Review - Nancy Drew #1 (2018)

Nancy Drew #1 (2018) - 

Dynamite Entertainment

 

Written by Kelly Thompson

Art by Jenn St-Onge

Colors by Triona Farrell

Letters by Ariana Maher

Cover by Tula Lotay

 

They say you can't go home again.  I never really understood that one.  I've been "back home" a couple of times, it's pretty easy.  The real trick, I think, is what do you consider home?  Nancy Drew has made a new life for herself, but that is about to be interrupted.  Let's dive into this new comic book adaptation of the great crime solver.

 

First, don't call it a reboot.  I say that because it doesn't feel like one, even though that is the buzz word these days.  The story follows a 17 year old Nancy, who has found a life for herself doing her usual crime solving with a whole new set of friends.  That's when she receives something disturbing that pulls her back to Bayport.  I won't go into the details of what it was, or the circumstances, but it was jarring enough for her to drop everything and go.  If that wasn't complicated enough, how about running into your friends that you haven't seen or talked to in a while?  There are some familiar names and faces you will definitely recognize once she gets there and the case really starts.  I do love that this book really deals with the personal relationships first, and doesn't really dive into the case until the latter pages of the book.  Dive is a very appropriate word, and once you read the book, you'll understand.  We don't get much in the way of details about the case, but I will say that this book ends on a cliffhanger (again, very appropriate choice of words.)

 

This book is very well updated and just has a very good vibe about it.  It's easy to take for granted updating a character to modern times, but not everyone does it well.  Kelly Thompson takes a character you may already love, and makes he likeable to the nth degree.  I love the inner monologue on the notebook pages as well, a very nice touch and adds a lot to the story.  The group dynamic is also very fun and makes you want to read the story for the interactions just as much as the mystery itself.  The art is very solid throughout as well.  First you start with the cover by Tula Lotay which is out of this world good, they you get to the interior where Jenn St-Onge makes you feel like you're watching a high end animated series.  This book really is for everyone, and is just a very enjoyable read.  Every piece of this story just feels like it belongs and falls right into place.  I highly recommend this, whether you've been a lifelong Nancy Drew fan or not.

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY  

Review - The Last Siege #1

The Last Siege #1 - 

Image Comics

 

Written by Landry Q. Walker

Art by Justin Greenwood

Colors by Eric Jones

Letters by Patrick Brosseau

Designed by Keith Wood

 

If you're a regular reader of these reviews (or listener to the podcast), you know that I am a sucker for a couple of storylines in particular.  One is a good western, and the other is a good medieval story in a land of swords and kings.  So, naturally, combining those two things seems like a no-brainer to me.  When I read the premise for The Last Siege from Image Comics, I jumped at the chance to give this a read.

 

This story doesn't necessarily follow one character in particular, but a kingdom that is now being ruled by a cruel king.  In this story, we find ourselves in a free territory who's ruler has just fallen and left a sole heir.  She is very young, and confidence in her is quite low.  As a few (who claim to be looking out for her) try to decide her fate, a mysterious stranger shows up.  When someone has an agenda, the last thing they want is an outsider.  The middle and latter part of this book features some fairly intense action sequences, mixed with meaningful dialog as it pertains to the story going forward into the next issue.  What we are left with is a revelation that pretty much makes up everyone's mind for them in a way.

 

This book is billed as spaghetti western meets Game of Thrones by Image.  I can certainly see why they would say that, given that is has pretty strong elements of both (especially in the early seasons of Game of Thrones.)  The first few pages let the art tell the story, and I felt like that was a nice way to set the tone of what was to come.  The only problem I found as I was reading was that I simply did not have enough character background on the people in this territory.  Sure I felt bad for the 11 year old girl, no I didn't want to see a hostile takeover of innocent people, but I feel like giving me that sense of loss of their Lord in the first couple of pages may have made all of the difference in how invested I was.  I do feel like the western vibe was spot on, and given the unique setting for such a story, I am definitely intrigued.  There's enough here for me to keep going, and given just a bit more depth, I could certainly see this book being a part of a weekly pull.  But for now...

 

RATING:  PICK UP  

Review - Delta 13 #1

Delta 13 #1 - 

IDW Publishing

 

Written by Steve Niles

Art by Nat Jones

Letters by Tom B. Long

 

To me, the cornerstone of great science fiction is a good space exploration story.  That is one of the things that made me fall in love with science fiction in the first place.  Star Trek, at it's core, was about exploration (in my view), but with science fiction there is always more to it than that.  So it's only fitting that the same week we find out The Expanse may be saved by Amazon, we get a new book from IDW to satisfy our need.  Let's take a trip with Delta 13.

 

The story follows a crew that appears to be tasked with exploring the asteroid belt and deploying vehicles to document said asteroids.  In the early part of the book, the story seems pretty simple.  It seems like a normal crew, on a routine mission and already thinking about their next step.  How often does THAT work out in these kinds of stories.  Minor spoiler here, but it's in the initial description so I'll use it here, the crew comes upon a massive, undiscovered asteroid.  It's at this point where my anxiety as a fan kicks in.  This is when you try to find out exactly when the other shoe is going to drop.  I won't say anything else from here, other than the fact that this book pretty much has the perfect ending.

 

If I'm being honest, the first thing that caught my eye about this book was the amazing cover by Nat Jones.  Since he also does the interior art, we get a whole book full of that same incredible work.  He captures the dark and mysterious angle of this story so well, you almost don't need words.  That being said, Steve Niles takes us from pedestrian to intriguing almost with a snap of the fingers.  Things seem normal, then there's a jolt and you're hooked.  The characters had a good dynamic, and that is without us knowing much about most of them.  If I'm think interested now, I can only imagine how much more I'll be drawn in by the next issue.

