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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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Basketful of Heads #2

11/30/2019

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Basketful of Heads #2
DC Black Label/Hill House Comics 2019
Written by Joe Hill
Illustrated by Leomacs
Coloured by Dave Stewart
Lettered by Deron Bennett


     Hunted to the point of exhaustion, June Branch struggles to outwit and outfight the home invader coming after her. He’s armed with a .44 and a secret agenda; she’s got a thousand year-old Viking relic and no way to escape. The axe is about to fall in the topsy-turvy second chapter of the horror story with the sharpest edge in comics!
     Fears escalate and a full moon rises over the HMS Havoc in chapter three of the “Sea Dogs” backup tale, written by Joe Hill!

     This is a great book and already it has all the nuance and weirdness that you could possibly want it to have and then some. I mean June is told to run when intruders break into the home and while she was supposed to run away outside well you know the drill. Still the way this issue plays out and when the identity of one of these men is revealed I have to say I hadn't realised I was capable of being even more intrigued and excited by the book than I already was. Joe has one of those unique perspectives on the world, life and things go bump in the dark and considering who his father is it's only natural the son surpass the father in talent and skill. Yes I said it and I stand by that!

     The way that this is being told is bloody brilliant. I had originally thought I knew who was carrying the basketful of heads in the beginning but boy was I wrong and I am not ashamed to say I couldn't be any happier that I was. This is much more twisted and interesting, though just once I would like to see a gay couple, male, star in a horror series like this so what do ya say Joe? The way the story & plot development is seen through the sequence of events and how we learn information is exceedingly well done. The way the story almost feels like it meanders and belies the danger and the sheer terror being felt is superb! The character development is marvellous and I love seeing June going through all this the way she does and while I want to say more I cannot for fear of revealing way too much. With the pacing of this we see how the twists and turns unfold and create the ebb & flow of the story, which is rather quite good.

     I love the work that Leomacs is doing on the interiors here. The utilisation of the page layouts is superb and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows such a talented eye for storytelling. The linework is strong and through the varying weights we see how he brings about the attention to detail. The composition inside the panels and how the backgrounds are utilised to create depth perception, scale and bring this overall sense of size and scope to the story is quite marvellous to see. Dave's colour work is exemplary and to do all this at night with no real natural light sources takes some mad skills to pull the way he does. I gotta say that seeing him in the bathroom looking for all the world like a demon was spectacular. Also to see the colours at night and still be so recognisable is splendiferous.
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     This issue took us places and reveals things for the first time that would've made me loose my cookies and run screaming for the hills. The way this is being told, the way that we see things unfold and the overall craziness that is a the concept all come together beautifully here. I think DC scored a big coup by having Joe create this imprint and so far there isn't one book from that I've read that hasn't lived up to the reputation of the line.
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Cobra Kai the Karate Kid Saga Continues #2

11/30/2019

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Cobra Kai the Karate Kid Saga Continues #2
IDW Publishing 2019
Written by Denton J. Tipton
Illustrated by Kagan McLeod
Coloured by Luis Antonio Delgado
Lettered by Neil Uyetake


     “JOHNNY’S STORY,” Part 2!
     See The Karate Kid in a whole new light in this retelling through the eyes of Johnny Lawrence, two-time All Valley Tournament champion. The new kid continues to make moves on Johnny's girl, and takes the rivalry to a new level with a low down prank at the Halloween dance. Will Johnny get his revenge?

     Last issue I stated that I hadn't seen the film (the remake doesn't count as a real film), update—still haven't and have no plans to watch it, however we all know the story. So I came into this with an open mind and from what we see here Denton has made a fan of the story as seen from this angle. I am always a fan of seeing the so-called bully in more detail and his home life and the way his father treats him when he's looking for advice we begin to understand him all the more. I like this as Denton is giving us the kind of characterisation that is rarely seen anywhere else and it's absolutely delightful.

