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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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Fair Enough #1

3/30/2018

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Fair Enough #1
Stand Up Comic Group 2018
Written by Danny Lobell
Illustrated by Amy Hay


     I do rather enjoy having folks contact e and ask me to review their projects. While I am not terribly up to snuff on my stand up comics, yes I’ll admit to basically knowing who Trae Crowder and the Well Red tour are, I am always up for learning new things and meeting new people. One of the best ways to tell a story is through humour we all know that and when you mix that into a backgrounds such as Danny’s well there is plenty of material.

     This is something of a bio-pic of sorts. Danny recounts his youth bringing us up to date on how he got to where he is. From his earliest love, which not too ironically was comic books, to those things that inspired him as an adult the journey that Danny takes us on is one filled with self-discovery, humour and maybe even a little heartbreak. The way this is structured is actually very well done, though why I am surprised is beyond me the man writes his own jokes after all.

      What impressed me the most about this was that it didn’t feel like a story per se it felt more like you were listening to a friend recount his life. It has that whole feel of this my buddy and we’re just having a nice conversation and I am not sure the last time that I felt that way reading a story. Actually I don’t think I have ever felt that way reading a story and that Danny is able to convey this with such expertise should lauded. This really does have this very easy breezy way about it that gets you involved into Danny’s life and makes you feel like you are his friend and want to be a part of his world.

     Amy does a pretty nice job here on the interiors. I am such a fan of the whole black & white style as it adds more a charm element to it. It can’t be easy to render real life people into the comic book format and she does an admirable job. On a personal note I think that she does a great job in making Danny kind of cute like a teddy bear. The utilisation of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a solid eye for storytelling. The use of backgrounds here are judiciously used and quite effective in setting the stage and expanding the story.

     There are few times that you find a book like this one. The story is real and personal to the writer, it’s his life after all, and has had an interesting life and comes from a very interesting background. Though we both things in common like being in Yeshiva, my folks took me out when they thought I was too religious for them, and have that New York Jewish life growing up and a love of comics. I now feel a kinship with Danny on a level I never expected to have.
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     I keep saying over and over again to expand your horizons and look for books outside your normal purview and take some chances. This is one of those chances you should take and then check out his stand-up comedy turns out the man’s funny who knew. Self-published books are where you can find some of the finest storytelling these days and you find this at http://fairenoughcomic.com/ and I think it’s worth your time.

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Shadowman #1

3/30/2018

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Shadowman #1
Valiant Entertainment 2018
Written by Andy Diggle
Illustrated by Stephen Segovia
Coloured by Ulises Arreola
Lettered by Simon Bowland


     Unbeknownst to him, Jack was fated to become the next in a long lineage of Shadowmen – mortals bound to violent voodoo spirits of immense power – that could safeguard our world against incursions from realms beyond. For years, he struggled to control the loa's murderous urges – a battle he eventually lost.  But now, after years of self-imposed exile, the man once known as Shadowman is returning home to sharpen the weapon within…and unleash a reckoning on the evils of our world that will soon send shockwaves through heaven and hell alike…

     I have been waiting for this for what feels like forever. That Jack never wanted this and fought every step of the way has led him through every part of journey leading up to this series. Part of me loves that he doesn’t see things that way and that Alyssa has had to deal with all of it, including his leaving well part of me loves that as well. Now the how and why of the particulars is going to be discussed between the Jack and Alyssa and we start that here because you have to. Andy understands better than most what it means to write a magical based book and his tenure at Vertigo is proof of that so this this is right up his alley.

     The way this book is structured is marvellous to see and that there’s as much time spent on characterisation as there is on story & plot development makes my heart sing. There is so much backstory with this series even before the first issue came out, from his last run through the time he spent in the Deadside and how Ninjak and Black Mambo found him there really is a lot of ground to cover. It isn’t just him either as we see Alyssa’s involvemet here. While she’s a no-brainer to be in these pages there is just so much between her and Jack that will need resolution. That too is at the core of the book and intertwine that with Jack dealing with his alter ego and the forces out to get him and you’ve the making of a smash hit.

