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Review: Jungle Girl Season 3 #3

Posted on June 22, 2015 by

Although the sub-genre of jungle comics is one which has a solid foundation in the golden age of comics, it is also one which is limited in both its appeal and its ability to impress. In the early golden age when the jungle comics were originally introduced, there was only 7 or 8 decades since when Africa and India were being heavily colonized by the European powers, and without the advent of mass media, there was still very much the feeling of the exotic when it came to these places. Now further separated from this era in time, and far better able to access these remote areas through all forms of media, there is less place in popular culture for stories featured around the jungle.

It is likely there that the creative team got behind this issue got to this mish-mash of story telling. Jana’s jungle island is already one which is intersected by other sub-genres, notably the apocryphal dinosaur setting. Those reading this series at the moment might think that Jungle Girl is even a bit of a misnomer. The titular series heroine Jana is after all dressed in a black catsuit which would be more at place in an espionage story and her main enemies seem to be some kind of extraterrestrials. She still has her old enemies, the Dirt People, to deal with, but there is definitely a bit of science fiction mixed into this jungle fantasy.

While the mish-mash of genres doesn’t seem like it would produce anything of note, it actually manages to do so. Conversely it is not as though this is amazing story telling or a gripping plot, but it contains pretty much what one would expect out of a series called Jungle Girl, a cool heroine embroiled in adventure, and in the case of this series, with a heavy dose of humor thrown in. That the story doesn’t necessarily follow a jungle story line makes the title of the series a bit of a misnomer, but it doesn’t make the series any less fun.

Story: Frank Cho and Doug Murray Art: Jack Jadson
Story: 7.7 Art: 7.7 Overall: 7.7 Recommendation: Read

Dynamite provided Graphic Policy with a free copy for review

Review: Blood Queen vs. Dracula #4

Posted on June 4, 2015 by

Although full of potential, this series has mostly been a non-starter to this point. It features one of history’s and literature’s greatest criminals against a character that was created for Dynamite just over a year ago. While the pedigree of the characters is far off, the powers are not and so this series might have seemed like a solid idea heading in. Immediately though there was a huge discrepancy in the portrayal of the characters, as Dracula essentially did as he wished and as Elizabeth, the blood queen, struggled to compete with him at her every deceptive turn. Her previous ploys were met with easily by the dark lord and this entire series might have seemed almost pointless at some points, using a high profile character to raise the awareness of another lesser known one.

Throughout the series the focus has been mostly on Elizabeth. As a player trying to establish herself in mid-Medieval times in Eastern Europe, she planned to remove Dracula from those that she had to deal with, as an early alliance turned into betrayal. Although this could be a fairly generic fantasy setting it was given a bit of extra grounding in reality with the incorporation of the marching Ottoman army, eager to make up ground lost to the prince of darkness. The three destined to a final battle and this final issue has it.

This series being from an independent publisher, it doesn’t really have the chance to catch up in later issues as if it didn’t catch readers in the first issue then it was likely going to be ignored. In this case it is too bad as this final issue represents the best of the series. Dracula and the Blood Queen finally square off against each other, and while she proved unable to deal with him on a tactical level through subterfuge, the two are at least relatively well matched in personal battle. So too does the dialogue finally meet somewhat what is expected from this series, as the two strong characters finally converse on equal terms. As the Ottomans finally arrive the ending to the series might seem a bit too obvious, which is a minor letdown, but overall this was the best issue of the series.

Story: Troy Brownfield Art: Kewber Baal
Story: 7.9 Art: 7.9 Overall: 7.9 Recommendation: Read

Dynamite Provided Graphic Policy with a free copy for review.

Review: Blood Queen Vs. Dracula #3

Posted on April 28, 2015 by

From its very beginning this did not seem like a fair fight. On the one hand is a relatively new character introduced into a fantasy realm, and on the other hand one of history’s and literature’s most fearsome villains. Though various versions of the character of Dracula exist, from the mostly historical version to embellished versions of him in unconventional genres, be that in X-Men comics or fighting Billy the Kid in 1960s B-movies. He is an easy character to cheer against, as he is the embodiment of pure evil. The problem with this series has not been his evil, but that of Elizabeth the Blood Queen. Even against the evil of Dracula she is not really a sympathetic character, with her own designs for conquest and power, in this case going directly through the famous famous vampire.

