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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 X-Files Case Files The Florida Man #2

5/28/2018

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The X-Files Case Files the Florida Man #2
IDW Publishing 2018
Written by Delilah S. Dawson
Pencilled by Elena Casagrande
Inked by Silvia Califano
Coloured by Arianna Forean
Lettered by Shawn Lee


       The Story so far
​     Scully and Mulder have found their way to the small Florida town of Halpadalgi to investigate a series of strange occurrences, all conveniently attributed by the sheriff to the hallucinatory effects of bath salts. But when Sculy kills a man attacking a pregnant woman, and Mulder finds a mysterious brand on his chest, it becomes clear to them both that there’s much more to this situation than meets the eye.

     I love the way that Delilah tells this story! Yes she has their personalities down pat and how they not only react to one another but to the circumstances that they find themselves in. the dialogue here is extremely well done and it’s easy to see the fandom and appreciation for the show in the way it all comes across. I am also impressed by the fact that with just two issues she’s able to tell a complete story.

     The way this is structured is wonderful to see we pick where we left off where that guy who seemingly was a beggar attacked the pregnant woman and Scully ended up shooting him. So with the brand on the man’s chest and the EMT’s saying they see a lot of this and notify the sheriff who we already know what he thinks. Still I like the way that after this the two of them have their own ideas about what leads to follow up on. It feels right as if this could’ve been a script right out of the televisions rotation of episodes.

     The revelation of what is actually going on in this town is something is kind of fascinating and I wish we’d learned how an Egyptian and esoteric symbols were combined in the brand on his chest and made it’s way to this Florida hamlet. That is the real story that I'm wondering about since it seems to permeate my thoughts because I get why the locale and Alligators and Crocodiles are cousins so it makes a warped sense in some ways and dying to know more.

     Elena lays down the pencils here beautifully I love seeing her linework and how she is able to manipulate it using varying weights. The utilisation of page layouts and the angles and perspective we see in the panels shows off this lovely eye for storytelling. Then there are the backgrounds here which just send this work over the moon in terms of mood setting and the tone and feel of what is occurring. It so integral the storytelling, the interiors that is, that what this team is able to accomplish is amazing.

      So while Scully finds herself immersed in the proceedings of the cult and Mulder is off figuring out that the Sheriff has sent them on a wild goose chase to the RV park. The way that things happen and how the work iinto the same story it’s really rather fascinating to see unfold. The whole idea behind this is what brought them here and finding things that well excite Mulder and make Scully shake her head that’s what it’s all about.

      I love the way that this has been told right down to the ending. There is only so much going on and with they’ve found they think that this is the end of it. However we know differently and that part drives me nuts since I want more, I want to see how this will continue to play out and if the sheriff is what we think he is, aside from a total bogus piece of you know what.
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     Y’all can have the show I will gladly follow their adventures at the hands of these women and Shawn. This is stylish, sassy and completely within what it’s supposed to be about.

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Black Hammer Age of Doom #2

5/27/2018

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Black Hammer Age of Doom #2
Dark Horse Comics 2018
Written by Jeff Lemire
Illustrated by Dean Ormston
Coloured by Dave Stewart
Lettered by Todd Klein


     As new Black Hammer Lucy Weber fights her way out of this gritty new dimension, she finds herself caught in Hell itself and up against trickster demons, Satan, and a bizarre emo god.

     So I have to admit that this is what I was really hoping for during the whole Legion of Evil of arc where Lucy was being ace reporter. Now that it’s here it literally is better than I could have hoped for. I love that just as Lucy was going to tell them how they all could get home she was whisked away unexpectedly and this time it wasn’t due to anyone on the farm. She found herself in a bar where she was not getting any answers and that is where we pick up here.

     Jeff has really put some extreme thought into how all this was going to work. It is like the never-ending story and much like the energizer bunny it keeps on going. There is another aspect to this that he’s doing which is really rather good is that he’s telling dual stories. While Lucy is trying to find her way we see Gail and Barbie going to the town library looking for information. They’ve been here so long and seem to be grasping at straws but you never know what can be found now. With Lucy’s arrival I think it might that the whole game has changed.

