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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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Stillwater #2

10/26/2020

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Stillwater #2
Skybound/Image Comics 2020
Written by Chip Zdarsky
Illustrated by Ramon K. Perez
Coloured by Mike Spicer
Lettered by Rus Wooton

    Daniel West has returned to Stillwater, but his homecoming is anything but happy! What secret is the town hiding from the outside world? And can Daniel save his mother from meeting her fate within The Park? 

    The first issue here was something to behold, I mean what a hell of a great, twisted and shocking issue it was!  So there was a lot to live up to with this issue and knowing Chip I knew he would bring it.  This series is definitely twisted and bizarre and yet so damn fascinating and hypnotic so that we cannot put it down.  All this and we’re only two issues in!  This might be his greatest work to date and if it keeps going I am looking forward to this wild and crazy ride.  The way that we see this book's structure and how the layers within the story move forward it becomes as cerebral as it is unnerving.  

    I am a huge fan of the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development we see through the sequence of events unfolding and how the reader learns information is extremely well laid out.  I found myself riveted to the story and it engaged my mind in more ways than I had expected it to and that’s how you know something is extraordinarily good.  The character development that we see here is just the tip of the iceberg and the fact that what we see on the surface isn’t necessarily what’s underneath makes for a fascinating character study.  It almost allows the reader to become an amatuer shrink or psychologist and that too adds a little extra to the book.  The pacing is superb and as we see it take us through the pages revealing the town’s eccentric characters it is easy to see how everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow.  

    Part of me has to wonder how twisted the mind of a writer is and can be to come up with not only the premise of a story but also to create this kind of diverse group of personalities.  There has to be some real skill, talent, uniqueness to how the process is done and what we see only reaffirms why I will read pretty much everything Chip writes.

    I really like the interior artwork here.  The linework is sensational and how we see the strength through the varying weights that create the detail work we see is extraordinary.  The faces have these unique appearances and I’m impressed by that because it’s the attention in creating them that showcases some real forethought and skill.  Backgrounds are being utilised judiciously and it really works to that advantage.  It brings us depth perception, a sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story while it also enhances the moments and creates this great mood, tone and feel.  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 gorgeous!  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the highlights, shading and shadow work is sensational.
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    This is so much more than a mere story and I have to say that what these folks are doing here is crafting the modern twisted fairy tale life.  To be so far out of society that films and television are nowhere to be found and everyone in town is gifted with this immortality is a contradiction in and of itself.  Which of course makes for some of the finest reading around.  This is the year's biggest hit series and leading into next year this will be the new standard.

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Burn Residue #1

10/25/2020

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Burn Residue #1
Self-Published 2020
Written by Jonathan Thompson
Illustrated by Rossano Piccioni

    BURN RESIDUE...it is a three issue 32 page a piece crime story about Willy Boyd, a gas station attendant with 3rd degrees all over his body and the people who made him that way. It will launch Wednesday, Oct 28th on Kickstarter.

    So the kickstarter hasn’t gone live yet and you might be wondering if you should back it, if you aren’t thinking that you should be thinking that.  Well by the end of this I am hoping you’ll have your answer.  Personally I love getting a chance to see books like this and it’s why whenever I am at a convention I hit artist alley and the small press section.  This is where I find new talent, new creators and new projects that you all need to be aware of and this is one I would love to have.  Every so often something comes along that surprises the heck out of you and it leaves an impression.

    The way that this is being told is extremely interesting.  How we see the story & plot development through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is incredible to see play out.  I like the way that we see the interactions but even better is the narration leading into the past so we get a good deal of background information for this to make sense.  Getting the opportunity to get to know Willy is a double edged sword and as things progress and the more we learn about him the more we want to see.  The character development is amazing in this manner.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages and reveals Willy and his world we get drawn deeper and deeper into it and want to go further still.

    When we see the way this is structured and the layers within the story emerge it is easy to get swept up in this and read through it and feel like you know Willy.  That we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow is really nicely done.  This is witty, intelligent and smartly written, so much so that you have to give props to Jonathan for having the skill and talent to do something like this.

