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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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Punks Not Dead #2

3/31/2019

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Punks Not Dead #2
Black Crown/IDW Publishing 2019
Written by David Barnett
Illustrated by Martin Simmonds
Colour Flatting by Dee Cunniffe
Lettered by Aditya Bidikar

     In the spirit of awkward house calls, Fergie and Sid’s urgent quest for Fergie’s long-absent father finds them holed up in a dilapidated London boozer… where they meet some unwelcome old enemies and make an interesting new friend. Back in Preston, Dorothy Culpepper of The Department of Extra-Usual Affairs gets a proper wallop and Fergie’s mom Julie and kinda-girlfriend Natalie end up with blood on their hands. The spirit of ’77 is alive by night with power chords and psychic grenades in London Calling: “To the Faraway Towns.”

     This is one of those series that really comes at you and takes you but complete surprise with not only how innovative and different it is but also just how imaginative and creative it is as well. This is one of the absolute best ghost story style stories that defies the genre and is what Men In Black wanted to be but couldn’t achieve. Let’s face it Sid really is one of those people, like Bettie Page, who we knew but didn’t know and the jury is still out on how much but hey that’s okay. Because in all honesty it’s more fun to imagine based on what we know rather than not assume anything at all.

     I love what David is doing with this. It is more than just Fergie and Sid there’s Fergie’s mom and Natalie who have their own troubles plus we’ve got Dorothy and Asif as well. There are also some fringe elements that are also in play so essentially the layered story arcs that will possibly cross paths at some unknown and undisclosed time and location make for some truly interesting moments. The fact that this many different yet related arcs are happening simultaneously and are integral to one another showcases this ability, see talent, for being able to write and keep things going without the reader ever forgetting what is going on at any moment. It is one of those talents to have too and this ties into the characterisation as well because each of the people that we have met and continue to meet is fleshed out beautifully so that they are continually growing and evolving as people.

     The interiors here really are beautiful. I love Dee and the work he does and though he’s only flatting here gotta say the contribution is greatly appreciated. I have to say that I am cannot get over the strength of the linework here. If Dorothy isn’t some immortal monster who sold her soul a long time ago I would be completely surprised but then the lines we see in her face are where most the character comes into play and it’s both gorgeous and hideous. There is this wild creativity and imagination here and not just in the characters or the setting but in how we see page layouts and the angles and perspective in the panels as well. Granted I want a lot more backgrounds but somehow the way the visuals work I'm not sure that’s actually possible.

     Now there are few things that I am more than I thought I would and seeing and hearing the dialogue between Asir and his boyfriend is among them. The relationships that are going on here have been extremely entertaining and as twisted as they are I look forward to seeing where they lead next. I mean Fergie has more game than he realises and while it seems he’s got nothing going for him, he sees it that way, and while I would love to see him take a dude up on an offer he’s the almost perfect kind of clueless.
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     With bold, innovative storytelling in both words and visuals this is what storytelling should be all about.
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The Cyber Spectre #2

3/30/2019

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The Cyber Spectre #2
Scout Comics 2018
Written & Created by Richard Emms
Illustrated by Randy Green with Ale Garza
Coloured by Oracle


     Delving deeper into the underworld of New Camden, Kiri discovers that her confidant, a man calling himself Zero-One, has more than his fair share of inner demons and introduces her to Operation Dawn, a team of battled scarred degenerates, who live for danger after being 'exposed' by the Corporation.

     The pluses and minuses of small press companies is that at times they need to hit the Kickstarter circuit too. So it’s been a hot minute since we’ve see the last issue of this series but I think I am okay with the wait considering how much I am enjoying the story. Also this is one of those books where as soon as you pick it up and look at it the previous issues flood back and it’s like no time at all has past. I love books like this because sometimes delays are inevitable but when it’s good it’s good enough to wait for and when it’s this good you remember the full story and don’t have to go back and re-read the previous issues.

     I like the way that this is being structured. That during the arc we see events happen in real time instead of jumping around to later and having to backtrack the story is the way things should be. It should be like watching a soap opera where every issue picks up where the previous left off. And yes that’s as unrealistic in comics as it is in soaps but this way while it may only be 12 days in the year that’s okay (it is also how the characters never age) because they can do more in a year that we’ll dream of being able to.

