Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #62

Dear Comic Bastards, It is with a heavy heart that I must resign from reviewing Turtles comics.

I do this for fun, you see, because a wide array of varying media contributes very heavily to one's critical spectrum. To find out what works and what doesn't work in storytelling, one must seek every avenue, must look to both good and bad and find out which pieces make the machine go and which make it stop in its track.

I'm done reviewing TMNT comics because I've learned everything that I can from them, namely boiling down to two separate things: Variety is, as ever, the spice of life; and you cannot escape one's origins. The best parts of the Turtles have never been its direct origins, the original comics were equal parts goofy in that they were a shockingly violent parody of Daredevil, and uncomfortable in that they weren't... particularly good.

The Turtles lineage, even as a cartoon, has always been soaked in its original parody-origins; the Turtles were never Batman in ever sense of the term: did not have the moral fiber, did not have the obsessive streak, did not have a stick up their collective turtle butts and they weren't quite as skilled as a man who's entire claim to legacy is being good at literally everything.

Whether you were laughing at the joke or laughing at the fact that the Turtles themselves act in fun, humorous ways, they always had a levity to them in a Deadpool sort of way that refused to conform to average comic stories. The fact that it was four turtles raised by a rat and in the ways of ninjitsu to fight a ninja clan leader and his mutated rhino and warthog lackeys was supposed to mean that, due to circumstance, the Turtles couldn't fall prey to feeling like every other goddamned comic.

Lo and behold, though, the clowns have all been shoo'd away, Shredder's gone, the main villain is Kitsune, an ancient Japanese god and the conflict revolves, in this issue, a human being kidnapped and Mikey coming back to his family after having left not even two issues ago.

Characters like Baxter Stockman, the Rat King, Shredder, Bebop, Rocksteady and even new addition Old Hob are now revealed to not only have been great additions but, in reality, necessary to the Turtles universe. The turtles themselves can be corrupted by samey continuity-tying comic nonsense, the same kind you see in Average Evil-Fighter Issue #596. When the turtles' main enemy is both a boring Japanese god and their own inner conflict and nothing else, there is no situational barrier keeping the turtles being as boring as their writer is.

Is this particular issue bad? It's the same as the last thousand, little moves, character relationships are reinforced so if the last couple of issues were bad then you'd better damn well be sure that this issue's bad too. I would take any version of the turtles over this because every single version tried something new and untested, even the bad ones. The third Turtles movie brought them to Feudal Japan. Bad, but interesting. The CG Turtles movie put the Turtles inner conflict at front and center, with the bad guy being the side story for a change. Kind bad, but interesting. The New Mutation added a girl turtle. REALLY bad but it wasn't stale, Goddammit. Splinter being the head of the foot clan doesn't change anything for the story, it's incidental! This changes nothing for the minute to minute of how the Turtles comics read!

I should give this one a one out of five but it doesn't deserve it because the level of effort here is same consistent level it's been keeping for months. It's not Turtles that's changed, it's my growing annoyance with it.

Someone hit me up on Twitter if it starts getting interested again. Find me at @MrFistSalad. While I'm at it with the self-promotion, check out The Dolridge Sacrament, published by Alterna Comics! Give your money to me and not this goddamn Turtles comic. Or go get a burger with that money.

[su_box title="Score: 2/5" style="glass" box_color="#8955ab" radius="6"]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #62 Writer: Tom Waltz Artist: Dave Wachter Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $3.99 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

[/su_box]

Review: The Undertaking of Lily Chen

Another book from First Second that I’m late to the party on. The Undertaking of Lily Chen revolves around the Chinese tradition of finding a bride for a dead son so that he won’t be alone in the afterlife. It’s called a “Ghost Wedding” and it’s a practice that’s become popular again which has resulted in murder. I tell you this because the book tells you all this before even starting the story. At the same time, it was on the news and something I found quite disturbing and yet fascinating. The story starts off in the middle of two men fighting. It’s clear that the fight isn’t extremely hostile, but that there’s a lot of emotion behind it. The two men are brothers, and they’re venting some pent up family drama which results in the death of one of the brothers. The younger of the two flees. He runs all the way back to his parents’ house and tells them what happened, but the incredible thing is that there’s never a written word to accompany it.

Once the dialogue starts back up, we find the parents still in shock, but they’re now hell-bent on sending their favorite child to the grave with a wife. Deshi, the younger brother, must now go out and find a ghost marriage broker. Things being what they are the man that Deshi contracts brings him to a very dead woman’s grave. She’s been dead for so long that he’s not sure he can come back to his mother with this body. Eventually, Deshi crosses paths with Lily Chen who is looking for any way out of her life as her father is practically being forced to marry her off to save his house and farm. The first time he meets Lily, Deshi prepares to kill her and yet this encounter doesn’t define their relationship or the events that follow.

The story doesn’t offer a ton of twists and turns. It’s pretty straightforward with what is going to happen to the point that you can figure it out for yourself. That’s not the point of the story, though. It’s an unusual love story that has a lot of dark humor mixed in. That’s the part that caught my attention, was the dark humor. For instance, Lily’s father, covered in mud, bleeding and soaking wet just walks into Deshi’s parent's house and sits down like he belongs there. Clearly, he doesn’t, and it’s a strange moment for sure, but it's humorous.

Danica Novgorodoff manages to take a straightforward story and do an incredible amount of character development. Deshi, in particular, goes through a range of emotions and in the end, is forced to deal with some hard truths like the type of person his brother was and how his family treats him. What’s also very different about the ending is that it doesn’t pretend that these characters are going to live happily ever after, just that they’ll live… most of them. It’s that acknowledgment of real life that also makes the story stand out.

The art is interesting, to say the least. It’s very different, but it fits the story. Each panel is water colored which gives it a nice look. The line work/brush work is simple and yet maintains a level of detailed. It’s deceiving in that way to the untrained eye. There’s visual humor and gags as well that go along with what I previously mentioned about the story. Overall it’s a style that would need to accompany a particular story type, but then that’s the charm of Novgorodoff’s style. If like me, you haven’t checked out The Undertaking of Lily Chen, then give it a chance. It’s one of the most unique graphic novel’s I’ve ever read and a standout title from First Second.

[su_box title="Score: 4/5" style="glass" box_color="#8955ab" radius="6"]

The Undertaking of Lily Chen Creator: Danica Novgorodoff Publisher: First Second Books Price: $29.99 Format: TPB; Print

[/su_box]

Review: Doctor Muscles – Journal Two

I’m well past the point of this review being relevant, but I couldn’t in good conscience pass on reviewing the second volume/journal of Doctor Muscles. While I have a ton of valid excuses for why it took me so long to read and review this trade, that’s not why you’re bothering to read the review so let’s just dive into it. I do recall that the ending of the first volume of Doctor Muscles was messy and convenient. It felt like a rush to the finish, and some of that carries over to the beginning of this volume. The first story finds our trio picking up a space hitchhiker, but the catch is that they can afford to stop to pick him up. After a daring rescue, they land at a mining colony. The colony is interesting in the way that it functions. Shit goes south though as Mickey’s gems turn out to be eggs and the creatures are less than friendly. From here, Mickey and the Doctor head out together leaving the other two on the station.

