Review: Godzilla in Hell #5

Godzilla has defeated every monster he’s encountered, even the Fantastic Four were barely a match for the King of Kaiju, I don’t care what anyone says, that comic is and forever will be canon. And in this miniseries they took him through his biggest (and most metal) challenge yet, Godzilla was in Hell. This last instalment on the series seeks to put the mighty beast through one last trial. This issue begins with Godzilla walking through a mighty and vast desert, which turns as quickly as the page is turned into a relentless ice storm which makes even Godzilla struggle. And as it comes, the storm leads way to a cavernous river of boiling blood that lead into a cascade to the abyss. Before he knows it, he’s in a bridge that can’t hold his weight, and falls right into the same abyss the blood leads to. Godzilla then wakes up to more foes, small and big, few and many, all trying to stop and kill the mighty beast from reaching the top of the mountain (figurative and literally). Godzilla in Hell #5 really submerges into what it is for Godzilla to travel to the Underworld and which of his enemies and other kaiju he’s battled over the years would be his most feared, is there anyone left for him to battle now that he’s defeated all monsters on Earth and some on Space? Or is he meant to travel continuously through the entrails of the land of eternal despair and desolation, battling his way through everything he’s ever faced over and over again.

Dave Wachter nicely wraps up the tale of Godzilla going through Hell by providing closure to the story. As the creative teams before him, he’s shown his own version of Hell, which at this point feels similar to some of the earlier incarnations of Godzilla’s Inferno, which works very well to relate this story to the other ones, while still being able to notice that Wachter has his own ever changing of the place and how it changes the protagonist. He continues the little to no usage of dialogue, narration, or captions, which has proven more effective to set up the tone on how epic the entire tale is, and when overused, well, you have issue #2. Godzilla is mighty in his own regard. There is no need to tell the reader that, but rather show them by matching him with a world (or Underworld) that’s just as epic and even more mighty dabbling on the surreal.

The art is some of the best I’ve seen in the series, putting aside my personal bias with James Stokoe with a lot of effort, Dave Wachter has made product that equals in attention to detail, contrasts of color, and use of bizarre and quirky images and creatures that could run the risk of  clashing with the tone of the book, but rather enhances it. In terms of art and their style, this feels like a mix of James Stokoe and Mike Del Mundo working on a Godzilla book together, as far as art goes, issue #1 and issue #5 of Godzilla in Hell stand in equal terms, but when the story is factored in, the last issue of Godzilla is a richer tale that serves well for the entire series. If Dave Wachter decided to fully take over a Godzilla book, he would have my money every month.

I have only one gripe with this issue and with the series overall. If Godzilla went to Hell, when did he battle the Satan himself? Where is the all out brawl with the King of Kaiju vs the King of Hell? The Fallen Monster vs The Fallen Angel? I know there could be a big argument to say he was a representation of one of the many monsters he faces that seemed to look like his old foes but weren’t . But dammit, Dr. Who showed me a fantastic representation of the (could be) Devil in the Satan Pit based off Simon Bisley designs. Wouldn’t it have been the mother of all fights to see his and Godzilla beat the shit out of each other?

Overall, Godzilla in Hell comes to a good closure, its one not-so-great issue still had amazing art, and it’s overshadowed by how great the entirety of the series was. If you’re a Godzilla fan whether it’s just the movies or the comics, there’s no reason you shouldn’t have this series as part of your collection.

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Score: 4/5

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Godzilla in Hell #5 Written/Illustrated by: Dave Wachter Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $3.99 Release Date: 11/18/15 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital

Review: Holy F*cked #3

This time, in Holy F*cked, skateboarding hipster Jesus remains in captivity at the behest of Hercules, who plans to kill the Lord of Hosts with a heady cocktail of his two known biblical weaknesses: strap on dildos and dynamite sticks! Luckily for our savior, The New Apostles -- souped up versions of Moses, Mother Theresa, The Holy Spirit and a Pope -- are on the case. Unluckily, Hercules dismantles each of them with relative ease, one-by-one burning their flesh from their bones, ripping them in twain or simply snorting up their sacred essences and farting them out. And as ridiculous as it gets, as puerile and silly, it’s never not fun. The strength of this series, of course, has and continues to be that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Writer Nick Marino and artist Daniel Arruda Massa riff on each other in a way not dissimilar to our own Comic Bastards co-captains, Dustin Cabeal and Kevin Beckham, and as such it’s just as organically entertaining. It feels like two friends sitting around at Sunday school, coming up with the most ludicrous shit they can before hastily committing it to paper. And whether it’s the pages-upon-pages of ridiculous battle between the out-gunned Apostles and the nip-tacular Hercules, or the Silver Surfer-meets-Space Jam origin story of Cosmic Moses (the one-shot spinoff story of which I now want to read), it’s always a good time.

Despite resounding with the giddy sacrilegious fun of a fart in church, however, this is not a book free from sin. The story often demands a liberal suspension of disbelief and poetic license in terms of pacing and basic structure. There is no break, for example, between when The New Apostles take off in search of Jesus and when they find his Herc-jacked car. They just arrive. It also relies on the lowest common denominator of humor and storytelling, with the most sophomoric of dick/fart jokes and only a whisper of thoughtful plotting.

