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Today's reviews!

Reviews for 19-12-21 
​Reviews for 18-12-21 Reviews for 17-12-21 Reviews for 16-12-21
​Reviews for 15-12-21 Reviews for 14-12-21 Reviews for 13-12-21
​Reviews for 12-12-21 Reviews for 11-12-21 Reviews for 10-12-21
​Reviews for 09-12-21 Reviews for 08-12-21 Reviews for 07-12-21
​Reviews for 06-12-21 Reviews for 05-12-21 Reviews for 04-12-21
​Reviews for 03-12-11 Reviews for 02-12-21 Reviews for 01-12-21

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Bonehead #2

1/31/2018

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Bonehead #02
Top Cow Productions/Image Comics 2017
Written by Bryan Edward Hill
Illustrated by Rhoald Marcellius
Coloured by Sakti Yuwono
Lettered by Jaka Ady


     So it didn’t take long for this to come to a head did it? Last issue we saw 56 in action and Hideki went after him, he’s a cop after all. It introduced us to this world the gangs and Pumpkin Juice whom I kind of secretly adore. It was a stunning debut that really left a very good impression, and let’s face with the sheer volume of books I read that’s impressive.

     Bryan is a pretty amazingly solid writer who doesn’t do a lot of flourish and just kind of relies upon straightforward approach. I like that because here with these guys who don’t sugar coat things they tell it like it is. Hideki and his brother open the book with a little heart to heart discussion and it really is something that I wasn’t expecting to see so soon.

     The way that this book is structured is very very nice to see. The way information is distributed here is done in ways I wasn’t exactly expecting. Now all throughout the issue we see 56 and his interactions and while I have more questions than answers from it all one thing remains I still have no idea what’s going on. Okay so what I have been able to garner is that the city is in trouble and it needs to be fixed and cleaned up but there doesn’t seem a viable option to do so. Aleph seems to have the brains and Hideki the brawn and something drew them apart and they need to come back together.

     It would seem that 56 while unable to speak properly doesn’t have a problem making friends and while Pumpkin Juice sees the familiar fighting style of Blackdeath in him, something he noticed last issue, and I think we’re all wondering is 56 the same person? Well those answers and more are here but not in the way you would expect them. There is something about the way all this unfolds and comes about that feels incredibly organic to me, as if one event set off a chain reaction where one brother diverges from a path to take a new one which in turn causes the other to do things he may not chosen before. The whole cause and effect aspect of this intrigues me a lot.

     I like the interiors here too. While the tech and suits may be a tad anime it still works because there is some nice attention to detail going on here. If Hideki’s nose hasn’t been broken several times I’d be surprised and that we can see that is shows some not only characterisation but nice talent as well. The use of page layouts so we can get those angles and perspective show a very strong eye for storytelling and that we see some nice use of backgrounds here is impressive. Plus there’s a creativity and imagination on display here that I found impressive.

     So two issues in and there is a lot more happening here than I would have expected. This is standard issue count and it’s chock full of so much that you’d think it were oversized. So we have two brothers, 56 and the whole mystery surrounding him then there’s the gangs of which I’m not sure who we meet this issue thanks to Pumpkin Juice, yeah I like saying Pumpkin Juice. The Kings okay that’s who it is I guess but I am surprised that they all look so different as I'd have thought they’d have some kind of motif.
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     I like this, it’s the future but not too far, it has some relatable moments and characters, it’s well written and illustrated. There really isn’t anything not to like about this book.

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The Blue Baron #1

1/31/2018

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The Blue Baron #1
Sitcomics 2018
Written by Darin Henry
Pencilled by Ron Frenz
Inked by Sal Buscema
Coloured by Glenn Whitmore
Lettered by Marshall Dillon


     Since 1776, The Blue Baron has conquered alien invaders, maniacal mutants and super-powered psychopaths but will he be able to conquer -- 8th grade?! This a bodyswap comedy with super-powers that shows what happens when a 300 year old hero switches bodies with a 13 year old zero!

     I kind of stumbled across this by accident and I am pretty happy I did. While I won’t hold it against Darin that he wrote for Seinfeld, hated that show and everything about it, and just judge him on this it is easy to see though where Sitcom-ics comes from heh cute play on words. While the Freaky Friday angle is cute we’ll see how things go with the characters and how the specific angle of the book.

