It's a couple of days after the fact, we know, but with Thanksgiving having come and gone, M&W recount their holiday experiences. Wine had an apple pie situation and Monster had an inclement weather situation. Colorado, Monster's home turf, had an incident taking place at an abortion clinic taking place on the aptly named Black Friday. The duo continue to ponder why...
Read MoreSpecial edition release of Street Fighter Origins: Akuma
UDON Entertainment and digital comics studio Visionborne have partnered to produce a special edition release of Street Fighter Origin: Akuma. The series is featured on the Visionbooks platform in a new format that showcases movement and visual effects in every panel of the comic book.
Visionbooks revolutionizes comic book reading by transforming two-dimensional comic books into a 3D digital animation experience. By combining traditional comics with cutting-edge technology, Visionbooks creates a reading experience with special effects enhancements you would normally expect from blockbuster movies.
The legendary world of Street Fighter Origins makes its Visionbooks appearance with the launch of the first issue and reveals the untold story of one of its most beloved evildoers: Akuma.
“We are really impressed with the atmospheric effects that Visionborn can apply to comics.” Says Erik Ko, founder of UDON Entertainment and publisher of the Street Fighter comics’ franchise. “It works perfectly in the world of Street Fighter and does a brilliant job of capturing the intensity of each scene.”
“With our technology, we ultimately wanted to create something new, engaging and dynamic for the world of comics. We love the Street Fighter adventures and we are tremendously pleased to bring them to life as Visionbooks” remarks Visionbooks co-founder, Francesco Scrufari.
Link here: https://www.visionbooks.co/
Street Fighter Origins: Akuma Pages: 25 Language: English Rating: 15+
Titan Reveals Doctor Who Music Inspired Variant Covers
Titan has revealed some music themed variant covers by Simon Myers for three upcoming issues. Check it out below. Inspired by David Bowie's Heroes
THE TWELFTH DOCTOR YEAR TWO #3 WRITER: ROBBIE MORRISON ARTIST: RACHAEL STOTT COVER C ARTIST: SIMON MYERS - ALBUM VARIANT PUBLISHER: TITAN COMICS PAGE COUNT: 32PP FORMAT: SOFTCOVER PRICE: $3.99 RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 3, 2016
Chaos descends on the private Scottish school of Ravenscaur, as secrets sunk at the bottom of the bay are dragged into the light! As the Doctor investigates reports of a Tunguska-style event that shook the heavens decades previous, Clara unravels an establishment conspiracy that cuts to the country’s heart!
For more information visit: http://titancomics.tumblr.com/post/133805676932/sneak-peek-doctor-who-twelfth-doctor-year-two-3
Inspired by Blondie's Parallel Lines
THE TWELFTH DOCTOR YEAR TWO #4 WRITER: ROBBIE MORRISON ARTIST: RACHAEL STOTT COVER C ARTIST: SIMON MYERS - ALBUM VARIANT PUBLISHER: TITAN COMICS PAGE COUNT: 32PP FORMAT: SOFTCOVER PRICE: $3.99 RELEASE DATE: MARCH 2, 2016
The shadowy puppetmasters behind the darkness at Ravenscaur are revealed, as the bodycount climbs and the shocking revelations add up! Can the Doctor and Clara, armed with a hundred years of secret history, triumph over the conspiracy and drive out an ancient evil?
For more information visit: http://titancomics.tumblr.com/post/133805788647/sneak-peek-doctor-who-twelfth-doctor-year-two-4
ALSO AVAILABLE:
Inspired by Bob Dylan's Freewheelin'
DOCTOR WHO: THE EIGHTH DOCTOR #1 FORBIDDEN PLANET/JETPACK VARIANT WRITER: GEORGE MANN ARTIST: EMMA VIECELI COVER ARTIST: SIMON MYERS - ALBUM VARIANT PUBLISHERS: TITAN COMICS PAGE COUNT: 32PP FORMAT: SOFTCOVER PRICE: $3.99 RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!
Get ready for an all-new season of comics adventures featuring the Eighth Doctor, as played by Paul McGann in the Doctor Who movie, fan-favorite minisode Night of the Doctor... and over fourteen years (and counting!) of astounding Big Finish audio spectaculars!
Five amazing, interconnected new stories take the Doctor on a rollercoaster of threat and misadventure, as he investigates the mysteries surrounding his new companion Josie. Victorian magic shows, murderous trees, lost books, crystalline life-forms, barges in space crammed with the undead... and the grand journey all begins in a sleepy Welsh town... besieged by living paintings!
Buckle up for a wild ride that embraces all the Gothic Romance and interstellar terror of the Doctor's eighth incarnation!
For more information visit: https://forbiddenplanet.com/151396-doctor-who-8th-doctor-1-forbidden-planetjet-pack-variant-signed/
Review: The Fade Out #11
So I haven’t checked in with The Fade Out as a reviewer since I read through the first trade/first act of Brubaker and Phillips’ latest serialized graphic novel—I know, I know, but it’s not a series in the traditional mien, and it is closing in on an ending—and I am pleased to report that it has not lost one iota of its quality. If anything, it’s gotten even better.
The last few issues have been a lot lighter on the Charlie-hunting-down-people storylines where he tried to penetrate his blackout on the night of Valeria’s murder with nothing but brute force. Instead, this issue focuses more on what happened just before that, and lets us live in the character of Gus, as well as Valeria. It’s the first real glimpse we’ve gotten into Valeria’s life since the beginning of the series, and rather than feeling tacked-on, it does the job of enhancing the tragedy, the hopelessness of the whole scenario. The issue ends on the best cliffhanger yet, and we’re left in that noir spiral, where everything is swirling the drain for our intrepid heroes, and the only way out is to go all the way down.
In the letters column last issue, Brubaker was careful to point out that this is not a comic series like most people think. With an issue of X-Men, the theory is that you should be able to pick up any issue and sort of make your way through what’s happening and enjoy it. The Fade Out is an elaborately constructed house, where each issue lays a piece of the foundation, or a brick here and there; if you just pick one issue up, you’ll see the wall, or you’ll see the foundation, but you won’t see the house. As such, I can’t really review this book as a standalone issue, but as the second to last chapter of a book.
Looking at it that way, Brubaker and Phillips have set up a hell of a finale. I don’t know if it will be a shootout or if it will be a quiet destruction of everything they know to be true, but either way, a lot of our favorite characters will not be making it out alive and whole. The major evil has been taken off the table, and now it’s just garden variety wicked men left to play. There’s a lot that seems like it will have to happen in the next issue, so I’m over here praying for a double-sized issue. Either way, I’m looking forward to being able to sit down and read this whole series in a sitting. It’s a perfectly built noir machine, and not having to wait for each new clue and step in the story will only make it more fun for me.