We’re then introduced to another side of the story as a bounty hunter that eats people is sent after Muscles and has been undoing all the good deeds he’s done. Muscles and Mickey eventually get captured by the bounty hunter and his talking robotic hawk and the journey leads us the Ultra-Lord.

Or does it? Because that’s the thing about Doctor Muscles. If we went with the surface level story, it’s about the smartest man in Philadelphia that’s dropped through time and space and ended up in another dimension. He’s strong as hell, and he uses his brains and muscles to solve his problems, he’s the opposite of Superman in that way. The journey is crazy, entertaining, and strange. You could even argue that Doctor Muscles is a modern age Doc Savage. To feel this way, you would need to ignore that we’re given glimpses of Doctor’s life running all throughout the story.

Now you might wonder why I didn’t say “flashback” and that’s because I’m not entirely sure if they are. Some of them definitely could be, but overall I’m lead to believe that this entire journey could just be something that Arthur has created as a way of escaping the loss of his father. I suppose the third option could be a combination of the two which is what I’m hoping for given the ending to this volume.

Austin Tinius and Robert Salinas have created a complex, interesting and classic sci-fi feeling world. It’s part old school Heavy Metal, but then the other half is just complex sci-fi world building. The character development is rich, but far from spoon fed. You as the reader must pay attention and dive into the story. If you don’t give it the opportunity to get its hooks into you, then you’ll never find yourself emerged. If you do, you’ll breeze through this story quickly.

The art is the only weakness for the volume. It changes a bit too much and always as you’re becoming comfortable with a particular style. Ignacio Vega is the artist on the first tale, which is the longest, and he’s the reason I’m not reviewing Holli Hoxxx vol. 2, because I have nothing positive to say about his artwork. His is the weakest visual storytelling and seems to focus more on style than anything else. After his stint on the book, the art improves dramatically, but again, appears to switch too much leaving the books without a consistent look. Simply put, the writers did a hell of a job with the script they gave the illustrators.

I hope there’s more Doctor Muscles. I have admittedly not kept up with Bogus Books as well as I should have, but then there’s just so much to keep track of, and I am just one man. I’m just incredibly glad that Doctor Muscles exists, and I hope that it will continue to be in print or digital so that future generations can find it and be inspired by it. As long as they stick the landing, that is. If not, then it’s all for not.

[su_box title="Score: 4/5" style="glass" box_color="#8955ab" radius="6"]

Doctor Muscles – Journal Two Writers: Austin Tinius, Robert Salinas Artists: Various Publisher: Bogus Books Price: $14.95 Format: TPB; Print

[/su_box]

Review: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #7

The Rangers are powerless - literally unable to access the morphin grid -  as well as kicked out of the command center, which is now under Rita’s control with the help of the mysterious Black Dragon. A near broken Billy wakes up in the same prison Tommy and Jason have seen themselves before. Trini is attempting to figure out while everyone’s powers are gone, except for Tommy’s. I’m not even gonna bury the lead here. Motherfucking Zord space fight. In all its might. The Rangers have gone to the moon base before (kidnapped), but I don’t believe we’ve seen a full on Zord fight in the moon. Especially against such a great opponent as Black Dragon, a creature with more Power than any of her generals, and a terrifying look that is a mix of a Pacific Rim Kaiju and an evil commander pulled from any of the later series in Power Ranger’s history.Hendry Prasetya is outdoing himself here every time he shows a Zord being used to its full range of abilities. The finger missiles on the Dragonzord was very underutilized during the series, and Prasetya explores it to its full potential of awesomeness. Can you imagine what he would do with the Astro Megaship…? OK, I’m drooling now.

Kyle Higgins’ arc is maintained strong because of the strength of his antagonists. He’s presented a new, stronger opponent they’ve never faced before in the Black Dragon, and upped the ante with Rita Repulsa. Having her sit right where Zordon’s containment tank was is just one big fuck you to the Rangers and all the times they’ve foiled her plans. She was always the most effective out of the Villains of the Mighty Morphin era, that’s right, even more so than Lord Zedd, I said it. Bring it. She dealt the most damage to the Rangers, and Higgins shows the fruits of her labor and the reach of her ambitions in this issue. There is some talk of the Morphin grid to satisfy huge nerds like me, and it comes organically, and quickly moves on to giant robots fighting giant monsters… IN SPACE to deliver more of what was promised from issue #0.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #7 rewards the returning reader for following the journey through 7 months, and it welcomes new readers, both by giving a new story fallout that stems off the old one opening a new arc.

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

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #7 Writer: Kyle Higgins Artist: Hendry Prasetya Colorist: Matt Herms Publisher: BOOM! Studios Price: $3.99 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

[/su_box]

Review: Toil and Trouble

When you aim to re-tell a famous story, especially one as entrenched in the literary culture as Macbeth, it’s easy to fall into the trap of conformity. In a sense you’re working uphill against the preformed ideas your audience has about the story and the characters. In Toil and Trouble, Mairghread Scott is fearless in her retelling. The book is a bold take on a hidden tale within the play. Scott manages to pay tribute not only the original source and invoke a number of influences from history and myth. The Toil and Trouble Hardcover is a chance for anyone who missed out on this series when it first premiered. The story follows Smertae, one of three witches tasked with overseeing the fate of Scotland, as she attempts to not only save the country, but a man who she sees as the rightful heir to the throne. Opposing her is her sister and fellow witch Riata, who has her own plans for the future. The third witch and oldest sister is Cait. She is stuck in the middle desperately trying to keep them together against the pressures that bubble within the family and threaten the land. Scott has done a masterful job with these characters, each of the witches have their own histories and motivations. Within their interactions, you can see how their unique perspective puts them at odds with each other.

As I said earlier, Scott has made a clear distinction between her story and the original play. The first and most prominent example of this comes in the form of Lady Macbeth. Instead of giving her the same motivation (or should I say lack of motivation) as in most tellings of the Macbeth play, Scott crafts a tragic backstory which fits well within her narrative. It makes the story that much more poignant and heartbreaking. Another small, but important distinction between most interpretations of the play, is that this narrative includes people of color throughout. An inclusion which I find refreshing. It is a brilliant way to challenge the audience’s perceptions of the time period while remaining true to the original source.

