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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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Angela Della Morte Vol.2 We Can Destroy The Soul #1

9/30/2020

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Angela Della Morte Vol.2 We Can Destroy The Soul #1
Stonebot Comics/Red5 Comics 2020
By Salvador Sanz
Translation by Dario Timarchi
Lettered by Altercomics Studio

    Angela has been captured by the Flud family who want the secret of her abilities, but Angela has a secret of her own and the world is not ready for it.

    This is one of the most intriguing, interesting and beautifully done books.  Salvador’s work is really hard to explain or put accurately into words and instead it really does need to be seen, experienced and seen for oneself.  Still I shall try to convey my happiness and the reasons why I believe in this as much as I do.    The idea here that brought this to life was mind blowing in its scope and how it was revealed was absolutely amazing.  After the first arc ended I wasn’t quite sure how the second arc would go and now that it’s here I am both thrilled and terrified by what is happening.
    The way that this is being told is really rather quite brilliant.  How we see the story & plot development through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is laid down perfectly.  How the story unfolds and how we see the continuation is beautifully done and if you have never read the first arc that’s okay it’s easy to follow this making it new reader friendly.  The character development we see here is extraordinary to see and as the conversations and dialogue we see really shows some great personalities.  The way we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances is so telling of who they are and it’s delightful to see this play out.  The pacing is spectacular and as it takes us through the pages setting up the story it is easy to see how well everything works together in creating the story’s ebb & flow.

    With the way that this is structured and how we see the layers within taking our minds in different directions, see-how it engages us, is marvellous.  I mean there are these little digs and small moments where it almost feels like they are testing the waters with each other and it’s utterly fantastic to see.  Just the way Salvador approaches the story and how he’s able to execute it really is something special and that we don’t see every day.

    The interior artwork is simply exquisite to see.  The fact that Angela’s body is shown as a woman who’s recently given birth is beyond amazing.  The linework is strong and shows how to utilise the varying weights and techniques beautifully.  How we see backgrounds being utilised and the style in which we see them come alive is extremely beautiful to behold.  How we see depth perception, that sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the book is really remarkable.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show this amazingly talented eye for storytelling.  The way we see the detail work and how we see the imagery to open up the book it’s just enticing and inviting you into the book.  The colour work is gorgeous and how we see the various hues and tones within the colours utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is absolutely perfectly rendered.  
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    New readers and old fans alike are to thrill and marvel at this story.  From the technology we see to the near future setting with the state of the world as it’s shown this takes the science fiction genre into such a direction that feels classic in it’s scope.  This is European comics making at it’s finest and it showcases why I absolutely adore how this is being done.

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Shadow Service #2

9/29/2020

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Shadow Service #2
Vault Comics 2020
Written by Cavan Scott
Illustrated by Corin Howell
Coloured by Triona Farrell
Lettered by Andworld Design

    Captured by supernatural secret agents, Gina faces the mysterious head of MI666. With her powers turned against her, the witch-turned-private investigator must risk everything to escape. But with her enemies closing in, can Gina resist one final call for help?

    This is one of those crazy series that on the surface seems like it is almost a cheeky one.  It isn’t by the way as it’s actually rather serious and quite exceptionally well written.  Though I am a fan of Scott’s work so it’s no surprise to me that this is as good as it is.  Plus there really is something about London and magic that fits together so perfectly that it feels like this really is a part of the world.  It also takes the science fiction genre and keeps adding a new dimension to it that just continues to demonstrate why Vault Comics is on the forefront.

    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 moves the story forward exceptionally well.  From the opening that recaps the first manifestation of her powers to how the issue ends the way we see this book structured is just beautifully done.  The character development that we see is phenomenal and as we see them act, interact and the dialogue between them really reveals layers to the characters.  So does how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter.  The pacing is spot on brilliant and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists & turns along the way it’s easy to see how everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow.

    I love how we see the layers within the story and how some of them are beginning to converge.  This adds to the drama and intrigue factors here exponentially with each new revelation or discovery.  It is so incredibly easy to like Gina and find empathy with her as she’s had a hard knock life that she’s managed to pull herself up from the depths by literal shoestrings and yet she still maintains her principles and this amazing work ethic.  All this makes in kind of inspiring and definitely a role model worthy of the title.