    The interiors are nice.  I know it is night time and it’s dark throughout the story but I feel like we are missing opportunities to see some really stellar detail work.  The linework is thick and that takes away some of the detail but I will gladly admit that Rossano does indeed create a style that fits the story beautifully.  Impressively enough I like the utilisation of backgrounds that we see here.  They add a little extra to the moments and bring us this nice depth perception, sense of scale and that overall sense of size and scope of 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 really nicely rendered and how we see the hues and tones within the colours utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is extremely well done.
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    This is a great little book and I found myself enthralled by it a lot quicker than I was expecting to.  It has solid writing that allows us into the main characters world where we can connect with him in some really interesting ways.  I highly recommend that you find the kickstarter and back this project it is definitely worth it.

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Edgar Allan Poe's Snifter of Blood #1

10/25/2020

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Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Blood #01
Ahoy Comics 2020
Written by Paul Cornell
Illustrated by Russ Braun
Coloured by Andy Troy
Written & Illustrated by Dean Motter
Coloured by Julie Barclay
Lettered by Rob Steen

    The Snifter of Terror returns with an all-star snark-fest under a bloody new title! Paul Cornell (Doctor Who) and Russell Braun (The Boys) reimagine Poe's "Black Cat" - as a dog! In "Atlas Shrugged" (no relation), Mr. X creator Dean Motter settles the science vs. religion debate once and for all! Plus: prose, pix, and a jaunty cover by Scary Godmother's Jill Thompson!

    There is something about this series that is just fascinating to me.  Poe is one of the most talked about and speculated about writer in American History and that is something that isn’t going to slow down anytime soon.  So that Ahoy is smart enough to see this and to bring us stories utilising the man to bring us tales of the Macabre is beautifully done.  I mean not everything revolves around the man or what he wrote and the two featured stories here are spectacular!  

    I am actually a fan of the way that this is being told.  Normally I am not a fan of anthology series, they tend to get good and then end which leaves me feeling wanting.  Here however the shorter stories feel more like Poe’s own work which then in my brain makes more sense.  How we see the story & plot development move forward through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is extremely well done.  The character development is charming and the star of our first story is absolutely delightful.  I do have to commend these folks on keeping Poe’s personality so on point with each other’s renderings.  The pacing here is great and as it takes us through the pages revealing these worlds to us it is easy to see just how well everything works together to create the stories ebb & flow.

    The way this book is structured and how each vignette is able to run so smoothly is really well accomplished.  There really isn’t time or room for layering in the stories but it doesn’t need them at all for it to function.  I love these little snippets into the macabre, because I wouldn’t really call it anything else.  It’s just enough to be creepy without going over the edge into full on horror.

    The interiors here are so different from each other and I think that is part of what really makes this work as well as it does.  The linework is utilised well in creating the detail work that we see.  Backgrounds are utilised as needed and I do like how they expand the moments and enhance what is there.  How we see the angles and perspective in the panels show some great eyes for storytelling here.  The colour work is really nicely done as well.  How we see the hues and tones being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is beautifully rendered.  
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    Each story has its own charm and charisma to it.  There is no denying that when it comes to anthology books this is the one that stands out head and shoulders above the crowd.  I mean all of these feature Poe though he may not star in them and it’s this that I think is what is unique.  That we see all the drama that surrounds him and those that he knows and how liquor is so vital to his lifestyle.  Ahoy has magic within these pages and they do it on such a consistent basis.

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Butcher Queen: Planet of the Dead #1

10/24/2020

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Butcher Queen: Planet of the Dead #1
Red5 Comics 2020
Written by Jim Ousley 
Illustrated & Lettered by Ben Sawyer

   When a young boy discovers a never-before-seen lifeform, Syd Kiowa and her team of misfits must unravel its connection to a series of global attacks from another dimension.

    Oh my goodness I am so happy that this is back!  I loved reading the last arc and it was such an interesting idea and how it was set up and executed impressed me so much.  So that we are here picking up where the last arc left off is something I think more books should be doing as it might not make it a monthly but at least each arc can lead into the next and still remain new reader friendly and able to stand alone.  If you like science fiction and have an infinity for some detective work as well as a lot of action then this is going to be right up your alley.  To me this reminds me of the science fiction novels I used to read as a teenager and there’s something to be said about that.

    I am a fan of the way that this is being told.  How we see the story & plot development moving forward through the pages with how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is really rather nice to see.  I also appreciate the fact that the opening which grabs your attention and interest as it is supposed to do ties into the main story as early as it does.  There is a fantastic look at how the story is structured and how it affects the reader without them even realising it.  The character development we see is amazing to me and I like how we see them being fleshed out through their dialogue as well as how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter.  The pacing here is fantastic and as it takes us through the pages revealing this new arc’s story along with all the new characters, twists and turns along the way.  With the layers of storytelling within the pages and how we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow is magnificent.

