Review - G.I. Joe #8 (2017)

G.I. Joe #8 (2017) - 

IDW Publishing

 

Written by Aubrey Sitterson

Art by Giannis Milonogiannis & David Lafuente

Colors by Lovern Kindzierski

Letters by Tom B. Long & Gilberto Lazcano

Cover by Aaron Conley

 

We are less than a week removed from one of the most hyped fights in history.  There was so much talk about Mayweather/McGregor that, even if you weren't interested, you couldn't help but hear about it.  Sometimes there is nothing like a good brawl, and this week, G.I. Joe gives us one.  Aubrey Sitterson promised us a fight in Issue 8 at SDCC, and I couldn't wait to dive in.

 

If you read Issue 7, you know there is some heat between Quick Kick and Snake Eyes.  If you're a fan, you know that tension has been brewing for much longer.  So when Scarlett tires to stop Snake Eyes and his companion from going AWOL again, it was time to throw down.  I'm not going to spoil the fight itself, but I will say this, much to my delight it wasn't a short one.  It is layered throughout the story, and it was well worth the wait.  Also at play here is Rock 'n Roll's mission where he could make the ultimate sacrifice and Duke deciding that he wants to personally escort Baroness to stand trial.  Even though those were important aspects of the story, my mind was just so ready to get back to the fight and how it would ultimately conclude.  What I didn't expect, is how the issue ends.  Something happens to one of the Joes that, while isn't not completely clear, could have a significant impact on the team going forward.

 

Every chance he gets, Aubrey tells the world that G.I. Joe is the "crown jewel of the Hasbro Universe."  He even got it put on the cover!  We've had him on the show, you've heard his passion, so you know that he puts maximum effort into every issue.  I could feel that excitement in that Snake Eyes/Quick Kick showdown.  Lost in all of that is the humanizing of Rock 'n Roll, and how Aubrey has really given the reader a chance to love that character over time, then bring him to a moment like we saw in this issue.  I want to spoil this issue, shout it from the rooftops, but I can't do that to my fellow G.I. Joe fans.  The run of emotions I had in this issue was something that typically takes several issue to experience.  Then the excitement of remembering that Aubrey said we would be getting a new Cobra Commander in Issue 9 at the First Strike panel at SDCC this year.  Late September can't happen soon enough!

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY

 

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Review - War Mother #1

War Mother #1 - 

Valiant Entertainment

 

Written by Fred Van Lente

Art by Stephen Segovia

Colors by Elmer Santos & Andrew Dalhouse

Letters by Dave Sharpe

Cover by David Mack

 

What happens when a tyrant falls, but things don't get any better?  As a matter of fact, what if they get worse?  The burden that is carried by the next leader is a large one.  Fred Van Lente explores that, and much more in this new story from Valiant Entertainment.  Let's find out more about the War Mother.

 

The story centers around Ana, who is the War Mother, who has been taken over as leader of her people when the chief warrior was killed.  Normally that would be good news, but things have taken a turn for the worse for the people of the Grove.  Ana not only has to try to find a solution, but also keep the peace and deal with something very mysterious that has come up.  To make matters worse, this mystery is causing division within her people.  I won't spoil what it is, or something else that played a role in the early pages of the book, but I will say that it's more than just that for her.  Then there's the fact that she has a talking weapon, who has a consciousness and acts as somewhat of a companion.  This is not only an interesting relationship, but gives us a key piece of information as to what happened to their former leader and why things are the way they are for the Grove.  I was actually surprised at the conclusion of the book, as it pushed the story forward much quicker than I expected in one issue.

 

Normally I am critical of books, especially first issue of a limited series, taking things too slow.  In this case, I do wish they had saved the end of this first issue for at least one more.  I was really hoping for at least one more issue about the War Mother's journey and how the Grove is dealing with what is going on.  It's clear throughout the issue that something isn't right, but it would have been nice to let that play out a big longer.  Still that doesn't mean that the War Mother isn't a good and complex character that makes you want to follow her.  She is mighty, but also flawed in a way that adds quite a bit of depth to her character.  As usual with Valiant book, the art is very good and the action sequences are top notch.  I just hope that this book doesn't move too fast, and gives us a more foundation on where the rest of the story is going.

 

RATING:  PICK UP 

Review - Wonder Woman #28

Wonder Woman #28 - 

DC Comics

 

Written by Shea Fontana

Art by David Messina

Colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr.

Letters by Saida Temofonte

Cover by Jesus Merino & Alex Sinclair

 

When Shea Fontana first took over as writer of Wonder Woman, I was instantly taken in by how she wrote Diana and the innocence she continued to bring to her.  You've read and listened to a lot of reviews from the podcast about initial issues of runs, so I thought I'd jump into the middle here a bit and give you an idea of how things are going.  So let's talk about Part 3 of Heart of the Amazon, in Wonder Woman #28 from DC Comics.

 

(WARNING!  SPOILERS AHEAD FOR WONDER WOMAN #27 AND PREVIOUS ISSUES LEADING UP TO THIS ONE!)