    The interiors here are absolutely marvellous!  The linework that we see is exquisite and how the varying weights and techniques are being utilised to showcase the detail work we see is really rather extraordinary.  I mean that dude she refers to her as her step-dad on the first page shows you what the level and quality of work is going to be throughout and it’s bloody brilliant.  Also so that we see backgrounds are being utilised as they are in conjunction with the page layouts that we see really enhances the moments beautifully while also providing us with depth perception, a sense of scale and the 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 such a magnificent eye for storytelling.  The colour work we see is also extremely impressive.  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work demonstrates such a marvellous understanding of how colour works.
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    This has very quietly entered into the realm of a top tier book.  It has all the requisite components as it’s written extraordinarily well and it is gorgeously illustrated and that makes it a welcome addition to everyone’s reading list regardless of what genre you may gravitate towards.  A very unique one of a kind offering that needs more time in the spotlight.

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Monster Men #2

9/29/2020

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The Monster Men #2
American Mythology Productions 2020
Written by Mike Wolfer
Illustrated by Roy Allan Martinez
Coloured by Periya Pillai
Lettered by Natalie Jane

    On the trail of the creature known as Number 13, Townsend Harper Jr. and Victoria Maxon are unaware that there are terrors beyond imagining lurking on the steamy, South Pacific island that the artificially-created monster calls home. But is the biggest threat to their survival the monster for which they've searched, or could it be the denizens of a secret, scientific compound hidden in the island's jungle, where the mad experiments of Virginia's father have been revived by others with less than moral goals? 

    I love that Mike has such a passion for ERB as keeps everything he does as true to the source material as humanly possible.  Which is amazing to me but it’s also incredibly thrilling to read.  This book also has kind of everything going on and those that have come back to the Island haven’t a clue what is occurring on the other side of the Island.  I also believe they have no idea what those in the cells are actually capable of and are doing.  Ask Virginia she’ll tell you all about that.  I love how we see so many elements that would normally be fighting against each other being masterfully blended.  

    I really am impressed with 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 beautifully.  How we see the utilisation of misdirection here is sensational and then while we see something it starts the mind working and the reader becomes engaged.  It is the kind of moment when you realise how well everything here is being done.  The character development is interesting and while some of it is highly predictable that’s okay really because it just means that we recognise the characters portrayed within these pages.  The pacing is spot on and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists & turns along the way it’s easy to see just how well everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow.

    How the book is structured is really nice to see and it allows for the flow to feel natural and not rushed or feeling as if something is forced.  Mike is as talented a writer as he is an artist and to be able to read this and see the passion he has for the subject matter is wonderful.

    The interiors here are utterly gorgeous.  The linework we see is exceptional and how the varying weights are being utilised to bring us some amazing detail work is really rather quite impressive.  The fact that we see backgrounds utilised as we do showcases the Island as it’s own character and really expands the danger that surrounds them.  It also provides us with some stellar depth perception, scale and that overall sense of size and scope of the story.  All of which is superbly impressive and that the night sky shows the stars so every aspect is truly utilised.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkable eye for storytelling.  The colour work is absolutely gorgeous and how we see the various hues and tones within the colours utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is exceptionally well rendered.  
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    This is one of those series that you can read whether you’re familiar with the source material or not.  It is very much a stand alone or new reader friendly book and at the same time it’s also a perfect compliment to what has come before.  American Mythology has some extremely high quality books with a high level of talent and if you aren’t reading this then you really ought to be.

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Canto II: The Hollow Men #2

9/28/2020

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Canto II: The Hollow Men #2
IDW Publishing 2020
Written by David M. Booher
Illustrated by Drew Zucker
Coloured by Vittorio Astone
Lettered by Andworld Design

    Book 2 of Canto continues! 
    Canto leads his friends on a journey to save his people and his first stop is his friend Aulaura, the mysterious warrior who helped him fight the Furies in the City of Dis and escape from the Shrouded Man. But what shall they do when they find Aulaura’s village full of hollow men?

     This remains the best new character of the past decade, at least.  This issue has one very special moment that defines exactly why I think this to be true and it comes from Aulaura herself.  There are some things, experiences, feelings that are just hard to express for some and yet you know it’s there and you can do little except tell someone to read it so they’ll understand what you feel and think.  That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try because if you get enthusiastic about something and have passion for it that is as contagious as can be.  That is this for me, this series is just incredibly endearing, more emotional than you realise and it gets under your skin and seems into the essence of who you are.

     I love 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 expertly laid out.  The way we see their journey unfold and the bits of humour amidst the seriousness of their quest strike all the right chords.  The character development continues to impress and the more that we see this foursome interact with one another the more we get to see their individual personalities emerge further.  The pacing we see is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists & turns along the way it is easy to see just how well everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow.

