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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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Hawkeye Freefall #2

1/31/2020

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Hawkeye Freefall #2
Marvel Comics 2019
Written by Matthew Rosenberg
Illustrated by Otto Schmidt
Lettered by VC's Joe Sabino


     WHO THE %$&@ IS RONIN? The mystery surrounding the volatile new Ronin deepens as his actions begin to destabilize the seedy underbelly of New York City. Hawkeye finds himself caught in the middle of an increasingly dangerous turf war between Ronin and the Hood. Though Clint may not approve of Ronin’s methods, it’s hard to argue with his results. And pretty soon, he may need to choose a side that his allies in the Avengers won’t be happy about...

     I really cannot tell you when Clint became the joke he is today. I fell in love with Hawkeye many years ago when he was an Avenger all the way up till he was sidelined in an attempt by Gyrich to make the team more politically correct. His mini-series with Bobbi, the West Coast Avengers formation and even his leading spot in Solo Avengers. This is the Hawkeye I want back to be blunt this joke hero business is old and tired and already. With that being said I was hoping Matthew would make inroads there but alas though his relationship with the Night Nurse, Linda Carter, is without a doubt one of the highlights here for me. Her response to Tony shows why they are a perfect fit.

     Oh Aunt May how we love you! Her brief appearance here was all too brief but it certainly did shake things up a bit. I am thoroughly enjoying Matthew's writing here and the way he bring the story & plot development we see through the sequence of events unfolding as well as how the reader learns information is a joy to see. The character development, not so much, the joke business and everyone blaming him and not even respecting him enough to give the benefit of the doubt yeah that's not sitting well with me. The pacing is solid and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists and turns and one incredible bombshell I will admit it is terribly exciting. All of this works together extremely well and showcases the way the book is structured as well as creating this fabulous ebb & flow to the story.

     The interiors here from Otto are nice. I would like to see backgrounds utilised more often, I mean how cool was the meatpacking plant? That is the kind of stuff I want to see more of, not so much of the blank spaces they don't create atmosphere or flesh the story at all. The style is Otto's and while I do think it's a step in the right direction and the linework is strong and we see the varying weights utilised to create some nice attention to detail. I am a fan of how we see the utilisation of the page layouts as well as the angles and perspective in the panels as they show a solid eye for storytelling. But let's try to keep away from the Jughead noses okay? The colour work is nicely done we see a lot of good hues and tones within colours creating the shading, highlights and shadow work. I want to see that sexy dude I had a crush on again, also who's good looks made him the perfect ladies man.
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     Now I wasn't expecting the last page here and if that isn't one of the best cliffhangers around right now I don't what is. Part of me is impressed the other half mad as hell. Now this hipster type in the beanie, which I still don't understand, he has potential and I really hope what I am thinking happens happens with him. But with my luck heh. So let's see where this will take us next shall we because I am anxious to see what's still in store!

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Dr. Strange #2

1/31/2020

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 Dr. Strange #2
Marvel Comics 2019
Written by Mark Waid
Illustrated by Kev Walker
Coloured by Java Tartaglia
Lettered by VC's Cory Petit


     Previously...
     Operating out of New York City's McCarthy Medical Institute , Stephen is struggling to find a balance between his two lives, surgery and sorcery. But Stephen's two worlds collided when the emergency room flooded with victims from a seemingly mystical attack by the super-powered mercenary the Wrecker! Blindsided by the Wrecker's new reality-warping crowbar, Stephen was overpowered and left for dead...at the bottom of the Hudson River!

     While I am still not a fan of the constant stopping, starting and unabating first issues I am happy to see this creative team bringing this version to life. While I don't imagine that we can see Stephen staying at the hospital long-term but we'll see. What I find interesting abut this is that we see everyone knowing who he is and there are moments it's endearing and others just weird and I do like that scene with the playset that was fun to see. Of course having Dr. Anthony Ludgate back and his being fully unaware of his return, see Chaos War Avengers for more details, is a delightful change of pace. So Mark is definitely shaking things up and ensuring that this is going to be far from typical.