     I like the opening as it’s 1776 and we don’t an origin for this Blue Baron only that he fights the Redcoats, has a pretty good moral code and not mention a wide array of superpowers. He’s very much a Superman archetype though the costume makes me a little confused considering when it’s created and that there’s nothing covering the crotch area where as the cape with it’s tassels and the hat, the boots and the broach all have that feel of the past. Still it’s a great way to introduce us to the character.

     The second introduction comes 242 years later and the most pathetic geek I’ve ever met and that is saying something with the crowd I knew in high school. I have to admit that the idea in how we see him and his friends introduce us to the Heroes Union well it’s cute and quirky. What we don’t get in either introduction is how The Blue Baron got his powers or why he’s in the future, is it time travel, immortality we don’t know and it’s a decent hook since after reading I do want to know the answers and that means I want to come back.

     Actually the way the story is structured is really nice to see it has a pretty strong ebb & flow to it and the transitions between segments is good to see. Darin isn’t a stranger to episodic writing and that helps immensely here, as does the comedic timing that we see. For someone I’ve never heard of before he’s pretty darn talented and is able to take something tongue in cheek make a kind of sophisticated humour and entertain all at the same time.
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     I like the interiors here too I mean you’ve got two legends in the game in Ron and Sal who haven’t lost a step. The look and feel of the book is great there’s almost an all-ages feel that goes back to almost a Spider-Man kind of feel the linework and the attention to detail this brings back so many memories of how comics used to look and it’s freakin phenomenal to see here. The use of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show that masters eye for storytelling. The utilisation of backgrounds is extremely well done and much appreciated as they do expand the story.

     Here’s what I know so far, this isn’t like Billy Batson, in some regard it is is very much Freaky Friday related as the school field trip takes an unexpected turn for Ernie. I love his grit and determination in wanting to prove himself here and how it all comes crashing down around him. With a great premise, base for the series, interesting characters with solid characterisation wrapped up in some great interior artwork.
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     A modern twist on a classic origin yeah this is what we need today, something familiar yet irreverent in it’s charm, humour and take.

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Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters #1

1/31/2018

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Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters #1
IDW Publishing 2018
Written by Kevin Burke & Chris Wyatt
Illustrated by Nikos Koutsis
Coloured by Mike Toris
Lettered by Christa Miesner


     When high-schooler Jake Armstrong and his two best friends Nathan Park and Ricardo Perez were accidentally exposed to an experimental chemical called Flexarium, they developed incredible powers that would change their lives forever. Sponsored by Rook Unlimited, the biggest Tech Company in the world, Stretch, Wingspan and Omni-mass are now a team of teenage superheroes called…..The Flex Fighters, protecting their hometown, Charter City, from any and every threat. Keeping their identities secret, the three friends try to maintain normal lies, but when the city needs them, the Flex Fighters are there!

     Well I was thrilled by the idea that Stretch Armstrong was going to get a comic book treatment until I saw it. Okay I get it it’s kids world you wanna market to the young and here you’ve got three new toys to put on shelves. I really was hoping that this would be based on the toy from my youth yes there is sentimental stuff involved and all that but this is just another repurposed property. Honestly I do get it I’m just disappointed that I was hoping for one thing and getting another.

     I had no idea this was a cartoon for Netflix. It makes more sense now and I can see how this is being marketed. Once I started to read the story I was kind of taken by it. Aside from a trio of Plastic Man types who by the way remind me of the Impossibles I found this be a highly entertaining story with a silly origin but standard fare that really was enjoyable. The guys do a great job with the story and I appreciate how it’s got multiple levels to it and how they are able to tell them all pretty much simultaneously AND introduce us to the series.

     The way this is structured is fantastic and really goes all out in regards to all-ages as a younger audience and a more seasoned audience will find the same and different ways of enjoying this. So that we open the book with a brief introduction to Jake that is uhm anything but ordinary. I really like the segue into the fight where we get to see the boys and some of their supporting cast. While the dialogue is the usual teenage banter there’s an underlying grown up aspect to it that I found extremely interesting.