     I am thoroughly enjoying the way that this is being told. The story & plot development we see through the sequence of events and how the reader learns information is incredibly well done. I actually like that we see so little of the kid in this and really focuses on Johnny, his life at home, at school and at the dojo it keeps him front and centre and really brings us the story of a teenager who's lost and angry. Which of course is the character development we see here. I cannot tell you how much I am enjoying getting to know why he's the way he is, how his sensei is the father figure he sought out because the one at home is horrid. When kids at home are browbeaten and ridiculed they usually take it out on the kids at school and seeing that here is so expertly done. With the pacing, which is superb, we see how the ebb & flow of the story is created. We don't need a day to day, minute to minute tale here so breaking it up into those moments we need to see is the smart way to let this play out.
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     I do like the interior artwork here as well. The mid-80's were a weird time in American History or around the world for that matter. Preppie's and their popped collars or kids wearing neon egad it was not a great time for fashion. Kagan however somehow manages to avoid all that here and makes it look rather bland. The linework we see is nicely laid down and the varying weights utilised to create the attention to detail is well rendered. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective show a solid eye for storytelling. The colour work is fantastic! I really like how we see the kind of watercolour painted effect and how the various hues and tones within the colours create shading, highlights and shadow work. There are great moments within the clothing but the hair is where it looks incredible.
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     For me this is simply the story about a boy who has trouble growing up and needs to find himself. Given the right direction and a mentor who actually really cares, about more than winning and showing no mercy, he could've been the star of the franchise. The work we see here is so impressive all around the writing really is spectacular to see as Denton isn't afraid to make Johnny someone we can understand, relate to and ultimately root for to get his life together. I would support a series of limited arcs telling the rest of his story moving forward, as it stands now I want to see if he finds that person to help him grow, evolve and come to an understanding of what being a man means.
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Leave On the Light #2

11/30/2019

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Leave On the Light #2
Antarctic Press/Second Sight Studios 2019
Written by Bradley Golden & George Aguilar
Illustrated by Stan Yak
Coloured by Shannon Smith
Lettered by Hector Negrete


     Delve deeper into the history of the Butcher, learning how he obtain these horrific abilities to use electricity as his weapon! Knowledge is power to dispel darkness too, but will it be enough?

     If you enjoy, love or can't get enough of horror then you need to be reading this, do yourself a solid because this is all kinds of awesome. We have seen this idea done before but it's not been overdone or done in a while so what we see isn't all that comparable to anything else which is great. The way that this strikes the reader is really nice to see and feel. We keep going into Thomas Derek Lassey's life in ways that you really don't expect and why all of this is done after his death instead of before is anyone's guess but hey where would the fun be if it wasn't happening this way?

     I am really enjoying the way that this is being told. With the story & plot development and how we see the sequence of events that unfold the way the do and how that reveals information to the reader is extremely nice to see. The character development we are seeing is interesting as well for while Sarah and her partner don't get that much attention we certainly get a lot of attention on Lassey, not that that's unusual. It does however flesh out the life of a killer who was planning to come back after his execution. With the pacing here, which is solid by the way, we see how the twists and turns come about and how the influence the ebb & flow of the story.

     There really is something to seeing a story where two detectives are working, following their instincts and not having their every move explained. I mean they have these skills, they are good at their jobs and so it goes to reason that what they do and how they act/react is attributed to their time on the force. I appreciate that we don't unnecessary explanations that's just the way things should be. Also I am pretty darn impressed with the double ending here. I thought that perhaps the first one was the end of the book, I had actually prepared myself that it was and then, then there was more. You no idea how exciting it makes things.

     The work Stan does on the interiors here is utterly fabulous. He has some amazing skills as we see the linework and it's varying weights bring about the attention to detail at this quality and level. His eye for storytelling is phenomenal and I like how we see the perspective how the panels have their composition, that light shining on a hand for instance was bloody marvellous, and how we see depth perception, scale, the page layouts and the sense of size and scope is perfect. Also I have to commend him on the depiction of Lassey in the chair, when it happened and afterwards there is this whole imagination and creativity that is on display here. The colour work here is also exceptionally well done. I love seeing the various hues and tones within the colours utilised to bring us this shading, highlights and shadows. Again the light on the hand wow actually all of that and the page where we see him in the chair in the darkness that's horrifying for a myriad of reasons but the colours throughout continue to highlight the mood, tone and feel of the book.
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     Folks this is bloody amazing work all around. The imagery is strong, powerful and extremely well rendered and the story, writing and characterisation we see as the book moves forward is beyond what you could hope for. This has earned it's place in the annuls of horror storytelling already and I cannot wait to see how this continues and finally concludes.  ​
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Unbound #2