This third issue picks up in the wake of the failed assassination attempt by Elizabeth’s men against Dracula. While there are a few potential directions in which this could have gone, the one taken here is novel enough, as Elizabeth is faced with a sequence of her own entourage, who are either acting as undead messengers for their new lord, or straight out trying to kill Elizabeth themselves. Some of these encounters end quickly and others are drawn out. As Elizabeth deals them a true death oen after the other, it sets the stage for her showdown with Dracula himself, carefully hovering in the shadows until he is ready to strike.

While the approach is interesting enough, there is also not as much to keep the reader interested. This ends up being simply a sequence of one on one melees, most of which end quickly and in relatively similar ways. Of course, this issues sets up the series for what is undoubtedly the sole concrete concept in the entire series, and that is to face off the two eponymous characters against each other. In that, this issue succeeds in thrusting them together, but equally it leaves the impression that this alone is not sufficient enough to base a short series around. Perhaps there are greater plans for the series which involve the occasionally-seen Ottomans, but after this issue the series seems to be more forgettable than it had been previously.

Story: Troy Brownfield Art: Kewber Baal
Story: 7.2 Art: 7.2 Overall: 7.2 Recommendation: Pass

Dynamite Provided Graphic Policy with a free copy for review.

Review: Lady Demon #4

Posted on April 7, 2015 by

It is perhaps still a little unclear about what Dynamite aims to accomplish with its Chaos imprint. There was some interest initially around these titles, but as they were rolled out it became evident that perhaps there was little different about them that wasn’t already on the market. After all by resurrecting the likes of Vampirella, Dynamite already had a supernatural bad girl on its hands, and it wasn’t even that successful at maintaining interest in her. If there is to be any future for the imprint though, it will rest in series that can produce similar quality as this series. Although this series is no great standard bearer in terms of its exceptional quality, it was a fun read throughout, which was brought to a close in the entertaining final issue.

A lot of this series relied on the simplistic setting of rural Arkansas as opposed to other series which have focused on political bickering within the realms of Hell. This added human element is where this series succeeded, even if the series was fairly heavy on action throughout. This final issue is no different, as while there are some slower moments between mother and daughter and between Lady Demon and Violet, it mostly focuses on the battle between those calling upon an ancient destroyer versus those few who are trying to stop it.

It is the strength of character that is built into Violet which allows this series to succeed, and this final issue is indicative of the series throughout. There are some fun action sequences, perhaps none of which is particularly memorable, but equally this series had more than a few redeeming factors. It is a better mix of the supernatural into daily life than what many are able to achieve, partially because they kept it simple and focused on basics.

Story: Aaron Gillespie Art: Juanan Ramirez
Story: 8.2 Art: 8.2 Overall: 8.2 Recommendation: Read

Dynamite provide Graphic Policy with a free copy for review

Review: Vampirella #11

Posted on April 7, 2015 by

After the long and choppy first story arc and plot from this new series, the second has taken on a different tone. Although there is still some degree of supernatural action, the story is seemingly directed towards a different focus, one of world building for Vampirella. As a cult character from the 1960s that has morphed in one that is mainstream enough, the one thing lacking from the character is continuity as well as a decent repertoire of villains. There are always the denizens of Hell or vampires for her to fight, but in the history of her publication there has never really been one consistent adversary (other than Dracula who doubles as an adversary for lots of people.) Over the previous few issue, the story has included a lot of exposition as to the backgrounds of other characters, some of whom are to presumably become constant allies and others that will become recurring foes.

The problem with this approach has been one of a false starts, as often when it seems that it is time to move the plot along, that the story jumps back into some other character’s origin. This has resulted in some less exciting issues, even while it fills out the necessary background for what are mostly brand new characters (or at least repurposed characters). This issue takes the same approach, except this time focuses much more on a single origin, that of Cain, and tells of his link to Vampirella and Draculina.

This issue ends up being the most entertaining in this run as it decides to put its focus mainly on one story instead of several. Equally though, it is not a pulse pounding issue where readers will turn the pages. At the very least this issue should contain the last of these origins and should allow the series to proceed at a somewhat normal pace moving forward. There is potential here now for a stronger universe of characters for Vampirella to interact with, and if that was the sole goal of the previous issue then it was successful, and now it is left for the creative team to use what they have for some engaging stories as they move forward.

