel like nothing has the significance it should. The gun fight is wrapped up so quickly and chaotically, I never got a feel for any sort of stakes, and Tessa's mother is introduced so quickly, one never gets the ominous feeling that Sebela seems to be going for with her. The book has always been fast paced bordering on frenetic, but in past it seemed like it was a fitting way to tell an action story. As the action moves to the back burner, the pacing becomes strained and choppy, moving from important point to important point without enough connective tissue.

And that choppiness shows up in the art as well. Claire Roe stepped in to replace the series' original artist Jonathan Brandon Sawyer early on, and was surprisingly effective, despite Sawyer's work being what originally made me try the book. Roe's stylized, chunky characters and exaggerated action poses fit nicely with the type of story being told, and I've come to really enjoy her work. Sadly, in this issue, it feels very mixed, with some panels being the high-caliber work one would expect, and others looking rushed and lazy. A few specific images from the gunfight are so cluttered and boring that they appear to be an almost entirely different illustrator. In an issue with a stronger script, I might not even have noticed, but as it is, the art muddies further what is already a messy issue.

I could easily go on about things that didn't work in Welcome Back #7, but it would be pointless. When an issue is overstuffed in this way, even elements that normally work feel odd and awkward. For example, Tessa and Mali's relationship had been a highlight to the series, a central emotional story that anchors the chaos around it. But here, the relationship feels shallow and boring, a hormonal parade of sappy flirting and constant sex. Welcome Back is assuredly still a title to watch, but after this issue, I have lost more than a little confidence in the book.

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Welcome Back #7 Writer: Christopher Sebela Artist: Claire Roe Publisher: BOOM! Studios Price: $3.99 Release Date: 4/20/16 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

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Dragon Age: Magekiller #5

The Dragon Age franchise is often about unconventional personalities, backgrounds, and relationships as much as it is about flinging spells and swinging swords. This issue of Dragon Age: Magekiller wisely avoids competing with the bombast of its source material. Instead, Greg Rucka focuses his writing efforts on another BioWare hallmark: relationships. Set against the climactic moments of Dragon Age: Inquisition, we get a lot of action that serves as a garnish for the central relationship of our protagonists. And thankfully, the issue stays true to the strictly platonic nature of the Marius/Tessa partnership. Too often fiction has us convinced that any two people showing any amount of affection must be lovers. Here our one true pairing feels more honest because there isn't a specter of sexual tension. Tessa has already found romance with someone who, from the outside looking in, disapproves of her devotion to Marius. And this disapproval isn't implied to be petty jealousy. Marius means something special to Tessa just as Tessa fills a void in Marius' life. They cannot stand the thought of abandoning each other. And that devotion looks like a huge liability. They act as if they need each other. But for what? For how long? And is there room in Tessa’s heart for two kinds of love?

I can't really recommend this issue alone. Much of its impact comes from the journey through each issue, making individual parts -- though generally good -- weaker than the whole. However, Rucka and crew conclude their mini-series here with restraint and class beyond what issue number one may have implied. Dragon Age: Magekiller is a journey worth taking in its entirety. In the end, Magekiller is a really beautiful and unexpected ode to friendship. The final, oddly quiet and sublimely illustrated moments of this issue drive home the importance of the pair’s emotional connectedness. A genuinely satisfying resolution for these characters, if not for the plot of Dragon Age: Inquisition.

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Dragon Age: Magekiller #5 Writer: Greg Rucka Artist: Carmen Carnero and Terry Pallot Colorist: Michael Atiyeh Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 4/20/16 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital

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Review: 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank #1

I’ve been waiting for 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank for a long time. Not specifically, mind you; I’d never even heard of it before the name grabbed my attention from the Comic Bastards review pool. Of course I was 0.0% surprised it was a Black Mask joint, with a title like that. No, what I mean is, this formula -- a slanted view of childlike wonder; a modern Abbot & Costello take on comic book humor -- has been attempted a lot recently, to varying degrees of “success.” But there’s always been something missing; be it too earnest a try at humor, or too loaded a creative team’s agenda.