Kelly Matthews and Nichole Matthews do an amazing job here as well. Their art scheme is elegant, with bright vibrant colors and an attention to detail creates a subtle shift in tone throughout the book. Character designs and color choices create a connection between the art and the plot, with the art getting darker as the story progresses. The art feels almost like a medieval tapestry, a grand telling of an old fable. It’s great to see two relatively new mainstream artists perform so well in their debut.

This edition also offers a deep dive into the creative process. Essays, sketches, and a breakdown of the script are all included in the back. Archaia has done wonders with this and anyone who is interested in the nitty gritty of comic creation this book provides valuable insight.

In short, Toil and Trouble is a great comic. Scripted by a talented writer and brought to life by two up and coming artists. If you like comics, this is one of the good ones.

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

Toil and Trouble Writer: Mairghread Scott Artist: Kelly Matthews and Nichole Matthews Publisher: BOOM! Studios/Archaia Price: $29.99 Format: Hardcover; Print/Digital

[/su_box]

Review: Tomb Raider #8

Ah, Tomb Raider. We pick up in issue 8 in a not so surprising Lara Croft situation; kidnapped, riding in a van for a few hours, then into a cell, then getting punched by some guy. The kidnappers are looking for information on Lara's friend, Sam, but she isn't giving up any information. Sam, for those that played the 2014 game, was found to be some kind of reincarnation/ancestor of an ancient sun god, and it seems one of Lara's kidnappers did experiment on Sam. One kidnapper explains that Lara freed Sam, thus ruining his experiment, but not before Lara herself got captured. Lara escapes onto the roof, finding herself in some rundown factory type setting. She begins to flee, as different platforms and pieces of roofing fall apart. This draws the attention of the men below, who start shooting. After a very action packed scene, Lara escapes the compound. Lara makes her way to a local restaurant and calls Jonah, a friend of both Lara's and Sams. She tells Jonah that Sam is gone, and convinces him to come meet up and try to find Sam. The bad guys, known as Trinity, are none too happy that the two girls got away, and are planning to get them back.

This issue was good but felt VERY short. 24 pages seemed to leave me at an odd cliffhanger, but the 24 pages was a fun read. I'm a big fan of the games, so it's nice to see that the artist and writer on this book were able to transfer all the action and plot from the games into a medium like a comic book without losing a lot of momentum. Art was good, realistic enough and nice looking details. Art was also very consistent throughout the book, not even a random wonky eye or strange arm, which is always nice. I will say that a huge part of what drew me to this book was the cover, I really enjoyed the art by Tula Lotay.

The story and dialogue is all good. I will admit that I'm not at all current on this book, but this book has made me more motivated to go back and read what came before. I'll say that even if I wasn't a fan of the games, this book is fun and exciting enough for me to be interested in. It's nothing groundbreaking, but a good adventure book with a brave heroine is always fun to me.

[su_box title="Score: 4/5" style="glass" box_color="#8955ab" radius="6"]

Tomb Raider #8 Writer: Mariko Tamaki Artist: Phillip Sevy Colorist: Michael Atiyeh Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.99 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

[/su_box]

Review: Ringside #7

Former wrestling legend Danny Knossos is introduced to his new line of work, Davis is adjusting to his new life in Florida, Reynolds continues to grind the road as one of CMW’s premier disposable jobbers as he tries to make his way out of it and into a cohesive televised storyline. One of the most enjoyable things in Ringside has been the multiple stories that unfold throughout the comic. It has given Joe Keatinge the ability to approach different aspects of the business at the same time, as well as being able to fit in a story outside of wrestling from people who used to be involved in the business like the Danny and Teddy sub-plot. Which turns the whole thing into a type of HBO one-hour drama about the wrestling business. In this issue, we see Reynolds giving advice when someone’s match has been cut from the card, “keep your head down and don’t raise any fuss,” is basically what he says. By separating Reynolds from the protection of a veteran like Davis, Joe Keatinge has been able to shine a light on the little control or job security wrestlers have in a company as big as CMW or its real-life parallel. It’s known that they have little control over their character, the storylines they’re involved in, or if they will have matches that night or not, regardless of being called with their gear ready, and how a lot of creative people can consider being a writer in a wrestling company as a transitional job.

One of the reinforcers of my comparison of Ringside to an HBO show is Nick Barbers panels. Very cinematic and slow paced. Scenes that are evenly paced and although subtle in detail, the dialogue from Keatinge, combined with the reactions drawn by Barber carry that much more weight and characterization that’s now becoming a staple of this comic. Simon’ Gough’s use of colors and combination with shadows shrouds Ringside with seriousness that’s up there with Southern Bastards and any work from Sean Phillips/Ed Brubaker. It’s tough to see a full sunny day in this comic, the continued use of mid shots and close ups raise the tension each panel as the characters don’t have a moment of clarity and seem to end up from one problem to the next.

If wrestling business isn’t one of the industries most filled with gossip outside of general entertainment business, I don’t know what else could be. From the time kayfabe was broken in the early 90s, people have searched through tell-all books, shoot interviews, and now any piece of internet article that gives them new information on their favorite wrestler. Joe Keatinge and Nick Barber have busted open a cinematic window into the lives of these wrestlers and their very troubled lives.

[su_box title="Score: 4/5" style="glass" box_color="#8955ab" radius="6"]

Ringside #7 Writer: Joe Keatinge Artist: Nick Barber Colorist: Simon Gough Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.99 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

[/su_box]

Review: Cyborg #1

Honestly, I don’t know what I was expecting from a Cyborg comic. I know this isn’t the first time he has had a series (that was almost two years ago), but most of my knowledge of the character comes from him being a Teen Titan, not a founding member of the Justice League. Even though this is a follow up to Cyborg: Rebirth, it works as a pretty good introductory issue. We get a summation of Cyborg’s origins and a rapid fire meet and greet of his supporting cast. Plus a general idea of the extent of his power level and abilities. It works more often than not. Sometimes there is a little too much explanation going on in the first half.

The issue starts off with a slightly confusing first two pages. Some evil bad guy cyborg has found a giant death robot to reactivate. The identity of either character is left a mystery, although I’m sure if I read Rebirth or the previous Cyborg series I would know. Until then, just obvious bad guys being obviously bad.

We then cut to Cyborg stopping two small time robbers in the obligatory show hero in action while also letting him exhibit/explain some powers. This leads to Cyborg returning home to STAR Labs to be checked on by his father, Silas Stone and his assistants Sarah and Tom. Cyborg is worried his humanity may be lost because he heard a recording of his father wondering if Victor was turned into Cyborg or if a soulless mental copy was created instead.

To help with this major crisis, Sarah takes Cyborg out for ice cream and jazz, the two most humanizing things in the universe. Once Sarah and Victor get off on their own, the book starts to come together. While I don’t want several story arcs focusing on Cyborg wondering if he is human or not, an initial issue or two works. Unlike most superheroes Cyborg can’t have a secret identity, he is always Cyborg with giant metal bits showing. There is a need to humanize him, and since the fun and silly Teen Titans Go! The version isn’t allowed, a story like this works.

