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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
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Puppet Master #8

11/27/2015

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Puppet Master #8
Action Lab: Danger Zone 2015
Written by Shawn Gabborin
Illustrated by Antonio Ontiveros
Coloured by Daniel Morales

    So here we are with the beginning of a new arc and if you haven’t been picking this up yet but have wanted to or listen to me as i’m telling you to pick it up this really is a great issue to start with.  One of the aspects of this series so far that i’ve really been enjoying is that Shawn has emerged as one of these great storytellers who can weave a great tale and give us some excellent characterization along the way.  I also greatly appreciate that the death’s we see inside aren’t gruesome, we see the attack and the aftermath leaving the reader’s imagination working on overdrive filling in the details.  A much more powerful tool than you realize.

    Now this issue opens up on a highly creepy note as we see this guy dancing with a doll.  Yeah a life sized doll with those open eyes and blank stare.  It’s creepy mainly because of the dialogue but the doll itself you can’t tell if it’s one of those newfangled ones with the flesh and working parts or a marionette style made of wood.  Either way it’s like the opening of an episode of my strange obsession.

    Antonio and Daniel do a really incredible job on the interiors here.  I love the guy dancing with the doll he’s so well defined.  Their depiction of the men who work for Anapa and the kids in this place it all looks, feels and has that air of just perfect eeriness.  Plus the puppets themselves are wonderfully done.  The use of pages, panel layouts and even the minimalistic backgrounds keep you on edge never knowing when something is about to happen.

    So the group is now with Anthony a young boy in an institution and he’s looking for someone and needs their help.  Camille is the girl he’s looking for and from what i’m able to ascertain she’s the doll we saw in the beginning.  She’s been up to no good and unless I miss my guess responsible for the death of a few patients that caused Anthony some discord.  Also the introduction of another young girl whom he befriends and the whole unknown idea of this hospital they are in well it’s just fantastic.  

    You have to see how this issue plays out.  It’s got a mystery to it that needs unravelling and it has all the hallmarks of this unexplained horror stuff that we find so appealing.  Like who Anthony really is, how they hooked up with him and just what brought Camille to life in the first place.  She’s very much this whole possessed kind of doll that Madam Amon would’ve had.  There’s so much depth to the story and what’s happening here and this young man has such a larger role to play apparently and while they don’t need a recurring character it wouldn’t hurt to have one introduced that actually survives for a change.

    While this has always been cult fan favorite franchise Shawn and company are bringing it back to mainstream prominence here with this exceptionally good storytelling.  This goes beyond traditional horror and is able to be among some of the most interesting, smartly written and beautifully illustrated books on the stands today.

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Archie #4

11/26/2015

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Archie #4
Archie Comics 2015
Written by Mark Waid
Illustrated by Annie Wu
Coloured by Andre Szymanowicz & Jen Vaughn
Lettered by Jack Morelli

    The New student, rich socialite Veronica Lodge, has managed to wrap Archie around her carefully manicured finger, and he’s helpless to her whims.   Jughead’s tired of watching his best friend being led around like a lovesick puppy, but he’s going to need some reinforcements if he’s going to help Archie get over his crush.  Betty’s onboard to help out, but first she and Archie need to face their past and address what caused their falling out to begin with…

    Mark just blew my mind here!  The lipstick incident is something that’s been eluded to since the get go and boy now that it’s finally revealed it’s nothing like I was expecting it to be.  This was one of those moments that define a character and it’s done so extremely well here that it truly is a standout moment.  I have to say I love the way that Mark has made Archie into this melding of everything Ron Howard, from aw shucks Opie Taylor and adorkable Richie Cunningham with a bit of Dick Van Dyke slapstick thrown in for good measure.  It really makes him kind of stay true to who he’s been and evolve into someone new.

    I know some folks don’t like the fourth wall thing where Archie talks to the readers but personally I have no problem with it.  I see it as an effective tool as if the reader is close personal friend and we’re getting that trust from him in talking to us.  It has its own way of keeping the reader involved and feeling important as if they were a part of the story.  

