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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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The Shape of Elvira #02

4/28/2019

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The Shape of Elvira #02
Dynamite Entertainment 2019
Written by David Avallone
Illustrated by Fran Strukan
Coloured by Maxim Simic
Lettered by Taylor Esposito


     Filming begins on Elvira’s gill monster romance, and she has some questions about her scaly paramour. Why doesn’t he ever speak? Why is he never out of makeup? The Mistress of the Dark discovers that “Love Means Never Having to Say You’re Soggy”, in the second ridiculous issue of this special four-part miniseries.

     Oh much fun is this series so far?!? I love the fact that David can take the mystique and persona that is Elvira and turn into something campy yet serious at the same time. That is a dichotomy you will not find very often and that he’s capable of that should tell you about his mad skills as a writer. This feels so much like one of those films you’ll find on say Svengoolie and I couldn’t be any more into this. This is the kind of series that you take when you learn Elvira is going to be a convention near you and have her sign them.

     The way that the story is structured so the overall ebb & flow of the story and release or reveal of information is smoother than The Macallan 25 year old Sherry Oak. While this is only a limited series the story needs to keep moving and the opening doesn’t waste any time. I like it because it has that grab your attention factor that will, should, pull someone in as well picking right up where the previous issue left off. There really are so many quality aspects to this book and it centre’s around David’s writing and the talent and skill he possesses.

     The way that this book is layered is rather exceptional as well. The idea that this is a film being made about a the Gill-Man starring Elvira as his love interest is definitely fun. Then to see these other people hanging about in that all too mysterious kind of way and with those in the ending which by the way made me crack-up we begin to see the more than meets eye aspects of what’s going on. David really slips that in and almost tries to keep in the background and yet also front and centre. There is a lot of great skill, talent and ideas being done on this story and it makes this stand out.

     I do love the interiors here. Fran’s linework is crisp, clean and shows a solid hand and the way he is able to bring out the attention to detail here is utterly fantastic. While yes I would like to see more utilisation of backgrounds but with this quality of work I’ll let some of that slide because we do a fair amount. This leads into the way Fran manages to construct a panel and how we see that being utilised and I have to say that along with the utilisation of the page layouts and the angles and perspective we see show this really superb eye for storytelling. How we see the characters come to life visually and how he adds some extra characterisation using facial expressions really is a treat. The colour work here too is really well done. I love the way light sources are utilised for shading and the use of shadows. I’d like to see a tad more colour gradation but when the colours are muted or bright depending on the scene is expertly done.
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     There is this whole art imitating life thing that is going on here and there aren’t too many opportunities to say something like this any longer and mean it in a way that is correct. That this creative team is putting out such a complex, gorgeous and interesting story take Elvira to new heights and believe me you, you want to be a part of it!

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Ghost Tree #1

4/27/2019

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Ghost Tree #1
IDW Publishing 2019
Written by Bobby Curnow
Illustrated by Simon Gane
Coloured by Ian Herring with Becka Kinzie
Lettered by Chris Mowry
Consultant Takuma Okada


     Seeking a refuge from an unhappy life, Brandt returns to his ancestral home in Japan to find a haunted tree and the departed souls that are drawn to it, including his Grandfather. Brandt attempts to heal some of history's wounds but will he be able to find any measure of peace for himself when someone special from his past returns?

     I was intrigued by this because it felt like it would be of Japanese origin based on the title and the look of the cover. I was right and I was right to be intrigued because this is amazing. Japan is a land full of history, culture and superstition and it has so much that is able to pulled from. From the Suicide Forest to individual family belief’s to the Ronin and Samurai all of which just seems to lend itself to some of the most beautiful storytelling I have ever seen. Also they make some killer horror flicks to go along with the Manga and Anime.

     In a tale such as this a solid story isn’t going to be enough and you need an artist that will find their niche and make what we see haunting, interesting and captivating and this creative team manages to do that in spades. The opening is perfect as young Brandt is playing while Ojii-Chan watches and enjoys his grandson. Brandt is a very precocious lad who has an active imagination seemingly fuelled by Western culture. As his grandfather goes into the forest at the edge their house the pair come upon a tree and a promise is made. It seems harmless enough and it has all the most endearing qualities between to very different generations.