    David knows this world inside and out and yet I still feel that it is Canto who is really telling the story here.  Marv & George did that with The New Teen Titans and it’s not something that is easy to do and yet David manages to capture it epically.  With the way this is structured and how we see the layering within the story we are getting a plethora of angles and aspects to the story you might have anticipated.

    The interiors continue to blow me away with not only their creativity and imagination but with the sheer level of detail work that we see.  The linework is exquisitely laid down and to see the various techniques and varying weights being utilised make me so incredibly happy.  It is as if there’s no stone left unturned. This kind of approach is phenomenal to me and even if the backgrounds aren’t filled up we do see the sky or something that says hey we know and it’s not blank.  This allows us to get some great depth perception, a sense of scale and that overall sense of size and scale to the story.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a truly remarkable eye for storytelling.  The colour work is brilliantly rendered.  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work show a superb eye for how colour works.  From the metal in their bodies to the blues in the sky and yellow, orange and reds that come with the thatch building roofs and more it practically sings at you.
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    If you look at the best books on the market today you’ll notice they all come from small publishing houses and BOOM! Seems to have more than most anyone else currently.  So have you boarded the train to boomtown or are you still stuck in snoozeville?  Yes cheesy but ya know what it still holds true.

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Mega Man: Fully Charged #2

9/28/2020

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Mega Man: Fully Charged #2
BOOM! Studios 2020
Written by Marcus Rinehart
Illustrated by Stefano Simeone
Coloured by Igor Monti
Lettered by Ed Dukeshire

    Mega Man's search for information brings him to Dr. Wily, a scientist who may hold the secrets to the hero's mysterious past. As Mega Man struggles with his newly reawakened memories of a brutal war, he must choose who he can truly trust -- his father Dr. Light or the enigmatic Dr. Wily.

    Okay so last issue blew me away with just how awesome and how involved and entangled the story was.  This keeps going the way the last one left off and I am super impressed with this book.  Not knowing a lot about the character or his history could be a blessing for and anyone else is in the same boat because this is the kind of introduction to a series that makes you an instant fan.  It is a smart and intelligently written story with some incredible layering that creates a modern science fiction fantasy epic type of story and we really don’t see a lot of these anymore.  

    I am a huge fan of the way that this is being told.  The story and 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 we see is amazing and that and the story & plot development work hand in hand together to show us Aki and his brother Daini and how alike and yet how different they are and what roles in this they seem destined to play.  The more we see of them together the more intriguing their encounters become.  Plus with Dr. Wily being given a large role in this, seemingly, and how he comes across well oh boy this is going to get crazy.  The pacing here is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story and the twists & turns along the way it’s easy to see how well everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow.

    There is something here that really catches the attention and makes the reader think.  So that we are engaged in such a way is kind of strangely powerful.  I mean the relationship between Aki and Dr. Light is strained to put it nicely and without the fatherly attention what is Aki going to do?  The drama, action and intrigue abound here and I think this is why it has such appeal.

    The interiors here are fantastic.  I mean while the Mega Man humongous arm things are never going to look natural everything else is spot on in appealing to a wider audience.  Oddly enough that they inflate as they do and become their power sources is demonstrated beautifully.  The linework is fabulous and how we see the detail work come to life through their use is sensational work.  The backgrounds we see are sublime and how they present the city is breathtaking.  I love how we see depth perception, a sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope of the story being told.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a superbly talented eye for storytelling.  I think the colour work we see is utterly spectacular and how the lights of the city or in the use of powers and security systems what we see is so well utilised.  The various hues and tones we see within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is extraordinary to see.  There are moments you don’t consciously realise it’s in use and it’s that level of work that makes this what it is.
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    So this needs to be ongoing instead of a six issue run.  The level of quality we see throughout this book is much, much too good to remain at six issues.  Hopefully with the response it’s been getting we’ll quickly get another arc, so if there are arc after arc in limited series format then I’ll be happy.  Regardless are among the few who haven’t read this yet then you need to get the first two issues now while you still can.