     The interior artwork here was a huge surprise bonus to me. This doesn’t look like a cartoon, at least nothing that’s modern (this new wave of cartoons are horrid) as the attention to detail and the linework we see is utterly fantastic. Also the backgrounds, flashback sequences, there’s a level of work here that is gorgeous to see. I think getting to show the human body out of proportion is a challenge and it seems well met to me. Then there’s this giant creature they are fighting and I wish that weren’t so cartoony in nature and more realistic because that would’ve made it so much better, okay to me.

     There is some really nice solid characterisation happening here. The cast is likeable and has the right kind of potential. That Rook is one factor and that there is a Government Agency, Extreme Hazard (which is a red flag for me based on that name alone), a mentor that doesn’t really want to be in that role and a corporate guy in Mr. Rook who seems to be younger than normal and much more hands on in a I’m not sure if its creepy kind of way. So much raw potential brought to us in one issue that lays the groundwork for what’s to come.
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     Not what you’ll expect but exactly what you’ll want.

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Kid Lobotomy #4

1/30/2018

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Kid Lobotomy #4
Black Crown/IDW Publishing 2017
Written by Peter Milligan
Illustrated by Tess Fowler
Coloured by Lee Loughridge
Colour Flats by Dee Cunniffe
Lettered by Aditya Bidikar


     As loyal and surprisingly complex chambermaid Ottla searches for Kid—who's been dragged away by Big Daddy—she's gripped by a tragic memory. What unspeakable things was she forced to do to fulfill Big Daddy's King Lear fantasies? Is the Suites playing its weird tricks? Will Kid have a drill shoved into his head? Why is Cordelia getting fat? Find out this and more in the cracked looking glass Shakespearean tragedy that is "A Lad Insane, Part Four: The Chambermaid's Tale."

     Well we’re only four issues in and already there’s been an insane amount of story thrown at us and not for one moment am I complaining about it. Somehow this irreverent sarcastic and totally off the wall out there twilight zone kind of madness seeps into your bones and you are happy that it has. This has one of those inexplicable qualities to it that seems to mesmerise the reader while stimulating the pleasure centre of the brain. Peter does that and he does better than anyone around and that is why this is something you cannot escape from.

     Also it seems like an appropriate time to take a look at one of the supporting cast here. They play important roles in Kid’s life and I think I might have started with someone else but Ottla is a great one to focus on. So a poor illegal immigrant from Czechoslovakia comes to work as a chambermaid for the Suites and Big Daddy. As Peter takes through a little snippet of her time at the Suites near the beginning of her employment we get to see a young woman, determined, smart and her circumstances in being there in the first place.

     I am enjoying the way this book is structured immensely. Peter can create and ebb & flow like a lazy riverboat going down the water in the middle of the Sahara. Put in the characterisation and a young kid and you’ve got everything you need to know about Ottla and yet learn nothing about her at all. This is absolutely freaking incredible storytelling to be able to tell us of a young girl and inclusion to a family like this one well it’s beyond my expectations. Our favourite changeling, shape shifter, in the spotlight in what is the first among the non-family members gracing these pages for me is a bone fide success.

     I am a fan of the work on the interiors by Tess, Lee and Dee. I want more backgrounds we all know that and why because when we see them they add that certain air to the story that’s missing when they aren’t used and that’s that. The way page layouts are done so we can see the angles and perspective show a great eye for storytelling. I love the creativity and imagination we get to see here too because wow there are some thing you never expect to see, like sushi pajama’s.

     The way this book goes through it’s pages and how we see the story develop, advance and weave throughout with the kind of characterisation Peter brings is astonishingly good stuff. Also the turn of events when we see with Big Daddy and Big Momma well I have admit that surprised the crap out of me and I hadn’t thought anything about this would shock me any more. Then hello Gervais for the win at the end.
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     I will say this much it’s like The Addams Family meets Soap in this deliciously raucous affair!