     The characterisation here is pretty darn interesting. The more we see the characters the more we see them act, interact and react to situations which does as much for fleshing them out as does the dialogue we see. There is so much here to enjoy and last issue we were introduced to new characters and I think the way that’s been weeded down is nicely done. Sometimes an army isn’t what’s needed instead just a small group is all it takes to topple someone. I think that we are seeing what is going to be a strong group of people working together as we look towards the future.

      The art team on the interiors here is doing some stellar work here. In a book like this the colour work is just as important if not more so than usual. The futuristic setting with all the technology, gadgets and gear mean that lights, colours and such are going to play such an important role in how we view this and what that accomplishes here is blowing me away. The attention to detail that we’re seeing is something that I love to see. Right off the bat the brickwork of the building, the way that head well explodes and all the small touches that most for granted I see here and that’s what really makes this stand out. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show this amazing eye for storytelling. The way backgrounds are utilised here is fantastic and helps to really enhance the moments while also providing a great sense of size and scope to the story.
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      Richard really has layered this story with different factions all at play simultaneously and what that does is make the reader try to put the pieces together somehow. So we’re actively using our own imaginations to make sense of what is going on which in turn means we need to come back and see if we’re even in the ballpark. The interactiveness between story and reader is something that every writer should aspire to and it happens here with some marvellous results.  ​
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Sharkey the Bounty Hunter #2

3/30/2019

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Sharkey the Bounty Hunter #2
Image Comics 2019
Written by Mark Millar
Illustrated by Simone Bianchi
Lettered by Peter Doherty


     Sharkey and his sidekick are racing through space, hunting for Edra Deering—the terrorist fugitive with a huge bounty on her head. But they’re not the only hunters with Edra in their sights, and the competition will stop at nothing to throw Sharkey’s mission off course.

     Okay so we all know that Extra-Billy is going to be Sharkey’s sidekick except for Sharkey himself. So the fact that we are seeing this process unfold before us is pretty darn nice. Mark is laying this one out in such a way that while it feels inevitable nothing is quite guaranteed. Still it is nice to see Extra-Billy being able to extract different aspects of personality from Sharkey. Back to a point I wanted to make, the way that this is structured and the ebb & flow of the story feels normal to me like it has this great authentic natural feel to it, especially with Sharkey not wanting to miss out on this bounty and keeping the kid with him instead of dropping him off!

     I find this a little ironic, for me totally, as usually when a kid enters a story it’s about time to end the run. Which is exactly what we’ve seen throughout television history, the old adage never work with kids or animals in full display. However Sharkey seems to me to be some Smokey like character that blends Burt Reynolds and Elvis Presley so I highly doubt that there is no one or nothing that could make him falter or turn his adventures sour.

     I was going to say the way characters were being introduced, but I can’t say that because we have seen them before in the first issue. However to see them pop up here and come face to face with Sharkey and trying to use Extra-Billy as some leverage well that was interesting to say the least. It is like the kid has some sort of homing device on him so that every single bounty hunter out there is capable of walking right on up to them. I’m not saying that’s true but that locket he wants fixed...and here is where my mind goes beyond what we see presented on the page. So yeah I am thinking of possible scenarios and that means I am in and there’s no escape for me.

     Oh my goodness I cannot believe the work that Simone is doing here. I mean seeing Extra-Billy’s face in the stars of space that Holy F moment if there was one. I am always in awe of his work, seeing the linework, the travelling space RV for example, to keep things interesting, identifiable and appropriately I mean come on now this bloody stupendous stuff. The creativity and imagination that is on display here and the pure mix of The Village People amped up to nearly unstoppable kink levels it’s freaking mesmerising. The utilisation of the page layouts nad how we see th angles and perspective in the panels show us on the best set of eyes for storytelling today. Even the colour work here keeps the reader guessing and with the light sources changing colours along the way we never know what to expect next and above all else what more do you want?
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     The story & plot development here is great and how the pacing helps it along while we get to see more and more personality emerge from the characters is like a dream come true. Mark has been responsible for some of the most iconic and classic series in my memorable history and while they’ve most been dark, gritty and ever so violent I do believe that this one is probably the best of the best. There is so much more than meets the eye here and I want to see and explore every dark corner, heck even the bright ones, in this galaxy alongside the Fuck Knuckle, whatever that is!
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Betty and Veronica Friends Forever Pets #1

