Review - Hawkman Found #1

Hawkman Found #1 - 

DC Comics

 

Written by Jeff Lemire

Pencils by Bryan Hitch

Inks by Kevin Nowlan

Colors by Alex Sinclair & Jeremiah Skipper

Cover by Liam Sharp

 

One of the biggest stories of 2017 was DC's Dark Nights Metal storyline.  I have reviewed many of the books, both here on the website and on the podcast, and have been very impressed with everything I have read up to this point.  I will admit, as I read the tie-ins early on, I thought to myself "wouldn't it be great if Jeff Lemire wrote one of these books?"  So I'm counting this as a late Christmas gift.  Not only do I get my wish, but he's writing a favorite character of mine as well.  Time to dive into the pages of Hawkman Found.

 

If you've been reading Metal from the beginning, you know how important Carter Hall has been to this story.  He made the discovery, he tried to warn everyone and the rest is history.  Now we see Carter in, you guessed it, a very dark place.  Since I am avoiding spoilers here, I won't go into great detail.  I'll say this much, imagine living your worst nightmare.  Take that a step further, imagine not knowing if it's real or not.  This entire issue really centers around Carter dealing with an unspeakable hell and whether he can overcome it.  There are some serious metaphors and stunning visuals to go along with them.  As the book draws towards it's conclusion, there is a tense confrontation and a battle to match.  The last couple of pages were not only a great callback in the issue, but really gave me an emotional reaction that reminded me why I love comics so much.

 

I'm going to say it, I missed Jeff Lemire writing DC books.  I love his creator owned stuff too, but he just does such a great job bringing a raw emotion to the characters that he writes, it makes me crave that in the "mainstream".  What he does with Carter Hall in this issue is nothing short of amazing.  This story fit so perfectly into the rest of the Metal story, and yet, I don't feel like I had to read anything else to enjoy the book.  In a larger work, it still felt like a Hawkman story of it's own.  I want to give a nod to the art team as well, who did a phenomenal job of bringing out that emotion when no words were needed.  There is a particular panel with Carter on a mountain that was particularly stunning.  I really hope we see more of Lemire in DC Comics in 2018, especially in special, limited run series.  For now, I'll settle for reading this issue again.

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY 

Review - Quantum And Woody #1 (2017)

Quantum And Woody #1 (2017) - 

Valiant Entertainment

 

Written by Daniel Kibblesmith

Art & Colors by Kano

Letters by Dave Sharpe

Cover by Julian Totino Tedesco

 

Christmas is just days away, but there is plenty of time to stop and get your KLANG on.  Why not snuggle up with a story about a family...er...the worst superhero team ever.  Valiant has been getting us ready for the return of Quantum and Woody for a while, but now it's time to find out if it's worthy of stuffing your stocking.

 

This book wastes no time jumping right into the fray.  We see the brothers doing what they do best (or not, depending on your perspective) and their contrasting styles.  You sort of get wrapped up in that, then you remember what you saw on the cover.  Things may not be quite what you'd expect from the brothers, and that becomes apparent early.  Something happens with one of them, which I will not spoil here, that injects a very significant change in their relationship.  Luckily we don't have to wait until the next issue to see the aftermath, and it takes the book in a direction I wasn't expecting.  The rest of the plot is hard to get into without giving away key details, but I will say that there may be an even bigger change coming for the brothers.  The best way I can put it is:  What if you got an offer that you couldn't refuse, even if it affects someone in your family?

 

This book was definitely a fun read, but what I wasn't expecting, was for the book to have as much depth as it did.  I'm was fully expecting a Deadpool-esque trip down a 4th wall breaking story with plenty of action and inappropriate behavior.  Well...there is some of that, but also brings a tension and emotion that I think any fan of a good story can appreciate.  I admit, I'm not fully up on the lore of Quantum and Woody, but it would be pretty easy for a new reader to jump in here and enjoy this book.  I'd say there is plenty for the diehard fan as well, maybe even more.  Kano's art really brings it in this issue, and I love the focal points on key objects/scenes.  With the excitement of a TV series, this book comes at just the right time.  It also makes me want Joel McHale for the role of Woody even more than I did before.  Get this book, be as surprised as I was and be ready to start tracking down back issues.  I'm a fan.

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY  

Review - Under #1

Under #1 - 

Statix Press

 

Written by Christophe Bec

Art by Stefano Raffaele

Colors by Christian Favrelle

Translated by Mark McKenzie-Ray 

 

Usually when you think of the sewers and comic books, you're thinking of fun loving turtles or a croc that gives the Caped Crusader fits.  Imagine a sewer of almost infinite size, and who knows what lurking in the dark corners.  That brings us to one of the first offerings from Statix Press, as we go Under to explore the Scourge of the Sewer.