     I have to say the characterisation and dialogue of these characters really is among some of the best there is. Gail feels like while she remembers her life as it was and being stuck in the body of a small girl and there are times I feel like she can’t detach herself from that age long enough and be her full self. There is something bout this stunted growth that seems to be affecting here and it’s not just because she’s stuck. I mean psychologically this is something that who knows what affect the body’s age is having on the mind’s capability to process everything? Yes I am thinking way too much about it but that’s just another thing Jeff’s writing seems to be able to do.

     Dean and Dave’s work on the interiors is the same exact quality time and time again and there’s something to be said for this level of consistency in the work. The mood, tone and feel of what we see continues to evoke all kinds of feelings and emotion from the reader. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows off that really strong eye for storytelling. While yes I always want more backgrounds there’s some very judicious use of them here and I can forgive that we don’t see them used prolifically.

     The fact that this is so going to focus on Lucy traversing these corridors as she searches for a way back to the farm and then hopefully home is something I am looking forward to seeing. That mixed in with the ongoing revelations such who Gail was having a relationship with keeps things going in directions I hadn’t seen coming which means that the whole curiosity piquing business is strong. Also the introduction of new characters along with one that ya never know could be staying around for a bit makes this continually growing and evolving.
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     Jeff and Dean have created this universe in almost a joke like manner in regards to the homage of the familiar but it far surpasses anything it might remind you of. This is infinity more interesting and dynamic than any other team book currently on stands today.

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Skyward #2

5/27/2018

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Skyward #2
Image Comics 2018
Written by Joe Henderson
Illustrated by Lee Garbett
Coloured by Antonio Fabela
Lettered by Simon Bowland


     Willa’s Dad claims he knows how to fix the world. Willa thinks he’s a crazy old man. The truth lies down on the Streets, where the rich live, staying as far away from the deadly sky as possible. There they use the latest technology to pretend G-day never happened. And Willa quickly discovers they aren’t friendly to outsiders….

     This has a very infectious way of getting into your mind. Willa is so innocent and naive and all the things we love about a girl her age that has only seen life lived one way. Her enthusiasm for life and everything about it, wanting to travel, see new places and have new experiences is what draws too her and care about her. We connect with that a life before being jaded by the reality that people suck and life is all about love, loss and love again. Joe’s characterisation of her is stellar work and it’s really one of the myriad of reasons why this book is already on that must read fast track.

     I like the way this is structured and the opening is definitely dramatic and cause for attention. It is what grabs the readers attention and makes them want to continue. That and the very way that Lee and Antonio present it. The past leads to the present as it always should and the father daughter conversation well that’s just the kicker. I like that Willa is resentful of her father and how scared he’s been since this whole thing began and he lost his wife.

     For someone whose lived her whole life one way she can’t comprehend how all of this has affected him. It is a classic relationship made ever so much when the two don’t really communicate. He’s never told her what he did for a living, in the past and she’s unaware of all this and her judgement is solely based on something she’s only known. I like the dynamic it’s strong and powerful not to mention interesting. When her de-facto mother did more to raise her then her father did well there’s resentment but this is the day that will change Willa’s life and possibly how she sees her father forever.

     The interiors are really well done and I have to give major credit here for just how different the streets are from the sky people. While it feels like the haves and have nots it really is just a matter of fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of floating into space and most importantly fear of not being in control. We see this in their outfits and their shoes and how they come across here. The utilisation of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows off Lee’s wonderful eye for storytelling. The utilisation of backgrounds is sublime and mainly on the streets. Faces, facial expressions and body language are brilliantly done and the attention to detail in the manipulation of the linework is fantastic.

     The writing here really is impeccable and the characterisation and the story/plot development is something that should have been expected but isn’t because like Willa we haven’t seen the past except for the day of the event. This is something we’re going into just as blindly and having that opportunity to watch it all unfold without any kind of real knowledge of the characters past. I love that we are having to go blind and then either figure it out or just guess and it brings the reader into the story and has their own creativity and imagination working to try and work things out.
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     The way this book is being told to me is utterly brilliant! 