The sub-plot of Satan’s impending labor, for instance, is mostly an afterthought here, whereas it might have been played up to greater consequence or a more cliffhanging ending in this, the series’ penultimate issue. Then again, that would mean we got less of the beatific beatdown that takes up the bulk of the issue. Indeed, much like religion, making ridiculous comics about fighting figureheads of faith clearly requires sacrifice.

Arruda Massa’s art, as I’ve said before in earlier reviews, reminds me of a parsed-down James Callahan (The Auteur), with a similar sensibility of not giving two fucks about consistency of perspective, mostly to humorous effect. And while I enjoy how comically quaffable the art of Holy F*cked #3 is, and am glad to see a decrease in panel repetition from last issue, there are a few times where it could benefit from a more focused depth and further attention to background work.

One of the things that makes the aforementioned Callahan’s work in The Auteur so impressive is that he allows himself to get serious sometimes and goes into great detail, making his looser panels stand out with purpose. And while I know they are two separate books, I feel like Holy F*cked would benefit from a similar aesthetic approach. Still, for pure late-night, drug-addled, over-exaggerated fun, with an energetic, pop-art approach to its honestly impressive mosaic panelling, it’s hard not to find this artistic direction endearing as hell, and despite the comparisons I’ve made above, a unique beast in its own right.

As with all of the issues previous, I really enjoyed Holy F*cked #3. It may not change many hearts and minds (though it will almost undoubtedly offend them), but it continues to be a hugely entertaining series that lifts a solid, steady middle finger to both traditions and polite sensibilities. And I, for one, respect that.

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Score: 3/5

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Holy F*cked #3 Writer: Nick Marino Artist: Daniel Arruda Massa Publisher: Action Lab/Danger Zone Price: $3.99 Release Date: 10/13/15 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital

Review: 2000 AD – Prog 1957

The wrap-around cover on this one makes it worth owning, and this Prog's innards ain't half bad either. I think it's been awhile since I've said it, but I'm pretty sure that I have: Alec Worley's Dredd one-shots are excellent.  If you're in the business of submitting Future Shocks to 2000AD, or interested in writing comics, or just a plain-ol' nerd about the form like myself, then these one-shots are a damn clinic in telling a fun story in a handful of pages.  "That Extra Mile" is a Dredd story that comes from an awkward fusion of running culture and the typical horrors of Dredd.  It's hilarious in its absurdity (imagine a running coach hollering tips at Judge Dredd as he chases someone, and add a twist), but still manages to function as an interesting little story and more than just a gag, helped by Richardson's contrastingly serious artwork.

Another one-shot clinic in this Prog comes from the creative team of writer John Smith and artist Peter Doherty with an iteration of Terror Tales, “Night Shift."  Despite my love of most things in the Progs, I'm not huge on horror comics, mostly because I'm lukewarm regarding the horror genre in general.  But this particular comic is less of a genre comic and more of... well, I'll let you read it so that I don't spoil anything.  Regardless of how you choose to classify this story, the pacing is outstanding.

The first page is just a guy sitting, getting up, and walking down some stairs to see if his flatmate is having trouble getting inside.  That's boring; but, Doherty renders it as visually interesting, while maintaining a claustrophobic sense of foreboding with the small, bite-sized, pedantic assault of story beats present on the single page.  As things continue on to the monstery action, the comic just flows while maintaining the dreary black/white/gray aesthetic throughout.  The sequentials are great, the monster designs are great, and the story in "Night Shift" is just pure good fun with a really clever twist.

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Score: 4/5

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2000 AD – Prog 1957 Writers: Various Artists: Various Publisher: Rebellion Price: £1.99 (Digital) £2.55 Release Date: 11/18/15 Format: Weekly; Print/Digital

Trailer Time: Angelarium from Magnetic Press

This stunning art book of mind-bending illustrations, poetry, and short stories is unlike anything you have ever imagined. Exploring the eleven angelic emanations of the Tree of Life, ANGELARIUM paints a world of sheer awe, unveiling unknowable symbolic entities that point towards an immutable ancient truth: “As above, so below.”  Fans of Wayne Barlowe’s EXPEDITION and INFERNO will find this book to be a fascinating exploration of an entirely new world of wonder.

Review: Circle

Written by guest contributor Cameron Gallagher

Sometimes, every once in a while, we watch a movie, and after it is all over and done with, it stays with us. Circle is an incredibly thought-provoking movie that does just that. Circle is written and directed by Aaron Hann and Mario Miscione and tells the story of 50 strangers who awake to find themselves in a large circle, with no knowledge of what happened. After they begin to die and realize the pattern, the darkest thoughts of society will crutch the passengers in who “should” live and who to die.

After finding this film on iTunes for a very low price I decided to check it out for myself. I love films that have ambiguity. Films that make us think for weeks on end after the last line in the credits, are films that have succeeded! This film did just that. It really explores the humanity and reality within our world. The way we act and think, even if we are afraid to say that. This film succeeds in every way at exposing our deepest and darkest thoughts about others. Who we feel is “worthy” and who we feel doesn't deserve life as it is. The film feels very political, because most of its contents are based around stereotypes, which for me is a little bit of a downfall. Although I think it's a great exploration of human emotion and fear, it just seemed way to much of a coincidence that every controversial human characteristic has a represent invite in this film, but for me it wasn't something that got in the way of the suspenseful story.

