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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 Girls of Dimension 13 #2

5/29/2021

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The Girls of Dimension 13 #2
Aftershock Comics 2021
Written by Graham Nolan
Illustrated by Bret Blevins
Coloured by Gregory Wright
Lettered by Carlos M. Mangual

    The girls go into training under the tutelage of the wizard/dog, Pitch, to master their mystical skills. And not a moment too soon as the mysterious Levi Skeggs and his minions, come gun-ning for the girls to take “the chosen one” to the dimensional demon, Abraxis!

    Whereas last issue introduced us to the girls this issue gets into why they’ve been brought together.  While Pitch does what he can to get the girls to understand what’s at stake,   what he didn’t take into consideration is the bond the girls already have and are building.  So while he may be only looking for one girl who shows the most promise the girls will work together so that none of them have to face this madness alone.  The whole idea here is fantastic and how it’s being executed is brilliantly done.  Part of me feels like this is moving really fast but the reality is that its not it flows as such a wonderful pace.  

    I am very much enjoying the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceedingly well.  The character development we see is fantastic!  How we see the dialogue, the character interaction and how they act and react the situations and circumstances that they encounter really do wonders in fleshing them out.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing more of the story as well as the twists & turns along the way help the reader to really become engaged and drawn into the book beautifully.

    I am enjoying the way that this is being structured and how we see the layers within the story continuing to grow, evolve and strengthen is marvellous to see.  These layers are where we see the character personalities start to grow and where the depth and complexity hold their sway.  So it’s amazing to see just how well they are being swirled around and through the main arc as effectively as it is.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves everything forward is perfectly well achieved.  

    The interiors here are amazing.  The linework is strong, crisp and clean and how the varying weights and techniques are being utilised to bring out this level of detail work is astonishing.  The creativity and imagination that we see is spectacular and it has to be otherwise the dimensions that they are told about and that we see wouldn’t be nearly as effective.  That two-page spread is the perfect example of how good this work is and how it will leave you utterly gobsmacked.  I’d like to see more backgrounds in use but it is what it is and that we still get this great depth perception, sense of scale and that overall sense of size and scope to the story is beautifully rendered.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we se the angles and perspective in the panels show a stellar eye for storytelling.  The colour work is extraordinary to see.  How the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work makes such an impact on the reader.  Also the magic effects that we see in such a neon style makes them pop and works as a light source to change the hues beautifully.  
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    This is far from you standard fantasy series and that alone is wonderful to see.  That it feels so unique and so original means what with every turn of the page it feels like a new adventure awaits.  This is so smartly written and so solidly illustrated that it has this retro modern feel to the storytelling which is absolutely amazing to see. 

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Man Goat & The Bunnyman #2

5/29/2021

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Man Goat & The Bunnyman #2
Zenescope Entertainment 2021
Written by Joe Brusha
Illustrated by Guillermo Fajardo
Coloured by Walter Pereyra & Ulises Arreola
Lettered by Taylor Esposito of Ghost Glyph Studios

    The stakes are raised as Phil and Floyd find themselves up against a mysterious cult whose members are taking and killing summer vacationers. All the while, after months of searching, a group of obsessed monster hunters has finally tracked the cryptid roomies down. And these hunters are out for blood. Will Phil and Floyd be able to stay alive long enough to save the day once again, or will this be the end of the road for Man Goat and the Bunny Man?

    There are two openings here and both of them manage to grab the readers attention and makes you want to delve further into the issue.  Phil and his daddy issues take centre stage in the first opening and permeates throughout the entire issue and it really works as the catalyst for the story.  With the cult and Floyd doing their thing we see so much more swirling around Phil’s and works on so many different levels.  There are a few questionable moments that don’t work for me but we’ll to that later.

    I do like the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented nicely.  The character development is where this shines and to see the rift build between these best friends is something that is natural and some disappointed yet expect to be seen.  How we see the dialogue, the character interaction and how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter really continue to flesh them out more and more.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists & turns along the way draw the reader further and further into this.

    How this is being structured and how we see the layers within the story grow, change and evolve is really rather nice to see.  The layers is where we see the depth, complexity and drama shine, though to be honest Floyd when he’s angry should is a rabid stone cold killer so capturing him and dong what we see is totally out of character with what should actually happen and I think that’s a glaring mistake.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is achieved rather well.