    I will call Mark out on one thing NEVER use BAE again it’s a horrid new term and shouldn’t be uttered by anyone!  

    I absolutely adored seeing Archie and Betty’s relationship unfold before our eyes.  It’s easy to see what they see in each other.  Plus there are more than a few things that well really showcase that as individuals and a couple that the whole lipstick incident was a series of events that both are to blame for.  Still their relationship was perfect as it was and while change is inevitable when it comes crashing into your life it’s never an easy to deal with.

    The foreshadowing we get from the beginning of the story to its emergence as the incident and the ramifications thereof is told in such a way that the emotional impact is extremely powerful.  

Betty not being popular but this tomboy the subject of ridicule and Archie being popular and inadvertantly being the cause of the whole incident when coming to her defense well that’s something as a reader I couldn’t have expected but found thrilling nonetheless.  It also goes a long way to showing how Betty got her friends who helped throw her her birthday party and made her up to look all girlie.  

I really like the end of the issue as well.  Seeing Reggie look like some kind of James Dean wannabe was a hoot!  Oh i’ve been waiting to see full on Reggie and now he’s here and it looks like it’s going to get good!

I love Annie’s work, her style and her vision but i’m not sure it fits with this book.  It is somewhere in the middle of an updated modern realistic look and the original series.  Yeah the clothes are now but I don’t see either a realistic look or the classic look in their faces to distinguish them as the iconic characters they are.  Plus is Reggie supposed to Puerto Rican here or an Italian Guido?  Part of updating this should be consistency and right now this is just another variation not what we’ve kind of been promised.

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Agent 1.22 #0

11/25/2015

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Agent 1.22 #0
DPM Publishing 2015
Written by Stephan Nilson & Drew Garber
Illustrated by Douglas Shuler
Layout Artists: Drew Garber & Douglas Shuler
Lettered by Charles Pritchett
Art Consultant: Karl Waller

    Well I do love surprises and this certainly qualifies as one.  I received an email asking if I would read and review this book so I came into completely blind.  Then I recognized a few names here as well, thankfully I really enjoyed their work on the Pound so I was even more intrigued.  I have to say as far as introductory issues go this one has be extremely impressed and leaves me with the desire to see more.  Stephan and Drew do a really nice job telling this story in a way i’ve not seen before and yet keep it interesting and showcase enough about the lead character to keep you wanting more.

    The interiors are almost seemingly next generation computer graphics.  Making Agent 1.22 nearly impossible to distinguish between android and human in nature.  With the narration of her emerging from stasis the distinction becomes less obvious.  I will say though that it’s really quite fascinating to see and hear her mission parameters.  Of which to my eye tell of a viral outbreak on a planet outpost which was trying to be contained.  They’ve, are who as yet unrevealed, lost contact with the outpost personnel and that’s why she’s been sent down.

    My initial response to this was it felt like some sort of first person shooter game kind of like an outer space Resident Evil.  Which by the way wouldn’t be a bad thing cause I love the whole thought of viral outbreaks and how they can change people.  Then there’s our main character the very beautiful and bold Agent 1.22 who has been upgraded and programed to deal with planetary conditions and what she might find there.  That isn’t normal stuff but it’s still the kind of information that makes her a mute badass version of the genetically modified and cloned Ripley was.

    I have to say that part of me really liked this whole her being silent thing and seeing her mission unfold through the events and characters she encounters.  Even the introduction of Director Miller and her mysterious agenda only adds to the mystique of the story.  That she didn’t have a clue who Agent 1.22 was is a nice touch but that facial recognition software (?) can find out who she showed that more advanced stage of what we’ve got now.  This was told through inventive and creative means and I now have high expectations for it.