     Stephen’s interior artwork here really is pure joy to see. The man has quite the portfolio and he knows his way around the pages, the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective show off just how strong his eye is. His attention to detail and the way he utilises backgrounds keep the reader involved and the eye roaming. The use of varying linework and how they can be subtle or bold and everywhere in-between takes your classic comic book style and ramps it up to a level all it’s own. Plus he’s got Ulises colouring his work, and his eye for light sources, or the showcasing of power all of it just makes the perfect compliment.

     Unlike many other books one has to be familiar with the Voodoo religion and all that entails or it won’t come across as authentic. Trust me too we’ll know, yes we live in a google age, so the research done to make this what it is is amazing to see. Add in the manifestation of Loa and the creatures that inhabit the spectrum and you’ve got this wonderfully untapped world open for business. From the Grinder of Bones, Veve, Gris-Gris and more what Andy is bringing to this should open eyes to people that Voodoo isn’t a cult or something to make zombies it’s a verifiable religion complete with it’s own mythology.
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     Shadowman holds a unique place among the heroes of this universe and from the onset it looks like Andy has his finger on the pulse of what needs to be done. I look forward to seeing what is next because the writing, interior artwork and the overall presence this book commands. 

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Cyber Force #1

3/29/2018

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Cyber Force #1
Top Cow Productions/Image Comics 2018
Created by Marc Silvestri
Written by Matt Hawkins & Bryan Hill
Illustrated by Atilio Rojo
Lettered by Troy Peteri


      The classic series returns in a re-imagining overseen by creator MARC SILVESTRI. In a modern world where humanity is defined by the technology it creates, a terrorist strikes at the heart of human progress. One of the few survivors of the attack is a man named Morgan Stryker. Mortally wounded, Stryker's life is saved by his employers...but the price could be his humanity itself.

     Well with it’s popularity since it first came out and the various limited series arcs that we’ve seen that Marc was willing to oversee the team come together right now (over me) in a more modern era with newer technology and revive the franchise with this kind of story is pretty awesome. On the same track I cannot think of two better men than Matt and Bryan to be doing the book with their record of success you just know this is going to be interesting.

     I like the way that this book is being structured. The opening is dramatic eye catching and quite literally the beginning of the team itself. An unknown assailant enters into a company and decimates it leaving only person alive, but why one person what is the significance of that? Is this woman in a weird suit and sporting some awfully big guns, yes guns, trying to ensure Stryker becomes a Cyber warrior and helping to rush his destiny or trying to create adversaries for herself? It is one of those openings that makes you think, wonder and speculate so it is precisely up the alley of these gentlemen’s modus operandi.

     I think one of the things that appeals to me about all this is that this is a “new” series we are seeing it built from the ground up there is no backstory on these characters we see them become who they are meant to be all the while we see this organisation having the resources to make them more than they were. We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We can make him better than he was. Better, stronger, faster. You’ll get it trust me. From there this whole feeling of dread and fear is sweeping through the nation and it’s a great thing to see from a readers standpoint because you see how the world is and why this needs to happen.

     I am a fan of Atilio and the work he does. The attention to detail he brings to this is utterly amazing and how he uses the varying weights of the linework to do bring us that detail blows me away. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a stellar eye for storytelling. Yes ma’am for the backgrounds in use here I mean the subtle ones like in the doctor’s office windows the art on her walls to the cold environment of the labs it all just works. Oh more thing that image on the last page, you know the one, yeah wow not foreboding at all.

     I hate to say this but it doesn’t look like Stryker has the luxury of time to get a group together under his command as that mysterious figure is wrecking havoc all over the place. We have seen her destroy too many places and her proclamation telecast around the world makes her a viable threat to whomever is in the technology field. So it will be interesting to see if there are others that these folks have treated like they did him and if so how they decide to behave.
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     There’s more passion and intimate storytelling to go alongside the normal hey we’re a team that’s going to take villains. I like the sophistication that we see and the thoughtfulness behind the books execution. Once again Top Cow shows us that they know how to bring us some damn fine books.