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Sherlock Frankenstein and the Legion of Evil #4

1/30/2018

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Sherlock Frankenstein and the Legion of Evil #4
Dark Horse Comics 2017
Written by Jeff Lemire
Illustrated & Lettered by David Rubin
Flats by Kike J. Diaz


     Lucy Weber’s search for her father has taken her through his sordid rogues gallery of villains and there is only one left. He is the baddest of bad and his genius is legendary, he is Sherlock Frankenstein and her search has been leading up to a meeting with him. Will this be what she’s looking for? Can even Sherlock Frankenstein find a way to bring the lost heroes home? Who knows but stay tuned because it’s time to learn all about the man who is Sherlock Frankenstein.

     I have loved every moment of Lucy’s journey that Jeff and David have brought to us. This new world various inhabitants has been an amazing journey of it’s own and the fact we are seeing it through the eyes of a superhero’s daughter as she interviews, really just talks, to villains he faced and at no time did we want anything else. Okay so yes I do want to see more of these characters as they pop up here and there because this is a side show circus performers dream come true.

     I will also add that the fact that this issue feels like it starts differently from the others is nicely done. I don’t know what it is that makes it feel this way it just does. The secret origin right off the bat although I’m not sure it’s a secret or not still his life story how he used his mind to cheat death only to have the love of his life die and he goes from happy, content to a bad mind space he can never return from or can he? The story and characterisation are one and the same here and that is so wonderful to see unfold before our eyes. David does as much to bring us his life, feelings and emotions.

     Jeff is kind of an evil genius first we start off with Black Hammer then this and in this he’s setting us up for his next story in this universe. With a nicely familiar yet different Trinity of heroes to usher in that new age was a stroke of brilliance. We’ve already seen what the Black Hammer team looks like to us and the way it comes to us is so natural and so easy to just know and accept it’s always been like this.

     I have never loved David’s work as I am right now! All these two page spreads are stunning, they bring this depth and scope to the pages that bring the moments to life. The use of colours and page layouts with the angles and perspective in the panels this is some seriously strong stuff and shows a remarkable eye for storytelling. This what I expect from him from here on out, this level of craftsmanship is his bar and I look forward to seeing what he’ll do next!

     The whole time Lucy and Sherlock are talking and she’s following him around yelling at him and he’s just l like mhmm girl you needs to get a grip. The back and forth between the two in some ways shows a connection between them and in others it really reads like a petulant child throwing a tantrum. Either way or both ways it’s really what we need to see here and Jeff again just pulls this rabbit out of the hat and whammo there it is. This is the best one on one, back and forth dialogue I’ve seen and has so much depth and emotion to it for so many reasons it’s just wow.
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     As Pink says Let’s Get This Party Started! I’m ready keep em coming guys this yeah it’s like a drug you can’t enough of.

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Warframe #3

1/30/2018

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Warframe #3
Top Cow Productions 2017
Written by Matt Hawkins & Ryan Cady
Based on an idea by Steve Sinclair, Cam Rogers & Ryan Mole
Illustrated by Studio Hive
Lettered by Troy Peteri


     Well it seems our merry band of adventures are on the path the to the Golden Door. Though Mitsuki wants to head for Excalibur, which I’m assuming is the sword of mythology wielded by Arthur Pendragon, though she is willing to do that which the Lotus asks of her. I like this, again I’m not a video game guy and maybe if someone said hey let’s play I might give it a try that’s another story, so having no knowledge of the franchise I really like what I'm seeing. The universal mythology idea is perfectly suited for any type of warfare and the characters, races and such are all very nicely developed.

     There are stories out there where the cast of unlikely characters come together somehow that feels as natural as breathing, others are brought together in the midst of battle and forge a bond like no other. Either way these groups are the heart and soul of a story and while Lotus isn’t physically there the four of them almost have that crossover appeal to me, coming together as they are meant to be and in the midst of battle. This has that familiar feel but then it diverges into something new, different and possibly unique.

     The way the book is structured and how we see the ebb & flow or development of the story is extremely well done. The way information, characterisation and how the story is supposed to advance are all done in ways that have that organic feel to them. It doesn’t feel like a game or that it’s got that first person shooter structure to it instead it has more of an adventuring role playing group and we get the benefit of seeing the DM’s forces as well. So yeah this has a lot of great storytelling techniques to it that make it fun.