     I really do like the way that this is being told. The story & plot development we see through the sequence of events unfolding as well as how the reader learns information is exceptionally well done. From freeing himself from the events of last issue to seeing his old, well Stephen describes that beautifully. Mark is very adept at making the most of the page count and delivering some damn good storytelling within it. The character development we see is flawless if I am honest. From the way Stephen talks, thinks and “allows” we definitely are getting a good look at him and I am definitely intrigued by what we see. The pacing is amazing and as it takes through the pages revealing the twists and turns along the way help to create the books strong, interesting and surprising ebb & flow.

     There is something going on here, outside the obvious, that is like an itch you can't scratch. You really want to but something is preventing you from doing so. It's like that you know you see but you can't quite put your finger on it. That's Mark for you though the man has more ticks than Houdini when it comes to writing and I am so blasted involved and invested in this so there is no hope of stopping or turning back now.

     I was a little harsh on Kev's work last issue and I stand by that for while there is no questioning the man's talent there are just times Stephen looks sickly thin and that's never been a look of his. I love his take on Anthony however and all the linework that we see that goes into how he utilises the varying weights in his attention to detail is nice to see. I will personally, my complete preference, if you utilise backgrounds in the beginning panels of a scene and don't utilise them throughout the page it kind of irks me. I know he's capable because we see some but then I just don't get the need for blank backgrounds. I am a huge fan of the way that Kev brings the Wrecking Crew to life! The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a good, strong eye for storytelling. The colour work is amazing. Those excellent pops of colour showing the powers and abilities are extremely eye catching. The utilisation of the colours and the hues and tones within them to showcase the shading, highlights and shadow work is beautifully rendered.
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     I love the fact that Wrecking Crew is still around and that they've had upgrades to make them more than a match for Dr. Strange. Also the mystery person or being behind this remaining a mystery means Stephen has to think and find those detective skills and put them to use. I have high hopes for this, which usually means a short run, and seeing Stephen outside the mainstream MCU and instead finding a way to work both sides of the coin as effectively as it will be allowed to him.  

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Narcos #2

1/31/2020

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Narcos #2
IDW Publishing/Gaumont Books 2019
Written by Ryan Ferrier
Pencilled by Vic Malhotra
Inked by Miljenko Simic
Coloured by Cris Peter
Lettered by Neil Uyetake


     Mission Brief:
While Don Pablo plans his next move from his personal prison, a new criminal upstart with his eyes on controlling Colombia's drugs. El Caballero, begins to make his presence known. Meanwhile DEA Agents Pena and Murphy have been saddled with new partners, Raskow and Hiroch.

     Having never seen the show on Netflix, though I may just have to now, so this is new to me and I am loving this like no ones business. Ryan has a way of writing that makes you feel like you are there, either witnessing what's happening or feeling as if you are a part of what is happening. Though I will also say that the opening here was a tad surprising and usually when we see that going on it's because of cover being too deep but this, this raises a ton of questions. Ones that the reader asks in their mind and runs the scenarios which of course means that they full engaged and invested in the story. A beautiful display of writing here and shows off his talent and ingenuity.

     What I find interesting is that hen you add new characters to something that's been established you not only change the dynamic but you destroy the dynamic in this case. They say the surest way to cancel a show is to either have the get the characters get married or have a baby so the fact that we now have two very kind of polar opposite personalities and one seems to have their own agenda. This has all the gripping drama that you could hope for and then some.

     The way that this is being told is sensational. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is done in such a way that you easily get sucked into what we see. Plus just the overall vibe and way this is told really engaging in ways that we normally see in story of this magnitude. The character development is bloody flawless and that's saying something. I love the way we see the characters and how they keep surprising us with their actions and decisions. The pacing is fantastic and I am enjoying how it takes through the pages revealing the twists and turns along the way. All of this and how it works together creating this wondrous ebb & flow to the book which is really rather exceptional.