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The Prisoner #2

5/27/2018

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The Prisoner #2
Titan Comics 2018
Written by Peter Milligan
Illustrated by Colin Lorimer
Coloured by Joana LaFluente
Lettered by Simon Bowland
Editor & Original Plot by David Leach


     Becoming a target for both British Intelligence and The Village, Breen escaped to his safe house in Tuscany. However, four days later, a knock-out gas was pumped into his bolt hole and Breen awoke to find himself a ‘guest’ of The Village.

     It is kind of amazing to me that shows like this were so far ahead of their time that they were so underappreciated when they aired. I count The Wild Wild West with Robert Conrad in with this. They fused some smart storytelling with plot devices that made Star Trek’s technology seem tame and are considered too cerebral for most audiences. Still I think that that itself is it’s greatest appeal the cerebral aspect that makes the reader think, become involved and have to take notice of events that are happening.

     Peter is one of those people who can do cerebral in a way that makes the readers mind think that they are as wrapped up and warped as the character in the pages of this story. Breen is being subjected to The Villages treatment and I swear part-way through I was convinced and fooled by what I thought was actually going on. The way this is structured is damn well sensational as right from the get go we’re drawn into this in a way that is touching, unnerving and downright invasive. It is so strong an opening that it will leave wide eyed and speechless.

     From there the roller coaster does not stop for anything. It is one thing after another as The Village tries to make Breen crack and reveal the secret they want. So we start seeing what he has to go through on a daily basis as he’s led to the room, barraged with the attempts in all manner of different ways to get him to buckle. This is why spies get mental training or why those with mental fortitude are often the best spies in the business. I am not sure where I fit into all that but knowing myself and my own history yeah I am pretty sure I could last a bit.

     Sigh Colin and Joana do some stellar work on the interiors here. The utilisation of page layouts is super and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows of that amazing eye for storytelling Colin has. The attention to detail and how the story is translated visually makes the story stronger, more believable and actually incredibly creepy. The manipulation of linework and how the colours are used make this freaky at times and in ways that keep the reader rapt to the page. Backgrounds when utilised are amazingly effective the decision not to use them eh but okay because the detail in what we see is just that good.

     The story is so good and so strong and the characterisation that we see well it fits into this like that last puzzle piece that have been looking for ages. Then what Peter does better than anyone is make you question everything you believe about the book. Is this representation of Breen accurate or is all this a product of them messing with his mind trying to make him crack and reveal his secrets thus turning him into some brainwashed member of The Village. Because seriously I think the people that we’ve met are like Stepford Wives and eerily creepy and delicious.
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     Titan Comics has some of the most amazing stories hitting stands today and it’s books like this that really keeps them in the mix of top companies whose books you NEED to be reading.

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Star Trek Discovery Succession #2

5/27/2018

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Star Trek Discovery Succession #2
IDW Publishing 2018
Written by Kristen Beyer & Mike Johnson
Illustrated by Angel Hernandez
Coloured by Mark Roberts
Lettered by AndWorld Design


      After the Emperor was killed when the rebels destroyed the Imperial Flagship Charon, Lord Alexander has claimed the throne. The rebels believe the time is right for an even bolder strike on this untested emperor — an attack on Earth itself! But what they don’t know is that Alexander has been secretly developing a toxin that will kill all non-human life in the galaxy — and it’s finally ready to be released. Meanwhile, Burnham, long thought dead by the empire, has just resurfaced in a refugee camp on planet Risa…

      I like that the Discovery crew found a universe that is much like the Mirrorverse but varies from it in subtle ways. If you consider today’s world and what we are experiencing humans have an extreme form of xenophobia isn’t an unlikely scenario. Right now we’re at each other’s throats over gender, sexual orientation and the colour of our skin, not to mention religions, so why wouldn’t it be conceivable or even more likely that we would try to dominate other species that we meet. Keeping that line of thinking if we couldn’t dominate them or subjugate them then yes destroying them would be logical. Humans aren’t altruistic, we aren’t nice or caring and as we’ve shown among ourselves are more warlike than even the Klingons.

