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Today's reviews!

Reviews for 16-01-21 Reviews for 15-01-21 Reviews for 14-01-21
​Reviews for 12-01-21 Reviews for 11-01-21 Reviews for 10-01-21
​Reviews for 09-01-21 Reviews for 08-01-21 Reviews for 07-01-21
​Reviews for 06-01-21 Reviews for 05-01-21 Reviews for 04-01-21
​Reviews for 03-01-21 Reviews for 02-01-21 Reviews for 01-01-21

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Red Sonja: The Superpowers #1

1/17/2021

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Red Sonja: The Super Powers #1
Dynamite Entertainment 2021
Written by Dan Abnett
Illustrated by Jonathan Lau
Coloured by Andrew Dalhouse
Lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

     FIRST STUNNING ISSUE! 

     The She-Devil With A Sword has battled barbarians, scuffled with sorcerers, and managed magical creatures of all sizes. But when a collective of superheroes from THE PROJECT enter her world, will Sonja know how to adjust to their foreign ways, before they all kill each other?

    Well now first Vampirella now Red Sonja gets a crack at playing the public domain heroes and considering how this one starts off they might want to rethink this strategy.  So I am thrilled that we get to see Dan getting play with all the cool toys in the sandbox.  I have to say the way that this issue opens up certainly captures the readers’ attention and shows some classic Sonja in action and it makes you want to see and learn what’s going on.  More so of course after seeing those folks whom she has been tasked by well damn that’s some classic stuff going on with her and I was immediately drawn to this like a moth to a flame.

    I love the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well.  One aspect of this that I really like is that we have no idea why this team of interdimensional heroes are there, they just are so it’s that we see them, oh and the little who’s who entries are fantastic, and that engages the reader in some wonderful ways.  The character development is utterly phenomenal and seeing the dialogue alongside how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter really make them feel like the characters they are and have been.  The pacing here is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists & turns along the way as well as introducing us to the story is a joy to see.

    How we see this being structured and how the layers within the story are emerging make this feel like there’s a depth and complexity to the story that we aren’t seeing yet.  Then there’s the way we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow is marvellous to see.  

    Jonathan is one of today’s best and brightest artists in the industry.  How he is able to utilise the linework through its varying weights and techniques to create the level and quality of detail that we see is stupendous stuff.  Seriously just going through the pages and taking it all in on a visual level has the capability of leaving you in awe of how good this all looks and how different sections appear like a different did them is mind blowing.  How we see the backgrounds being utilised to enhance the moments as well as bring us depth perception, a sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the book is beautifully rendered.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a truly remarkable eye for storytelling.  The colour is gorgeous!  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and colour work shows a true understanding of how to utilise colour to create mood, tone and feelings.
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    Dynamite knows how to get the right folks to work on the right projects and this creative team right here bring us a team book that is as dysfunctional and true to the aspects that it needs to have.  There is some sensational storytelling happening here from all these folks including some really fabulous lettering.  This is the superhero team book that you don’t see on stands and this originality makes it one of my must have gems.

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Space Bastards #1

1/17/2021

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Space Bastards #1
Humanoids 2021
Written by Eric Peterson & Joe Aubrey
Illustrated by Darick Robertson
Coloured by Diego Rodriguez
Lettered by Simon Bowland

    The IPS! ONGOING SERIES.
 In the future, unemployment and job dissatisfaction are sky-high. When you've got nothing left to lose, you join the Intergalactic Postal Service (IPS). Its postal fees are steep—and they go only to whomever ultimately fulfills the delivery, making every run a comically violent free-for-all between the most ruthless mercenaries in the cosmos! The interplanetary ensemble cast of Space Bastards, under the volatile leadership of Postmaster General Roy Sharpton, are constantly at each other's throats trying to settle scores and earn big money. But when a rival corporation's teleportation technology threatens to make their role in the galaxy obsolete, the Bastards must work together to preserve a job they've come to love.

    Humanoids have been putting out some absolutely stellar titles, before Covid naturally, so with Space Bastards it looks like they are coming back in full force with some of today’s hottest creators unleashing some insane storytelling.  Now that we have outlets like Humanoids and no Comics Code Authority so the language can be as crass and harsh as they want it to be or feeling like i’m watching some British programming lol.  

    I am a fan of the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold and how the reader learns information is fantastic to see.  The character development that we see is amazing and you have to read this to see and understand why that is.  We meet a myriad of characters and some are destined to play huge roles and others are literally throwaways but it doesn’t who it is because they all feel like people.  The pacing here is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story, the characters and this universe they inhabit it sets up this crazy ride that you are going to want to take.