    The action sequences here are amazingly portrayed.  Seeing Agent 1.22 in action against this security droid able to really let loose, see no human collateral damage, was some of the most fun to be had.  Plus the colouring really grabs you, the brightness of the shine of metal or fabrics or seeing through the exhaust or whatever the droid is giving off it really kind of surprises you how much you can do these days to create these effects.  

    Definitely something I would recommend for anyone with an inclination towards Science Fiction, or even games like Resident Evil and it has the promise of movies like Alien in its future so yeah it crosses over to a lot of folks.  

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Blood Feud #2

11/25/2015

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Blood Feud #2
Oni Press 2015
Written by Cullen Bunn
Illustrated by Drew Moss
Coloured by Nick Filardi
Lettered by Crank

    The Stubbs are a rowdy, trouble-making bunch, but the Whatelys... folks speak of the Whatelys in hushed whispers. When the Whatleys bargain with dark forces to rid them of the Stubbs clan, four unlikely heroes are all that’s left between a ravenous legion of ghoulish, vampiric creatures and the unsuspecting world beyond the boundaries of this sleepy Ozarks community.

    After reading this issue i’m more convinced than ever that this feels like what would happen if you merged the Dukes of Hazard with the Strain.  Except you get a whole lot more charm than you’d ever anticipate from that merging.  Cullen is such an accomplished storyteller and this one has this great feel and undertone to it that pretty much defies description but it’s undeniable that you feel it.  

    Last issue ended with R.F. and Jack getting to the Whatelys place and seeing for themselves the monsters they’d become.  That’s right where we pick up to as the boys are attacked by those home.  You’d think the boys would be outnumbered and outclassed fighting a bunch of vampires or Draculas! as Jack likes to call them but these good old boys have a few things going for them.  Most noticeably Jack’s strength that is within that aw shucks demeanor of his.  Seriously though his dialogue here is what makes this so darn entertaining it takes the edge off the horror of the situation and endears the reader to him.

    Also making a surprise return from last issue is Samson whose anger fueled rage helps bring a turn in the tide of battle.  Again not something you’d expect to see happen but lo and behold it’s another point of interest that just kind of surprises you in the best of ways.  There really is this whole damn charm oozing off the way the story goes here that struck a chord with me and sets this apart from any spin you’d ever seen in a Hatfield/McCoy situation.

    I do like how Cullen is using some of the lore surrounding vampires here as well, including Jack’s love of the movies and how it ties into what’s going on.  Like the inability to cross running water for instance.  Or the bite being able to turn someone much like that of a werewolf.  There really are so many different legends surrounding vampires and what’s “real” and what isn’t is up to the writer to use as best as they see fit when trying to make their story work as best as possible.

    I was looking forward to seeing the boys try to explain this to Cecil and Sue but with what happens well that’s a far more effective way for them to see the truth.  I also like how Seth changed and what he’s able to do now.  Though did he know when he was brought there what he was already or was he something of a plant? Taken in by the boys so he’d be safe and be able to stay alive while ensuring many of his rivals were eliminated?  Oh and his new ability to summon a few well let’s just say friends that just so happen to be migrating right now yeah that’s gonna be something to see next issue.

    I have to say this won’t be anything you are expecting it to be and yet it’ll be so much more.

    I am loving the interior artwork here too.  There’s something cute and disturbing about how the vampires look and it’s a stark contrast to the area wildlife’s such realistic touch.  The humans too have a great feel to them that is classic comic books but also a touch of Saturday Morning to them.  The real treat though is seeing the outdoors and how the trip through the woods or last page just brings this to a real world place.

    Cullen and company have struck magic with this one folks!

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Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency #5

11/25/2015

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Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency #5
IDW Publishing 2015
Written by Chris Ryall
Penciled by Ilias Kyriazis
Inked by John Livesay
Coloured by Leonard O’Grady
Lettered by Robbie Robbins & Shawn Lee

    So the first story Chris is telling about the enigmatic holistic detective Dirk Gently has come to an end.  Here’s what I want to say about, sure this is a Douglas Adams’ creation but honestly I think Chris manages to perfectly capture the character in his truest sense.  This has been all kinds of incredible fun and hilarity that I find in his adventures in both novel and BBC television form.  The potential for this character with IDW and through Chris is limited only by his, Chris’, imagination.