    The absolute best thing about this book are the interiors here.  That splash page sets the tone for what we see and it’s frakkin marvellous.  The linework is exquisite and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create this level & quality in the detail work is mindbogglingly brilliant to see.  The creativity and imagination in the work is off the charts and how its brought to life like this is beyond stunning.  The way that we see backgrounds being utilised and how they work within the composition within the panels show such a masterful eye for storytelling.  The colour work is stupendous!  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows such a brilliant eye for how to use colour.  The fire in that splash page and the sun shining through the trees are examples of how master colourist works.
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    Aside from Floyd’s predicament which honestly if he didn’t black out and kill everyone i’m going to be highly disappointed in Joe’s idea of writing, this is a solid book.  Phil hasn’t realised that everyone’s coming for him and they want to use him to bring his father into this world and while he fights who he is he really needs to embrace it and use that power to prevent these fools from fulfilling their ideas.  This off the wall buddy horror comedy has unlimited potential that I think has only been scratched on the surface.  With some of the best interiors in comics today you’ll thrill to their adventures as they race to find each other and hopefully end this before they won’t be able to blend into the background any longer.

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By The Horns #2

5/29/2021

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By The Horns #2
Scout Comics 2021
Written by Markisan Naso
Illustrated & Lettered by Jason Muhr
Coloured by Andrei Tabacaru

    Elodie and Sajen make their way to the island home of Futen, the Dark Demon Sorcerer of the Western Wind, to have a chat about unicorns. Their talk does not go well…

    Now this is a great fantasy series folks.  This is and feels so completely unique and original to me and it is so well put together that it’s a pure joy to read.  Many times a fantasy series will be more like an RPG but this doesn’t have that feel to it instead it feels very much like the old novels I used to read as a kid.  A world with fantastic creatures and all kinds of weird and bizarre folks inhabiting it and somewhere along the way it had this nice little moral lesson hidden within the writing and this is what that feels to me.  With the introduction of three new characters we’ll see how Elodie and Sajen find themselves suddenly thrust into the midst of a travelling party.  While Elodie has her sights set on destroying the Unicorns I have a feeling that this band of individuals will have bigger threats to face than her desire for revenge.

    I am absolutely loving the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold and how the reader learns information is presented exquisitely.  The character development that we see is perfectly rendered through the dialogue, character interaction and how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists & turns along the way it’s easy to swept up in this.

    I’m impressed with the way that we see this being structured and how the layers within the story continue to grow, evolve and strengthen.  It is the layers that add the depth and complexity to the story and in this issue we see a new one emerge that looks like it’ll change everything moving forward.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow and how it moves the story forward is achieved exceedingly well.  I love the way there’s this natural progression to what we see and how it feels organic rather than orchestrated.

    The interiors here are mindbogglingly brilliant to see.  The linework is incredible, it’s solid, clean and crisp and how the varying weights and techniques are being utilised to create his level of quality in the detail work is astonishing.  This a great opportunity to showcase backgrounds and while Jason does a good job we could always see more.  Plus how they work within the composition of the panels to bring us depth perception, a sense of scale and that overall sense off size and scope to the book is really marvellous.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a masterful eye for storytelling.  The colour is fabulous!  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is gorgeous.  The pops of colour in the neon realm to showcase the magic and such really makes a huge impact.  
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    This is a great series and has a lot of depth to the characters and the fact that the story is already ever changing paths means that we’re in for one heck of a ride.  I am completely and utterly impressed with the storytelling here as Elodie has such a hardon for these Unicorns and I cannot wait to see if her memory and the reality match up.  I almost feel like emotions are clouding her judgement and her new companions may be on the verge of changing her life in some ways.  That I am so engaged in thinking over the bigger picture from what is presented here is a huge testament to the power of storytelling that Markisan has.  This is intelligently written and gorgeously illustrated tale that will envelope you in this strange and wondrous world.  

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The Modern Frankenstein #2

5/28/2021

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The Modern Frankenstein #2
Heavy Metal Comics/Magma Comix 2021
Written by Paul Cornell
Illustrated by Emma Vieceli
Coloured by Pippa Bowland
Lettered by Simon Bowland

    Elizabeth Cleve is an apprentice to the brilliant, extreme surgeon James Frankenstein. He's shown her his secret world of forbidden medical experiments. And how their mutual attraction has reached fever pitch. How far will she allow herself to go? A twisted horror/romance that walks a fine line between attraction and fear.