11/30/2019

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Unbound #2
Zenescope Entertainment 2019
Written by Ralph Tedesco
Illustrated by Oliver Borges
Coloured by Leonardo Paciarotti
Lettered by Carlos M. Mangual


     Lukas re-enters the Ether to hunt down Marna, the woman who betrayed him at Cain's compound. But when he finds her, Lukas realises he's no match for her now and stares certain death in the face. Meanwhile the creepy masked killer takes yet another victim, but begins to explore more disturbing ways of murdering his captors. Something is very wrong inside the Ether, and soon it may be too late to put a stop to the masked killer's sadistic motives.

     Oh I am enjoying the heck out of this one. I love the concept of this story as it is one that when taken in context is the next generation of horror. I am surprised that we haven't seen films based on this yet as they jumped aboard the social media train and create supernatural and slasher films from it. Ralph really does a nice job in how he delves into this and when Jordan and Craig ambush one of the games creators. Actually the seminar they attended was as slimy as seeing any self-help guru, make money by, or Joel Osteen, as that sales pitch was delivered. I do like though how we see that play out and with Oliver's help we got a lot of clues as the true safety of the game in those reactions.

     I think the way this is being told is perfectly done. The story & plot development through the way we see the sequence of events unfold and how the reader learns information is so well defined and extolled. The character development is really good and there's something about the behaviour inside the game and out that both meshes and is so different. After all inside the game you can be whomever you wish and usually that entails being the kind of man, or woman, you aren't in real life. When I factor in the pacing here we see how the twists and turns affect how the story moves forward which creates this ebb & flow to the book that makes even more interesting.

     I am very much enjoying how the tension builds here as well. Lukas after swearing off Ether re-enters the game because his ego wouldn't let him give it up without getting revenge. Only he encounters the mysterious figure who's been changing the rules of the game. Now either he's a real player in the game or he's some kind of virus that's been introduced by one of the games creators. After all what we see him, presumably, doing in this issue alone makes me think the latter and this character gained sentience and is now seeking to know what it feels like to be human. Again this all conjecture and me playing at being a detective based the evidence provided.

     Oliver and his linework here is exquisitely rendered here. The linework is amazing to see and how the varying weights are utilised to bring out the attention to detail here is extraordinary. The creativity and imagination we see in bringing the interiors of the game to life is beautifully done and it creates that world and makes you wish to be a part of it. The way we see backgrounds utilised and how they aid in the composition inside the panels showing depth perception, scale and bring this size and scope to the book is stunning. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a strong and talented eye for storytelling. The colour work is stupendous to see. The way the gradation of colours to show that bleeding in Marna's hair is sensational. The way that we see a base colour and then the various hues and tones within it utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadows is masterfully done.
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     This is the what we want to see as the story is extremely current and relevant to today's world it is also forward thinking and progressive. There's something inherently fun and interesting to take this kind of science fiction/possible reality and twist the bright colours and showcase something extremely dark and twisted.  ​
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The D Ward #1

11/29/2019

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The D Ward #1
Keenspot 2019
Created, Written, Coloured & Lettered by Billy Parker
Illustrated by Alex Smith


     As a child, Zander Wylie experienced a horrific event which led him to a career in psychology. Starting his new job working with an old friend, the patients and inmates of the hospital will change his life forever. Personal demons can be more real than you think... meet the inhabitants of The D Ward.

     The opening here is fantastic! I like seeing Harry in his apartment as his flatmate just left for break, more than likely meaning he's in college. Though I do have to say in retrospect that we should've known something and I would love to find out if he'd anything to do with this. What we see and hear is what has such a profound effect on Zander and honestly who wouldn't have a kind of mental breakdown after hearing that? Though he didn't really have one but that event did create in him the desire to follow in the field he's chosen.

