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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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Human Remains #1

9/29/2021

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Human Remains #1
Vault Comics 2021
Written by Peter Milligan
Illustrated by Sally Cantrino 
Coloured by Dearbhla Kelly
Lettered by Andworld Design

    Dax and Bisa love each other. But in this new and terrifying world, love is dangerous. Feeling anything is dangerous. Earth has a new and terrible invader—monsters that deprive us of the very feelings that make us human.

    And this is why I’m a Peter Milligan fan.  What a brilliant and twisted mind, imagination and creativity this man has and there really is nothing he can’t write and write well.  I like the way that this is set up, how we see the world as it is now and how different factions are shown and what the cause and effect of having emotions are going to have.  It is quite brilliant to see play out and with the group and the testosterone filled military is portrayed to stereotype, and remember it’s a stereotype for a reason.  It is kind of ironic, dontcha think, that this book is about controlling your emotions, well the characters have to, and yet the story manages to create emotions and feelings within the reader.  I like this kind of dichotomy because it just goes to show how stinkin talented Peter is and how you can talk about a subject and then fill the reader with almost the polar opposite.

    I am a 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 exceedingly well.  The character development that we see through the narration, the dialogue, the character development as well as how we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter is utterly magnificent to see.  The pacing is excellent and as it takes us through the pages introducing us to this world, these characters and the story itself pulls us in perfectly.

    I am liking how we see this being structured and how the layers within the story begin to emerge and grow.  I like how these layers open up avenues to be explored and we know some will be and some won’t be but they all add this wonderful depth, dimension and complexity to the story.  I am now looking forward to the group and their actions, that's for sure and it is an angle I appreciate seeing.  How everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is impeccably achieved.  

    The interiors are a little more deceiving than I was expecting to see.  They aren’t as tight and clean as I expected and what we do get really does kind of enhance the story in a way that is delightful.  The linework is great and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create the detail within the work that we see is expressive.  I love how we see backgrounds being utilised to enhance and expand the moments as well as how they work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, 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 a remarkably talented eye for storytelling.  The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work show a great understanding of how colour works.
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    I love how this book surprised me with not only the concept but its execution as well.  It really is the ending that really takes the cake here.  That image will forever be ingrained in my brain and it makes me think of some sort of mutant bedbug type of creature and that is terrifying to me.  All I know is that if the first part of the story doesn’t pull you in then this ending will be the thing that makes you want to see and know more.  This has some incredible writing and phenomenal characterization along with the interiors that will make you feel something.  

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Turbo Kid: Apple's Lost Adventure #1

9/29/2021

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Turbo Kid: Apple’s Lost Adventure #1
Behemoth Entertainment 2021
Written by RKSS
Illustrated by Jeik Dion
Production Rob Cannon

    The CULT MOVIE Turbo Kid gets this prequel in a comic written by the directors & drawn by the storyboard artist of the movie. In this first issue: The Turbo Rider faces the Robot War and Apple discovers a path that leads to the Kid! A path full of blood, gore, fights, synth music and of course BMX!

    Now I had no idea this film existed and now I want to seek it out and watch it because this book right here reminds me of an underground comix that I grew up seeing in the early 80’s.  It has this grindhouse kind of feel to it and it’s absolutely glorious!  The older I get the more I appreciate books like this one and it is so well thought out and put together and that these two did the film really adds that extra amount of something that is pretty indescribable to the table.  No one knows this world the way they do and that makes all the difference in the world.  What we get is this no holds barred story that hits you in ways you would never in a million years expect and that is utter brilliance to me.  

    I’m 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 through the narration, the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter is brilliantly rendered.  Apple for example wow is her characterisation phenomenal.  The pacing is excellent and as it takes us through the pages introducing us to the world, the characters and this story is extremely well constructed. 

    I like how we see this being structured and how the layers within the story begin to emerge and grow.  The layers within the story open up avenues that can be explored and some will and others won’t and regardless what they all do is add this fantastic depth, dimension and complexity to the story that if you're not careful will tug at your heartstrings.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is impeccably achieved.