    We’re starting to get more of the story revealed to us and while it may not be exactly what we want to see that’s part of what makes Paul such a great storyteller.  He manages to get us invested in what we see and give out just enough to wet the appetite and makes us want to see and know more.  The opening here is great and as Dr. Cleve is welcomed into one fold she alienates herself from another and there’s something about that which kind of is bothersome but it depends on whose reading it and what you believe in because in all honesty to do think that while Frankenstein is a dangerous individual whose is morally suspect its the woman who was her mentor that really pushes the line of what consider personal and professional jealousy.  

    I am loving the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented extremely well.  The character development that we see is interesting thanks to how we see the narration, dialogue, character interaction and how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter.  I find it interesting that Elizabeth took so long to recognise her feelings towards Frankenstein but once she does she’s like a wild animal and I find that beyond interesting.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing more of the story its easy to find ourselves speculating on motives and more.
    How we see this being structured and with the layers within the story continuing to grow and strengthen while new ones emerge is so well done.  There are several different avenues being explored throughout the book that add more depth, complexity and drama in some excellent ways.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how the reader learns information is expertly achieved.

    The interiors here are fantastic.  The linework we see with its varying weights and techniques being utilised to create the detail work is beautifully rendered.  I do wish we’d see backgrounds utilised more fully than what we see.  Also it wouldn’t hurt to see them inflagranti with it all hanging out.  We do get some nice depth perception, sense of scale and that overall sense of size and scope to the story.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles nd perspective in the panels show a talented eye for storytelling.  The colour work is rendered extremely well.  The colours on her cell phone pop like no ones business and the way he describes it is fabulous.  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is incredible to see.
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    I love that Frankenstein isn’t trying to build a monster per se but instead seems intent of doing things tot he brain in order to those who are considered monsters and make them human again.  It is a great reversal of what we know and yet completely keeps itself in line with the story and the mythology of the characters.  I’m also interested in seeing if Paxton regains his ability to feel emotions and recognises what he’s done to such a degree that he lashes out and becomes even more of a monster, being so angry that he’ll want to revert to is previous state of being that things will get completely out of control.  There are so many scenarios and situations that could arise and Paul let’s the readers mind roam freely without yet committing to any specific course of action.  The engagement level is off the charts here and it’s just really getting started, this is being told so magnificently you cannot help but be fascinated at every turn.

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Robin #2

5/28/2021

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Robin #2
DC Comics 2021
Written by Joshua Williamson
Illustrated by Gleb Melnikov
Coloured by Luis Guerro
Lettered by ALW’s Troy Peteri

    After the shocking events of Robin #1, Damian has learned the deadly rules of Lazarus Island the hard way! Now he must prove that he belongs in the tournament and uncover its secrets! But his only ally is the daughter of one of his greatest enemies: Ravager! In this tournament, only one fighter can get out alive-ready for round two? Fight!

    Joshua’s brilliance as a writer and his understanding of the villains point of view is what attracted me to the first issue and what brought me back for the second.  Last issue left off on something of a cliffhanger, we knew he wouldn’t or couldn’t be dead after all but the question of how he’d survive Flatline was something we really wanted to see.  That along with the Ravager being there and her reasons for it while touched upon still remain a mystery.  One that is going to drive the reader bonkers and ensure that they keep coming back time and again.  So will seeing Hawke within these pages and the fact that Damian is unaware of his parentage is interesting to me as well.  

    I am very much enjoying the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well.  The character development that we see is wonderfully rendered through the dialogue, character interaction as well as how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter.  For someone who wishes to distance himself from both parents he certainly remains steadfastly stubborn and his behaviour hasn’t changed one bit.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing more of the story and the twists & turns along the way we remain captivated by the events we see unfold.

    I like how we see this being structured and how the layers within the story continue to grow, evolve and emerge anew.  These layers add that depth, complexity and drama that we want to see in Damian and those around him.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is achieved extremely well.  

    The interiors remain a bit too all-ages for my tastes but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t good solid and quality work.  How we see the varying weights and techniques with the linework being utilised to create the detail work is rendered very well.  I’d like to see sharper detail work considering it’s Damian and less of that Young Justice, Nauck work.  Also we need to see more backgrounds being utilised here as this is supposed to be an island and we’re missing that feel of one.  Still we get some decent depth perception, sense of scale and that overall sense of size and scope to the story.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a solid eye for storytelling.  The colour work we see is nicely rendered as well.  How the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work have some beautiful moments to them.
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    Thankfully the story here is super strong and can carry any style of work on the interiors.  This is so intelligently written with some great characterisation and those moments that seem to sneak themselves in that expand the scope of the story.  It really is nice to see some familiar faces that haven’t been utilised in many years and new ones that have been created just for this arc.  There really are some spectacular moments that remind us all that Damian isn’t a thinker he’s a fighting machine and if he’s to win this tournament he’s going to have to stop being so stubborn and learn to accept his limitations and grow from them with help from someone he can trust and rely on.