But where others fail, 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank absolutely nails it, not just by tapping into the fun suggested in its beginning-of-a-joke title, but by committing itself to genuine storytelling with an incredibly charming cast of characters, a perpetual stream of infinitely consumable, effortless dialogue, and whimsy. Actual fucking whimsy. They just don’t make them like this anymore. I mean... until now, obviously.

4 Kids follows a ragtag group of young social misfits as they play rousing games of D&D, duck playground bullies, chat over CB radio and have close encounters with jail-hardened home invaders, one of whom is a fucking nazi. Y’know, normal kid stuff. Wounded during, yet intrigued by the incident (as well as the origins and intentions of their would-be captors), the kids embark on a nigh-bumbling stakeout, which leads them to a connection with the crooks that hits a little too close to home.

What sets this book and its misadventure apart is how beautifully its visual and narrative directions converge into one of the single most endearing, hilarious and well-told stories of 2016. As he’s been able to do so well in previous ventures, Rosenberg does a tremendous job in crafting every seam of this (often visually literal) quilt of a story with obvious but nonchalant care, proving once again that he is a master of characterization.

Whether it’s in his scrappy lead (Paige), his kindly-oaf sidekick (Stretch), his heart-of-gold shrunken violet (Walter) or his foul-mouthed, attention-seeking/deficient show-stealer (Berger), Rosenberg gives each a distinct (and distinctly hilarious) voice, each of which bristles against each other with ironically frictionless ease.

In a word, he gives his cast chemistry, one that is measured in distinctly adult wit, but tempered in what feels like the true parlance of kids. In a way, this book sort of feels like Disney’s Recess meets Stand By Me, which is admittedly a weird comparison to make, let alone a hugely difficult landing to stick. But Rosenberg does it well, all while weaving his comedy of errors with aplomb.

Perhaps most impressively, he manages to do this in a way unlike many of his contemporaries, which is to say, without leaning on the crutch of incessant modern slang. He also injects a lot of heart into his characters and story, be it ostensibly, in their interactions, or in the bits of future story he hints at, to no doubt be expanded upon down the road. It’s honestly deft stuff, the like of which I haven’t seen presented as well, as iconically or as timelessly, in any medium, since stories like The Sandlot, or better, The Goonies. If that doesn’t sell you on this romp, nothing will!

Killing it just as catchily on the visual side is Tyler Boss, whose art gives credence to the authority of his surname. Boss’ line work is not dissimilar to the modern trend made popular by David Aja: thick yet fluid, elegant but uncomplicated. Like Rosenberg’s dialogue, it is easy to consume; which is good, because it also comes so damn furiously. Again like Aja, Boss doesn’t shy from dancing about his layouts with an overflowing cornucopia of panels (there are two separate 24-panel pages), character-defining visual inserts and gags, and cleverly complicated jigsaw puzzle-cut pages.

Even in this first issue alone, and while forging the through-line of a great aesthetic direction, Boss shows off an incredible range of styles in issue one of 4 Kids, as well as a parade of great gags. Faux trigger-warning reminders, a series of snapshots that lead brilliantly to a visual punchline (literally), a kid puking up Fanta... Boss can do it all, and I am absolutely amazed that he can fit so much in without making the whole feel like a bloated, overwrought mess.

Speaking of that particular mitigation, letterer Thomas Mauer deserves an award, a hug and probably a stiff drink (not in that order) after braving Boss and Rosenberg’s pages; a goddamn daunting task, given all that’s happening on each page. And yet, just like his co-creators, Mauer does a phenomenal job of making it look easy, weighing Rosenberg’s Bendis-esque verbosity well within Boss’ frenetic and often choppy visual mosaic. He’s also able to ramp up the book’s inherent humor with some well-placed lettering gags, presumably of his own.

Altogether, while 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank leads to a place that’s fairly transparent by the middle of the first issue, it remains a humongous achievement for this team and Black Mask in general. This sits right at the top of my recommendations for anyone looking how to do fun comics really, really, really well.