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Damnation: Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider #1

3/29/2018

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Damnation: Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider #1
Marvel Comics 2018
Written by Christopher Sebela
Illustrated by Phil Noto
Lettered by VC’s Travis Lanham


     Newly restored as Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange meant to prove his worth by restoring Las Vegas and reviving the citizens who lost their lives in the Hydra raid. But he paid for his overreach—as the city rose so did a little piece of Hell in the form of the Hotel Inferno. It’s proprietor, Mephisto, imprisoned Strange and began collecting souls and expanding Hell’s dominion. Stephen’s partner in the mystic arts, Wong, hatched a rescue pan that began with recruiting a new team of Midnight Sons and ended with Johnny executing the last stunt of his life—a suicide run up the side of the hotel and a confrontation with Mephisto that could only end in Johnny’s death.

     When I started reading Marvel and I got into Ghost Rider Johnny was behind the mask as it were. I get the change and evolution of a character to try and revive it so a new generation may jump on board. Through it’s various incarnations one thing has always remained the same, Johnny is my Ghost Rider and seeing him in this arc with these characters I couldn’t be any happier. Christopher seems to understand Johnny and he’s does him justice within these pages.

     I like the way that this issue is structured and how Christopher creates this ebb & flow throughout the book. It moves at a fairly quick pace as it should because this is not an ongoing series and I think it’s a one-shot but you never know. So that this is a just a piece of the puzzle that needed to be told outside the regular limited series. I don’t mind that either there aren’t a lot of characters in this so it isn’t flooding the stands with tie-ins, that usually don’t even tie-in, and we get this amazing look at Johnny and Ghost Rider.

     The dialogue and characterisation here is unbelievably good. That Ghost Rider doesn’t want to reunite, see merge, with Johnny is sublime. So as well as they know each other it is extremely interesting to see them talk things out. This is where I think Christopher shines brightest his ability to bring the characters to life through dialogue and other interactions to make more like real people instead of some two-dimensional idea of a man. That he draws us in the way he does shows such talent, skill and chutzpah to just unapologetically takes us on a ride through hell and make it seem like a version of the Odd Couple.

     Phil is an amazing illustrator and the way he brings this to life visually reminds us not to forget about him or underestimate him. His utilisation of page layouts so we see these angles and perspective in the panels shows off his superb eye for storytelling. The linework here is fantastic as he uses those varying weights to really highlight areas and just add some subtlety that is a wow factor. His own creativity and imagination of those trapped in Hell that the boys have to fight is stellar stuff. This is a ring of Hell and backgrounds don’t always happen but to see them so nicely put into the work really does set the mood, tone and feel as it expands the story.
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     With all the Mishegas that’s going on right now and Marvel disappointing me greatly its nice to see that there are books who and creators who remember that these characters are around, are being used superbly and in the end should make a Midnight Sons ongoing monthly. This is what my Marvel looks like and it makes so incredibly happy.

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Zero Jumper #1

3/29/2018

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Zero Jumper #1
Alterna Comics 2018
By Patrick Mullholland


     An ancient power source that can manipulate space and time is buried deep on a barren world and Juno, the last human, must embark on a dangerous journey to find it. Her mission is simple: go back in time and save humanity from extinction. The cost? Her life.

     When you find a company that puts out a good product you keep going back for more and possibly extend that to other products in the brand. Trust me everything that I have read so far from Alterna Comics has been incredibly solid, interesting and fun. So it should come as no surprise that here I am again with another new series from Alterna.

     I like Science Fiction and it’s a wonderful genre to include all kinds of different stories mostly set in space. We don’t waste any time here in getting into the thick of things. It is a great tactic to go into a story in progress and let join in and learn about Juno on the fly. Seeing her in action and getting to figure out what she’s doing and why as we go along allows Patrick to not only flesh her character out but it also allows him to give us all the background information that we really need. Is it all there?, no of course not but that’s the point.