 

If you've been reading up to this point, you know things have been rough for Diana, but espcially for Etta Candy.  After everything that went down with the wedding and Dr. Crawford, it looked like this run of misfortune would never end.  This issue gives us a change of pace after the initial page.  If you love Wonder Woman comics for their lighthearted moments and subtle humor, you very much get that in this issue.  You also get plenty more of depth to the relationship between Etta and Diana.  As a matter of fact, Diana confides in Etta and tells her something that will make you smile and break your heart all at the same time.  If you love Wonder Woman comics for the intensity and action, don't worry you get plenty of that too.  There is one particular badass moment which I REALLY want to spoil that involves Etta, but trust me, you'll know it when you see it.  As a matter of fact, the very last page of this issue will leave you running to your local comic shop for Issue 29 when it comes out.

 

Shea Fontana just knows how to make those real moments even more real in her writing.  The way she balances Diana's strength and innocence cannot be overlooked and one of the reasons this book is such a joy to continue to read.  I will say, with the artist change here in Issue 28, I wasn't a fan at first.  Mirka Andolfo did such an amazing job leading up to this, and I was hoping for more.  That's no knock on David Messina though, as the art got stronger deeper into the issue and I really started to enjoy what he was doing.  All in all, across the board, this has been a great year to be a Wonder Woman fan.  So if you haven't started reading yet, I suggest you jump in as soon as possible.

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY   

Review - Riverdale #5

Riverdale #5 - 

Archie Comics

 

Stories by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa

Written by Tessa Leigh Williams & Brian E. Patterson

Art by Thomas Pitilli

Colors by Andre Szymanowicz

Letters by Janice Chiang

 

Ok I'll admit it...it's been a long time since I've read an Archie comic from start to finish.  Am I caught up on Season 1 of Riverdale?  Not so much...but a man can change.  This week, I decide to dive right in to both, in a manner of speaking, by reading a Riverdale comic that is based on the CW series.  Let's see what's going on in Riverdale #5.

 

I'll start by saying, this is a good jumping on point for new readers.  You don't have to be extremely familiar with the characters or plots of the show or the previous four issues of this run.  There is a nice breakdown at the beginning of both Reggie and Josie, who are the focus of this issue.  Reggie has his sights set on Josie, and something happens that he isn't really used to.  She says no, and a pretty emphatic no at that.  So this issue very much centers around that and Reggie trying to change her mind.  What I didn't expect, was the interesting twist at the end.  The story takes a bit of a turn, and for me at least, really changed my thinking.  We're not talking about a major cliffhanger here, but certainly something that will give you some pause and possibly even want to read the issue again.

 

Somewhere in this book, there is a reference to dominoes, and it's quite fitting for this review.  The writers were setting up dominoes for most of the pages of this story, and really knocked them down in the last couple of pages.  I will not spoil what happens, but it vastly changed my opinion of one of the characters.  They set it up so perfectly for you to think one way, and in a very humanizing moment, turned the tables.  Another thing I enjoyed was that, this didn't read as much like the CW series.  This had more of that classic Archie feel mixed in, and that goes for the art as well.  While effort was given to make the characters look like their TV counterparts, that traditional look was also mixed in as well.  For someone who had a lukewarm reception to the CW series initially, this comic made me want to keep reading without even thinking about that.  This felt like a really good one-shot that could turn into a limited series run for just Reggie and Josie.  If that's the idea, then mission accomplished.  Whether you're a fan of the show or not, I think you'll really like what the creative team put together here.  I was pleasantly surprised.

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY 

Review - Spiritus #1

Spiritus #1 - 

Vault Comics

 

Written & Designed by Tim Daniel

Art by Michael Kennedy

Letters by Lauren Norby

 

It's not easy to be the new kid, we've all experienced that before.  Now try being a new publisher at one of the peaks in the history of nerd culture.  Sometimes having great books and great content still can't push you to the top and help you get noticed.  While I was getting ready to go to San Diego Comic-Con, I discovered Vault Comics.  They displayed a lot of passion for their books, and had a good message, so I thought I'd give them a shot.  Let's check out Spiritus #1.

 

This story follows a woman named Kinju Dayal, who has been imprisoned for a crime that she says she didn't commit.  In this future, the punishment for crimes has changed in a very drastic way.  I will not spoil what that is, as I believe, the book's biggest "wow factor" moment.  Let's just say you would not want to break the law in this society.  She's given a chance to save herself from this fate, but it means venturing into some very unknown territory.  There is a very shaky trust element here too, that is certainly palpable.  We get a lot about what's going on in the world and who is responsible, but still plenty more questions beyond that.  I guess you could say there is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end of this book but, at the same time, it is a bit predictable even in a limited issue series.

 

For my first Vault Comics book, I'd say this is a solid start.  I would have liked a bit more character development, but I also get the impression that we will get it more as the series going on.  There is a bit of a danger there though, as we do only have five issues of this run.  I think Daniel has done a good job at creating a different spin on a familiar sci-fi story, and has me invested in the main character in a very District 9 kind of way.  The art has a very dystopian vibe, that almost serves as a soundtrack of just how this world has changed and sets the mood.  While I'm not jumping out of my chair for this one, it definitely has me interested and makes me want to read more.  If Issue 2 steps things up, I could easily see adding this to your pull box.

 

RATING: PICK UP