     The interiors here are pretty great as well. The linework we see is laid down extremely well and how it's varying weights are utilised to bring out the attention to detail is marvellous. The scene where the dudes mouth is stuffed yeah that's totally a wow factor moment. The gritty feel to this really fits with the subject matter and I have to say that I think the marriage between words and visuals is perfect. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a great eye for storytelling. The colour work is interesting to see as well. I like the way that the hues and tones within colours are utilised to create shading, highlights and shadows.
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     While I can see the television influence on how this is written I can also see how this is a very stand alone book. With some absolutely stellar writing and some interesting plot development and characterisation with perfectly suited interior artwork make this perfect for fans of the franchise as well as anyone who enjoys some damn fine storytelling.

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Jessica Jones in Blind Spot #2

1/30/2020

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Jessica Jones in Blind Spot #2
Marvel Comics 2020
Written by Kelly Thompson
Illustrated by Mattia De Iulis
Lettered by VC's Cory Petit


     Note: this issue contains story originally published in Jessica Jones - Marvel Digital Original (2018) #1
     After being brutally attacked in her office, Jessica turns to Doctor Strange to help her find the target. But he may discover more than Jessica bargained for…

     The only thing I don't like about this is the fact that the story is about two years already but since I don't have digital this is brand new to me. I will wholeheartedly stand by my opinion that this needs to be a monthly series, okay not this one because it's done but a Jessica Jones book by these creators. The world needs her gritty, unyielding and hardcore P.I. that she is. Okay ditch the mainstream and let's see more Patsy Walker that's the only change I would make.

     I thought the scene between Luke and Jessica was great, could have done without the rest. Where she goes from the hospital that was full of everything she's about and I loved every damn moment of it. Then of course what we learn from that is super intriguing and it makes you want to know more. Kelly really is writing one heck of a story and it's got these fantastic layers to that makes things so much more than I thought it was going to be. I love when that happens and when people show up and there's history there it's even better. The way things continue to build and grow is so well done and it's one of those things that just catches you by surprise as it takes your breath away.

     The way that this is being told and it's utterly sensational. The story & plot development we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented beautifully. Even the transitions are so well handled and it feels so utterly natural. The character development that we see is really well done and while Jess isn't drinking any longer her angry vibe is right where it needs to be and she shouldn't be any other way. The pacing here is fantastic and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists and turns along the way it all helps to create this ebb & flow that feels so appropriate.

     I really do like the interior artwork here. The linework is solid and how we see the varying weights utilised to help show off the attention to detail is really quite delightful. There are also some really good, standout wow moments that we see, the aura type deal as well as how we the Polaroid shots come straight to mind. Also I am a huge of how Mattia utilises the colour as well and when we see the flesh tones and hues utilised to showcase additional structural elements it elevates what we see. There are some great innovative, creativity and imagination on display throughout the book and that Mattia does whole shebang is something to admire. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a superb eye for storytelling. I will say I wish we'd see more backgrounds that's the only criticism I can find and seeing more of them utilised would do wonders to solidify what we already see or bring us depth perception and scale.
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     I want more books like this on the market. This and Cloak & Dagger. The show might have been cancelled but the desire to follow her life is stronger than ever. She's become an idol to many and with how well she's been fleshed out the world just needs more of her like this. Alias Investigations needs a full time gig on stands or without that we need six issue arcs that come out regularly and if they have to I bet you could find different creators willing to her on.  

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Protector #1

1/30/2020

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Protector #1
Image Comics 2020
Written by Simon Roy & Daniel Bensen
Illustrated by Artyom Trakhanov
Coloured by Jason Wordie
Lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou


     Of all the tribes that dwell in the hot ruins of far-future North America, the Hudsoni reign supreme, but even they fear and obey the godlike Devas. When the Devas warn of an old-world demon in the conquered city of Shikka-Go, Hudsoni war chief First Knife decides to deal with the threat personally.

     I was tempted to pass on this one and here's why, at first glance I wasn't all that sure about what Artyom was doing with the interiors. I couldn't tell if this was supposed to be a more cartoon or Aragones style or what but I was hesitant. Still I was intrigued and wanted to see more of this and figure it out for myself and I am glad I did. As I was I reading this I hadn't quite put two and two together, not until at the back of the issue where it showed the map. So bravo boys and being able to be that clever and yet that simple all at the same time and I mean I really found myself appreciating what see here more.