    The interiors here are absolutely fantastic!  It is no surprise that he’s a storyboard artist and how we see this being shown through the composition within the panels is brilliantly rendered.  The linework is incredible and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create the detail within the work that we see is sensational.  Now what we need to see more of are backgrounds to enhance and expand the moments more.  When we see them they really do wonders for the moments as well as work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, 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 a remarkably talented eye for storytelling.  That there is very strategic use of colour here is phenomenal for the impact it brings and how colour is solidly packed and how we see the shading of grays really is impressive to me.  The creativity and imagination that we see throughout the book is extraordinarily translated to the page.
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    This book really is a lot more impressive than I had originally thought it was going to be.  It takes the feel of a grindhouse book and elevates it into something with a lot more emotions and feelings.  There is a sense of awe, wonder and innocence to this that kind of balances out the action and what would normally cause fear.  This is brilliantly written with exceptional characterisation and some mind numbing interiors.  This is something you should be reading because it’ll change the way you feel about small/indie press books.  

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Night of the Cadillacs #1

9/29/2021

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Night of the Cadillacs #1
Scout Comics 2021
Written by Jake Hearns & Jeff Marsick
Illustrated by Kirk “the Savage” Manley

    In the spirit of Lost Boys and Warriors, Night of the Cadillacs is a high-octane, genre-bending mix of horror, hard action, forbidden love, and street culture. Rival supernatural gangs come to earth on an overnight raiding mission to retrieve life-restoring blood from humans. While the gangs battle among themselves for prized Captives, a defiant and charismatic gangbanger breaks free from his crew to go on the run with a rebellious, 18 year old human girl to protect her from his predatory family.

    One of the first things I noticed about this book were its visuals and boy are they stunning.  The level & quality of work we are seeing here is really rather extraordinary.  What this does, for me anyway, is instantly grab the readers’ attention and make them want to know what the story is to go along with the artwork.  Boy does seeing these groups really amp up the curiosity in what is going on.  There are a lot of pinup pages happening here and I’m not sure they are necessary to the story at the moment as they felt a little out of place, placement wise, because I really think they would’ve benefited from being at the end of the issue.  

    I actually do very much 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 exceptionally well.  The character development that we see through the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter.  This helps the personalities really come to the forefront.  The pacing is excellent and as it takes us through the pages it introduces us to this world, these characters and this world.

    I am liking the way that we see this being structured and how the layers within the story begin to emerge and grow.  These layers open up a few avenues, some of which will be explored and others that won’t be but regardless they all add this great depth, dimension and complexity to the story.  I like the two frat boys, emphasis on boys, and what they bring to this issue in terms of learning about character.  The way everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is impeccably achieved. 

    It’s time to talk about these mindbogglingly brilliant interiors.  What I see is this insane amount of realism in the characters that almost looks like photorealism but not quite that.  It’s that insanely good.  The linework is exquisite and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create the level & quality of detail within the work leaves me flabbergasted.  Now we see dome excellent use of backgrounds here and I’d like to see more of that being utilised, the blank backgrounds after seeing ones with is kind of a letdown.  The way they enhance and expand the moments as well as how they work within the composition of the panels to bring out 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 show a remarkably talented eye for storytelling.  The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows a great understanding of how colour works.  
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    This is exciting, it’s different and it has so much unlimited potential that we see springing from this issue.  It doesn’t waste any time getting into the action and how we learn about the characters and the story itself is revealed through how we see the action unfold.  It isn’t all at once but a little bit here, a little there and it is a slow drip and it draws the reader in and it leaves you compelled to want to know more.  The writing is impeccably done and the characterisation is interesting and the interiors are mindbogglingly brilliant to see and this makes the book one of those unexpected gems that you NEED to read. 

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Robyn Hood in Night of the Hunter

9/29/2021

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Robyn Hood in Night Of The Hunter 
Zenescope Entertainment 2021
Written by Joe Brusha
Illustrated by Rodrigo Xavier
Coloured by Juan Manuel Rodriguez
Lettered by Taylor Esposito of Ghost Glyph Studios

    Robyn has taken on all types of evil--from sleazy and seemingly untouchable billionaires to monster-worshipping cults and crazed psychopaths--and through it all, she has always come out on top.But, when she becomes the target of a mysterious hunter out for blood, and Robyn’s head, all the luck and skill in the world might not be enough to stop her from becoming a trophy for this demented predator.

