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READING WITH A FLIGHT RING

Tapstuds #1

8/25/2015

Tapstuds #1
Sticky Graphic Novels 2015
Written & Edited by Dale Lazarov
Illustrated by Dustin Craig

Once again we delve into the world of all male romance and sex filled wordless storytelling with Dale’s newest offering. Set on world where a diplomat comes to seemingly make headway with the ruler in this almost science fiction style story. It has this first look of a world where old fashioned garb of the characters mix with spaceships delivering a man in military style dress creating this world of old mystique.

Immediately you see the attraction in the eyes of the king and this man who has come to visit. I’m really impressed with the world that Dustin creates here it’s got this sensual beauty to the landscape that puts you in this romantic mood and begins with this subtle flirting over dinner before the two men move on to some more serious love making.

Make no mistakes this is an erotic story full of imagery that depicts intense sexual acts but Dustin manages to bring this to life with a natural ease that while has that smutty quality is also very much what it’s like when two people engage in the act. The King in his slightly overweight appearance with his red hair, hairy chest and delightfully hairy tuchus do wonders in creating that real person, not a built like a god traditional porn standard, in real situations that are for everyone not just for a select few.

There’s humor here as well as they have to decide who will be the top, first anyway and it’s a cute thing to flip the coin. The whole thing is an excellent portrayal of a night of unbridled passion between two people who have that spark of desire. While this is no instruction guide it should be looked at as an example that when you are with someone that there should be no clear cut roles and that you and your partner can do it all with each other to fully enjoy the sexual experience.

To be frankly honest when we hit the sling or hanging chair I really wanted to see more there with how they would use that to heighten the pleasure and different acts capable with it’s use. Regardless it’s just enjoyable to see men of all types in these stories having this full and interesting sex lives.

What sets this apart from other books of an erotic nature is that while we see intense and penetrating sexual acts there’s also this romantic side to it that seems less like a set-up just to get to the sex. So for me it’s less porn style writing and more sensual and involved than pure wham bam thank you Sam. There is a softer loving side to the stories that leave you feeling more than just spent. So throw caution to the wind and experience what classy smut is!

stickygraphicnovels.com

Hexed #12

8/25/2015

Hexed #12
Boom Studios 2014
Created & Written by Michael Alan Nelson
Illustrated by Dan Mora
Coloured by Gabriel Cassata

I’m a fan of Michael’s writing and I have been for quite some time and that he can create or write just about an genre there is keeps me a fan and coming back for more. Lucifer is like no other character we’ve been introduced to in quite some time. This is fantastic and having watched her world unfold before us like it has, has been delightful. From this brash and impulsive young woman to vengeful bitch to well read the story and find out. Michael has taken us on this complete journey here that every month leaves the reader wanting to see more.

I’ve been surprised by certain terms of events like Val’s death but that’s been a huge part of the series appeal. From their first meeting you just knew that Lucifer and Intern, Raina, would somehow become best friends and it’s how that was done that is exciting. What the girls have been through has forever bonded them and made them equal partners in anything else life has to throw at them. For either of them to have a future however Lucifer can’t be the Keeper of Secrets anymore.

I do wonder though that once you were the Keeper of Secrets do you retain all that knowledge or some modicum of it so you are smarter than before? Or has it always been that the previous Keeper has died passing on the mantle which would go a long way to explaining Fastada’s catatonic state. Though from what we’ve seen from Fastrada once they entered the Aether well she livened up and has become quite obsessed actually to recover her secret. Does Lucifer stand a chance against Cymbaline fighting to death here? Let’s face it Lucifer hasn’t been Keeper all that long to really master her new power and Cymbaline is well royally pissed and ready to do whatever it takes.

Is this the final confrontation between Lucifer and Cymbaline well we won’t know for sure I mean even after you’ve read the story. Who lives and who dies well again that’s for the reader to discover. In the meantime Val’s legacy shouldn’t go to waste as we hit three months later and Raina has opened the New Brisendine Art Gallery. Raina’s new intern, oh please I so want this guy to be gay and have an attitude because that would not only fit the art world persona but just add something extra to the mix.

There’s no real reason for this series to be over just the opening year long chapter. The next chapter will be decidedly different from the first after so many changes but that’s natural and the way life works. Then of course there’s Bob and I can’t wait to see him again with his new wife and new role if there is one with Raina.