     The way this is structured is fantastic! From first to last page the ebb & flow of what we see is really extremely well done. I like how we see the use of the technology presented to us and yes this includes that flying robot ball iO. Aw it needs a better name heh but all combined with the suit that she wears, which really makes her look androgynous in appearance it creates this really nice effect. The way they interact with one another shows a bond and friendship that while expected is better than I would’ve imagined. That they seem to be uneducated about where it is they go to retrieve more crystals is an interesting way to go. I’d like to know more about that as the remaining three issues go.

     I’m a huge fan of anyone who can write and illustrate their own story and Patrick is amazing on both counts. The interiors have an almost traditional comic book style to them and it mixes a bit of superhero into things only through visual depiction. The attention to detail is spectacular and the varying weights in the linework do wonders whether they are subtle or bold. The utilisation of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows off a very impressive eye for storytelling. The colours are marvellous and the gradation from bold to soft is impressive to see as is the fact that sometimes it’s just colour and not linework that we see to separate imagery. While I am a huge advocate of backgrounds the way that Patrick utilises them is seriously effective for the storytelling.

     The imagination and creativity we see here is remarkable. From the concept and through it’s execution what we see here makes me incredibly happy as a reader. It is nice to see that someone can come up something original that we haven’t seen before and to use a format of storytelling that is uncommon, not unheard of though, shows that he’s willing to take chances. He has the chops to do things that go against stereotype and make something in this book that vividly captures the imagination of the reader.
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     Witty, fun and suspenseful in some wonderful ways this is a new voice on the horizon and its one the industry needs.

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Goosebumps Download and Die #1

3/28/2018

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Goosebumps: Download and Die! #1
IDW Publishing 2018
Written by Jen Vaughn
Illustrated by Michelle Wong
Coloured by Triona Tree Farrell
Lettered by Christa Miesner


     When Mitra and her two besties find a phone with the latest and greatest technology and apps, they think they are dreaming. But when push (notifications) come to shove, they might be living a nightmare!

     I was a fan of the previous story and I saw no reason I wouldn’t be a fan of this one and I was right. First day of school and best friends Mitra and Kyra meet Flips who is a new student and a gamer. The three girls kind of strike up a brand new friendship, though Mitra seems more put out by Krya’s new interest in the new girl. Now we have no idea when this is supposed to take place and by that I mean how old the girls are and what year they are in at school. I want to say middle school because I don’t see breasts but junior high school would fit too. Regardless the smart unpopular girls just made a new friend who’s like them.

     The writing is fantastic and the structure of the book allowing us to see the ebb & flow which is pretty awesome. While I would almost say the set up is too long it’s really okay because honestly I think that this was the way to go so we could get to see and learn about Mitra. While the three girls are best friends the main focus here on Mitra and what we see happening within these pages it is easy to see why. I like a nice complicated character, one who has unrequited love or maybe just a crush on a girl, anger issues, trust issues and well the whole brother thing yeah Mitra is a girl with a lot issues.

     The gaming angle here is cute and while I do not play video games myself I do know enough about it that what we see here is pretty accurate. Everything that I am seeing here with these girls is Jen at her finest. She nails this in ways I couldn’t even begin to explain it really is something you have to experience. The characterisation, the plot & story advancement is so incredibly strong and entertaining so much so you forget that this primarily a kids book.

     Michelle and Triona’s work on the interiors here is nicely done. It has that all-ages aspect to it and yet there is still that attention to detail that you don’t normally see but it’s greatly appreciated. The utilisation of backgrounds is another aspect not normally seen in all-ages books so that we do here is superb! The use of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a good solid eye for storytelling. There is a lot of character coming from the interiors and it lulls us into this complacency for what is to come.