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Miles To Go #1

9/27/2020

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Miles To Go #1
Aftershock Comics 2020
Written by B. Clay Moore
Illustrated by Stephen Molnar
Lettered by Thomas Mauer

     Amara Bishop is a newly single mother with a long-buried past. Raised by an alcoholic father in a rundown trailer, Amara was a child when she learned to kill. And she hasn't killed anyone since she was thirteen. When her aging mentor is murdered, and her daughter is threatened, that will soon change…

     Can I say one thing, having a next issue blurb on the last page (?) ruins the cliffhanger ending.  I was so shocked by what we saw and I was starting to lose my mind a bit till I read that so I think someone needs to make sure that it’s not going to spoil things.  In my head I’ve figured out how the next issue is going to open already and I really didn’t want that because the last page of the actual story is so powerful.

     The opening is frakkin amazing!  Oh this is why I am a huge fan of Clay’s and Hawaiian Dick is one I am patiently waiting for the next arc to come out.  The way he’s able to craft a story and hit you at just the right moments is something that he can do that others wish they could do.  While I wish the splash page was the first one it’s all good the way it plays out for us, I mean damn I didn’t see it coming the way it did.  

     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 marvellous as we see their conversations and how they act and react to situations and circumstances they encounter.  I love that Alea is a smartarse and that she can banter with her mum and yet still not know who Vidal Sassoon is.  It’s often the little moments like that, that people remember because so few writers remember to put it in their work.  The pacing is perfect and as it takes us through the pages introducing us to the characters and the world they live in it is easy to see how everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow.

     The way this is structured and how we see different layers woven through just enhance the engagement factor tenfold.  Admit it, you love when your mind goes places you weren’t expecting because of what you see in the story where a gap is left unexplained.

     The interiors here are utterly fantastic to see.  The linework is phenomenal and how the varying weights and the various techniques that we see are being utilised to showcase such beautiful detail is stunning stuff.  Let’s talk about how mum is a body builder shall we?  I mean c’mon she’s buff as all hell and it looks natural, as in she works hard for it.  The proportions are spot on and instead of making her look like a super heroine she looks like a badarse body builder and the difference may be hard for some to understand but I'll be damned if it isn’t perfect.  The way we see backgrounds here are utilised throughout and i have to say they really do wonders in fleshing out moments and completing scenes as well furthering characterisation.  We also get some great depth perception, sense of scale and that overall sense of size and scope to the book from them.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show such an amazingly talented eye for storytelling.  The colour work is divine, simple, muted and yet how we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is exquisitely rendered.  I am a huge fan of the techniques I see in laying the colour that are so impressive.
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     This is classic Aftershock.  Not to mention Clay’s amazing ability to create, craft and deliver a story at a level of quality that puts him in a league of his own.  Doesn’t matter which genre you prefer, this is going to leave a mark on your psyche and you will welcome it with open arms.

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Immortal She-Hulk #1

9/26/2020

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Immortal She-Hulk #1
Marvel Comics 2020
Written by Al Ewing
Illustrated by Jon Davis-Hunt
Coloured by Marcio Menyz
Lettered by VC’s Cory Petit

      IN THE WAKE OF EMPYRE, JEN WALTERS GOES IMMORTAL! 
     The Cotati invasion has changed everything for Jennifer Walters. Now she seems to have a new lease on life…but things are never that simple for the gamma-powered.

     I love She-Hulk, Jen, for so long.  She’s one of those characters where I am not sure they knew how to utilise her properly.  They kind of copied Bruce’s life with her in a lot of ways and she is her own person, her own identity and while I do miss her confidence, charm and social presence what Al is doing here is what we need to see.  Finally the struggle of actually coming into her own through this introspective process that strips her down to such a fundamental place so she can rebuild herself and figure out who she’s supposed to be.  This is why I love Al’s work and why I will read his stories anywhere they come out.

     The way that this is being told is utterly fantastic!  How we see the story & plot development through the sequence of events unfolding as well as how the reader learns information is brilliantly done.  That she’s trying to piece her deaths together and figure out why she keeps coming back is the story and it’s her character development.  We cannot have one without the other and usually we can say they are intertwined but this time around Al manages to make them one and the same.  The pacing here is incredible and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story and the elements to Jen’s life and deaths we see how well everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow.

     The way this is structured and how we see the layers within the story come about is bloody brilliant!  I mean each time she’s gone to that place she’s seen a different person from the collection of gamma affected people.  Then there’s the fact that she can recall these times as fading dreams so that she loses them altogether, it adds to her frustration and what she is so desperately looking for.  This packs a very powerful emotional punch in the gut for the reader and it makes me want to see this creative team keep going.  I want them to tell this story further and see where it leads them.  