     The interior artwork here is exactly what I think a series based on a video game should look like. Computer generated. The advancements made in the way it’s possible to do this is amazing to see and the attention to detail and highlights, lowlights and everything as it’s seen by the same light source is very well done. Now I'm not sure if there are specific programmes that let you say hey add this etc so it’s hard to say this aspect looks great and the eye for storytelling while strong it does make me wonder how that’s achieved.

     I will wholeheartedly admit that I hadn’t seen this coming when the group went to the Golden Door. I mean we all knew they would when Lotus asked it of them and we knew that Vor would be regrouping and waiting for the right moment to strike. The group knows that too but it’s destined for things to happen the way they do. I mean a Grineer attack that was kind of random then the door and what happens once it’s opened. Yes Vor is on his way and the team has stepped through with no way of closing it and keeping the key to it.

     However I don’t think anyone knew what was in store for them when they opened this gateway to another place in space. Not even Vor though he’ll say otherwise. Still I have my own suspicions now that we’ve seen what takes place and if I am even remotely correct then I cannot wait to see the implications.
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     This is a great story and I like how it’s come together and how the book flows. The characters and how nothing in this feels like it can be pigeon-holed into one genre category is extremely fun. This is a book that you should take a hard look at.

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Demon Hell Is Earth #3

1/30/2018

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Demon Hell is Earth #3
DC Comics 2017
Written by Andrew Constant
Pencilled by Brad Walker
Inked by Andrew Hennessey
Coloured by Chris Sotomayor
Lettered by Tom Napolitano


     After the horrific acts of last issue, the highly unstable team of Etrigan, Jason Blood and Xanadu must face a new threat. A new player that has been ally, enemy and family to Jason and Etrigan reveals itself, and explains just who is responsible for the nightmarish transformation facing Earth. But before the shock of this information can be absorbed, the group must face a different family member. And he’s got an offer that Etrigan can’t refuse. Alliances will be made, familial bonds will be broken, and blood will be spilled!

     See if DC were smart or had smart people in the right places books like this would be the norm every month. What Andrew manages to do here while establishing Jason and Etrigan in the present day while still keeping the past which includes Demon Knights alive is amazing. It is like he is able to keep the totality of their lives intact so there is no pre-post-new whatnot nonsense involved. Also the man is able to structure this story so extremely well done that even the story revelations feel like action sequences. Why is this important well because of the way it makes you as a reader feel and the excitement and the anticipation just ooze out of your body.

     The characterisation here is utterly flawless as well and I do so adore the moment when Etrigan start his rhyming talk. You’ll see as you read the story what that means but it is an essential part of his characterisation and that I found more interesting to learn. Actually I also really am enjoying the fact that Jason is both hoity toity, sarcastic and demeaning in nature as it really does suit a man who’s been forced to live as long as he has with Etrigan attached to him. There’s something about the arrogant and insufferable Jason Blood that I’ve always enjoyed I think from the backups in Detective Comics is where that came from.

     Brad seriously do we need to talk about what he can do? First his use of page layouts and how we see angles and perspective in the panels shows off his eye for storytelling which is stunning. The attention to detail that we see here is a pure delight and be it from faces, facial expressions or beards and such it all has this feel about it that brings you back to why you loved comics in the first place. The utilisation of backgrounds here can be hard to do considering the location and the work that these folks do is a wow factor because the inks and colours over the pencils make this the read we all want.

     With the revelation of who was hiding inside the girl and who is now up to his well old tricks of which none of them are buying what he’s selling Merlin still knows how to manipulate a situation like no other. Guess being a half-demon sorcerer has it’s advantages after all. Though with Xanadu here it’s a shame we don’t see any of the other mystical sentinels of the DC Universe or at least present day version of the Knights.

     Well who doesn’t love a good old fashioned family squabble? We all do or we wouldn’t go to visit our relatives during the holidays and if you don’t enjoy that yourself well you can enjoy this family reunion because this is what it’s all about! I have to admit that the story itself while bringing back these characters to the modern universe is stunning it’s also it shows that there is room for books like this. I mean this is one of those that is far and beyond better than the “must haves” they are pushing.
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     Bold, daring and full verve where the action and characterisation blend through visuals to create a story that audiences want.