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY 

Review - Ruin of Thieves: A Bridands Story #1

Ruin of Thieves: A Brigands Story #1 -
Action Lab / Danger Zone

Written by Ram V
Art by Sumit Komar & ROSH
Letters by Aditya Bidikar

Tales of pirates and the high seas have been told for quite some time.  With games like Sea of Thieves and others, plus the recent movies and television series, you could say these stories are becoming increasingly popular.  Danger Zone & Action Lab have their own tale to tell, and the fate of entire civilizations may depend on this heist.  It's time for A Brigands Story and to explore the Ruin of Thieves.

The story follows a group led by the vicious Stilian Desault, who is leading a group to steal the Myros Pendulum before it can fall into the wrong hands.  They are also on a ticking clock, as the artifact appears with the Myros Comet which can already be seen overhead.  The story picks up with Stilian's crew landing on an island to gather themselves and try to obtain more information.  What they end up running in to is a lot of trouble, but also, an interesting chance encounter.  I won't spoil that here, but it really changes the direction of this first issue.  It also adds depth to the characters in Stilian's group, as they come across something along the way that simply cannot (or should not) be ignored.  It's almost like when you're playing a video game, and you have your main task, but a side mission presents itself and it's something that you know you have to do.  If that wasn't enough, we now see a third group emerge in another part of the world who are also seeking the Myros Pendulum.  A priest and an army captain don't usually make for a good combination, but you would be surprised who is the most vicious.  We do get a bit of a cliffhanger at the end of the issue, and you wonder if the quest was all for nothing.

This story definitely kept my attention.  I do feel like there was some backstory that I missed out on, but there is a great description in the beginning of the book that explains how the story got to this point.  Once you get the faces to match up to the names, which does happen in the middle of the issue, new readers can easily settle in to this.  The motive here is pretty simple on all sides, but it actually worked for me that it wasn't unnecessarily complicated.  I like the added aspect of several different groups, who all seem to want the same thing for different reasons.  It's a race against time, other factions and there are also some political games going on at the same time.  The art was pretty solid throughout, but seemed to especially shine in the action sequences.  There is also a scene with fire that really popped and gave more meaning to that particular scene.  While I don't find myself itching for the next issue, I do want to see where this story goes and think the characters have a solid foundation.  I could easily see being drawn in more with another issue or two.

RATING:  PULL / BUY

Review - Fraggle Rock #1

Fraggle Rock #1 - 

Archaia / Boom! Studios

 

Story & Art by Jared Cullum

Letters by Mike Fiorentino

 

When you think Jim Henson, it's hard not to think about The Muppets first.  If you grew up in the 80s, you know there was so much more to it than that.  One of the things I used to love to watch when I was younger was Fraggle Rock.  Naturally, when I saw that Boom! Studios was bringing us down to Fraggle Rock in comic book form, I jumped on the opportunity to check it out.  Let's see what this book has in store.

 

The story centers around Mokey and a problem that she is having.  Naturally, her fellow Fraggle friends try to help her, with mixed results.  This is a very family friendly story that you could definitely share with your kids.  There is a great message during, and at the end, of the story.  Unfortunately, that's all I can say and still avoid spoilers.  I will say that this book doesn't necessarily feel like watching an episode of the tv series.  That is not a bad thing, because if I wanted the tv series, I'd just grab my DVDs.  This book provides a nice 26+ page story that stands on it's own.

 

One of the things I loved that Jared Cullum and company did was, this book is a good starting point.  You don't have to know a whole lot, if anything, about the original series to appreciate this book.  Something I REALLY loved was the watercolor art by Cullum.  I also love how he used shading, or even lack of color, to depict the mood of his characters in each panel.  Story wise, it would have been easy to just make this a fan service book.  Instead, this story was full of both fun and emotion, which also provides a teaching moment for younger readers.  While this differs from what we have seen on the screen, this is a solid opening for this iteration Fraggle Rock in the comic book world.  Now, who's up for a paint night?

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY 

Review - Betty & Veronica: Friend Forever #1 (At The Movies)

Betty & Veronica: Friend Forever #1 (At The Movies) - 

Archie Comics

 

Written by Bill Golliher
Pencils by Dan Parent
Inks by Rich Koslowski
Colors by Glenn Whitmore
This Saturday is Free Comic Book Day 2018!  Not only is a great day to get free comics, it's also a great day to take a look through books that you may have never read before.  Sometimes trying something different and having more variety in your pull box is a good thing.  This week, I sort of went back to basics.  It just felt like a good week for a classic Archie Comics story, so let's head to the movies with Betty & Veronica.

The first thing I liked about this book was it's comic strip feel.  You get four short stories in this book, each of which is much more than a strip in length, but still gives you that "funny pages" type feel.  The classic look always gets to me and takes me back to one of the reasons I started falling in love with comics in the first place.  Each story has a movie theme, with Betty & Veronica visiting a Hollywood movie set, getting a job as extras and more.  There is one at a movie theater that I particularly enjoyed.  There's really nothing to spoil or not spoil, these are just fun stories that have a great throwback vibe.