Cyborg interacting with a few people in public in non-life and death situations is essential. And those bits work very well even though the story isn’t new. I also like how the story is set in Detroit and not a fictional city, it once again makes Cyborg more real.

My only complaints with the story are the over explanation bits, while understandable are still clunky as ever. I also worry that every villain Cyborg will face will be equally cybernetic or robotic, I hope that isn’t a trend.

But as a whole, this book had some heart and helped give me a better understanding of who Cyborg really is.

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

Cyborg #1 Writer: John Semper Jr Artist: Paul Pelletier Publisher: DC Comics Price: $2.99 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

[/su_box]

Review: Adventure Time 2016 Spooktacular

It’s that time of year again folks: the weather is getting cooler, the TV is playing football, and comics are issuing their Halloween specials. Adventure Time is one of those series, whether in TV or comic form, known for its ability to transcend age and cross-genre. Adventure Time Spooktacular isn’t the best of the series, nor does it try to reach as broad of an audience with its content, but it knows what it is and puts up a good showing by the writers and artists. All of the stories in this special revolve around Gunter, the penguin servant who is more than he appears. The issue stays true to the tone of most Adventure Time episodes and comics, mixing a variety of genres to great effect. While this issue isn’t one of the best examples of Adventure Time at it’s most creative, it is a solid representation of terror and humor. In every story, Gunter's temperament varies from mischievous to destructive as each author and artist take a unique shot at the character’s personality.

A few of the stand outs in this issue are “Wild Hunt” and “Soul Food,” written and illustrated by Christine Larsen and Meg Gandy respectively. I enjoyed both artists chosen styles; Larson gives Ooo a more fantasy bend and Gandy use of colors emphasize the surreal nature of Gunter and Hunson Abadeer, King of the Nightosphere. Justin Hook and Matt Smigiel also have a great story titled, “The Gunthering” where a twist ending gives Gunter humorous last word.

This isn’t a comic that is going to change the way you see comics. It isn’t the best example of what makes Adventure Time great. But it is a solid piece of writing and artwork for any Adventure Time fan.

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

Adventure Time 2016 Spooktacular Writers: T. Zysk, Travis Betz, Christine Larsen, Nicole Mannino, Meg Gandy, Justin Hook Artist: T. Zysk, Ruth Turner, Christine Larsen, Nicole Mannino, Meg Gandy, Matt Smigiel Publisher: BOOM! Studios Price: $7.99 Format: One-Shot, Print/Digital

[/su_box]

Review: Lone Wolf 2100: Chase The Setting Sun

I don't know much about Lone Wolf and Cub 2100. I believe that it started out without the 2100 and was based long ago in Japan, and an offshoot of that story was placed in the future year of 2100. This is a graphic novel of the futuristic story. We start off with two people riding through the wasteland of Chicago. The time is one year after "T-Day," and we are told that most of the population has either been killed or turned into creatures known as the Thrall. The two run out of fuel and are forced to stay in an old museum for the night. The museum is full of Thrall, but something about the man and young girl keep them at bay.

Meanwhile, a group of corporate looking people are discussing something called a Ronin model, which is an android that is capable of destroying up to 10,000 Thrall before being destroyed itself. This seems like the right path to take. However, the Ronin factories can only make 2 per month, which is too slow to help protect the remaining citizens from being murdered by Thrall. The decision is made that instead of waiting for Ronins to be produced, they will instead rely on the discovery of one of the people at the meeting, which is dousing the country with a poison that bonds only with those infected with whatever makes people into Thrall.

Back at the museum, the man finds a sword and a gun in the displays and takes them. Outside, a few civilians show up. They see the abandoned vehicle and start to take parts from it, but before long are swarmed by Thrall coming from the museum. They open fire and kill them. The man tells them to stop killing and return to their homes, to which one of the group responds that the man is, in fact, a Ronin, and is supposed to be killing the 'bugs' (Thrall), but instead is protecting them. There is a battle, and the Ronin wins.

Rewind 10 days. Two brothers reunite, one telling the other that he has found a cure for the Thrall that completely reverses the effects. The cure is with his daughter, Daisy, and with it she is safe from Thrall as the cure repels them. He explains that through contacting the other countries around the world, they could work together to help manufacture the cure and help everyone. The other brother is angered by this, explaining that there is a world-wide race to become the first country back on their feet and kills his brother.

Back in the present, Ronin is contacting the leaders of the other countries to try to get everyone to work together and get the cure. Instead of working together, they all turn vicious and demand the girl with the cure flowing through her veins. It is revealed that Daisy is being kept at a ranch full of orphans all saved by a rancher, and because of their geographic location the Thrall haven't discovered them or the ranch, making it a haven for the children as well as some horses.

Ronin, whose name is revealed as Itto by one of the leaders, decides to destroy the computer since every leader besides that of Japan has grown vicious and will not work together, but not before one of the leaders lets Itto know that they have tracked his location. Outside a jet has arrived and dropped three armored men with guns. A battle ensues and Itto is knocked out and captured by the men, but not before Itto kills one. Thrall are approaching as Itto is taken onto the ship. One man stays on the ground fighting back Thrall while the others get the ship prepared, but not before Itto reveals that he was faking being knocked out, kicks the men to the ground to fight the thrall and leaves with the ship. As he begins to take off and moments before being overtaken by Thrall, one of the men shoots the ship out of the air. Itto emerges from the wreckage, muttering only the word "humans." Itto retrieves Daisy from the ranch; they head for the coast and board a ship headed for Japan.

We're now at roughly the halfway point of the book, and I'm going to stop here since by this point you've probably decided since this is your kind of book. As for the art, it's pretty good but nothing mind blowing. Thrall look like what you would imagine them to look like. Future stuff looks futuristic. Nothing really stands out, which I suppose adds a bit of realism in the sense that while most storytellers and artists make grand changes when telling a story of the future; this seems to pump the brakes in a way that says, "sure, some stuff will change by 2100, but a lot will remain the same or at least similar." The art itself lacks a lot of detail in most places which didn't bother me but definitely didn't impress.

The storytelling was nothing impressive, either. Everything felt like it had been done before. Even this story is one that I've either read in a book or seen in a movie at least a few times before, so it didn't really hold my attention. The dialogue was very cliché, with the main character being calm and collected the entire time while everyone else is yelling and whatnot. Nothing felt deep or moody or anything either, just flat and expected.

Overall, this just wasn't my kind of book. I like the idea of a futuristic ninja cyborg protecting people and whatnot, but this story and art didn't do anything to try to use that foundation story and run with it. Instead, it gave us a very lackluster experience that I won't be revisiting. It wasn't badly written or badly drawn, just boring overall.