Let's talk technicality quick. Cinematography was incredible! Especially because the film has one location. Acting is spot on. Everyone from old people to the little girl are spectacular in making me feel as though these people were truly in this situation. Granted, at times it seemed a little relaxed, but it's a film.

My few issues were in some of the script and effects. Although the script was compelling and suspenseful, to me I felt as though I knew nothing, I knew too much. For instance, this isn't a spoiler, but the film is obviously about aliens who are making humans decide who lives and dies. To me that ruined some of the question and suspense of the film. I feel if the filmmakers hadn't revealed that, I would have been in much more suspense as to what is going on. Also, the effects were…well not so hot. Not a massive issue, but disappointing.

The true disappointment in this film, came with its ending. Without spoiling anything, after over 87 minutes of suspense as to what would be this outcome, with what seemed like an almost “judgement-day” sort of vibe, came an insanely meaningless ending. Not to say it wasn't a surprise and thrilling, but it felt boring and forced. I wish there was more of a twist and meaning.

With all that being said, it was an incredibly suspenseful and thrilling film that really had my heart pumping. I felt its forced politics and boring ending was the only thing that held it back from being a real smash.. It is definitely enjoyable and a must see film. I hope you enjoyed this review and make sure to check it out for yourself and tell me what you thought of the film.

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Score: 3/5

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Circle (2015) Writer/Directors: Aaron Hann, Mario Miscione Run Time: 87 minutes

Review: The Peanuts Movie

Written by guest contributor Cameron Gallagher

The Peanuts movie is hands down one of the greatest animated films I have ever seen. After seeing the initial trailer with the new “3D” animation look, and feeling that horrible “Here we go. Let's ruin another classic” I was not interested. But after agreeing to see the movie with family, it was the best decision I made!

The Peanuts movie follows the oh so loved Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the gang in their adventures from, day to day but especially when a new girl comes to school! Now, one of the things I loved long ago about the Peanuts films, was they truly captured the feeling of being a kid. Not just in a literal sense because they are kids, but the questions and feelings we have that now is only a fragment of nostalgia. Playing in the snow, a new kid in school, fear of being laughed at. All of these things are things we went through as kids.

This movie was amazing in every aspect. The story was so riveting in that it told the story of “real” kids. Kids who think and feel! Kids that play outside and socialize with one another. One of the greatest things this film did was make itself timeless. Not an ounce of technology was involved and it felt like a movie that could have happened in 1950 or 2015. They stuck to the roots of not only the Peanuts but being a kid. Playing outside and talking with friends and I think this is a wonderful message and example for young kids to see!

Speaking of the message let's talk about that. The message is so great in this movie, without spoiling it, Charlie Brown feels very down on himself, but no matter what stays true to who he is and to be a kind person! This my friends is what makes a beautiful script! One that sends a playful and great message to viewers of any age.

This is an incredible deep and emotional movie. Not in a boring way, but really explores the emotions that kids face day to day. We forget as adults that kids feel too. They have emotions just as we do, because we are just older versions of kids. Charlie Brown has so much dimension to his character and I'm this film we really care about him. Not just because he is a classic icon, but because of the emotion the filmmakers have instilled in him.

But of course what about Snoopy and Woodstock? A riot! With a mixture of 3D style and Cartoon like animations, the dynamic duo was brought back to life in a truly comical and classic way! With a compelling side story and hilarious antics, these two are seriously a riot! One of the things I loved to is they used the original voice overs, and worked them into this film, due to the actors passing!

I don't want to say too much because the script is very tight around a certain subject, but this story has a wonderful ending that gave me joy like no other film before. The Peanuts is seriously a cinema treat for ANYONE! Adults, kids, parents, grandparents, friends, this movie is truly amazing! I don't usually believe in a perfect movie, but there is NOTHING bad I can say about it! An absolute must see movie! Make sure to go check it out and tell me what you thought of the Peanuts!

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Score: 5/5

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The Peanuts Movie (2015) Director: Steve Martino Writers: Bryna Schulz, Charles M. Schulz, Craig Schulz, Cornelius Uliano Studio: Blue Sky Media Run Time: 88min

Win A Gambit T-Shirt!

Okay so we put that video together, but we're assholes so you probably didn't think it was real or understand it. Basically, we've teamed up with Fun.com to give away five Gambit cosplay T-Shirts. You can see it below. All you have to do is send us a link of your video, giving us your best Gambit impersonation. If you listen to the podcast... then you know what we're looking for. If you don't... then just give it your all! You can send us a link on social media or just post it in the comments below! We're going to run the contest until the end of the month so get to work!

CBMFP 210: Does Beast Have A Cat Box?

Today we're talking about Ash vs. The Evil Dead, the return of Mystery Science Theater 3000, Deadpool... for some fucking reason and oh... who cuts the X-Men's hair? Also there's a new fucking ending finally. I hope you love it and be sure to support ChaChaChaTV.com to thank Erin for the awesome editing! Books covered on this episode of the CBMFP:

• Mystery Girl #1
• Vision #1
• Snow Blind #1
• Allen: Son of Hellcock #1

Previously on the CBMFP...