    So how does the interconnectedness of it come into play?  You’ll have to read the story to find out how each person who is in Dirk’s life plays the part they are supposed to so that this adventure ends favourably.  Oh yes and if you don’t know or understand what interconnectivity is then have no worries you’re not alone but then again half the fun is reading the story and trying to come understand Dirk’s definition as well as coming up with your own version that not only makes sense to you but is plausible as well.

    I love how Chris takes a stab at today’s society here.  We open at the Gala for King Ahktenkhamen which by all counts should be one of the best society events to be seen at not to mention to look in awe at these marvelous artifacts.  Instead everyone seems to be caught up in their social media feeds and what they say about the Gala.  This is fabulous on so many levels and personally I have no internet connection on my phone unless i’m in wifi spot so poking fun at this behavior gladdens my heart.

    So to see how a soul roided up resurrected Pharaoh, two serial killer copycats, the group from the coffee shop and Dirk all finish this story you’ll have to read.  I just can’t in good conscious tell you about what happens because this is the kind of stuff you have to see for yourself.  Let me assure however that each character plays a role in this story whether or not you find that role important is up to you.  Though I have to admit that seeing so many of them falling in with Dirk and how many want to be his assistant-”associate” really makes me smile.  Though not everyone is happy to have Dirk around but that’s another story for another eh.

    I”m also in love with the interior artwork here as well.  Aside from capturing Dirk so incredibly well Ilias, John and Leonard do some absolutely stunning stuff and there are moments such as Neferhotep’s ultimate defeat that stand out from the crowd in its ingenuity, colour usage and sheer nostalgia in it’s use.  Even Neferhotep’s steroid ridden body all grotesquely out of proportion has this odd appeal to it, that not even the Rock could pull off.  Overall they have the talent and skill to pull off what I consider Adams’ vision.

    This will be collected into trade and released sometime in January so make sure you go to your local shoppe or contact your subscription service and make sure you order a copy.  I promise you will thoroughly enjoy this.

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Fathom Blue #5

11/25/2015

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Fathom Blue #5
Aspen Comics 2015
Written by Vince Hernandez
Penciled by Claudio Avella
Inked by Mark Roslan
Coloured by Justice
Lettered by Josh Reed

    The team began to splinter under the weight of the secrets kept by Elia Fawn. However, the rest of the group managed to break free and plan an eventual strategy for their freedom. Yet, plans changed quickly, as an attack by the Blue in Seattle left the team devastated at the hands of a more powerful foe. And this only served as a decoy, as their home base the Rig was at that moment attacked by Siphon and his Elite Council Soldiers…

    Opening up under the sea in that enormous cavern seeing the Elite Council soldiers waiting their orders was one heck of a way to open this issue!  Not to mention Killian cause he’s one of those characters I always get excited to see.  I knew this was going to happen but I really wasn’t expecting to see come so soon.  Don’t get me wrong this is going to change the way this team is going to operate and the General’s agenda but hey that’s find with me.

    Meanwhile back at headquarters it’s interesting to see how the General treats Elia compared to the rest of them.  If he perhaps treated them the way he treats her there would be more cohesion in the group and less talk of running off or escaping or openly plotting his downfall.  Though to be frank i’d like to see them really go after him soon because he’s really a horrible person.  

    Even with the team not fully trusting Elia it seems that when they go into battle they are starting to work together rather well.  Yes there are moments that show they have a ways to go before they stop thinking as individuals but the progress is there.  Vince is doing a smashing job in making this seem like their progression is organic, evolving into something more than they are and that’s impressive and fantastic to see.  