Phillips and Elizabeth Breitweiser have reached that kind of synergistic level that seems like it’s reserved for teams like Miller/Janson or Mike Allred/Laura Allred, where they’re completely unstoppable—it’s difficult to tell where one genius ends and the other begins. I don’t know what other harebrained stories Brubaker is cooking up, but as long as these three want to keep working together, they’ve got my money already.
I would say buy this book, but you’ll be lost. Catch up if you can, pick it up, wait for the trade, it doesn’t matter—put on your favorite dark and smoky jazz record, light up a cigarette and immerse yourself in The Fade Out.
Score: 5/5
The Fade Out #11 Writer: Ed Brubaker Artist: Sean Phillips Colorist: Elizabeth Breitweiser Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 11/25/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital
Review: Last Rebel
Last Rebel is an anthology of sorts with stories that are centered around the character Jenny, the last rebel. It’s an apocalyptic future and Jenny is everyone’s light of hope in a dark, dark future. The first story is good, but probably the worst choice to start the issue with because it makes the character of Jenny confusing to the reader. I began to wonder if she was really going to appear in the comic because she’s just a character of lore within this first story. That and the ending was a bit strange as it seems like something did actually happen during the night, but not really. I read it a few times and it just didn’t make that much sense. I got that the mother finally bought into what the father was saying, but that didn’t explain the two panels I was confused by.
The rest of the stories take place with Jenny and her sister Grace. They roam around and stop thugs, giant swans and mutant cheetahs throughout the next three stories. Grace has a troubled past, Jenny is the perfect sister and basically the perfect human being.
There unfortunately isn’t any depth to Jenny’s character. Introducing her as lore and then explaining that she’s basically her sister’s keeper isn’t depth, it’s just parts of her character construction. Grace actually has more personality and characterization than Jenny does.
The stories are all pretty well written even though they’re by different creators. None of them really stood out as being better than the others. What really brought down the stories was the setting. Jenny is Cork City’s lone protector, but we know nothing of the city. We don’t even know if anyone knows that she’s the lone protector really. The city and other settings in the story have no personality and so the world has no personality. There really didn’t seem to be any danger and what little there was, was either animal or petty thug related. Usually I don’t care what caused the end times, but here there was a lot of attention brought to it, but zero explanation given about it. Why are there no cops or military left? What was Jenny’s background before all this? Why the hell does a family not from Cork city know of someone who only protects Cork City?
The art ranges from poor, okay to pretty good. The swan story had the best art by far. It just didn’t have a story to really back it up. If you just look at the art and skip the story it’s actually a really intense tale, but when reading the narration, it’s trying to be clever and give contrast to the images, but doesn’t quite make it. The second story was my least favorite. Its story was dull and predictable, the art was generic looking and even had some poorly drawn background figures that look like gingerbread men. It has potential to get better, but it’s not there yet and I don’t think this world is the best fit for the style.
Overall, this was a pretty basic anthology. This style isn’t too uncommon. You create one character and place them in a setting and then invite creators to create stories within the world. Sometimes you get something wonderful, but mostly you just get surface level characters and stories with twists that aren’t all the interesting due to the short amount of time you have to become interested in the story. Maybe if Jenny was a more interesting character or even a well-known character, but she’s not. It’s possible that if you just like anthologies you may get something out of this issue, but I didn’t get much out of it other than a decent story involving a swan.
Score: 2/5
Last Rebel Writers: Various Artists: Various Publisher: Turncoat Press Price: €6.00
Review: The Spirit #5
Dynamite’s Spirit series by Matt Wagner and Dan Schkade continues its hot streak with this fifth issue, the first in which the titular character takes the spotlight. Indeed, after months of being in whereabouts unknown, The Spirit has returned and in this instalment shows his expertise as a detective by tracking down his allies Ebony and Sammy who have fallen into the clutches of The Octopus – one of The Spirit’s most fearsome villains. As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, this is the first Spirit series I’ve ever read and so seeing the vigilante in action is a wholly new experience for me – fortunately, this issue was a lot of fun and so I can understand why this character has endured the test of time.
Watching The Spirit piece together the mystery of Sammy and Ebony’s disappearance while striking fear into the hearts of his city’s low-level crooks was very entertaining, especially when so stylishly depicted by Dan Schkade. I’ve said it many times now, but Schkade really is perfectly suited to this book – his charismatic character designs and vibrant environments are a joy to behold, and I continue to appreciate all the little touches Schkade includes. For example, having the title of the book constructed from objects in the opening panels is very creative and I imagine a deceivingly difficult task. The fact that an effort is made to do it each and every issue seems to me a real sign that the people behind this book have a great respect for the character and Will Eisner’s original stories.
Meanwhile, the panel layouts and designs in this book are also very effective at capturing the reader’s attention, with a standout in this issue being a page in which a moving train in the foreground has a direct impact on the dialogue in the background. It’s tough to explain the effect but rest assured it’s clever and inventive, and helps make the reader feel as if they’re a part of this story – not just a disconnected audience watching from afar. Brennan Wagner’s colors are also a vital component in giving this world such a memorable personality and he should also be praised for his work here.
Matt Wagner’s mystery surrounding The Spirit’s disappearance, one that has been unfolding since this series began, seems to be reaching its final stages. I for one cannot wait to find out what exactly happened, and I really hope that this fantastic creative team is kept on for more stories in the future. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: you need to be reading The Spirit.
Score: 5/5
The Spirit #5 Writer: Matt Wagner Artist: Dan Schkade Colorist: Brennan Wagner Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment Release Date: 11/25/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital
Review: Alien Hand Syndrome #1
I feel like I read two different comics when I read Alien Hand Syndrome. One story follows some anthropomorphic animals in a space ship fighting another space ship. Their ship gets so damaged they have to go into stasis while the ship repairs and of course they pick earth to do this on. The other story follows an enhanced human that’s breaking into some secret government faculty trying to steal a device. He comes up against a super solider and they fight for the rest of the issue. I completely understand what I read, I just don’t understand the point of the story. I feel like I’ve been saying that a lot lately, but the only connecting piece to this story is the location and it’s not actually touched upon in this issue. Why do the aliens have to get back home? Why do they have to sleep for thousands of years to make sure that they can get home and would it still matter then? I mean you have to get home, but you can wait that long? Wouldn’t everyone be dead and wouldn’t whatever conflict was happening have ended or changed?
On the flip side, we’re not told why the thief needs the device he’s stealing. He’s supposed to be our hero, but the first thing we see him doing is stealing and killing. I didn’t root for him. I didn’t root for the guy trying to kill him either, but I think I should have rooted for at least one of them. The worst part? I don’t know what the title has to do with anything. That’s the most confusing part to me. Will it be revealed? Did I miss the reveal because it didn’t make sense to me?