Any time I see Dan Parent's name on an Archie comic, I know exactly what I'm getting myself into.  The art is one of the main things that has always made me love these books.  Hats off to Bill Golliher as well, who really captured the true essence of these characters and really made it feel like I jumped in a time machine.  Also, I'm not sure what the record is for number of exclaimation points in one comic, but this one may have broken it.  Sure, some stories were better than others, but reading this book felt like throwing on one of my favorite old nerd shirts and firing up my classic NES.  So when you go out to your local shop for Free Comic Book Day this weekend, remember the things that made you fall in love with comics in the first place.  Just like you, I always have my characters like Batman and Spider-Man, but it's nice to see that Archie comics can still make me remember those classic moments of reading the Sunday funny pages.

RATING:  PULL / BUY

Review - The Prisoner: The Uncertainty Machine #1

The Prisoner: The Uncertainty Machine #1 - 

Titan Comics

 

Written by Peter Milligan 

Art by Colin Lorimer

Colors by Joana Lafuente

Letters by Simon Bowland

Cover by Mike & Laura Allred

 

We like to absorb our favorite shows and movies in any way that we can.  It seems like every thing on the screen is now translated onto the page, with a few exceptions.  Rarely do we get to see something brought to comic books that we don't expect to see.  In 1967 (then again in 2009), The Prisoner combined elements of mystery and is a show that fans still love to this day.  The Simpsons even did a short parody episode based on the show.  Now it's Titan Comics' turn with The Uncertainty Machine.

 

The story follows an MI5 agent named Breen and we get to find out a lot about how he does his job right away.  His partnet Agent Carey is also a big part of the story, and something happens that leads Breen down a different path.  I'm not going to spoil anything here, even though some of the beats of the comic follow that of the show.  I will tell you that, if you are a fan of the show, The Village is definitely part of it.  There is also a pretty good explanation of what's going on right at the beginning of the book, so even if you're going in with no knowledge of the show, you won't be lost.  After Breen makes a decision that he can't turn back on, he sets his trap and waits for his intended target.  As you can imagine, that doesn't go so well and you do get the reveal that you are expecting at the end.

 

What I love about this book is the deep dive that it takes into the mind of an agent who has to juggle multiple identities.  I also picked up on a bit of a commentary on what happens when they find something that they can hold on to that reminds them of who they really are.  Peter Milligan is never stingy on the details in his books, and this book definitely needed it.  I also love how the art really highlights each identity, and also really got the shine in the last few pages.  If you were a fan of the original show, you'll love this trip down memory lane and you'll probably wonder what will be different about the adaptation.  Set in modern times, this book definitely has the ability to do some things that the original story simply could not do.  Only time will tell if that pays off.

 

RATING:  PICK UP 

Review - Star Trek Discovery: Succession #1

Star Trek Discovery: Succession #1

 

Written by Kirsten Beyer & Mike Johnson

Art by Angel Hernandez

Colors by Mark Roberts

Letters by AndWorld Design

 

I think it's safe to say that Star Trek Discovery was a big success for CBS All Access.  A show that began as a gamble ended up being a huge triumph, in large part because, they weren't afraid to take chance.  One of the things they did was head into the Mirror Universe in their first season for a major story arc.  So what happened when they left?  IDW is giving that answer to fans with Succession.

 

Obviously on the cover you see Michael Burnham, who is a much different character in the Mirror Universe and with much different motives.  Those motives are very apparent in the beginning of this first issue, but things aren't as simple as they appear.  The book quickly fast forwards a year to a catastrophic event that sets off a chair reaction to race for power.  I know that's vague, but anything more and I would be spoiling a whole bunch.  The story then takes place in a few different locations, with plenty of characters you know, and we see sides start to be chosen.  The common goal may be the same, but the methods appears to be very different.  Then we have yet another shocker happen towards the end of the issue that may create a new and unexpected enemy within the ranks of one of the sides.  Believe me, it's very difficult for me to keep from spoiling everything that's going on in this first issue, but there is a lot of plotting both behind the scenes and right out in the open.  The issue comes full circle at the end, and re-introduces someone who may be the one person who could change the entire landscape of events that we saw earlier in the issue.

 

Putting my tap dancing shoes on to not spoil this issue for you wasn't easy.  Beyer and Johnson give readers so much action, and so many thinks to consider, in one issue that it's almost all one giant spoiler.  This isn't simply fan service for anyone who may be a fan of the show, this is a legit story with a lot of intrigue that you would enjoy even if you haven't watched the show.  There's just enough information for new fans to jump in and enjoy this book.  I'm curious to see what will happen once these different factions cross paths and what the end game will be.  It should go without saying, but I'll say it anyway, Angel Hernandez does amazing work and really knows how to bring a Star Trek book to life.  As a reader I feel like I got a lot, but at the same time, I feel like this is a setup for something even bigger going forward.  This is another great book and another reason to trust the quality of the Star Trek titles coming from IDW right now.

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY  

Review - The Dead Hand #1

The Dead Hand #1 - 

Image Comics

 

Written by Kyle Higgins

Art by Stephen Mooney

Colors by Jordie Bellaire

Letters by Clayton Cowles

 

To say that the Cold War was a tense and scary time is an understatement.  Whether you lived it, or just learned about it, it's one of those moments in history that will never be forgotten.  The story has been told a few different ways, but what if there was one specific thing that could have changed the course of that history?  Let's find out more about The Dead Hand from Image Comics.

 

The story follows Carter Carlson, a top operative during the Cold War.  When I say the story follows him, it REALLY follows him.  You get to learn a lot about Carter, get plenty of back story and even follow him the story's present.  It was hard not to get invested in the character, because we're given so much about his life in such a short amount of time.  We also see him stumble across something that he did not expect during one of his operations.  There is a hint of what it's about, but no solid information in this first issue.  The story all but tells you that this will one day come back to Carter, and it does in a very interesting way.  I certainly didn't expect the reaction that would happen when it did, and there is an aftermath that is sure to be dealt with in future issues.  The final page of the book was an interesting twist as well, and one that I'm hoping we will find out more about immediately in Issue 2.

