Review - Mighty Mouse #1

Mighty Mouse #1 - 

Dynamite Comics

 

Written by Sholly Fisch

Art by Igor Lima

Colors by Pete Pantazis

Letters by Tom Napolitano

Cover by Alex Ross

 

If you have ever been bullied, chances are, you had something that was an escape for your.  Something that, in a world that was cruel, gave you something to smile about and maybe even some peace.  I know what you're thinking...this is an odd introduction to a review of a comic book about a popular cartoon superhero.  That is exactly where this review starts, in the very unexpected first issue of Mighty Mouse from Dynamite.

 

The main plot of this story actually centers around a boy named Joey Baloney.  Joey is, what a bully would describe, as a "typical nerd."  He gets picked on, but there are plenty of other things that aren't going well in his life.  So he clings to the one thing in his life that never lets him down, Mighty Mouse.  We did get to see the titular hero many times in this book, but in a very different way that I will not spoil here.  At this point, you may STILL be thinking, how is this a Might Mouse comic?  Well, that's where the end of this book comes in.  Again, I will not spoil the actual ending or what transpires, but I will tell you that this very much is a Mighty Mouse story and one we have not seen before.

 

Mighty Mouse was always one of my favorite cartoons growing up.  Most of my experience was in syndication in the 80s, but it allowed me to be able to see a lot of the classic cartoons.  I'll admit, at first I wasn't sure about the direction that this comic was going.  The more and more I read it, the more I started to come around on this story.  I will say, this definitely reads more like a #0 issue to me than a #1 issue.  I know that zero issues can be skipped by some readers, or seem unimportant, but sometimes are necessary as a prelude to the upcoming story.  The story really start in the final few pages, and that's not a bad thing, but I can see diehard Mighty Mouse fans becoming a bit impatient in the early going of this book.  At the same time, the art is amazing throughout, and was one of the reasons that it kept my attention so much.  The colors are very important and well done too, considering one of the aspects of the story that I won't spoil.  Sure this comic wasn't exactly what I expected, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.  I don't know exactly where this is going, but I have seen enough to know that Issue 2 will be quite different from Issue 1.  Unique and different is not a bad thing just because something is from our childhood.  So my excitement level that I had when this title was announced remains, but now, for a different reason.  Let's see where Fisch and company are headed with this one.

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY  

Review - Looney Tunes #237

Looney Tunes #237 - 

DC Comics

Duck Dodgers and the Reboot of the 24th & 1/2 Century

Written by Derek Fridolfs

Art by Dave Alvarez

Letters by Saida Temofonte

Mars Needs Chickens

Written by Jess Leon McCann

Pencils by Walter Carzon  Inks by Ruben Torrerio

Letters by Travis Lanham  Colors by David Tanguay

Blow Foghorn Blow

Writer Sam Agro

Pencils by Leo Batic  Inks by Horacio Ottolini

Letters by Nick J. Napolitano  Colors by David Tanguay

Ever since we talked to illustrator Robert Pope about working on Looney Tunes comics at Tidewater Comicon a couple of weeks ago, I started to wonder.  Why has it been so long since I read a Looney Tunes comic?  I practically lived off of the cartoons growing up and, let's be honest, pretty much every time they came on Cartoon Network or Boomerang.  So this week I'm taking a trip to the 24th and a half century to the pages of Looney Tunes #237.

Like any good Looney Tunes cartoon, we get three different stories in this comic.  In the first, Duck Dodgers finds himself in a very unfamiliar situation and isn't very happy about it.  The mission heads beyond Planet X to Planet Y, where (as you may suspect) not everything goes as planned.  There's even a clever jab at the end to round it out.  In the second story, Foghorn Leghorn  has a hot date, but it takes him way farther than he had ever expected.  Now he's under the gun and trading romance for mentor...in a way.  The third story also involves Foghorn, his nemesis and another character that die-hard Looney Tunes fans will remember.  The dog is trying to keep the chickens safe while Foghorn just wants to rest.  Problem is, it's hard to nap when the alarm keeps going off.

While it's hard to translate the cartoons themselves to the page, these stories are definitely enjoyable.  The jokes aren't quite as plentiful per story, and part of the fun is in the motions themselves, but overall all three stories were a fun read.  The best part was the art, which was spot on for every characters.  What I love is this gives us something new, but maintains that classic feel that someone like me remembers from childhood.  If you're looking for something different, and are feeling a bit nostalgic, this will definitely put a smile on your face.

RATING:  PICK UP

  

Review - Mass Effect: Discovery #1

Mass Effect: Discovery #1 -
Dark Horse Comics
 
Story by: John Dombrow & Jeremy Barlow
Script by: Jeremy Barlow
Art By: Gabriel Guzmán
Colors By: Michael Atiyeh
Letters By: Michael Heisler


Video game comics, much like video game movies, have always been a little bit tricky. Diehard fans will always be a stickler for the source material, but it is also up to the creators to give readers something fresh and interesting within the same universe. On the heels of the release of Mass Effect Andromeda comes this new limited series from Dark Horse. Let's see if Discovery is a worthy tie-in.