    The interiors here are nice.  They are a bit simplistic at times and a very distinct style all their own which I appreciate.  I will say that the opening is a little more amateur than the main body of the story so there's an interesting dichotomy taking place.  I love that we see backgrounds being so essential to the storytelling here.  They enhance the moments and bring a great sense of depth perception, 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 show a strong eye for storytelling.  The colour work is utterly magnificent!  There are some truly inspired moments, those red beings in the opening, the green creature that was Ranek and so much more that showcase a wide array of skill in applying the colour.  How we see the hues and tones within the colours utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work throughout really shows a strong eye for colour and how to get the most out of it.
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    Red5 Comics puts out these amazing stories and they are more than worthy of being in everyone's reading pile.  This is incredibly well written and it is beautifully illustrated and it’s exactly what a damn good science fiction story is supposed to be.

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Freak Snow! Washed in the Blood Advance Review

10/24/2020

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Freak Snow! Washed in the blood--Advance Review
Behemoth Comics 2020
On Sale 12-02-20
Written by Kevin Roditeli
Illustrated by Kostas Pantoulas, Rob Cannon & Vivi Ekhart

     Mature Readers Title


    Mad Max, Borderlands, And Fallout Inspired This  Action-driven, Frozen Wasteland Adventure Of A Young Cult Survivor  Hearing The Voice Of The Self-proclaimed God Of Guns. Like Any Human  Would Be, He Is Hypnotized By The Prospect Of Power By Listening To This  Divine Freak. A Path To Salvation Paved With Love, Turmoil, And Mostly  Death.

    I’ll be perfectly frank with you all, I was reading this while having Destination Fear marathon playing on the telly for that comfort noise.  So with the mood set I came to the conclusion that perhaps I should’ve been smoking a joint and maybe that would’ve been an experience to remember.  Yet with all that being said I was able to follow along in something of a crazed hypnotic state of being because this is so bizarre and out there in how it is being told that you simply cannot turn away.  This was really one of those amazing reading experiences that doesn’t come along all that often and as bizarre as I found it to be, I think that’s what I loved most about it.

    The way that this is being told is really rather extraordinary to see.  How we see the story  plot development move forward and transform through how we see the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information requires your attention.  You cannot skim this one or simply peruse it, no siree Bob that’s not gonna cut it as you really need to pay attention.  This is what I would consider as close to an interactive experience as it gets with a comic and a comic alone.  The character development is interesting and that we have a few central figures who we see grow and evolve throughout the issue in both similar and polar opposite ways is no mean feat.  The pacing we see is superb and as it takes us through the pages you can almost feel something akin to the kinetic energy of the story being emitted.  

    The way that this is structured is interesting and it has a very definite connectedness to everything that is almost bizarre in nature.  How everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow is really well accomplished.  

    The interiors here are something else altogether.  From the opening page to where that leads and finally to the boy talking to Colt, it’s God like being, there are different styles at play and anyone of them would be considered groundbreaking on their own but here they help to really bring you that kinetic energy feeling.  If you feel a bit manic at times that’s a result of the art that is within these pages.   The creativity and imagination here is off the charts and there are so many influences that I noticed, and some that I probably haven’t, that come from some really different cultures and that makes this even more impactful.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show some remarkable eyes for storytelling.  The colour work is amazingly rendered as well.  From the most vibrant and packed colour to the soft hues and tones we see being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is phenomenally rendered.
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    Behemoth is a newer company, at least by how I came about finding them, and that I was requested to do an Advance Review makes me incredibly happy and thoroughly impressed.  That we are seeing such a range of genres, styles and voices coming from this publishing house has me excited for what else is to come.  Take a walk on the wild side where even monsters fear to tread, no not really but this is out there in some of the absolute best ways possible.  You’ll need to order this from your store as soon as possible, it’s FOC date is fast approaching.