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

Lone Wolf 2100: Chase The Setting Sun Writer: Eric Heisserer Artist: Miguel Sepulveda Colorist: Javier Mena Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $15.99 Format: TPB; Print/Digital

[/su_box]

Review: Jem and the Holograms #19

Pizzazz has fully slipped back into her persona as the bad girl in a band made of bad girls. Though, through her struggles and private interactions over the last handful of issues, we've learned that it is mostly a persona. She's a person, with layers. Lesser books would be satisfied to have her either turn over a new leaf or lead the life of a conveniently unchanged antagonist. What Jem #19 gives us is more complex than either of those options. Pizzazz, like Jerrica, is maintaining a façade that reveals more about her true self than you might think. She's the angry, abrasive, and cold frontwoman. But she's also a leader, someone who has to take responsibility for both the careers and creative output of her band mates. She'd earlier expressed betrayal regarding Stormer's coziness with Kimber and the other Holograms. That hasn't been directly followed up on yet, though I expect we'll find that Pizzazz sees Stormer's relationship not as a personal slight, but as a threat to team unity. Not even her bandmates really seem to understand Pizzazz. She's needed to be somewhat unapproachable, separate from others. And that is the reality of becoming what you pretend to be. We've seen her at her lowest, and now Pizzazz has to re-establish her identity to regain her position. Speaking of identity -- Jerrica barely appears in this issue. Rio's mouth encounter with Jem may have tapped into a deeply hidden insecurity concerning Jerrica's sense of identity. Coupled with Aja's impending departure and the need to juggle her personal and private life, Kelly Thompson is forcing a lot of stress on our heroine. In issue 19 that stress is apparently turning Jem into a safety blanket. Given how key identity is to all of Jem and the Holograms, I expect further developments to center on the Stingers' front man. He's got a strange, worshipping fixation on Jem. Thompson writes him like he's a super creep, but there's something there beneath the surface. What does he see in Jem? Does he see through her, to Jerrica? He's a mystery, for sure. And I'm intrigued to see what the book does with him.

Meredith McClaren's on art this time around, and I think the issue really benefits. McClaren renders characters in very lively states of smoldering rest and manic flailing. Kimber gets the best of this treatment, twisting and stretching and flopping around like a Muppet made of taffy. Even at her most obnoxious, Kimber is fun to watch. I particularly like the onomatopoeia of Kimber nodding her head in agreement. Also, McClaren's version of Pizzazz is appropriately very mercurial and cat-like.

The proper introduction to the Stingers is downplayed while hinting at potentially dangerous repercussions for both our main bands. It was a good -- if inevitable -- idea to place a third, wild card faction into the mix. While the story so far has been about struggles between and within the Holograms and Misfits, the Stingers present some welcome variety. I'm continually entertained by Thompson's ability to take a lifestyle most can't relate to and make it feel accessible. A very strong issue, all in all.

[su_box title="Score: 4/5" style="glass" box_color="#8955ab" radius="6"]

Jem and the Holograms #19 Writer: Kelly Thompson Artist: Meredith McClaren Colorist: M. Victoria Robado Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $3.99 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

[/su_box]

Review: Rumble #14

Quick recap: the soul of an ancient warrior is stuck inside a scarecrow. This soul, along with a few human friends he's made through the past 13 issues, has been looking for his original body which was stolen by demons. His body has returned, but inhabited by another soul, and now the two must fight it out all the while a demon army is on the hunt for our scarecrow hero. The fight breaks out between Rathraq (scarecrow soul guy) and his body, inhabited by another soul. His body is demanding Rathraq's sword, which we find out from way back in issue one is a very important and powerful sword. Rathraq instead sends the sword with one of his human friends, Del, and decides to engage in combat with his body, but in a way that won't destroy his body. Got all that?

The humans run around trying to find Cogan, an old timer that knows more than he lets on. Bobby and his girlfriend (probably named in past issues) run into the bar that Bobby works at as Cogan is usually there, although he is gone. Del bursts in with the sword, and the girl demands Bobby and Del explain the whole situation.

Elsewhere, Rathraq and his body continue to fight, all while being comically monitored by two local police officers that are helpless to do anything else. Just when it seems Rathraq will be defeated, a bus full of demons and the demon queen, Xotlaha, run over the body and crush it and the bus into a building. The demons and Xotlaha offload and surround Rathraq, as his defeat means they have nothing left to fear.

Suddenly the bus is flung into the air by the body of Rathraq, and a battle between the body and the demons ensues. Rathraq bursts into the bar to get his sword back from Del and joins in the fight against the demons when suddenly someone from the past appears...

I've enjoyed Rumble since it began. I've unfortunately missed a few issues as of late, but I'm so glad to have gotten to read this recent issue. I've always felt that this was such a unique story with fun characters. There are always battles and humor wrapped into every issue, each character being very unique with their own ways of speaking and acting. The art is fun, more cartoon like but not so much as to be unrealistic or silly. There is always a lot of action in this series, and it makes it fun to read. The artist is very skilled as any movement is very well drawn and if you're into it like I am you can't help but imagine the movement in your mind.

I would recommend this book to anyone. This has really motivated me to go back and catch up on issues. Go check this book out; everyone should give it a shot. It's a different story than you've read before, and I firmly believe it has something for everyone.

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

Rumble #14 Writer: John Arcudi Artist: James Harren Colorist: Dave Stewart Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.50 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

[/su_box]

Review: Black Hammer #3

This is the second issue to focus on a backstory of one of the characters in the “family.” Although the story does revolve around the theme of alienation, the main character, Barbalien, is an alien after all, that is where the predictability stops. Instead of producing the same tired narrative of a stranger in a strange land who longs for his home, Lemire has created a character who faces true isolation. He also uses this inner conflict to expose other details about conflicts other characters are facing. Another great issue from an outstanding creative team. While the last issue we focused on Gail, this issue we dive into the past of Barbalien. Forced into traveling to Earth to prevent an interplanetary war, from his first moments on earth he faces pain and alienation. His plight in some ways is similar to Gail’s. Both are outsiders and both feel as though they are trapped by circumstances beyond their control. But while Gail’s conflict comes from being trapped in her own body, Barbalien’s struggle comes from a sort of imposter syndrome. This is an exciting new take on the “alien” character in comics. An outsider on his home world and on planet earth, this issue gives us a look as Barbalien searches for belonging.

While Barbalien’s struggle to find belonging is the main frame of the issue we also witness other characters struggles. Specifically, we see his interaction with Gail reveal more about her character. We also see a little bit of Abe’s relationship with Tammy develop, but we also see some foreshadowing of future conflict within the family since as it’s de facto head, anything he does influences the rest of them as a unit.