    When the team meets the Elite Council soldiers I was rather impressed.  Yes Elia thinks she’s stronger than she is but if they could act as a cohesive unit even with their seemingly limited power sets they’d actually be able to fare quite well.  It’s this demonstration of what’s possible that Vince is bringing us that has a greater impact on me as a reader.  Aman while physically the youngest really is the brains here and I look forward to the day when he’s listened to more and his guidance in battle is the key to winning.  Again another example of how Vince is crafting this book and these characters.  

    Sure they need to really explore their powers and how to effectively use them best but that comes with time and hopefully that’s something we’ll all have.  Time, this series takes the Blue and the Fathom universe places for new fans and old that make it extremely accessible and fun to read.  

    I saw a marked improvement in the interior artwork this issue.  Body proportions were better and the attention to detail is really good.  Plus the colours including seeing the Elite Soldier in her water form really stand out and make this visually impressive.  

    Aspen finally has a new book that allows new fans to explore their world and the different characters without feeling overwhelmed.  It also happens to be extremely well written, illustrated and yes even exciting.

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Just Another Sheep #1

11/24/2015

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Just Another Sheep #1
Action Lab Entertainment 2015
Written by Mat Heagerty
Illustrated by JD Faith
Coloured & Designed by Jon Cairns
Lettered by Ed Brisson

    Alright to be perfectly honest I had no idea what to expect from this but it looked interesting and so here I am.  Sheep is an interesting concept, someone who lacks decision making skills and just goes along with the flow are people we see all too often anymore.  So what happens when it’s someone who is a sheep but it’s during the Vietnam War and he’s timid and unsure?  Well that’s Banning for you but there’s something else unique about Banning and we see that here and makes you wonder what is it about this young man that makes him so different and special?  That’s what we’re here to find out.

    Washington D.C., July 3rd 1967 is when this story opens aboard a bus bound for Boston.  A peace sign on his bag he’s accosted by a couple thugs spoiling for a fight, calling him hippie and such.  He handles himself well all things considered but it’s seriously not in the manner you’d expect.  Thanks however to this altercation with them he’s thrown off the bus and stuck there when he’s befriended by a young woman at a peace rally.  Sadie takes him to her friends with the promise to help him find a ride.

    Things spiral out of his control as these things often do.  He smokes pot and drinks for the first time in his life.  I have to say JD and Jon really do a fantastic number on his experience on pot with this whole 60’s trip he takes.  Sadie and her friends take Banning to a rally where the leader is an enigmatic fellow who convinces them to take their protests of the Vietnam War to President Johnson himself.  

    There are plenty reasons not to trust this man, Soulya Kraj.  We see those here as well when he talks to his assistant Beth.  Then of course there’s the supposed peace rally where the crowd jumps the walls and ends up on the White House lawn.  Of course the secret service is there to dispel the crowd only things get out of hand and bloodshed begins.  All of this is going to shape Banning and how he sees the world and what he can do to make a difference in it.  With his origins unknown but being a special kind of individual i’m looking forward to seeing where Mat takes this story.

    Will Banning continue to be among the sheep or will he rise up and become a leader?  With what the boy can do however this decision is going to be monumental.  So far the characterization and story progression are phenomenally done and if this continues to go in the same direction as the first issue we’ll be in for one hell of an interesting read.

    Original, fresh and interesting this will be unlike any kind of war story you’ll be prepared for.  With great artwork that fits the time, era and characters beautifully this is another shining example of why Action Lab continues to be a company on the rise.  

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Sanitarium #1

11/24/2015

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Sanitarium #1
Guardian Knight Comics 2015
Written by Bryan Ortiz, James Hartz, Evan Boston & Scott “Diablo” Marcano
Illustrated by Juan Romero

    I am happy to say this is my first experience with Guardian Knight Comics, if you’ve been around with me for a while you know I love finding new companies to read and promote if you’re new well now ya know.  So first a big thank you to Guardian Knight Comics for working with me!  I’m also a huge fan of horror movies, stories, novels etc so this one felt right up my alley, as ironically enough I watch Haunting of Cellblock 11 as I read this, so if you like the bizarre and strange not to mention a tad frightening you’ll enjoy this.