     I love the way this story is structured. This isn’t going to be a story that has action and mystery to it, it’s a story story and honestly I wouldn’t have it any other way. There is something beautiful about the story itself and how it is presented to us that curiosity and interest rule your mind. The desire to see what is going to happen is planted, watered and left to grow within the reader. So when the adult Brandt returns to Japan and his ancestral home this is when things begin to take root in a way I was not expecting but was overjoyed to see.

     There is something about the linework in the interiors here that captivates me. It has a familiar quality to it that you just can’t place but it makes you feel comfortable, like remembering an old Shel Silverstein tale. The attention to detail is sensational to see and how the overall mood and tone the work creates can be as cringe worthy as it can be beautiful. The way that we see backgrounds utilised here brings joy to my heart and it really does wonders expanding the moments and bringing this size and scope to the story. The colour work is extremely well done and compliments the linework perfectly. Again there is some nice shading and the utilisation of light sources is impeccable yet it’s in the grove that draw the reader in as much as it does Brandt. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show off a stellar eye for storytelling.
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     This has some gorgeous moments in it, from seeing his childhood and fulfilling that promise he had forgotten he made to the reunion. There is happiness, joy, sorrow and in a culture that reveres certain ways of things being done Brandt stands out like a sore thumb. Yet through all this there is a story about love. We also learn what a Ghost Tree is and by the last panel this hauntingly beautiful idea manifests itself as much inside you as it does in the book you hold.

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The Electric Black #1

4/27/2019

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The Electric Black #1
Scout Comics 2019
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By Joseph Schmalke & Rich Woodall


     The Electric Black is a cursed antique shop, appearing in any time or space, soliciting customers it hungers to corrupt or devour. The mysterious Julius Black is the store's demonic proprietor and narrator. He, along with his psychopathic employees, regularly manipulates patrons for their own devious purposes. Inside the eerie emporium, all of the forbidden objects have secrets to unlock. The poor souls that enter never leave without something. Its dark light will shine on macabre mysteries, grisly murders, and other frightful occurrences. Dare you step within its sinister halls?

     There is plenty here to like in Scout’s new anthology series. To me this feels like Tales from the Crypt meets The House of Secrets in all the best ways possible. Our enigmatic host Julius Black who feels like a vampire to me is in in his cursed antique shop which exists between time and space and appears when and where it needs to as those who deserve to find it. Then the other thing about this that I really liked is that it had only two tales inside. So there is plenty of time to get into each story and really get into them. Moving forward I wonder if we’ll get this much time spent getting to know Julius and June Bug and I hope we do there’s too much to learn about them not to.

     I do like and appreciate the way that this is structured. While the stories are being told to showcase lessons that people need to learn I think how and which are decided up is sensational. By this I mean the first visitor we see to the Electric Black wonders around waiting for someone to help him, as he meanders through something catches his eye and that item is the first tale we hear. So it is very much an organic set-up and it can be based upon the visitors need or just coincidence that they pick up or are attracted to a specific item. Yes I am aware that I always say there are not such thing as coincidences and there aren’t, so the item they are drawn to is more destined for them to be drawn to. Also it is a very nice way to break the ice when Julius introduces himself.

     I am very much enjoying this interior artwork! We see the style this is going to take and seeing June and how the linework is utilised to bring her to life compared to her surroundings made me think of Marilyn Munster. Also there is something almost hypnotic about the wallpaper pattern we see here and I am here to tell you the kind of precision and skill it takes to see that in so many panels from so many different directions is utterly marvellous and skilful. The creativity and imagination on display is mindbogglingly good and I say as a fan of horror because these vignettes made me think of the old horror films my cousins would put on to scare men when I was little.