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4 Kids Walk Into A Bank #1 Writer: Matthew Rosenberg Artist: Tyler Boss Letterer: Thomas Mauer Publisher: Black Mask Studios Price: $3.99 Release Date: 4/19/16 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

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Review: X-O Manowar #46

In the finale to “The Kill List” story arc, writer Robert Venditti not only crafts a compelling chapter to the X-O series, he also fills the book with some of the best constructed dialog to come from the printed page. Aric, the chronologically displaced king of the Visigoths who was bestowed alien armor that makes him very powerful, bears the burden of maintaining peace.  The alien species known as the Vine who had captured Aric and enslaved him now seek refuge and protection with him.  Trill, one of the Vine, won’t settle for such a truce.  The rebellious general starts a revolt that finds Aric, Ninjak, the Armorines, and the freed Visigoths fighting to maintain the fragile peace in their Midwest refuge.

Not often in modern comics do we find a hero that will work hard to avoid the big battle.  For Aric (formerly of Dacia now of Western Nebraska) such a desire for peace comes as uncharacteristic but wholly believable. Over the course of forty-six books we have seen a character progression in the titular hero that has evolved the character from slave to king.  Readers are still treated to intense action sequences like the battle with Trill.  What we also get is the progression of a character that does not have the rote storytelling process of the “villain of the month” that plagues many books.  While fighting Trill, Aric claims, “Only a fool trades an honest peace—for war.”  The interpretation of such a line could be taken on many levels ranging from the simple battle cry of a hero fighting a villain to a seasoned king trying to impart the difficult lesson that war isn’t the way to solve every problem.

There are many other instances of the dialog providing great entertainment in the course of the story, but I will focus on only one more.  The opening narration of the Vine prayer that starts this issue but gets interrupted due to battle finds completion on the last page in the most sinister way.  Bookending that line leads into the cliffhanger drawing readers to the next issue.

As Venditti comes to the milestone fiftieth issue of the series, he continues a near-perfect run of storytelling with this series.  I can only imagine what he has in store for the next fifty issues since the character has so expertly progressed this far in the first fifty.

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X-O Manowar #46 - “One Truth Among the Species” Writer: Robert Venditti Artist: Robert Gill Publisher: Valiant Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 4/20/16 Format: Ongoing, Print/Digital

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Review: East of West #25

"Welcome to the Atlas, the world out there is dry and dusty but I can make it better". With that line, delivered by an absent-minded saloon keep over a dusty bar, East of West makes a powerful return to its humble beginnings. Repeating a location from the beginning of the series is a smart move to kick off the new East of West arc as it both shows how much progress has been made in the 24 intervening issues and also lets the audience know that despite the ever sprawling larger scope, there is still a central story the has continued uninterrupted from issue one. And as Death predictably and gleefully works his way through a new horde of mooks while spouting some high caliber one-liners, one can't help but be happy that there's much more of East of West to come. We'll come back to that bar brawl in a moment, but the issue starts in the Endless Nation as Chief Narsimha is called to the Sea of Bones by a terrifying dream. There he meets Wolf, his nephew, who asks him to join in the final meeting of the chosen. Narsimha is a fairly new character, but his importance going forward is emphasized here by Wolf's unprecedented rendezvous with a member of the Endless Nation. The conversation between the uncle and nephew is clever in how it slowly transitions from the bombastic, dense statements Hickman is so fond of to a simpler, personal message as Wolf asks for help to save their people. In a book so defined by darkness and cynicism, it's a pleasant reminder that there are heroes here, albeit violent, frightening ones.

Which naturally brings us to Death himself, returning to the Atlas bar to request (i.e. demand at gunpoint) a favor from the much beleaguered barkeep/tracker. There's not a lot to this section, and we are no, as of yet, told exactly what the favor is beyond that it involves tracking someone down (my money's on Babylon), but I will never cease to be entertained by Death bloodying his enemies before delivering lines dripping with calculated machismo. He's a lethal cross between Clint Eastwood and Martin Riggs, and borders at times on loving pastiche of American action heroes in general yet never tips fully into parody. In other words, he's a great character, and while the events of this issue don't progress his plot a ton, it's still hugely enjoyable.