If you can tell I don’t want this to be over I want the next chapter of the story to come. These characters have so much potential still. Yes we’ve seen them go through the ringer and back already but it’s how this has changed them and shaped how they move forward that I want to see.

Dan and Gabriel’s work on the interiors has been extraordinary as well. They’ve really mastered these characters and this world and brought them to life so well. The attention to detail, the backgrounds and the mood it all feels so natural and welcoming even during the worst of times. Not to mention the fact that Lucifer herself is a beautiful complex woman and her emotions sometimes easy to read and others not so much has made her one of the most endearing characters.

A great concept and premise and with a world full of possibilities still ahead this has been one heck of an amazing series.

Transference #2

8/24/2015

Transference #2
Black Mask Studios 2015
Created & Written by Michael Moreci
Created & Illustrated by Ron Salas
Coloured by Tamra Bonvillain

I have to say this is one hell of an interesting series. It seems in life, movies, tv and books that things run in cycles, for instance vampires or werewolves have their time to shine and right now we see a lot of time travel stories hitting stands but it’s what the writer, in this case Michael, does with that sets it apart and makes it uniquely interesting so that the reader wants to come back time and again.

On a routine mission to the past Colton and his team return home with one less team member. That’s not the only thing that’s changed Colton’s life was erased as well he went from being a man who sobered up got married and had a son to find out that that part of his life had been erased by some mysterious figure. The ramifications of that means someone else out there has the same technology and playing an unknown game to disrupt the team and possibly change the timeline for their own purposes.

Colton now has to live with what’s happened knowing that he will have to do whatever it takes to get that life that means so much to him back against seemingly insurmountable odds. The fact that those closest to him believe him to still be an alcoholic and that’s abundantly clear when we see his chat with Nolan in the beginning. With few to turn to that he can trust without coming across as some delusional drunken idiot, he’s going to try and play this game solo keeping his team in the dark and that can help him or be his downfall.

That Michael doesn’t shy away from both intense characterization and action this story moves along at a wonderfully fast pace not giving the reader a moment to really catch their breath. Instead you’ve got to keep up with what’s happening here and try to calm yourself down and see if you can spot clues or think ahead to what Colton is being put through and for what purpose. Of all the team why him? Is his discrediting and destruction going to put an end to the team and the program? Why not just go after whoever it was who creative the technology, steal it and ensure that Colton got a chance to clean up his life and use it in the first place?

Questions galore arise as you read this story including when they think they’ve found someone who can give them answers instead it turns out to be something of a red herring and that alone raises the stakes and really widens the cracks in Colton’s facade even more. Jordan knows something's up but will she keep digging and help or will she hinder him from using the technology or help him fix what’s been taken from him?

As if everything that’s happened thus far isn’t enough we still get one more massive surprise and it is definitely something huge and game changing but than real question is for better or for worse? There are ramifications for mucking about in time and this chase may just be what unravels everything and sets the world on a destructive course or should Colton prevail it could mean he saves the world in ways no one will ever know!

Non-stop action and characterization wrapped in some very detailed and expressive interior artwork this is a roller coaster ride of a story where you can’t see the turns, drops or spins coming and that’s why it’s thrilling.

Ivar, Time Walker #8

8/24/2015

Ivar, Time Walker #8
Valiant Entertainment 2015
Written by Fred Van Lente
Penciled by Francis Portela
Inked by Francis Portela & Karl Kesel
Coloured by Andrew Dalhouse

We all know how I feel about Fred he’s got these mad writing skills that prove he’s capable of pretty much writing any character in any place and time including these kinds of epic time travel stories that put to rest that they are generally considered a headache to write, read and understand. With Francis along for the ride this series has taken on a whole new feel to it and with sweeping two page spreads that not only demonstrate his artistic genius but how he can fill pages with that kind of attention to detail and bring things to life so utterly beautifully just reinforces the fact that Valiant continues to demonstrate a maturity and a passion that keeps them at the forefront of the industry.

Wow so how does one continue a story that ends like this issue did? I’m excited to see where Fred is going to go with this next now more than ever!