The narration is overkill on this issue. There’s already a lot of dialogue, but then the narration kicks it up a notch. Our thief tells us how clever he is rather than the art showing us. After a few pages it really wares on the nerves and so maybe I zoned out while reading something important. The characters have no depth. They all say pretty much what you’d expect them to say in any given situation. They come across like non-playable characters in a video game rather than flushed out characters that will drive the story.
The art is not for me. It’s actually not that bad, but it’s definitely not a style I like. The animals are kind of creepy looking and I wasn’t a fan of the character designs in general. The book is in all black and white and I will say that it’s the best part of the art. It’s not perfect as some panels are draped in black a bit too much, but it has the most polish for sure. Again though, not for me.
With there being so many indie books to read and check out I don’t really bother with books that don’t grab my attention in a positive way. This story has a lot of work to do in order to catch my attention and so I won’t be back for future issues. There’s just too much to read to spend time on a series that I’m already not enjoying and while that’s pretty harsh it shows how important a first impression is for an indie comic. You hear all the time that people will give this or that Marvel, Image or DC title “X” amount of issues, but with indie books you’re lucky to get two. I applaud the effort, but again, this book isn’t for me and I have to wonder who it is for?
Score: 1/5
Alien Hand Syndrome #1 Creator: Justin Cappello Publisher: Insane Comics Price: $3.25 (P), $1.49 (D) Format: Print/Digital
Review: Death Rattler #1
Death Rattler isn’t the most original story idea. It doesn’t have the most original setting and even the lead character isn’t that original. But there is something about it that I enjoyed. Maybe it’s the combination of the parts that makes it an entertaining read or the fact that it’s a bit of a throwback to 90s comics “bad girls” style of storytelling. The issue begins with a flashback explaining our character’s origin. Basically our main character’s father used to run with a pretty bad gang and the leader came one day to kill him for leaving the gang. Flash forward to the present and we’re clearly in a cyberpunk western future. Our main character is known as Death Rattler because of how she kills her victims. She also only kills members of the gang that killed her father as she attempts to make her way up the ladder and of course avenge her father’s murder.
You can probably figure out the familiar elements of the story, but what does make it entertaining is the dialogue and the pickles that our main character gets herself into. That and I have no idea why she would sleep with anyone from the gang she’s trying to kill, but hey… everyone needs to get off once and a while. Why not with someone you’re about to kill? The writing is good. Like I said, there’s a lot of familiar elements, but the combination of them works. DR doesn’t have much depth at the moment, but she’s entertaining and sexy as hell so it’s okay for the first issue. You don’t really get to know anyone with a first issue anyway.
The art is good. If this was the 90s it would be fantastic. People would be shitting their pants for it. Nowadays, the popular style is different, but I still find the art here to be enjoyable. Sure she’s got boobs for days and she’s naked more than necessary, but it wasn’t so gratuitous that it was bad. It was just fan service. I don’t know why American comics books aren’t allowed to have some fan service, I mean if Japan can support it as a subgenre then I’m sure we can as an industry as well. What I’m saying is that there’s a place and market for it. It doesn’t need to be the entire market, but it can exist within.
The art is good and sexy. The coloring elevates it and is really well done in my opinion. It helps with the tone and style of the overall series. The lighting effects are a little overdone at times, but it gives it a style and personally I liked it.
Like most comics, Death Rattler isn’t for everyone. Let’s not pretend that there’s a comic out there that is for everyone because that’s just the nature of the beast. But if you’re looking for an entertaining story with a sexy anti-hero that is in control of her life and story, then check out Death Rattler. It may just surprise you.
Score: 3/5
Death Rattler #1 (of 4) Writer: Kelly Bender Artist: Ryan Downing Colorist: Alan Bay Publisher: Markosia Price: $3.99 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital
Review: Rumble #9
Clarity in comics is a tricky thing. It is the nature of sequential images to rely constantly on the reader to piece each static scene together into a narrative whole. Further, while it can be an author's goal to keep the plot mysterious, the action depicted in the book need always be easily understandable. After all, there is a huge difference between not knowing about a character's mysterious past and not understanding what character we are seeing. Nearing the close of its second arc, Rumble is struggling with a lack of clarity, but I remain unsure exactly which sort. As Rumble #9 begins, we are shown a four-page flashback depicting Rathraq (in his former state as a Kratos-like warrior) brutally murdering a fertility goddess. The scene is, as per usual, rendered beautifully by James Harren with brightly colored, entertaining monster designs and an unusually well captured sense of movement. Unfortunately, as author John Arcudi transitions the scene into the present, I almost immediately lost any sense of the significance. After that scene, the cast discusses the concept of half-breeds monsters as though the story was supposed to imply a human-monster relationship which, after a reread, I am still unclear on. As the plot progresses, involving an attempt to rescue some of these half-breeds, I could not shake the feeling that I was repeatedly missing important story beats that were meant to be present.
Rumble is from it first issue, a simple if bizarre premise: what if Conan the Barbarian was trapped in the body of a scarecrow? Yet somehow eight issues later, the book still seems frustratingly hard to grasp. The tone is confusingly mixed between slapstick comedy which works quite well and dense fantasy which works less well. John Arcudi is a veteran of BPRD and Hellboy where the mix of humor and fantasy was always a staple. However, this book lacks the strong characterization and focus that made those books work. While the human side of the Rumble cast has gone through some much needed development, the monsters remain little more than a series of made- up names like 'Espesianotos', 'Uchirane', and 'Xotlaha' (which are increasingly hard to keep straight). Even the world itself seems oddly undefined. For example, in this issue a pop-culture reference caught me off-guard as somehow in nine issues, I had never thought this was supposed to be the real world.
All that negative said, there is something admirable about Arcudi's apparent desire to mix genres in new and unexpected ways. While the pure fantasy parts remain a weakness, the images of increasingly bizarre and gooey monsters fighting an emaciated scarecrow in dark alleyways has an inherent charm that is hard to ignore. One arresting moment this issue involves a skeleton armed god posing a war veteran held at knife point by an old man with six arms: an image which is strange but also indelible.
Further, while I wish the shifts between humor and darkness were more gentle, Harren's art sells visual jokes beautifully. As Rathraq waxes eloquent about the pain and turmoil of his life, he freezes and yells "AWAY!" startling the cute, frog-like monster watching him from behind. In its ninth outing, Rumble continues to have all of the elements needed for a good comic. Unfortunately, it also continues to have far too many of these elements.
Score: 3/5
Rumble #9 Author: John Arcudi Artist: James Harren Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.50 (2.99 for digital) Release Date: 11/25/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital
Review: A Sky Beyond #1
Comics are difficult. Telling a story is difficult. Creating a world through art is difficult. It’s when it’s done well that you think it’s easy. Even a bad comic took a lot of time and effort to put together and I still respect that. I respect anyone that’s willing to put themselves and their creation out there for others to read and possibly enjoy. I wish I enjoyed every indie comic I read. I do. I’ve been a fan of smaller press and independent comics since I found my first real comic shop to buy comics from. So it sucks when I read one that I don’t like or one that needed another draft or two before hitting the printers.