    Overall this is a pretty solid issue.  Yes there are a few things like Smitty knowing what was coming which feels completely out of character according to what we’ve seen thus far.  It is something that should’ve been addressed before now if he was going to do this.  This is also something that only continues to prove that we need arcs, not one-shots, that tell a story and are able to really add these elements or avenues in them that prepare the reader for some shady business or him thinking this simply another test.  It is just a big plot hole that’s glaringly missing from this issue and it’s a tad discerning.

    Aside from that 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 exceedingly well.  The character development that we see through the narration, the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter showcase their personalities very well.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing more and more of the story we’re learning the lesson alongside Robyn.

    I like how we see this structured and how the layers within the story emerge and grow.  Yes they need more along the lines of Smitty, but he’s a great example of the avenues that the layers open up.  These layers add depth, dimension and complexity to the story and we could use a few more of this.  The way we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how we see it move the story forward is very well achieved.  

    I am in love with the interiors here as the work is utterly gorgeous.  The linework is exquisite and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create this level and quality of detail within the work is exceptionally well rendered.  I am beyond thrilled with the way that backgrounds are utilised throughout the issue.  They not only enhance and expand the moments we see but they work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, 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 a remarkably talented eye for storytelling.  The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows a sensational eye for how colour works.  I love seeing how colour is able to bring dimension and depth to the characters, the trees/woods and more and it’s impressive to see how the musculature can be manipulated through colour alone.
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    What I love about this is the lesson that Robyn had to learn.  She does rely upon her bow a lot but then again that’s her thing and what Smitty is doing with the hand-to-hand combat training and with other weapons as well is making her a more well rounded fighter.  But a fighter isn’t much without working the mind as well.  She needs to be smarter, less angry and feel as if she deserves the gift she’s got.  It is a good solid story and we get to see a new character connected to an older one that is prevalent in the Zenescope Universe.  

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Verge #1

9/29/2021

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Verge #1
Red5 Comics 2021
Written by Bryce McLellan
Illustrated by Silvio dB
Coloured by Louie Joyce
Lettered by Sean Rhinehart

    In the future refugees from past disasters have found new life, rescued from the past via time travel, creating a new wave of immigrants into New York City. Vikings and cavemen and samurai and more have been crushed together into one section of the city and left to their own devices. That section is called ... The Verge, and it is unlike any place on Earth.

    Wow, just wow.  I love Red5 Comics because not only are their stories unique and different but the quality of storytelling is utterly amazing to see.  I mean the concept is here and it’s presented but it’s not explored yet, given an explanation etcetera and this manages to generate a lot of interest and intrigue as we’re taken through the pages.  The aftermath of this event, the Verge, is what we see and how this affects the streets of New York City and two of the cops that are tasked with keeping the peace within it.  This blew me away because I hadn’t really known what to expect and what we get to see is something that takes a lot of thought and preparation before it can even be executed and this kind of planning is what I think is the most impressive part of all.

    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 and how the reader learns information are presented exceptionally well.  The character development we see through the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how they act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter brings their personalities to life.  The pacing is excellent and as it takes us through the pages introducing us to the characters, the story and this world they live in hits you like cold water in the face first thing in the morning.

    I am enjoying how we see this being structured and how the layers within the layers begin to emerge and grow.  These layers that we see open up different avenues and whether they will be explored or not they all add this great depth, dimension and complexity to the story.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is immaculately achieved.

    I am completely and utterly gobsmacked by the level & quality of the work on the interiors here.  Our cops have a very distinct look and each group of folks seems to have their own distinct looks about them and I think that doing this to denote who and where they come from is beyond what I could’ve hoped for.  The linework is fantastic and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised is phenomenal.  The way we see backgrounds being utilised to enhance and expand the moments as well as how they work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope of the story is marvellously rendered.  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 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.
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    This is a knock down, drag out, top of the line introduction to a series that we’ve seen around these parts.  Red5 is not kidding around here folks this is some damn fine storytelling and you’ll want to see the cliffhanger ending for yourself, I’ve already got an idea on who it is but we’ll see.  I love the way we see this exceptional writing and intense characterisation alongside these really strong and unique interiors.  The way this manages to create an experience is something you need to well experience for yourself. 

