Review - Britannia #1

Britannia #1 - 

Valiant Comics

 

Written by Peter Milligan

Art by Juan Jose Ryp

Colors by Jordie Bellaire

Letters by Dave Sharp

Introduction Art by Raul Allen & Patricia Martin

 

Many great stories have been told about the Roman Empire.  From the Vestal Virgins to the rule of Nero, it was a time of great power.  It seems like it's been a while since a comic tackled this time period, so I was very excited to see that Valiant would be doing so.  Let's start our journey and head to the strange land of Britannia.

 

The story follows a man named Antonius Axia who, in the beginning of the story, is being asked a big favor by one of the Vestals.  The result of this would change his life forever and force him to make some difficult choices.  Not only do the Vestals have more plans for him, but the emperor Nero will have a say in his fate as well.  In the middle of the story, something happens that gets Nero's attention and forces him to find more about what is happening on the fringe of the Roman Empire, Britannia.  Antonius has rebuilt himself at this point, but is called upon by Nero to lead this investigation.  Turns out there are several alterior motives at play, and that is the least of Antonius' problems.  Once arriving, he sees that he will be dealing with something from his past that he thought was long gone.  With his closest friend by his side, the story hits it's highest point right as it ends.

 

There is a lot to like about Britannia, but there are also a few problems.  While the character development was very good, the book did drag a bit in the middle.  It seemed like there were a few pages that seemed a bit unnecessary, and didn't really serve a purpose to the larger story.  Aside from that, Milligan does a very good job of capturing the time period and essence of the Roman Empire.  You can really feel the emotional roller coaster that Antonius is on, and there are plenty of twists that keep this first issue interesting.  It's also hard not to get lost in the way Juan Jose Ryp paints such a beautiful scene, capturing the mood of each part of the story.  The background imagery of the Britannia setting alone is chilling and masterful.  The art in the introduction is also amazing, and does a very good job at setting the tone for what's to come.  I will be very interested to see how Milligan will balance what is going on with Britannia with what is going on back in Rome, since Antonius' problems reach both parts of the world.  I'm on board, but still a bit cautious.

 

RATING:  PICK UP 

Review - Dark Souls: Legends of the Flame #1

Dark Souls: Legends of the Flame #1 - 

Titan Comics

 

Written by Tom Williams

                    George Mann

                    Tauriq Moosa

                    Dan Watters

Art by Alan Quah

            Komikaki Studio

            Piort Kowalski

            Brad Simpson

            Damien Worm

            Nick Percival

Letters by Rob Steen

                  Tom Williams

 

It's a great time to be a gamer.  Video games have become so cinematic, with in depth story telling to go along with the game play elements.  That doesn't mean that there are not other stories to tell and more worlds to explore.  Titan Comics jumps into the world of video game comics once again this week with Dark Souls:  Legends of the Flame.  This limited series is a little bit different.

 

The reason there is such a large creative team is, there are several different stories within this one issue.  A traveler arrives to a place where an old woman tells him tales through a giant flame.  Each story deals with the curse that has plagued the world and how it affects different people and areas.  Even though this is a regular sized comic, none of these stories felt rushed or left anything lacking.  Surprisingly enough, they actually all seemed to tie in at the end, in their own way.  Each tale seemed to have a different warning, and a different lesson that needed to be learned.  Some moments were violent, some were heartbreaking and some left you wondering how they didn't see it coming.  The end of the story comes back to where it started, and uses the tales as a means to round things out and really kick off the remaining issues.

 

When I first saw how this book was structured (and how many pages there were), I will admit that I was worried.  Given the names attached, I probably shouldn't have been worried, but I just didn't see how this whole issue wouldn't seem rushed as it was structured.  The way that each story played to a similar theme, and how they really tie together nicely at the end, is a credit to everyone involved in this project.  Then you look at all the different art teams, and they too, did not miss a single step.  Even though each style is different, this is one of the most striking artwork of any comic on the shelf right now.  Each also sets the mood so well with the writer that they were paired up with.  Titan has done a lot of video game comics, and have a pretty good track record of delivering consistent winners.  This one may be one of their best yet, and right up there with Deus Ex: Children's Crusade.  Whether you are a fan of the Dark Souls games or not, you will enjoy this book.

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY

 

Review - Skybourne #1

Skybourne #1 - 
Boom! Studios

Written by Frank Cho
Art by Frank Cho
Colors by Marcio Menyz
Letters by Ed Dukeshire
(Cover shown is the Frank Cho variant.)

