Review - Fence #1

Fence #1 -
Boom! Box
Written by C.S. Pacat
Art by Johanna The Mad
Colors by Joana LaFuente
Letters by Jim Campbell



When was the last time you watched fencing?  It's ok...the majority of us probably have the same answer.  At the same time, there is something fascinating about it.  Plus, it may be the closest (and safest) we get to any sort of medieval sword battles in modern times.  Would it be crazy to have a comic about a niche sport like this?  Well...call Boom! Studios crazy, because that's what is happening.

Fence is a story that is legitimately about fencing, but also about a group of young adults who are vying for a better future.  Yes, there are scholarships for fencing too, folks.  Nicholas Cox is trying his best to break into the sport and, at the same time, be a part of a group that seems to have been together for a while.  You can imagine how that works out when an outsider tries to venture into any competitive situation.  Not to mention, Nicholas draws the top competitor in the entire competition in his first match.  One thing you really love about Nicholas in this book is his attitude and his competitive spirit.  There is also some vulnerability there, but I won't spoil what that is all about or the results of the match itself.  That determination leads to an opportunity for Nicholas, but I will admit, I did not see the ending of this book coming.  It's surprising, and set up very well.

This book captures the would of young adults quite well.  If you've seen the movie School Ties with Brendan Fraser and Matt Damon, it's kind of like that but less intense (and without the antisemitism.)  Dealing with wanting something and wanting to be a part of something at the same time is a balance that plays well here.  Plus, how can you go wrong when you're artist's name is Johanna The Mad?  I was really getting into the visuals during the match itself, and found myself wanting even more.  That's what this book does very well, overall...it makes you want more.  Sure there is some fencing terminology, but there's no harm in learning a little something.  Nicholas gets training, so in a way, we are too.  While I don't feel like I'm ready to grab a foil and take on the world, I do feel like this is a book that I want to read more of.

RATING:  PULL / BUY

Review - Harbinger Renegade #0

Harbinger Renegade #0 - 

Valiant Entertainment

 

Written by Rafer Roberts
Art by Juan Jose Ryp
Colors by Andrew Dalhouse
Letters by Simon Bowland
Cover by Clayton Henry w/ Brian Reber


Like many Valiant fans, I am really looking forward to Harbinger Wars 2.  Unlike their previous major arcs, which have been stellar, this one feels like it has been building throughout the year.  What we're starting to see now are some Zero Issues that could end up being essential to the upcoming story.  That is one of the many reason I decided to check out Harbinger Renegade #0 this week.


The story is essentially following a H.A.R.D. Corps operation to pursue the dangerous psiot, Alexander Solomon.  Here's the trick, Solomon has the ability to predict outcomes.  We do get to see some of Solomon in this issue, and he is looking for something of his own.  After some logistics, and scene setting, we get to the operation itself.  In true Harbinger Renegade fashion, intense action ensues from there and the vast majority of the remainder of the story is quite a huge battle.  We find something out about the operation itself, and we also find out something that was in the location that was not expected.  That is the most I can tell you without spoiling anything.  This issue does have an aftermath, and let me tell you, this one is REALLY going to matter in future continuity.  I don't want to get too specific, but this could be a catalyst that sets the stage for something bigger.  Whether that is good or bad, that's up to the reader to decide.

I want to start this one with one simple fact, Juan Jose Ryp is one of the best artists in all of comics right now.  His work with Valiant has been beyond impeccable and he is the perfect choice for any Harbinger story.  Hats off to Andrew Dalhouse as well, since I believe colorists are extremely important in telling any story involving psiots.  Zero issues are kind of tricky, because they are usually just a necessary evil to set the tone before you get to the "real story".  This one feels like it is going to be very much a part of that story, and did not play down to regular readers for the sake of a jumping on point.  Roberts also gives you a reason to either hate the H.A.R.D. Corps more, or a reason to root for them, depending on your perspective.  Either way, the hits just keep on coming for Valiant and the Harbinger stories.

 

RATING: PULL / BUY

Review - Deadman #1

Deadman #1 - 

DC Comics

 

Written by Neal Adams

Art by Neal Adams

Letters by Clem Robins

 

Deadman is always a character that I felt deserved his own comic.  He played a very strong, and important, role with the Justice League Dark during the New 52 and also in other larger arcs.  After having a mini-series around the time of Rebirth, I thought may be all we get.  Enter legendary artist Neal Adams, who also takes on writing duties, for a new Deadman book.