3/29/2019

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Betty and Veronica Friends Forever Pets #1
Archie Comics 2019
Written by Bill Golliher
Pencilled by Dan Parent
Inked by Rich Koslowski
Coloured by Glenn Whitmore
Lettered by Jack Morelli


     Betty and Veronica aren’t just each other’s BFFs, they also have some furry friends as well—and in this collection of off-the-wall and heart-warming stories put those pets in the spotlight!

    This one almost escaped my notice and wholeheartedly thank the folks at Archie because without them I wouldn’t have found this. Also I hadn’t noticed that I needed this as badly as I did until I finished reading it. I have no idea what it is about this classic version of Archie that makes me smile and feel good but time and time again that’s exactly what it does. I felt like some a weight had been lifted and I was smiling and all because of this one single off of a book.

     The way each story is structured and how it’s placed in the order it is is beautifully done. Seeing classic Veronica not wanting to sully her hands by helping restock the new fridge but is willing to go overboard in the search for Caramel is genius. There is something about Veronica that we love and just find that incredibly endearing even when she is in high society mode. By that I mean referencing her lifestyle at Lodge Manor at every possible moment. Yet seeing her best friend distraught sends her into I don’t know how to help so I’ll go way too far and the audience is going to crack up as a result. Also it’s the perfect way to introduce the issue and to get the reader to want to continue.

     That is all I'm giving you here too. I should also mention as I've been writing this I have had Animal Cribs which airs on Animal Planet on while doing this. So the symmetry in my life couldn’t get any more weird. The characterisation throughout all four stories is amazing to see. It always has these elements of their personalities and while at times they soften and others harden what we see is the absolute classic version of our Riverdale’s most famous teenage girls. Between Betty and Veronica, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Josie and the Pussycats I think Riverdale and the Archie line have had the strongest female leads around I mean after all as long as they’ve been around and in every medium you can imagine that’s not a stretch to believe.

     So Dan is one of those artists known for his particular style which yes is geared towards this all-ages Archie work but by branching out to other characters or doing convention sketches for folks you see the range he has all while keeping that distinct style. Also yeah that we see backgrounds being utilised like we do makes me so incredibly happy. There is even that opportunity to see his creativity and imagination on display, in this issue it’s mostly centred around pets so you’ll have to get the issue to really understand why I love it but hey.

     The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show off an amazing eye for storytelling. Now with Rich on Inks and Glenn on colours they help to make what we see as visually rich as possible, and by that I mean with the linework and colour saturation. To make the reader happy just by looking is something each of them has in their repertoire and together it’s near perfection.
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     All-ages books are something that need to be more in fashion. With the success of the television show and the new line of books, introducing kids and other adults to these classic versions should be an absolute given. Want a happy feel good book that safe to leave on the living room coffee table then try leaving a copy of this and see what kind of magic can happen, family bonding never looked better.   ​
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Bad Luck Chuck #1

3/29/2019

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Bad Luck Chuck #1
Dark Horse Comics 2019
Written by Lela Gwenn
Illustrated by Matthew Dow Smith
Coloured by Kelly Fitzpatrick
Lettered by Frank Cvetkovic


     She'll need more than a rabbit's foot to get through this. Cursed at birth, Charlene ''Chuck'' Manchester hires out her own bad luck, providing disaster where someone else can profit. She can get you that insurance payout fortune—for a price. But bad luck doesn't always go as planned, and when Chuck gets stuck between a dissatisfied crime boss client , a cult leader, and a dogged insurance-fraud investigator, things get….explosive. Everything that could go wrong does—and only about half of it by accident.