     What a spectacular way to grab the readers' attention and give them the desire, nay need, to know more. I got to say little Z grew up alright and he's a cutie. I wonder if he has ever had friends his own age but that's neither here nor there it's something that pops into the head, which isn't the first time that the reader will go off-script while becoming engaged in this book. The story & plot development here is incredibly well done as we see through the sequence of events that unfold before us as well as how the reader learns information. I really am enjoying the way we learn of the patients that inhabit the D Ward, it's a classic way of doing it and it's really done well. The character development we see is strong and interesting as we don't have this large opportunity to get to know them yet but we do with Eb and everything we see is just the start of what we'll learn. With the pacing, which is excellent, we get this wonderful ebb & flow to the story as it meanders through what we need to know before moving onward.

     From the title alone I had figured we'd dealing with some sort of crazy folks but this takes it the extra mile. I've seen a demon, a demon made me do it, all the excuses in the world where a demon could've done it or they've seen one first hand gets them thrown in here. Demonmania.

     The interior artwork here is amazingly rendered. The linework is fantastic and the way we see the varying weights bring out the attention to detail is utterly marvellous. The faces, facial expressions and the body language all continue the characterisation in ways that words alone cannot do. Plus I am sorry but Harry and now Zander are some good looking boys. I am utterly impressed with the way we see the composition inside the panels and how backgrounds are utilised to bring us depth perception, scale, a size and scope to the story and simply enhance the moments. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a very talented eye for storytelling. The colour work is nicely done. There are some nifty tricks in changing the hues and tones we see as well as how we get shading, highlights and shadow work.
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     This could very well be one my new favourite series. With such complex layered storytelling and what's right up on the surface alongside these marvellous interiors this book stands up to anything else you could possibly find on stands. Still with the subject matter and the setting who knows it could turn into a better version of Dream Warriors. I look forward to what's coming next. So familiarise yourself with Keenspot because they have some dynamite books!
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Last Stop #1

11/29/2019

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Last Stop #1
Scout Comics/Nonstop 2019
Written by Trey Walker
Illustrated by Hoyt Silva
Lettered by Micah Myers


     The newest entry in the new NONSTOP! Imprint where Scout releases a World Premiere issue followed by the entire story a few months later in one volume. Time is ticking for the World's last superhero. Disillusioned, Lincoln Adams (AKA Unstoppable) must make peace with the changing world around him-can there truly be a place for him in a world without Supers? After learning of his terminal disease, Lincoln sees an easy way out; however, the re-emergence of an old Arch-Nemesis, and a new shadowy masked figure, turn Lincoln's plans of an easy passing on their head. Can Lincoln stop this new threat before the disease stops him?

     Well the opening here certainly grabs the readers' attention. A band of ne'er do wells talking about the job they had done and why they were now holed up and couldn't go out when they are interrupted. What really impresses me about this is the writing and I love the banter we see between the members of this crew and then to see the explosive end which takes us into the main body of the story well damn.

     I keep telling you folks that some of the best stories are being put out at small press company's like Scout. The story & plot development that we see here and how the sequence of events unfold and how the reader learns information is extremely well done. The character development is interesting to me because we see a few characters who come across straightforward but then we see others who are much more complex and interesting by nature. Then there is how we are introduced to the characters and the natural flow of that's done so well. The pacing that we see here has a nice way about it and with everything else is creates a lovely ebb & flow the story.

     Trey manages to do some interesting things in the story and layers it in some well conceived ways. I like that the more we see of certain people the more intriguing they become. I am not say that this makes them likeable or relatable to but we do get this better understanding of the place they are coming from so their actions make more sense. Also I find myself thinking that Trey isn't telling this story for us the reader he's telling it because it demands telling so it doesn't matter what we think in the end and I absolutely adore that feeling. There is a difference between arrogance and confidence and Treys walks that line perfectly here.