     The interiors here are absolutely gorgeous!  I haven’t been able to say that about a lot of Marvel’s titles over the last few years but this makes the writing have that added punch to it so it is as powerful a story as can be.  The linework is sensational and to see how the varying weights and techniques are being utilised throughout to show off the detail in the work is stellar.  The work in the backgrounds is equally amazing to see and how much detail goes into it as well makes me a happy camper.  They enhance the moments, bring us depth perception, a sense of scale and that overall sense of size and scope to the book.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a tremendous eye for storytelling.  Loving the colour work here as well.  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work it exceptionally well rendered.  
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     This is the exact storytelling that I want to see and read.  Like Hyperions all too short lived title if it isn't a high profile Avenger or X-Man it seems Marvel doesn’t truly care.  So tell them you care and let them know you want to see more of this.  This is brilliantly done from concept, writing, artwork and the lettering and this should be high up on your reading list.

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Brooklyn Gladiator #1

9/26/2020

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Brooklyn Gladiator #1
Heavy Metal 2020
Mature Readers Title
Written by Dan Fogler & Andrew Harrison
Illustrated by Simon Bisley
Lettered by Crank!

    It's 2033, New Yorkers survive on scraps in a despoiled America. John Miller is an action hero for the ages, a rough and ready badass who could drink Han Solo, Jack Burton, and John McClane under the table. Brooklyn Gladiator is a tribute to the comics, films, and experiences that have inspired author Dan Fogler.

    Well this is certainly for mature readers only and it’s not safe for work, the book or the review, so with that being said let’s get this party started shall we.  The idea here is pretty good in that it depicts a very distinct future and one that has just a few traces of what could happen to make this extremely more interesting and entertaining than you might begin to believe.  I am a fan of the whole historical fiction genre and while this may not be the past it certainly counts as what the future holds, based entirely on how we see current events.  So whether this could come to pass or not it has this incredible science fiction element to it that is so much fun.

    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.  I like how the running narrative is being utilised here as John takes us through his life, the city and what is happening in this world.  It is an interesting take and it helps since we seem to have found ourselves in the midst of an ongoing story.  By this I mean he’s already on the move and running for his life, not that we’ve missed anything as of yet.  The character development that we see is so integrally tied into the story development at this stage that it's freakin’ amazing to see.  We see and learn more about him in this one issue than some folks are able to do in several.  The pacing is sensational and as it takes us through the pages revealing this world and the twists & turns along the way it’s easy to see how everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow.

    I am a huge fan of Biz and the work that he does.  Right from that first page where we get to see his creativity and imagination unleashed, including those boobies, well it’s like welcoming back an old friend you haven’t seen in ages.  The man has this style and panache to his work that makes instantly recognisable and to see how he creates the detail work that we see is fabulous.  The way that backgrounds are utilised and made integral to the story is beautifully rendered and they give us depth perception, a sense of scale and that overall sense of size and scope to the book.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a remarkable eye for storytelling.  The colour work is amazing as well.  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work really are a joy to see.   Light sources casting that different hue or the giant advertising all done in those blues it all just demonstrates someone who understands to colour their own work. 
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    Decidedly original and crass beyond belief this is the kind of storytelling we used to have to hide from everyone.  It is utterly fantastic that this is now mainstream because the way this is structured and how the layers of the story reveal themselves all the while wrapped up in this unapologetic stellar artwork, well it’s the stuff that thrills us.

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Hotline Miami Wildlife #1

9/25/2020

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Hotline Miami Wildlife #1
Behemoth Entertainment 2020
Written by Federico Chemello & Maurizio Furini
Illustrated, Lettered & Designed by Alberto Massaggia

    Presenting a new, monthly comic series based in the multi-million unit selling indie video game franchise, Hotline Miami! This oversized first-issue features an original spin-off story in the Hotline Miami universe told from the perspective of a new character, Chris, and his struggle to deal with a coming war, his tendency towards self-destruction, and the mysterious pseudo-patriots of 50 Blessings.

    I wasn’t sure what to expect here.  I got it blind, no information whatsoever about it beforehand and if you know me you know this is the way I love coming into a new series.  Hell I don’t play video games so I had not heard of this until seeing it for the first time.  I love that Miami in the 80’s has such a horrible reputation, it mean’s Miami Vice was a show that is believed right.  Still there are a few elements in this that I find interesting and they stick out with you in different ways as well.  For those who didn’t live through this period, I pity you and I'm envious of you, it is a somewhat fair representation thus far if you live in a twisted John Hughes film.