    The way that this is structured is extremely well done and how the layers within the story are emerging are utterly fantastic!  The way everything manages to work together to create the story’s ebb & flow is beautifully done.  I love this, the way that we see this unfold and how its flow really allows the reader to really feel a part of the transformation is pretty damn spectacular.

    The interiors here are mindbogglingly brilliantly rendered.  I mean this is why we love, or at I love, Darick’s work.  The linework is as perfect as perfect can be and with the varying weights and techniques that he employs to bring out this level and quality of attention to detail blows me away.  It’s as if he just gets better and better and I wasn’t way that was even humanly possible.  The creativity and imagination we see in the different species and designs of ships and cities is sensational.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a true masters eye for storytelling.  Oh I am so loving the choices being made with the colours here.  Diego’s own creativity and imagination that we see in this shines bright like a sunbeam through a diamond.  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is expertly rendered.
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    This is the kind of crass, brash and over-the-top foul mouthed kind of story that simply cannot be resisted.  I don’t care who you are this is unbridled fun through violence and cussing and you will enjoy every single moment of it!

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King in Black: Thunderbolts #1

1/16/2021

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King in Black: Thunderbolts #1
Marvel Comics 2021
Written by Matthew Rosenberg
Illustrated by Juan Ferreyra
Lettered by VC’s Joe Sabino

    KINGPIN’S KILLERS VERSUS AN ARMY OF UNKILLABLE DRAGONS! 
     An army of evil space dragons have come to attack Earth and are starting with New York. MAYOR FISK has a plan for that. Assembling a group of killers, mercenaries, and just generally pretty horrible people like TASKMASTER, RHINO, STAR, MR. FEAR, and BATROC THE LEAPER, Mayor Fisk tasks them with saving the city or die trying…or die right then and there. The fate of the entire world may rest in the hands of the absolute worst people in the Marvel Universe. What could go wrong?

    I thought with this being based at Ravencroft it would be the beginning of something that I could get behind.  I still can because the concept is incredibly sound and the whole Ravencroft angle is something that I would love to see happen, not necessarily like the Suicide Squad but in that vein would be incredibly interesting to see.  Wilson Fisk is no Amanda Waller though and his brusque nature and the way we see him here puts the kibosh on much of my enjoyment here.  John Jameson and Misty Knight would actually be the perfect duo to rebuild and run Ravencroft while using the rehabilitation side to utilise a new Thunderbolts program.  But this is all off the top of my head thinking because once we remove Fisk from the equation the books is pretty fun to read.

    I am enjoying the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold is really well done.  From the introduction of the characters to seeing them encounter what they do is fantastic!  Also anytime we see The Rhino without Spider-Man I am a happy camper.  The character development is fantastic, though I do have my reservations about how we see Fisk.  With how we see the dialogue alongside the way they react to the situations and circumstances really make them feel like we know these characters.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists & turns along the way we are treated to a great beginning to the story.

    With how we see the book being structured and the layers within the story emerging and continuing from elsewhere it has all the earmarks of a franchise reboot in the works.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow is so delightful as well.

    I do rather like the interiors here.  While I disagree with their masks and such being gone it is what it is right now.  The linework that we see is gorgeous and how the varying weights and techniques are being utilised to bring out such stunning detail work is fabulous!  The outside with the buildings and such show off such a creepy and delightful eye for this story.  I mean the detail work, the way we see the symbiote goo strands it’s creepy as all hell.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkable eye for storytelling.  The symbiote who took out Snakehead (whom i’ve never heard of) looks like Sauron from the Savage Land and I gotta say the creativity and imagination is off the charts!  The colour work is divine.  These reds with their hues and tones is so beautifully rendered.   Considering what it looks like outdoors the muted tones that have various hues and tones themselves is really very well done.
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    Solid book with a few question marks but honestly when this King in Black mishegas is finished i’d like to see Ravencroft be home to a new version of the Thunderbolts.  

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Ascencia #1

1/16/2021

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Ascencia #1
Wake Entertainment 2021
Written by John Dolmayan
Illustrated by Tony Parker
Coloured by Blond
Lettered by Taylor Esposito of Ghost Glyph Studio

    It is 150 years in the future, the city of Ascencia towers above its sister city Bethany in perpetual dominance. The city of immortals, a power resides in Ascencia coveted by all but accessible to few. This is the story of what one would do to become immortal. Who they would abandon. who they would betray. And ultimately what price they would pay to remain in Ascencia. 