     The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show us this superb eye for storytelling. The way backgrounds are utilised makes me so very happy as they flesh out the moments and bring this size and scope to each story. The colour work is stunning and the colour gradation or how it varies depending on the light is brilliantly done. Plus each story has it’s own style attached to it and the colour work for each is so well suited to the individual story. From the red eyes to that purple glow, yeah it really finishes things off perfectly.
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     Finally an anthology series that I can support, enjoy and rejoice in because the stories aren’t short and they have this beautiful structure to fit in their allotted space and most of all feel complete. The horror is old school and the scares are now so don’t wait make sure your shop is carrying this because sometimes you just want to be bricking oneself!

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Jughead The Hunger versus Vampironica #1

4/27/2019

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Jughead The Hunger versus Vampironica #1
Archie Horror 2019
Written by Frank Tieri
Illustrated by Pat & Tim Kennedy & Joe Eisma
Inks by Bob Smith & Ryan Jampole
Coloured by Matt Herms
Lettered by Jack Morelli


     In the world of JUGHEAD THE HUNGER, there are no vampires, having been wiped out in their great war with the werewolves. In the VAMPIRONICA universe, the opposite is the case, as it was the vampires who were the victors. So what happens when these two eternal enemies are brought together again? Whatever it is, it can’t be good for poor ol’ Jug and Vampironica, you can count on that much…

     So, just the fact that none of these Horror books, okay the two remaining horror books (I want more Afterlife and Sabrina!!!!) share a universe is fantastic. That now we are getting a crossover event within the companies worlds is killer! Now, let’s add into all that the fact that what Frank has done with this issue is it allows new readers to get into this without feeling left out if they haven’t read either of the other series. New Reader Friendly!

     I love the way that this is structured as well. I have been an advocate and supporter of Frank’s for a while now as he has this tendency (habit?) of putting out some rather extraordinary and totally underrated stories. I won’t lie I was hoping that we’d also see Jughead here but what this issue does is flesh out Veronica as she has problems of her own to contend with. It is those problems that catch the reader up on her series as well giving us some characterisation to die for! I mean we all know she can be a little too self-centred and a bit vapid and to see both that as well as how she when her danders up well Frank really goes above and beyond with bringing her character to life.

     There is some absolutely delightful things that happen within this issue and poor Pop it seems his Diner is usually ground zero for some sort of fight. What really impresses me about some of these more major moments is not only are they fun, or break up the monotony of just story no it’s how they are utilised in making what’s to come that more intriguing. It almost seems random at first until you think about and see more of what’s happening and then Frank has your mind working outside the book and into what the reader thinks is happening. Engaging the reader and making them think it’s a lovely thing to see.

     The interiors here are pretty darn impressive as well. I am in Love with how we see the varying weights of the linework being utilised to create this attention to detail. Backgrounds are utilised fairly well, some more than others, but I would still like to see them all the time whenever it’s possible because it keeps that consistency of what and where things happen. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show off some mighty fine eyes for storytelling. Also the fact that you’d not really notice that Joe finished off the issue as it seamlessly transitions in both look and feel. The creativity and imagination is also amazingly well conceived and executed here and the eye for fashion indeed is nice. Matt’s colour work is stupendous and I love his use of shading, colour variations and how he make these colours muted and yet noticeably vibrant at the same time.
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     Archie has branched out like never before and it’s utterly brilliant to see books like these. We know it’s a different take, not a replacement for the original because that still exists. No Archie has opened up it’s doors, minds and capabilities so that can produce some of the most interesting, creative and knock your socks off books like this!

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Into The Suck #1

4/26/2019

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Into The Suck #1
Self-Published 2016
Written by Keith Thomas
Illustrated by C.B. Zane
Coloured by Oracle
Lettered by Kel Nuttall


     Into the Suck is a six issue mini series about a Privateer/Bounty Hunter named Ursula who has been hired to bring in a human from the far away planet Earth. Along the way she is pursued by a mysterious adversary, her pirate father, and the entire Royal Army. The Suck refers to the trash laden area of space where the lowlifes and creeps reside. What better place to do business, if you're tough enough.