 

There was a lot to like about this story, and I think it checks a lot of the right boxes. Higgins does well to add depth to his main character, and not just make him another military man following orders and completing his mission.  An argument could be made that we get too much backstory, but as you read on in this issue you find out that it is absolutely necessary.  The art on this book really brought me in as well.  There is a panel with a mountain view at one point that was just stunning, and the in-depth facial expressions really lend to the storytelling.  Not to be outdone, Jordie Bellaire does another masterful job making this pop with amazing colors and subtle shade changes that really help set the tone.  This book could have been easily dismissed as another Cold War story, but it is clearly building up to much more than that. I can't wait to see where this book goes.

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY  

Review - Helm #1

Helm #1 - Action Lab

Written & Created by Jehanzeb Hasan
Illustrated & Colored by Mauricio Caballero
Colors by Miguel Angel Reyes
Letters by DC Hopkins

It's no secret that, if you've listened to one of our podcasts in the past, I am a sucker for stories of magic, witches and folklore.  Give me an ancient world full of sorcery, ancient maps and creatures not of this Earth and I'm a happy guy.  Still...those stores aren't always done well, so I always enter with a bit of hesitation.  Let's enter the fictional world of Helm #1 from Action Lab.

The story really has two main focuses.  The first is on a an anarchist and magic maker named Luna Lumere (that's how she's described in the book.)  She appears to be looking for a young man, but we don't really get to find out why she's looking for him in this issue.  The second focus of the story is on the young man himself, Eldrick Spellsong, who appears to be of college age but is at a bit of a crossroads in his life right now.  There are some hints here and there about what is going on with Eldrick, but again, nothing too concrete.  Without spoiling anything, he runs into someone very interesting on the train that he is on, and those panels felt very authentic to me.  What he doesn't know is, things are about to get more interesting, because Lumere appears to be after him.  She does run into some trouble along the way, which allows us as readers a chance to see a bit of what she can do.  This first issue winds down with Lumere trying to avoid the guards that are after her and find her way onto the train.  Whether or not she accomlishes that goal will have to wait until the next issue.

The first thing that strikes me about this book is the art.  If you don't know the name Mauricio Caballero, you definitely should.  I felt like I was looking at high end storyboards for an animated series.  Speaking of which, the combination of the amazing art, colors and writing actually gave me a real Disney vibe when I was reading this.  The charming relationship between Eldrick and his train companion is what really got me thinking along those lines.  Eldrick is just such a likeable character right off the bat, and I found myself wanting to learn more about him with every page.  Luna Lumere seems like an intriguing villain, but I don't feel like I got enough of her motives to understand her entirely.  That certainly didn't stop me from loving this book.  Honestly, I feel like this is the best Action Lab story I have read so far.  I'm interested to see how much the world opens up in future issues and get a few answers along the way.  This is an across the board win for Action Lab, and I hope readers take notice so we can get more stories like this from them.

RATING:  PULL / BUY

Review - Shadowman #1 (2018)

Shadowman #1 (2018) - 

Valiant Entertainment

 

Written by Andy Diggle

Art by Stephan Segovia

Colors by Ulises Arreloa

Letters by Simon Bowland

Cover by Tonci Zonjic

 

What is a normal life exactly?  I guess the answer is different for everyone.  For some it's more simple, and for others, it seems impossible.  Then there is Shadowman, where normal really isn't an option.  Shadowman always seems to be that character that, when he shows up, you know things have reached another level.  Now it's time to put the spotlight back on him in this new solo series from Valiant Entertainment.

 

Obviously it's no spoiler to say we will see Shadowman, but we see someone else who is very familiar with Jack Boniface that I cannot tell you about.  Who she is (and what she is) will matter a great deal in the story going forward.  She actually plays a big role in this story, because without her, there may be no future issues at all.  Jack has to come to terms with a lot, and actually drops a pretty big personal bombshell at one point.  The central theme here seems to be, can he have a normal life?  Can he finally rid himself of the loa that has tormented him?  Since this is only the first issue, of course those answers aren't nearly clear enough right now.  What we do get is our first twist and at least the starting line of what is likely a marathon.

 

Shadowman is kind of a tricky character.  It's hard to say we don't see him enough, because that may be the very thing that makes that character special.  What I do love is that, he will no longer be the secondary or tertiary piece of a larger story.  We finally get to open this character up a bit, and not only explore his past, but discover his present in greater detail.  I feel like Andy Diggle and company are off to a good start.  Those first few pages, even without Shadowman, really set a tone and made me feel like Diggle gets it.  The art team is top notch, as always with Valiant, but I feel like the best is yet to come.  I hate to make this seem so simple, but all I really need is more.  At the same time, I'm not sure I want them to peel the onion.  Whatever the slightly faster equivalent is, that's what I want.  Let's see how well that goes.

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY 

Review - Lucy Dreaming #1

Lucy Dreaming #1 -
Boom! Studios

Written by Max Bemis
Illustrated by Michael Dialynas
Letters by Colin Bell


I hear so many people say that they wish they could go back to the days when they were in school.  I never ran with the popular crowd, so I never understood that sentiment.  Unless you were one of the "cool kids", why would you want to do that?  Sometimes, back then, it was just easier to find an escape.  Enter Lucy and a new story from Max Bemis at Boom! Studios called Lucy Dreaming.