I've stopped talking about Nick Dragotta's art in every review because his work is uniformly excellent, but it was interesting, in comparing notes on the afore-mentioned bar scene with its issue one counterpart, just how much his art has changed over the last couple of years. Dragotta's work has become starker, with sharper angles and fewer details, emphasizing motion silhouette. In some ways I miss the more refined, beautiful style of his earlier work, but it's hard to argue against the effectiveness of his images. The issue ends on a single panel of seven character who all look so delightfully strange and specific, that a new reader could likely believe any one was the main character of the book (who is, in fact, not in the image at all).

I always intend to talk about some of the heady ideas in play in each issue of East of West, but I never seem to get around to it. Suffice it to say, when parsed out, the afore-mentioned bombastic dialogue have some extremely interesting socio-political, and in this issue, religious underpinnings.  I'd like to see some of these ideas resolve themselves in a bigger grander theme going forwards, but with as much going on as there is, that may be unlikely. That said, issue 25 makes a strong case that, regardless of larger theme, the continuing story of East of West will make for exciting, creative comics.

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East of West #25 Writer: Jonathan Hickman Artist: Nick Dragotta Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 4/20/16 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

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Review: Bungou Stray Dogs – E.02

Did you like the first episode of Bungou Stray Dogs? Then you’ll continue to like the series with the second episode. For me, it was predictable and the attempts at humor continued to fail. White haired tiger dude, shows how little I care about learning his name, is given a place to stay and offered to join the agency. He turns it down and then the suicidal dude (who breaks his own character and is actually called on it by the way) offers to get him a job, but that there will be a test. If you can’t figure out that the very next thing that happens is part of the test, then this show is for you.

There isn’t enough originality to this show to make me want to watch more. I can understand why others would watch it. If it reminded you of another show that you liked, then it probably fills that gap pretty well. I know I’ve suffered through shows that reminded me of a different show I liked better because in a way it carries on those strong “feels” that you have for that show. It just doesn’t do that for me. Its following a formula and not trying to stray from that, but in doing so you have to wonder why there’s an inflated cast other than to give people cosplay options.

What it boils down to is that this show doesn’t tickle my fancy. It might tickle yours and that’s okay. Even though I found this episode predictable, it was still average. I wouldn’t score it down just because of my personal taste because what’s here is a competent second episode. In the end though, being average just isn’t enough to keep me interested.

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Bungou Stray Dogs – E.02 Official Website

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Review: And You Thought There Is Never a Girl Online – E.02

Well… this is definitely a second episode. It’s not good, but it’s necessary. We stay with the scene at the restaurant with everyone getting to know each other and after a bit it’s clear that none of them really have any friends outside of the game. Then they part ways and they’re all clear that the game is the game and the real world is the real world. Meaning, they’re not going to run up to each other and just start talking at school and shit. Ako blows that up in the very next scene and the reality that this anime set up is basically broken. I tend to dislike it when that happens in a harem comedy. It’s not necessary in my opinion, but it happens more often than not. Ako finds Rusian’s class and destroys everything. They take her to the master because suddenly school doesn’t matter and she creates a club for them to play their game and this will somehow help Ako understand the difference between the game world and the real world.

The only funny, but predictable part of this was that Rusian (way easier to type so I’m going with that) can’t stop picturing his teammates as they really are. I knew it would happen, but the wardrobe switch was a nice bit of humor and fan service all at once.

I’m hard pressed to believe that everyone is going to fall in love with Rusian. I know that it can change at the drop of a hat, but it really doesn’t fit the world that’s being developed. The problem is, I didn’t see them blowing up everything they set up in the first episode either and they did. It’s why I’ll keep watching, but my hope of this being a great harem comedy has been dashed by this episode.

The animation is still really good. In particular, the scenes in which Schwein breaks from her online character and the animation follows suit. It’s a solid visual gag. Otherwise it’s at the same level as the first episode in terms of quality.

I don’t like this episode. It’s a bad episode in the way it’s constructed, paced and how often it breaks the reality of the world. It’s sadly necessary and at least they did it in one fail swoop rather than building it up which may have been terrible. It doesn’t change that this is just a bad episode and that the creators clearly didn’t really have an out after building up an interesting premise. Hopefully it doesn’t completely chase me away, but time will tell.