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Shadowman #2

5/28/2021

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Shadowman #2
Valiant Entertainment 2021
Written by Cullen Bunn
Illustrated by Jon Davis-Hunt
Coloured by Jordie Bellaire
Lettered by VC’s Clayton Cowles

    The hellscape known as the Deadside has pried open a doorway to Earth in Enoch, Arizona! And our only chance at survival against the awakening desert beasts is SHADOWMAN.

    The opening here is utterly fantastic!  I honestly hadn't seen this playing out the way it did, I mean I got part of it right but dang I love being surprised and between Cullen and Jon they took me right to church here.  This is precisely what this book should be about and that its long overdue is no surprise to me.  Shadowman with his powers and the Deadside should’ve always had a heavy horror influence to it and that Cullen is making this straight up a horror story that just happens to have a hero who is the guardian against those who pierce the veil is icing on the cake.  Then of course there’s the Lao of Death who travels with him and that adds the element of levity and sarcasm to the book that creates a dynamic similar to the Odd Couple in so many ways.

    I am in love with the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well.  The character development is bloody marvellous.  How we see the dialogue, character interaction and how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter continue to flesh them out perfectly.  I’m serious about how mindbogglingly brilliant the conversations between Samedi and Jack truly are.  I could read endless pages of the two of them going back and forth with one another, it’s just that good.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing more and more of the story as well as the twists & turns along the way draws the reader in perfectly.

    I am a huge fan of the way that we see this being structured and with how the layers within the story continue to grow, evolve and strengthen.  These layers are where the depth and complexity appears in usually he most unexpected of ways.  Our mystery woman for instance swirls around the outer edges for now and it’s brilliantly done.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is achieved exceptionally well.

    The interiors here are sensational!  The linework we see is stupendous and how the varying weights and techniques are being utilised to create such a high level of quality detail in the work leaves me gobsmacked.  That backgrounds are utilised as they are and that they have this way becoming a character in their own rite is spectacular to see.  How they work within the composition of the panels to bring us this depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story is amazing.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkably talented eye for storytelling.  The colour work is absolutely exquisite!  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows such a mastery of colour.  The greens and how we see the ghostly images are so expertly rendered and mind numbingly gorgeous to behold.  
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    These folks are so incredibly talented individuals and to see them be able to take these character and breathe life into them in a way that thrills all the senses, well except smell, is utterly delightful.  This is so thoughtfully and intelligently written and the interiors will leave you gobsmacked to the point where you when its done you just sit there as your mind works overtime to process what you’ve just read.  

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John Carpenter's Tales of Science Fiction: Hell #2

5/28/2021

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John Carpenter’s Tales of Science Fiction: Hell #2
Storm King Comics 2021
Written by David J. Schow
Illustrated by Andres Esparza
Coloured by Sergio Martinez
Lettered by Janice Chiang

    Born in the Underneath... trapped in the Overworld... the calm, inhuman visitor known as Kartkas is charged with helping a human team visit and explore his stomping grounds... the regions beneath... commonly known throughout history as Hell. Their journey only starts in the Bermuda Triangle, aboard a ghost ship - a haunted tanker. Beneath that, a violent steam tunnel breaching the Atlantic Ocean floor. And beneath that ...?

    Storm King Comics may not put out a ton of books but what they put out is always, and I mean ALWAYS the best of the best on stands.  Between the writing and the interior artwork they are a publishing house whose books I will without exception read.  This is a great example of this and what David is doing with the story here is beyond any kind of expectations that I could have had coming into it.  I love the opening here because we see Ms. Billings and we’re unsure what exactly she’s doing but it does look like precognition or divination of some sort well before the meeting that is taking place.  This ambiguous yet ominous feeling moment captures the interest and intrigue of the reader beautifully.

    I am a huge fan of the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well.  The character development is extraordinary as we see the dialogue, character interaction and how they act and react to the situations and circumstances that they encounter.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing more of the story and the twists & turns along the way it makes us want to see and know more.