    I saw this was listed in the new releases for this week as I was making my review list for the week.  I do like a first issue and the cover looked intriguing so I looked it up and thought wow this could be really good.  Turns out my hunch was right, which at this stage of my life and career is my own spider-sense.  I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would and the fact that it feels like we have a few openings back to back to set us up with a good look at the characters, this world and kind of hits on the dynamic of it all is really rather well achieved.  When a book can meet your expectations and then exceed them showing that the writer is actually quite good and draws the reader in this way so you become engaged in what the possibilities are is fantastic.  

    I enjoying the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented nicely.  There is an interesting way in which John has approached telling the story and it works extremely well for him and I like that because it doesn’t feel as if he’s using some formulae to get it done.  The character development is nice to see, there are a few tropes but they actually work here so I won’t complain.  The dialogue we see as well as how the characters act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter do wonders in fleshing them out.  The pacing is great and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists & turns along with the world, these characters and the story it more than pulls us in.  

    The interiors here are absolutely incredible.  Tony manages to do things with the linework through their varying weights and techniques that make the detail work look so incredible to see.  The difference between the sleek and ultra-modern and the gritty slums really feels like two separate artists working on the book is mindbogglingly well rendered.  Not to mention the faces, facial expressions and then how backgrounds are utilised to really bring out the extra emotion and feelings is amazing.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkable eye for storytelling.  The colour work is brilliantly rendered here as well.  How we see different techniques in how colour is laid down is superb as are the colour choices themselves.  To see how the various hues and tones within the colours are being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work show a remarkable understanding of how colour works.
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    With the way this book is structured and how we see the layers within the story emerging to add this great depth and complexity to the story is impressive.  Seeing it all work together to create the story’s ebb & flow is beautifully done.  Then there’s the sheer amount of creativity and imagination that we see throughout in terms of the dual classes and how they are represented really is some absolutely stand out work.  Sometimes you have to look for those singular offerings because it is where you’ll find some of today’s most inspiring work being done.  Indie Comics isn’t a scary or bad thing it is something to be embraced and I believe you should.

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Mann's World #1

1/15/2021

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Mann’s World #1
AWA Upshot Studios 2021
Written by Victor Gischler
Illustrated by Niko Walter
Coloured by Snakebite Cortez
Lettered by AndWorld Design

    A weekend getaway on a resort planet goes south when four friends run afoul of the planet's working class. Stranded in the wilderness of a strange planet, surrounded by danger on all sides and relentlessly pursued by vengeful locals, they must test their bonds of friendship in order to survive.

    So this feels like its equal parts detective story and horror film, think The Hunt, and together what we see here is pretty damn amazing.  The blurb kind of gives it away a bit but seriously you need to read this to get the full effect of what’s going on and what the story is all about.  This is being written in such a way that Victor manages to really create something that doesn’t feel all that familiar and yet has those trace elements that we immediate recognise and the way it all works together has a spectacular result.  

    I am in love with the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is exceptionally well presented.  One aspect of this that I found myself attracted to is how the characters are being introduced and how the reader has use their own mind to see further than what is on the page.  This kind and level of engagement for the reader is one of those instances where you feel a sense of nostalgia, kind of like Professor Plum in the Conservatory with the Lead Pipe, where you may actually have the right idea but you would never know it.  It has that ring about it that is exciting to me.  The character development that we see here is rather extraordinary in and of itself as well.  How the dialogue works with how they act and react to the situations and circumstances keep flushing them out so that we want to see and know more about them.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story, the world and these characters it takes us on a wild roundabout style journey that really keeps you wanting to go further.

    The way that we see the book being structured and how the layers within the story are beginning to emerge is rather nice to see play out.  Just as nice is seeing how everything is working together to create the story’s ebb & flow is utterly fantastic.  Seeing the way this is being written highlights the skill and talent that Victor possesses and I have to say its rather impressive.