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Alien #7

9/28/2021

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Alien #7
Marvel Comics 2021
Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Illustrated by Salvador Larroca
Coloured by GURU-eFX
Lettered by VC’s Clayton Cowles

     THE SEARCH FOR SANCTUARY BEGINS! 
   A small colony of “Spinners,” looking to lead a simpler life, have nearly completed terraforming a moon. A ship crashes into their Eden from the heavens. A terror is unleashed.

    I really rather enjoyed the first arc of this, it felt new, fresh and unique.  This, this feels a little more familiar to me though I will say that these people, their church and their beliefs are new to me and that aspect I am looking to seeing explored.  I have little faith that any of the terraformers are going to survive this but then again Phillip has a way of surprising me so I guess we’ll see.  The only thing that I am missing from the beginning of this new arc and that’s how a Queen managed to get on board the U.A.S. Heraclides or is it one of those instances that a singular xenomorph is capable of creating the facehuggers like a frog may change its sex?  Now this is what I’m used to experiencing from Phillip, getting me to think beyond what is on the page and expand how I see what is presented.  

    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 impeccably rendered.  The character development that we see through the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter is exceptionally done.  What we see brings personalities to the forefront and it makes us empathise with and care about these characters which in this world is a dangerous thing.  The pacing is excellent and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story we get swept up in it.

    How we see this being structured is fantastic and how the layers within the story begin to emerge and grow is really well constructed.  I like how we see these layers being peeled back like an onion revealing the different avenues that the story can take.  Whether or not they are explored they all add some great depth, dimension and complexity to the story.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is immaculately achieved.  

    The interiors here are bloody gorgeous.  The linework we see is clean, crisp and sharp and how the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create this level & quality to the detail within the work that we see is brilliantly rendered.  How we see backgrounds being utilised to enhance and expand the moments as well as how the work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story is magnificently rendered.  I am a fan of the creativity and imagination that we see within these pages as it really takes us through this and brings tension to the page.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkable eye for storytelling.  The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows a gorgeous eye for how colour works.  
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    A new arc and a new set of circumstances for the Xemomorphs as the Heraclides lands on a new world, or moon as the case may be.  Well I'm officially intrigued by who will live and who will die and to see if those who we’ve met if their stories will continue.  With some amazingly strong writing and some amazing characterization and these bloody gorgeous interiors it’s time for a new arc to get underway.  I wish we’d see multiple arcs featuring one character but until then this is amazing.

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X-O Manowar #6

9/28/2021

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X-O Manowar #6
Valiant Entertainment 2020
Written by Dennis Hopeless
Pencilled by Emilio Laiso
Inked by Raffaele Forte
Coloured by Ruth Redmond
Lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

X-O Manowar has saved the planet from hostile forces countless times before, but the new threat that looms in front of him is unlike anything he has faced before. And with his sentient alien armor glitching, X-O’s situation is about to get much worse…

    The rotten state of Denmark just keeps getting worse and worse and more obvious.  It is almost so incredibly frustrating when you know someone is up to no good but can’t do anything about it.  Troy is not whom he appears to be and he’s not really helping Shanhara as much as he’s helping himself to the armour as he uses his limited technology to fundamentally remove her personality from the suit and supplants one of his making.  Now don’t quote me on any of this because honestly I haven’t got the first clue if this is really what is happening here but it is the way I see this being presented, my interpretation.  Shanhara never needed Troy to heal before and honestly I feel like all the meddling is going to come to a head soon and I cannot wait for the fallout because it’s going to be epic.

    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 through the narration, the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter really brings personalities to the forefront.  The pacing is excellent and as it takes us through the pages revealing more of the story the more I really love seeing the way all this unfolds.

    I am thoroughly enjoying the way that this is being structured and how we see the layers within the story continue to emerge, grow, evolve and strengthen.  The layers within the story open up these fantastic avenues some of which will be explored and others that won’t be but they all add this sensational depth, dimension and complexity to the story.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is amazingly well achieved. 