     Kristen and Mike do such a nice job with this story and how the book is structured. The flow and how we see events unfold and the transitions from scene to scene have a fluidity to them that is very nice to see. To start the issue the it does with Michael and her “mother” then with Alexander well it only established much of what would have occurred anyway had Michael not been thought dead. After all even though the Emperor made Michael the rightful heir to the throne Alexander would never had let that come to pass.

     I almost pissed myself when Michael was talking to a certain someone looking for information. So it’s interesting to see that our writing duo has a strong affection for the franchise because this was beyond anything I was hoping to see. There is also another aspect of this story that I really like and that’s all the cloak and dagger stuff, yes this is Starfleet now matter how warped it may appear but usually we see the ships and space and don’t spend this much time on the ground showing off skills that are on the more mysterious side. It is this shall we say deviation from the normal avenue of storytelling that helps to make this what it is.

     I love Angel’s work on the interiors here. He is definitely not afraid of making the scene as full and vibrant as possible and that utilisation of backgrounds is what really brings the story to life. Seeing a futuristic shanty town full of metals and such used in ways that are familiar is spectacular. The attention to detail here is sublime and the way the varying weight of the linework is manipulated is stunning. The way that page layouts are utilised and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows off a tremendous eye for storytelling.
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     The Star Trek Universe is a vast and interesting place. With more and more territory having been covered and corners of the universe exposed it’s stories like this one that keep it fresh. The writing is strong and plot/story development is fantastic and the characterisation is so incredibly strong so that the entire reading experience while warping Roddenberry’s initial vision is as realistic as it can possibly be. This is an extension of now and not stemming from an age of enlightenment so it’s up to us to decide which version we want.  

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Brothers Dracul #2

5/26/2018

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Brothers Dracul #2
Aftershock Comics 2018
Created & Written by Cullen Bunn
Illustrated by Mirko Colak
Coloured by Maria Santaolalla
Lettered by Simon Bowland


     Vlad Dracul and his brother Radu are prisoners of the Ottoman Empire. As royalty, though, they are treated with great respect. They are trained in art, music, archery, horseback riding...even vampire hunting! Herein the sorrow-filled truth of Vlad’s descent to the role of the Impaler is revealed!

     This is why I am a huge fan of Aftershock and of Cullen, Mirko and company I mean seriously let’s do some alternate history featuring Vlad the Impaler and his brother while they prisoners of the Ottoman’s. What could possibly be more interesting? (that was mean in sarcasm voice) However everyone knows better than to question anything Cullen does at this point because the man is a damn genius. The first issue grabbed our attention exactly as it was supposed to and then he’s like oh okay let’s do issue and up the kitty as it were and blow them away.

     Which by the way is exactly what happened! Because the level and sophistication of the storytelling that we see here alongside the characterisation is to point of perfection and back again. I was not expecting certain things to happen and was pleased by others that seemed to fit nicely. Though I will say this there is more going on between Radu and their trainer than meets the eye the man who was the Sultan’s shield when he went to battle now training Mehemed and the boys for what is to be the heir’s blood oath. By contrast Vlad is hard, closed off and difficult to communicate with outside of Radu and I like that.

     The structure of the book is incredible and the way it flows like chiffon in the wind circling around a beautiful woman. It’s just effortless in how it all comes across and there are many times when the dialogue and the actions speak loud and make the story and characterisation continue to evolve. Every single thing that is on the page is there to move the story forward keep it evolving, changing and moving like life really does work. In this setting with these characters there was no down time in their lives it always on the move, training, schooling, more training it was a never ending cycle and for the brothers to be treated like both slave and honoured guest, same thing different wording, well it’s easy to go a certain way with this but nothing Cullen does is the easy way.

     Mirko what and extraordinary talent this man is. The utilisation of the page layouts goes outside the box just enough to give an edge without being too much. His use of angles and perspective in the panels shows off a strong strong eye for storytelling. The attention is fabulous and it doesn’t what part it is either there’s all this manipulation of linework from subtle to bold that makes the eyes swim with delight. The colouring here too is rather splendid as it helps to really make some statements bolder.

