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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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Damned, Cursed Children #1

1/31/2021

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Damned, Cursed Children #1
Source Point Press 2021
Written by Howard Wong & Josh Stafford
Illustrated by Robin Simon NG
Lettered by Howard Wong

    In the sudden aftermath of a series of horrifying attacks, a group of strangers are forced together in a city gone mad. How many will overcome every human instinct, and do the unimaginable to survive in a world with Damned, Cursed Children?!

    There are times when you think that a genre is dead, done to death and there can be nothing new to be seen.  When you realise that isn’t the case it’s exhilarating to witness because more than likely it’s one of your favourite genres, in this case it’s mine.  So when I started this and realised that this was a black & white book and I saw how the art looks I was intrigued and then as the story unfolds I was like “oh hell no” and with my eyes wide and in something of a shock I kept reading and I was in comic book heaven!  

    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 as well as how the reader learns information is beautifully rendered.  How this starts off is incredibly well done and wastes no time in engaging the reader and making them wonder the hell is going on.  It is so effective that you have to keep going because there’s no chance in hell you want to miss how this complete and utter clusterfuck got started.  The character development is interesting and that we are seeing a select group of folks who are handling this better than the others and will presumably star as the adults we need to watch for is extremely nice to see.  How they act and react to the situations and circumstances really helps us to define these folks.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story, the twists and turns along the way it sucks us in and leaves us wanting so much more by the last page.

    The way that we see this being structured and the layers within the story emerging createst this wonderfully creepy, amazing and terrifying atmosphere.  With how we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow is sensational.  This is the kind of story that has the ability to keep you awake at night and/or give you nightmares.  Let’s face it there’s nothing creepier than kids who kill.

    The interiors here are absolutely amazing.  Black & white is such an unforgiving medium to work in because it will show all the flaws so much sharper than when it’s coloured in.  So to see all the linework here with it’s varying weights and techniques being utilised to create the detail work we are seeing is phenomenal!  We see backgrounds being so essential to the storytelling and with how the composition within the panels show us some great depth perception, sense of scale and this overall sense of size and scope to the story as well as enhancing the moments.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a superb eye for storytelling.  
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    I love when you find a book that basically comes out of nowhere and shows itself to be one of the best things you didn’t know was out there.  This is why I love Source Point Press they cover a wide range of genres and take chances on books that you aren’t going to see anywhere else.  The future of storytelling looks bright and if this is what we have to look forwarded to i’m thrilled to be here reading and supporting these creators.

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Grimm Fairy Tales Myths & Legends Quarterly: Gretel

1/31/2021

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Grimm Fairy Tales Myths & Legends Quarterly: Gretel
Zenescope Entertainment 2021
Written by Dave Franchini
Illustrated by Alessio Mariani, Guillermo Fajardo, Babisu Kortes & Dario Tallarico
Coloured by Juan Manuel Rodriguez, Ulises Arreola, Leonardo Paciarotti
    Maxflan Araujo
Lettered by Taylor Esposito of Ghost Glyph Studio

    Gretel’s life has been coupled with one trauma after the next, starting with the loss of her brother at a young age and then her mentor just recently, both due to the machinations of an evil witch. Cursed with powers that grant her a long life that spans centuries, she is forced to consume human hearts to sustain herself at the cost of her own humanity.
     Recently, she has teamed up with Calabar, a mercenary who is part of a secret faction determined to rid the world of all witches. But now, what they have discovered could unravel everything they have been working so hard to create. A new coven of witches is forming, and at its center a new evil rises, something so ancient that they may not be enough to protect us.
     This oversized 72 page story, packed with wall-to-wall action and horror, is one not to be missed!

    This is great and for long-time fans and brand new readers’ alike this is a great way to get into the world Gretel inhabits.  Yes she’s in the Zenescope Universe but she’s got her own niche that doesn’t seem to cross paths with the others.  I love the take on her legend and how she came to be the woman she is and how that haunts her.  Dave is one of the best writers for her and I hope that we’re going to be seeing a lot more of this pairing after this issue because now that we’ve seen what we’ve seen here a string of limited series is definitely in order.  

    I am thoroughly enjoying 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 beautifully.  The opening is superb and opens up a whole new slew of story ideas and engages the reader perfectly.  I mean it makes me wonder how people can let themselves be swayed by men who use religion to be powerful instead of being good.  Things like that mean that I have been pulled into the story right away and it’s just sensational.  The character development we see is spot on and that we get so impassioned by what we see you know that is the tell all be all of how good a writer is.  The pacing here is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists & turns along the way we’re treated to an amazing tale.