Lucy is a 13 year old girl, but certainly not your average 13 year old girl.  She's her own person, likes her own stuff and doesn't care who likes it.  The only typical teenager aspect she seems to have is what she thinks about her parents.  We find something out about Lucy as we keep reading that I think makes her a very relatable character to a lot of readers.  I won't spoil what that is, but it's a very personal revelation.  If that's not enough, she finds out something else about herself that is far from normal.  Imagine being dropped in the middle of a story, without knowing the beginning.  I won't give away any details, but the cover of this issue should give you some insight into what she is dealing with.  She meets someone that sheds some light on her situation, but that gets cut short.  The first issue ends pretty much how you would expect, and tells you exactly how the next issue will begin.

Lucy is one of those characters that you either relate to, or you know someone who was at least a little bit like her growing up.  Then you pair that with what really felt like a world that was set as a parody.  Bemis adds some humor in there, and the vibe really set the two worlds apart even more than the setting for me.  Dialynas really brings the other world to life, and seemed to use background colors to set the mood of every page.  I may be reading too much into that, but that was my interpretation.  I also like how they portrayed how the world sees Lucy and using the "blog" to tell us how Lucy sees herself.  This first issue really focuses on getting the reader invested in the main character.  The next issue should go a long way to building the bigger story, but for now, this is one that I will definitely be keeping on my list.

 

RATING: PULL / BUY

Review - Eternity Girl #1

Eternity Girl #1 - 

DC's Young Animal

Written by Magdalene Vissagio

Art by Sonny Liew

Colors by Chris Chuckry

No matter who you are, you probably have some sort of stress in your life.  It could be something trivial like not having any clean shirts for work tomorrow or as stressful as losing your job all together.  Now imagine all of that stress, combined with trying to figure out who you really are.  It's time to take a look at the life Eternity Girl from Young Animal.

The story follows a woman named Caroline (or does it), who is/was a hero who has lost her job with her team and is no longer saving the world.  We also find out a lot about her past, how much she has done with her life and what led her to be in this position in the first place.  It's quite difficult, and I certainly don't want to give away any details, but the stress and anxiety level is front and center in this story.  We really see a woman dealing with depression and an identity crisis on a superhuman level.  On top of all of that, towards the end of this book, something from her past comes up and really provides an interesting plot twist.  This leads her to a decision, that she seems to make quite quickly, but only time will tell if she ends up sticking to what she believes is the right solution.

If you have ever suffered from anxiety, depression and/or an identity crisis, this book will definitely hit home with you.  I know that Caroline has a superhero name and persona, but to me, this felt like a very personal story.  She wants to be called by her name, so I feel like I have to honor that even in this review.  When I was reading this story, I just wanted everything to be ok for her.  I love what Vissagio does near the end, and the character she brings in, because it then leads the reader to a conflict.  Do you continue to root for the main character or not, given the end game?  This is a push and pull that I really hope continues.  I will also say, I have never loved Sonny Liew's artwork better than in this book.  The funky vibe brought to each page just suits the story so well, along with the vibrant colors that just round out every emotion.  THIS is the kind of story I have been waiting for from the Young Animal imprint since the beginning.  Not only is this their best story to date, I'm really hoping this is used as an example of where to go with the imprint in the future.  

RATING:  PULL / BUY  

Review - Gideon Falls #1

Gideon Falls #1 - 

Image Comics

 

Written by Jeff Lemire

Art by Andrea Sorrentino

Colors by Dave Stewart

Letters by Steve Wands

 

Small towns, religion and the supernatural have teamed up in the comic book world before.  The combination is often volatile at best, and often uneasy.  That's not the only thing that's going on in Gideon Falls from Jeff Lemire and Image Comics.  Let's find out how two worlds may soon become one.

 

There are two different stories at play here.  The first follows a priest, Father Fred, who is on his way to his new assignment in the small town of Gideon Falls.  We also follow a man named Norton, who lives in the city, but has a strange obsession with the trash in the city.  You definitely get the feeling that something is not right in both instances, but for different reasons.  Right away I felt like something was just off center about the town of Gideon Falls.  Then there is the question of why they needed a new pastor in the first place, which we do get a little bit of information on in this issue.  As for Norton, unlike his setting, he seems to be the one that seems a bit off.  I got the sense that he was on to something, but the how and why were constantly in the back of my mind.  At some point we are introduced to the common denominator in The Black Barn (which isn't a spoiler because it's in the description the Image Comics website.)  What we are left with are almost two entirely separate, and vastly different realizations from both characters.

 

It should be no surprise that this is a character driven story with Jeff Lemire involved.  There was instant intrigue in both settings of this story, and subject matter that just had a familiar but different feel.  Then you bring in the art of Andrea Sorrentino and the stage is completely set.  Visually both scenes had a completely different look early on, yet both felt eerie and unsettling.  I found myself waiting for something to happen on almost every page towards the middle of this book.  By the end I not only felt like I was at the start of a very interesting story, I felt like I had just watched the first episode of a TV series that I knew I was about to get hooked on.  If I am thinking ahead about what will happen in future issues immediately after I am done reading the first one, that is one of the best compliments I can give to any book.  I can't wait to see how these two worlds collide and how everything comes together.

 

RATING: PULL / BUY 

Review - Mera: Queen of Atlantis #1

Mera: Queen of Atlantis #1 -
DC Comics

Written by Dan Abnett
Art by Lan Medina (Pencils) & Richard Friend (Inks)
Colors by Vero Gandini
Letters by Simon Bowland
Cover by Nicola Scott & Romulo Fajardo
At one point or another in your childhood, you were either told or believed that you could be anything that you wanted to be.  At the very least, you had SOME choices you could make to decide your own fate.  Now imagine that was taken away from you, and that everything was decided for you from the moment you were born.  Being royalty may not sound like a bad thing, but there is a bit more to it beneath the ocean.  We dive in to the world of Mera: Queen of Atlantis.