     Cullen does such an amazing job weaving the fictional with the historical and it really really makes me wish that this were actual history. That the world of historical fiction isn’t limited to romance novels or science fiction epics is something that should be paid attention to. I mean here we are with folks who lived and whose reputation grew got distorted and warped because of the he dispatched his enemies and here we are seeing a new alternative to how all that comes to fruition.
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     Exciting, expected and totally unexpected all at once this the way that storytelling should be as it ignites the senses, imagination and what if’s that are never ending.

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Sunshine One-Shot

5/26/2018

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Sunshine One-Shot
Advent Comics 2018
Written by Tony Kittrell
Illustrated by Catia Fantini
Coloured by Whitney Cook
Lettered by Mindy Lopkin


      As a reviewer I get asked a lot to review peoples books and I am always happy to look at them. I’ve done a few reviews of Advent’s books in the past and I have enjoyed them. I like when books have a strong point of view and don’t gravitate towards being accessible to only minor audience and for me this is a great example about anyone and everyone can read and enjoy this.  It's also a great example of folks doing what they love so that what we see is why I love small/indie/self published books and urge you to check them out.  

      Tony does a nice job structuring the book here. While there are few moments the transitioning seems sudden (with no warning we’re outside with that team so a box saying meanwhile outside..), not so smooth and maybe jarring little but with more experience and more work that won’t become an issue. I like that we are starting in the present and we are seeing the story from Jhane’s perspective so we get a better sense of how she saw it unfold and how it affected her. The whole idea of a journal or a diary is a great one and not just from a writing standpoint or plot device and Tony used it extremely well here.

      I’m also pretty impressed with the way that we see this father/daughter dynamic. Jhane is a teenager who lived with her mother and now lives with a father she barely knows. This is going to be hard and she’s making it even harder than it has to be but then again what Tony does here with the characterisation and dialogue is bring a teenage girl to life in a realistic and honest way. This is how we all acted at our teenage years, as if our parents couldn’t possibly understand our troubles and how life really works.

      I connected with this story on so many levels thanks to the characterisation and the way all the different characters are represented. In this day and age it’s harder and harder to come up with new and distinct ways to give someone powers. That isn’t Tony’s fault but he handled this one nicely and how we see it happen even if no one quite understands it is a great thing to me. He manages to make rational and something that might not ever be understood but it’s happened and let’s hope she doesn’t end up being a lab rat to see how it worked.

     I am intrigued by the interior artwork here. There are times I question if it’s drawn on paper or with a computer program. I do like the way that foreground focus is shown with the blurred effect as it extends back that’s very well achieved. I question a few body proportions and they very mannequin in stiffness I don’t really feel movement from anyone. Though the use of linework and it’s varying weights, backgrounds and page layouts are well done and show a nice eye for storytelling. It just needs more time to smooth things out and get used to these characters I think.

     Saul Kingman sigh okay now I don’t know his fate here though there are two options obviously but I do like how this establishes him, his company and Tesla. While I am not sure what happened was necessary Jhane has already got a unique enough origin story without adding a cliché trope but that was Tony’s decision and we’ll see where he takes it. I am looking forward to more of this I think Advent Comics has a nice variety of heroes and characters to follow on a regular basis. You can feel the passion that they have for the work, is it perfect no of course not nothing is but it has potential and there’s this wide open spaces to be filled and explored, what’s more fun than that?
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     To learn more about them and their books not to mention where they are available for purchase head over to https://www.adventcomics.com/



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Dark Soul The Age of Fire #1

5/25/2018

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Dark Souls The Age of Fire #1
Titan Comics 2018
Written by Ryan O’Sullivan
Illustrated by Anton Kokarev
Lettered by Simon Bowland
Cover by Pablo Fernandez Angulo


     Can we just talk about this cover for a moment? I mean in the words of Harry Carey “Holy Cow” this is utterly entrancing, mesmerising and a masterpiece of art. I mean Art art the kind you find in museums art it is so eye catching, enveloping in it’s attention to detail the way the linework and the colours just pop is amazing to me. When we talk about computer generated artwork this is what I now expect to see someone who can just master the techniques and bring us something of this level of quality. Plus if you look at Gwyn you think of that moment in the Lord of the Rings trilogy where we see the possessed King and it’s so eerie it’s wonderful.