    The interiors here are absolutely amazing.  I read the whole issue without even realising there was a slew of artists involved.  Sure segments changed a bit but overall these folks are so good at what they do that they understand the nature of the story, subject matter and the Zenescope universe and it shows.  I’m not going to lie I would like to see more backgrounds being utilised here, some segments are better than others with it but they just enhance the moments so incredibly well.  The attention to detail we see through the linework and it’s varying weights is stupendous stuff and it’s consistent throughout.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show some marvellous eyes for storytelling.  Also I love the faces and facial expressions as they really help to further the characterisation and help the reader keep their first impressions solid, oh some are hated some not so much but your first impressions holds up throughout.  The colour work that we see is gorgeous!  The various hues and tones within the colours that we see being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is simply superb.  Wow.
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    Zenescope has come so far from their pin-up cheesecake days and here we see just how far that’s come.  The story is amazingly solid, with a great premise and it shows such depth to Gretel as a character and how amazing a character she really is.  The complexity of the storytelling and the layers within that continue to impress are real standouts here and it makes me look forward to reading her further adventures.

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Future State: Suicide Squad #1

1/30/2021

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Future State: Suicide Squad #1DC Comics 2021
Written by Robbie Thompson
Illustrated by Javier Fernandez
Coloured by Alex Sinclair
Lettered by Wes Abbott

    The Suicide Squad enters the Future State era as Amanda Waller uses Task Force X to save the world and remake it in her image-but what happens when the team shows up to stop her?
     And in the second story in this extra-sized issue, Black Adam, the immortal one-time champion of the wizard Shazam, rules the planet Kahndaq in the 853rd century. Can he save the future from a threat rooted in the past?

    I was kind of against this whole Future State thing when it was announced but like a good reviewer and lover of comics I picked the titles that intrigued the most and gave them the proper shot that they deserve.  I am so glad that I did too because this one has me all kinds of excited!  I love the idea that this is an Earth from the Multiverse and that it isn’t set in stone for the characters that inhabit the world we know and love.  So to see Robbie taking this in such a direction makes me wonder why he hasn’t had the opportunity to do this before.  Also I believe this is the first time I’m reviewing his comics work which is odd but hey the man has experience and it shows.

    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 extremely well done.  I love the narration that opens up the book and the insignia that we see is one that most won’t immediately recognise and I completely and utterly love that!  Also wow the information given is just the tip of the iceberg of what we want to see and know more of.  The character development is amazing and the more they speak, the more we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter the more incredible the story becomes.  The pacing here is perfect and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story the reader will glued to their seat.

    I am completely impressed with the way we see this being structured and how the layers within the story emerge is just beautifully done.  Also the way that everything works together here to create the story’s ebb & flow is amazing to see happen.

    The interiors here are nicely done.  The linework is good, solid and strong and how the varying weights are being utilised to create the detail work that we see is really nicely done.  The composition we see within the panels with backgrounds being utilised is so nice to see!  The depth perception, sense of scale and that overall sense of size and scope that we see as well as how the backgrounds enhance the moments makes this much more exciting than it already is and that’s impressive.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panel show a really solid and talented eye for storytelling.  The colour work is really beautifully rendered.  There are so many different techniques being utilised and it works so well here and it’s just amazing to see such a mastery of the craft.  Add to that the way we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create shading, highlights and shadow work and wowza!
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    This is so much more amazing than I was expecting it to be and even the back-up story is so well done.  The entire issue held my attention, curiosity and made me want to see so much more.  These are the stories that belong to their own reality and not bleed into the others.  This is simply pure and outstanding storytelling.

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The Eighth Immortal #1

1/30/2021

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The Eighth Immortal #1
Source Point Press 2021
Written by Jacob Murray
Illustrated by Alice Li Barnes
Lettered by Letter Squids
    Special Thanks to Troy Peteri

    Curipan has spent her immortality protecting humanity from the threat of an ancient prophecy. But time and a secret trauma have worn her down, forcing her to choose between her duty and her sanity. The Eighth Immortal is a scandalous fantasy that asks the question, should anything last forever?