Before you give me a hard time about my bringing my puns into written form, I'll have you know there are a few worked into this book (intentional or not, they're there.)  Now onto the book itself, which is about Mera dealing with the aftermath of what is happening in the main Aquaman run.  I will not spoil that for you, but it would help to at least have read up to about Issue 30 for context.  We get to find out a bit about Mera's past, and this book really gets inside her head.  It's not just about the conflict on the outside world, there is one in her own head as well.  Don't get me wrong, there is action too, but that is not the main focus of this story.  I was even more surprised to find out that there is a whole other story going on in this book, dealing with a VERY familiar character.  Again, not something I'll spoil for you, but I will tell you that their presence could lead to a huge change in the larger story going forward.

One thing that really struck me while reading this story was, I couldn't shake the feeling that Mera and Wonder Woman are really more alike than you would think.  It was refreshing to not just focus on Mera the warrior in this story.  We also get to see Mera the diplomat, and quite simply, Mera the everyday woman who also has desires of her own.  The emotions of this book serve as a subtle reminder of simple little things that we can take for granted sometimes.  I will confess, when I saw Nicola Scott's art on the cover, I was really hoping she would be doing the interior art as well.  Then I saw the amazing work done by Medina and Friend, and it felt like I was part of a master class in comic book art.  What I'd really love to do is shout from the tallest lighthouse all of the spoilers from this book, but that wouldn't be fair to you, the reader.  So I will just say that this, what we have her is a Mera story that could end up being what we as fans have wanted all along.  I'm really hoping to see that trend continue.

RATING:  PULL / BUY

Review - Punks Not Dead #1

Punks Not Dead #1 -
Black Crown

Written by David Barnett
Art by Martin Simmonds
Colors by Dee Cunniffe
Letters by Aditya Bidikar

No matter what genre of music you listen to, the story of rock is easily the most compelling.  Just look at the genre over the years, from the music to the personalities behind it, there was never a shortage of stories to tell.  Now imagine that you take that, and put a paranormal twist to it?  Put the Black Crown team on it, and that sounds like music to my ears.  So let's throw on some vinyl and check out Punks Not Dead #1.

The story follows a teenager named Feargal Ferguson, or Fergie for short.  We're not sure how HE can sing the National Anthem, but Fergie certainly has quite a messed up life.  He knows next to nothing about his father, and his mother has him living a life that it's hard for me to even describe without spoiling the book.  I doubt you'll think much of her when you see it.  As the book goes on, there is a bit of a twist involving Fergie and departed rocker Sid Vicious (yes, THAT Sid Vicious.)  Think of HAPPY! but with a punk rock legend.  If that's not interesting enough, we also have a bit of a side story involving a very secret part of the UK government designed to deal with the paranomal.  We don't get much about that, other than they exist and so do the things that they go after.  You definitely get the sense these stories will cross paths at some point.  At the end of this issue, however, Fergie finds out something about himself and it's far beyond being able to see a dead rocker.

This was one of the books that had my interest right when it was announced from Black Crown.  Taking nothing away from previous releases, I think Punks Not Dead has the best art of any Black Crown book to date.  I'm not sure if calling the work by Simmonds and Cunniffe top notch can even begin to describe it.  If the odd beats of the story weren't enough to keep your attention, the consistently vibrant art sure did.  Still, I found myself feeling bad for Fergie and wanting the kid to catch a break.  Whether he did or not either remains to be seen or is a matter of opinion for the reader.  I'm not sure where this story goes from here, and in this instance, I like it.  I feel like there is a good base here, and the off-beat delivery of it really makes me want to keep going.  It's a book that feels different, but not just for the sake of being different.  So I say...rock on!

RATING:  PULL / BUY

Review - Death of Love #1

Death of Love #1 - 

Image Comics

 

Written by Justin Jordan

Art by Donal Delay

Colors by Omar Estevez & Felipe Sobreiro

Letters by Rachel Deering

 

Valentine's Day isn't the best day for some people.  There were plenty of years in my young adulthood that I dreaded this very day.  Being unlucky in love can make people do some very questionable (sometimes stupid) things.  So grab your chainsaw and we'll talk about Death of Love from Image Comics.

 

The story follows Philo Harris, a man who is doing something that seems quite simple, just looking for love.  Problem is, Philo may just be doing everything wrong.  His best friend tries to talk to him, but it doesn't help.  He tries to keep doing things his way, the definition of insanity.  Then it happens, he does something desperate and then something very stupid.  So stupid, that I think I did a literal facepalm while reading it and actually said the word "stupid" out loud.  With that in mind, it does push the story forward and really serves as a kickstart for what is to come.  The question left here is, how do we get from that last page to what we see on the cover?

 

If you are a man and did not identify with Philo even a little bit while reading this, you should consider myself lucky.  I can personally remember making a couple of the same mistakes and having some of the same conversations, just not exactly the same.  Justin Jordan gives the readers someone they can really relate to and someone they can sympathize with, even if they'd rather not.  The art team really plays a big part in this, as well.  There are parts of this story where facial expressions really play a vital role in setting the tone, and Delay and company really knock that out of the park.  For some readers, this may be part of your life that you'd rather forget or you could be living it right now.  This first issue definitely sets the stage for quite the different story going forward.  If you can identify with Philo, this book will definitely have you interested.  It will just be difficult to say just how good this story can be until we get to the next issue.