This story follow Boston Brand trying to uncover the circumstances surrounding his death, and also appears to be seeking some sort of vengeance.  There is also part of the story with Commissioner Gordon serving as an ambassador for a nuclear site inspections.  We see a couple of more familiar character, which I will not spoil, but there is also quite a bit of bouncing around between storylines.  That makes it really difficult for me to tell you more about this book, other than we get a lot of detail about who was involved in killing Deadman, and who else may be trying to come to that conclusion.

I really wanted to like this book, but it is all over the place.  There were times that I felt completely lost, and even times where I lost track of where in the story I actually was.  It was so difficult, it actually made me think that I was starting on Issue 4 of a series instead of the first issue.  To that point, I have read the second arcs of books before without reading the first one, and I was still able to pick up on the story and it's direction.  I also felt like every familiar character in this book was quite OUT of character.  One character in particular, who is the most recognizable in the book (who isn't the title character) just felt completely off to me.  The art by Adams is good, and at times, gave me a nice 80s throwback vibe.  I read a lot of comics, and have written a lot of reviews, and I have no idea where this book was going or is going.  For that reason, I think I'll have to pass. 

 

RATING: DROP 

Review - Goosebumps: Monsters At Midnight #1

Goosebumps: Monsters At Midnight #1 - 

IDW Publishing

 

Written by Jeremy Lambert

Art by Chris Fenoglio

Letters by Christa Miesner

 

Horror movies have seen quite the increase in popularity over the last year.  Aside from major superhero movies, they have enjoyed the most long term success at the box office.  Think back to how that all started for you.  What was your first introduction into the horror genre?  For a certain age group, it was the Goosebumps books and/or the tv series.  R.L. Stine introduced a whole generation of kids and young adults to the scary side of entertainment.  Now, IDW is giving us the best of both worlds with Goosebumps comics.  Let's find out about the Monsters At Midnight.

 

The story centers around two kids, Mia and Ginny, who are spending the summer with their grandmother.  For some, that's scary enough right there.  The only thing these kids are dying of right now is boredom, until they come across something while they are headed back to the house.  Ginny is a little more adventurous, but it's not until later that they find themselves in an old bookstore without grandma.  When one of them ventures off, they both find themselves in a world that should seem very familiar to faithful Goosebumps fans.  What we are left with is only to wonder exactly what horrors await them, and how (or if) they may be able to escape.  

 

Halloween is supposed to be scary, but it's also supposed to be fun.  That's what it felt like reading this book.  Did it scare me as an adult?  Absolutely not.  Would that have been different if I were a kid?  Probably.  To me that is carrying on the tradition that Goosebumps started nearly 25 years ago.  Jeremy Lambert had a very tough task, especially carrying the mantle of a title that had been made famous by an icon.  Lambert does very well at that, and gave us a lot of background to be invested in these two characters.  I also loved that there wasn't a lot of fan service in this issue.  It would have been easy to have a ton of easter eggs, and there were a few, but this felt like it's own story.  Fenoglio's art was alive and fun, especially in the last few pages when they cross over.  I think this is a good first step in introducing a whole new generation to why their parents, or older siblings, loved Goosebumps so much.

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY  

Review - Maestros #1

Maestros #1 -
Image Comics
Written & Art by Steve SkroceColors by Dave Stewart
Letters by FonoGrafiks

Do you think that magic is all around us?  Maybe we're not alone in the universe because there are other realms and dimensions, and not just alien life.  Welcome to the world of Maestros from Image Comics.  Let's see how the storyboard artist for the Matrix puts this world of magic together.

The story centers around millennial named Will who has been banished from his realm by his father and the royal family.  This isn't a spoiler (because it's in the description for the book online), but consider this warning just in case.  His father, the Maestro, is dead and so is the entire royal family.  Now Will is about to be dragged back into a world that he thought he was free from.  To say this isn't the greatest time to be back is an understatement.  There is a magical evil that is trying to finish the job that it started, and Will is being thrust into a position he never really wanted in the first place.  Not only that, but we have to keep in mind, he was banished.  So time will only tell if he will even be welcomed back.  We see his mother track him down, and what they are up against, but the book ends very much where the story will be beginning.