 

The story follows the vast sewers of Megalopolis, and the officers sworn to keep things safe and operational.  One of those officers is a Lt. Wilson Jericho, who we know from reading the first few pages of the book, wasn't always a sewer cop.  Being considered the best of the reject band of officers, he is tasked with escorting a scientist by the name of Sandra Yeatman through the sewers to research sightings of massive creatures who lurk in the deepest and darkest corners.  As you can see by the cover, there is plenty to encounter and we do get to see some pretty crazy action sequences.  As you get more into the story, you find out there is much more to this story and protecting the sewer than you would think.  I'll save you a million bad puns, but here's one, it runs deep.  The oversized issue does have a few quick off-shoot stories that tie into everything, but the focus remains on Jericho and Yeatman.  What we're left with is a very bizarre and startling discovery, that should be the perfect kick off to the second issue.

 

There is plenty to like about this book, but there are a few head scratchers, as well.  To start off, the art is very detailed and is really the star of the book.  When you see these creatures, no detail is spared and they really come to life on the page.  I also like that this book doesn't dumb down the science, and actually makes you feel like you might actually be learning something funky.  The problem is, it's hard to really get invested in any of the characters.  You do get some back story for Jericho, but beyond that there isn't much to really grab ahold of.  The "random person enters the sewer" thing is also a bit distracting after the beginning of the book.  I feel like this book is on the cusp of being really good, but can't quite nail the character development.  If that can be cleaned up in the second and concluding issue, this may be a graphic novel you'd want to add to your collection.

 

RATING:  PICK UP 

Review - Witchblade #1 (2017)

Witchblade #1 (2017) -
Image Comics
Written by Caitlin Kittredge
Art by Roberta Ingranata
Colors by Bryan Valenza
Letters by Troy Peteri


Two years is a long time to wait for anything.  After 20 years, and several amazing stories, Witchblade has finally returned.  Image Comics has brought in an all new creative team, and a new host.  Fans are understandably nervous about any revival, and this is no different.  So let's dive in and see if it was all worth the wait.

The new host is Alex Underwood, a former newswoman turned victim advocate, who is wrapped up in a major case in New York City.  As if that isn't stressful enough, she is also hearing thing and having some crazy dreams.  This is no spoiler, since the images have already been released, but we find out right away that she has died.  She has been chosen at the new host for Witchblade, but that adds an all new complication to her life.  Lost in all of this is a really compelling story regarding her case, and a very real subject matter.  I must admit, I went back and forth on how I felt about Alex given some of the decisions she made.  Then I connected with the realism that the character is steeped in.  Creating flaws in (what will be) a powerful character creates another layer that I think will work well in building this story in the early issues.  Witchblade fans know what's coming, but certain circumstances that I won't spoil do create a bit of anxiety.  Alex does something very reckless towards the end of this issue, but it leads to a big payoff on the final page.

One of the things that really kept me reading this book was, it just felt real.  It felt like this was happening to an actual person, with real world reactions to what was going on.  That's hard to do when combining mystical elements with the human world.   Also, being a fan of Caitlin Kittredge's work on Throwaways, she knows how to deal with emotional trauma and knows how to build a story around intense circumstances.  The story, however, could not possibly be as strong as it was without the amazing visuals from Roberta Ingranata.  Witchblade has been known over the years for great art, and I'd stack her work up against any that came before.  Something just feels right about this revival, and I think classic Witchblade fans really need to give this one a chance.  20 years of history or not, I'm already hooked on this one.

RATING:  PULL / BUY

Review - Barbarella #1

Barbarella #1 -
Dynamite Entertainment
Written by Mike Carey
Art by Kenan Yarar
Colors by Mohan
Letters by Crank!

When you say something has a cult following, that usually means you're dealing with something that fans fully embrace no matter what the masses think about it.  When we first saw Barbarella on the screen in 1968, it was different and not exactly well received by all.  Still, the character lives on, in cosplay and in the hearts of fans who continue to find the her even to this day.  She may have started in French comics, but Dynamite is bringing her to American with a new series.  Let's take a look at Issue 1.

My reviews here are always spoiler free, and I will continue to do that, but just know I cannot reveal much here.  Barbarella finds herself somehow entangled in what looks to be a group of beings strictly based in their religion.  It is very much a wrong place, wrong time scenario that doesn't get handled very well.  When things go bad, she finds out that she is not alone and much more about what is going on with those that have captured her.  This is where it gets difficult not to spoil things, as there are a couple of major elements to this story and a reveal that I think is best left to be discovered by the reader.  What I can tell you is, towards the end a risk is taken and we are left with a cliffhanger leading into Issue 2.

I have to be honest here, this book is a bit all over the place.  There really isn't much lead in to what is going on, or even any of the characters that are involved.  Assuming that you know who Barbarella is, that's not a bad thing, but I was hoping for a bit more about the antagonists before just being thrown into their world.  It's obvious what they are, but not why, and I feel like that could have added some depth here.  There are times where this book tries to be about empowerment and a modern way of thinking, but it just feels very forced and really didn't work for me.  Plus, I'm just not sure that this is the book to try to do that with.  If you were trying to completely re-invent the character and lay that foundation, it may work.  Instead it just feels like we're thrown into the second act of a late night B-movie that feels more campy.  If that's what you're looking for, this book may be for you.  I just didn't get a whole lot out of it, and I couldn't get invested in pretty much anything.  I think I'll have to pass.

RATING:  DROP