     I like the way that this is being told. There is something very familiar and yet very much the past I what we see and the way that we see it. The story & plot development that we see through the sequence of events unfolding and how the reader learns information is done very well. While we don't fully understand what is happening here what this does, however, is allow the reader to become engaged so that their own mind and imagination takes over and this is how you get a reader invested in the book. The character development is nice to see. Having never met these people before the baseline personality being laid down shows some wriggle room for moving forward and I like that. The pacing for this is really well done and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists and turns along the way and maybe a revelation or two it also helps to create the books overall ebb & flow.

     The more I read the more I understood what happened to the world but now what is going on with these people so I like that dichotomy because the more of what we think and the less we do means we have that desire to come back and find out more, and if we're correct in our assumptions.

     Now the artwork is very stylised and it does remind me of the old comics that used to appear in gentlemen's magazines. It definitely has a certain look to it and the more I see it the more I like, it grows on you and by the end of the issue you think that it couldn't be seen any other way. The linework is nice and it's light and then we have some really nice attention to detail in some finer lines and altogether it brings about some nice attention to detail. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a good, solid eye for storytelling. I do like the way that the backgrounds are being utilised here and how they provide depth perception, scale and that overall sense of size and scope to the book.
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     There is this way that we see things happen that kind of spells out for us what could have happened. There are as many more questions to ask for every one seemingly answered and it has the element of suspense building about this that fires up all the cylinders in the readers' minds. There really is a lot going on here and it's a bit much to take it all in but overall there this one thing we see time and time again, a man with power whether earned or not is something he is loathe to part with. This was or is a delightful surprise and it is something I believe you should check out at your shop or take a chance and order it.  


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Deadly Ten Presents Femalien Cosmic Crush #1

1/30/2020

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Deadly Ten Presents: Femalien Cosmic Crush #1
Full Moon Comix 2020
Written by Lindsey Schmitz
Illustrated by Francisco De La Fuente
Coloured by Edgar Tavitas
Wraparound Feature
Written by Brockton McKinney
Illustrated by Jason Strutz
Lettered by Shawn Gabborin




     Squaring off against a hoary horde of horny homunculi, our star-hopping sexpots Maxy Prime and Gabby Jinx may have their hands (and a lot else) full in this origin story of orgiastic proportions! Preceding the events of Full Moon's Femalien: Cosmic Crush, witness the birth of a salacious sci-fi universe!

     I have absolutely fallen for this Deadly Ten Presents line of books. It really is the perfect blend of kitsch and modern and Tapehead is the new Cryptkeeper! So this steps away from the norm here for me anyway as I am not familiar with any of these characters or ideas. I am still this huge fan of Jason's wraparound story art and I cannot wait till one day he's in my sketchbook. The way we see the nod to Star Trek here was utterly phenomenal and it really made me excited for what was to come.

     The main story is a nice little shock to the system as well. The two page spread gives us this quick synopsis of the Alteria and that is helpful to a degree and I say this because I am not entirely sure how that ties into the story at hand. Honestly I would have been just fine without it but Lindsey thought he needed that so here it is. Now I do like how we see a Mad Warlord's bid for power playing out here as it really does grab the readers' attention and takes them off-script which is completely engaging. Sometimes the best tool a writer has it he readers' own imagination and the way that Lindsey is able to utilise that in his work is really well done.

     I like how this plays out and how the story is being told. The story & plot development that we see through the sequence of events which unfold here as well as how the reader learns information. There are some very surprising moments peppered throughout the story that are utterly fascinating to see happen. I like the moments of pure unexpectedness as it does keep you on your toes. The character development is uhm interesting to put it mildly. There are characters who I wish we'd gotten to know at the level that we do Jinx or even Maxy. The pacing here is good and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists and turns along the way create a solid ebb & flow to the book.