    The opening with Dr. Stenson welcoming us to the Sanitarium has that classic feel like the opening of the Twilight Zone or the Crypt Keeper and it sets the mood perfectly for what we’re about to see.  Also I have to say I really like that the good Doctor seems more like a fellow patient than healer here it lends more of that ominous feeling.  A large part of that is thanks to Juan who nails the tone, feel and mood to get us underway.

    Now when the story starts there’s a young man looking for a “good” case he can research for his paper.  I am gonna go out on a limb and say he’s an intern and is under Dr. Stenson’s tutelage for this rotation.  That’s where we get to see and learn all about Case #26: “Monsters are Real.”  I like the dialogue here as he goes in search of a case, he’s either young and kind of stupid with that schoolboy mentality that he’s going to be someone huge someday or he’s just an idiot who has no social graces, either way he’s a good one to be learning about this the way he is.

    Thanks guys for naming the kid Steven btw yeah as if my name isn’t used enough for these kinds of things--kidding!  Poor Steven is just a kid and he’s shy, awkward and seemingly abused.  His teacher sees the marks on him and while his father is a brute and drunk he’s more verbally abusive than physical, I said more not only.  However there’s something else at play here with Steven and there’s a man only he can see that frightens him greatly.  Kind of like a ghost or boogeyman that lurks watching him, distracting him and helping to increase his anxiety and social awkwardness.  

    So I have to say I love that Mrs. Lorne looks out for Steven like a good, caring and attentive teacher would and notices his bruises and takes the action she does.  Only Steven’s not talking and won’t tell her how he got them.  Of course we see as the story plays out that yeah he’s got this raw deal at home but that can be overcome.  When Steven is face to face with his well stalker for lack of a better word something weird happens and it’s frightening for a young boy to have to have that happen to them.  

    Then the world comes apart and things happen that defy explanation.  The writing here is exceptionally good and it’s creepy and really leaves a lot open ended so that you can interpret what’s happened in a variety of ways.  Suffice it to say however that Steven now resides in the Sanitarium and has shut himself off from the world at large and how can that be good for an 8 year old boy?  Was it all in his imagination does he have a friend no one can see or was he capable of doing these acts on his own?  That is up to you to decide.

    I look forward to seeing what else these folks can throw at me because honestly i’m excited to have found them if this is the tip of the iceberg!


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Wrath of the Eternal Warrior #1

11/24/2015

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Wrath of the Eternal Warrior #1
Valiant Entertainment 2015
Written by Robert Venditti
Illustrated by Raul Allen & Patricia Martin
Art Assistant by David Astruga
Additional Colours by Borja Pindado
Lettered by Patricia Martin

    I’m such a fan of Valiant these days and not just because they’ve been using some of today’s best talent on their books but for the fact that hot on the heels of the Book of Death we’re already getting this series.  There’s no waiting and that alone is utterly noteworthy and I love that Robert is taking control of this series.  I was hoping that things would pick up pretty much where that series left off and yeah that’s what happens.  

    Only this isn’t going to be like anything you’ll be expecting and of course i’m super impressed and terribly excited by that.  I mean c’mon when we left Gilad he sacrificed himself so the Geomancer could save the day.  Seemingly dead within the tree the immortal part would be put to the test.  So now while we aren’t terribly sure if he is immortal it would seem that he’s been in the past in similar circumstances where he’s close to dead.  Suddenly there’s all kind of stuff we’ve never known about him, and by extension his siblings, that will help in explaining not only much about his personality but what he’s learned along the way and how he hasn’t gone bat-shit crazy from being alive so long.

    What I’m really looking forward to is what is being touched upon here and that’s how the “universe” takes care of Gilad so that he can heal and be there to safeguard the Geomancer.  This happening side by side with more characterization than we’ve ever been privileged to see is something I can’t wait for.  I like the opening because of what I perceive it means.  To me it’s a way to hone his fighting skills while recovering, a place he has to contend with time and again so that they stay where they are without being loosed upon the world.