     I really wasn’t all that sure what to expect from this and the fact that she goes by Chuck is just sensational to me. To see names crossing boundaries like we are is fantastic and honestly it did have me fooled at first. Still I was intrigued by the fact that someone could have this bad luck ability and be smart enough to figure a way to cash in on it. Lela impressed the hell out of me with the story here and how it’s being told. This is my introduction to Lela and I will admit that if this arc continues to be this good then she’s won me over and made a full fledged fan out of me.

     I like the way that this is structured. The opening is definitely interesting and grabs the attention mainly because it’s odd. Chuck walks us through the laundromat as w see something electrical go wrong and that starts a fire which burns it down. Okay so this does a great job of garnering interest and then it made me think, thinking is definitely something that I feel is essential to good storytelling. It causes the reader to go beyond what they see on the page and whether it’s trying to rationalise what happens around Chuck or what they would do in her situation it means that you’ve become invested in the book whether you realise it or not.  Plus the way this story is layered with different avenues happening simultaneously makes me want to do a little jig.

     I am a huge Matthew Dow Smith fan. I love his work and the way he has this wonderful set of hands from which he can create this amazing attention to detail using the varying weights of the linework. Right from the get-go we see the small attention to detail here in the laundromat and it’s not just the usual we see the directions on the machine here and it’s that authenticity that is what we want to see and sometimes take for granted. Later at the “Church” what we see is just as innovative and fresh as the opening it takes you there. The work stands on it’s own two feet so well we could follow the story without ever seeing a word.

     The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show off an amazing eye for storytelling. Then there is the way that we see backgrounds being utilised makes me happy though I could be happier by seeing more. Seriously though it’s great and really does expand the story so incredibly well. I do like the colour work here as well. The way that light sources and shading are handled is extremely well done.

     So while this is about Charlie and her finding a way to monetise this bad luck it is also a way to expand how we see death happen in the most peculiar of ways. Honestly it is almost like seeing those Final Destination films in the creative and imaginative way thing happen. I will say with the pacing is done, the story & plot development and characterisation make the characters come to life alongside this delightful interior artwork this is definitely my kind of dark humoured fun!
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Neon Future #1

3/29/2019

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Neon Future #1
Impact Theory 2019
Story by Jim Krueger, Tom Bilyeu, Steve Aoki, Matt Colo
Samantha Levenshus & Dana Brewer
Written by Jim Krueger & Tom Bilyeu
Pencilled by Neil Edwards & Jheremy Raapack
Inked by Keith Champagne
Coloured by Abraham Lee
Lettered by Clem Robins


     The world is in the grips of an economic crisis. Due to mass unemployment, advanced technology has been outlawed. The world is now divided between those with implanted technology and those without. When the world's most famous anti-tech crusader dies and is resurrected using the illegal technology he has sworn to eliminate, he must decide who to fight with his terrifying new powers.

     There is a concept here that I think is really nicely thought out. I feel as if seeing it in these pages the fact that when man is in trouble he creates something to get himself out of it, then seeing that this solution isn’t working he then condemns it and so fully is just a stunning revelation of human nature on display here. Men filled with greed create and tell the public it’s for them then when they need to change their tune and the sheeple that is the public get riled up in blind rage, kind of what I see happening now, it gets dangerous.

      So what these fine folks do here is drop us right in the middle of a feud that’s been going on for a while now. So yes, we get that sense of the background information throughout the story and the actions that are taken and that’s fantastic. I enjoy the way that the bits and pieces allow the reader to extrapolate their own version of what happened in the past. It is done this way so that it engages the reader and encourages them to keep reading, to become invested in the story and Jim knows how to do this with the best of the best of them.

     I adore the way that this is structured. The ebb & flow of the book really is sensational and the way that we see the events happen, the way that things are revealed and the way it is able to bring us that vision of this world so clearly is truly amazing. There is another aspect to this story that I will not reveal but in it’s way is both obvious and genius all at the same time and I ask you how often that dichotomy is able to stand firm?

     The interiors here blew me away. I love how the linework is utilised here through it’s varying weights and how that is then turned into all this attention to detail which grips the reader so intensely. The first panel on the second page is what got me over-the-moon excited to see what else is going on here visually. There is an intensity and drama to the work that doesn’t even need words to describe what is happening. By the way this includes the colour work as well because i’ll be damned if that monitor didn’t just pop in the right way. The utilisation of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels really show us this seasoned and miraculous eye for storytelling. In this type of book there aren’t enough utilisation of backgrounds pure and simple. When we see them they are instrumental to the story, the moment and providing that size and scope of the world. Also throughout this book the colours that we see which are breathtaking.