     Alright so when the L’Objet du Jour arrives and sets Slappy’s plan in motion that’s when things begin to get interesting. Well to be fair I am not sure that this is his plan yet but with his track record it may or may not be a good bet. Regardless I do have to admit, more than after last arc, that I am terribly excited to see what Slappy has in store. I mean his particular brand of crazy evil is utterly delightful and no matter how you slice it he’s the main reason anyone is picking this up. Though the girls and Jen’s writing in every aspect could change all that.
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     Witty, complicated and all kinds of fun this is what comics are all about.  

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Breathless #1

3/28/2018

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Breathless #1
Black Mask Studios 2018
Created & Written by Pat Shand
Created & Illustrated by Renzo Rodriguez
Coloured by Mara Jayne Carpenter
Lettered by Jim Campbell


      Scout Turner works as a cryptozoologist, examining and cataloguing supernatural creatures for scientific purposes. When she discovers the cure for asthma in the venom of a new breed of monster, she quickly finds herself on the run from Kenilworth Pharmaceuticals and the monsters that they've hired to kill her. With no one by her side but her clueless assistant, a morally ambiguous succubus, and her geriatric dog, Scout goes on the run... but in a world controlled by money and drugs, can she escape the reaching claws of a medical monopoly?

     Leave it to Pat to be able to come with something that starts off wildly and turns into something even more unexpected than I could have possibly hoped for. The opening here is fantastic and the whole reveal of who Scout is well that’s something I hadn’t seen coming. But I like it and instantly I believe the audience will connect with her, her attitude and the way she carries herself. Also there really is a nice duality to her that we see quickly as we meet Quincy as well. That kind of familiarity she has with the gate guard well that says more about the kind of person she is than anything else.

     The way this book is structured is fantastic I love the ebb & flow of what we see and even more impressive is the way that we kind of come into the middle of things and there’s absolutely no reaction to the fact that supernatural creatures of myth actually do exist. I like that no backstory needed no explanation of why they are real it just is and that’s that. It makes things so much easier without the need to explain and it is also something completely underrated use of storytelling so I applaud the use of it here.

     The myriad of characters we are introduced to is a signature of Pat’s including his use of prominent females who happen to be lesbians. I love the way that conversation and work mix and match in ways that shouldn’t but do and Gracie-Eisey well honesty we’ve all known someone like her and I'm surprised Scout hasn’t killed her yet. Then add that to the circumstances that set off a major chain reaction here and viola suddenly the word is a lot more dangerous.

     Renzo and Mara Jayne do some absolutely stellar gorgeous work on the interiors. I mean I was immediately drawn to the attention to detail and how much of the panel was used to show off where it was and how it expands the scene. There is a creativity and imagination here that comes through with the creatures and how we see them. The way page layouts are utilised and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows off a great eye for storytelling. I love the way the linework weight varies for the bold to subtle work which helps immensely with that whole attention to detail.

     There’s something about the innocent turn of events that we see here. Granted the biggie ties into the name of the series but from there all that we see has this kind normality to it that you just find fascinating. I love that Scout and Gracie-Eisey go to lunch come back and hell has broken loose and yet neither of them notice a thing is happening around them as the chit-chat all the way. It is so fantastically written and the pacing, timing and depiction of it’s characters all of it. 
     This people is what I have come to expect from Black Mask. This is top level stuff and it seems they are on the cutting edge of comics.

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Ice Cream Man #3

3/27/2018

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Ice Cream Man #3
Image Comics 2018
Written by W. Maxwell Prince
Illustrated by Martin Morazzo
Coloured by Chris O’Halloran
Lettered by Good Old Neon


     “GOOD OL’ FASHIONED VANILLA” In which a washed-up musician finds a sci-fi fantasy world of living lyrics in his basement. Can he write the song that’ll save Harmony City? Or has his milkshake already run dry?