     While I don’t play video games that might change in the not too distant future because when books like this come out and are this good it makes me want to experience the game itself. I like that this is like a prequel though it does come with a disclaimer that the story and world-view depicted here is created sole for the comic and may differ from those in the original video game. So while there may be some discrepancies I am still left with the desire to find out how much fun the game is. Also I feel like the soundtrack to this is either dark dramatic classic work (which most comes across as look at Bugs Bunny) or a mixture of things Metallica and Godsmack, this is what I hear in my head.

      I like the way that this book is being structured. Ryan really puts together a great story here and how it flows is pretty amazing. His writing in aspect to structure and plot/story development here reminds of the original Dragonlance novels that were astounding in how they captured you. Here what we see has this believability to it that even with Gods, Dragons and such and set in a kind of D&D setting. The way the story just is is the way it should be and it feels right, natural and real and that is incredibly hard to do. You get swept up in the fantasy of it and want nay need to be a part of it it’s that good.

     The story is wonderfully crafted and as it travels throughout the realm and characters are introduced and the setup is being done we can almost see what is to happen. I like these introductions and I like seeing the background with Arkon and how it gives the character more depth and reasons why he’s like he is. There is a lot more going on with him than we’re seeing and I loo forward to having that explored more.

     The interiors from Anton are also in a league of it’s own, possibly only the Sejic’s can match this level of detail and atmosphere we see here. The sheer amount of work that we see here is utterly gorgeous and it takes the breath away. From the way metal shines in the light and how that light is seen all over along with the intricacy of some the finer details is just wow. The way page layouts are utilised and how we see the angles and perspective showcase an amazing eye for storytelling. Backgrounds and how they manipulated oh my stars is it perfectly done.
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     This rivals any kind of books in the realm of the Gods (Greek, Egyptian, Norse, etc) or the original Dragonlance work. The story the characterisation and the cohesion plus the way that everything here is done is stunning to me.

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Witchfinder in The Gates of Heaven #1

5/25/2018

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Witchfinder in The Gates of Heaven #1
Dark Horse Comics 2018
Written by Mike Mignola & Chris Roberson
Illustrated by D’Isreali
Coloured by Michelle Madsen
Lettered by Clem Robins


     After foiling a witch coven’s plot to kill Queen Victoria, Edward Grey was knighted for his services in protection of the Crown and Queen. His investigations into occult goings-on in London and beyond earned him the title Sir Edward…...while sceptical Londoners mocked him with the nickname Witchfinder. Now, when London seems to be plagued by occult events left and right. Sir Edward is most surprised to learn that he is not the only one conducting supernatural investigations.

     This really is one of Mike’s more interesting creations. To me it has elements of Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes with a little bit of H.G. Wells and then set it in 1884 and viola the stuff of legend is born. Sir Edward is one of those rare characters that meet and think I know him from somewhere and it’s that kind familiarity that really increases his appeal. That fact that he’s somewhat aloof, see full of himself, does help matters but it doesn’t hurt them either. He is an utterly delightful character to see running around London parts doing what he does. Although he really needs to work on acquiring a network so he’s better informed about events around town.

     I like the way this book is structured from the beginning to end there is a fantastic ebb & flow to the proceedings. The opening itself is something to see and as the Beefeater’s on guard are witness to something extraordinary. Of course with such an event at the Tower of London Sir Edward is called into service. What we see is spectacular and it feels like the Tower of London has it’s own version of this supernatural style museum. Trinkets and trophies from all around make something so interesting.

     The way the guys are able to bring a modern sensibility to this era is astoundingly fun. We tend to think of the past more negatively than we should, we may be more technologically advanced but in reality we wouldn’t be if nor for our forbear’s we wouldn’t be where we are they deserve a lot more credit than we give them. I like that the guys spotlight that here and show they were a lot more advanced and knowledgeable than we knew and add into that their acceptance of the supernatural or occult, which was a huge topic in London back them and widely accepted makes them a lot more intelligent than we come across today. Well at least more open to the world.