If you love comics, Frank Cho is probably a name you know.  He has drawn a lot of the characters you, and even caused quite a stir regarding one of them recently.  So what happens when Frank Cho puts down the pen and picks up the keyboard?  This week I dive into his creator owned series Skybourne from Boom! Studios.  What has been billed as "Indiana Jones meets James Bond" certainly intrigued me, so let's see what we have.

I will preface this by saying, it is VERY important that you read the credits page right after the cover.  It introduces us to Abraham, Thomas and Grace Skybourne, who will be the major players in this story.  It also explains their abilities, which will prove to be an important piece of information as the story goes forward.  The focus of this first issue is more on Grace Skybourne trying to acquire something for her family.  As these things often do in comics, it doesn't go so well, and the action begins.  Actually, saying action doesn't even really begin to describe it.  Some of the scenes that follow are brutal, but great.  Grace does one thing in particular that was a huge WOW moment when her team drops the ball.  Once we find out what she was trying to acquire, you realize just how big of a deal it is.  Just when you think it's over, another player enters the fray and another battle begins.  That leads us to quite a shocking ending and a lot of questions going into Issue 2.

I know that Frank Cho has experience as a writer, but this may be his finest work.  The way he writes the final scene alone, and the way it's depicted, is top notch.  To address the elephant in the room, whoever thinks Frank Cho doesn't know how to portray strong women, needs to introduce themselves to Grace Skybourne.  She is tough, she is commanding and she does not react well when she is disrespected by the men in the story.  Imagine Lara Croft growing up with more edge, starting a foundation and suddenly becoming a metahuman.   The art is top notch, as expected, and really lets the action sequences jump off the page.  This series is a huge win for Boom! Studios, and I believe, could end up becoming one of their top titles.

RATING: PULL / BUY 

Review - Wonder Woman #5

Wonder Woman #5 - 

DC Comics

 

Written by Greg Rucka

Art by Liam Sharp

Colors by Laura Martin

Letters by Jodi Wynne

 

We have spent a lot of time talking about the immensely successful DC Comics Rebirth initiative both on our podcast and here on our website.  We have given you reviews of a lot of #1 issues, but we all know, true success is not measured by one issue.  So this week, I decided to enter the jungle with Greg Rucka's Wonder Woman series and see if the story is still going strong.  

 

Issue 5 is following The Lies storyline (Rucka has been telling another story in even issues with Nicola Scott doing the art) where Diana is trying to discover why she cannot find her way back to Themyscira.  Along the way she encounters Cheetah and is now on the trail of a madman named Cadulo, who just happens to be holding Steve Trevor hostage.  What I really love about this particular story is the interactions between Wonder Woman and Cheetah.  The depth and realism that has been brought, not just to Cheetah, but her relationship with Diana is incredible.  It also shows the amazing strength of Wonder Woman who, even though she is dealing with her own crisis of mind and character, sets that aside to assist those that she cares about.  Rucka lets her carry several burdens and once, and she handles it beautifully.  In reading this arc, you know Cadulo isn't the one pulling the strings, but we do get a bit of a bombshell dropped towards the end of this issue.  Someone is revealed as being part of the bigger pictures that will definitely complicate things going forward.  Then right after that, we get a great cliffhanger over what the fate of Steve Trevor will actually be.

 

It's easy to focus on how much depth Rucka has created here, and the layers that he has given to these characters.  Liam Sharp deserves a great deal of credit for setting a mood and really allowing Rucka to drive his story home.  This is especially true with Trevor where Rucka is throwing jabs, while Sharp still captures the seriousness of the dire situation that he is in.  Even though there are different stories being told in this ongoing series, Sharp and Scott both bring a winning style to Wonder Woman that allows her to return to form as one of the flagship characters of DC Comics.  If you were searching for a Wonder Woman comic to love for the last few years, this is it.  It's a story in which Wonder Woman herself is actually trying to find out who she really is, where she belongs and what has really been going on in her life.  Don't wait for the trade, get the back issue and put this in your pull box now.

 

RATING:  PULL  

Review - Monika Vol. 1: Masked Ball

Monika Vol. 1: Masked Ball -
Titan Comics
Written by Thilde Barboni
Illustrated by Guillem March

 

We all have our vices, and we all have our secrets. Sometimes we think that the world wouldn't understand. Sometimes we just don't feel like it's anyone else's business. Enter the world of Monika from Titan Comics, where we see all that with some mystery mixed in.

The story follows Monika, an aspiring artist who is also searching for her missing sister. She soon finds herself caught up in an exotic and dangerous world, with a man she feels may be the key to her sister's disappearance. As the story goes on, you seem to get an idea of what the big reveal will be. That's when the story takes a dramatic turn for Monika, and ends on somewhat of a reset. I don't want to spoil it, but you get most of the answers you were seeking.