So Ivar, his brothers and pilot extraordinaire Amelia Earhart have found Oblivi-1 and it’s time for Ivar’s plan to be executed. What I really enjoyed about this was the whole look and feel of the ship Amelia’s piloting arriving at the station there’s this whole science fiction vibe mixed with this steampunk aspect that really grabs your attention and imagination.
The relationship between the brothers here is something Fred gives us extremely well. While yes they are facing the end of everything it’s really just another day in the life of Padda brothers and their own distinct personalities shine through and while they’ve fought like siblings do for countless millennia when push comes to shove they are above all else family. Though the dialogue is pretty spectacular to say the least. As is Ivar using the self-replicating von-new-man machines that attacked them previously to help attack those on Oblivi-1 was something that I should have thought of but didn’t and that’s what’s great about this is that the obvious sometimes get overlooked and repurposed to their advantage.

Neela’s own journey throughout this arc has also been extremely well portrayed and as we get closer and closer to the end of this issue you begin to see that Ivar had another purpose for going to her in the first place and it’s a personal reason that has led him time and again to try to right that wrong which occured and now brings us here.

Gosh the reveals this issue brings just keeps the hits coming one after another and leave the reader with this whole what the heck is going on feeling and then that immediate desire to see and learn more about this from another perspective, namely the evil Neela’s and the events that drove her to be this crazy let’s destroy everything mad woman whose obsession seems to know no bounds. After all two sides to every coin right and besides it would just darn interesting to see.

This series keeps getting better and better with each issue and this team manages to capture the sheer scope and size of what’s happening beautifully. Some of today’s best and most prolific talent shine at Valiant with these characters getting to kind of build them from the ground up all over again and I wouldn’t miss it for anything!

Postal #6

8/24/2015

Postal #6
Top Cow/Image Comics 2015
Written by Bryan Hill & Matt Hawkins
Illustrated by Isaac Goodhart
Coloured & Edited by Betsy Gonia

I’m a solid fan of this series and as each issue comes out and we learn more and more about Mark’s mother and the people of Eden the story becomes more complex and interesting. Laura, Mark’s mother and the Sheriff are a complex pair and while I doubt it’s really true love that keeps them together it does have this weird appeal that they have this relationship that goes beyond their stations. You can tell Mag really wants her to think of him like she did Mark’s father but she has such a complicated past that it’s hard to break through all her defenses.

As we finally get our first good look at her and what she’s been through up till now that’s actually kind of made her into the cold hearted hardened woman we’ve come to know. As the mystery of Laura’s husband deepens and his role in both her life, Mark’s and the town of Eden’s becomes more clear through snippets like this the larger picture becomes more clear.

While I still feel as if there’s this huge supernatural presence behind everything but I could be wrong and it could boil down to nothing more than the worst human nature has to offer to create a town where the people can run their own lives as they see fit as far from traditional governmental rule as they can possibly get. Of course trying to do that has resulted in why Maggie is here and the FBI has it on their radar but they are pretty low on the scale of things that are happening here.

This town is so full of secrets and Laura’s are by far and away the most interesting and deadly around. That she has this underground safe house type place hidden geniusly by an outhouse of all things that’s full of gold bars, of which one is missing is this whole crazy idea. This whole underground shelter thing is crazy cool I mean she’s got this whole Fort Knox kind of thing going on with high tech electronic keypad to open it it’s all so very different from you see in this town and it just adds to the whole mystique of this place.

There really is some absolutely great characterization going on here with the Mayor and how she handles her private life and those in the town and she can be a hardass yes but she can also be compassionate as well and it’s interesting to see both of those on display so close together, panel to panel together. Part of me wants to change how I feel about her after reading this issue the other half not so much since she obviously has embraced who she is and feels its her obligation and duty to keep this town running the way it is and being who she is but unwilling to compromise who she is either.

Isaac and Betsy bring this to life wonderfully. Sure these folks are completely normal, non superhuman or supernatural in nature, and they are of various ages and ailments so what they manage to do in creating all these characters so completely is really nice to see. I have to admit that I love the hard and soft imagery mixed together here, when we see Laura in the now and the past it’s such a different woman going from the indoor shower to that in the rain and it’s interesting to see that brought to life like this.

That Top Cow shows such diversity in their projects from futuristic and fantastic to such powerful character driven stories like this one showcase the importance of reading such a well rounded and diverse set of stories.

Powerfully written with interesting characters that continue to surprise you this is human nature at it’s most interesting and dark so take a journey through the town of Eden and see why this is one of those books I enjoy so much.