The story centers around the Turian military and those who are behind the Andromeda project. Something is not right, but the trouble comes with not what they believe but what they can prove. The main character, Sanjin Vinnick, decides to go undercover at great risk to find out exactly what is going on. I won't spoil it, but he has other motives for wanting to do this as well. No surprise, he gets a chance to prove himself by looking for someone integral to the project. Again, I will not spoil who it is, but something happens in the final pages that lead us to believe they are more than what they appear.

While there were parts of this book I enjoyed, it also felt a bit rushed to me at times. You don't want to drag things out too much in a four issue series, but I feel that readers who are not huge Mass Effect fans don't get MUCH character development in the first issue. The art did not blow me away, but any panels involving the Turians were pretty solid. I feel like Dombrow and Barlow have a nice, noir type story here. The only problem is, this is a limited tie-in with no real ability to flesh out a story and play the long game. I'll see what happens in Issue 2, but I am worried that casual readers and casual video game fans may not be able to fully appreciate this one.



RATING:  PICK UP

Review - Misfit City #1

Misfit City #1 - 

Boom! Box / Boom! Studios

 

Written by Kiwi Smith and Kurt Lustgarten

Art by Naomi Franquiz

Colors by Brittany Peer

Letters by Jim Campbell

 

Life in a small town is all about perspective.  Maybe you love the fact that everybody knows everybody and you're outside the hustle of the big city.  Then again, maybe you wish something would happen to put your small town on the map.  Speaking of maps, this week we're heading to Oregon and the adventures (or lack there of) in Boom's new series, Misfit City.

 

The story takes place in Cannon Cove, Oregon to be exact, small town and tourist trap rolled into one.  This small Oregon town was the setting of a major cult classic movie from the 80s, which now drives the locals crazy.  We meet four young women who are locals, and the "Gloomers" drive them crazy.  When something happens to one of the older locals in town, the local film museum receives a donation that may be more than anyone expected.  Macy works at the museum, but she seems more concerned about her band and just living out her life.  As it turns out, someone else is VERY interested in what was donated, and will do whatever it takes to get it back.  That's when the story takes a turn.  One minor incident and a twist of fate later, the very last page of this book is where the story really starts to begin.

 

This first issue was exactly what I thought it would be.  We get introduced to the characters, get a sense of their personalities and set a premise.  I also love that Smith and Lustgarten made the town itself a character, in their own way.  Smith's script writing background definitely comes through too, as this really did feel like the first act of a feature.  The book is clearly an homage to "Goonies", and they make no apologies for that.  At the same time, they found a way to twist the story in a unique way and give it different beats, so it doesn't have that reboot-esque feel.  The art and colors work very well together, and really help set the mood for certain panels.  To me this is a young adult home run, but it's also a book that can be enjoyed by all age groups.  If you are a "Goonies" fan, this is definitely something you will enjoy.  Even if you aren't, this is a solid young adult adventure story that is very much worth your attention.  Let the adventure begin!

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY  

Review - Dragon Age: Knight Errant #1

Dragon Age: Knight Errant - 

Dark Horse Comics

 

Scripts by Nunzio DeFilippis & Christina Weir

Art by Fernando Heinz Furukawa

Colors by Michael Atiyeh

Letters by Nate Piekos of Blambot

Cover by Sachin Teng

 

Whether it's gamers or cosplayers, Dragon Age is still one of the most popular properties in nerd culture.  Ever since EA and Bioware introduced it, fans have lost themselves in the lore of knights and war.  After Greg Rucka's successful Magekiller arc from Dark Horse several months ago, I was waiting for a new Dragon Age book to hit the shelf.  The wait is over, and it's time to dive into the Knight Errant.

 

The story follows a traveling knight named Aaron Hawthorne and his elven squire, Vaea.  Hawthorne is not only a story teller, but somewhat of a goodwill ambassador.  He has traveled to Kirkwall to meet with the soon-to-be Viscount Tethras.  It can't be that simple, right?  Certainly not, because there is much more to Vaea than being a simple squire.  I will not spoil that, or what is is that she is doing, but at some point the story very much shifts focus to her.  I believe that will also be the case thanks to two different encounters that happen as we near the final pages of the issue.  One of them I think you will probably see coming, the other is a bit out of nowhere.  Either way, you learn early on that Vaea should more than be able to carry this book going forward.