     While I was at C2E2 I was at a booth saying hey to a friend of mine when at a little table there was Zane selling these. I want to thank Big Dog Ink for introducing me to him and for letting him have some space. This is what I love about the folks I am friends with in the industry are all about and the kind of camaraderie that makes to support them more than I already do. Also this is self-published through kickstarter’s and after reading this I have to wonder how on earth no one picked this up! I know now that I want the rest of the series and I hope I encourage you to do the same.

     I love a good space opera story. Usually we tend to get the pirates who kind of look and act like the ones of old but this is different from that. It draws from a lot of elements and influences but nothing is “taken from” so it is a very original story and honestly I find that highly appealing. The way this is structured this is extremely well done. There is a great ebb & flow to the book and the way that Keith manages to utilise the pacing and the characterisation to keep the story & plot development constantly moving forward is a real delight.

     Also speaking of the characterisation I have to say that for a first issue introduction to a series and it’s characters we get a damn good sense of who they are at least right now. There are any number of reasons why Ursula is the way she is, see her descriptions of where she gets her jobs and where she lives, and those aren’t what we need to know right now, instead I like starting this book off the way it’s done here. It is established and we’re along for the ride and we’ll learn what we need as we go.

     I am super duper impressed with the work that Zane does on the interiors here. The linework is exceptionally well done and the way the varying weights are being utilised to coax out this attention to detail is beautifully done. I also really like the consistency we see in the characters, their outfits and the like. Plus the way that backgrounds are utilised is great to see as they expand the moments and bring a nice sense of size and scope to the universe. The creativity and imagination we see here is utterly fantastic as well. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a really good solid eye for storytelling. The colour work from Oracle here is so good! That gold tattoo on that skin is stupendous and the way that colour gradation is utilised is a dream to see. Overall the colour work is really something great and it makes moments pop or toned down and throughout it really completes the book.
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     This is a gem of a find. If you go to Facebook.com/intothesuck or just email intothesuck@gmail.com you can grab either just the first issue or all they have at this point. This is such a high quality, high level of storytelling book that it really takes me by surprise that it’s self-published. A strong concept and incredible execution are what make comics the kind we yearn to read and this is exactly why I tell you to search artist alley and find folks that aren’t on the larger radar.

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Star Trek Year Five #1

4/26/2019

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Star Trek Year Five #1
IDW Publishing 2019
Written by Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly
Illustrated by Stephen Thompson
Coloured by Charlie Kirchoff
Lettered by Neil Uyetake


     The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise left Earth four years ago. They’ve travelled to strange new worlds, defeated impossible foes, and made universe-changing decisions. But now, with the end in sight, they’ll have to face their biggest challenge yet. Step aboard the Enterprise with Kirk, Spock, Bones, Uhura, Sulu, Scotty, and Chekov as they begin the end of their original Five Year Mission and boldly go into an uncertain future in this new continuing Star Trek series!

     Well if this opening doesn’t grab your attention then nothing will. Though we know that it is indeed something different than what it is, for Kirk however it isn’t so to see this from this perspective is really well done! The second opening the one that brings us back to the events that lead up to what we just saw, wow I feel like that’s a mouthful, is equally as impressive by how it makes the reader feel. Over the years we have been inundated with series after series in the Star Trek Universe and they’ve all been wonderful for what they were and are but for me this crew holds a very special place in my heart. The first, the original, these folks set the standard for everything else to come. So that the boys know this, respect this and embrace it the way they are doing here is alright by me.

     I love the way that this is being done, the structure is sensational and the way the book flows it feels exactly like an episode of the series would be. Also the characterisation here is utterly brilliant to see. The characters act and feel like their counterparts so that the entire time you read this you feel like this not a comic but rather the beginning of the best episode they’ve made to date. I miss Nimoy, may he rest in peace, playing Spock and the way he delivered his lines and here I hear his voice in my head as I read his dialogue and it makes me feel like a kid again. Listening to him explain and reiterate what his position means like he’s some kind of robot is delightful and it made eager to see the rest of the issue.