A Sky Beyond is about a race of humanoid monkey’s that look a bit Dragon Ball Z inspired. They grow bananas that are called the “ever-banana” because it can power star ships and cure the sick and feed the hungry. It’s a wonder food. Apparently we humans can’t share this or ask for seeds so we can grow our own and the Catarrhinians (DBZ monkeys) don’t want to share because we’re evil as hell. A particular family is almost captured by the humans, but they fight them off. Then their wife/mother gets blown up and they’re captured.
From there they mourn for zero seconds before worrying about finding the separated sister. They meet a captured alien that can free himself whenever he wants and a space beast which is basically a space turtle. Also it’s reiterated that humans are terrible creatures over and over.
The writing is very convenient in this story. The father character has created special suits for the family and so whenever our main character faces a challenge the suit conveniently already has the solution programed into it. The alien that can free himself whenever is again convenient. The turtle that can fly through space when they need it… convenient. There is no challenge that this team can’t get out of with just a simple line of dialogue. The characters all sound about the same and all of the dialogue is corny. Even the mother’s death is kind of corny which it shouldn’t have been.
The art is basic. It’s not terrible, but it has a long way to go before it’s good. The character designs are basic to poor. The alien they meet is basically a stick figure with a head. It’s really uninspired. The backgrounds were surprisingly detailed and while not anything particularly special, it could have been an empty mess. There’s some strange panels and angles used and overall I’m just not a fan of the style.
I could see kids enjoying this comic. I don’t know if it’s meant for kids, but I think they would be the only ones to enjoy this story. It has a lot of basic elements compiled together, but its execution is generic and frankly pretty dull. This is supposed to be a big adventure story, but I wanted off as soon as it started. There was no intrigue or excitement attached to this adventure and that’s a shame. You might have a difference of opinion and that’s fine. Again, I respect the creators for creating and trying. It’s not like they set out to make a comic I wouldn’t enjoy and if this sounds like something you might like then give it a shot.
Score: 1/5
A Sky Beyond #1 Story: Krista Michaels, Jessica D’Amelio Artist: Jessica D’Amelio Publisher: Starbot Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 10/14/15 Format: Digital
Review: Weekly Shonen Jump #52
Solid chapters all over the place as we approach that weird time of year where the numbering of Weekly Shonen Jump is going to reset to #1. Jump put Food Wars on the cover this week and gave it the lead spot. Currently, the Institute is in complete disarray, as the Council of Ten authorized the overthrow of one Nakiri in favor of another. The results have been expectedly draconian, with the added shock that Shokugekis themselves are essentially pointless, after we witnessed Eizan rigging one in which he won despite the judges never even tasting his food.
As he is wont to do, even in a god damn rigged Shokugeki against a guy as stuck up as Eizan, Soma has inspired the best in someone and pushed them to their limits. Eizan actually decides to cook in this chapter so that he can show Soma why he's on the Council. It's yet another in a line of visually stunning chapters from Saeki, with a plot from Tsukuda that is simultaneously dramatic and informative. There's actually a new cooking technique I really want to try after reading this chapter (I'm sure it will go horribly). And how often can I say that a satisfying cliffhanger hinged on potstickers?
In One Piece, the situation in (on?) Zou is slowly unraveling. We've only seen bits and pieces of what Zou has to offer, but so far it has been a densely packed, intricate match for the equally detailed and eye-candy-filled island of Dressrosa. There's added potential to the style and mythology behind these visuals as well given that, you know, the city is on the back of a giant elephant.
In Academia, two new villains showed up last week wanting to join forces with Shigaraki, and he's hesitant to admit them. This week, when we were due to find out their names, a tall zombie-esque dude refused to give his real one. Seems like a plot twist waiting to happen. I can't recall off the top of my head if any of the young heroes have older brothers who are MIA, but it's hard to tell who he resembles anyway since he has a pretty vanilla design; well, other than sections of flesh that have been transplanted onto his body.
Kubo is transcendent. I don't know what else to say anymore. Stylistically there is not a shonen manga (perhaps not even a seinen, at least not one that I've been lucky enough to read) that is currently being published that is on Kubo's level of design. What's more is that the narrative and emotional weight of what's currently happening in the series is enough to justify the grandiose stylistic choices being made. From page layouts, to pages that themselves come apart at the seams with dramatic kana sfx, to the way the black robes bleed into the shadows--if you gave up on Bleach any time over a year ago, I have to stress that it's worth catching up.
Buddy Strike, the newest Jump Start, continued to show off it's great sense of humor; but, for a chapter 2, I thought this was quite slow. Granted that rushing off to face the next batter would make chapter 2 too much of a mirror for chapter 1, but there were better ways to shirk making the two chapters too similar than to make the second chapter crawl its way to anything interesting.
If you flip-flop on reading Black Clover as much as me, I recommend that you flop your way back into reading this chapter. It was hilarious and a lot of fun to look at. I know that Asta's starry-eyed signature look annoys a lot of folks, myself included, but Tabata is pound-for-pound one of the best mangakas working right now. I wish the backgrounds were a little more consistent in being, you know, actually there, but when the environment is rendered, it's always rendered with care.
The best deal in comics is even bestier when so many series have a week like this.
Score: 5/5
Weekly Shonen Jump #52 Writers: Various Artists: Various Publisher: Viz Media Release Date: 11/23/15 Format: Weekly; Digital
Review: Venus #1
Venus is an interesting story that has a familiar construct of sci-fi space stories, but then uses them in interesting ways. That and its source material seems to be a little of everything making it difficult to say it’s this and this set on Venus. Though it has familiar elements I found it to be quite enjoyable. The issue starts with the President of the United States narrating. He’s talking about the mission to Venus to terraform the planet so that the human race might survive longer. This message of hope is accompanied by imagery of the Venus mission going to shit. Something has happened as the ship approaches Venus’ surface leaving the Captain with his last breath and last words, “Don’t let me down Commander.”
From there we see his second in command take charge and get the ship on the ground. That’s not the end of it though as they’ve landed off course from the base waiting for them. They’re also facing unstable ground and a nuclear core that is overheating and ready to melt through the hull which would collapse the ship. It’s basically a pick your death scenario and our new Captain makes the choice she feels gives them the best chance for survival.
The pacing for this issue is frantic and that’s completely appropriate. The characters don’t have a chance to breath and so neither does the reader. It really throws you in there with the characters. The danger, being so close to death and fast paced decision making that our new Cap has to make. She has her fair share of challenges beside the planet that’s trying to kill them. A lot of her crew are instantly questioning her decisions which adds to the tension.