The Mantle #4

8/24/2015

The Mantle #4
Shadowline/Image Comics 2015
Created, Written & Lettered by Ed Brisson
Created & Illustrated by Brian Level
Coloured by Jordan Boyd

I do like the originality of this book a great deal. The Mantle is more than a name here its a legacy and one that doesn’t end well for the one who has it. Can Jen stop the vicious cycle that’s been happening even after watching her boyfriend die and being extremely scared by it all? That’s the big question really will Jen be the Mantle for some time to come or will she succumb to the Plague like so many before her?

Ed and Brian have created this wonderful concept here though we have explored a bit of the Mantle’s past we still aren’t sure just what it is or why it came to Earth and gave the first person this immense power. Learning that the Mantle did attract the Plague and that for some reason they are consistently at odds and the Plague killing each person possessing the Mantle will need further exploration but for now this story really is one where Jen has to come to terms with her life, all that’s happened and accepting the responsibility that comes along with the Mantle. That character growth is being handled extremely well as this issue takes a huge focus on that.

Jen’s left the group trying to protect her and has gone home once again trying to live a normal life but it’s very quick that this isn’t going to happen. Her friends while sorry about Robbie really want answers and explanations about what went down and Jen just wants to try to put it all behind her. What she does next fits right into what we saw in the first issue though this isn’t for recreational purposes but to escape everything that she’s been through for at least a bit.

Jen’s leaving has dealt a blow to those who rescued her and the Plague has found them has delivered an even larger blow as CCTV pays the ultimate price. This tears the team apart as one decides she can’t handle this anymore and the remaining two go off after Jen in the hopes of convincing her to join them.

Jen however thanks the Mushrooms she purchased has something of an epiphany herself while under their influence. I like this encounter really because it’s cute, serious and all kinds of her own fears talking to herself laying everything out on the line for her. Ed really manages to get to the heart of how she feels and what her current situation really is and that fear while healthy has to be put aside and she needs to rise up to the challenge.

The way this issue ends sets up the big fight for next issue between the Plague and Jen for the future of the Mantle and what comes next in this world.

Brian and Jordan bring this to life beautifully. I mean from the normal everyday people that are Jen’s friends to the heroes that have banded together to that wild encounter with her own subconscious the demonstrate this delightful range of work that really is impressive. There’s so much life and emotion coming off the pages that it really helps tell more of the story than just the words alone and that makes this a truly better than average read.

The Blacklist #2

8/23/2015

Blacklist #2
Titan Comics 2015
Written by Nicole Phillips
Illustrated by Beni Lobel
Coloured by Esther Sanz

During a televized civil-rights rally, charismatic political activist RYAN DUPONT was arrested and bundled into the back of a police van where he was assaulted by an unknown attacker, who drugged and forced him to swallow a small explosive device, before escaping unseen. Dazed and confused, Dupont stumbled from the van pleading for help but died when the ingested bomb exploded, simulating a gun-shot, which panicked law enforcement officers and an FBI agent into shooting him, thus framing them for his murder.
Recognizing the handiwork of Dupont’s assailant as that of terrorist-for hire LEON KIKLINSKI, RAYMOND ‘RED’ REDDINGTON alerted special FBI agent LIZ KEEN that a new Blacklister was targeting the FBI.
Agents Keen and RESSLER’s investigation into Kiklinski led them to the man who had uploaded Dupont’s assassination to the web. However, Kiklinski killed him before the agents could interview him, booby-trapping his body and leaving behind a note declaring that his next bomb target would be on the state Governor’s house.
Meanwhile, Red realized a more deadly player was at work behind the scenes, orchestrating and manipulating events, although toward what purpose remains unclear...

What I like about what Nicole is doing here is that she’s writing this like a different take on a classic story like Bourne. There’s plenty of action and mystery mixed in with some excellent characterization. The story itself is simple the team goes up against an opponent that with their rules and regulations the FBI isn’t as equipped to handle as they think they are so Agent Keen and Reddington use their resources to even the playing field. The way it’s being handled here reads like an arc in the series but with a lot more oomph going on since they aren’t restricted by the shows aired length to put it all into.

Though this shares many similarities to traditional comic books with the Gambler being the main bad guy and his gimmick of being the house and rigging the odds in his favour so he’ll win when setting up his games and Keen acting more like the heroic detective out to take him down so the translation to this medium flows naturally and seamlessly. Plus we get a look at a lot of different characters and their personalities and roles shine in this book allowing us to really get a look at how Keen fits into the larger picture while also revealing things about her even she didn’t know.