     Stephen has a really impressive resume to his credit and to be honest it feels like this is him bursting on the scene in a blaze of glory. I love his work on Aliens and Hellraiser which really allowed to stretch his skills but what I am seeing here is bloody brilliant! The linework is crazy good and the faces, facial expression and even eye-rolls are masterfully done. Plus we get backgrounds of the ship all over the place so that each panel seems to be fleshed to create this level of familiarity that’s off the charts. The attention to detail too is scary to me and from the hair on the back of a hand to the way a uniform fits it’s all there. The utilisation of the page layouts and the way we see the angles and perspective in the panels show his master class eye for storytelling. Then there is the colour work here which is equally as good. From the use of colours and gradation in space, in the uniforms or on the planet below this is the kind of quality work people dream of accomplishing.
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     This may just turn out to be the best Star Trek series I have had the pleasure to read. From Kirk’s musings to Bones, to the away teams encounter and to the exclamation of Bones, “I’m a Doctor not a….” everything we see, read and understand here conspires to prove my initial thoughts. Trusting my gut instinct says this is this years hottest new series and the competition for that is fierce!

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Ascender #1

4/26/2019

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Ascender #1
Image Comics 2019
Written by Jeff Lemire
Illustrated by Dustin Nguyen
Lettered & Designed by Steve Wands


     “THE HAUNTED GALAXY,” Part One
     Set ten years after the conclusion of DESCENDER’s storyline, magic has taken the place of machinery and the rules are very different indeed… Mila, the daughter of Andy and Effie from DESCENDER, spends her days exploring the lonely wilds of the planet Sampson and trying to stay out of the clutches of the evil disciples of the all-powerful vampire witch known only as Mother. But, like her parents, Mila doesn’t like to play by the rules, and when a certain robot pal of her dad’s shows up, nothing will ever be the same!

     First off let me just say this, if you haven’t read Descender but are interested in this, pick it up you don’t have to read the prior to enjoy this. I guarantee that once you read this you’ll want to read Descender however. For those who couldn’t get enough of Descender well here we are with the next phase in the history of this universe. On a side note maybe it’s just me but Dustin’s work has become something so much more than when he started the franchise. It’s as if doing this as often as he has just improved his skill and that’s saying something people!

     Jeff is such a master of his craft and the way that he structures this have a seemingly effortless ebb & flow to it. We start with the opening which is gorgeous the then and now of the smallest core planet of the United Galactic Council. There is this beautiful sense of awe and wonder that comes with it and what we see. Which transitions into this cold harsh reality of what occurs here and it’s this that grabs the attention as much as anything else could. At this stage these two know how to work together and sync up what the other means to the point rarely achieved in the industry.

     I am very much enjoying the characterisation here as well. They really well developed including those we’ve seen or met before. From Mother to a salesman in a market stall we get to see these people as people regardless of their station in life and what they can do. From Slaves to indentured to the very few whom are free the range of characters in this issue surprised me, in a good way, and the complexity of their living arrangements intrigues me.

   The interiors here are really rather exquisite. I am blown away by the linework itself which has this immediate effect that the hand is either that strong or is uncontrollable or both and to be honest I think it borders on brilliance. Mother’s visage which is more like Granny Goodness as Darkseid is crazy good and even when she’s got resting (bitch) face she still looks hella threatening. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show off this stupendous eye for storytelling. The colour work here is amazing and the watercolour wash that we see which makes some nice gradation effects is beautiful. PS that tortoise yeah I want that it has to go on my wall, I mean OH sweet child of mine.

     God the story is so good. The plot and story development with it’s pacing and the characterisation of these characters and to see these worlds is such a beautiful thing. I loved seeing the encounter with Trilly, the so-called slaves and the two cavemen-esque who “command” them. The whole father/daughter business, everything that we see here advances the story as it expands our knowledge of the worlds, the way of things and the characters themselves. We really couldn’t ask for something this good that fits into that world of galactic science fiction like the last piece of a puzzle.