Of course I’m not about to spoil the ending or even the decision the Captain makes, but I will say that the cliffhanger was one of the best I’ve read in the past year. It made me instantly want to read more, which really wasn’t a problem considering I enjoyed the rest of the issue.
What’s particularly interesting to me is just how plausible this all sounds. The plot points may be similar to other stories, but the execution and how real it’s kept here is what drew me in. Writer Rick Loverd is to thank for that since he also works for Science & Entertainment Exchange program. The characters are okay. It’s a first issue and with so much going on I don’t expect them to be fully realized. Right now they’re stereotypes and that’s okay. There is some attempt to give a few of them personality, but I’m holding out judgement until future issues. It’s not that they’re bad, but a few of them seemed too calm given the situation. I mean I was stressed reading the issue so I feel as if the characters should have had tense personalities. Cool under pressure is one thing, but “hey we might all die” should bring out a bit more personality.
Admittedly, I was reading an advanced copy so my comments on the artwork is limited to the line work. I have no idea about the coloring as of writing this, but the line work looks good. It’s clean and smooth and frankly very “spacey.” Even without the coloring the art drives the story. Especially the opening with the president’s narration and the ship crash landing. The contrasting themes play against each other quite well.
There’s been a lot of space exploration stories this year both from large publishers, small publisher and independent creators. Some have stood out, while others have been forgotten. So far, Venus looks to be a keeper. It would be really difficult for the second issue to be bad given where this issue ends, but we’ll see for sure. If anything, this was an enjoyable first issue that has caught my attention and kept me entertained.
Score: 4/5
Venus #1 Creators: Filip Sablik, Rick Loverd Writer: Rick Loverd Artist: Huang Danlan Publisher: BOOM! Studios Price: $3.99 Release Date: 12/23/15 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital
Review: Hopeless Savages Vol 4: Break
I’m going to tell you a story about myself. Not because I need to prove that I was there first, but because it’s what we all like about comics and reading in general. In comics we often make the mistake of making this elitist in nature, the “I was reading that at the beginning.” My how that’s changed over the past few years with the constant rebooting nature that has developed in the world of comics. That’s not the story I want to tell you. I first read Hopeless Savages because I was looking for more Blue Monday. What I mean by that, is that I was looking for more things like Blue Monday which used to be published by Oni Press (I’m still bummed that it’s moving over to Image). Blue Monday was the first comic I read that was written and illustrated by a female creator and I found it to be so refreshing that I wanted more. I wanted this different style and perspective that I was reading and that lead me to Hopeless Savages.
A series that I absolutely loved. It didn’t hurt that the creator of Blue Monday was one of two illustrators on the first series. In many ways, Hopeless Savages paved the way for how a lot of comics are constructed today. If you look at Valiant’s books, a lot of them are constructed in a way that there are two timelines running throughout the story giving the opportunity to have two artists on the book. That’s the way Hopeless Savages has always been constructed and this volume is no different.
Well we’re four paragraphs in and you probably want to know something about the book. Zero is in college and has been forced to see a shrink due to a ploy by her roommate that she dislikes. Through this opening we learn that Zero isn’t quite herself and not meshing with the college life. Shen then walks us through her family’s life so we can catch up with the family and extended family. In a bit of brilliance, we hear what Zero thinks of her family, her honest take and it’s like most of us… delusional. She thinks her family is all put together when really they’re all struggling and unraveling in their own way with their own challenges.
After getting caught up with everyone we take off with Zero and the Dusted Bunnies on tour. There they run into a rival that they didn’t know they had. At first they think it’s a local pride thing as their show is sabotaged by “free beer”, but then when the same band shows up at their next gig and covers a song on their set list the night before… well things get a bit more serious.
One of the many things I enjoy about this series is the family dynamic. This is the family you want to be born into and if you can’t have that then you want it to be the family you become. What’s even more impressive though is the way Jen Van Meter balances everyone. Aside from Zero, there’s her two brothers and sister, their significant others, her mom and dad and her boyfriend. Then add the Dusted Bunnies and the new characters and this ensemble cast is just massive and yet impressively balanced. The Justice League isn’t this balanced. The X-Men aren’t this balanced… hell Wolverine before his death wasn’t this balanced… get it because he was in everything. Van Meter focuses on Zero, but paces the rest of the family at just the right beats.
Without spoiling anything I will say that there is a family moment which really captured the idea of family in my opinion. It felt genuine and really tied everything about this fictional family together. I doubt I can describe it well enough, but it’s like when I go home for the holidays and there’s this moment between all the big events and traveling that just feels right. It feels like everyone is where they need to be and doing exactly what they should. That’s what the moment near the end felt like. Overall Van Meter brings something new to this series. It doesn’t feel like she’s just returning because hey it’s been some time and it’s a franchise that people know. She clearly had a story to tell with these characters still and the amount of emotions in this story are just incredible. It’s an emotional journey on many levels and I’m sure that people will be able to relate on some level to one or more of the characters.
The art is great. Okay, it’s really great. I’ve only just this year been exposed to Meredith McClaren’s artwork, but I’m already a big fan. My one and only gripe is that somewhere near the end is where I recognized her style. It started looking a lot like Heart in a Box, which isn’t bad, but it just wasn’t as consistent as the look was in the beginning of the OGN. Even then, I don’t think it was bad, it was just something I noticed. I placed the art after that having not paid any attention to the names on the cover.
McClaren’s work here is very clean and all black and white. There’s grey scale used for her parts which I think is just part of her style. It works incredibly well and really brought something new to the series. It’s been a while since we saw anything from this series so it’s good that it was updated on many fronts because it shows the growth and experience of the creator.
Also on art is Christine Norrie. She’s the flashback artist and the backup story artist. Her style is completely different, but then also an incredible fit to the world. I don’t mean this next bit as a slam, but her style was a bit Archie-ish, but imagine that handling a punk rock family and their kids. It was pretty great and she’s a hell of a visual storyteller as well. The backup story could have easily come off as filler, but instead it became this rather cute and enjoyable story all on its own. I actually cared about the characters and a lot of the driving force behind it was the art.
I waited all year for this book and I wasn’t disappointed. I was actually blown away by how damn good it is. Again, not to be an elitist, but to make a point; it’s nerve racking when a property you enjoyed years ago returns. You don’t know if you’re going to feel the same way about it now as you did back then and even more worrisome, you don’t know if the creators are going to capture that same magic after so long. Van Meter not only captures the magic of what made Hopeless Savages so great, but she updates it. She makes it approachable for new and old readers and she exposes us to some great artistic talent that we may never have heard of otherwise. Hopeless Savages: Break is not only a great addition to the series, but it’s a great graphic novel that stands from all of the others released in 2015.