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And You Thought There Is Never A Girl Online – E.02 Official Website

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Review: Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress – E.02

As much as I loved the first episode of this show, my big question after watching the final moments of the episode where, “how does he continue in this world?” He being our main character of Ikoma. Spoiler if you haven’t watched the first episode, he is bitten by a Kabane and manages to stop the transformation and he's very excited about it. He stopped the spread of the virus and figured out a new weapon that will kill the Kabane. Problem is… he looks fucked up and in a civilization that makes people strip to prove their not infected, he now has a huge birthday suit problem. Meanwhile, all hell is breaking loose in the town/station. The Kabane are overrunning everything and the Princess is being asked to make decisions and she’s just stuck waiting for her father. Her right hand man is helping her as much as possible, but mutiny seems likely. Then Mumei shows up and clears a path for them and beats the piss out of the Kabane. Eventually all parties converge and wind up on the train getting the fuck out-of-town, but Ikoma is revealed for what he is and thrown off the train… after saving the people on the train twice. He doesn’t give up though and actually helps the train get clear of the station when the lock won't release because of a dead body. It looks grim for our main character, but than Mumei shows up and saves him and spoiler, reveals that she too is infected and called a Kabaneri… hence the title of the show.

Another great episode. Granted it was predictable in that everyone would turn on Ikoma even after he put everything on the line to help them because they’re afraid and that fear is the thing motivating his character. He doesn’t want everyone to live in fear of being close to each other a society of strangers in a way. There’s no empathy, only fear in this society and he can't stand it which is great character motivation. Mumei is still a mystery since some clearly knew what she was and she still has her mystery mission as well. That and why she’s able to control the virus better than Ikoma; the difference being that he had to staple a bunch of cool looking Frankenstein shit to his body and she just gets a sexy ribbon that she pops when it's time to go to work. I’m sure we’ll see the answer much later in the story.

The animation continues to be some of the best of the season. There’s a lot of good-looking anime this season, but there’s something about having a great story attached to it that really makes the art better. That and the design of this world, this steampunk, zombie samurai era world, that is just fucking cool. Even if the story tanks, I will probably still watch this anime for the art.

If you haven’t seen this anime yet, then thank Netflix for being dicks and buying up an anime that hasn’t completed yet because everyone is now competing over streaming rights and while others would simulcast this in a heartbeat we all know that Netflix does shit their way. That said, you’ll have to go with a different streaming option and I’m sure you can figure that out on your own. It’s a shame too, I think the fact that Netflix is waiting for its completion is going to hurt this series more than help it. A lot of people are missing out on what’s already proven to be one of the best of the season and possibly of 2016.

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Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress – E.02 Official Website

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Trailer Time: THE SWEETNESS, A New Science Fiction Comic Book Series About Intergalactic Smugglers

Sink your teeth into THE SWEETNESS, a new science fiction adventure comic book series about intergalactic smugglers by acclaimed, YALSA-nominated writer/artist Miss Lasko-Gross (HENNI) and the Eisner Award-nominated, XERIC award-winning cartoonist Kevin Colden (FISHTOWN). Set in the future, the first collaboration from the married creative team of Lasko-Gross and Colden follows two badass female intergalactic smugglers catering to the unique tastes of Alien drug addicts with a mysterious controlled substance. Due out in June from Z2 Comics, THE SWEETNESS reads like an old-school Vertigo book packed with fun-loving adventure.

In THE SWEETNESS, Miss and Kevin have crafted characters and storylines that are effortlessly feminist in ways other popular comics play lip service to but don’t quite land.“I want people to be excited about a badass space smuggler story and fall in love with the characters,” says Miss Lasko-Gross. “I hope readers are sucked into the story by the surreal moments of twisted humor and surprise."

“THE SWEETNESS is smart, fun, and Star-Warsy, but with more women, people of color -- and it’s more raunchy,” says Kevin Colden. “"This series marks my return to drawing long form comics (after taking time off to focus on family and other creative work), and while I’m usually very critical of my own work, this is the best work I’ve done.””