     D’Isreali does some amazing work on the interiors here. I love his sense of style and sophistication that he brings. Also that he can bring this to the brink of all-ages and maintain that whole attention to detail and edginess is really impressive. The way he’s able to bring the Beefeater wear to life is fantastic as well as the clothing they wore all of it just FEELS right. The utilisation of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels showcase an extremely strong eye for storytelling. I am also a huge fan of the way backgrounds are utilised here they really do add to the story in all the right ways.

     The characterisation here is totally on point. With the introduction of the British Paranormal Society and how Sir Edward reacts it’s so well done. Miss Honora Grat too is one to watch her uppity start means she will not welcome any intrusion by Sir Edward and honestly I cannot wait to see them cross paths again.
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     When it comes to pure enjoyment and entertainment you can never go wrong with any Witchfinder story. There is this whole effortless feeling from the creators that bleeds through the pages and seeps into your soul. The supernatural never seemed as much fun as it does here.

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Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk #1

5/25/2018

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Infinity Countdown Darkhawk #1 (of 4)
Marvel Comics 2018
Written by Chris Sims & Chad Bowers
Illustrated by Gang Hyuk Lim
Lettered by VC’s Travis Lanham


     On Earth, Chris Powell is a patrol officer with the NYPD, protecting and serving the people of New York…but out in space, he's Darkhawk, the galaxy's only line of defense against the return of the ancient army of the Fraternity of Raptors! Spinning out of the Infinity Countdown storyline, the 'hawk is back to fight for justice from the edge of Manhattan to the edge of the universe!

     I am a huge fan of Darkhawk’s since he was introduced and he’s been one of those characters who most people don’t know how to handle. Also Marvel doesn’t do a good job of supporting books like this any more either. Now that Chris has actually grown up and has a day and night job as it were there’s potential here for something spectacular which coincidentally Chris and Chad have found. This Earth and Galactic travel is complicated and full of drama depending on length of time spent where. I think the boys see that potential and understand what can be done with Darkhawk.

     The way this book is structured is fantastic. With Chris being a cop in NYC and we see him in Harlem chasing down some everyday criminals was genius. By opening the book with the Order of the Raptor and the whole their counterpart aspect and the capture of Talon-R who naturally has links to others in this Galactic array of beings. The way it all ties together and really makes Chris cemented into this world so well is such a great thing to see. I miss the outer space books from Marvel, the Annihilation series was something I was hoping would lead to a whole line of books and with Guardians of the Galaxy being popular I don’t see what that can’t happen. Give us variety not the same old same old.
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     The whole concept her is nicely done and I want to see more of this beyond the four issue run. The plot and the way the story is developed throughout the book has a great ebb & flow to it that really makes this easy and enjoyable to read. Also the introduction of characters like Lieutenant Stone and actually the Bounty Hunter who makes an appearance here excites me with the plethora of possibilities it presents. This is kind of what comics should be all about, enticing the reader with what’s presented and then letting their imaginations run wild and become involved and invested into the series.
     Sigh the interior artwork. I get that this Gang person is new to American comics at least and it is computer generated. There are some nice moments but it feels flat to me almost like some form of animated colourforms going on and then mix that a manga influence and it’s all over the place. When backgrounds are used they are done extremely well but there doesn’t seem to be enough of them to me. Sure the hologram was nicely too but this is an example of how, why and when hand drawn illustration is the more logical choice, don’t be cheap let someone with the skill and talent at the drawing board who use linework manipulation and bring a more focused attention to detail really bring this to life more fully.
     Chad and Chris know what they are doing, they are extremely talented young men who are able to bring the reader into the book, into Chris’ life and make you want to be a part of it. I want Darkhawk to soar, I want to thrive and explore the Galaxy and juggle trying to be a fiancée and a cop. I just with Marvel would put more effort into these spin-off’s and see the potential they have and really make their best.

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