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