The order code for THE SWEETNESS #1, APR162173

TRAJECTORY AND DC ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCE E-BOOK PARTNERSHIP

Trajectory, Inc. the leading global network for eBook distribution and book discovery solutions, has reached an agreement with DC Entertainment to expand the comic book publisher’s digital footprint to global eBook retailers and libraries in North America and eventually Europe, Asia, South America and additional international markets. Starting today, Trajectory has made the DC Entertainment Essential Graphic Novels available on the OverDrive platform including titles such as Batman: The Killing Joke, Wonder Woman Vol. 1: Blood, The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes, Preacher Book One and others. New books will continue to be added to the platform on a weekly basis.

"Trajectory is committed to bringing outstanding DC Comics and Vertigo stories to fans around the world,” said Scott Beatty, Co-Founder and Chief Content Officer of Trajectory. “This partnership for global eBook distribution through the Trajectory network is an enormous opportunity to reach more fans through any retailer or library across the globe.”

“Our goal is to provide access to our books anywhere and everywhere fans are reading them. As a leader in their industry, Trajectory will help us provide our eBooks to retailers in the most efficient way possible, thus expanding our audience to reach more fans than ever,” stated Derek Maddalena, SVP of Sales and Business Development.

“Our major goal is connecting a wider group of readers with DC Comics and Vertigo stories which are even more inclusive and accessible for its next generation of fans. International digital retailers and libraries are of central importance to achieving that goal,” said Trajectory Co-Founder and & CEO Jim Bryant.

Trajectory has the largest known global network for eBook distribution. The network delivers 300+ international points of distribution representing over 230,000+ digital endpoints including every eBook retailer, library distributor, school distributor, and alternative digital sales channel all from a single point of access. Through this single access point (maintained by Trajectory), publishers can simply upload their files and designate where they would like the digital edition of their titles distributed.

Titan’s Summer Doctor Who Crossover event comic celebrates 50th Anniversary of the Cybermen

BBC Worldwide North America and Titan Comics are thrilled to reveal that this summer’s special Doctor Who event comic will feature the Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Doctors from Titan’s four ongoing Doctor Who series. This comic will be a spectacular five-part, bi-weekly adventure featuring one of the Doctor’s most iconic foes – the Cybermen! Penned by best-selling authors George Mann (Eighth Doctor, Dark Souls) & Cavan Scott (Ninth Doctor, Vikings) with art by Alessandro Vitti (Secret Warriors, Captain America & Hawkeye), this highly anticipated event comic kicks-off in stores and on digital platforms Wednesday, July 6^th 2016, supported by Titan’s third annual Doctor Who Comics Day event on Saturday, July 9^th 2016.

2016 marks the 50^th anniversary of the show’s iconic cyborgs, the Cybermen. The Cybermen first appeared in the serial ‘The Tenth Planet’ in 1966, and have been featured in Doctor Who numerous times since, including the 2006 two-part modern origin story, ‘Rise of the Cybermen’ and ‘The Age of Steel.’

This special crossover event comic entitled ‘Supremacy of the Cybermen’ stars the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston), Tenth Doctor (David Tennant), Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith), and Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi), and their comic companions – Gabby, Cindy, Alice, Rose (Billie Piper) and Captain Jack (John Barrowman)!

Exiled from Gallifrey at the very end of time, Rassilon, fallen leader of the Time Lords, has been captured by the last of the Cybermen. Now, the Cybermen have access to time travel. With it, every defeat becomes a victory. Every foe is now dead -- or Cyberized.

The debut issue comes with five variant covers to collect: an art cover by series artist Alessandro Vitti, a photo cover by Will Brooks, a cool Cybermen variant by Fabio Listrani, a blank sketch variant, and a fun coloring variant – perfect to color in at home or in stores on Doctor Who Comics Day.