Dean Ormston and Dave Stewart continue to put out amazing work. Juxtaposing human language with alien qualities, Ormstrom doesn’t just try to make an alien human. He also emphasizes Barbalien’s strangeness for dramatic effect. He truly makes him look like a monster in one particular panel. He counters this close up of his otherworldliness with several panels depicting his all too human feelings of isolation. Who knew a silhouette could be so sad.

The story continues to move forward, diving deeper into characters and raising the stakes for the family as a unit. From the cover of issue #4 it looks like Abe will be getting the background treatment next, and as for rest of the family, it looks like there might be some hope for them yet.

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

Black Hammer #3 Writer: Jeff Lemire Artist: Dean Ormston Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.99 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

[/su_box]

Review: Britannia #1

We begin Britannia #1 with some backstory; back in 60 AD, Nero was in charge of a male dominated world. The only women that held any power were known as the Vestal Virgins. These women are taken from prestigious families while young, sworn to 30 years of celibacy and seem to possess “powers.” These girls use their powers for many different very important things around Rome. We move to a woman pleading with one of the Roman guards to break away from camp in order to save one of the Vestal girls. At first, the guard refuses, and the woman pleads with him. Meanwhile, we see that the Vestal girl is about to be sacrificed by some masked men. Moments before her demise, the Roman guards burst in and attack. All that survive are the main guard, Axia, and the girl. Soon, however, the room begins to fill with something strange...

Back in Rome, we find out that the cave emits some type of gas, and it is this gas that made the masked men see their gods. It also drove ol' Axia crazy. The Vestal women decide they can cure him and set about to do so. This eventually leads to the girl that Axia saved sleeping with him as a way to “shock” his mind back from that cave. It seems successful, but not everything seems to be right with Axia...

Let's start with the art; awesome. My favorite artist (not comics art, like museum art) is Alphonse Mucha, and this art style is very much like his work. I love the colors of everything. Things are very realistic and detailed and very charming. Even details like the inside of people's mouths (maybe a weird thing to notice) are done well, and it's clear the artist puts a lot of time into his work.

All of the writing and dialogue is good; people talk in a way that you would expect ancient Romans too, but not so over the top that it might be obnoxious to read. Nothing too unexpected with conversations between characters, but still nice dialogue overall.

I enjoyed this book. The art was fantastic, and this is an underused and refreshing time period with a little bit of supernatural thrown in. I will say that overall, and this is a plague to first issues especially, as it was a bit of a slow burn. Not to say that nothing happened, there was violence and sex and all kinds of fun stuff, it just took the very last panel before I saw something that made me really excited. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in either the time period or perhaps if you were into that Spartacus show that was on a while back.

[su_box title="Score: 4/5" style="glass" box_color="#8955ab" radius="6"]

Britannia #1 Writer: Peter Milligan Artist: Juan Jose Ryp Colorist: Jordie Bellaire Publisher: Valiant Comics Price: $3.99 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

[/su_box]

Review: Twilight Zone: Shadow and Substance

You're traveling into another comic, a comic not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into what should be a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead—your next stop, my review for the Twilight Zone: Shadow and Substance. If you’ve seen even a few episodes of the Twilight Zone you likely heard that above paragraph in the voice of Rod Sterling. Despite the reboots and current attempts at reinvention, the collective memory of the Twilight Zone is defined by that man in a suit. The one who looked straight at us, cigarette in one hand,  and told us in his gravel voice what would unfold.

Rod Sterling, despite his narratorial charisma, was no actor.  He was a writer and it was so appropriate that his real voice would be the one to guide us into a series so defined by his authorial one. After all, Sterling alone wrote 92 of the 156 episodes of the original Twilight Zone run.

Yet the public consciousness of what was the Twilight Zone always seemed to miss what made it work. They tend to focus on the twist endings and dramatic revelations, the stories of karmic comeuppance, and where people unceremonious get what they once wanted. These perceptions ignore what actually made the writing good—the variety of stories and genres where you get an in-depth visitation of raw human emotions and situations. A story about a small suburb that quickly devolves into an angry, vengeful mob, a story about an escaped Nazi revisiting a concentration camp  and a story about the censorship and destruction of a library in an alternate fascist America.  Each episode functioned like a thoughtful, powerful short story brought to life to the screen. Stories that touched on the dark corners our society willingly indulges and the vulnerable moments of a day-to-day life.

The Twilight Zone itself was only ever a presentation conceit rather than a thematic standard—a way to bring a variety of short stories under a unified genre umbrella and create something more swallowable for a general audience. Not the morals, not the twists, the Twilight Zone was a place for good, human genre stories.

In this way, the comic collection Twilight Zone: Shadow and Substance turns into a replication of what people think of when they think of the Twilight Zone. Three of the stories here are about characters that become displaced in time only to learn an ironic lesson. Others have unlikeable characters have something unfortunate happen to them leading to another ironic lesson. Another story follows people trapped in a science fiction people zoo. A man responsible for committing horrific acts of torture receives comeuppance from his past. The majority of the stories here play out like remixes of old episodes and plays towards the shallow conceptions of what a Twilight Zone story is.

They’re familiar but never quite work because ultimately you will never be as good at writing Rod Sterling story as Rod Sterling was himself. What made the Twilight Zone a gateway into different and exciting stories falls away because we know how each chapter here will play out. Too often the characters lean hard into unlikeability. Structurally so they can receive an ironic lesson, right? A person who hates social media finds themselves disconnected from humanity as they disconnect from the Internet. A person obsessed with the renaissance realizes how much better the present was after they fall through time. Yet that only makes them a chore to follow as their character never grow or expand past that into anything interesting.

The last two stories in this collection turn out to be the best as they step furthest away from the tropes tied to the series. “Initiation” follows two kids in 1959 as they tease a younger neighborhood boy desperate to join their clique. The story here doesn’t play into any supernatural or science fiction conceits and instead focuses on portraying how kids treat each other and how they tend to push away and hurt the ones who need help the most. It’s the most human story here and most engaging too as you learn piece by piece about the young kid's broken home and the escalating harshness of the older boys tasks.

The final story “The Comics Code” succeeds almost because it becomes a straight parody of the conceptualized Twilight Zone. A cruel and manipulative man seeks to serve himself only to accidentally enable an alien invasion. It’s cartoonish and plays into these karmic tropes while exploring new historical ground. While the Twilight Zone played with history, it never really touched on comics. So here it felt and inventive and fresh to see a comic book version of the Twilight Zone play with actual comic book history by taking us through the reactionary censorship of the industry by the Comics Code Authority. The names are changed but the strange reality of the truth plays in the comedic melodrama of this version of the story.  They use the jokes people always make about the Twilight Zone but this time as actual jokes and it causes these issues to succeed as a comedy.

Yet these are only two hits out of eleven stories and as a whole the collection becomes exactly what we fear when it comes to licensed comics—a company’s grasp at trying to capitalize on something people love only creates a crude imitation of that thing, a homunculus with no soul.