First Second's Spring 2016 Graphic Novels

I'm always interested in seeing what First Second has next and this looks like another good batch of books. Especially the Science Comics! I can't wait to check those out. Here's the full list!

From First Second:

Something New, by Lucy Knisley -- Bustle says, "The graphic novel tackles the all-too-common wedding issues that go along with being a modern woman: feminism, expectations, getting knocked over the head with gender stereotypes, family drama, and overall wedding chaos and confusion."  We can't wait -- we're giant fans of Lucy's previous book, Relish: My Life in the Kitchen, and her new book is even better.

Science Comics -- our marvelous new series for every science geek out there, starting with Dinosaurs, by MK Reed and Joe Flood, and Coral Reefs, by Maris Wicks!  All you ever wanted to know about dinosaurs and coral reefs and were hoping someone would make a comic about!

Hippopotamister, by John Patrick Green -- when the hippopotamus can no longer stand living in the run-down zoo, what does he do?  He acquires a hat and becomes Hippopotamister in this marvelous graphic novel for young readers.

Nobody Likes a Goblin, by Ben Hatke -- if you liked Ben Hatke's Julia's House for Lost Creatures, this is the book for you -- featuring a goblin setting out to find his friend skeleton, stolen by marauding adventurers on a D&D style adventure.

Ogres Awake, by James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost -- the latest volume in the Adventures in Cartooning Jr. picture book comic series, featuring the knight and Edward the horse.

The Order, by Bastien Vives, Michael Sanlaville, and Balak -- the latest in the addictive, action-packed adventure series Last Man.

Bera the One-Headed Troll, by Eric Orchard -- Bera's happy living by herself.  But when she finds an abandoned baby, she has to figure out what to do -- and how to care for it.

Friends Is Friends, by Greg Cook -- a bittersweet story about the meaning of friendship, starring animal characters.

Paths & Portals, by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes -- this series will continue to teach you (and your kids) about how coding works and how fun and awesome it is, with the help of robots!

The Complete Guide to 2016 Movies: Now Available on Amazon

After seeing the Avengers assemble for a second time, Ant-Man’s big screen debut and the triumphant return of the Jurassic Park franchise among many other memorable moments, 2015 quickly became an unforgettable year for many film fans. With this in mind it’s almost hard to believe that 2016 is shaping up to be an even bigger year, particularly for fans of comic-book movies who will find themselves with a wide selection of offerings including Deadpool, Captain America: Civil War, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and X-Men: Apocalypse among others. On top of this there are a bunch of other genre offerings ranging from Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to Independence Day 2, as well as smaller films which perhaps aren’t grabbing the headlines but may well be worth your time nonetheless. With all these releases hitting theatres at an alarmingly fast rate it would be easy to feel overwhelmed with the choices available to you – if you’re thinking “if only there were some kind of guide which could help me to pick which films to go see” then you are in luck! (And if you weren’t thinking that please just go with me here). The Complete Guide to 2016 Movies: Volume 1 is the first book from David Craig, founder of The Entertainment Network – a website about films, comics and other cool things which has been running since 2011. Within its pages, you’ll find details on every single major studio release hitting theatres between January and June 2016 with commentary on which films are likely to be worth your time and which should be approached with caution. But that’s not all: The Complete Guide also offers fascinating insight into the production of some of next year’s biggest films, and their likelihood of box office success. The book is laid out in chronological order, meaning it can easily be your weekly source of information before heading out to see the latest release.

“My goodness, this book must be mine!” I hear the world cry out at the top of their lungs. Fortunately, the book is readily available right now from Amazon in most parts of the world, with all the details and links listed below. Thanks for reading our pitch, and if you do pick up a copy be sure to let us know what you think on Twitter @_thenetwork or on our Facebook page.

The Complete Guide to 2016 Movies: Volume 1 Author: David Craig Format: Paperback Pagecount: 108 Price: £4.99 (GBP), €6.50 (EUR), $7.50 (USD)

ComicBlitz Goes Global

Well there's a few all you can read apps now, but the one we've been waiting and talking about the longest is ComicBlitz. It's only on the iOS right now, but they've opened the app up to the globe meaning anyone, anywhere can get it. Here's some other titles they added this week as well. - Divinity and Imperium have shaken up the Valiant universe. Read the two series everyone's talking about. - Quantum & Woody Must Die! Find out why folks are gunning for Valiant's comedic superhero duo. - No reason to be grumpy. Dynamite's The Misadventures of Grumpy Cat comes to your digital shelf. - It's reality television meets superheroes in Aspen's Idolized. Read the full miniseries including the #0 issue! - You can read the first arc of Action Lab Entertainment's kid friendly fantasy series Skyward.