Score: 5/5
Hopeless Savages Vol. 4: Break Writer/Creator: Jen Van Meter Artists: Meredith McClaren, Christine Norrie Publisher: Oni Press Price: $17.99 Release Date: 11/25/15 Format: OGN; Print/Digital
Review: Itty Bitty Hellboy: Search For the Were-Jaguar #1
With Itty Bitty Hellboy Dark Horse has watered down and simplified the main characters of Hellboy for a much younger audience. The Search For The Were-Jaguar finds all of our favorite Mignola characters as cute miniature versions of themselves in a series of crazy adventures that is sure to entertain kids and satisfy parents who don’t want their children reading a more mature comic. Itty Bitty Hellboy is wacky, colorful, and fun, bringing laughs to our usually somber cast of characters.
Search For The Were-Jaguar is the first issue in a four issue mini-series that continues Baltazar and Franco’s Itty Bitty Hellboy run. It doesn’t continue any type of storyline from previous issues so its easy to just pick up and read, perfect for a car ride, or a quick distraction. Baltazar’s art is colorful with thick bold lines, and his character designs are cute without being over the top. His skill especially shines through with some of Hellboy’s facial expressions; full of energy and mischievous glee. The writing, at least for an adult reader is a little scatterbrained. Despite there being a plot, the perspective shifts so many times from character to character that even for a children’s comic could be a little confusing. With only twenty-four pages of comic there seemed to be just a little too much packed in, sometimes it seemed like the writers just wanted to make sure that each character made an appearance even if this wasn’t relevant to the plot.
Ultimately the plot is secondary to the humor, which is really the stand out part of this comic. Besides, this isn’t a Mignola penned issue of the latest B.P.R.D, it’s Itty Bitty Hellboy after all. It’s not supposed to be more than some funny jokes wrapped around cute iterations of Dark Horse’s flagship characters, and in that sense it works. Hellboy is delivering a shipment of underwear to Rogers Island, where Roger the homunculus and his brothers live in reckless, nude abandon. All of the mainstay characters make appearances: Lobster Johnson, Abe Sapien, Rasputin, and many others to tell the tale of Roger Island and the mysterious Were-Jaguar. The issue reads very quickly, with just the right amount of text. And after some hiccups Hellboy delivers the underwear to the Rogers, who promptly put them on their heads.
Each page reads almost like a comic strip, delivering a laugh at the end of every few panels. This set up definitely helps move the comic along, and for kids with shorter attention spans will surely keep them interested. With its immature content, this might not be the most enjoyable read-a-long for parents. But with a fast pace and a joke-a-minute style it definitely will have a readership among younger fans. For kids who are trying out the medium of comics this is certainly a great entryway. Dark Horse has a great thing going, fostering a love of some of their best characters in early readers. Itty Bitty Hellboy is a charming and fun read for a younger generation of comic readers or readers-to-be, an entertaining starting point, and a goofy story of some weird characters delivering underwear to those in need.
Score: 3/5
Itty Bitty Hellboy: The Search For The Were-Jaguar #1 Writer: Art Baltazar Artist: Art Baltazar, Franco Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 11/25/2015 Format: Miniseries; Print/Digital
Review: Empowered – Pew, Pew, Pew
It amazes me that Adam Warren has so many stories left to tell with Empowered. My appreciation for the specials he’s released has grown with each new one-shot. Pew, Pew, Pew continues that appreciation and once again makes me wish that there was some kind of ongoing adventure for Emp and her supporting cast of characters. I mean The Goon isn’t monthly, but it still rolls out issue after issue at its own pace. I suppose that’s what’s happening here, but I would like more if it and more often. With all the crappy superhero books on the market, it would be nice to have one that I want to read. This issue broken up into three stories or really three crimes. Hence the three “Pews” because each pew is one story about a gun wielding maniac. What’s particularly funny about this issue is that Warren doesn’t even bother illustrating Emp with a new suit, instead she’s instantly tattered which is always where she ends up. I thought it was a nice change of pace and almost showed how beaten down the character is currently which played into the stories as well.
The over gist of the issues is that it’s not about guns. It’s about Emp trying to find some maturity and thicker skin. She’s known as the big booty superchica that’s always being captured and tied up, but as we see in this issue, she hands everyone their asses. It’s an emotional journey for her as she deals with criticism.
I don’t know if this was Warren working through his own thoughts and criticism on his work, but it’s an interesting comic in the world of comics. Especially at the end when Emp rants about herself and it’s all the things that we see. That she is a hell of a superhero and that she isn’t given enough credit. It’s great to hear all of those things, but in the context of her world… it’s very much like ours. It’s hard to change public opinion. Warren’s writing is subtle, but some of his best. The three act structure for this issue works to build up to that final scene. That and Warren uses the phrase, “Foes with benefits” which was quite funny.
The art, well it’s Adam Warren so you either like or dislike his art. I love it personally as it is the closest thing to an American style manga. Really that’s what Empowered has always reminded me of, a manga. Warren is incredibly talented with the black and white penciled look which wouldn’t fly on any mainstream superhero comic. Here though, it works because it allows the art to tell as much of the story as the dialogue. It’s a treat to see Warren’s artwork and I always look forward to the subtle changes he’s added to this style.
There may not be an ongoing or a slow ongoing series for Empowered, but I will say that these one-shots are new reader friendly. They give you a solid introduction to the world each time, but without it being an overkill like comics from the 70s. If you love the superhero genre, but you’ve never read anything outside of the big two, give this a chance. See what the world of comics has to offer because it will surprise you in the best of ways.
Score: 5/5
Empowered – Pew, Pew, Pew Creator: Adam Warren Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 11/25/15 Format: One-Shot; Print/Digital
Review: Invisible Republic #7
In the last two years, Image has released a half-dozen new, space-opera books, and Invisible Republic seemed an unlikely candidate to be the best of them. It didn't have the jaw-dropping art of Drifter, the popular author of Descender, the genre hooks of The Fuse and Copperhead, or even the dedication to big sci-fi ideas that fueled Roche Limit. However, over its first year, Gabriel Hardman and Corrinna Bechko's space-set political thriller has proved itself the most well-made, intelligent book of the bunch. In its seventh issue, Invisible Republic continues its consistency while widening its scope to great effect. Invisible Republic is divided into two connected stories: that of disgraced reporter Croger Babb's modern day (2843 in this case) investigations into the journal of Maia Reveron and the decades earlier events in Maia's life that put the late dictator Arthur McBride in power. Until now, the events in the past have been the most interesting part of the book, but that seems to be changing, as Babb's investigation of Maia Reveron has finally led him to the woman herself.