    On a side note when we see Gilad wake up in bed I don’t think we’ve ever seen him look so sexy before.  That smattering of chest hair and a smile on his face just that content look on him is rare to see.  This woman, Leena, the greatest love of his life (?) taking care of their children is that whole thing that helps to make him both more mysterious and more personable. Where is this place and who exactly are these children are while may be something that I think I know, knowing Robert it’s going to be something completely different.

    His connection to this family and the demons for lack of a better description is kind of odd and interesting.  That the main one, Slather, talks a lot like Golum and that kind of connects to me as a reader.  Actually the whole connects with me as a reader, there’s a whole of things that we’ve been wanting to know about and it looks like this time around Robert’s prepared to really explore the man behind the legend.  

    The interior artwork is pretty darn good, with solid imagery meant to evoke a range of emotions and feelings.  Page usage, panel layouts and facial expressions not to mention use of backgrounds and attention to detail it all makes for a great experience.  

    Once again Valiant has another strong book with one of their most enigmatic characters.

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Masks 2 #8

11/23/2015

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Masks 2 #8 (of 8)
Dynamite Entertainment 2015
Written by Cullen Bunn
Illustrated by Eman Casallos
Coloured by Adriano Augusto
Lettered by Rob Steen

    This is a bittersweet issue for me.  On the one hand it’s time for the story to end but on the other hand it’s the way Cullen has written this tale that makes me wish it wouldn’t.  I mean we’ve seen some of the most unusual and bizarre things happen to these characters as they have been cast throughout time to stop a common enemy that has seemingly been one step ahead of them the entire way.  From various incarnations to whom each is at their core we’ve seen some of the most stellar characterization happen in these issues.  This just ignites inside me the desire to see more of them get either ongoing or limited series in the near future.

    Of course this wouldn’t have nearly been as successful without the amazing talents fo Eman and Adriano.  They’ve managed to bring these various individuals to life and repeatedly surprise us with how they evolve from issue to issue.

    Well I have to say that there are plenty of moments in this issue that highlight why i’m such a fan of this story so far.  I mean seriously when we see the Egyptian parchment written in hieroglyphics and no one among that group can read them it’s pretty freakin awesome!  Then as each group who is there to do specific thing ends up meeting up because all roads lead to well pretty much nowhere yeah you begin to see that with all these changes we’ve been seeing they really have been masterfully manipulated by the Red Death.

    Also i’m pleasantly surprised that with all the character developments that the fight scenes have continued to be so epically portrayed.  No one seems to be getting in another’s way and they continue to fight as pretty good unit.  Oh and regardless of which Miss Fury is talking, though i’m gonna guess the new one considering the original did plenty of time travel in her previous series, that she’s right about all this is pretty sweet.  Again another nod in favour of seeing a limited series with her.

    I do like that when the entire group hits Chicago 1917 and the way it all plays out yeah it’s not only kind of cool but open ended as well.  With one group going to a house and the other subjected to the Red Death and a new fight from her forces well yeah it all is exactly as it should be.  Though kudos once again on how the characters revert to their normal visages because A. it’s well written and B. the art is stunning.  Though I do see potential here for Cullen to write another story with panel in particular.  

    Then there’s the Spider and I can’t place where in time he’s truly from but this whole headquarters of his and where he puts it that screams out for more exploration or just another epic story that requires heroes from all times and places to deal with.  Still his recollection of them all once the adventure is over was nicely done and reminds us all where they belong in the annuls of history.  I will say though that i’m unsure why the last page of my copy is a repeat it doesn’t make the most sense to me in terms of the narrative but hey.

    There’s a reason I love that Dynamite has these characters and continues to show the world that they still have a place in the industry because many of these started the costumed craze.  Also that Cullen and company can create sweeping epic stories like this mean we constantly get to be thrilled and entertained.  

​

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