Henry Rollins talks about his role in Ian McGinty's WELCOME TO SHOWSIDE animated short

Modern Prometheus production company has released a video interview with icon Henry Rollins about his role in the company’s debut animated short film WELCOME TO SHOWSIDE from Ian McGinty. Rollins plays Frank, a lesser Nexus demon in the WELCOME TO SHOWSIDE short film, which takes viewers along on the adventures of Kit, a lovable kid with a monstrous secret: his dad is the Great Shadow King -- and Frank’s boss -- and he wants Kit to take over the family business of destroying the world. The animated short is based on Ian McGinty’s WELCOME TO SHOWSIDE, the creator owned comic book series by Z2 Comics; the series’ first issue is now available at local comic stores and online. In the newly released interview, Rollins says, “I think Frank has a stressful job...I would not be surprised if Frank was a straight up opera freak.” The Henry Rollins interview about WELCOME TO SHOWSIDE is available on YouTube.

The WELCOME TO SHOWSIDE animated short is widely available on YouTube. Modern Prometheus’ sister company Z2 Comics recently kicked off its new fall periodical line with the first issue of the WELCOME TO SHOWSIDE comic book series, now available at your local comic shop and online.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i8pWbTKAps

Review: The Wicked + The Divine #16

I could never manage the goth aesthetic no matter how much I loved black, or even at the peak of my cigarette-smoking habit. Partially it’s because I dig the color purple too much (the actual color, not the book/movie although that’s good too), but mostly because it’s always felt emotionally draining to up the nihilism in the manner that a pre-ascension Baphomet does following a personal tragedy. Regardless of how much I enjoy the look of my eyes with black eye liner, I’ve never able to keep the optimism from bubbling over. It’s my cross, and I bear it with a stupid bloody grin. Sweeping generalizations and stereotypes about goths aside, this issue does what the best The Wicked & the Divine installments do—it takes our preconceptions of members of the Pantheon, and flings it right out of the castle window, this one doing it while managing a bit of the humor that’s been mostly absent since the death of fangirl Laura. Taking place mostly in flashback, this issue shows us the relationship between the Morrigan/Marian and Baphomet/Cameron as the imprisoned the Morrigan explains in the present-day to Baal and Minerva why she takes responsibility for Baphomet’s actions. Throughout the issue, we see the two university students fool around in cave systems, paint figurines in their crappy apartment, and aid each other through periods of emotional difficulty. Furthering the present-day plot only a few steps, this issue demonstrates better than many others how these characters’ ascensions to godhood not only granted them supernatural abilities, but also transforms their character by highlighting aspects of their personality that align with the qualities of their godly mantle.

One of the qualities I most admire about Kieron Gilen’s writing is his ability to present characters as neither fundamentally good nor evil even if their gods of death. Baphomet, the subboss of wicdiv so far, has been in desperate need of some added dimension following his acts of violence and cowardice, having abandoned The Morrigan to get pummeled by Baal a few issues ago. His interactions with the Morrigan, while not always painting him in the best light, reveal the level of care and affection he as for her, recognizing her as an amazing person even prior to her ascension. Although he doesn’t always behave in the kindest manner towards her and others (a complete 180 from the Baph we know would be unbelievable), their interactions show that he’s capable of much more than simply being a whiny dude with fangs and an inability to cover his sick abs. Seeing him as Cameron, attractive and nihilistic gothy kid, works wonders to show readers how his present-day fear of death is grounded in grief. It’s clear that Gilen doesn’t show us this to pardon his actions, but only to show us that Baph’s actions have causes that he himself may not fully comprehend.

With this issue, I’ve also finally realized just what makes this comic’s dialogue so compelling, the mixture of sentiment, humor and the characters’ refusal to act in any manner of ‘appropriate’ ways. There’s not much seen of the present in this issue, but I love the pairing we get of the gruff Baal with sweet Minerva, the youngest of the pantheon and also the god of wisdom. Leila Del Duca does a great job of highlighting the contrast between these two with an intro that sees the muscular and tall Baal standing next to Minerva who looks more her 12 years here than any other issue. Their pairing leads to some cute dialogue as Minerva begs Baal for the chance to join him when he heads to the Morrigan’s cell to give her a meal. On the flipside, there are moments where characters deliver dialogue that in lesser hands would only ever come of as cheesy. When Marian tells Cameron “We get to choose what we do while we’re here. I’m dancing” when Cameron’s circling a bit of nihilism during his grief, it reads as fittingly kind and appropriate for the Marian to say rather than an ill-suited attempt to insert life-affirming platitudes. Then you’ve got the final component where the characters say mean shit to each other (telling someone they’ll choke on your cock skin is rarely ever a nice thing to tell someone), and blam, the wicdiv trinity of awesome dialogue is complete.

Del Duca does a wonderful job as the most recent guest artist, and although there’s not many set pieces here for her to flex her superb talents at, she helps make Cameron and Marian believable young adults. For instance, their early sexual encounter in an early scene is really nicely executed thanks to details like Cameron’s pants still hanging on to the bottom half of his left leg, and the many layers of goth clothing strewn about the candle-lit cave. These details, as well as Del Duca’s ability to depict young adults as people that are something other slightly smaller adult adults, makes the scene humorous, and fun, a tonal necessity given the grim situation of this arc. Then you’ve got a beautiful page near the end where the Morrigan visits Cameron, evoking the sort of whimsical imagery she pulls off so well in Shutter. Her work solidifies the fact that even with Jamie McKlevie off main art duties this arc, the comic continues to be a beaut. I’m only now realizing how kickass it’s been that all the guest artists have been women so bonus on the team there for avoiding the easy route of going with white males to sub for the white male.