This year’s global Doctor Who Comics Day event on Saturday, July 9^th, is set to be even bigger than previous years with new comics and collections, merchandise, variant covers, signings, and events across the globe at comic shops, bookstores, retail chains, libraries, and on digital platforms. New to this year’s event, Doctor Who comics fans can register for an event kit to hold their own reading group parties.  Doctor Who comics fans, retailers, and librarians should visit Titan-Comics.com for details to sign-up.

Retailers can order both issue #1 and issue #2 of Doctor Who Event 2016: Supremacy of the Cybermen from the May edition of PREVIEWS. Doctor Who fans will not want to miss out on this spectacular crossover event series! Fans can find their nearest comic store at ComicShopLocator.com.

To keep up to date with news about Doctor Who Event 2016: Supremacy of the Cybermen and this year’s Doctor Who Comics Day, follow Titan Comics on Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr.

Archie Comics Reveals Full Line-Up of Variant Covers for Blockbuster BETTY & VERONICA #1

Betty & Veronica. The posh socialite and the girl next door — two of the most iconic characters in pop culture — return in a major way this July with an all-new BETTY & VERONICA #1, courtesy of legendary comic book writer/artist Adam Hughes (Wonder Woman). The new series follows hot on the heels of two of 2015’s most talked about comic book series: ARCHIE and JUGHEAD. But what happens when Betty andVeronica becomes Betty VS. Veronica?

As Riverdale’s most beloved blonde and brunette find themselves divided over the takeover of the town’s central hangout, Pop’s Chocklit Shoppe, battle lines are drawn and friends have become enemies as the town is enveloped in all-out civil war! Oh, and there will be jokes. Plenty of jokes.

BETTY & VERONICA #1 will hit comic book shops on July 20th featuring variant covers from some of the industry’s hottest talent and rising stars! Pre-order your favorite covers with your local comic book shop!

BETTY AND VERONICA #1

IT’S BETTY VS. VERONICA! The most highly-anticipated debut in comics history is here! Betty and Veronica are America’s sweethearts… until they turn on each other! “Pops’ Chocklit Shoppe is being taken over by a huge coffee company. When Betty and Veronica go head-to-head over the issue, all bets are off! Friendships will shatter. Cities will burn. Nails will be broken. Betty and Veronica are back in this ALL-NEW #1 from comics legend Adam Hughes (Wonder Woman, Catwoman)!

Script: Adam Hughes Art: Adam Hughes Betty & Veronica #1 CVR A Reg: Adam Hughes Betty & Veronica #1 CVR B Variant: Mahmud Asrar Betty & Veronica #1 CVR C Variant: Tom Bancroft Betty & Veronica #1 CVR D Variant: Stephanie Buscema Betty & Veronica #1 CVR E Variant: Cliff Chiang Betty & Veronica #1 CVR F Variant: Colleen Coover Betty & Veronica #1 CVR G Variant: Bilquis Evely Betty & Veronica #1 CVR H Variant: Veronica Fish Betty & Veronica #1 CVR I Variant: Francesco Francavilla Betty & Veronica #1 CVR J Variant: Genevieve F.T. Betty & Veronica #1 CVR K Variant: Rian Gonzales Betty & Veronica #1 CVR L Variant: Robert Hack, Steve Downer Betty & Veronica #1 CVR M Variant: Erica Henderson Betty & Veronica #1 CVR N Variant: Rebekah Isaacs, Kelly Fitzpatrick Betty & Veronica #1 CVR O Variant: Tula Lotay Betty & Veronica #1 CVR P Variant: Alitha Martinez, Kelly Fitzpatrick Betty & Veronica #1 CVR Q Variant: Audrey Mok Betty & Veronica #1 CVR R Variant: Moritat Betty & Veronica #1 CVR S Variant: Ramon K. Perez Betty & Veronica #1 CVR T Variant: Andy Price Betty & Veronica #1 CVR U Variant: Ryan Sook Betty & Veronica #1 CVR V Variant: Jenn St. Onge Betty & Veronica #1 CVR W Variant: Chip Zdarsky Betty & Veronica #1 CVR X Variant: Chrissie Zullo Betty & Veronica #1 CVR Y Variant: Blank Sketch On Sale Date: 7/20 32-page, full color comic $3.99 U.S.