As I was reading this first issue, I will say that I feel like I missed out on some details.  Yes we were given a backstory eventually, and it did make sense, but I don't know that it gave me any more attachment to the main characters.  If anything, it made me like a couple of them a little bit less.  The premise of this story is great, and some of the elements are good, but there were some completely random elements in this story that I feel like just were not necessary.  It seems like Maestros wants to be a combination of a couple of different stories, maybe an American Gods meets Lord of the Rings in a way, but isn't sure where the focus should be.  The art is quite good, and in my opinion, was the best part of this issue.  Since this felt like a bit of a zero issue to me, and the real story won't begin until Issue 2, I'm willing to stick around and see if this premise takes hold.  If this story finds it's balance, I could see this being a big book for Image Comics


RATING:  PICK UP

Review - Harrow County #26

Harrow County #26 - 

Dark Horse Comics

 

Written by Cullen Bunn

Art by Tyler Crook

 

Just in you were unaware, this Friday just happen to be a Friday the 13th.  Maybe you subscribe to the idea that this particular day is bad luck, or even creepy.  Maybe you just think it's another day, or you're just happy it's Friday.  If you lived in Harrow County, I think you would be more apt to think the former were true.  It's been a while since I checked in with Emmy, so let's see what's going on in Issue 26.

 

Emmy is in a desperate situation, trying to see if anything has happened to her Pa.  She's enlisted the help of the Skinless Boy to help break through a supernatural barrier.  (WARNING:  SPOILERS FOR PREVIOUS ISSUED OF HARROW COUNTY.)  Not only does she fear the worst, she fears that her sister Kammi may be doing unspeakable things in her absence.  You really get a sense of panic and urgency while reading this issue.  Whether you are a new reader or a diehard fan, I don't think it's difficult to sympathize with a girl wanting to check on the welfare of her pa and her best friend.  Something has happened in this issue, and I will not spoil what it is, but it will most certainly have a HUGE impact on the story going forward.  We also see another character take a stand, and somewhat out of character I might add.  This issue ends on a very tense note, and is the kind of cliffhanger that leaves you screaming at the end for more.

 

I've said it before, so why not one more time?  Nobody does creepy like Cullen Bunn.  He also happens to be a great storyteller, but maybe even a better character builder.  Harrow County is great horror, but the world that has been created here is so masterful that it's really hard to go wrong.  Then you add the amazing art by Tyler Crook, who I think has really taken his work to another level since starting on this book.  The "Haint Blue" is a nice touch on the narration, for anyone who is familiar with that southern superstition (or is it?)  This is the perfect book to read with Friday the 13th and Halloween both coming up.  Good horror should creep you out, but great horror should also make you think.  I can't think of a book in the genre that does that better than Harrow County right now.

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY  

Review - Harley & Ivy Meet Betty & Veronica #1

Harley & Ivy Meet Betty & Veronica #1 - 

DC Comics / Archie Comics

 

Written by Paul Dini & Marc Andreyko

Art by Laura Braga

Colors by Tony Avina & Arif Prianto

Letters by Deron Bennett

Cover by Amanda Conner

 

In the last couple of years, we have seen some amazing comic book crossovers.  Publishers are playing nice like never before, and it gives us as readers, a lot of things to look forward to.  Still...never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever see this combination.  When I first heard about Harley & Ivy Meet Betty & Veronica, I was excited, but I wasn't sure how they would all cross paths.  Let's find out together, shall we?

 

The story centers around Veronica's father, Hiram Lodge, who wants to build school/entertainment venue at Sweetwater Swamp near Riverdale.  Ivy doesn't take the news very well, and decides to head to Riverdale with Harley by her side to do something about it.  When we see the Archie gang, it really does feel like classic Archie in a way.  Betty and Veronica are at odds, Archie finds himself in the middle and Jughead is being Jughead.  The gang is forced to help the Lodge family set up for a costume party, which sets up for quite a hilarious moment in the book.  It also provides the perfect cover for Ivy and Harley to do what they need to do.  I won't give away the middle part of the story, which is quite entertaining, but the end of the book definitely gave me a good laugh and sets up Issue 2 perfectly.

 

This book was both everything I expected, and surprising at the same time.  It felt fun, it felt goofy, but the reason for bringing these two worlds together actually made perfect sense once I saw it.  Dini and Andreyko just made it seem so simple, and everything else flowed from there.  One character taht I was really drawn to in this book was Jughead.  I don't know if it was just getting a break from the Jugehead from the Riverdale TV series or what, but it was nice to see the hungry, lovable Jughead back again.  It just feels like this entire team has been working on Archie books their entire life, and then, they made Ivy and Harley fit in seamlessly.  You could not have picked a better artist for this book either.  Braga's work just took this book to another level her amazing detail work.  I have a feeling that this is a limited series that I am going to end up wishing was an ongoing when it's all over.

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY