Tag Archives: brittney williams

Review: Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat #10

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hellcat10coverPatsy literally goes to hell in Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat #10 as she confronts the spectres of her past in an issue featuring reality shattering art and colors from Brittney Williams and Megan Wilson and heartfelt, yet continuity driven writing from Kate Leth. Most of the comic is set in the hell dimension that Patsy’s ex-boyfriend Daimon Hellstrom (Aka Son of Satan) has sent to her, but Leth and Williams don’t neglect her friends along the way as they fight to rescue her. There is also time for mirth and romance, especially when it comes to a couple adorable supporting characters. (Yes, Ian and Tom Hale finally kiss in this issue.)

Patsy might end up squaring up against a bright red demon (With the Hebrew Bible deep cut name of Belial.) by the end of Hellcat #10, but the two problems she battles against are ones that many young people struggle with. They are not making the best choices in who we get romantically involved with and not living up to our “potential”. Belial taunts Patsy for marrying Mad Dog (then Buzz Baxter) and Daimon Hellstrom, but along the way, she realizes that these past choices don’t define her present, and Leth and Williams use these hell dimension scenes to help Patsy work through some of her issues. The scenes featuring She-Hulk are the most emotional as Williams cuts from a happy costume wearing Jen to a cold, comatose body as Patsy isn’t in control of her reality. But she gains more and more control as the comic progresses as she owns her past mistakes and takes the fight to real world and her friends.

Hellcat #10 has some of Brittney Williams and Megan Wilson’s most inventive visuals as her “hell” doesn’t look like the cover of a metal album or a Gustav Dore woodcut, but a classic Patsy Walker romance comic from 1950s with a burnt newsprint background. These crosshatchings from Williams and plenty of red from Wilson keeps the plot on its toes as Patsy must get out of hell on her own. And Williams really nails the sad eyes and forlorn looks of classic romance comics to make these scenes feel “real” for Patsy. Along the way, Kate Leth pokes fun at the cheesy dialogue of these old comics, and how they absolutely failed at depicting real teenage problems or struggles. (And everyone had perfect skin.)

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Patsy’s mom exploited her high school struggles for her stories, but Patsy has decided to move on, and Williams shows this through a panel shattering punch as the fight goes from hell to the real world. And it’s all about the power of friendship as each member of Patsy’s friend/ex-boyfriend group gets a decent lick on Belial. Williams’ cartoonish style complements the fierceness of Jubilee as she is determined to get her new boss out of hell even if she has to turn Daimon Hellstrom into a vampire along the way. Ian also gets a big moment using his telekinesis on Belial showing that his confidence in his personal life (Kissing Tom.) has extended to his superpowers too.

Hellcat #10 balances inner conflict with action and comedy as Daimon Hellstrom and Mad Dog still fighting over Patsy is the height of farce. Kate Leth also subverts the “heroes fighting each other just to fight” (See Civil War II.) trope and has Jubilee explain to Daimon and Mad Dog why Hedy Clarke is manipulating them in a single, logical page. Add the ever-shifting backgrounds and color palettes from Brittney Williams and Megan Wilson, and Hellcat #10 is a milestone issue in Patsy Walker’s journey to cast off the shackles of her past and help the young superhumans of New York.

Story: Kate Leth Art: Brittney Williams Colors: Megan Wilson
Story: 8 Art: 9 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Review: Goldie Vance #5

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GoldieVance_005_A_MainRemember when two months seemed like forever to wait for the continuation of Goldie Vance, one of BOOM!’s cutest and most intriguing new series? Good news: Goldie is back. Hope Larson and Brittney Williams’s kid-friendly series returns with Goldie Vance #5, which begins a new arc for the young detective.

The first arc of the series followed Goldie as she and her friends at the Crossed Palms Resort tried to solve the mysterious disappearance of a resort guest, which culminated in Goldie losing and regaining her job as a resort valet. It set up a solid cast of characters that is equally important and developed as Goldie, emphasizing a theme of friendship and support. Issue 5 continues this theme by exploring Goldie’s relationships with her friends and coworkers as well as the amazingly cool Diane.

In this new arc, Goldie is thrown right into the center of a mystery when an unconscious Jane Doe turns up on the resort beach. And she’s an astronaut. Goldie’s friend Cheryl, whose lifelong dream is to become an astronaut, also plays a central role. This immediately causes problems for the resort and sets up a conflict between Goldie and Cheryl, a plot point that allows the reader to see that even though Goldie is well-intentioned, she is still a flawed character.

The art, as always, is another high point for the series. Brittney Williams has a fun and wonderfully consistent style that is absolutely perfect for the series. Combined with Sarah Stern’s coloring, the two create a book that, though fun for adults to read, is great for its intended younger audience. The retro style and palette is engaging and whimsical, and kids will not only relate to Goldie’s enthusiasm and nose for trouble, but her expressions as well. Williams’s comedic timing with Goldie’s expressions is a credit to the series and a testament to the strength of the creative team.

The team’s enthusiasm for the book is obvious, and the plot and characters are written, drawn, and colored with great care. The second arc has perhaps started better than the first, and while we don’t yet know where the story will go, it is guaranteed that it will be fun and full of surprises.

Story: Hope Larson Art: Brittney Williams
Story: 10.0 Art: 10.0 Overall: 10.0 Recommendation: Buy

BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.

Review: Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat #9

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Hellcat9CoverPatsy Walker AKA Hellcat #9 reaches new heights of fun, happiness, and queerness in an issue that features Jubilee being the best assistant ever and rocking the cappucinos, Tom Hale singing “Poor Unfortunate Souls” at karaoke, and a couple of bad boys from Patsy’s past showing up again. Writer Kate Leth delivers a script full of puns, heartful character moments, and just a touch of sadness as Patsy is still coping with her BFF, She-Hulk, being in a coma thanks to Civil War II. Artist Brittney Williams gets to show off her flare for action as Jubilee and Patsy get to team up against her ex-husbands, Mad Dog and Daimon Hellstrom. She can do misty eyed romance and enthusiastic friendship as well, and her fun, fierce, and cartoonish art style solidifies her as one of Marvel’s best current pencilers. And colorist Megan Wilson gets to add hellfire red to her usual pink, blue, and yellow palette, especially as Daimon ends up being too hot to handle.

She doesn’t get much panel time in Hellcat #9, but Leth, Williams, and Wilson elevate Hedy Clarke to arch-nemesis in the space of a single page. Most of the time, Hellcat is a slice of life sitcom, a quirky superhero adventure, or a Saturday morning cartoon, but the opening page of this issue is pure film noir. There’s a close-up on a martini glass and a cold blue backdrop from Wilson. Williams gives Daimon Hellstrom a classy suit, and Hedy Clarke, a red and black dress that pairs well with her stone-faced stare Hedy gives him when she lies about Patsy. And Hedy’s evil plan is pretty damn ingenious as she feeds on Daimon and Mad Dog’s negative feelings toward Patsy and lets them cut loose when she isn’t really in superhero mode. Plus Daimon Hellstrom is quite the powerhouse, and Leth and Williams show that as he ends a fight with one wave of his staff and a creepy pentagram.

Luckily, Hellcat #9 isn’t all darkness and evil. There are puns too. Most of the issue (except for the end of comic fight) is concerned with Patsy trying to make ends meet at her temp agency as she must balance paying rent on her building with paying her employees. Combined with her feeling down about She-Hulk’s injury, Patsy is running out of steam. Enter Jubilee, who is a happy ray of vampiric sunshine into the comic’s supporting cast. The spare roomwhere she holds court is super adorable with its mix of typical office trappings, like an espresso machine and mini fridge, and baby stuff for Shogo Lee, like a Wolverine plush, toy dinosaurs, and way too many sets of alphabet letters. Williams’ skill at background jokes comes in handy in this space, especially when Jubilee’s Magneto mug is concerned. “Magneto was old” could sort of be a thesis statement for Hellcat  as its characters are more concerned with helping out their friends and making ends meet than grand ideologies.

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And speaking of adorableness, the karaoke bar sequence is Hellcat #9 at its most queer friendly as Tom Hale and everyone’s favorite bisexual Inhuman Ian Soo aren’t victims, but joyfully singing, drinking, and maybe even falling in love. Tom’s choice of “Poor Unfortunate Souls” is kind of perfect, and the play of pink and blue from Megan Wilson creates a warm, tingly romantic feeling. (Full disclosure: I had a boyfriend, who had that as his go-to karaoke song too.) Williams also uses glances, little bits of hearts, and hilarious reaction shots from other characters to slowly craft the romance. Also, Leth writes Jubilee as the perfect wing woman with her slick one-liners about Tom not just being Ian’s boss. They should just kiss already, but this is a superhero comic and the smooching is put on hold for fighting. For now, at least.

Hellcat #9 is a flat out fun read as Kate Leth, Brittney Williams, and Megan Wilson put Hellcat and her friends through the wringer while also letting them live a little and enjoy life. There’s action, comedy, romance, plenty of cuteness, and a cliffhanger that is like something out of Stranger Things.

Story: Kate Leth Art: Brittney Williams Colors: Megan Wilson
Story: 8.5  Art: 9.5 Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Preview: Garfield 2016 Summer Special #1

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Garfield 2016 Summer Special #1

Publisher: KaBOOM!, an imprint of BOOM! Studios
Writers: Scott Nickel, Mark Evanier
Artists: Brittney Williams, Andy Hirsch, Sara Talmadge, Lissy Marlin
Cover Artists:
Main: Andy Hirsch
Incentive: Chip Zdarsky
Price: $7.99

Everyone’s favorite, lasagna-lovin’, Monday-hatin’, lazy, Fat Cat stars in this new, summertime one-shot special that collects four, never-before-seen short stories.

Stories include Garfield venturing out as a Nighttime Crusader, fighting his own impulse control, and going up against “The Most Annoying Cat in the World.” Plus, Nermal is seeing double—does he have a twin he never knew about?!

Features the long-awaited Chip Zdarsky cover!

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Review: Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat #8

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Hellcat8Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat #8 works as both a Civil War II tie-in while also exploring Patsy Walker’s relationship with She-Hulk and slightly shifting her status quo as she gets a new office, new assistant, but still has support from her friends. There’s not much in the way of plot, but writer Kate Leth and artist Brittney Williams go for maximum emotion and show how much Jennifer Walters’ friendship has inspired and meant to Patsy, who doesn’t care about the wars between heroes and crossover events, but just wants to get her temp agency off the ground.

Hellcat #8 starts adorably with Patsy sleeping in her “Meow” sheets, but the tone goes from relaxing to tense as Ms. America crashes into the window in her usual dimension shattering way. However, Leth doesn’t have Hellcat picking a side or anything, but fiercely caring about her best friend and even busting into the Triskelion to hold her hand hopefully one last time. The reds that Rachelle Rosenberg uses in the scene where have a deathly feel to him, and Leth trades in the fun quips for pessimistic medical talk as it seems like She-Hulk is about to pass away. Hopefully, she doesn’t, but the as Leth and Williams take time to show happier.

Just like the super sad and classic episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, “The Body”, Leth and Williams remember to sprinkle in some humor to alleviate the tragedy of She-Hulk’s injury. Howard the Duck is kind of the Anya of the group (Because she was formerly an ancient Vengeance Demon, Anya didn’t know how to process normal human loss.) as he makes threats and boasts about standing up to Thanos and knocking his block off. But the funniest and cutest part of the issue is definitely a superhero team-up between Hellcat and She-Hulk as she does her own version of the Fastball special on the way to Patsy’s marriage proposal to a giant, delectable pizza. One day I hope someone looks at me like Patsy looked at that giant pizza, which is a reminder of happier days when Patsy was She-Hulk’s private investigator during Charles Soule’s run on She-Hulk.

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Hellcat #8 has a much more serious tone than the previous issues of the series as Leth makes her characters act like human beings when facing death and not as denizens of a shared superhero universe. This can definitely be seen in some of Williams’ art style choices and Rosenberg’s colors as well. For example, Patsy wears a dress that isn’t brightly colored to in striking contrast to her fun blue and yellow outfit when she hangs out with She-Hulk. She also draws four successive panels of Patsy staring into space as she tries to process She-Hulk’s injury before slipping into a kind of flashback space. For the most part, Rosenberg’s palette is pretty somber, but then she introduces bright yellow towards the end of the issue to signify the appearance of Jubilee as a new supporting character in the book. She is all smiles and coolness and adds a moment of cheeriness to a seriously down issue. I am looking forward to Patsy and Jubilee’s fierce and fun banter in issues to come.