Story: Nancy A. Collins Art: Patrick Berkenkotter
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Read

Dynamite provided Graphic Policy with a free copy for review.

Review: Jungle Girl Season 3 #1

Posted on April 6, 2015 by

Jungle Girl is a bit of an oddity in the modern medium of comics. Although she is seemingly loosely based on the same character from the Hanna-Barbera, her presence in comics serves as a distant echo to a time when the medium was dominated by jungle stories. Just as Archie Comics remains as essentially the last of what was once the romance genre, so too are the stories of Lana the last of what was once a healthy dose of jungle ladies, among them Nyoka, Cave Girl and Sheena.

The story unfolds here heavily tying into the events of season 2. Lana is with her new companion, Mike, and they are forced to deal with numerous threats at once. She fears that she has angered an ancient god, and this god is spreading chaos across the island. This causes a number of natural disturbances, among which is a huge stampede of the prehistoric animals which has to be stopped. Among the many occurrences as well is the appearance of something in the sky which evidently does not belong on the island, and its role is brought into question as they prepare to deal with the disturbances.

The entire issue is fun enough, they heavier on action and lighter on plot. Those interested in seeing what the modern medium might look like if the jungle stories had kept the same appeal will be happy with this adaptation, as Lana is not always presented in leopard bikini (instead getting a head to tow body suit) and is shown as a fairly strong character despite most jungle girls of the past being often being relegated to damsels in distress. This is not a masterpiece, but it is still a fun romp through a lost world with a fun and engaging female protagonist.

Story: Frank Cho and Doug Murray Art: Jack Jadson
Story: 7.8 Art: 7.8 Overall: 7.8 Recommendation: Read

Dynamite provided Graphic Policy with a free copy for review

Review: Blood Queen vs. Dracula #2

Posted on March 30, 2015 by

For those that enjoyed the short lived Blood Queen series last year, they likely would have been a little disappointed with the first issue of this new series. The Blood Queen who was established as a complex enough character was reduced to a one-dimensional killer and Dracula was shown with all the depth of a historical anecdote. In comparison of issue #1 to #2, it is a bit more evident why that was the case. The second issue deals with a lot closer representation of the two, especially for the Blood Queen to her own presentation thus far in the short history of her published stories.

The story follows off from the end of the first issue. The Blood Queen is presenting an association to Dracula, she serves as his wife and equal as they join their kingdoms and their power. As will be seen later, some of this is well written as it comes off being a true battle of the wits, but some of it is poorly conceived, as characters say things about events which foreshadow a knowledge which they possibly couldn’t have. The action then moves on to the Ottomans, whose mages are debating how to proceed after a dangerous vision. It was a nice touch in the first issue to include the Ottomans as it made the tie to the real world a lot more evident, and this second issue does the same, even if they are bit less realistic with their use of magic. The action then moves back to the combined envoy of the Blood Queen and Dracula. This is where the two characters finally show their true marks, and fans of the Blood Queen from her original series will probably appreciate this series more after seeing this.

This series still has its flaws but it is at least proceeding in a direction which is more true to both characters. The first issue might have left readers thinking that the series should be called “Blood Queen Marries Dracula”, but this issue puts the “versus” back into it, and in a dramatic enough fashion. This series and this issue still have some problems, but at least it seems to be headed in a better direction after this second issue.

Story: Troy Brownfield Art: Kewber Baal
Story: 7.6 Art: 7.6 Overall: 7.6 Recommendation: Read

Dynamite Provided Graphic Policy with a free copy for review.

Review: Legenderry Green Hornet #2

Posted on March 23, 2015 by

Of all of the sub-genres of science fiction, it is likely steampunk that is the most quirky and visually appealing. With that in mind, as with any overly appealing visual material, creative teams in comics can get away with a bit of leeway before having to produce the same level of quality in a plot as what the visual element provides. Thus the second issue of Legenderry for both Vampirella and Red Sonja didn’t meet the expectations of the first issue, but the trend is interrupted with the second issue of Green Hornet. The first issue after all relied the least on the steampunk inspiration, acting as something more akin to a Green Hornet story from the television show.

It should be said though that the first issue was inundated with villains, and that is not aided here with the introduction of about twice as many again. Despite the abundance of villains the plot is not very complicated, although it is important to realize who is who. Instead the plot focuses on them one at a time and manages the keep its own momentum going with well paced action sequences including an interrogation and a big throwdown between the Hornet and Kato versus some new henchmen. And although literary nonsense is a separate genre from steampunk, the two are often paired together, and so it is nice to see some references to the Wizard of Oz.