Review: Renato Jones: The One % #1

Before failing in 2011, MF Global had over $41 billion in assets. Investment banking firm Lehman Brothers had more than $600 billion and its collapse sparked the global financial crisis of ’08. From ENRON to Conrad Black (a bit of Canadian flair for you) the infamous reputation of the ‘One Percent’ precedes them. Fueled by greed and a gluttonous appetite for power, they build their fortunes on the backs of the middle-class while completely disregarding the poor. Their authority is unquestionable, their influence undeniable. So, in a world that willingly turns a blind eye to the corruption that infects it, who can we turn to for justice? Who will enact our revenge? The answer is Kaare Kyle Andrews’ new creator-owned title Renato Jones: The One %. Renato Jones' world is not all unlike our own: the wealthiest ‘one percent’ of the population dictate the global financial economy for the remaining ninety nine. They operate with complete impunity, zero accountability and no regard for the laws and lives they destroy; Renato Jones seeks to make them pay. He’s a tragedy-born, masked vigilante out to balance the scales of inequality by targeting those who would use their means to pervert society. It’s Dexter/meets Robin Hood/meets Agent 47 and it’s the best new release of 2016, thus far.

It practically screams at you with its candle-glow yellow cover and the art is nothing if not a true ode to Dionysian excess. Andrews depicts a masquerade party sex-orgy with Renato Jones at the forefront, supporting a woman in clad lingerie and uttering his regrettable one-liner “Choke on THI$”. My initial interpretation at first had me thinking that everyone was dead, presumably poisoned since there were so many knocked-over wine bottles/glasses. It followed logically that Renato had killed them but after having read the issue I now believe this to be false. First of all, poison isn’t his style; too subtle. Beyond that, the dead woman in his arms really bothered me – it just seemed completely contrary to Renato’s character portrayal. Then I noticed the glass in her hand and it hit me: she isn’t dead! (kind of hard to hold a glass if you’re dead, DUH). The cover isn’t trying to show the brutality of Renato Jones, it’s a metaphor explaining Andrews’ outlook and philosophy when it comes to the 'One Percent.' Notice that in a sea of naked bodies you can’t clearly make out a single man or woman; they just blend together into one blind androgynous mass? Almost as if Andrews were saying that they’re all the same; indistinguishable from one another and hopeless to achieve redemption. On occasion however, there are lucky individuals who can be saved not only from the elite of the world but most importantly from themselves and that is what's actually taking place here: Renato is saving her. Redemption not condemnation; that is the most persistent theme throughout the issue and it is summed up perfectly in one all-encompassing image.

Now of course at its core this is a classic tale of revenge-fantasy, dripping with excitement, action, blood, guts, gore, etc. on every page. It serves an almost Freudian desire to enact violence: we don't want to just see the wicked punished, we want to see them harmed for their wrongdoings. This makes us cheer on Renato despite the horrible acts and atrocities he commits to get the desired results. He's not only justified in our eyes but we see him as the hero, the dark avenger; we forgive his trespasses because we know he can and will do what we cannot or will not (sound like any other pointy-eared vigilantes you know?). But unlike a certain Gotham Chiroptera who fights crime by reacting to it, Renato Jones works by trying to anticipate it. His philosophy is you need to kill the hydra, not merely cut off one of its heads. Address the source not the symptom, for only then will any real or lasting change ever be possible.

I meant it when I said that this is the best release of the year, so far. It has depth, rich dialogue and takes the time to develop its characters beyond the scope of what typically constitutes a first issue. Andrews' world is both visually and emotionally dark, scattered with moments of genuine hope and human connection that persist in even in the most brutal times. The layout is fantastic, the tableau memory sequences are terrifying/breathtaking, and the story is impossibly enthralling. As excited as I am to uncover more about Renato and his past, I'm most looking forward to finding out just how 'super-fucked' the 'super-rich' really are!

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Renato Jones: The One % #1 Writer/Artist: Kaare Kyle Andrews Price: $3.99 Publisher: Image Comics Release Date: 5/4/16 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digita

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