     What I really like is that while this isn’t going to change the world it does stand out from the crowd. It is this whole culmination of extremely talented folks who came together at that right moment in time to produce something extraordinaire. Strong writing, characterisation, story & plot development along with this pacing and interior artwork say hey here we are and we aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

     Welcome to the Industry Impact Theory, I look forward to seeing what you have in store for us!
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Dial H For Hero #1

3/28/2019

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Dial H For Hero #1
DC Comics 2019
Written by Sam Humphries
Illustrated by Joe Quinones
Lettered by Dave Sharpe


     Miguel, a teen daredevil, becomes the newest wielder of the Hero Dial-a rotary phone-like device that grants the user superpowers for one hour when they dial H-E-R-O. Will he rise as a new hero in the DC Universe or crumble under the weight of responsibility the dial thrusts upon him?

     Now I have come to accept that I am old, though age may be a state of mind I still remember seeing it’s run in Adventure Comics, which led me to the House of Mystery run. This was so much fun for a number of reasons but the Adventure run had the distinction of fans creating names and powers to be used with the Dial and I loved that. Should know Marv Wolfman has always been a genius in my opinion. Then in Superboy and the Ravers we saw the Dial again only with another new wielder so the character or more accurately the Dial has been a part of my comics reading and enjoyment for almost forty years now.

     I am a fan of Sam’s and his writing and that along with that desire to see just what was going to go on with the Dial drove me right to this. While I am not terribly sure that this Wonder Comics line is to be taken seriously or not but I would really like to see this be a part of the mainstream again, it is one of the most unique and interesting aspects in comics. I was hooked right from the opening here where we see Miguel being flown to the hospital by Superman. This opening demonstrates beautifully something so many folks understand and that’s a near-death experience can have a profound effect on ones life going forward.

     In this case Miguel becomes a mini-daredevil sort, and in this day and age where folks do stunts while filming it and posting it to Youtube and the like well it’s almost normal. Still the characterisation here is so gosh darn good and it’s immediate which is almost scary that Sam is able to bring us this clear as day picture of what Miguel is like since that event as a little kid. It serves another purpose as well and I have to say that this should be self evident but if not then I highly suggest you read it and take hard look because it makes complete sense to me why Miguel of all people.

     Joe’s interiors are pretty nice to see. There is an all-ages quality to them which being that he’s a teenager is kind of appropriate. Other than that I am liking the way Joe is utilising the varying weights of the linework and coming up with this really strong attention to detail. Also the colour work is impressive as well as we get to see some interesting pops of neon alongside some wonderful use of shading, gradation and use of light sources. As an added bonus that he’s able to bring a completely different style of artwork to the pages after using the dial was a stunning wow moment for me. This look while reminding me of the 90’s stuff it is absolutely bloody fantastic. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels, alongside the way backgrounds are utilised show us this strong eye for storytelling.
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      All things considered this is a crazy-cool first issue. We get a portion of an origin story, still plenty left unsaid to still be explored and the beginning of a new chapter in the life of not one but two teenagers. With stellar characterisation, an interesting array of characters being introduced and pacing that allows for the story & plot development to move forward smoothly. Alongside this interior artwork this book is full of surprises, twists and turns that will thrill you regardless of age, gender or what you know of the Dial’s past!
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Sabrina the Teenage Witch #1

3/28/2019

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​Sabrina the Teenage Witch #1
Archie Comics 2019
Written by Kelly Thompson
Illustrated by Veronica & Andy Fish
Lettered by Jack Morelli


     Sabrina is a teen witch who’s struggling with balancing the double life of high school and her burgeoning powers. Newly relocated to Greendale with her aunts Hilda and Zelda (also witches), Sabrina is trying to make the best of being the new girl in town which so far includes two intriguing love interests, an instant rivalry, a couple of misfits that could turn into BFFs, and trying to save the high school (and maybe the world) from crazy supernatural events. NBD!