These series thus finds a way to not rely too heavily on its setting to tell its story, which seems to be the case for the other two Legenderry titles after their second issues. This is still a highly stylistic world in which everything is possible through the power of copper and steam, but Legenderry Green Hornet manages to blend into the world better than others, despite being the least popular of the three and despite having the weakest lead-in issue. This is of course still a story and a series which is going of greatest interest to those that like the genre, but this issue proves that the genre is not a handicap for a good story.

Story: Daryl Gregory Art: Brent Peeples
Story: 8.3 Art: 8.3 Overall: 8.3 Recommendation: Read

Dynamite provided Graphic Policy with a free copy for review.

Review: Legenderry Red Sonja #2

Posted on March 18, 2015 by

With a highly stylized concept and setting such as steampunk to work with, it is necessary in terms of plot to establish something which doesn’t simply rely on the novelty of the particular fantasy world. In terms of the Legenderry spin-off series from Dynamite, this has been the case thus far. It has been interesting to see familiar character re-imagined with a different inspiration, but without a story to back it up it therefore becomes all about the visual experience as opposed to the plot. The first issue of Red Sonja was the one which was the least influenced by the steampunk, but it was also the one that was the least engaging, even if it was entirely fun as a reading experience.

The first issue finished off with the revelation of Lady Frankenstein as the figure lurking in the shadows, and it tied the series into the steampunk setting much more than portraying Sonja as a pirate. The problem with the Frankenstein stories is that they do not fit exactly within the realm of steampunk. The genre sees the technoligical progress at the time of being able to achieve the impossible, at least in the minds of Verne and the others that wrote the science fiction of the time. Frankenstein is a different form of science fiction, one that is much more cautionary in its outlook, as man is warned not to mess with the forces of nature. As a tie-in to steampunk it initially fit well with Red Sonja as a steampunk pirate, but the reintroduction for the umpteenth time in comic history of the story of Frankenstein drags this issue back a bit, especially as it comes early on. What follows is a decent chase sequence and even includes a much more direct reference to Verne, even if it not a particularly deep story.

This series continues to be a fun read, but little beyond that. It will not really disappoint, and especially not for those that like steampunk as the genre is rarely given any attention. Equally this is not a great comic and it is not even really a good one. It is a piece of fun fluff and while it strives to be better, it is too limited by its own crossing over of different characters to achieve what it is going for. It is less than the sum of its parts, but those parts still make it above average.

Story: Marc Andreyko Art: Aneke
Story: 7.7 Art: 7.7 Overall: 7.7 Recommendation: Read

Dynamite provided Graphic Policy with a free copy for review

Review: Lady Demon #3

Posted on March 18, 2015 by

Of the two Chaos imprint releases so far for Dynamite, Lady Demon was met with the lesser fanfare than Purgatori. The character was a lesser known one going back to the Bad Girl era of the 1990s, but as Purgatori stumbled into its release, Lady Demon has provided a tight story throughout. There are a couple of reasons for that, but they mostly come down to one commonality, a more focused story line. Thus while Purgatori was all over Earth and into Hell to tell her story, Lady Demon has focused instead on the role of Violet in her small town and the satanic cult which has been present but unseen for some time.

This third issue of four develops some of the back story, made easier by the appearance of her mother at the end of the previous issue. It turns this issue into a half and half mix of Violet’s background story combined with an assault on the cult by her and her mother. As her back story is revealed, it becomes evident that Violet has been a part of this plot for longer than she could have known and that the people in her life were not as they seemed.

It is a simple story in a sense, but the simplicity is what makes this work. Violet is an approachable character, easy to sympathize with but also written to be tough and able to direct her own fate, and her surrounding characters do not demand attention from her. Even compared to her alter ego of Lady Demon, Violet mostly steals the show here. It is still not a great comic, and the lack of quality of the Bad Girl era is still here, but it is nice to see in the Chaos reboot that a strong solid story can be told with a strong character as the lead.

Story: Aaron Gillespie Art: Mirka Andolfo
Story: 8.2 Art: 8.2 Overall: 8.2 Recommendation: Read

Dynamite provide Graphic Policy with a free copy for review

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