    I am very much enjoying how we see this being structured and how the layers within the story continue to grow, evolve and strengthen.  It is in these layers that we see things that this extra depth and dimension to the story.  Like seeing the salvage ship going after the ghost ship, which was a horrible film but that opening is so classic i’d love to see something like that happen to them.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is so perfectly achieved.

    The interiors are so bloody gorgeous!  The linework is utterly sensational and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to showcase this level and quality of detail in the work is mind numbing and leaves me gobsmacked.  I’d like to see backgrounds utilised more often because when we do see them they not only enhance the moments perfectly but the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope they bring to the pages is immeasurable.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a masterful eye for storytelling.  The colour work is simply divine.  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows this master colourists eye.

    Whether or not Hell exists is up to the person to either believe or not to but what we see here is that there is a realm below that houses people who resemble the beasts and demons that supposedly populate Hell.  There have always been rumours of those who live underground and what they are like and how generations of isolation can mutate them so they are born to survive in such harsh conditions so is this a case of that or is one of Dante’s Nine Rings a whole lot closer than anyone could possibly realise?  
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    This is an amazing book that is incredibly intelligently written with mindbogglingly brilliant interiors that will take you on an the most unexpected journey and leave it up to you to decide what’s what.

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Neverland Annual 2021

5/28/2021

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Neverland Annual 2021
Zenescope Entertainment 2021
Written by Jay Sandlin
Illustrated by Cem Dayioglu, Hakan Aydin & Alessio Mariani
Coloured by Leonardo Paciarotti
Lettered by Carlos M. Mangual

    Neverland is a realm filled with terror and gripping action and adventure, whether it is vicious, pirate battles in flying ships, or whole islands filled with giant man-eating, killer crocs. One person, Nathan Cross, knows these horrors too well. Haunted since childhood by this cursed land, he had thought to have escaped its nightmares, but now, back in the place he never wanted to see again, he is searching for a way to save someone he cares about.
     Will he be able to hang onto hope, or even the last shred of his humanity, or will this world finish what it started so many years ago? Don’t miss this next oversized Neverland epic!

    It has been a while since I have visited Neverland and to be honest I love that this is an oversized annual.  It gives Jay so much more space to really get involved with the storytelling in how and why Nathan has to go back to Neverland.  That and it hopefully sets up another arc or limited series with him and Wendy being targeted by Pan so that we’ll see more of these characters.

    I am very much enjoying the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented beautifully.  The character development is phenomenal and all throughout this issue as we see the dialogue, character interaction and the way they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter not only are they fleshed out beautifully but you feel like these are people you personally know.  They are familiar and that’s sensational because we connect with them, their reasons and their reactions.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story and the twists & turns along the way we’re reminded just how great this totally twisted and violent place really is.

    I am enjoying how we see this being structured and how the layers within the story grow and strengthen throughout.  These layers being character centric really allow us into their lives and how this world changes them.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow and how it moves the story forward is so perfectly achieved. 

    The interiors here are brilliantly rendered.  The linework is stupendous and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to bring such great quality detail work is stunning to see.  I love the creativity and imagination that we see and whether it is the Croc, how different Nathan looks on Earth versus Neverland, Belle and Tiger Lily and the limited use of backgrounds really captures the readers attention.  How we see the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope of the story is done well.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a super talented eye for storytelling.  The colour work is fabulous.  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is rendered exquisitely well.  I love the effect that Belle’s wings have and how they pop.

    Jay just keeps getting better and better with each new story he writes.  This one is smart, intelligent, entertaining, engaging and full of heart which is why the good guys usually win.  Though what he is able to do with the characterisation and how he’s able to put Pan into this story and keep him so true to who he is is honestly a bit terrifying.  Never before have we seen a villain quite like him and Cinderella certainly does try.  This is a perfect book for new readers and longtime fans alike and it’s the kind of introduction and/or reminder why Neverland isn’t a fairy tale but a cautionary one.

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The Witcher: Witch's Lament #1

5/27/2021

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The Witcher: Witch’s Lament #1
Dark Horse Comics 2021
Written by Bartosz Sztybor
Illustrated by Vanessa R. Del Rey
Layouts by John Starr
Coloured by Jordie Bellaire
Lettered by Aditya Bidikar

    Flames rise as a witch is burned at the stake. As Geralt searches for his next job, disturbing images of the fatal persecution appear before him, bringing an ominous warning.