     The interiors here aren't really my style. The linework is nice and simple. We miss so much by having so many blank backgrounds. I understand to a degree being a minimalist but while we do see some really nice attention to detail I'd love to see some real variation and the weight of the linework. All of this being said it has it's own charm and cuteness to it that works. The utilisation of the page layout and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show this solid eye for storytelling. The colour work is definitely interesting and while I wish got true colours it goes along with the artistic style and vision.
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     I like this book and the story inside. It is rather well layered and has several interesting twists and turns taking place. The characterisation is sharp and the mix of personalities bring a lot of potential to the book. We are being introduced to an interesting new world that has this background we aren't privy to but the mentions of it are enough to be intrigued. The book engages the reader beautifully so that we want to explore it further. This is a cute and quaint little book and I say you should be giving it a go.
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Touching Evil #1

11/28/2019

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Touching Evil #1
Source Point Press 2019
By Dan Dougherty
with Colours by Wesley Wong


     An attorney is given a curse from a mysterious prisoner that allows her to kill anyone instantly with just a touch of her hand... but only if they're evil. Her whole life is turned upside down in an instant as she is forced to question what evil is, who she can trust, and her own sanity. Get ready to meet a hero unlike anyone you've ever seen, and forgive her if she doesn't shake hands.

     I love working with Source Point Press and I love the fact that Dan sent this to me and asked for a review. I also love the story already and this is literally unlike anything else you will have read before. So as we started this story and things got underway we meet Ada, a lawyer who does her job and does it well. Sometimes she does it all too well and the guilty go free but that's not her problem now is it, this is what she's paid to do. Not ask if they are guilty but to defend them and make sure they are not found guilty at trial. She does have something of a conscious however and you can see how plays on her mind no matter how hard she tries to deny it.

     The story & plot development that we see here as the sequence of events unfold and how the reader learns information is exceptionally well done. I mean there is a great way that the characters in this story are introduced to us and that natural feeling of those entering her life find themselves going to be playing roles much different than any of us might have to thought to expect. Like her boss who is dying and is on oxygen and what he brings to this story and I believe that there are no coincidences in life and him sending her to a see a client of his was intentional. The character development is utterly amazing to see. We meet these folks and they all have their personalities pretty much established so it has this feel of starting a new show on the telly. So it will be exciting to see them grow and evolve over the course of this book. With the pacing here we these twists and turns that affect how the ebb & flow of the book. However everything we see here showcases how the structure of the book and how beautifully it's done.

     I really like the interiors here. The linework we see is nicely done it shows a strong steady hand with crisp clean lines and with the varying weights brings about a fairly good level of attention to detail. The work on the faces and facial expressions not to mention how we see the body language do great things for the characterisation that words alone cannot do. I like how we see the composition inside the panels here and the utilisation of the backgrounds so that they bring us depth perception, scale and a sense of size and scope to the story. When she's walking down the stops of the courthouse is a perfect example of this. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a really strong eye for storytelling. I like the colour work we're seeing as well. How we see light sources being utilised and how the different hues and tones within the colours are utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadows is impressive to see.
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     This story is like someone took Law & Order and mixed it Supernatural and there we have it. This is full of real world dilemma's that aren't easy to answer as well as complex layering allows Dan to really delve into the nature of the human mind in ways that appear exploratory and near scientific and less to do with judging people or preaching. This is why I love Source Point Press, they have a great eye for talent and books that deserve to be put in front of the masses. So order this from your shop, subscription service or find them at a convention near you.
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John Carpenter's Tales of Science Fiction: Redhead #1

11/28/2019

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John Carpenter's Tales of Science Fiction: Redhead #1
Storm King Comics 2019
Written by Duane Swierczynski
Illustrated by Jason Felix
Lettered by Janice Chiang


     Marnie Young, an executive assistant in San Diego, is a sweet girl who wouldn't hurt a fly. She's also super lonely. But one night, without warning, Marnie has a violent seizure; co-workers recoil in horror as she writhes on the floor. Two days later, Marnie wakes up in a hospital room. As her vision comes into focus, she sees 17 doctors and nurses dead on the floor, blood splattered everywhere. Soon she discovers the shocking truth: Marnie has become lethal, and everyone who comes within three feet of her dies instantly! Which is really going to mess up her dating life (if she had one). Is there a cure? Can anyone get close enough to find out?