    Y’all are more than likely overlooking the books at Source Point Press and that’s a shame because I am here to tell you that this should be one everyone’s lips right now.  This is a beautifully done book both with it’s visuals and how we see it being written.  The concept is fantastic and the fact that we are dealing with immortals who have a code that causes issues for our main character, in this issue at least, paints a different viewpoint of what it means to be immortal under their circumstances.  It has a nice strong message to it as it also takes a really hard look at humanity and what that means to different people and it is not something you will forget anytime soon after reading this.  

    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.  The two openings here are spectacularly done and from the brief synopsis of what the story is about and how we meet Curipan for the first time sets the stage for what is going to become something akin to that ghost story you’ll never be able to hide from.  The character development that we see is phenomenal!  There is this depth and complexity to the characters we meet that is at odds with each other and we see this through how they interact with one another and others.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story, this world and the characters you know, you know that with each turn of the page there’s no place you’d rather be.

    The way that we see this being structured and how the layers within the story begin to emerge and how all of this has cause and effect that will undoubtedly reveal itself later is so exquisitely done.  How everything manages to work together to create the story’s ebb & flow is amazing to see.

    The interiors here are utterly beautiful.  The work reminds of me Area 88, a Comico title that I adored in the 80’s, that introduced to me to the manga style of artwork.  Now this has that and a fusion of Western sensibilities so it’s what I now refer to as American Manga and good golly miss molly is it ever so lovely to look at.  Now the black and white style that is prominent throughout the book showcases such talent and skill.  The linework is exquisitely rendered and how the varying weights are utilised to create the detail work is superb.  Now normally this is where I say I would like to see more backgrounds but honestly with the way we see the composition within the panels is so good  that it all stands on it’s own and I wouldn’t change a single thing we see here.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkably talented eye for storytelling.  The pops of colour are brilliantly utilised and to see the hues and tones within them really makes moments pop so much more powerfully.
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    The creativity and imagination that we see alongside such a stunning use of words and lettering makes this one of the best books you could read this week, or any week you read it.  Source Point Press has gone from this small press publishing house to a power player in the world of comics and it’s books like this one that demonstrate just why that is.

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Riverdale Presents South Side Serpents

1/30/2021

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Riverdale Presents South Side Serpents 
Archie Comics 2021
Written by David Barnett
Illustrated by Richard Ortiz
Coloured by Matt Herms
Lettered by Jack Morelli

    FP Jones is worried for the future of the Southside Serpents. The biker gang is getting old and finding it hard to attract fresh blood. But FP has a plan, and it revolves around his son, Jughead. Hunted by the most fearsome biker gangs in the state, an unwilling Jughead has to step up into the role of leader to guide the Serpents on a perilous journey. There will be adventure, there will be thrills, there will be chases, and there will be death in this special one-shot event featuring fan-favorite characters from the CW Riverdale series.

    Archie is such an amazing world, franchise and character and in this go-round we don’t see anyone from the usual gang other than Jughead and I for one am totally okay with that.  What the show has done for Jughead is utterly amazing to me and it really goes above and beyond what you might have once thought was possible for the guy.  Now there is a depth and complexity to the boy from the wrong side of the tracks that is not only welcome but long, long overdue.  Sure he and Hotdog are great when it comes to things like eating and being comic relief but his wanting to be a writer and one that draws from personal experience like he does well it’s pretty inspiring.  

    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 as well as how the reader learns information is presented extremely well.  How this story gets off the ground, how FP understands his son and the overall concept of the story is really super solid.  The character development that we see is fantastic and it takes the personalities from the show and utilises them to their fullest.  The pacing is great and as it takes us through the story revealing the twists & turns along the way it’s great to see how it all feels so natural.  

    With how we see this being structured and the layers within the story emerging and running through suggesting there is more to come is beautifully done.  Then how we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow is really marvellous.  This really is a solid book and a great read.

    The interiors here are pretty sharp.  It has a great comic book style to it and the linework we see is strong, sure and through the varying weights we see some great detail work.  That Jughead looks like Cole is great as it keeps in with the shows mythology plus it adds a real sense of realism to the book.  Backgrounds are utilised fairly well, I would like to see more but hey what we get does a great job in binging depth perception a sense of scale and that overall sense of size and scope to the book.  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 beautifully rendered.  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work really shows some incredible talent and skill.
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    I am really rather impressed with this book.  The level and quality of storytelling that we see makes me wish we’d get a set of limited series based on the characters and furthering the one-shot I just read.  As they keep expanding the world Archie and it’s characters the more interesting and intriguing the characters seem to become.  