     The interiors here are okay. I would have preferred to see something with a bit more detail and consistency but having said that I do think that the work shows motion in a nice manner. There are moments that really pop and others that get lost in the crowd but overall its rather enjoyable. I will say this while there is no true nudity and the moments of passion and lust are fulfilled are done tastefully and I really appreciated how evocative that is. 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 is really ice to see as well. There are times when we see the bright blues that have this amazing utilisation of the hues and tones. The way that we see the various hues and tones within the colours to create the shading, highlights and shadow work are incredibly well rendered.
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     The story has a very twist ending that I wasn't expecting but I find it progressive and fascinating. So kudos to Lindsey for thinking that one up. While this is unlike anything I have seen from this young franchise and I like how it keeps branching itself out. I am looking forward to many more surprises from these folks and if you want to see some completely unexpected and fascinating storytelling.  ​

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Frankenstein Undone #1

1/29/2020

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Frankenstein Undone #1
Dark Horse Comics 2020
Written by Mike Mignola & Scott Allie
Illustrated by Ben Stenbeck
Coloured by Brennan Wagner
Lettered by Clem Robins


     Mignola takes on Frankenstein! Frankenstein's creator lies dead in the icy grip of the Arctic, and the monster searches for a new purpose. Just as he thinks he's found one with a group of unlikely companions, disaster strikes—and the monster is catapulted out of Mary Shelley's novel and into the world of Hellboy. 

     This was sent to me for a review and I thought okay Frankenstein I am down with that. I had no idea it was going to connect to the Hellboy world but I can see that making sense for a number of reasons. So I sat down and started reading and I found myself thinking the idea sounds familiar and then things veered off into a new territory and I was hooked. Aside from the manner in which Frankenstein speaks, which I absolutely adore by the way, the anger, angst and loneliness that he feels and the regret for his actions come across so crystal clear. When he left and talked that revenge against him would be for him to suffer living than death well dammit right there and then was the moment I saw the brilliance in this book.

     I am really rather impressed with 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 presented extremely well. The way the story flows and how we see and Frankenstein's journey as laid out before us just makes sense and you believe it. The character development here is off the charts and the connection to Frankenstein as he tells his tale throughout is strong, powerful and easily relatable to. Any one who suffers from body dysmorphia as he does can easily understand his struggle and that's really powerful to get across. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists and turns along the way it helps to create such a dynamic ebb & flow to the book.

     This engages the reader in a unique way and I doubt Mary Shelley was of what she was doing when she wrote him. Now more than ever the way the pressure to look a certain way that's placed upon us and how it can affect ever aspect of our lives and ability to love is as relevant today in ways I don't think she knew. So yeah to see his struggle with his acceptance of how he looks that's relatable to all of us.

     I like the work on the interiors here. The linework is beautiful and how we see the varying weights utilised to bring out the attention to detail is stupendous! To see Victor on that bed in the pretty much Burberry design was incredible and the placement of his bolts is fresh and innovative though the nipples was a new one for me and well there kits for men to get that way heh. The creativity and imagination on display here is marvellous to behold. I am a fan of how backgrounds are utilised and their importance to a story. The way we see them utilised here is lovely and how that provides us with depth perception, scale and that overall sense of size and scope to the story is beautifully rendered. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a superb eye for storytelling. I am also a fan of the colour work that we see here as well. I like how the various hues and tones with the colours are utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work that we see. There really is some beautiful work done I seeing the way colour is utilised.
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     This was an absolutely surprising and delightful story. Frankenstein as a character has always been intriguing but in this iteration I see new possibilities that I hadn't seen previously. I think that this is a book that went from request to curiosity to a must read book and I love when that happens. This is a phenomenal story and it's being told exquisitely.

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Ravencroft #1

1/29/2020

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Ravencroft #1
Marvel Comics 2020
Written by Frank Tieri
Illustrated by Angel Unzueta
Coloured by Rachelle Rosenberg & Dono Sanchez-Almara
Lettered by VC's Joe Sabino


     RAVENCROFT REOPENED!
     After the hellish horrors of ABSOLUTE CARNAGE, the Ravencroft Institute has received a much-needed facelift and is open for business with a new staff, including JOHN JAMESON, looking to atone for the part he played in ABSOLUTE CARNAGE. But will Ravencroft return the mentally unstable villains of the Marvel Universe to upstanding citizens and give John the redemption he’s looking for, or will they fall prey to the hospital’s seemingly sinister nature?