Unlike some previous issues (the remix issue, and the dance party issue) that played with form, this one’s a straight up romance story. It shows readers that the wicdiv team can tell traditional stories that don’t rely on anything other than stellar character work, amazingly illustrated art, and puns galore (#bapomeat).

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Score: 4/5

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The Wicked + The Divine #16 Writer: Kieron Gilen Artist: Leila Del Duca/ Jamie McKlevie (backup story) Colourist: Matthew Wilson Publisher: Image Comics Price: $ 3:50 Release Date: 11/11/15 Format: Ongoing, Print/Digital

Review: Mandalay

Mandalay is an interesting period piece with a mixture of fantasy and the supernatural. At times it reads like a historical account of events, while other times it’s just good old fashion fantasy. It’s a story that takes place in and around Burma. What’s interesting about the story is that it spans across several generations. It’s interesting in that regard because the parts it explains always play a role in the story later on. But they’re explained so completely that it feels like an anthology of stories rather than just one.

The first part takes place in the 16^th century. It’s not quite an origin story, but it kind of is. I can’t explain that further without spoiling it so you’ll just have to take my word that that makes sense. We’re introduced to a Mage with incredible power. He’s summoned by the new King of the land, a power hungry man. The King is building a palace on top of an old building, but finds some strange carvings and a three sided mirror below the build site. The Mage figures out what the mirrors are, but it’s power is too great for him to reveal it to the King. He fears he’ll become power hungry and lead their nation to countless wars. The king won’t take no for an answers and takes the Mage’s grandson forcing him to perform the ceremony.

There’s more to that story, but I’m going to move on to the meat and potatoes of it all. We move forward a few more times, but ultimately the story comes together during the second World War.

We meet two twins living in Burma due to their father’s position as Governor. Burma is occupied by the British in case you were wondering. One of the twins is in love with a local woman, while his twin is also pretty much in love with the same woman. The difference being that Lance is a solider, while Alex is a student with the woman. After Alex and other students protest his father’s house he ends up going into hiding and catching Yellow Fever. His girlfriend tells his father that he can save him and the father lets her take him to the decedent of the mage we meet before. The problem is… some of his family was killed because of the protest. Now he’s faced with the choice of killing him, saving him or damning them both.

dThis is a big story. There’s a lot going on at times and we’re constantly checking in with both twins. Their lives go through a lot of changes. Too many to properly list here and I wouldn’t because then you wouldn’t read the story.

This is a reprint of sorts in that Humanoid has brought it State side and had it translated. I’m glad they did as it turned out to be an entertaining read. It has a throwback feel to it which worked for the book. I don’t always like it when a comic reads as if it were from another era, but clearly there’s nothing that can be done about that with this book since it is from another era. Still, I was impressed by how well it held up over time.

The twins are great characters. They come off as individuals and not just carbon copies. I think it helps that they’re in different places in life and doing very different things. The female characters are a bit weak. They’re not strong or even supportive, but mostly are just there to break up the story or (and I’m not joking) to give birth. That’s my one negative to the story is just an overall lack of believable female characters.

Most of the art is by Butch Guice which should be enough to convince you that the art is pretty damn great. Guice handles well over half of the comic until two other artists step in to finish it off. The thing is, the other two artists do a great job sticking close to Guice’s style. To the point that I really didn’t notice it while reading because I was so engulfed in the story. Overall the visuals are great and really help drive the story and keep it interesting.

This was one of the first Humanoids titles that I’ve read and while it’s a translated reprint, it was still a treat to find and read. I’m checking out more of their books so I’ll have more reviews from the publisher, but this was definitely a great place to start. If you like period pieces, but with a supernatural element then I would really encourage you to check out Mandalay. It’s a delightful graphic novel.

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Score: 4/5

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Mandalay Writer: Philippe Thirault Artists: Butch Guice, Gallur, Jose Malaga Publisher: Humanoids Price: $39.95 Release Date: 11/11/15 Format: OGN; Print

Review: Just Another Sheep #1

If there’s one war that I’m tired of visiting, it’s the Vietnam War. And yet there have been not one, but two comics series that have used some element of that war as it’s backdrop that I have enjoyed. The first was Big Man Plans and while Just Another Sheep is nowhere near the same, it’s still has an entertaining first issue. Again, I’m not comparing the two at all, so don’t get it twisted. It’s the 60s… gross right? Just kidding, I’m sure they were great. We find our main character Banning as he’s being harassed on a bus on its way to Boston. The two thugs find his “Peace” patch un-American and are looking to cut him. For some reason the bus driver really enjoys this and doesn’t step in. This forces Banning to use his powers, that is to say he can make people feel any pain or affliction that he’s experienced. He makes one experience a broken arm from his past and the other the worst food poisoning he’s ever had. This gets Banning kicked off the bus for some reason and now he’s stuck without any money and only half way to Boston.

While he’s sulking he meets a hippy chick that takes him into her fold. She’s beautiful so of course he goes along with her. That and he has no backbone. She promises him a ride, but that ride continues to get further and further away until he finds himself in some deep shit.