Invisible Republic #7 shows for the first time some of the motivation behind Arthur McBride himself who has for the last few issues been portrayed as distant and quiet, emphasizing his new position as a political symbol. In the past, Maia discusses with him his increasing power and he draws parallels between himself and King Arthur. While this seems momentarily hopeful, a cryptic warning from one of the freedom fighters leaves Maia shaken. As she begins to suspect a conspiracy surrounding Arthur, the violent events of the future add a sense of melancholy inevitability to her life.
There is perhaps a bit too much that is mysterious in Invinsible Republic's future segments as this issue occasionally feels as though we are watching a game played without knowing all the rules. Before now, this has served to highlight the journalistic aspects of the story, but with that for moment abandoned, it would be nice to know a little more about what the book's central conflict is. Perhaps it's fitting for a book looking at war and politics that while the past has a clear hero and villain, the future has neither, but it would be helpful to find out what exactly is the importance of Maia's journal.
As before, Hardman and Bechko do not seem particularly interested in the sci-fi aspects of the story. McBride's fallen regime on the future moon of Maidenstone is a clear stand-in for any number of similar dictatorships in the western world of the 20th century. This might be a problem if the political thriller nature of the story was not such a novelty in its own right. Further, Hardman's scratchy but detailed art depicting a fallen world of alien creatures and blocky buildings adds a larger than life quality to the story. While I would love to see the sci-fi play a larger role (one moment with Maia's alien dog is an issue highlight), for the moment Invisible Republic seems to be finding its rhythm just fine as is.
All in all, Invisible Republic continues to be an excellent, underappreciated part of Image's ever-growing sci-fi catalogue. While the book may not quite be addictive, it remains a uniquely intelligent well-wrought depiction of the murky aftermath of war with a few tusked monsters thrown in for good measure.
Score: 4/5
Invisible Republic #7 Authors: Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko Artists: Gabriel Hardman and Jordan Boyd Publisher: Image Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 11/25/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital
Review: Welcome to Showside #2
The thing that stood out the most to me about Welcome to Showside #1 was that I liked it. I don’t usually get into books like this. Other publishers like BOOM! Studios have cultivated a market with titles similar to Welcome to Showside and I just haven’t been able to enjoy or appreciate any of them. Maybe it’s because Welcome to Showside isn’t based off an existing property or maybe it’s the fact that it doesn’t come off as pretentious. Instead, it feels like a creator having fun with his creation. But I don’t feel excluded. I don’t feel like I’m too old to get it or appreciate it or worse, that I’m not “cool” enough like some of the other series tend to come off like. Welcome to Showside, does exactly what the title says and “welcomes” you to the world and comic.
Interestingly enough the narrator is different for this issue. We meet Belle’s little brother Toulouse Stone or T’ouse as Belle calls him. He’s a nerdy looking kid, but he introduces us to Belle’s life. It’s a clever way of introducing her because she’s not the type of character to do that. By having Toulouse tell us about their father being a monster hunter and that they’re not supposed to hang out with monsters, it allows Ian McGinty to keep Belle’s character intact. At least for now. It keeps her consistent so she can grow later when this division in thought will likely need to be dealt with.
McGinty also uses Toulouse to introduce more of Showside’s plot. It’s a world in which good monsters obtain visas to work and live with humans. It’s the only place like that since there are many port+als leading to different worlds. The rest of the issue is spent dealing with a monster that has snuck into Showside and taken over the body of a bully. The backup story was also amusing and worth reading. It’s short so I’m not going to spoil it, but I will say that it involves ghosts and hot chocolate.
With an ensemble cast, the characters are very important. They need to be unique from one another and while you don’t have to like all of them, you should like most of them. Kit is easy to like. He gets made fun of because he’s not the quickest thinker, but he’s got a great design and a fun personality. Belle is a brawler and Moon is a nerdy witch. But then there’s Teenomicon… my absolute favorite character. He’s pretty great in this issue. He has a bit of exposition, but it works because he has a teenage know-it-all attitude. Overall, McGinty crafts some wonderful characters, both existing and new. He paces the story just right and while they’ve fought two monsters in a row now, the way it happened and the circumstances have been different making it enjoyable to read.
The art continues to be great. McGinty has a great style that is very animated looking. Point in case, there’s a short animation for Showside that is worth checking out. The voice acting is spot on and brings the characters to life in a new way. Otherwise, the art is dynamic first and foremost. The action and the physical humor really pop off the page. The humor is there too. Physical humor in a comic is difficult, but McGinty gets it and really makes it work here. The coloring is tremendous. It’s a gorgeous looking book because of the coloring and Showside the world is a place that you want to visit because it’s so bright and beautiful… at least if it were like a video game I would visit it.
If you missed the first issue and you’re looking for wholesome, yet fun and video game inspired entertainment, then check out Welcome to Showside. I know it won’t be for everyone. Maybe you looked at this and thought, “oh this is just like that one book and the other.” Well, it is a little, but in the best possible way.
Score: 4/5
Welcome to Showside #2 Creator, Writer, Artist: Ian McGinty Backup Story Artist: Carolyn Nowak Colorist/Letterer: Fred Stresing Publisher: Z2 Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 11/25/15 Format: Ongoing; Print
Review: Ivar, Timewalker #11
This is an impressive comic-book. While I did have my doubts about this arc of Ivar, Timewalker when it began with the wobbly ninth issue, this eleventh instalment has erased those doubts entirely. This issue is so well-paced and plotted it really is a joy to read, bringing things full circle in clever and unexpected ways while also packing all the heart and humour this series has made itself known for. I’m hesitant to delve too deeply into story details in this review, as I think it would be a great shame to spoil the twists this issue holds in store for Valiant fans. With this in mind, all I’ll say is that this instalment explores the aftermath of Neela’s failure to prevent the null from destroying the dinosaur-ruled Roman Empire seen in the previous two issues.
The issue begins ingeniously with a double-page spread showing a kaleidoscope of parallel timelines each with a different incarnation of Ivar and Neela. Most are fun references to some of cinemas most famous moments, while others are just visions into worlds where Ivar and Neela simply settled down and lived a quiet life. It’s an impressive-looking spread and a creative idea, very much a testament to the talent of both writer Fred van Lente and artist Pere Perez. Indeed, Perez does a fantastic job with the art throughout this issue particularly in the cinematic final act where the tension ramps up as things begin moving towards setting up next month’s twelfth (and last) issue.
While it has at times boggled my mind, Ivar, Timewalker has ultimately been a very fun ride and there’s no doubt I’ll miss this series after next month’s final issue. The characters of Neela and Ivar have become some of the most endearing in Valiant’s universe, in spite of the fact that they’ve featured in fewer issues than most of the publisher’s other major players. This in large part is down to Fred van Lente who has managed to fill each issue with humour, while not reducing them to joke characters – in fact, this series has had its fair share of emotional moments with this issue containing one of the most powerful to date. But that being said, this series never bogs itself down in doom and gloom either and the message it sends seems to be one of optimism. Indeed, Neela’s rousing speech on the preciousness of each and every second of the day, and the importance of overcoming negative emotions like regret and fear genuinely made me think about whether I’m living the fullest life I could be.