     I hadn't thought that this was going to be something for me. Frank is the writer so I had to take a look as I am a fan of his work. What hooked me here was seeing Misty and once I saw her I knew I had to have this, and no I am not reading any of the obligatory tie-ins nor did I read that Carnage mischegas so for me this is new in every respect. So now that I have had a good chance to go through the book a couple times I find myself attracted to it because of not only who is in it but also because of the overall premise.

     I love how this is being told. The opening with Misty is perfectly done and how we see the explanation of what is happening here could not have been any clearer for those of us who didn't read the whole Carnage saga. This is what I love about Frank's ability to craft a story, it is like we are getting in on the ground floor of something that has already been fully established. The story & plot development that we see through the sequence of events unfolding as well as how the reader learns information is flawlessly executed. The character development is amazingly strong and how we learn about the characters through their dialogue, narration as well as how they act and react to situations is extremely telling. The pacing here is excellent and as it takes through the pages revealing the twists and turns along the way help to create this really tight ebb & flow to the book.

     I get that these are established characters and I get that we've seen over a million different takes on them but with Misty here mixed in with what she's currently about one thing is sure and that is we are going to see a lot of fighting. Whether she's known for her role behind the computer or on the streets this is one woman who's potential is far from being tapped.

     The interiors here are actually extremely interesting to me. Though I will say right off the bat Angel needs to work and figure what is going on with Misty's hair. It has the shape of an afro yet the styling of the sixties and it looks weird all over the place. Otherwise the linework we see is nicely done and there is this great display of creativity and imagination that we see, the opening with all the blues or the freak in his tube all the way to the things that live below this is where things shine. Consistency needs work as John at the meeting and John walking into the meeting don't look like the same man as he went from muscular to skinny or emaciated looking the course of a day. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a decent eye for storytelling. The colour work here is exquisite and saves a lot of moments. There is some incredible utilisation of colour and how we see the various hues and tones within them creating the shading, highlights and shadows here. Those blues in the holographic mode, you wanna talk about stunning!
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     This story has everything you could possibly want in it. It has shadowy organisations that deeper than any black ops out there, it has literally inmates who have conquered the asylum and personal drama galore. The way Frank weaves all these together is beautiful to see and with his mind and his talent this is going to be the one to watch folks, mark my words.

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Once & Future #6

1/28/2020

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Once & Future #6
Boom! Studios 2019
Written by Kieron Gillen
Illustrated by Dan Mora
Coloured by Tamra Bonvillain
Lettered by Ed Dukeshire


     With the fate of the world in the balance, Duncan must finally accept his role in the larger story. But has Gran trained him well enough to defeat the undead King of the Britons by himself?

     This is the final issue in this arc and I am hoping that this will be far from the last arc that we'll be seeing. What Kieron and Dan have created here opens up a whole new realm, pun intended, of possibilities to be explored. Duncan is a novice still and with Rose by his side I cannot wait to see what else Britanniae has in store for the pair. I still can't believe that it was happenchance that the two were on a first date when all this went down. First I don't believe in coincidence so that's out the window and it would seem that the fates had indeed intervened so that the pair would come together. However you wish to view it, it was serendipitous indeed.

     I am loving how this is being told. The story & plot development we see with how the sequence of events unfold and how the reader learns information is relayed so amazingly well. How we have seen things develop over the course of these issues and how the course of events have fundamentally changed each one so drastically in what is for them such a short amount of time has been expertly presented. The character development is utterly phenomenal to see. How we have seen them grow, change and evolve through seeing act and react to the situations and circumstances that have been thrown at them has been a pure joy to watch. The pacing here is superb and as it takes through the pages and reveals the twists and turns along the way has helped create this thrilling ebb & flow to the book.

     It is a shame that Duncan has remained in so much clothing the entire time but hey we can dream about a hairy ginger running around defeating dead kings can't we. I am waiting however for when a gay bloke gets the opportunity to make a name for himself in a situation such as this. Still the unassuming, clumsy guy we first met is definitely the confident man who we see at the end of this issue. I still wonder who Elaine is regarding Duncan but then again I am not sure we were ever supposed to truly know.