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Dune: House Atreides #1

10/24/2020

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Dune: House Atreides #1
BOOM! Studios 2020
Written by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson
Illustrated by Dev Pramanik
Coloured by Alex Guimaráes
Lettered by Ed Dukeshire

    Arrakis, known as Dune by the native Fremen, is the only known source of rare and vital Spice.  Spice enables safe interstellar travel.  Spice Prolongs life.  Spice is one of the most valuable substances in the known universe.  DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES transports readers to the far future on the desert planet Arrakis where Pardot Kynes seeks its secrets. Meanwhile, a violent coup is planned by the son of Emperor Elrood; an eight-year-old slave Duncan Idaho seeks to escape his cruel masters; and a young man named Leto Atreides begins a fateful journey. These unlikely souls are drawn together first as renegades and then as something more, as they discover their true fate -- to change the very shape of history!

    I remember the first time I saw Dune when I was 14, which coincidentally was the year of its release, and I was bored to tears.  What a great cast it had and with those wondrous actors, and hell even with Sting, it just seemed to drag on and on in my newer teenage mind.  I tried it a number of years later and I still felt the same way and just figured it wasn’t for me.  Now if a comic adaptation had been around for me to read I might have changed my mind.  As it stands today I could not get enough of the story presented to us here.  

    I am a fan of the way that this is being told.  How we see the story & plot development constantly moving forward through how we see the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is extremely nice to see.  The character development that we see is fantastic as already we get our first and strongest impression of these characters which if they hold true as the story continues then we should be in for one hell of a fun ride with these folks.  We have hopeful’s and nasties and those who straddle the line and I’ll tell ya the way they intermingle in this supposed caste system is utterly delightful.  The pacing that we see is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the characters, the story and the twists & turns along the way it is so nice to see how everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow.

    I really am liking the interiors that we see here.  The linework is great and how we see the varying weights as well as the various techniques being utilised to create this detailed work we see is incredibly well rendered.  I have to say that the way we see the backgrounds being utilised throughout is smartly done.  We get what we need to see and there is much about these worlds as barren as they are that we see beautifully.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a striking eye for storytelling.  The colour work that we see is beautifully rendered as well.  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is exceptional.  Also being in space and on worlds alien to our own the choice of colours is rather magnificent to see throughout.
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    If this were my introduction to Dune I'd be actively seeking it out to find out more about.  Granted the book doesn’t hold that well to scrutiny over time but that’s okay.  This is a fantastic start to a new chapter of Dune and what these gentlemen are doing with the way this is structured and how we see the layers within the story is infinitely fascinating to behold.  This is how you do a classic in a way that has some crazy good mass appeal to a wide range of audience.  

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The Scumbag #1

10/23/2020

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The Scumbag #1
Image Comics 2020
Written by Rick Remender
Illustrated by Lewis Larosa
Coloured by Moreno Dinisio
Lettered by Rus Wooton

     THE SCUMBAG—the story of Ernie Ray Clementine, a profane, illiterate, drug-addicted biker with a fifth-grade education. He’s the only thing standing between us and total Armageddon because this dummy accidentally received a power-imbuing serum, making him the world’s most powerful super spy.

    This must be a dream come true to write.  I mean think of the most crass individual you can imagine, okay him included, and then look at Ernie and boy o’ boy this guy is gonna give ‘em all a run for their money.  He’s pretty much the definition of white trash and yet he still has this kind of likeability to him that’s hard to explain.  I love how Rick is writing him the way he is here as we see him and are introduced to the kind of man he is.  There is this completely serious undertone to what is at stake here and to superimpose this ratchet individual into the mix of that is something that few aside from Remender could pull off.  What I see within these pages is some of the most intriguing and downright stellar writing that rivals his work on Seven to Eternity.

    I am loving the way that this is being told.  How we see the story & plot development constantly moving forward thanks to how we see the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented beautifully.  There is this ease of movement in how naturally the story moves through the pages here and it’s really rather extraordinary to feel a part of.  The character development is mind-blowing in it’s success and scope.  I mean Ernie doing two things on the sidewalk alone should have been enough but then there’s more that happens before and definitely after this that is mindbogglingly impressive.  The pacing is phenomenal and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story, this world and all the twists & turns it is spectacular.  How we see this being structured and the layers within the story as well as how everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow which I’ve already hit upon but it bears repeating that’s some of the most phenomenal stuff around.