They are forced to live in the shadow of that property—of Rod Sterling—and feeling trapped they attempt to imitate the form and shape of that shadow.  Yet when they turn to a mirror, only then will they discover the shape of a shadow is not the shape of the man. Those then will find that their now blunt and crude reflection can only exist in the Twilight Zone.

[su_box title="Score: 2/5" style="glass" box_color="#8955ab" radius="6"]

Twilight Zone: Shadow and Substance Writer: Mark Rahner, Tom Peyer, John Layman Artist: Edu Menna, Randy Valiente, Jose Malaga, Rod Rodolfo, Colton Worley Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment Price: $29.99 Format: TPB; Print/Digital

[/su_box]

Review: Savage Dragon #216

I decided to review this book purely based on the fact that Savage Dragon is currently crossing over with Todd McFarlane’s Spawn. I hate missing parts of a story and wondering what went on in the other title (I am not a regular Savage Dragon reader.) But anyways, here’s my review of Image Comics’ Savage Dragon #216. In the issue, there isn’t all that much of a crossover element (Spawn is only mentioned by name.) The Ant character who was in the last issue of Spawn does make an appearance here, trying to recruit Savage Dragon for this big battle that she’s found herself in, but that’s about as much as you get here. No Spawn. Not really a crossover, though, that part of the story does tie-in I guess. The rest of the issue focuses more on Dragon’s babies. There’s some fun elements there and I did enjoy what I read/saw from Erik Larsen in this issue… I had no idea what was going on mind you, but that’s my fault for not reading Savage Dragon on the regs.

Some cool fight scenes in here. Well drawn and the issue’s content it shows how Dragon is a hardworking family man and the balance he tries to keep between work and family. I can get behind that. You know for a fact when those babies get older they’re going to be trouble, though. When they get to the age where they’re thinking more about what they’re doing… Savage and his missus are going to have their hands full.

In closing, I don’t think you really need to read this as part of the crossover event with Spawn (I’m second guessing whether this was actually billed as part of the event or if that was the next issue where it crosses over.) If it was part of the crossover, it’s a bit poor story-wise but I can’t complain with what I read. This series is one that I’ve always wanted to follow but I just don’t have the time to catch up on previous issues.

I’m sure regular readers will be pleased with the issue, the story doesn’t seem like it impedes on what is going on in the series and it would be pretty lame of me to give it a bad score based on the fact that I came in expecting a crossover and continuation of the story from Spawn when the issue wasn’t that bad without it.

So I guess I’ll be giving this an average rating.

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

Savage Dragon #216 Writer/Artist: Erik Larsen Colorists: Mike Toris & Niko Koutsis Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.99 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

[/su_box]

Review: Invader Zim #13

I feel as though there's a bitter irony, one that every reviewer has secretly felt at least once in their lives, to the idea of desperately wishing to pad out a critique of a story that suffers from filler. The dilemma is this: there's little to say about a filler story but writing a short review is an extremely easy thing to do and reeks of incompetence. Invader Zim #13 isn't bad, it's just filler. Unlike the best Invader Zim stories, it relies entirely on a single joke premise for its runtime. The joke this time is suspiciously similar to the episode of the original show “Abducted”, one character is brought up into an unfamiliar space and is forced to deal with a duo of two aliens who are so far removed from human logic that they deny the things they're told despite their inherit truth.

It wasn't Zim's best episode back in the day and, honestly, it's a little boring the second time around too. The aliens in “Abducted” had enough elbow room to showcase personality traits beyond their misunderstanding of the situation around them, but comics being short as they are, these two only exist to completely misread an obvious situation.

That said, this is still Invader Zim. The colors are still vibrant, the writing is still goofy and charming enough to enjoy and by no means was this issue a bad time, but it is undeniably filler.

There's also a short comic at the end revolving around Invader Zim collecting sweat off the bodies of people who are working out and then GIR drinks it and I thought that was pretty gross.

As a small addendum, and by no means whatsoever to be intended as filler, I feel like this comic is the first time I've actually felt the strain on the series left by Jhonen Vasquez's absence. I didn't feel it with issue #11, even though I was not a fan of it at all, and I didn't feel it with #12 because it was a riot of an issue. This is the first time, however, that the slog of reading through it came from the sheer fact that we've been here before.

A series I've known for the longest time as being consistently fresh is showing its age. That's a scary thought. Still though, God knows this isn't the worst we've seen Zim.

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

Invader Zim #13 Writer: Eric Trueheart Artist: Warren Wucinich Publisher: Oni Press Price: $3.99 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

[/su_box]

Legendary Comic Book Villains

Legendary comic book villains tend to attract fan followings comparable to those of the legendary comic book heroes. People find the prospect of seeing these villains in action cathartic. Many of the legendary comic book villains have managed to stand out in the public's imagination. It's no surprise that when people go to the All Slots casino, they are interested in playing slot games that have superhero themes. People can also play blackjack at All Slots online casino, of course, and similar traditional games, but slot games with superhero themes at the All Slots casino have almost always managed to stand out in popularity. When many people think of legendary comic book villains, The Joker from the Batman canon is probably the first that comes to mind. What's interesting about the Joker is that his portrayal has actually paralleled the development of comic book narratives in general. The people who are familiar with Heath Ledger's captivating nihilistic Joker might be surprised to know that the character was originally little more than a simple bank robber. The Joker has also been portrayed as a tragic anti-hero in the manner of Magneto from X-Men. However, in most people's minds today, the Joker is always going to be something of a vicious and cruel version of a prankster. He's someone with the impish spirit of a trickster, but with the homicidal rage of any other dark comic book monster. That is how most people know the Joker today.

Magneto of X-Men is different in that people are usually going to associate him with the anti-hero persona that was devised for him in the movies, even though he has been both a darker version of a villain and a less serious version of a villain at different points during his development as well. People tend to think of Magneto as a Holocaust survivor who has been filled with fury as a result of his oppression, and wants to stop further oppression by any means necessary. This is a more interesting motivation than what people will typically see with comic book villains. Many people will say that Magneto is almost the quintessential Marvel comic book villain, epitomizing everything that represents Marvel characters. People will struggle more when it comes to characterizing or naming the quintessential DC villain.

Some people would say that Lex Luthor is the quintessential DC villain and not the Joker, even though many people would at least agree that the Joker has more charisma. Lex Luthor represents the brain to Superman's brawn, even though Superman's intelligence level often varies. He represents the dark and complicated corporate world, in contrast to Superman's pure heroic motives. Lex Luthor is often regarded as being the smartest man in the DC universe, and he uses his intellectual talents for evil and for personal gain. Still, in some ways, people would say that Lex Luthor is one of the more realistic of the legendary comic book villains. He represents a sort of banal evil, especially in comparison to tragic figures like Magneto and charismatic but alien figures like the Joker.