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Stake #1

1/29/2021

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Stake #1 
Scout Comics 2021
Written by David A. Byrne
Illustrated by Francesca Fantini
Lettered by Joel Rodriguez of BofR Productions

    Three years ago, Vampires announced their presence to the world in grand fashion; in one instant, Angel lost her two best friends and her existence changed forever. Now, as a member of the Vampire Bounty Hunter Union, and with the help of her ancient vampiric mentor Jessamy, she's out to track down the bloodthirsty monsters who destroyed her life. She is... Stake.

    Oh this is something folks.  While I may not understand why there’s such a huge gap, see time, between issues one and two it does allow for readers’ to get a copy once it’s sold out and goes back for another print.  Oh and it will if it hasn’t already.  There are a number of reasons to really get into this story and enjoy getting lost along the way but more than a few have to do with the way we see this being written.  I say this because it isn’t necessarily because of the story or how the character development is seen but by what you might consider background noise, which is a fancy way of saying reactions by the world at large.  It has this decided sense about it that says in today’s world we’re too jaded to believe what’s in front of our faces and that if you don’t agree with the truth then it must not be real.

    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.  The process in which we are introduced to the characters and learn the role they are going to play in the story is definitely one I haven’t seen before and I have to say I find it rather interesting and refreshing as it means you really do have to pay attention to what is being said here.  The character development is just as interesting to me and the more we see and hear the narration from Angel or Stake as she prefers to go by the more we want to know and learn.  The pacing is solid and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists and turns along the way it’s easy to see what kind of wild and crazy time we have in store.

    I am a huge fan of black & white interiors these days, they showcase the talent and flaws of the artist so when it’s on it’s beyond on and when it’s not well at least it shows some where growth is needed.  This is some amazing work we’re seeing here and the fact that the colour is extremely limited to the shades and hues of red and a few other pops of different colours is sensational.  One of my favourite pages here is that splash page that isn’t technically a splash page, page three if you’re wondering.  The composition inside the panels with how we see backgrounds could be a lot better because when the are utilised in full force the work is sublime.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a very talented eye for storytelling.  Also loving the creativity and imagination that we see shining through the pages here.
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    The only bummer right now as far as I am concerned is the fact we have to wait till April for the next issue.  This has a great premise, it ties in to a lot of vampire lore, history and popular culture and I hope that we see how that’s all filtered throughout the story showing what is fact and what is fiction.  This is a fantastic story that really takes a great hard look into the genre in ways you didn’t know you wanted to see.

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Unthinkables #1

1/28/2021

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The Unthinkables #1
Unlikely Heroes Studios 2021
Story/Lead Character Designs by Paul Hanley
Pencilled, Ik Assists & Designs by Ian Richardson
Inked by Julien Hugonnard-Bert
Coloured by Simon Gough
Lettered by Thomas Mauer

    Earth's supes just got WTF pwn'd.
     It's up to Max Frenzy and F.I.S.T. to assemble a mismatched selection of leftover "talent" to save us. First-round picks include boozy ex-Soviet super-spy Bloody Mary, psychic Scottish soccer hooligan RiotGrrl, crusty cockney teleporter Noddy Blinkins and,uh... the White Devil (don't ask). Those are the nice ones. Don't get us started on the genocidal fish-man and the suicidal robot-nuke.

    I like these folks, Unlikely Heroes, they have some wonderful ideas and a few really great titles that I a Super! fan of.  So when they ask me to review some stuff for them, the answer is always a resounding YES and I am never disappointed.  This one opens up in such a fashion that you are mesmerised by what you see as the setting seeps into your mind and you understand the gravity of the situation.  That two-page spread is beyond a doubt one of the most impact moments around, and the funniest because of the dialogue which has absolutely nothing to do with the real scene but it adds this element of levity that makes you giggle involuntarily.  

    I am a big 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.  Just the sequence of how things unfold has that ring to it that makes it feel like a natural progression.  The character development that we see is great and while the Army guy, presumably Max, is so wonderfully fleshed out through his actions it should come as no surprise that each of the characters we meet are fleshed out that way as well.  The dialogue is great don’t get me wrong and it’s fun to see how the characters speak it’s really what they do that defines how we see them.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing this world, these characters and the story it will feel like a tale as old as time but it’s so much fun!