    The interiors here are bloody brilliant!  The linework is exquisite and how we see the varying weights and techniques that are being utilised to bring out this level and quality in the attention to detail is insanely great.  Normally this is where I say things about wanting more backgrounds to be utilised, and while I really would like that I am not going to go that route.  The work we see stands alone and it is what it is and that’s all it needs to be.  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 that we see is in a league all of its own.  How the various hues and tones are being utilised to create denim, puffy jackets, skin, you name it the realism of how the colour is laid down leaves you gobsmacked!  
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    So with the writing being as good, strong and wickedly deceptive as can be alongside some of the best interior artwork that I have seen in a long, long, time definitely makes this one of the best reads you are going to experience.  Rick is known for his phenomenal writing skill, talent, charm and uniqueness, and he’s pretty cute too, but for me this is as if he’s taken everything he’s got and he is doing something that for him is extraordinarily fun to create.  

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Madam Satan One-Shot #1

10/23/2020

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Madam Satan One-Shot #1
Archie Comics 2020
Written by Eliot Rahal
Illustrated by Julius Ohta
Coloured by Matt Herms
Lettered by Jack Morelli

     The Queen of Hell has had enough playing second fiddle to the Devil himself and is ready to take matters into her own hands! Will Madam Satan prove herself to be the most powerful being of the Underworld? Find out in this terrifying one-shot tale!

    With the show being as well done as it is and the horror line being as spectacular as can be I knew that this would be a book I had to read.  It doesn’t disappoint either.  I mean I wondered what the events were that led up to her being in Greendale and why she has such a massive hard-on for Sabrina and while I wasn’t expecting to have all my questions answered I felt there would be some.  Oh Eliot my friend thank you for this too because this is everything I could have hoped it would be and so much more!  I’d love to see him do a limited series featuring Madam in all her glory as a between the scenes of the show because this is utterly amazing.

    I love the way that this is being told.  How the story & plot development moves ever forward through how we see the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented extremely well.  There is never a dull moment here and regardless if you like action stories or character driven stories this is going to have a universal appeal.  It has all the intrigue and unexpected moments that generate an emotional response from the reader.  The character development is utterly amazing!  I mean I hadn’t expected to learn this much about her and what kind of drives her so suddenly she’s incredibly more interesting and fascinating which also makes me want to see more.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists & turns along the way you realise this is a portrait study of an amazing woman.  

    The way the book is structured and how everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow is magnificent.  I hate to say this but in many ways Madam Satan reminds me of Alexis Carrington Colby Dexter and my obsession has officially begun lol. Seriously though this is one of the best books I have seen in the Archie Horror line to date.

    I am loving the interiors here.  The crisp clean and the strength behind the linework is impeccably rendered.  How we see the varying weights utilised to bring out the detail work that we see is extraordinary!  This is some bloody brilliant work and when we hit page two and see Satan, oh dayum!  The way that we see backgrounds utilised is nicely done though I would like to see more but the way that the interiors are structured makes everything look so good.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a marvellously talented eye for storytelling.  The colour work that we see here is equally as impressive.  How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows real knowledge of how colour is supposed to work.  Plus the moments that glow yeah I am a sucker for those.

    What this is and how it incorporates itself into the Sabrina universe is so stunning to see.  Whether it’s simply for the comics or if it is tying into the show doesn’t even matter because this is such a strong story in and of itself.  If you don’t have this you’d better find it before no one has any and you’ll be feeling blue because you missed it.

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Phantom Starkiller #1

10/22/2020

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Phantom Starkiller #1
Black Caravan/Scout Comics 2020
Created, Written & Coloured by Peter Goral
Illustrated by Joseph Schmalke
Lettered by Joel Rodriguez

    For uncounted millennia, the Cryptocrystalline Stone remained lost to the blackness of space, hidden amongst the stars. As time passed, the galaxy slipped into greater peril. Thousands of systems fell and worlds crumbled. Dark and ominous beings conspire from the shadows to possess its unlimited power and ability to resurrect a legion of deathless warriors. From the vastness of the unknown regions, whispers of his return paralyzed all in fear: Phantom Starkiller, The Cosmic Ghoul Warrior must now unleash his inner darkness to carry out his master's wishes, all while plotting his revenge; for he cannot stop his interstellar rampage until The Curse of The Cryptocrystalline Stone has been broken!

    This is about as campy as it gets and I love every single solitary panel of it!  To me this is Skeletor as Darth Vader running around the galaxy as an assassin so yeah for me this is exactly the kind of book we need right now.  One so unapologetically not right that’s it’s perfectly done so if you are easily offended this might not be for you.  On the other hand if you want to see if you can be offended then I welcome you to see if this does it for you.  Or if you just wanna have some wonderfully ridiculous fun make sure you get this!