Inherently there’s something extremely fascinating that an organization like the FBI is so vulnerable to influence and attack proving that the government isn’t as strong or prepared as they like to believe they are that draws fans to it. Whether we admit it or not majority of American’s are mistrustful of the United States Government and its organizations either because of scandal’s, information leaks and self serving politicians and a lack of what see as “For the People” from Washington. So we already have a great interest factor here and part of us loves they need to be bailed out by the infamous Red Reddington and his protege Elizabeth Keen.

I love the interiors here too. Titan has some of the most exciting artists working in comics today that we are just now getting introduced to through series like this. What they bring to the pages is dynamic, detailed, full of life and expression not to mention mood setting in ways that can you feel frustrated, anxious or even happy.

Titan is the future of multi-faceted, television & comic books, franchises. They treat it differently than any other company and their passion and interest in what they do shines for the reader.

Book of Death #2

8/23/2015

Book of Death #2 (of 4)
Valiant Entertainment 2015
Written by Robert Venditti
Illustrated by Robert Gill & Doug Braithwaite
Coloured by David Baron

For Millennia, the Eternal Warrior has protected the Geomancers enigmatic mystics who guide mankind and protect the Earth. But the arrival of Tama--a new Geomancer from the future--has caused great division in the Valiant Universe. Shortly after her arrival, bizarre natural disasters occurred throughout the United States, killing thousands. The Eternal Warrior--whose life mission is to protect the Geomancer--absconded with her, hoping to protect her and find the true source of the disasters. The superhero team Unity has been sent to reclaim her…

The writing here by Robert is incredible! I love that Gilad is the focus of this story and that Unity led by Neville and Colonel Capshaw are so dead set in the fact that they are correct in their assumptions has been sent to stop him in his mission to discover the true threat to what’s currently happening. Logic would say that Tama is from the future and with Kay’s death a new modern day Geomancer would be born and the cause for the world’s current afflictions and yet only Gilad seems to understand that.

One of the things Robert does here that’s pretty remarkable is really deconstruct the team to basic components. Gilad has been around for a very long time and he’s watched and learned about his teammates and while they’ve left him no choice but to escalate this encounter into a fight he was more than prepared for it. Ninjak is as confident and arrogant as ever strikes first and the response from Gilad should have warned the others to listen and that he was indeed serious.

While this fight demonstrates that Gilad knows how to defeat his teammates it also shows us that Ninjak has also done things so that he can take out his teammates and the sword of Ninjak’s Gilad uses to render Aric immobile speaks volumes about the underlying trust level of this team. Seriously though that it’s Gilad whom they won’t stop and listen to doesn’t bode well for the team’s future. It does almost seem as Gin-Gr is the only one to question why Gilad is fighting them and even after giving livewire a chance to stand down she seems too enraged and fights back.

Once Gilad and Tama get back on the road and he has her read from the book. I’m not sure this is the wisest thing to do but okay it’s being done. This passage details that Gilad is the only one to survive and takes the fight to his enemy. There is a quick recap of Gilad’s life in the book but for the first time in his long history he’s facing a Geomancer in battle, one of those he’s supposed to protect. The story tells of Gilad’s defeat in battle. The book plays another role and I found that interesting as well. Robert has really put a great mix of obvious and subtle moments into this story to really make the reader think. This is great stuff too.

The end reveal well it makes me want to know why there’s not another member of Unity but that’s for another time. The poor child we met at the beginning of the story however will never be the same that’s guaranteed.

Robert, Doug and David’s work on the interiors continue to show us that they are putting out some of their best work. The attention to detail here is phenomenal and the darker tone of the books passage is wonderful compared to what happens in the now. The faces are the most impressive and expressive though and really tells a story unto it’s own.

This is the event that will shake up the Valiant Universe and redefine where it goes next and with it’s spin-off’s we as readers are presented with some of today’s finest storytelling in words and pictures.

The Disciples #3

8/22/2015

The Disciples #3
Black Mask Studios 2015
Created & Written by Steve Niles
Created & Illustrated by Christopher Mitten
Coloured by Jay Fotos

Well we’ve seen things that have no real explanation already and aboard the ship when that thing came out of Rick, how did it get there?, to landing here and finding no one around but another parasitic type entity that cannot seemingly survive without a host. Very quickly however they find a graveyard with one plot empty but prepared meaning at least one person is still alive, or are they?

When we see the graves and the city in the background with Jules and Dagmar in their space suits it’s such an amazingly powerful image and it definitely gives you the creeps and a whole lot foreboding that something immensely bad is going to happen. All from one single image, oh and the fact that well we are talking about Steve Niles writing this.