     In some ways I am kind of disappointed in this issue. Oh it is beautifully told and Maxwell really does have a dandy of an imagination and is able to bring it life with aplomb. It is just that I was expecting something a little different and I guess in retrospect this should be what I am expecting, shaking things up a bit. The Ice Cream Man is a nasty piece of work right and well while we aren’t seeing him do anything out of the ordinary other than entering a diner’s business and selling his wares you can’t help but wonder.

     Maxwell continues to impress me with his ability to structure this book. Solid fully told, see realised, stories in one issue that isn’t oversized yeah that is something nice to see. It really makes me feel like this is the modern version of House of Secrets, House of Mystery and the Witching Hour where a complete tale can be done exceptionally well. Now that I have had more time to think about it I do believe that cruelty comes in many forms and the Ice Cream Man definitely has fun putting people through their paces even if there is no bloodshed.

     I enjoyed the way the story flowed through the pages as we open up in the past as Bud Hickey and his Rock All the Time song has rocketed it’s way up the charts. Before Elvis and before the Rock invasion took a firm hold there Bud and this song. Now is another story and the way we see it well that’s something else entirely. I love the fact that Vinyl Records are back in fashion, they sound so much better than CD’s or internet music, where they rely too much open electronics to make them sound good. So that a young man is holding up the record and saying he that man over there is Bud based off the Album cover. This is how the story really gets under way.

     Martin and Chris do some stellar work on the interiors here. I think the way that they use the present and up to date Diner complete with the black and white tile mosaic going on mirrors the past where Bud was young, handsome and the kids all dressed to leave the house. The attention to detail here is exceptional and the varying weight of the linework is superbly done. That backgrounds are utilised as much and as well as they are we really get that sense of what’s going on. The use of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows off a truly magnificent eye for storytelling.

     There is something extraordinary about what Bud goes through here after the Ice Cream Man gives him a good ol’ fashioned Vanilla cone. So I couldn’t imagine this happening and as the characters are revealed and all them well you’ll have to read this to see but they all match the whole genre aspect of the book beyond compare. I think that had what he was going through would have been good for him and his now fractured mind. Instead this is the Ice Cream Man at his dirtiest and again to understand why you NEED to read this book.
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     A modern version of the old fashioned one and done horror books that made us cringe with excitement and thrill at the creativity and mind of those who brought it to life.  

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Squarriors vol.2 #3

3/27/2018

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Squarriors vol.2 #3
Devil’s Due/First Comics 2016
Created, Written & Layouts by Ash Maczko
Illustrated & Lettered by Ashley Witter


Crash and Zeezee stumble upon a ferocious new predator, Ghost continues to stalk the dark halls of the Tin Kin shelter, and Pepper and the Cikudah tribe join forces with the Tin Kin and prepare for the arrival of their enemy.

First and foremost I will say this while I was sad that Ashley lost the files on the computer it was damn well worth the wait for this! Right off the bat I was welcomed back into this world with open arms, as I was attacked by claws and teeth. I am thrilled to see Edgar again and to learn this time that he and his mother aren’t alone any more. It really does make things start off on the right path because haven’t seen Sarge and Lady haven’t begun talking yet. So the timeline of events for the ten year period are still undefined and explorable. Also that Edgar has himself a girlfriend so is the end of the human race really that far off?

I am beginning to see far beyond what Ash is doing here and as I have said before that’s the sign of a great writer. I mean I see how the Tin Tin Tribe is working together and I see how the influence of the way they lived before this. The characteristics of being a ground squirrel is they were already familiar with social living only now with the ability to speak and are wearing clothing, fashioning weapons and defending territory they’ve inadvertently become human like. Does the enhancement of the mind automatically mean human like behaviour? I don’t know but as humans we superimpose that when we bring it to life, look at Planet of the Apes for example, so maybe or maybe its survival of the fittest at its’ finest.

     So far we really have been treated to the Tin Tin Tribe and their struggles so much so that they’ve become like family to the reader. We have our favourites and when things get tense or start to look troubles knocking at the door we begin to worry that they might not make it. This is a war they are fighting and there’s no guarantee who will live and who will die and while that’s natural in ever way possible. So that Ash has brought them to life in words, deeds and actions you have a problem not getting emotionally invested.