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The Replacer

4/25/2019

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The Replacer
Aftershock Comics 2019
Created & Written by Zac Thompson
Created & Illustrated by Arjuna Susini
Coloured by Dee Cunniffe
Lettered by Marshall Dillon


     The 1990’s. Tragedy strikes the Beharrell family in the form of a debilitating stroke. Now the youngest child in the family is convinced his paralysed father didn’t truly fall ill but is possessed by something sinister. He believes a demon, THE REPLACER, has come to take away his jolly, agreeable, tech-obsessed Dad. But no one seems to see the monster — and with every passing day, his father falls deeper into the clutches of evil.

     I was looking forward to this one as a big time horror genre fan. Right off the bat we open up with a little narration and a look at the house as it’s remembered on that day when everything changed. I have to admit I loved this and the difference in Marcus’ room compared to his sisters as well as that time it became all the rage for everyone to have a television in their room. Kids mainly for video games I suppose but growing we would never have had a television in our bedrooms, even now I have one and I never turn it on. So my point is that the opening is exactly what it needs to be it’s the introduction to the family before anything happens, which makes us want to see more.

     I like the way that this is structured. After the introduction we move into a real time scenario as it’s remembered. I love seeing all this because honestly it is a beautiful representation of middle anywhere in the world. A family having dinner, the mum & pop doing what they do and the kids arguing it’s all very mundane in a sense so unless you already knew what this was about, which we do and we still somehow kind of get lulled into this false sense of security. I love how Zac and Arjuna are able to convey this so easily for the reader.

     Arjuna and Dee do some stellar work on the interiors here. That feeling of normalcy that it gives us in regards to the family is what make the horror that much more significant and I gotta say it really does make the creepy so much creepier. Also the imagination and creativity that we see here is on display really well and effectively. The linework is gorgeous and how the varying weights have been utilised in bringing out this delightful attention to detail. Also the weight loss transformation we see is beyond sensational!

     The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show off this superb eye for storytelling. The way that we see backgrounds being utilised here is also stupendous in expanding the moment, increasing the characterisation and bringing a size and scope to the story. Also huge shout out to Dee as the wallpaper or tie-dye shirt are seen to us as well as the use of shading, shadows and even the colour gradation that he does is utterly remarkable.

     This story takes so many different twists and turns as well as ushering us through the massive life changes that take place throughout the story. I mean one trauma in the family can have a cascading effect naturally but add into it something supernatural in nature and things tend to get exponentially worse. So the changes in personalities of these characters we see here is mindbogglingly good and it all feels as if this happens in such a natural way. This is as much a psychological horror story as it is straight up horror and either way you experience this story it will leave you a different person than when you started.
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     So Aftershocks use of oversized stories in novella form is definitely one of the great uses of storytelling in this industry.

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Dick Tracy Forever #1

4/25/2019

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​Dick Tracy Forever #1
IDW Publishing 2019
By Michael Oeming
Coloured by Taki Soma
Lettered by Shawn Lee


     Dick Tracy is Sisyphus, pushing the law boulder up the hill as he struggles for reason and order in a world with none. His attempts at law and order are met with crime and chaos, in the form of unpredictable and absurd villains. But Dick Tracy will never give up trying, no matter the era or incarnation.

     We all know who Dick Tracy is and how important his legacy has been to modern comics. If you don’t then seriously you need to research and learn. He is one of the most underrated characters ever created at this stage so I love the fact that IDW and Michael are putting this series out. One of the things that Michael does better than anyone else is this kitsch humour that has been so prevalent in the characters history. I mean c’mon the myriad of villains he’s had is legendary and their names and appearances border on the absurd. Which of course is the exact thing that makes his adventures so delightful to read.

     I find the parallels between say the 1930’s and today awfully similar, and if we need more proof of America’s downward spiral to the past check your history (facts not the force-fed garbage). Corruption in elected offices and grease the right palms to get away scott free and well you’ll begin to understand why my thoughts are what they are. So we open up with Dick in his office talking to the Chief and the indomitable Miss Trueheart as they discover the news that the Brow is out on parole. It is a delightful opening and introduces us to our main character and his supporting cast. For the first time in a long time I felt that innocent sense of longing and fun surrounding the issue.