Ivar, Timewalker #11 is one of the most engaging single issues I’ve read in some time and sets up this book’s final issue as one not to be missed.
Score: 5/5
Ivar, Timewalker #11 Writer: Fred Van Lente Artist: Pere Perez Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse Publisher: Valiant Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 11/25/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital
Review: Cyrus Perkins and the Haunted Taxi Cab #2
What really impressed me about the first issue of Cyrus Perkins is that, and yes this is a spoiler if you didn’t read the first issue, the concept of the series didn’t play out until the last page. The concept if you didn’t figure it out from the cover and the title, is that a kid that died in Cyrus’ cab is now haunting it. It was the perfect lead up because it left you wanting more, but it didn’t feel like a cheap cliffhanger. What’s even better is this issue. Seriously. Because we don’t just pick up from that scene. Instead we move forward a bit. Cyrus isn’t as shocked anymore. He’s talking with Michael and that’s who kicks off the issue. Michael.
He tells us that he doesn’t remember his life and that he basically only remembers Cyrus. He’s apparently tethered to the car and can’t leave it which leads Cyrus to think that he has to solve the kid’s murder to help him move on. From there we see Cyrus look into Michael’s life. We also see Michael begin to have fun because only Cyrus can see him. It’s a great bit of writing as Cyrus figures out how to engage in conversation with Michael and the person in the taxi at the same time. But like the first issue, things get serious as a man with a gun enters the car and Cyrus feels compelled to do something about the man… you could say he’s feeling compelled by a spirit.
Dave Dwonch’s pacing for this story is absolutely perfect. Anytime you can wrap a reader up in your story so much that they don’t realize the comic is coming to a close, that’s good thing. I got lost in this issue I was that emerged in the story. Dwonch creates a balance between the two characters. They each have a unique voice and their dynamic is used to balance each other out. Otherwise I liked the side events of this issue along with the incredibly strong narration. Particularly the last couple of pages had narration that you really want to pay attention to.
The art is a huge driving force for this series. Anna Lencioni is producing some visuals that are just perfect for the story. It really is the complete package. The writing is great and structured wonderfully, but it needs the art. The art is fantastic and being pushed to meet or beat the writing and so there’s this great back and forth where the end result is just a great comic on both fronts. Dwonch adds to the artwork with his coloring which definitely elevates the story and art.
It’s rare to have the second issue be better or in this case just shine a bit brighter than the first issue, but it does happen. This is the first example I can think of this year, but it happens. If you missed the first issue, then you should go back and grab it. This is actually a standout series this year and though it’s a mini-series I’m enjoying it and I’m glad that such a unique comic is being published. I’ll be back for more and in the meantime you should get caught up on what’s proving to be one of the best breakouts of 2015.
Score: 5/5
Cyrus Perkins and the Haunted Taxi Cab #2 Writer/Letterer/Colorist: Dave Dwonch Artist/Tones: Anna Lencioni Publisher: Action Lab Entertainment Price: $3.99 Release Date: 11/25/15 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital
Review: Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. 1953 #7
Undead centurions, a vengeful witch, and a young Hellboy ready to kick them back where they came from. Hellboy and the BPRD #7 continues the full-throttle fun of this latest run. This time Mignola brings along Ben Stenbeck for the ride, whose incredible work on Baltimore has solidified his place in the Mignolaverse forever. Stenbeck brings a realistic yet cartoony style to Mignola’s world, serious when it needs to be without ever taking you out of the comic world that the team creates. In action sequences Stenbeck kills it, drawing any type of monster that Mignola can dream up and giving it such vibrant life (or lackthereof depending on what it is). Toss Dave Stewart in the mix, who at this point needs no introduction, and you have one hell of a team for one hell of a comic.
Hellboy and the BPRD #7 continues showcasing some of Hellboy’s first missions with Professor Bruttenholm, each issue contains two standalone stories, though they share similar overtones. If you haven’t been keeping up to date with any of Mignola’s other titles but love Hellboy and just want some classic horror/action, look no further. These one shot issues are a great way to get your Mignola fix without having to wade through the backlog of recent issues (though doing so is well worth the time). Even if you have never read a Hellboy title before, these are fun, pulpy, action comics that do well completely on their own. I do highly recommend tracking down each and every Hellboy trade and catching up to these issues though, you’ll probably find that it’s your new favorite comic.
These two stories find Hellboy and the Professor answering a call for one of Bruttenholm’s colleagues, having to do an ancient witch and the Celtic chieftain who sold her soul to free her people from Roman rule. The second story “Rawhead and Bloody Jones” find Hellboy and the Professor investigating a haunted pub. If that sounds like a lot to swallow, it really isn’t. Mignola’s storytelling capabilities are so adept that he can weave a crazy story like this one without bogging you down with huge text blocks. Without revealing too much of this issue’s story, the witch’s body has been preserved to the present day, and kept in a church for safe-keeping. Recently the body has gone missing, enter Hellboy and Professor Bruttenholm.
Mignola really stresses Bruttenholm and Hellboy’s relationship in these latest issues, depicting their bond as father and son (or something close to that). Their dynamic makes this a really fun read, just like the Hellboy of old. Hellboy is still as cheeky as ever, making wisecracks as skeletons rip out of the earth and turn their rusted weapons upon him. While the calm composure of Bruttenholm acts as a buffer for Hellboy’s recklessness. It’s really great to see these two characters teaming together in some truly eerie stories. Bruttenholm has stolen the stage the past couple of years in quite a few series without Hellboy, which was well-deserved. But now we finally get to experience their dynamic as partners, and it’s a lot of fun. These stories are a throwback to the halcyon days of Hellboy, delivering equal parts mystery, horror, and action, keeping it dark yet lighthearted. Not to say that the latest Hellboy comics don’t hold up by any means. But if you want to see a young Hellboy before he gets completely weighed down by his ultimate fate, these issues are the flashbacks you’ve been looking for.
The first story in this issue is definitely the main course, while the second feels a little bit like an afterthought. As a whole it works though, giving us a wide range of the kinds of cases that Hellboy had to solve in his younger days. Not every case can be a gun slinging skull-bashing adventure. That’s what has always made Hellboy such a great comic, it’s well-roundedness and pacing. Mignola knows just when to hit the brakes, slow down, and remind us that Hellboy isn’t just about beating up monsters, but it’s a journey of discovery, purpose, and self-worth, and Hellboy has always been the perfect demon to help us feel more human.
Score: 4/5
Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. 1953 #7 Writer: Mike Mignola Artist: Ben Stenbeck Colorist: Dave Stewart Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 11/25/2015 Format: One-Shot; Print/Digital