In Hellcat #8, Kate Leth, Brittney Williams, and Rachelle Rosenberg take a break from the battle between Hedy and Patsy to zero in on the relationship between Patsy and She-Hulk, and how Civil War II has affected it. And the issue is a fitting eulogy for the strong, smart, and funny superheroine. (Hopefully, she pulls through and has a solo title in the future.) It’s a pretty emotionally devastating comic book with the slightest touch of light (No fireworks sadly.) at the end.

 

Story: Kate Leth Art: Brittney Williams Colors: Rachelle Rosenberg
Story: 8   Art: 9.5   Overall: 8.7   Recommendation: Buy

Review: Goldie Vance #4

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GoldieVance_004_A_MainDespite its promotion to an ongoing series, Hope Larson and Brittney Williams’s Goldie Vance #3 ended on something of a sour note.

Goldie’s at-times-unwelcome penchant for sleuthing got her into some hot water when Big Boss Mr. Maple caught her trying to do right, but using a guest’s car to do it. This all came to a head when Goldie lost her job, thanks to Maple’s daughter, Sugar.

It’s a testament to Goldie’s character that even this setback didn’t throw her off the case. Instead, she used her considerable smarts to find new leads, which served to set up Goldie Vance #4, the final issue of the first arc. The arc concludes in a manner that will likely satisfy readers. The story answers all of the pressing questions, while others are a little more open-ended. It’s the perfect conclusion for the first arc, definitively ending one story while leaving it open for more. (And there will be more. Yay!)

Goldie Vance #4 carries the same consistent pacing the story has had throughout. Williams’s art and Stern’s coloring work in tandem to amp up the adrenaline, making the issue fly like Goldie in a street race. Both art and coloring lend a slightly fantastical element to the comic, pulling through some of the other more magical elements from previous issues–the race, the scramble for Ludwig’s pendant, Goldie’s mom totally being a real mermaid. As always, the art is bouncy and expressive, perfect for the story being told.

The coloring has always been a vital aspect of the comic, with a bright and warm palette that gives it an inviting feel. Stern uses color to give each page a distinct mood and the noticeable difference in the everyday palette and the action palette is well-balanced. The strategic use of the “action” colors create the electric energy that makes the arc finale so exciting.

Goldie Vance is the perfect series for all readers. Readers of all ages will likely enjoy Goldie’s tenacity, stubborn curiosity, and determination to do the right thing, and the puzzling and at times otherworldly whodunit is a sure attention-grabber.

Goldie Vance will return with Goldie Vance #5 in September.

Story: Hope Larson Art: Brittney Williams
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.

Preview: Goldie Vance #4

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Goldie Vance #4

Publisher: BOOM! Box, an imprint of BOOM! Studios
Writer: Hope Larson
Artist: Brittney Williams
Cover Artists:
Main Cover: Brittney Williams
Incentive Cover: Kelsey Beckett
Price: $3.99

Now an ongoing! Goldie discovers the truth behind Ludwig’s disappearance, but will she be able to find him before someone else does?

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Review: Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat #7

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hellcat7In Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat #7, writer Kate Leth, artist Brittney Williams, and colorist Megan Wilson wrap up the ongoing conflict between Patsy Walker and Hedy Wolfe, her former best friend who is making money off old comic books about her life. And along the way, they tell excellent Alias and She-Hulk stories paying homage to the work that Brian Michael Bendis, Michael Gaydos, Charles Soule, and Javier Pulido on these books while giving it a Hellcat twist. One of the nice things about a long shared universe that creators can use past relationships and narrative tricks to add layers to their story, and Leth does this especially in Patsy’s struggles with being the “star” of a romance comic as well as her terrible relationship with her mom, who tried to bargain Patsy’s life for her own on her deathbed.

This issue does get pretty serious with legal terminology flying everywhere, and Patsy being forced to relive her past too. But as in the previous six issues, Leth, Williams, and Wilson season the story with plenty of fun, bright colors, and some humorous cartooning from Williams. It is really clever how Williams incorporates gag panels into an arc of a superhero comic, such as fourth wall breaking shots of the artist herself getting Patsy to sign a book, Luke Cage reading his own comic (Power Man and Iron Fist) while Patsy and Jessica scheme, or Hedy and her evil cat Betty furiously reacting to Jessica Jones’ sarcasm in a scene that wouldn’t be out of place in an old Peanuts strip. These moments give a little comic relief from the darker places that Hellcat goes and show one of the advantages comics has as a medium: quick visual humor.