     I like the way that this is structured as it has this more modern day sense of a crime drama attached to it. This is how you can update a character without updating the character itself by the method used in telling his adventures. It doesn’t hurt either that Michael who is also doing the interior artwork keeps the style as close to the original as he humanly can. So yeah the way the book flows and getting a peek at how Dick thinks is pretty spectacular to me, also he’s that one true stand-up guy that never backs down from what he believes is the truth.

     The interiors here are pretty marvellous. Well except on occasion for Tess’ face because yikes there are moments I am truly horrified by her. The linework is fantastic and that we get to see the detail in the buildings, the cars, the clothing and characters themselves makes this what it is for each individual. Also the colour work is delightful and while I usually want more gradation and other colour tricks not here, it feels like the old four colour comics. The retro feel is sensationally well achieved and I gotta say that it’s a huge draw for me. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show us a stellar eye for storytelling. The way that backgrounds are utilised here is beyond what I could have hoped for as they really bring the city that size and scope needed as well as enhance the moments.
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     I think they may have possibly exceeded the expectation of IDW and Michael and company in just how well this came out. This is as close to the perfect homage, revival or whatever you’d like to call it that I have ever seen and that is saying something. This is good old fashioned fun plain and simple!

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Street Fighter: Menat #1

4/25/2019

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Street Fighter: Menat #1
UDON Entertainment/Capcom 2019
Written by Ken Siu-Chong
Illustrated by Hanzo Steinbach
Lettered by Marshall Dillon


     The first in a series of new Street Fighter one-shot comics! Meet Menat, the enigmatic Egyptian fortune teller on a quest to avenge her master's death. But it's not just any villain Menat is seeking... it's the Dark Lord of Shadaloo himself--M.Bison!

     Growing up I remember the hype around the video game, in the Arcade long before there were home gaming systems. I played a few times but they were never my thing. Then sometime in the not so distant past I discovered the comics from UDON and suddenly I found that the franchise took on a whole new life and meaning for me. It is kind of like G.I. Joe, it wasn’t until they were published by Devil’s Due that I really got into them and now I am a die-hard fan. So for me I marvel at what Ken does with the storytelling here and how he’s able to incorporate interesting, meaningful stories and yet fill them with epic battles at the same time. Trust me when I say this if you think this is a silly kids book then you’ve never read one and you are doing yourself a disservice by not reading it.

     Just about everyone knows the main characters in the franchise with Ken, Ryu, Chun-Li and Cammy heck even Sagat and M. Bison. So it is nice to see that we are getting a chance to get to know some of the other, later additions, to the Street Fighter family. I have no idea who Menat and Maggio are but after reading this I have some idea and it’s more than enough to make want to see more of them. That is the really important part isn’t it? To have the characters be likeable and relatable to so that the audience has that innate desire to come back time and time again so more of the characters in action.

     I also am enjoying the characterisation and the lesson involved with the story. I love how we see the characters react to an event and as per usual, more so nowadays, it’s time to jump to conclusions without knowing all the facts. Patience may be a virtue, but not one I possess, but even that has it’s limits when folks can do what they do here. Regardless I really appreciate how that is worked into the story as an abject lesson.

     The interiors from Hanzo have this very blended feel of Anime/Manga and western cartoons. While I would like to believe that this is hand drawn I am leaning toward computer generated art instead. It seems to be the current hip thing to use. So either way I will say one thing, learn to utilise backgrounds more! Backgrounds are what make scenes come alive, expand the moment and bring us a size and scope to the world and story don’t leave them out and be lazy. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a decent eye for storytelling. The colour work too could stand with some colour gradation instead of solid to shadowed but I do like the way we see light sources being utilised.
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     Ken knows this world like the back of his hand and it shows when he’s writing these stories. That he cares so much is evident in the work he produces and by extension we get to feel this as well and it really is truly something that we get to see first hand. From the story & plot development, the pacing and the characterisation we are treated to a first class story and yes I am most assuredly counting the interior artwork in this as well. Fun, entertaining and completely surprising this is what we want to see in comics.

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