     Wow! This is what I am talking about baby because the interiors look like they are mixed media, photographs and illustration. Have no idea if that's right or if it's all computer generated but I gotta say I have only ever seen one person do mixed media comics and do them magnificently and that's Stephen Pennella. We all know I don't normally talk about interiors until later in my review but i'll be damned if you wait that long to talk about the words after seeing the insides. I have never in all my years seen this kind of look the book, I mean those pictures of that cat, the realism of the people or the parking garage to the dead all around the hospital this screams such finesse and horror and detail and a thousand other things running through my mind the entire time. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a stupendous eye for storytelling. The composition inside the panels are flawlessly done as they bring us depth perception and a sense of scale. The backgrounds also enhance the moments as well as bring a sense of size and scope to the book. The colours, the patterns in the clothing, the way we see overhead lighting, this all shows a true understanding of how colours work.

     Now I love Duane, the way he writes, the way his mind works and he's a really guy to meet in person as well. Now the opening here is definitely eye-catching and it makes you wonder what the hell is going on thus ensuring you want to know more. And more we get. I love listening to the details of Marnie's life as she takes back a few days before her present predicament. She's shy, timid and has a low opinion of herself for sure. She's the kind of the character that we as readers are able to relate to and actually for as we see her personality grow and evolve. The character development we see is amazingly well executed and the direction we can see her heading is even better. Duane created a magnificent character who herself claims is a blank slate.

     The story & plot development that we see there through the sequence of events that are unfolding and how the reader learns information is extremely nice to see. There is a great natural feeling to the way we see the events in the book occur. Also hello Shaun, let's hope this handsome guy isn't gonna be skid mark in the race of life. The one thing we see that sets off this chain reaction is the perfect moment captured. The pacing here is phenomenally well done and how we see the twists and turns affect how we see the ebb & flow of the book is a dream come true.  Everything that we see in the writing here from the questions without answers to the whole mystique of the situation manages to engage the reader so they go off-script and try to think what could possibly have happened and why it's continuing to happen.  This is the power of storytelling right here to engage your readers' and have them invest in what your doing.

     This is an utterly bloody effin brilliant first issue. This is going to change the way you see comics and rock your world in this holiday season in ways that leave panting for more.
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The Monster Men: "Soul of the Beast" #1

11/28/2019

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The Monster Men: “Soul of the Beast” #1
American Mythology Productions 2019
Written by Mike Wolfer
Illustrated by Roy Allan Martinez
Coloured by Periya Pillai
Lettered by Natalie Jane


     Edgar Rice Burroughs' classic tale of mad science, shocking horror, and monsters galore rages to life in an all-new comic story that begins where "The Monster Men" novel ended! On a secluded, jungle island near Borneo, Professor Maxon and his daughter Virginia barely survived the onslaught of the rampaging, half-human beasts that he created in his laboratory. Now, Virginia and Townsend Harper Jr. return to the island where he originally believed that he was Maxon's mysterious creature, Number 13... But the real Number 13 is very much alive and prowls the steaming, island jungle in search of human victims! Mike Wolfer and Roy Allan Martinez, the team who brought you Eternal Thirst of Dracula, combine their talents once again to create an unparalleled excursion into terror, officially endorsed by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. as the sequel to the classic horror novel! This special, prelude one-shot leads directly into the upcoming The Monster Men: Heart of Wrath mini-series.

     Let me tell you what I love about this. Mike cares for and totally appreciates the world these characters live in and it shows in the way that the story is being told. It has this novel approach to it, meaning it's told more like a prose novel than a comic book, as if the book were an adaptation of a novel. That is how it reads and utterly fantastic to experience this. There is another added bonus here and that's if you haven't the Burroughs novels that's okay because the way that this is being told also makes it completely new reader friendly. Take that chance and pick this up and see the kind of elevated storytelling that we find at American Mythology.

     I am loving the way that this story is being told. The narration and how that relates to what we see and which leads to meeting the narrator is incredibly interesting and and well told. Whom he is speaking to or of remains a bit of a mystery but we do learn that they are more than familiar with the world of the weird that Burroughs wrote about. As we meet the cast of characters for the first time, in this book, it has this strange effect. We've been pretty much told what they are going to do and why and seeing this trio arriving at their destination leaves that puts this feeling in your gut that something bad is about to go down.