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Imaginary Fiends #3

1/29/2018

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Imaginary Fiends #3
Vertigo Comics 2017
Written by Tim Seeley
Illustrated by Stephen Molnar
Coloured by Quinton Miller
Lettered by Carlos M Mangual


    Agent Melba Li and her imaginary monster partner, Polly Peachpit, continue their search for a missing child, as a twisted conspiracy unfolds in the small town of Maiden Springs. What is the Fraidy Cat? And how can a woman who lives in fear defeat something that lives on it?

     I don’t know how Tim is able to take the idea of a child with an imaginary friend and turn it into and interdimensional being of power that is fuelled by the worst emotions kids have who manipulates them, steals them and does these bizarre things to them. The whole idea behind this as we see things in this very issue are the kind of stuff that nightmares are truly made of. I mean it all starts out nicely colourful fancy dress during tea parties and then turns into running, screaming and being eaten alive yeah it’s something like that.

     There is this whole enchanted ideology going on behind the scenes and then somewhere it gets warped into this nightmare scenario that when childhood ends and emerging adulthood begins when these imaginary fiends somehow some way they become more. Not sure what more is but whatever that more is its just present, inexplicable but noticeable in ways that hit you hard in ways that aren’t always expected.

     The writing of this is exceptional as the way it weaves in and out of the events from both the past and the present. How Melba and her own demon are being used to find out what in San Juan Hill is going on in this town they are in is anyone’s guess. Just look at the way the story is structured and how we see the ebb & flow of it all just has this way about it that feels like you are in Wonderland replete with all the usual suspects and equally as deadly. Then there is the characterisation that we are treated to as we get to know more and more about the players currently in this little drama. From Melba and Polly to Cameron and Charlie, to the townsfolk and even Agent Crockett whom the more we learn about the more questions are raised than answers given. It really doesn’t get any better than this.

     Stephen must feel like he’s got the best playground in the world to play in! No only does he get these wonderful characters to envision but these Imaginary Fiends as well, from what they look like to what they imagine themselves wanting to look like it’s crazy cool. His use of page layouts with the way we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows an amazing eye for storytelling. That backgrounds are utilised as integral parts of the story here is something that makes me so happy. Everything we see has purpose, meaning and it helps enhance and tell the story in ways the words sometimes can’t.

     Well that Melba is finally free and able to go around by herself well kind of sort of not really and is experiencing life for the first time means she’s almost raw material. Getting to be able to shape, mould and start her as this clean slate who needs all these experiences well yeah it’s fun to see what’s happening and just where things can go. Then there’s her exact opposite in Crockett and he’s mysterious with way too many secrets and unwilling to really show his hand.
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     Not quite Oscar and Felix odd couple but possibly cross them with Mulder and Scully and you’ve got something. Regardless on how we’d like to find a category to put this in there really isn’t one available and that alone fills me with excitement!

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Ninja-K #3

1/29/2018

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Ninja-K #3
Valiant Entertainment 2017
Written by Christos Gage
Illustrated by Tomas Giorello & Roberto de la Torre
Coloured by Diego Rodriguez
Backup Story Art by Ariel Olivetti
Lettered by A Larger World Studios


     Colin King is Ninja-K, the most recent opperative in a long line of MI6 ninja agents that stretches back to World War I. His latest mission was to apprehend a killer responsible for the deaths of previous MI6 ninjas, including one of Colin’s old mentors, Ninja-D. The investigation leads Colin to an abandoned MI6 building, where he discovered disturbing evidence concerning the training methods used on potential agents. In the depths of this haunting facility, the veteran agent Ninja-C reveals himself and claims responsibility for the murders. Now K and C are locked a battle to the death…

     Every single time I think this book cannot get any better I am proven wrong, every single time. Never in my life have I been happier to hear that as well. I mean when Colin’s life was turned upside down and inside out by Roku and even Neville wasn’t on his side, that kind of betrayal is hard to forgive and forget ya know, everything was absolutely crazy without anyone to trust and nowhere to turn. He made it through all that, not saying for the better but…, he still made it out and is once again returned to active duty worse for ware granted and yet here we find ourselves.