    The interiors here are really rather nice themselves.  The linework we’re seeing is fantastic and how the varying weights are being utilised to show off the detail work is extremely well done.  When we see backgrounds being incorporated they do wonders in enhancing the moments and I wish they were utilised more prolifically.  The characters have this great throwback feel to them, their faces and facial expressions so they feel like they are from 50’s-60’s and it gives this the whole retro science fiction feel and it is glorious!  There is one instance where the body language, see proportioning, looks off with the bartender and her hand on her hip and with everything else looking like it does that really stands out.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkable eye for storytelling.  The colour work is stupendous!  I am really enjoying how we see the colour choices and the various hues and tones within them being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work.  
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    This is a phenomenal book already and it’s just beginning to show us the potential that it possesses.  The writing is superb and as it pulls you in leaving you intrigued and excited by the last page, which is also a classic cliffhanger.  AWA Studios have these amazing books that keep coming out and with a rotating schedule so there aren’t too many at any given time and beautifully done.  I’m thrilled for that too because we get so many damn good books like this one right here.

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HAHA #1

1/14/2021

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HaHa #1
Image Comics 2021
Written by W. Maxwell Prince
Illustrated by Vanesa Del Rey
Coloured by Chris O’Halloran
Lettered by Good Old Neon

    HAHA is a genre-jumping, throat-lumping look at the sad, scary, hilarious life of those who get paid to play the fool—but these ain’t your typical jokers.

    Prince revolutionised the world with Ice Cream Man and honestly He’s gone and done it again with HaHa!  I have no idea what it is about taking a creepy trope like a clown and twisting into something that’s even more terrifying that he loves to do but he does it so damn well.  I am not afraid of clowns, I never have been but after this who knows I may just find myself getting more and more creeped out by them.  I will say though that the way this is being told is absolutely phenomenal to see.  The opening is fantastic and it really captures the readers’ attention and their imagination as it draw them in and leaves them wanting to see so much more.

    I love the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is perfectly presented.  How the characters are introduced and then to see how they encounter the situations and circumstances really make this a much more gripping tale than I was expecting to see.  The character development is pretty amazing and with the dialogue and how the are reacting to what happens fleshing them out even further we are starting to get a great look at the characters.  The pacing is amazing and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story, the characters and the world our main guy lives in we are treated to one hell of a twisted tale.

    The way that this story is being structured and how the layers within the story are emerging is just brilliantly done.  How easily and eerily this mangesto draw the reader in and keep from looking away as the odd and weird begin to happen is seriously what I would have thought beyond human skill.  How everything manages to work together to create the story’s ebb & flow is beautifully rendered.  This story on it’s surface seems a little bit on the standard scale of horror but what Prince manages to do is completely flip the script and bring us something that I don’t think anyone else would be capable of.

    Vanesa is a bloody genius is what I have say about that.  The linework is utterly exquisite to see laid down and how the varying weights and techniques are being utilised to showcase this level of quality of detail is mesmerising.  The sheer amount of creativity and imagination that we see within these pages is astonishing and amazing.  The composition within the panels with the backgrounds and how we see the utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows off this stupendous eye for storytelling.  The depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size ands cope to the story is rendered phenomenally well.  The colour work is divine!  The choices of the colours we see and how the various hues and tones within them being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work show such a gorgeous eye for how colour works.
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    There is a reason this has already sold out at the distributor level and is going back for another print, on the day it came out no less.  That’s because this is smart, intelligent and downright phenomenal storytelling that utilised both words in visuals to bring to a place that can turn you into a Coulrophobe.  So enter at your own risk, keep hands inside the ride at all times and buckle up for your safety.

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Honor and Curse #7

1/12/2021

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Honor and Curse #7
Mad Cave Studios 2019
Written by Mark London
Illustrated by Nicolás Salamanca
Coloured by Takino
Lettered by Miguel Angel Zapata

    Left reeling after the murder of Lord Haruki, Genshi makes his way to the Jade Caverns per Nishiro’s instructions. Meanwhile, Akemi took control of the Iga and is training like never before to defend her clan from potential threats… like the rival Koga clan who are looking to seize the opportunity presented by Lord Haruki’s death.

    The first arc introduced us to these characters and while it’s been much too long between arcs, thanks Covid, but what I love is that the moment you open this up you are instantly transported back and it all come back to me now.  Yes I feel like Celine because when I hold it like that this and turn the pages like that, it’s hard to recall but it’s all coming back to me now.  Gosh this really is one of those magnificent stories that doesn’t come along everyday and how it portrays not only human nature but by throwing these Shinto Spirits into the mix well it takes things to a level that you leaves you in awe.  I mean Teen Wolf tried to bring one to that show but they couldn’t do it the justice that Mark is able to bring to this series.