    I always enjoy this series and this first issue is no exception, the first issue of a new arc is always exciting as it sets up the story.  What I also really enjoy about this series is that each arc is completely new reader friendly.  It is great to just jump into a first issue without feeling lost or as if you have to have read the entire series up until this point.  With the way this issue opens we know we’re in for a treat, more so when Geralt hears a voice that comes out of nowhere.  Normally I would start to assume that someone hearing voices is going crazy but Geralt isn’t just anyone he’s the Witcher and he’s responsible for the opening even if he didn’t light the match so it is only natural that this event is going to turn his life upside down.

    I am enjoying the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented extremely well.  The character development is amazing and from the narration, the dialogue, the character interaction and how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter really do a great job in fleshing the characters out.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story and the characters involved it creates this great kind of weirdness that you feel that need to explore further.

    The way that we see this being structured and how the layers within the story reveal themselves we really want to see more.  This is where the depth and complexity of the story comes into play and how we see this set things up for what’s still to come.  The way that we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is achieved extremely well.  The overall flow is very typical of life with Gestalt and I wish that this wasn’t one of those times he wasn’t travelling alone, the interchange is usually some of the best when he’s with someone.  

    The interiors here are gorgeous!  I love Vanessa’s work and she really pulls out the stops for this one.  The linework is great and with its varying weights and techniques in pulling out the detail work is absolutely beautiful.  From the opening to his dream through to the last page the creativity and imagination on full display here is utterly phenomenal.  This is how you showcase a fantasy style book so that the reader feels that awe and wonder it should have.  The way we see backgrounds being utilised and how they work within the composition of the panels bringing us the depth perception, sense of scale and that overall sense of size and scope to the book is marvellously rendered.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a stellar eye for storytelling.  The colour work is stupendous.  The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows an amazing eye for how to utilise colour to its fullest.  
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    I’m excited for the next issue already.  With such intelligent writing and beautiful interiors Geralt is once again in over his head and will have to figure out what he needs to do to not only survive but come away from this without making even more enemies than he had coming into it.

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These. Damn. Kids! #1 Advance Review

5/27/2021

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These. Damn. Kids! #1 Advance Review
Second Sight Publishing 2021
Find this in July’s Previews for Pre-Order
Written by Peter Breau & Bradley Golden
Illustrated by Helmut Racho
Lettered by Hector Negrete

    In a small town in Vicksburg, Mississippi the children have been acting strange. There have been reports of parents being attacked by the very children they raised. Some have even gone to school to try and kill the teachers and faculty. The town sheriff has brought in a young rookie cop, Gary Marshall, to help with what's going on and hopefully get to the bottom of why it's happening. 

    For those of who have been following my reviews for a while now this is prequel to Bradley’s series Leave the Light On and I have to say it’s really nice for that chance to revisit this world he created.  Mind you these guys are giving the horror genre a run for their money with these and making an incredibly strong case for the next generation of horror masters.  I’ve always said that there is nothing scarier than kids who are or go evil and kill and this just continues to prove my theory correct.  Whether it is in their nature of because of the influences upon them kids committing atrocities will always give me sleepless nights.  

    I am loving the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well.  The character development is marvellous and thanks to how we see the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter help to flesh them out in truly genius ways.  The pacing is sensational and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story, the characters and this world we’re transported into one of today’s most chilling stories.

    I greatly appreciate the way that this is being structured and how the layers within the story emerge and grow.  This is where the story gets its depth and complexity from as well as where we see the hints at what is causing this odd behaviour and it really adds this great tension and fear into the story.  The way we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is achieved exceedingly well.

    Huge, huge, huge fan of the interiors here.  The linework we see is utterly exquisite and how the varying weights and techniques are utilised to create this level and quality of detail work that we see is bloody mindbogglingly brilliant!  From the pattern in the wallpaper to how we see the bodies after the fact and the faces and facial expressions all do their damnedest to pull the reader in and place them into any given moment.  The way that we see backgrounds and how they are incorporated into the composition within the panels bringing us the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story is magnificent.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a masterful eye for storytelling.  So how we see the hues and tones within the blacks, grays, whites and even blues being utilised to create the depth of dimension in the work is mind numbing.  From horrific to plain fascinating the work takes the reader to the brink of madness and leaves them jumpy and ready to scream at the slightest provocation.  
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    You need to make sure you order this when next months Previews comes out or simply do it now.  Call your shop tell em to put it on your pull and be done with it.  This will make you uncomfortable in all the right ways and leave you begging for more.  From seeing the parents to the kids after the damage is done and you won’t have a good night sleep for a while and that is precisely what an amazing story should do to you.  

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