The way the tension of this story unfolds before us as the pair roam the city and find signs of a struggle with blood and smashed equipment and then seeing someone so they end up splitting up instead of getting the hell out of there is brilliantly done. Then when Dagmar finds the control room and Christopher and Jay give us that two page spread on the monitor screens the horror of the situation really hits home.

With Jules in the tunnels below disturbing something that seems beautiful has a very different effect up top where the bodies are buried. While Dagmar finds the Reverand and Lisa Richmond who is ready to give birth at any moment. When asking who did this she relies on Lisa’s answer but it’s unclear to Dagmar who she means when she says “it was THEM.”

While we have some of those answers thanks to Jules what has happened is something quite expected and rather unexpected at the same time. Honestly I was expecting some alien life form to be the culprit here and that they had disturbed these creatures and this was the penalty for that and in some way that’s accurate but not how anyone would expect. Steve has this way of creating a story that while you know what could happen it is able to present it in a way that’s fresh, exciting and terrifying all at the same time.

There really isn’t a much better modern horror storyteller out there than Steve Niles and that he can get into these characters lives whom we never know if they will survive and make us care about them and then watch as he puts them through paces that are completely different from what we thought they’d be is amazing to experience.

Christopher’s interior work is fantastic in helping tell this story so effectively. That he can go from detailed backgrounds to none at all and make it seem natural and eerie so that Jay’s colouring just is amazing at bringing that to life. The orange space suit is bright and the monitor light is also bright balances out with the gray wash tones of then being on another planet and in outer space. The overall effect is superb in creating this whole crazy experience and giving you this unsettling feeling. The whole book with it’s unsettling feelings is something that you don’t get much and that’s why this is so good.

Powerfully told and infinitely creepy this series is one that you need to take a look at.

Birthright #10

8/22/2015

Birthright #10
Skybound/Image Comics 2014
Created & Written by Joshua Williamson
Created & Illustrated by Andrei Bressan
Coloured by Adriano Lucas

It’s hard to believe we’re only ten issues into this series because it feels like I’ve been enjoying for years and each issue that comes out is like welcoming an old friend back into your home. Joshua has done this amazing job in keeping this series moving forward while showcasing the past and hinting at the future while each character get the best attention possible endearing them to us even further.

Oh now that Mom and Rya have met it’s great to see her fully coming to realize that Mikey is her son and that come hell or high water she’s going to find him and figure out what the heck is going on here oh and her learning she’s to become a grandmother already was kind of icing on the cake though here’s hoping she picks up her ex-husband before the ladies go out to find Mikey. From disbelief to a mother’s determination to be involved in what her son’s going through has been a nice transformation by Joshua.

Alright so it’s time go back to Mikey and Brennan as they face off against the Diviner whom Brennan wants to believe can cure Mikey of the parasite inside him. Even with the past coming back to haunt not only Mikey but to be visible to Brennan and their female companion. What happens throughout the remainder of this story and the way it plays out is astonishing to see. I mean what the real purpose of what is really happening here and how we see things unfold are two completely different things.

I’m truly and utterly amazed at the layer of storytelling happening here and that what is revealed is so much more intense and menacing than I could have thought really goes a long way in changing how you view the story. I mean from the get go we’ve seen Mikey as the savior of Terrenos and then slowly Joshua has revealed layer upon layer through the use of flashbacks and current actions that everything we’ve come to know is being told in a way that shows us that Mikey while having accepted his new role has also become something else entirely.

From the moment Brennan glimpsed Mikey’s passenger and then to now it’s been seemingly a thing that Mikey wants rid of something to be ashamed of and why he’s here to cleanse himself until this issue revelations and the darker more sinister purpose of him coming home is being revealed. What he’s been planning and how its been unfolding is honestly something I never saw coming and is quite difficult to grasp at first. That Joshua has managed to write this in such a way that the reader was completely taken unawares until this issues solidifying reveal showcases such a talent that you both curse him and praise him for.

Andrei and Adriano’s work on the interiors continue to be some of the most beautiful and amazing work on stands today. Just the way they can flow from people to scenery to stretching the imagination through the Diviner and Nevermind it all just works so completely. The intensity on the page matches the intensity of the writing and the attention to detail is among the best there is.

This is quietly one of the strongest most intense reads available today.