    How we see this being structured and how the layers within the story emerge we get some great mystery and intrigue along with some fine action.  Then to see how everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow is remarkably well done.

    I am loving the interiors here.  The linework we see is phenomenal and as the varying weights are being utilised to bring about some gorgeous detail work we see such a beautiful story coming to life.  The way that backgrounds are utilised throughout is sensational to me.  They enhance the moments, bring us where the characters are as well as some great depth perception, sense of scale and that 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 utterly marvellous!  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is beautifully rendered.  
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    The creativity and imagination that we see throughout is beyond what I could’ve hoped for.  From the UN forces in those suits with the creepy smiles to the way that the flow of this book and how the story is revealed showcases a wide range of talent, skill and the know-how to get it all done and done well.  Unlikely Heroes Studios is small but mighty and you need to have your local shop order these.

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Savage Circus #2

1/26/2021

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Savage Circus #2
Heavy Metal Comics 2020
Written by Brendan Columbus
Illustrated by Al Barrionuevo
Coloured by Candace Han
Lettered by Dave Sharpe

    As Deputy Brady Harrison chases down the armored truck filled with Basin Bay’s fortune, it’s T-Boned by the Savage Circus train car. The crash unleashes hordes of deadly animals that swarm the town putting every last soul in mortal danger!

    The moment I saw the cover to this book I got incredibly excited.  It is without a doubt one of those books that once you see it the entirety of the last issue comes rushing back like lost memory that’s suddenly found.  It brings a smile to the face and you know that what we are going to see is going to be extremely fun and unpredictable.  Unpredictable because we have no idea when the all the pieces of the puzzle are going to line up and collide, like CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, creating that massive spark igniting the readers’ mind, imagination and wrecking all kinds of havoc on this little town.  The excitement here is palpable and that this is a maxi-series is a kind of dream come true.

    I love 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 extremely well.  I think that there is tenderness, romance and humour mixed in with all the potential horror and bloodshed on the horizon that fills the reader with this amazing sense of tension.  The character development that we see is really quite good.  I like seeing how the characters interact with one another and how they react to the situations and circumstances they find themselves in.  The dialogue is good, cheeky at times and has that right feel of someone writing parts for film.  The pacing here is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists & turns along the way we are given a great look at what’s in store.

    The way that we see this being structured and with how the layers within the story continue to gain momentum or are created anew they continue to add the complexity of the story.  How we see everything working together to create the the story’s ebb & flow is beautifully done.  There is something about this that while we know what’s supposed to be coming it really isn’t the destination but the journey towards it that makes it all worthwhile.

    I do very much like the interior artwork here.  It has a strong classic comic book style to what we see and that lends itself to the story at hand very nicely.  How we see the linework and it’s varying weights and techniques being utilised to bring out the detail work that we see is extremely well rendered.  The shattered window to the train to the circus animals what we see throughout has the kind of attention paid to it that helps make a book more successful than you might imagine.  The way that backgrounds are incorporated into the composition of the panels enhances the moments as it brings us this depth perception, sense of scale and that 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.  Oh I love seeing how the colour work is laid down here.  The various techniques being utilised to lay the colour down is beautifully demonstrated.  The myriad of hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work show such an understanding and knowledge of how colour works.
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    All around this is a beautifully done book and just demonstrates that in today’s world and in today’s market you have to open your mind to what else is out there aside from what you are typically used to reading.  Heavy Metal is making a major push into mainstream comics with a wide variety of titles and genres and there is absolutely no reason to miss this level and quality of storytelling.

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Dark Wing #2

1/26/2021

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Dark Wing #2
Heavy Metal Comics 2020
Created & Written by Matthew Medney
Illustrated by German Ponce
Coloured by Protobunker Studios

    As time moves fluidly throughout the journey of the Dark Wing’s crew a plot to foil the way of life so akin to the men and women aboard the Dark Wing unfolds. But deception would be an easier notion than what lies ahead.

    I am a sucker for a good science fiction story and this one is absolutely spectacular.  There is something about a story set in space where the inhabitants of a huge ship structure are searching for a new home that has a universal appeal, think Battlestar Galactica but one vessel.  To see so many elements that are influenced by different aspects within the genre blended into this story so that it at once feels familiar and yet strange and fascinating is a feat unto itself.  This is what I think of when I think of a classic science fiction story, it has that whole sweeping epic feel to it as it takes you on that unexpected journey through the stars.  Plus it has all that intrigue that comes with people who like to exercise their own free will and the tensions and conflicts that arise from that.