 

RATING:  PICK UP

 

 

Review - Armstrong and the Vault of Spirits

Armstrong and the Vault of Spirits #1 - 

Valiant Entertainment

 

Written by Fred Van Lente

Art by Cafu & Darick Robertson

Colors by Andrews Dalhouse with Diego Rodriguez

Letters by Dave Sharpe

Cover by Kalman Andrasofszky 

 

Eternal life is probably something we have all thought about at some point.  Would you want to live forever?  Now imagine you're not the only one, and your family follows you into immortality.  Nobody has had more fun with his many lives than Armstrong, and a celebration looks to be in order.  Let's head into the Vault of Spirits from Valiant Entertainment.

 

The first thing I would do if I were you is take a really good look at the cover for this issue.  Armstrong is absolutely not alone in this book, and that turns out to be a very good thing.  To say the title is a play on words is an understatement, and should have been completely obvious in any book involving Armstrong.  There is, however, and underlying story here that has a bit more meaning as the book goes on.  It's a name you will definitely recognize, and leads to some consequences in the present day.  As if it weren't enough, Armstrong also has to deal with someone else that is very close to him that very much clashes with his personality.  That person has an internal conflict of their own going on, and that causes a bit of tension in the issue.  In any Archer & Armstrong book though, there can only be so much tension without hilarity.  We actually get to see a rare side of Armstrong in this issue, which leads to a very nice moment at the end of the book.

 

This was one review that was a bit tough to write spoiler free, because there are two key things that I could not mention without giving away a couple of big moments.  We don't see Archer a ton in this book, but he has a couple of lines that definitely reminded me why I love the back and forth between he and Armstrong.  The familiar person from the distant past is definitely portrayed in a way that may make a few heads spin, but here are two things I will say to that.  One, consider the book you are reading and the character involved.  Two, the book actually acknowledges it through one of the characters in a quick but clever way.  At the end of the day, if you love these characters already, you will not be disappointed.  If anything it adds a depth to the Armstrong character that I think was kind of needed.  Great artwork is almost a given in any Valiant book these days, but when you combine Cafu with Darick Robertson, you're really talking all star status.  As someone who was never very crazy about the Archer & Armstrong books, these characters have really started to grow on me.  Only time will tell if this is the start of a trend.

 

RATING: PICK UP  

Review - The Silencer #1

The Silencer #1 - 

DC Comics

Written by John Romita Jr. & Dan Abnett

Inks by Sandra Hope

Colors by Dean White

Letters by Tom Napolitano

One thing that I have said for a while on our podcast, and in conversations with my fellow nerd friends, is that I'd like to see the "Big 2" create some new characters every now and then.  Not just for an arc, but give them a chance at sustained success.  DC Comics has done a pretty good job with that recently, especially coming out of the pages of Dark Nights Metal.  Let's continue that this week by talking about The Silencer.

The story revolves around Honor Guest, a seemingly normal woman with a seemingly normal life.  Problem is, it's comics and that's very rarely the case.  Honor used to be a part of something much more intense and is really hoping to just live out the rest of her life with her family.  I don't think I need to say spoiler alert before I tell you that's not going to happen.  We find out why she is called The Silencer, and I must say it's a pretty cool ability.  You get the sense reading this issue that we're barely scratching the surface of it too, so that's quite interesting.  Even though she is new to us, someone shows up in this issue that DC fans should be VERY familiar with.  I won't spoil who it is or why they show up, but it is essentially where the backstory ends and the rest of the story begins.  We get a pretty amazing action sequence at the end, plus a reveal that almost made me drop my tablet and cheer.

It's hard to hide it, I loved everything about this book.  I was instantly drawn in by the Honor character, her toughness and her will to do anything for her family.  Then you see her "other side" and it instantly doubles that.  I'm not sure who did the heavy lifting on the scripts here, but the team of Romita Jr. and Abnett worked so well here.  I'd really like to see them team up even more in the future.  The art time joining Romita Jr. also did a fantastic job, with a big tip of the cap to Dean White for really making those "super" moments pop even more.  When creating a new character, I need a reason to care about them and a reason to care about why they are here.  I was given both of those things, and then some.  To me, this felt so different for DC, and I mean that as a compliment.  I love a lot of what is going on in DC right now, but there is nothing wrong with having a change of pace.  It's going to be hard to stay quiet about The Silencer, because I feel like this is a character that can really take off.  You will not be disappointed when you give this book a chance.

RATING: PULL / BUY  

Review - Abbott #1

Abbott #1 - 

Boom! Studios

Written by Saladin Ahmed

Illustrated by Sami Kivelä 

Colors by Jason Wordie

Letters by Jim Campbell

Cover by Taj Tenfold & Micaela Dawn

There's been a lot of talk about the press lately.  No matter what side of the argument you fall on, the art of the written word is certainly making a comeback in the last year or so.  What was once looking like something that was becoming a part of our past, newspaper reporting seems to becoming  more and more relevant again.  This week, we will go back 40 or so years to a time where such a job may have been one of the most important.  Let's head to Detroit with Abbott #1 from Boom! Studios.

The story follows an African American reporter named Elena Abbott with the Detroit Daily in 1972.  Historical accuracy certainly comes to play in this story, as things are not easy for Abbott in her job or as a black woman in the city.  The reason I put it that way, is because that is very much a part of the narrative.  Things are changing in the community, and the community wants to change how they are viewed and addressed.  A brutal crime against the police, which I will not spoil for you, leads Abbott to a very strange investigation.  As we get later on in the book, we find out that there is something much bigger going on and it may somehow be tied to her past.  As she searches for answers, we slowly and slowly get to find out more about Abbott.  What we see at the end is that this story may be taking a very different turn in the coming issues.