    The interiors here are utterly fantastic.  The linework is sublime and the inks on top of it look sharp, clean and crisp.  How we see all this create the detail within the work is fabulous!  I like how we see the backgrounds being utilised to bring out the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story.  The creativity and imagination that we see throughout the book is exceptional.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show such a remarkable eye for storytelling.  The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work show a great understanding for how colour works and how to maximise its effects.  
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    If you haven’t been able to tell I’m thoroughly invested and engaged in this series and I will go through how this story has me feeling, how it has affected my thought process and my wild theories on what is really going on here.  This is as much a thinking person's book as it is one heck of a great action/adventure series and it’s what makes it such a stellar read.  The writing is stupendous and the characterisation is astonishingly well rendered and then there are these mindbogglingly brilliant interiors and it brings Aric and his world to life exceptionally well.  

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Snow Angels Vol.2 #4

9/28/2021

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Snow Angels Vol.2 #4
ComiXology Originals 
Written by Jeff Lemire
Illustrated by Jock
Lettered by Steve Wands

    As the second arc barrels forward young Mae is running off with the device that the dude in the suit wants while Milli buys her time.  This issue has a lot more storytelling to it than we’ve seen in the past and it is kind of exciting to me.  Previously we’ve gotten along nicely with limited words and a lot of brilliant imagery and here the two meld more evenly and it feels like something huge is awaiting on the horizon.  Whether that’s the completion of the story itself or just for now something big is waiting for us next issue and if this issue's ending is any indication well I cannot wait.

    There really is something about this book that touches the reader and pulls at the heartstrings while delivering on some great action.  The girls have lost so much already and they keep soldiering onward listening to words their father spoke and there is no giving up and no surrender in what they are doing and this kind of determination and attitude is phenomenal to see come across the pages.  Milli the stalwart older sister and Mae the younger one who still needs to grow up faster than she’d ever thought she’d have to and it’s been a joy to see.

    I am thoroughly enjoying the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfolds as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well.  The character development that we see through the narration, the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter showcases how their personalities evolve.  The pacing is excellent and as it takes us through the pages revealing more and more of the story the more we want to see.

    I like how we are seeing this being structured and how the layers within the story continue to emerge, grow, evolve and strengthen.  The layers open up great avenues to explore and this adds depth, dimension and complexity to the story in some fantastic ways.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is extremely well achieved. 

    I continue to be in awe of the work that Jock does.  The linework is great and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create the detail within the work we see is phenomenal.  That we see such blue skies and snow swept winds crossing their paths along with rocks, crevasses and such really enhance and expand the moments.  They also work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope of the story.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a masterful eye for storytelling.  The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work really shows a  great understanding of how colour works.  
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     This continues to impress with each new issue which is exactly what it is supposed to do.  This really does make one of the strongest cases why you should be reading comics both physically and digitally.  I think this is the reason why we have so many different places to find comics nowadays.  This is undoubtedly one of the more interesting and intriguing books because of its strong intelligent writing and dynamic characterisation alongside these brilliant interiors.  These creators know how to tell some killer stories and they’ve definitely made me a believer in ComiXology Originals.    

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Batman The Detective #5

9/27/2021

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Batman The Detective #5
DC Comics 2021
Written by Tom Taylor
Pencilled by Andy Kubert
Inked by Sandra Hope
Coloured by Brad Anderson
Lettered by Clem Robins

    Equilibrium unmasked! Falling further behind the villainous Equilibrium, Batman enlists the help of the European Alliance of the Bat in hopes of turning the case around! With Squire in tow, the Dark Knight attempts to thwart a mass execution in Belgium in brutal, epic fashion!

    I really, really like this book and I’m not a Batman fan.  I grew up with Dick Grayson and Bruce was only kind of there and depending on who was in his books meant I would pick them up and over the last decade or so he’s gotten way too dark for my tastes.  So to see him in Europe instead of Gotham and to see the new Squire by his side changes how we see him and yes Alfred is gone and this pain is tempered a bit by what is in front of him.  Though let’s hypothesise for a moment on what would happen if Ducard were to become the new Butler at Wayne Manor?  Opens up a new world of possibilities if you ask me and he’s an old mentor and knows Bruce’s secret as much as anyone close to him does.  