     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 in such a beautiful manner.  The character development we see is utterly amazing!  The dialogue between Ben and the Council member is full of half-truths and innuendos that include genuine concern and to be able to see all this happening through how they interact with one another shows so absolutely phenomenal skill and talent when it comes to writing and being able to show the reader more than they expect.  I mean seriously usually I add how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter but honestly it’s all about how these two men talk to one another and it conveys so frakkin much.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through pages I found myself getting to the last page and being left wanting more.

    How we see this being structured and how words can send us to another viewpoint within the vessel acting as these layers within the story is mindblowing in how well it’s done.  How we see everything working together here to create the story’s ebb & flow is magnificent to see.

    God German is one of those artists who is underrated and isn’t known as well as he should be.  The linework is exquisite and how he manages to utilise the varying weights and techniques to bring about the level and quality of this detail work is mindbogglingly good.  The creativity and imagination in how we see the depths of the vessel and the cities full of citizens is giving me life!  Everything about this and how the work is so detailed bring us into a world that you want to be in, you want to visit and have a sore neck after swivelling your head in every direction trying to take it all in.  How backgrounds are utilised and how they work within the composition of the panels as they enhance the moments and bring this  depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story is really unparalleled.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show such a masters eye for storytelling.  The colour work we see is divine!  The choices and then the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is is above and beyond.  The knowledge of how colour works and how it can encompass more than people realise is sensational.
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    If you want some of the absolute best storytelling on stands you need to be paying attention to this, to Heavy Metal Comics.  This is as classic as it gets and it has that larger than life feel to how the reader interprets what they see.  This my friends is genre defining work.

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Crimson Flower #1

1/25/2021

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Picture
Crimson Flower #1
Dark Horse Comics 2021
Written by Matt Kindt
Illustrated by Matt Lesniewski
Coloured by Bill Crabtree

     A brand-new, mind-altering journey through Russian folk tales, trained assassins, and government conspiracies. After losing her family in a violent home invasion, a woman uses folk tales to cope. In a blood-soaked journey toward revenge, she tracks down the man responsible for her family's deaths, only to discover a startling government plot—to weaponize folk tales and use them to raise children into super assassins.

    I am beginning to think that Dark House is the house that Kindt built.  Not really but his work is so prolifically distributed through them that it almost feels that way right now.  I am not going to complain on bit either because the things that this man comes up with, how his mind works and the talent, creativity and audacity that he possesses is beyond human measure.  Here we have this take on Russian folk tales which I am going to assume most folks in the Western World are completely unaware of so I am going out on a limb and saying these are passed down to Matt through family, much as they were to me, so to me this is amazingly well told in every facet.

    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 as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well.  I am very much enjoying how much this has a duality to it that you might not expect right off the bat and yet you have to pay attention to what you are reading or you are going to miss some subtle clues that may help you understand later in the issue.  With how this is being structured and how the layers within the story emerge showcases Matt’s talents and to date they keep proving to be more and more impressive.  The character development that we see here through the dialogue as well as how the characters act and react to the situations and circumstances continue to make them more complex and interesting.  The pacing we see is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing this world, the story and the characters it’s an amazingly weird and wondrous world.

    With the way this is being structured we also see how well everything here works together to create the story’s ebb & flow.  I love Matt’s work and he continues to impress and amaze me all the time and the continuing diversity that’s being displayed makes me sigh with contemptment. 

    The interiors here are much different than I had been expecting them to be.  They remind me a lot of Plop! and if you don’t understand the reference then you should brush up on your comics history.  Trust me this is a very recognisable style of artwork and love it or hate it there is absolutely no denying that it leaves a very strong impression upon the reader.  The composition within the panels with and without the use of backgrounds are very interesting to say the least.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show an extremely unique and interesting eye for storytelling.  The colour work that we see is really nicely rendered as well.  The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is delightful.
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    Matt’s mind is a wonderful thing and for some odd reason right now i’m thinking about the whole don’t drown your food, in mayo or ketchup or goop.  If you can figure out the correlation more power to you but I have to say I certainly wasn’t expecting a ride on the crazy train here but damn do I like it.

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