     Dan is such an incredibly talented artist and illustrator. The linework we see and how the varying weights are being utilised to showcase the attention to detail is divine stuff. I am incredibly impressed with his ability to showcase movement throughout this book as well. I mean the sword work and the action sequences have this fluidity to them that is magical to see. The backgrounds that we see and how they work within the composition in the panels brings this superb depth perception, scale and overall sense of size and scope. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a truly talented and gifted eye for storytelling. Though I would like to see more backgrounds from him, after all the skeletons, the castle and those doors on the church I mean phew. The colour work is gorgeous as well. There are these spots that feel like they'd be camera flashes of dust in an empty room that capture the eye and mind beautifully. Then there is how we see the various hues and tones within the colours create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows a sensational understanding of how colour works.
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     With the dual ending here we know that there will be another arc coming and I am so thankful for that. After all this is too good a story to have ended here. The imagination and creativity that we see on display here in both words and pictures transport us to another time and place and then back firmly in reality and it so inviting and more so when the danger is overwhelming. A superbly crafted story with amazing story and character development alongside some exquisite interiors.

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Catalyst Prime: Seven Days #4

1/28/2020

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Picture
Catalyst Prime: Seven Days #4
Lion Forge Comics 2019
Written by Gail Simone
Pencilled by José Luís
Inked by Jonas Trindade
Coloured by Michelle Madsen
Lettered by Saida Temofonte


    DAY FOUR:
     Camila's learned the terrible truth about Khrelan and his history with Earth, but even more terrible is the secret she's learned about herself. The Incidentals arrive on scene but things quickly go awry.

     I keep getting more and more impressed by what I am seeing here with each new issue. This has all the feel of the original crisis but it is streamlined into one series focusing on the various heroes that inhabit this world since The Event occurred. I like how we are seeing this story unfold and how new plot lines are opening up so that those with power will continue to emerge. Though how many of them will know what they are and why they can do what they can do. What Gail is building upon and helping grow like she's tending a garden is really something beautiful that I wasn't expecting.

     The story & plot development that we are seeing through the sequence of events unfolding as well as how the reader learns information is laid out extremely well. While I love seeing the “main” heroes here I am thrilled to see the Incidentals playing a huge role here today. There are a few groups that I really enjoy reading about and this is one of them. Though I do a question a few choices here that's okay because what it does is engages the reader and takes them off-script as they think of what is seen, what could be and what will be. The character development here is amazing and I love seeing how the characters act and react to the situations and circumstances they find themselves in. The pacing that we see here is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists and turns not to mention a revelation or two. All of this helps to create the overall ebb & flow to the book and it's extremely exciting stuff.

     There are any number of reasons to get excited by what is going on within these pages. The expansion of this universe and the introduction of Khreelan, his people, seeing Lorena take a lover whom we see at last as well as the introduction of Khreelan's past endeavours. This builds an excitement to what is happening that is somewhat hard to measure. I absolutely loved when Lion Forge created the Catalyst Prime Universe and I have loved every moment of but this this is so much more.

     The interiors here are utterly amazing to see. While the heroes, villains and all the regular stuff we see is utterly fantastic it is seeing Khreelan that is beyond mesmerising. The pages we see him talking to the young reporter those are pretty much beyond comprehension in how they have come to life. There is great work and there is beyond extraordinary work and I really thought I had seen it all but this, this I keep searching out and it's the combination of all the work, pencil's, inks and colours that are so harmonious and so haunting in their appearance that they cannot be forgotten. From the way we see the composition within the pages to the utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show this stupendous eye for storytelling. These interiors are breathtaking for every reason you could possibly think of and then some.
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     Gail has created the perfect company crossover on a massive scale without finding it necessary to have tenuous tie-ins in other books. This is the beginning o a new era for the Catalyst Prime Universe and it's starting off with this epic story and moving forward from there. Reminiscent of how the franchise started and beyond a doubt what should be an example to others. This whole thing is just brilliant on a massive scale.

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