     It isn’t any great big secret or revelation that a Government, any government by the way, who has these secret spy organisations is going to have it’s own watch-dog programmes in place to ensure those in certain positions aren’t shall we see compromised in some way shape or form. Secrets have a nasty way of coming back to bite you in the ass when you least expect it and no amount of sanitizing is going to prevent it from happening. Not even to the once top secret MI6 organisation Ninja Programme.

     The interior artwork here is so much more than a visual representation of these events. What the guys do here is showcase not only the difference in old school vs. new school in ways you don’t even see. While the story dictates what we see it’s really up to them to really hammer that home visually and what we get it is that you should never underestimate someone because of their age and gadgets aren’t a guarantee for anything. Attitude, overconfidence and arrogance that’s what we see in the artwork that cannot be fully expressed through dialogue and narration.

     I am really enjoying the way page layouts are being used so that we can see the angles and perspective in the panels as they showcase some nice eyes for storytelling. There are moments that they are haunting and desolate or resolved and angry and all that comes across and so much more. it’s striking work to be honest and it proves time and time again why Valiant and Colin is such a draw as he is.

     I like that nothing in Colin’s past is ignored but constantly used and/or brought up in ways that only serve to tie into the present. Nothing is held back and it all keeps getting stronger in it’s position in Colin’s past. The evolution and connection that we have to the character grows with each new story and while it seems there is a never ending array of badness in his life and keeps going not quite like but like the energizer bunny. I’m beginning to wonder just how much a man can take before reaching that point of no return and are we going to see that.
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     That may be the ultimate hook when will he break? The writing and artwork here make this one of the industry’s constant must have books. I got news BW wishes he were this cool.

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The Harcourt Legacy #3

1/29/2018

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The Harcourt Legacy #3
Action Lab Danger Zone 2017
Written, Lettered & Designed by Brendan Cahill
Illustrated by Jason Federhenn
Coloured by Josh Burcham


     Edwina’s attempt to control Edward’s legacy leaves Violet with a difficult decision to make. But even with the help of some unlikely allies, can she find the strength to do the right thing—or even figure out what the right thing is?

     This might be the last issue of the arc but I must say it’s also the best one. The opening alone is worth it’s weight in gold. Sometimes in life when we see siblings having a heart to heart discussion they are older, wiser and more mature and contemplating on their pasts. So that they are this young and having so much insight into what they are going through it was amazing to see. Brendan really pulls out all the stops and shows his writing ability to it’s fullest and just when I think I can’t be impressed any further he does something like this.

     I have been thoroughly impressed with the way the story has been structured as the whole ebb & flow of information being presented is superbly done. This story has not only been fun but it’s got a little enlightenment and a whole personal growth going on here as Violet ends up going through one life’s most difficult things in a really short amount of time. In doing so you’d think it was rushed or left you feeling out of sorts with that but in reality it’s paced perfectly. The way three issues was just enough to get the story told when reasonably it could’ve been stretched to four well it’d refreshing to see that.

     The characterisation here is phenomenal and not just Violet’s. Her grandmother, little brother heck even her parents and her cousin all of them that we see they are fleshed out as people extremely well. Like them, hate them or be indifferent to them it doesn’t matter you will have some kind of emotional response to them and on some level relate to them being in your own familial unit.

     Jason and Josh do some incredibly fine work here. I really like the way the characters feel, there is an authenticity to them that even through this all-ages guise that is easy to appreciate. The use of page layouts so how we see the angles and perspective in the panels is extremely well done. While I always want to see more backgrounds the work here is done for a reason and it works extremely well. The whole mood, tone and feel they set for this book is amazingly well done and they carried it through beautifully.

     I like how the book ends as Violet has to make some hard choices that she wouldn’t have assumed she’d have to make quite yet and does so with a grace and dignity beyond her years. How she comes to her conclusions, decisions and makes them happen is something I don’t think many people would be able to come to on their own. Also it’s very nice to see that the way things are left that there is the open possibility for another story down the pike. It may or may not happen but in the eyes of the reader it’s something to speculate and that means you’ve got the readers attention, imagination and curiosity aroused.
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     It is books like this one that is exactly why you shouldn’t be sleeping or ignoring titles from smaller press companies. There is an excellent story being told here and along with some solid interiors and it makes you fan of it’s creators if you weren’t one already.

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