     So with the success Sabrina has seen of late with her starting the Zombie Apocalypse, getting featured in her own short lived horror title that traversed to a Netflix live action television show, she now makes her return to the regular Archie line of books. With the Archie line taking over as if things are brand new it’s nice to see the same treatment coming from this as well. Sabrina’s first day at her new school in Greendale and starting from scratch while we see her with all her usual teenage angst about it.

     I like it though because what Kelly is doing with that angst is something anyone who has ever transferred schools is going to understand all too well. Of course add into all that the whole magic aspect and well you know trouble of a different kind will also follow. So yeah there really is a lot on Sabrina’s plate and to see that even a teenage witch can get nervous and all out of sorts well it’s a refreshing thing to see. The characterisation here is sensationally well done. How honest we are seeing this with her guard down, at least for us, definitely makes us able to relate to her all that much more.

     The way that this is structured is great. From the getting up to following her through her day the entire ebb & flow of the book feels normal, relaxed and completely unpredictable for Sabrina. This was a darn near perfect first issue to start things off and it will thrill long time fans of the character as well as those filtering in from the Netflix show. I love that feeling that everything is brand new yet completely familiar and that we get a chance to get to know them all for the first time all over again. Including a couple characters I am not too familiar with myself.

     Veronica and Andy make such a great team on the interiors which comes as no surprise after all. The opening where we get to see this amazing book start off with that creativity and imagination in full on horror view is amazing! I love seeing the linework here and how it’s varying weights are utilised throughout to create this lovely attention to detail. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show us this marvellous eye for storytelling. The way that backgrounds are utilised is wonderful to see as it enhances the moment and brings us a nice sense of size and scope to the book. The colour work is utterly delightful and how the colour can be used in Sabrina’s hair to create the full look is stunning.
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     I really like this issue. The characterisation, the story & plot development and the overall mood, tone and feel that everyone who works on this has created deserves a ton of appreciation. This is the way you want to come into a book and start fresh and feel like being in on the ground floor is so important. With a great sense of trepidation and horror coming from different directions we already know this is going to be one heck of a great time!
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Queen of Bad Dreams #1 Advance Review

3/27/2019

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Queen of Bad Dreams #1 Advance Review
Vault Comics 2019
On Sale 04/24/19
Written by Danny Lore
Illustrated by Jordi Perez
Coloured by Dearbhla Kelly
Lettered by Kim McLean


     When a dream entity known as a figment emerges from a dreamer's mind, it's Daher's job as an Inspector Judge to track them down and make the call: reinsert the figment, or grant them agency in our world. After an especially powerful figment escapes the dreams of an even more powerful politician's son, Daher is pulled headlong into an investigation that traces all the way back to the incident that sent dreams, even nightmares, spilling into our reality.

     Alright so going into this I was a little weirded out by the opening because I didn’t know what was going on. The narration too was interesting and it took me a while to figure out what or rather who was doing the recanting of this story. On the plus side since I was weirded out I wanted to know more about what the hell was going on and that’s a great thing. I love that this opening is unconventional and different so that it requires the reader to think, to follow and figure out, on their own, what is happening here. Bloody effin Brilliant!

     Danny does a sensational job with the way that this book is structured. I love that we start off in the middle somewhere in a world that has already been established. There is no need to backtrack or try to cover too much ground, nope we’re stuck in the middle (with you). Danny has found a great way to engage the reader here and get them mentally involved with the story as we watch it unfold before us. I like the way that characters are introduced to us as it has that all important organic feel to it so the flow is natural and forced, there is no square peg in a round hole here. The ebb & flow is superb and the more we see the more we want to see because we don’t know enough and we want to know more, knowledge is power after all and knowing is half the battle.

     This also leads very nicely into the discussion of the characterisation that we are seeing. There are a couple of characters who seem rather stiff as if trying to find their voice was harder than expected and luckily one is supposed to be retiring. Some take more time to warm up to but once we do and see their point of view and have that chance to really get to know them I found myself liking them and appreciating what they are about here.