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Hellcat #7 also happens to be one of the best Jessica Jones stories in years even if the emotional focus is more on Patsy and to a lesser extent, Tom Hale, who reflects about living in Centerville (Patsy’s old home and the setting of the comics featuring her.) as a closeted gay man. Jessica gets to use her P.I. skills, wit, and even her superpowers to help find dirt on Hedy and help her fellow superhero, Hellcat. She plays an active role in the plot while also being a wife and mother as Luke and Dani come to the book signing. Patsy and Jessica don’t have the same bond that they do in the Jessica Jones TV show, but Leth and Williams start to forge a relationship between them as they have a contest to see who can jump, fly, or vault into Hedy’s window while swapping sarcastic banter. (Some dark colors from Megan Wilson makes these pages extra sneaky.)

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Like the first arc of Alias where Jessica protected Captain America’s secret identity, she ensures that Hedy doesn’t out Patsy to anyone who might harm her like the current court case where she is trying to get the rights back to the Patsy Walker romance comics. However, Leth takes an extra step and makes the subtext text by having a gay man, Tom Hale, talk about how he had to keep his sexuality under wraps while living in a small town, which is a relatable situation for many queer folks and also connects to Patsy wanting to give her secret identity only to her friends and confidants. And it’s a pretty powerful moment when Hellcat “transforms” back into Patsy Walker to confront Hedy about how her mom made life a literal hell for her, and that Hedy is continuing Dorothy Walker’s legacy by reaping the financial benefits. While Patsy is usually adorable smiles and winks, Brittney Williams gives her a fierce, intense expression to show she means business along with some big hand gestures.

Whereas Hellcat #5 was more of a traditional superhero brawl, Hellcat #7 is a mix of a legal drama and P.I. story that lets Kate Leth, Brittney Williams and Megan Wilson go a darker place plotwise and visually while showing the importance of friendship in Patsy’s life as Jessica Jones, Jennifer Walters, and even everyone’s favorite ginger bear Tom Hale help her finally get her life back and track so she can help the young superpowered people of New York also have better lives through her temp agency.

 

Story: Kate Leth Art: Brittney Williams Colors: Megan Wilson
Story: 8.5 Art: 9.5 Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Review: Goldie Vance #3

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goldievance-003-a-main-73fb8Hope Larson and Brittney Williams have already established a cast of well-rounded, well-developed characters and a compelling plot with the first two issues of Goldie Vance, and this allows the plot to advance quite a bit with Goldie Vance #3.

Despite inching closer to an explanation for Mr. Ludwig’s disappearance in the previous issue, Goldie now faces some consequences for her actions. Her rash actions have left her in a bit of a pickle, and meanwhile, the mystery of Ludwig and his curiously engraved necklace gets a little more complicated.

Larson’s skill as a writer is highlighted with each issue of Goldie Vance. There are several places where it would be easy to slip into a series full of teen detective tropes, but Larson and Williams navigate away from this and instead use the story and characters break several stereotypes. Two examples of this include Goldie and Cheryl being interested in cars and science, respectively, and the men in the story being the ones who fawn over the female characters rather than the other way around. The mystery in the story itself is engaging, with no obvious outcome, and all of these elements create a fresh and interesting detective story.

Goldie is a great character with a strong moral compass and wonderful supporting characters. The whole crew is diverse, both in interests and in appearance, something else that subverts the typical tropes that come with teen detective stories. Williams’s character designs are wonderfully expressive and consistently drawn. It’s easy to picture the series as an animated show, and it works so well as a comic that it’s not hard to see why the series has recently gone from a limited series to an ongoing one. Sarah Stern brings vibrance to the series with a palette of bright colors. The art gives the series a fun retro aesthetic with none of the terribly oppressive social politics. 

With a fantastic creative team and a smart, diverse group of characters, Goldie Vance is a comic appropriate for all ages and one that, luckily for readers, will be around for a while.

Story: Hope Larson Art: Brittney Williams
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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