What I like about the title of this book is that it really does describe Banning. He’s the sheep. He goes along with anything anyone suggests and it’s not really clear as to why. It definitely makes his character more interesting though. Combine his passive personality with his powers and it’s something that comics really haven’t seen. The writing is good. We have a complete picture of who Banning is by the end of the issue as a lot of character development is done along the way.

The art is a tremendous part of this issues success. It captures the era in several ways, but my favorite was a trippy splash page. Usually I hate trippy pages in general and I like them even less when they’re a splash page. With Just Another Sheep, the page actually serves the story and isn’t annoying.

Whooo. Thank goodness.

The line work is very clean and again has a style the fits the era. The coloring is very impressive as well. It too helps the book feel like the 60s with the color tones, but it’s just some wonderful coloring in general. There’s a lot of depth to the coloring when it comes to clothing and faces. The lighting effects are realistic as well which is something I’m appreciating more and more in comics.

This is an interesting first issue for sure. I don’t know where the story is going to end up. Hell, I don’t know what the second issue has in store, but I’m curious. I’m curious to see if our “sheep” can be something more. Can he change and grow while controlling his powers? If you like books with superpowers like the X-Men, then check this one out.

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Score: 4/5

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Just Another Sheep #1 Writer: Mat Heagerty Artist: JD Faith Colorist: Jon Cairns Letterer: Ed Brisson Publisher: Action Lab Entertainment Price: $3.99 Release Date: 11/11/15 Format: Print/Digital

Review: The Shadow Vol 2 #4

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book, being just another title in the review docket I assumed nobody else would have a driving interest to pick up. While a fine vintage character, The Shadow isn't one that seems to have any pressing relevancy to have new stories told about him. We've got plenty of shadowy vigilantes in comics, and period revivals usually do nothing to stand out. In this case however, this book surprised me, if by doing nothing more than telling a straightforward story well with some solid art attached. The Shadow involves himself in a magician guild war which has resulted in murder, waged over a mysterious trick formed in a collaboration between escape artist Harry Houdini and author H.P. Lovecraft. Intrigue ensues.

Now, H.P. Lovecraft's inclusion should raise some red flags, as his name and canon has been abused continuously for nearly a decade now, but fortunately we're spared Shadow vs. Cthulu for the time being. While putting him in the book feels largely unnecessary in the resulting story, it avoids shameless gimmickry and instead treats him as a cog in the overall mystery. Cullen Brand writes the book in a believably old-fashioned manner, with arch dialogue and a plot with thin detailing. Imagine taking the script to an old Shadow comic and taking what would have formerly been single panels on a page and stretching them out into splash pages to fit the modern expectation of comic storytelling. It may not dig deep or justify publishing new stories for this character without some revised take, but it reads comfortably and sometimes comics don't need to do more than that.

However, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it nearly as much had it had art of a lesser quality. Giovanni Timpano reminds me vaguely of John Cassaday's art, cinematic but with a clear artist’s hand that keeps it from getting lost in strict photorealism. Marco Lesko's colors compliment the lines specifically well, making good use of tones and light sources, especially during the Shadow's trip to the theater midway through the book. The art is where the book gets its texture in this case and did its job well, drawing me in to the action.

I might read the next issue, not out of curiosity with how the story ends, but just because the book was a satisfying simple read. For all the shit we give Dynamite on this site (much of it well deserved I might add), this issue was a nice exception to my usual expectations.

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Score: 3/5

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The Shadow Vol 2 #4 Writer: Cullen Bunn Artist: Giovanni Timpano Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment Price: $3.99 Release Date: 11/11/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

Review: Oxymoron: The Loveliest Nightmare #3

Okay, I’m tired of comparing Oxymoron to the Joker. Mostly because with this issue Oxymoron transcends the very character he was created in homage to. Simply put, Oxymoron is everything the Joker should be and can’t be because he’s too popular of a character for DC. He makes them too much money. So even though he should be a sick and terrible character that strikes fear into people’s hearts… he’s not. He’s just a “cool” character for everyone to enjoy. To continue my comparison of both characters for just a minute more, the creators of this comic take this opportunity to basically address everything wrong with the paragraph I just wrote. We’re fans of the Joker! He’s killed countless people and given the opportunity would kill you if it amused him. Oxymoron addresses that very mindset in this issue and I damn near clapped. I almost put the comic book down and fucking clapped.

Thank you Tyler James and John Lees for producing one of the best comics I’ve read all year. I wish that Tyler hadn’t you know… done stuff to Oxy in Red Ten, but hey that hasn’t stopped them from telling a lot of great stories with the character since.

In this issue… oh my god so much happens. Parents, maybe read this before giving it to a kid. In fact, have someone without kids read it before you read it, to see if you can even handle it. Personally, it’s a shocking issue for many reasons, but it didn’t make me cringe or anything. It was just a natural progression for the characters.

I will tell you what’s revealed in this issue, but I won’t tell you the answers. Oxymoron’s obsessions with our main character Mary. What happened to Mary’s partner and why she’s blamed for his death. Oxymoron’s relationship with the news reporter. People die… their deaths will be revealed to you.