    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 that we see through the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter really manages to flesh them out extremely well.  The pacing is excellent and as it takes us through the pages revealing more of the story we see aspects within the story begin to take centre stage and the reader becomes even more engaged in what is happening.

    I am enjoying how we see this being structured and how the layers within the story continue to emerge, grow, evolve and strengthen.  How we see the layers open up new avenues to be explored and how we see Bruce admit that he’s off his game is something that is beautifully done within these pages.  The depth, dimension and complexity that is added to the story is fantastic.  How everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is impeccably achieved.  

    The interiors here definitely have some complete wow moments like seeing Bats and Squire through the display.  Equilibrium definitely has a sleeker style than the grittier looking Batman and I kind of wish we’d see them both in that sleeker style.  Don’t get me wrong, the work suits the characters extremely well, it’s just personal preference.  How we see backgrounds being utilised throughout to expand and enhance the moments as well as how they work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, 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 a remarkably talented eye for storytelling.  The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work show a great understanding for how colour works.
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    This is what we need more of.  Seeing foreign heroes in their own setting and having folks like Bruce coming to town to work with them on cases or vice versa, they work cases with him, because North America isn’t the only place we find super powered individuals.  This book really does a heck of a job of taking non-traditional Batman fans and making them fans of this story.  It also shows us that Bats is best when he’s working with a young partner and while his son isn’t ideal maybe it’s time he took on a new apprentice that isn’t a Robin.  With some exceptional writing and spectacular characterisation that is all brought to life through these stylistic interiors that creates the perfect storm.  

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Cold Dead War #4

9/27/2021

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Picture
Cold Dead War #4
Heavy Metal Comics 2021
Written by George C. Romero
Pencilled by German Ponce
Inked by Gabriel Rearte
Coloured by Andrew Dalhouse

    It's the last stand of The Cold Dead - America's covert zombie pilot squad - as a mission to infiltrate a Nazi stronghold goes sideways, and nothing less than worldwide freedom and liberty are at stake. Live forever! Never say die!

    I like the idea that the Third Reich left, escaped and ran off to South America and have turned many countries into a Fourth Reich version.  There really is something to all this that appeals to me because it mixes with what we know and pushes the envelope in ways that are exciting and fresh.  It is alternate history at its finest as it takes all the right elements and hits all the right notes and overall this just takes his father’s franchise and brings a completely different aspect to it.  I do like that this is a complete arc and this mission objective has been completed and that we are still leaving room for this to be revisited.  The way this is being told is an incredibly unique take on the genre and that we’ve never seen anything like this before is something.  

    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 through the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter helps bring these amazing personalities to the forefront.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing more of the story the more insanely absurd and fun the book becomes.

    I like how we see this being structured and how the layers within the story continue to emerge, grow, evolve and strengthen.  What I like is how the layers open up avenues to be explored now some avenues will be explored and others won’t be but they all add this great depth, dimension and complexity to the story.  From the game of cards to the party what we see really gives the characters something extra.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is really nice to see.

    The interiors here are really nicely rendered.  German’s linework is always so incredibly tight, clean, crisp and strong and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create all this amazing detail within the work is great to see.  How we see backgrounds being utilised throughout to enhance and expand the moments as well as how they work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, 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 a remarkably talented eye for storytelling.  Also I have to mention that the pencils and inks being done by separate folks can be either sublime or look extremely thick and I’ve only seen that in this issue.  The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows a beautiful eye for how colour works.
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    A Romero and zombies, there are few things that fit together more perfectly.  The fact that this sets a new precedent for a new take on the genre is something that I wasn’t expecting but now find myself with something I can’t live without.  I’d really like to see some more straight up horror with this, the army and fighting aspects are great but some real thrills and chills is something I can’t sink my teeth into.  This has some incredibly unique writing and interesting characterisation that goes so well with the interiors here and creates a true original reading experience. 

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