     Speaking of emotionally invested miss Ashley and the work she does here I mean was there any chance whatsoever that we weren’t going to fall in love with these characters? The attention to detail in how the fur ruffles or the tails and whiskers or the fact that you can almost see a soul in the eyes just amazes me. Plus the utilisation of backgrounds here makes everything just that much better and it expands the story perfectly. Plus the way that the work on the page is shown so that the backgrounds are slightly out of focus or softer in appearance is how the eye works naturally and to have that kind of perspective is stunning to me.

     Team Ash works in concert with one another like no other can and it’s extremely obvious to me that this is a passion project. The world they have created and how we see it through their eyes and our own not only make this one to watch but one that breaks all the rules we know about comics. Intense, violent and socially relevant this is what happens when animals stop playing nice and things get real.  Next could a new ally be all that's needed to turn the tide?  

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Pacific Rim Aftermath #3

3/26/2018

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Pacific Rim Aftermath #3
Legendary Entertainment 2018
Written by Cavan Scott
Illustrated by Richard Elson
Back Up Illustrated by Beni Lobel
Coloured by Guy Major
Back Up Colours by Christopher Sotomayor
Lettered by John Roshell, Jimmy Betancourt & Sarah Jacobs of Comicraft


     Santa Monica, 2034. In a city that was once the jewel of the west coast, a new world has emerged: one rising up from the ashes of giant robots and giant monsters. New Jaegers rise up from the wreckage of the scrapyards as local crime lords turn humanity's saviours into street enforcers. As factions vie for control of the underworld, new threats emerge. Jake continues to explore the drift and his father's life, opening old wounds and inflicting new ones as he faces the Pentecost legacy!

     I like that this is not too far removed from the film so that the characters are pretty easily identified and yet far enough to see the ravages of time from the experience. One of the things this can do that the film franchise cannot is it can delve deeper in their persona’s and explore feelings and inadequacies that are found in this new world, supposedly free of the Kaiju.

      Now we’ve seen the finding of the graveyard and the repurposing of the Jaegers for private profit by the Ukrainian woman. Not to mention that is how we open up this issue and by the gods its glorious. Human nature cannot stand to be left aside and if there is something out there that someone can use to their advantage they will beg, borrow or steal it. Greed is the ultimate motivator and let’s face it that’s just a cold hard fact. So to see it used here unapologetically is great and it’s nice to know that the more that changes the more things stay the same.

     The way this book is structured is strong and well conceived. I like the flow of the story through it’s pages and how we get that chance to see just what is going on around here. I like that the action doesn’t seem gratuitous and plays a role in the story itself as much as the character development does. Joshua isn’t the only one here who needs some intense characterisation because there are now plenty of characters introduced and returning here. Among them is Chau and how his arc is going to tie into Joshua’s is one I look forward to seeing.

     Richard is laying down so superb interior artwork here. The attention to detais spectacular and the varying weight of the linework that we see allows for everything from subtle and delicate to bold and in your face. Then there is the utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels all of which show off a talented eye for storytelling. There are some magnificent backgrounds in use here and I love seeing that, whether it’s a small space or open square what we see works beautifully to expand the story and make the city a part of the story. Guy has always been amazing but there are moments here he goes so far above and beyond even what I am used to seeing from him and Chau’s face for example stunning stuff.

     Cavan is among my new favourite writers and I say that only because I discovered his work over at Titan and he’s just impressed me with not only his ability but the sheer talent he has to really portray the characters, use the backdrop as a part of the story and the fact he has the innate ability to get the reader to care about what is going on makes him a solid bet. He does that here as well by weaving the different arcs around the book and showing us that the action isn’t what the book needs to rely upon.
​

     Twists and turns abound within these pages and they take us on a journey both familiar and fresh as a daisy. The Kaiju are really gone but how they come back well that’s something else entirely, will you be here to find out? I know I will.

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