While the art from March is striking, as it always is, that is pretty much where the positives end. This story is all over the place. Even though this is Volume 1, it feels like you're starting at Volume 2. There are plot holes, unestablished potential danger and very odd character interactions. There were times I actually had to go back and make sure I didn't skip any pages accidentally. You figure out the mystery pretty easily, so the payoff wasn't really there. It's like this book was trying too hard to be mysterious and even a bit "Eyes Wide Shut". It's a short trade that really should have been a bit longer. Other than the stunningly beautiful art, this one really isn't worth it.
 


RATING: DROP / SKIP

Review - Briggs Land #1

Briggs Land #1 - 

Dark Horse Comics

 

Written by Brian Wood

Art by Mack Chater

Colors by Lee Loughridge

Letters by Nate Piekos

Cover by Tula Lotay

 

Would you live life by your own rules, if you could?  Outside of society and government, going the way of the separatist.  Dark Horse gives you a look inside that world with the Briggs family in Briggs Land.   Let's find out if this story stands on it's own, or is more Branch Davidian.

 

We start out with the husband, who is the head of the family, and the wife who is hardly seen as the second in command.  The book does a very good job of explaining who is in the Briggs family, what their role is and the history of the compound itself.  Turns out, racism and white supremacy is barely scratching the surface with this group.  Something happens at the beginning of the issue that immediately changes the dynamic and creates a tension that seemingly lasts throughout the issue.  As is always the case, the government is hot on their trail, but not ready to make a move.  It's hard to explain too much of what is going on without going into major spoiler territory, but trust becomes a big issue in the Briggs family because of events that unfold throughout the issue.  Grace Briggs really takes the brunt of it, and you get the sense that some changes may be coming.  Something happens at the end of this issue that really keeps you guessing, and certainly raises debate as to what strings are being pulled by who.

 

Brian Wood does a masterful job of keeping the tension up in this issue, while slowly introducing all of the main players in the story.  When you have that many characters you need to bring into one issue, a lot of times it can feel jumbled.  Television gives you 30 minutes to an hour to do this, and Wood executed it flawlessly in less than 30 pages.  The art by Chater is gritty and fits the style of the book, while the color by Loughridge really seems to set the mood for every scene.  This story really sets itself apart and really makes you want to care about a group of people that are, essentially, bad people.  I have a a feeling that, as we start to peel the layers a bit more, there will be way more to it than just that.  I'm very excited to see how this story continues to separate itself from the normal crime family drama.

 

RATING:  PULL 

Review - Dishonored #1

Dishonored #1 - 

Titan Comics

Written by Gordon Rennie

Art by Andrea Olimpieri

Colors by Marcelo Maiolo

Letters by Rob Steen

Not long after E3 2016 wrapped up, I decided to go back and start playing Dishonored.  From the mystical elements, to the plague infested land, it just looked like a dark and mysterious game.  It certainly did not disappoint and I instantly became a fan of the franchise.  So when I saw that Titan Comics was putting out a Dishonored book, I knew I would be checking it out.  Time to find out of their hot streak of adapting video games to comic books will continue.

If you're wondering when the story takes place, it's 12 years after Corvo ends the reign of the Lord Regent and Emily becomes Empress.  Corvo is now training the very City Guard that he was fighting against, but he's also looking for something more.  A lot of this issue is focused on Corvo in a very personal way, he's looking for something that I won't spoil.  He goes off on an investigation and finds that there is a new threat to Dunwall.  He also meets up with something that is a great callback to the first game (you'll know it when you see it.)  In the heat of the battle, he comes across someone that looks very familiar.  By the end of the book we find out who it is, and what will be driving Corvo in future issues.

If you are a fan of Dishonored, this will definitely serve as nice fan service for you.  There are a few elements of the game that are worked in early, but you also get some new characters that we may even see play a role in Dishonored 2 when it comes out.  If you are new to Dishonored, this may not be as big of a deal for you.  In order to appreciate the depth of the characters, and why you should invest in them, I think you really have to be a fan of the game.  The big reveal at the end will still peak you interest, but a lot of the meat of the book may be lost on you.  The art in the battle sequences is very well done, but tends to be a bit lacking in non-action sequences.  As a fan already, I certainly feel like I want to read more to see where the story goes.  New fans may want to enter with caution, or at least do a bit of research on the game if you're intrigued by the premise.  This is one to watch, as it could really go either way for me at this point.

RATING:  PICK UP