    I am thoroughly enjoying the way that this is being told.  How we see the story & plot development constantly moving forward through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is extremely well done.  I like the blend of now and then storytelling so that we get to see the events that lead up to his being the Phantom we see today is being utilised.  With how we see this structured and the layering within the story are utilised to really delve into both the story and the character development is impressive.  How we see him act and react to the situations and circumstances he encounters while he’s enjoying himself and reminiscing about the past has that desired effect on fleshing him out as a person.

    How we see everything working together here to create the story’s ebb & flow is really nice to witness.  How the story is being told and how we see this written makes a huge difference in how we perceive things and it really is something that is utterly delightful.

    The interiors here are fun to see!  The linework is great and I do like seeing how the varying weights are being utilised to create the detail work.  That we see backgrounds as we do helps to enhance the moments, show us the ship or a world as well as provide us with this great depth perception, sense of scale and that overall sense of size and scope to the story.  The creativity and imagination that is on display here is marvellous.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a solid and talented eye for storytelling.  The colour work is great.  I like that we see more of this four colour kind of work and it really suits the topic of conversation as it were.  How the various hues and tones are being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is beautifully rendered.
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    This is a hoot and a holler to read.  It blends so many different aspects of what is considered retro and whipped up into this kind of homage to the past.  This defies explanation when it comes to genre but that’s another reason to love this book.  Schmaltzy sure it feels like that’s what is intended and I will wholeheartedly admit that this is told to near perfection.

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Sleepwaking #1

10/22/2020

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Sleepwaking #1
Unmarked Comics 2020
Written by P.A. Wikoff
Illustrated & Lettered by Andre de Almeida

    Issue One "The Fall." 
     Have you ever woken up and wondered what you did the night before? Well, Jamie is having trouble recalling his entire life. Every truth is turned upside down as he grasps onto the last shreds of his sanity. Get swept away by this psychological thriller that will have you looking over your shoulder.

     I rather enjoy this gig of mine, especially when folks send me books I might never have had the opportunity to read.  I go into these virtually blind and I wouldn’t have it any other way to be honest and this one grabbed me pretty early on and kept my intrigue factor to a high level throughout.  I love when a book is able to do this.  When we see something that is outside the box thinking in it’s approach I for one am always grateful for this.  This isn’t a superhero story or a genre piece per se but it is a strong concept that does actually affect people.  Much like sleep paralysis and other cases it takes an idea and turns it into a form of storytelling which engages the mind in ways you have to experience.  

     I like 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 nicely.  You do have to pay attention to what is going on here so there should be no skimming while you read.  This does take you on a journey through Jamie’s perception of reality and that’s where all the interesting bits lie.  The character development is interesting because this isn’t something that can be done straightforward like we are used to seeing.  I applaud Pieter for the way he’s bringing Jamie to life and how to understand him through the situations and circumstances he tells us about.  The pacing is superb and while Jamie might seem like he’s man ic at times you don’t feel the story is told that way.  There is a really smart approach to the storytelling that I am super impressed by the way this is structured and how the layers work it all shows some nice talent here.

     The interiors here are really rather quite nice.  The linework that we see is fabulous and the utilisation of the varying weights to bring out the attention to detail is well rendered indeed.  This is pretty much a black & white book with hints of colour here and there and as such there isn’t room for error, it is the most unforgiving medium.  Still I don’t see anything I’d change, not even how the backgrounds are utilised.  This has a wonderful sensibility to it that highlights his mental state beautifully and the backgrounds are a large part of making this happen.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a strong and talented eye for storytelling.  The pops of colour that are seen are utilised superbly well and just give it this edge of horror feel that heightens the tension already palpable in the book.  
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      I am rather fond of this book.  It really captures the readers’ mind and imagination in ways I wasn’t totally prepared for.  The ability to have you pulled into Jamie’s mind and way of thinking is an extraordinary feat of writing and I have to say that if you like smart, intelligent storytelling that makes you think then this is definitely for you.  I know it can be found on ComiXology. You can go to www.andredealmeida.com and get yourself a copy.  This is why I always say to walk through artist alley and the small press areas to see what may catch your eye or to listen to a creator's pitch.  This is top notch stuff.

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