I really don’t see the point of telling you anything else about the story. I’m not joking that this is one of the best comics and series I’ve read all year. It has been an absolute delight in an otherwise bleak 2015. With only one issue left you should catch up. Remember that ComixTribe is an independent publisher and that doesn’t guarantee that there will be a trade right around the corner.

I’ve had some exposure to Alex Cormack’s artwork recently and I just have to say that he’s doing some great work. His work on this series has been absolutely great. I love the exaggerated smile on Oxymoron’s face. We can see inside his entire mouth and while that’s humanly impossible, it looks so freaking great on the page as it adds terror. There’s a scene that’s made to look like a camera screen and it’s very believable. Especially when Oxy picks up the camera and moves with it. It really helps the scene visually so while I’m not really a fan of the device, it works here.

I read this issue twice. There’s so much that happens that you might find yourself doing the same. I’m really impressed by just how much they’ve been able to cram into each issue without it being noticeable. I don’t know what the finale can possible hold for us. I haven’t been able to guess this series for shit and that’s been a part of the fun. Whatever the creative team has in store for us, I have a feeling it’s going to be great.

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Score: 5/5

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Oxymoron: The Loveliest Nightmare #3 Story: Tyler James & John Lees Artist: Alex Cormack Colorist: Jules Rivera Publisher: ComixTribe Price: $3.99 Release Date: 11/11/15 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital

Review: Weekly Shonen Jump #50

I'm worried about Sanji, you guys. What happened to Sanji?!  Okay that's all I have about One Piece.

Have I mentioned how smart My Hero Academia is?  I just can't get over how cerebral Horikoshi is willing to be when it comes to his characters and the way their powers fit together to augment or dominate each other.  We saw a lot of this kind of cerebral stuff during the initial fights between all the students, but now Horikoshi is giving us both barrels by showing how students team up against teachers in situations specifically designed to put the kids at the biggest disadvantage possible.  Still, they've been paired up for success.  It's making for a development of all kinds of characters while he gets to visually showcase their powers, as well as showing how much of a student of superheroing Midoriya is.  Great stuff.

I was a naysayer of Kubo's final grandstanding of the Sternritters vs. Soul Society when the (maybe?  hopefully?  probably? ) final arc of Bleach began.  Despite unevenness in Kubo's storytelling overall, I take back a good part of my criticism: these final fights are a gorgeous exercise in design, in personal story, and in the full limits of the powers of characters on all sides of this fight.  The last two fights (technically this one isn't even really over yet) have been absolute visual poetry.  They all have a quiet to them that suggests to me that Kubo might really be winding things down.  These fights are very much starting to read less like Shonen, and more like a unique love letter to Bleach itself.

I'm not a huge fan of Seraph of the End, but things have started to move very quickly and I really enjoyed this chapter.  It had some of the better art I've seen from this series in a (mostly) talky chapter.  This chapter was interesting enough visually and story-wise that it made me want to comb back through to refresh things for the upcoming pivotal moments of this series.

Food Wars continues in a great direction, but I'll have more to say about that when the shit starts to go down next chapter.

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Score: 4/5

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Weekly Shonen Jump #50 Writers: Various Artists: Various Publisher: Viz Media Release Date: 11/9/15 Format: Weekly; Digital

Review: Ashes – A Firefighter’s Story

Ashes is a quick, honest and straightforward read. It didn’t offer too many surprises with the plot, but the characters and relationships elevate it from being average. To put it another way, it’s a very realistic and human journey that our main character is on. We follow Matt, he’s a legacy firefighter meaning he comes from a family of firefighters. We open with a rescue of some little kids, but he and his partner/friend decide not to wait for the ladder to come back up and instead take the fire escape. There’s a bit of foreshadowing here as he catches his ankle on the fire escape.

From there we’re introduced to his life. He’s divorced, has a kid, loves his mom and pretty much hates his father. His father is way higher up on the firefighter ladder and is constantly telling him not to overdo it on rescues and that he needs to think of his own safety as well. If you’re not seeing it, something bad is about to happen to Matt.

I won’t say what it is, but he’s forced to take a desk job and begins to hate life. Like he’s lazy and mean to his friends and family. In particular, he lashes out at his father a lot. I didn’t get the impression that his dad deserved all of it, but hey what son doesn’t blame their dad for a certain amount of their failures? Don’t work with your parents kids, that’s rule number one.

The art is what got me and kept me. It’s in all black and white which seemed like an odd choice at first. I mean it’s about a firefighter and there’s going to be fires. You’d think that colored pages would be the obvious choice, but they’re not. I think that’s because it’s a rich character journey for Matt who doesn’t spend the entire book chasing fires, but rather figuring out how to live life. The art is detailed, but with a style that fits the story. There is also a balance of contrast between the black and white.

There’s a lot about this story that’s niche, but I think if you just like character stories then this one is worth checking out. I mean, I don’t live in New York, I’m not a firefighter or related to one and yet I was able to enjoy the book so give it a shot yourself.

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Score: 4/5

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Ashes – A Firefighter’s Story Writer: Mario Candelaria Artist: Karl Slominski Publisher: Z2 Comics Price: $19.99 Release Date: 11/11/15 Format: OGN; Print