    There is something about the way that this is being told which makes it endearing and quite honestly it just is extremely well structured.  The story & plot development we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented beautifully.  Somehow some way they’ve to portray a month's passage in this issue and it is brilliantly shown that you have to double or even triple check your math on that.  The character development that we see is great.  I like we start off with the whole alright here’s where we're starting with them guess where they are gonna go from here.  When we get to how this starts we see two friends, one of whom has a lot of money and while it isn’t confirmed we get a good suspicion as to why.  This is not the same character whom we see in the opening and it is utterly brilliant to see the start of that transformation.

    How we see the layering within the story and how those threads show us Chris’ life and how he lives it from multiple directions.  We see him bored and left wanting but he’s not sure that even means or what he’s looking for to begin with.  How everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow is really rather nice to see.

    The interiors here are incredibly solid.  The linework is fabulous and how we see the varying weights and even techniques being utilised to show how strong the detail is, well it’s really something.  The faces are what impress me the most, they are among the hardest things to draw consistently so to see such strength in that here is impressive.  I would like to see backgrounds utilised more because when we do see them they do their things extraordinarily well.  They enhance the moments, bring us depth perception, a sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the book.  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 is well rendered.  I like how we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work.  

    Here’s my one beef, this looks nothing like Miami, let alone in the late 90’s.  Where are the neon lights, where are the buildings with all the crazy colours?  Most importantly did anyone research the clothing?  Men in polo’s meh not good enough women in 80’s clothing that was something to see.  I miss that because this feels generic to any city real or fictional with a body of water near it.
​

    Behemoth is certainly making a name for themselves here.  So far they’ve yet to disappoint me and the more of their books I read the more convinced I am that they never will.  Solid interesting writing with lovely interiors make this far from your average (bear) book.

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The Autumnal #1

9/24/2020

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Picture
The Autumnal #1
Vault Comics 2020
Written by Daniel Kraus
Illustrated by Chris Shehan
Coloured by Jason Wordie
Lettered by Jim Campbell

    Following the death of her estranged mother, Kat Somerville and her daughter, Sybil, flee a difficult life in Chicago for the quaint--and possibly pernicious--town of Comfort Notch, New Hampshire.

    Wow this starts off on a very disturbing note and right away the reader is engaged in the story.  You think about what you are seeing and why or how this all has happened and while you cannot justify it properly as of yet, it does leave you with a heavy desire to know more.  You can see that Daniel is a novelist and he approaches this story in that manner which makes it even more impressive.  I mean to translate that skill to comics and seamlessly the two ways of storytelling leaves me in awe, and a desire to seek out his novels.  I am creeped out and have this innate desire to know more because what I see may make me somewhat uncomfortable but that’s precisely what is intended here.

    I am an instant 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 laid perfectly.  The slow release of real information and letting the readers’ use their minds to fill in the blanks is spectacular to see here.  The character development is interesting and how we see the character act and react to the situations and circumstances that they encounter well it just makes your skin crawl and the excitement & intrigue about the story rise with each encounter.  The pacing is damn near flawless to see and as it takes us through the journey that is their lives it is the perfect guide.  

    The way this is structured and how we see the layers within the story works to magnify the interest and intrigue factors here.  Then there is how well everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow which is hands down sensational.  Everything we see and how we as the reader react to it is going to be that singular experience that only you can have.  What may make my skin crawl or just raise an eyebrow you on the other hand will most likely have a different reaction and to know this about a book is what makes it special in ways that you can’t tell but only feel.  The only shared experience here will be when you talk to someone else who’s read it.  

    The interiors here are inspiring.  The way we see the utilisation of the page layouts like they are between older photographs and watercolour paintings and it provides this weirdly alluring and intriguing work.  How we see the angles and perspective in the panels they show us this masterful eye for storytelling.  Through it all there is this stellar attention to detail and when it comes to the faces and facial expressions it wows me with how well it portrays emotions and feelings to the reader.  The colour work is extraordinary to see.  It feels like a mixture of applications to me and how we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows a mastery of colour.
​

    This story is utterly amazing.  Yes Vault Comics constantly pushes the envelope on their storytelling and this is so within that realm.  It is incredibly well written, the range of emotions that the reader feels and how you react to the events we see is probably as desired by Daniel.  This is hauntingly familiar and yet it’s also uniquely creepy and the combination along with how we feel about this mother and her daughter takes us to a place we’ve not experienced in comics before. 

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