     Roy Allan is an amazing talented illustrator and his linework that we see and how he is able to manipulate the varying weights bring out this attention to detail is something to see. When you look at some of the panels and the folks within I see an influences of artists that are so eerie and yet gorgeous. The composition inside the panels and how the backgrounds are utilised to help show us depth perception, scale and brings us a sense of size and scope to the book. Every page we see here is so beautifully done and the colouring included to make what we see just as much a visual journey as it is a written one. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show such a sensational eye for storytelling. The colour work is exquisite to behold. Periya is able to create that eerie mood where you feel that the jungle is quiet, too quiet. The way we see the various hues and tones within colours to create the shading, highlights and shadows is stupendous to see on the page.

     This story just makes me want to see and read so much more. The writing here is mindbogglingly good and it takes into this world as if we were a part of it, that we're there with Bulan as they experience this island and face their personal demons. Not to mention what else may be living on this island in the 13 months they've been gone. On a side note seeing that compound and how it's set up I would've moved in when they left. Talk about the ideal place to get away from the madness of the world around us.
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     American Mythology is home to some unique and fantastic stories that you really ought to be reading.
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Star Trek: Picard #1

11/28/2019

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Picture
Star Trek: Picard #1
IDW Publishing 2019
Written by Kirsten Beyer & Mike Johnson
Illustrated by Angel Hernandez
Coloured by Joana Lafuente
Lettered by Neil Uyetake


     You’ve seen the trailer... now, witness the events leading to CBS All Access’s Picard. Before he retired to his vineyard, Jean-Luc Picard was the most decorated admiral in Starfleet. Then one mission changed his life forever. The Countdown starts here!

     Mike and Kirsten are back with a new limited series hot off the heels of Aftermath, last week, and while this might not be the exact creative team this by all means is just as talented. I went gaga over this first issue with how much we learn and see about what this is going to be all about. Also it was a stroke of genius and luck that Patrick Stewart agreed to be Picard once more. Honestly as much as I liked the rest of the crew Picard is the only one who is capable of actually sustaining something on his own.

     This made me feel like I was welcoming back an old friend I hadn't been able to see in years. That feeling of being under a cozy blanket while lounging by the fireplace, yeah that's the one feeling I mean. I hadn't realised just how much I had missed Jean-Luc until I was reading this issue. Also his reputation and his way of speaking just all comes rushing back to us as we are introduced to what is happening here. The opening here is fantastic and starts to build a mystery of what exactly did happen that these two Romulan's are apparently arriving on Earth at Picards vineyard. Beautifully done and crafted throughout and Kirsten & Mike really do make a great writing duo for the Star Trek Universe and this helps to showcase why.

     The story & plot development that we see through the sequence of events unfolding and how the information is released to the reader is exceptionally well done. The set-up here is marvellous and how the story flows through the events we see feels so incredibly right to me. The character development is impressive, mainly because they are taking such well established characters and moving them forward into the future and making them feel so much the same and yet so different. You can sense that they've got experiences we don't know about that have forged them into the characters we see here. The pacing is perfect as the ebb & flow that is created by seeing the twists and turns that show up are presented.

     Angel and Joana do some wonderful work on the interiors here. The myriad of species that we see throughout with the inside of ships or new and wondrous planets the creativity and imagination on display really is ice to see. The linework here is great and how we see the varying weights being utilised to bring forth this attention to detail is beautifully rendered. I will say this, the Romulan's we see have a much scratchier approach to the linework than Picard and his companion and it doesn't look quite right. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a greatly talented eye for storytelling. I absolutely adore how the backgrounds are being shown to us here. They have this impact on the setting that is more powerful than I think anyone realises and they really make the idea of Star Trek so real here. Good grief the colour work is exquisitely laid down. The way that we see the base colour and then the hues and tones within it create the shading, highlights and shadows is simply stunning.
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     New characters, familiar characters and THE event that changes Jean-Luc's life forever are looming. The way this has been started and the tension it builds for what's to come is delicious. I had forgotten how much fun Jean-Luc can be and matching wits with a Romulan to ensure the safety of so many hanging in the balance with the clock ticking well God I have missed this.
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