Review: ROM #3

The third issue of a comic book sometimes feels like the hardest issue to write about—maybe even worse to review. The average comic reader knows by the end of issue two whether they’re going to keep up with something and, in a market driven by five-issue story arcs, the third issue typically has the least going on. There’s no excitement of a new premise as in issue one. There’s no familiarization with characters as in a second issue. We’re a stone throw’s away from any dramatic plot twists of a fourth issue and even further from a satisfying conclusion of a fifth. The third issue then becomes a type of storytelling buffer—this repetition of character and story beats intended to build towards the actually exciting chapter. Yet despite these issues' stagnant nature, without these narrative safety nets, you get a glimpse of the true quality of the story being told.

This has been a long way to simply say: I’m worried about the future of IDW’s Rom series.

We pick up a couple seconds from where the last issue left off—Rom’s been momentarily captured by the Dire Wraiths but this time with a new ally—Camilla Beyers, a human now half-corrupted into a Dire Wraith. Camilla’s pretty new to the whole Dire Wraith-Spaceknight conflict so as the Wraiths have them captured they propose a new narrative to this story.

See, the Dire Wraiths are really the victims here—they’re refugees of a galactic war and who came to Earth when they had nowhere else to go. They’ve lived here in peace for centuries alongside the humans and these casualties and deaths have only happened because Rom’s brought the war back to them.

Elsewhere, the former soldier Darby is found and taken back to civilization by who she believes are humans. Only Darby learns she can never go back again—not with this new knowledge, not with this constant paranoia in whether people are who they say they are.

This alternate narrative proposed by who are traditionally the series villains is an attractive one. There’s a straightforward morality to the nature of the past Rom canon. He was a character driven by his morality—this unconquerable rightness in his patriotism. After all, in that iteration his people were pacifists before the Dire Wraiths and the Spaceknights were a reaction to the attacks they suffered.

But maybe here Rom’s people were the not utopian society of Mantlo’s story. Maybe here, we as readers are missing something fundamentally important to understanding the nature of this war. As Rom recruits Camilla and Darby to his effort against the Dire Wraiths he openly acknowledges it as enlisting. He openly tells Camilla that he wants to turn her into a spy for him instead of curing her of a fatal disease. The Rom here is more alien than ever before and that makes it more questionable whether he’s really the good guy here.

These aspects are interesting, even exciting on a conceptual level in how you adapt and reinvent the story of Rom for modern day but there’s something lost in the presentation.

Rom #3 carries on primarily two different modes of storytelling—an action panel and a dialog panel. While two pages in the issue break this mold and succeed, the majority is dominated by fight scenes and exposition. When the Dire Wraith explains their side it is nearly impossible to believe in part because we're being told this by a terrifying lizard wizard but also because it’s largely done through speechifying.

The original run of Rom Spaceknight featured a very similar story albeit on a smaller scale. One Dire Wraith, grown so tired and fearful of the drawn-out war, decided to desert it and hide on Earth. You could feel the genuineness of his character as you watched him try to seek acceptance from locals, fall in love, and experience the worried fear of raising a child. Mantlo drew upon the imagery of draft dodging during the Vietnam War and created a parallel with someone finding a new life in a foreign country out of fear.

There’s moment of humanity like this in Rom #3. A quick two-page scene where Darby, boarding a bus, imagines everyone on it secretly a Dire Wraith and, as the bus pulls away, she tries to determine the moment her family was killed. The scene here plays out like a subtle processing of the character’s own post-dramatic stress disorder and dealing with a delayed sense of loss. This moment is convincing and human but lost between the intergalactic stakes of the story.

An issue like this one makes me wonder if why I liked the original Rom Spaceknight is ultimately different from why others did. As it stands, I’m getting worried about IDW’s new version of Rom. The story here almost feels lost within its inter-connected world and its intergalactic conflict—more interested in big set-pieces and big stakes than thematic and character elements.

Rom barely feels like a character in his own story—there is little personality and history to him outside of talking funny and not knowing stuff. And that problem feels endemic to this comic as a whole.

Once we dive into Rom #3, there’s a distinct lack of something at its narrative center—a human heart to balance out its strange and elaborate exterior.

[su_box title="Score: 2/5" style="glass" box_color="#8955ab" radius="6"]

Rom #3 Writer: Chris Ryall Artists: David Messina and Michele Pasta Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $4.99 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital[/su_box]

[/su_box]

Review: Rom: Revolution #1

Rom: Revolution chronicles the Space Knight's contribution to IDW's hero-on-hero crossover event. Like most superhero events, this one is predicated on supposedly adult protagonists refusing to be mature or reasonable. There's a lot of fighting and very little discussion. Even within that framework, one can tell a rollicking story. This issue doesn't manage it, though. The story here, apparently set before the events of Revolution #1, operates on the premise that technology is magic. A mysterious ore just works with completely unrelated in-development power armor. A special mental interface that doesn't work suddenly does after a week of unspecified tinkering. It's something I could forgive if the rest of the book would carry its weight. It doesn't really. Rom's spoken lines read like an inner monologue. He comes across as a bit dense at times. But that's somewhat endearing. It works for the noble, other-worldly throwback. It works less well in the mouths of contemporary humans. Two people working on the same project probably shouldn't have to explain said project to each other. And it's probably a bad idea to, as a third party, introduce yourself to members of said party by subverting their security. And it's definitely a bad idea for the heads of the project to immediately capitulate to the supposed military reps who simply ooze false trustworthiness. Things progress through the graces of convenience. Further, the writing suffers from frequent and needless flashbacks. They may give you a better understanding of the issue's antagonists, but they don't fit neatly into the flow of the story's battle. These flashbacks interrupt the centerpiece of this issue with very little impact outside of interruption. The scrambled, nonlinear storytelling really hurts the issue. That's not to say this would be a good read if told in a more straightforward manner. A straight line from beginning to end would probably benefit the story, creating a more stable presentation.

The comics medium allows for scenes of action that actually earn the “epic” description. Unfortunately, Rom: Revolution #1 doesn't fare well in that regard. The action feels strangely muted, confined by mundane settings and tepid banter. The art is fine if more than a little messy. Every panel is a little too heavily inked for my taste. The fights are certainly illustrated decently and with enough clarity that they are never confusing. Rom: Revolution's main problem comes from its structure. Rom tries to avoid a Wraith fight; Wraith eggs him on; Rom reluctantly fights Wraith while struggling to understand his opponent. It's repetitive to a maddening degree. Coupled with the non-linear structure of the plot, the repetition is difficult to settle into. Or care about. Or recommend.

[su_box title="Score: 2/5" style="glass" box_color="#8955ab" radius="6"]

Rom: Revolution #1 Writer: Chris Ryall, Christos Gage Artist: Ron Joseph Colorist: Jay Fotos Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $3.99 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital

[/su_box]