 

I'm a sucker for stories like this of knights combined with the fantasy world, which is probably what has always drawn me to Dragon Age.  This book has a certain charm about it, and is very much different from the Magekiller series by Rucka.  Good news is, both are good in their different ways.  What DeFilippis and Weir give us is not necessarily a plot twist, but a foundation to build a story for the long game.  The good news is, you also don't have to be steeped in the lore of the game or any other books to appreciate this story.  Time will tell if that is the case going forward, but it certainly is overall.  The art is solid, and covers certainly live up to what you expect from a book like Dragon Age.  Dark Horse continues to have some of, if not THE best, video game related comics in the industry today.

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY 

Review - X-O Manowar #2 (2017)

X-O Manowar #2 (2017) - 

Valiant Comics

 

Written by Matt Kindt

Art by Thomás Giorello

Colors by Diego Rodriguez

Letters by Dave Sharpe

Cover by Lewis Larosa w/ Brian Reber

 

There are certain characters that need no introduction in the comic book world.  Not just because of longevity, but because of the quality of the stories and the demanding presence of the character themself. X-O Manowar definitely carries that  mantle in the Valiant universe.  Aric has recently started a new chapter with a new creative team, and the first issue was nothing short of brilliant.  Let's see what the follow-up issue has to offer.

 

Starting a new life has never worked out well for Aric (or any other hero for that matter), in the past.  It looks like this time will be no different, as his new home of Gorin, where the Azure are headed for war with the Cadmiums.  Beyond that, there is a very interesting dynamic going on with Aric and Shanhara.  What you saw in the first issue was he (SPOILER ALERT FOR ISSUE 1) has given up the suit, but not entirely.  We get a bit of a deeper look at that to start this issue.  We also find out that Aric may have a problem beyond the Cadmiums themselves, and much closer.  Still the start of the mission forges ahead and we get plenty of action in this issue.  As we get to the last couple of pages, something happens that very much alters the course of the mission.  So we are left at quite a pivotal point, and with a nice, juicy cliffhanger.

 

Coming fresh off Stalinverse, and still part of a very successful Ninjak run, Matt Kindt is red hot right now.  It's not a surprise at all that he has been able to carry that over to a character like Aric.  He gives us plenty of legacy, but at the same time, makes the story feel fresh and compelling.  Let's also talk about the phenomenal art and coloring of this book.  Valiant continues to have consistently stunning art in, what seems like, every book they put out.  This is no exception, with stunning action sequences that almost seem like they're being brought to life on screen.  We very well be seeing one of the best X-O Manowar stories ever told unfolding in front of our very eyes.  I think we should enjoy the ride.

 

RATING:  PULL / BUY 

Review - Harley Quinn #18

Harley Quinn #18 - 

DC Comics

 

Written by Jimmy Palmiotti & Amanda Conner

Art by John Timms

Art (Pages 1-3) by Joseph Michael Linsner

Colors by Alex Sinclair & Jeremiah Skipper

Letters by Dave Sharpe

 

Harley Loves Joker Story Credits

 

Written by Paul Dini & Jimmy Palmiotti

Pencils by Bret Blevins

Inks by J. Bone

Colors by Alex Sinclair

Letters by Dave Sharpe

 

If you have been a fan of our podcast from the start, you know how much I love Harley Quinn.  Lately though, I had found myself drifting away from the book since Rebirth.  Maybe it was because it wasn't as much of a change as the other books?  Maybe I'm slowly going insane?  No matter the reason, I decided to jump back aboard on Issue 17 during the Red Meat arc to see if it grabbed my interest again.  So, let's dig in!

 

Quick rundown for anyone who didn't read the last issue, here's what is going on.  Homeless people are disappearing all over the city, including a guy named Skipper who Harley has somewhat befriended.  Long story short, Harley decides to help out the police by going undercover to find out what is happening to them.  That's where Issue 18 picks up, and we find out exactly what has been going on.  I won't spoil who's involved, or the manner in which they're disappearing, but the uneasy alliance that has been created by those involved certainly gets complicated near the end of the issue.  Something also happens with Harley that brings Red Tool to the rescue and sets up for a possible showdown in the next issue.

 

While I do like the current story, I will say that I am a bit disappointed, but probably not for the reason you think.  In the first few pages of this book, a character gets introduced that one can assume will be a factor in later issues.  It's great, but I was so excited about that, it made me want it now.  I realize that's a bit unfair, but seeing that made me a lot more interested in what's to come and not what's in front of me now.  The art is great throughout the book, and the story is fine, but I feel like those first few pages is what I've been waiting for since about halfway through the New 52 relaunch.  I feel like they're about to go big with this book, and everything leading up to that is an opening act.  Sure I'll stay in my seat for the opening act (and the backup story by Paul Dini and Jimmy Palmiotti), but I'm going to be sitting there more excited for the headliner.  There's also a chance I'm of a sucker for nostalgia, and classic Harley/Joker antics of Batman The Animated Series, than I want to admit.  I promise that I'll try to be patient until that comes.

 

RATING:  PICK UP