    I am very much enjoying the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see with how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented is exquisitely done.  I like the fact that time has passed but we aren’t exactly aware of how much time has passed.  I say this because of the progress we see within certain characters thanks the drive and determination of what we’ve seen them go through already.  The character development is phenomenal!  How we se them act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter do wonders in really fleshing them out further.  The pacing here is superb and as it takes us through the pages reminding us of what’s come to pass and what has still to pass it’s a great jumping on point for new readers.  

    How we see this being structured and how the layers within the story continue and emerge for the first time is utterly delightful to see.  There feels like a lot of information but that’s only because of how well this is being told and not because it’s crowded.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow is beautifully done.

    Oh my god the interiors here are stunning.  The first few pages alone with how we see the composition within the panels, the level and quality of the linework and how the details shine through just hit you.  The strength of the work we see is gorgeous and how we see the faces and facial expressions really further the characterisation.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkable eye for storytelling.  How we see depth perception, this sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story is beautifully demonstrated through the utilisation of the backgrounds.  The colour work is beautifully rendered as well.  The sepia tones of the past and the bright vibrancy of the present really make such statements.  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows some amazing skill.  
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    This is a fantastic book folks.  Fro the way that we these folks interacting, how human nature is so quick to judge with only partial information and the willingness of others to push your decisions in ways that benefit them are all on display.  I think this not only represent the times as they were but the times as they are well and where else will you learn and be entertained at the same time?

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Hot Valley Days and Cocaine Nights #2

1/12/2021

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Hot Valley Days and Cocaine Nights #2
Antarctic Press 2020
Written by Matthew Spradlin
Illustrated by Farid Karami
Coloured by Andrew Crossley

    MATURE READERS BASED ON A TRUE STORY.   
     Janie's decision to leave the business is causing rippling effects within her crew.  The tension between her and her brother Jimmy is high.  Zack is out of control.  And after they both meet their cartel connection, Matias, in the early '80s, the whole wild ride starts to wind down along with the decade. Will Janie go out with a whimper... or a BANG?

    Well as someone who lived through this decade along with the emerge of AIDS and the popularity of cocaine, which to this day is still so much better than anything else around, hitting it’s all time high and low in this made fro real life story adaptation I can tell you that if this were actually on ID or a network of that calibre we’d all want to be watching this non-stop, kind of like Tiger King took the world by storm.  The opening here is fantastic and it’s kind of a shame too because the boys are clothed and the women with their plastic boobs are all hangin out, considering what we’re seeing I really wanna know why the guys aren’t all hangin out as well.  

    I am a huge fan of the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well.  So the fact that we are seeing this effective use of then & now storytelling is so delightful to me because here it feels like it’s how it needs to be told and not this plot device because someone doesn’t know how to flesh things out.  The character development that we see is amazing and I have to say that seeing how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter really does wonders in fleshing them out as people.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists & turns along the way we’re treated to a wild and crazy ride.

    How we see the way that this is being structured and how the layers within the story are continuing to play their parts it is really something to see how this is being adapted from its source material.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow is beautifully done as well.

    I am a huge fan of the interior artwork here.  The linework is frakkin incredible and how we see the varying weights and at times techniques being utilised to create the quality and level of detail that we see is beyond stellar.  How we see the composition within the panels and how backgrounds are utilised to enhance the moments, bring us some great depth perception, a sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a stupendous eye for storytelling.  The colour work is gorgeously rendered as well.  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows a mastery of how colour could, should and does work.  The choices made in the colour schemes are inspired by the era and I have to say this creativity and imagination is off the charts.
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    Folks this is why I love Antarctic Press!  You never know what you are going to get from them in terms of the genre, the depth of storytelling and just the amazing array of talent, creativity, verve and charisma that comes from these creators.  You need this in your life and not just because I say so but because the storytelling is just that damn good.

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Sengi and Tembo #1

1/11/2021

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Sengi and Tembo #1
Scout Comics/Scoot! Imprint 2021
Written & Illustrated by Guiseppe Falco

    Scoot! Imprint! The African savannah. Sengi, the little mouse, finds himself alone after the death of his mother and must learn to survive. Tembo, the old elephant, feels that his life is coming to an end. So he decides to leave his herd to try to reach the "Land without beginning," a mythical place accessible by a secret passage to the west. For a few days, this pragmatic mouse and even-tempered elephant will join paths. Enjoy the first issue of this title followed by the entire story collected soon after in one volume.

    I cannot begin to tell you how I felt when I read this issue.  Being of a certain age this reminds me of Where The Wild Things Are, Who, Said Sue, Said Whoo?  With a touch of The Jungle Book with Rikki Tikki Tavi and all of those pale in comparison to the reality of what this issue is.  As much as I hate to say it this is kind of like something we’d find on Animal Planet or National Geographic as we follow these animals on their daily lives.  While I may not be entire sure what the relationship between these two is going to be or to become what I do know is that I know have to know what it’s going to be.

    I am in love with the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through the sequence of events unfolding as well how the reader learns information is presented in such a way that I don’t care if your heart is made of stone or you have a black hole for a soul this is going to reach you.  The character development that we see is amazing and as we get to know these characters I want to know more about them.  The pacing here is extraordinary to see and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story, the characters and the world in which they live you cannot help but drawn deeper in page by page.

    I am loving how we are seeing this being structured and how the layers within the story are unfolding it all manages to beautifully capture life on the Serengeti or some equivalent thereof.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow is sensational.

    The interiors here are so phenomenally gorgeous!  The realism of the species that we see is almost chilling and I have to say that the elephants are stunning and Senji being a Rhabdomys, I am guessing on that one but i’ll be hornswoggled if it isn’t actually one, is just so damn cute and again it just screams out this is accurate.  The linework is gorgeous and how the varying weights and techniques are utilised to create the detail work that we see is beyond stupendous.  How we see the backgrounds, the trees, fields and so much more, not to mention the skies above it’s all just magnificently rendered.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkable eye for storytelling.  The colour work is divine to behold.  How the light sources manage to cast hues and tones within the shadows are incredible.  Those hues and tones that we see being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work go above and beyond any and all expectations.
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    I would say that the creativity and imagination on display here is superb but the reality is it is reality that we’re seeing.  So to see it being  brought to life as we are makes this so much more amazing to see.  This is the kind of book that I could see the Irwin’s promoting for animal rights, conservation, as well teachers’ utilising this as a tool in the classroom.  Do yourself a favour, get this issue and make sure you order the entire trade for the complete story because this is the ultimate in coffee table books.

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Knock Em Dead #2

1/11/2021

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Knock Em Dead #2
Aftershock Comics 2020
Written by Eliot Rahal
Illustrated by Mattia Monaco
Coloured by Matt Milla
Lettered by Taylor Esposito of Ghost Glyph Studio

    Pryor Brice died…but only for a couple of seconds.  
     
The thing is, he didn’t come back alone. The spirit of Danny Baron, Pryor’s (more successful) comedian friend, was brought back with him. Trapped inside Pryor’s body, the ghost of Danny offers Pryor a supernatural deal: He’ll write Pryor’s material so Danny can still be successful, even after death.  Their bargain comes with supernatural strings attached and, soon, Pryor will discover that comedy is no laughing matter.

    There are a lot of things going on here that one isn’t going to associate with stand up comedy and it’s this that sets this story apart from whatever preconceived notions you might have.  I make no bones that I am a fan of Eliot’s and watching him continue to grow and evolve as a writer is really a joy for me.  I say this because when I can be surprised by what I am reading it means that the writer is doing something that is pretty extraordinary and that makes me excited to see what is going to happen next.  

    The way that this is being told is fantastic!  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented beautifully.  With how the book is being structured and how the layers within the story are emerging and growing work with how the characters are being introduced along with the roles they play keeps you glued to the page.  The character development that we see is superb and through the dialogue and how the characters act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter continue to flesh them out as people.  The pacing is great and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story as well as the twists and turns along the way and it makes this so much different than you expect.  The way that everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow is incredibly well done.  

    I am really rather enjoying the interior artwork we are seeing here.  I am a huge fan of the dual styles or work that we see, one for the normal day to day stuff and the other for how Pryor and Danny see things.  For me it’s reminiscent of how Sienkiewicz did his run on New Mutants and it is one of those things that just excites the senses.  Also that backgrounds are just as divided as the styles is interesting and understandable, though I’d like to see them utilised equally in both styles.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a solid eye for storytelling.  The colour work that we see is really rather impressive.  I love how we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work.  The way the colours are utilised to create the mood, tone, feel and ambiance is exceptional stuff.
​

Back in the day stealing someone’s jokes was something that led to some feuds and bad blood, it also made the nightly news.  So this isn’t that and honestly I thought it would be along those lines and never have I ever been happier to be proven so completely and utterly wrong in my thinking.  If you want some extremely dark humour that makes the reader think about what is happening rather than say “frat humour” which is something that is simply mindlessly laughed at then this is for you.  Personally I am enamoured with this as is and I cannot wait to see what’s going to happen next! 

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