One good thing about this book is, we really got a good amount of character development for the main protagonist.  Elena Abbott is a character you root for, and a character you could see really making a difference.  I love that Ahmed focused on that, and the pride of the community in what she is doing.  When you don't live in a certain time period, it's hard to understand what it was really like. I feel like Ahmed really did a lot to make the reader feel as if they were there.  Kivelä does a masterful job with that as well, not only depicting the city, but dropping little subtleties for the reader to catch (possibly without even realizing it.)  It also looked like a 70s comic, and that is a good thing.  My one complaint is, I found myself wishing at the end that the story would have remained a simple crime story about a woman who is trying to save her community.  I realize that may not seem like enough, but the first several pages of the book really made me crave that story towards the end.  I doubt the book will get away from that, but I'm hoping the other aspect of the story doesn't completely take center stage.  This is a good character in a good story, so I hope the story remains more personal.

RATING:  PICK UP 

Review - Harley Quinn #35

Harley Quinn #35 - 

DC Comics

 

Written by Frank Tieri

Art by Inaki Miranda

Colors by Jeremiah Skipper

Letters by Dave Sharpe

Cover by Amanda Connor & Hi-Fi

 

Sometimes it's good to step back and get a fresh perspective.  At the height of her popularity, Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner created a whole new direction and identity for Harley Quinn.  They built a world and entertained Harley fans for several issues.  For the first time in years, someone new will take control of the Harley-verse (that's a thing, right?)  Let's see what Frank Tieri and company can do.

 

First thing I can tell you is, that is not a reboot or a reset at all.  If you've been reading the recent Harley run, you will see a lot of the supporting characters that you have grown to love.  As a matter of fact, one of them goes missing under very strange circumstances.  That kind of drags Harley back into a world that she didn't really want to be a part of right now.  No matter what the circumstances are, Harley doesn't turn her back on her friends.  As she investigates there a lot of frustrations, both friend and foe.  She also isn't the only one looking, as we find out later in the issue.  I can tell you that we do find out who is responsible in this issue, and that may be the most interesting part of this story.  The ending is a bit predictable, given the cover, but that doesn't mean it lacks in intrigue.

 

While this issue was fine, and certainly had it's interesting moments,  something just felt a bit off.  It can't be easy to just take control of a world and a story that someone else created, but that's essentially what Tieri was given here.  Part of me expected a bit of distance from that, and letting the story become something new.  It's like seeing Dick Grayson dressed up as Batman.  It's not like it's not good or not interesting, you just know something is not right.  I like Tieri, and he's very talented, but I wish he had the chance to create something fresh.  Some of the jokes were funny, and the antagonist story is very interesting, but this wasn't the fresh take I was hoping for.  The art, on the other hand, was a nice change of pace.  I love Amanda Connor and Chad Hardin, but Miranda does a fine job at giving the story a bit of an edge.  The art does set a bit of a different tone, which the book really needed (especially with the villains.)  Again, I liked the issue, but I was hoping for something a bit different.  Still...it's Harley and I need to see where this story goes.  I hope that this may be a slow burn into something different, and not just someone new writing a Palmiotti/Connor story.

 

RATING:  PICK UP  

Review - Incognegro: Renaissance #1

Incognegro: Renaissance #1 - 

Berger Books / Dark Horse Comics

 

Written by Mat Johnson

Art by Warren Pleece

Letters by Clem Robins

 

Who doesn't love a good murder mystery?  As a matter of fact, people still have murder mystery parties and dress up like they stepped into the 1920s.  The party isn't ours, but it's in the pages of the latest installment in the Incognegro story.  We're headed to Harlem for Incognegro: Renaissance #1 and A Harlem Murder Mystery.

 

The story follows an African American reporter named Zane, who went with his bartender friend Carl to a party that is supposed to honor an author who wrote a book about Harlem.  It should be noted, for the context of the story, that the writer was white, along with the publisher and the vast majority of the guests.  As I was reading this book, page by page there is a slow burn of uneasiness and growing tension overall.  Without spoiling anything, think about the time period it is based in and who is at this party.  Then you see the title of the book being celebrated, and it really feels like the last straw.  Another African American author, who helped with the research on the book, starts to speak his mind before he is taken away by another woman at the party.  Tucked into this murder mystery is the story about Zane himself.  He's a reporter trying to make it the right way, but he's also dealing with being a very light skinned black man in 1920s New York.  We see him take matters into his own hands to do what is right in this issue, but quickly we see that it may be way more than he bargained for.  The very last page is a very nice murder mystery plot starter, and makes it feel like the story has really begun.

 

The Incognegro stories have been around since 2008, but I will admit, this book is my first exposure to them.  I feel like Zane is really intriguing character for a lot of reasons, and he is also very likeable.  The more the story went on, the more I found myself rooting for him and wanting to see where his story leads.  Essentially, his life is a constant struggle no matter what he does, and it made me feel like this is really one of those books you could have a great group discussions over.  Then you have a classic murder mystery, a period piece of a dark part of American society and beautiful black and white art that really sells the story.  I was hoping for a good story, and I got it.  What I wasn't expecting was for the book to be so thought provoking and have so many layers.  So grab this book when it comes out in February.  While I wait for Issue 2, I'll be catching up on some back issues.  

 

RATING: PULL / BUY