     Jordi’s linework here is rather nice. I love seeing someone get to unleash their creativity and imagination and in this book that is as important as it gets. So making these creatures come to life with Dearbhla looks like fun, well it looks like they are having fun with it and by extension us as the reader has fun looking at it. I love when backgrounds are utilised here, this world and this corporation and advance technology science fiction-esque so I want to see more of them, in as panels as humanly possible. There is so much potential here so don’t leave us hanging with blank backgrounds I beg of thee. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show us a very, very nice solid eye for storytelling. Dearbhla knocks the colour work out of the park here and I love how she can make moments pop with a single object as a focal point. The shading and utilisation of light sources are consistent and lovely and that we see the skin tones vary as much as we do the hair colour well it’s just so complimentary.
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     Vault isn’t flashy, they are laid back with this chill air of hey we got the good stuff over here, check it out if ya want. It is very much something that with each new wave of books that come out we are drawn deeper and deeper into their ever so interesting web where even the fly doesn’t want to leave. This is a great start to a series and you’ve got time I believe to contact your store or service and order yours now.
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Major Holmes & Captain Watson #1

3/27/2019

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Major Holmes & Captain Watson #1
Cloudwrangler Comics 2019
Written by Jeff Rider
Illustrated by Carlos Cabaleiro
Coloured by Anthony Lee
Lettered by Rachel Deering


     When Major Sheffield Holmes, nephew to the great detective, and his mysterious American partner Capt. Imogen Watson solve a grisly murder in London’s East End in 1914, they uncover a dark cabal that threatens to destroy the Holmes family and plunge the world into global war!

     So this folks right here took me by surprise and made me want to see more! I got this at C2E2 at a table the guys had and I knew some, because of past reviews and emails, and I thought this looks interesting. They wanted to tell me about it and I said don’t I wanna be surprised and boy was I! It isn’t easy to put a stamp on a character or franchise and make it your own. So by expanding the Holmes family and introducing us to a nephew as the main the character here well that is a stellar way to do a mystery with a Holmes, and Watson, without mucking about with the original who is very much set in a certain mould.

     Jeff does more than a sensational job here and with this being my introduction to his work I have to say that I am mightily impressed. This is LGBT friendly as you will see reading this and it has adult situations, nudity—which needed a full frontal. There are a number of things about this that I found fascinating chief among them is that this is set in 1914. This is the proper era for it and so there isn’t a need to “update” it for the present and to me shows a kind of courage because it is really easy to place it in the “now” because your aren’t familiar with speech patterns or wordage. So yeah this is what I live for in terms of authenticity of the Holmes family.

     The way the book is structured is fantastic! There is a really nice flow to the sequences that we see here. This helps the reader be able to follow along get pulled into the story and fall for the conveniences of the era. The opening is bloody marvellous and it’s something that will definitely capture your attention that’s for damn sure. It will pique your curiosity to keep if nothing else. I like the way the characters are introduced to us, it doesn’t feel overwhelming by too many too quickly but rather ties into the flow I mentioned earlier and again shows off Jeff’s skill for writing and storytelling.

     The interiors here are really rather amazingly well done. There are moments when I am not sure how the panel got to look like it does, seeming stretched is the best way for me to describe it, and it does add a little something, something to the way it’s told. The linework here is so nice, strong and sure feeling and I like it as it can be delicate when called for but overall it gives off the strong masculine hand that isn’t afraid to utilise the space. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show off this spectacular eye for storytelling. The way that backgrounds are utilised expand the moments and show a nice feeling of size and scope to the book. The colour work here is really nice as well. There is some absolutely beautiful use of shading and gradation here also in defining some characters personalities with their attire. Together these two really put a nice mark on this visually.

     The pacing and the characterisation couldn’t have been done any better than how we see it here. The idea is surprisingly, as in why hasn’t anyone done this before, good and the way we get to see it all is seriously fun. Along with these incredibly strong interiors make this one that you are going to need to find a way to get your hands on one! The dynamic between the two leads will interesting to see play out and if how they already bounce off one another then I am really looking forward to seeing what Jeff has in store.

     This is why I walk the convention floor and look at everything so I can GEMS like I have here!  So head on over to https://cloudwranglercomics.com/  and see what they've got!
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