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Bishop: War College #1 delivers a debut fans of the character will enjoy

Posted on February 11, 2023 by pharoahmiles

Having watched Black Panther: Wakanda Forever on Disney+ Plus a few days ago, I was blown away by how well the world building was. The death of Chadwick Boseman and the on-screen death of T’Challa, was meant for fans, cast and crew to mourn both. It was cathartic but at the same time, also reopened old wounds of the passing of Boseman.

What stood out about the film other than the mourning, was how the key characters reacted. For many, their pain of loss guided their actions throughout the film. They saw how easily their enemies looked to attack once they knew T’Challa had fallen. In the debut issue of Bishop: War College, we find a hero leading a team to protect an island paradise, one whose enemies are waiting to attack as well.

As the comic opens, we find Bishop pushing his newest cadets at his War College to beyond exhaustion. It’s to the point that it causes them call it quits on one of their first day. He gets visited Dani Moonstar, the new leader of the New Mutants, who warns him that he may be pushing them too hard. But Bishop’s fears are soon realized when the Von Strucker Twins show up on the shores of Krakoa. Bishop realizes he needs to change his teaching methods and eventually turns to Tempo for help showing a more human side for the character. But, when he is running a drill with her things go off the rails resulting in Bishop to disappear to an unknown location. By the issue’s end Bishop is in an unknown world and his cadets rendered powerless just as the real threat is made clear.

Overall, Bishop: War College #1 is a fun debut issue which potentially reinvigorates the franchise and character of Bishop. The story by J. Holtman is exciting. The art by the creative team is beautiful. Altogether, it’s a story that fans will more than enjoy.

Story: J. Holtham Art: Sean Damien Hill
Ink: Victor Nava, Roberto Poggi Color: Espen Grundetjern Letterer: Travis Lanham
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle

Bishop: War College #1 delivers a mixed start

Posted on February 8, 2023 by Brett

Lucas Bishop has been a character I’ve always felt was rather intriguing. His depiction over the years has been mixed but the idea of some attempting to prevent their horrific past is a quandary with a lot of potential. The fact it’s presented in a “police” framing makes it all the more intriguing, even though that aspect is danced around. Bishop: War College #1 opens up with that potential as Bishop is tasked with training young mutants as Krakoa’s Captain Commander. The country’s defense is on his shoulders as he continues his mission.

Written by J. Holtham, Bishop: War College #1 kicks off with Bishop being the angry, drill instructor, we’ve seen far too many times. Running mutants through war games, he’s attempting to prepare a group for the threats to come and at the same time rubbing quite a few people the wrong way. And that’s where Holtham’s writing gets interesting.

Bishop: War College #1 starts off with a lot of potential recognizing the conflict with Bishop. He’s a cop sent to the past to prevent a holocaust in the future and condemning an individual who may or may not commit a crime in the future. At the same time, he’s in the present and must build a life. We’ve seen the character go to extremes with these things but here it’s presented as a conflict within the man. And that’s the most interesting aspect. We see him attempt to balance his life while also haunted by what may come. And all of that rubs people the wrong way for various reasons.

But, the story takes a swerve as a threat presents itself sending the series in a different direction by the end of the issue. That direction could be interesting but is far from Bishop training a new generation of mutants to defend Krakoa. What’s revealed needs a bit of explanation as well as it feels like it drops Krakoa’s defenses a bit too easily, especially with what has been presented in the past. The fact no one has an idea some of these events are occurring is rather odd.

The art by Sean Damien Hill is good. There’s solid emotion throughout the issue and you can see the anger in Bishop and tiredness and frustration in others. The facial expressions and body language nails all of that really well. Hill is joined by Victor Nava and Roberto Poggi on ink, Espen Grundetjern on color, and Travis Lanham on lettering. Lanham’s lettering stands out as it really emphasizes the drill instructor aspect of Bishop the comic is going for. You can hear “again” being yelled over an over. While the art overall is good, there’s some panels and characters fall a little short, an example being when the issue’s villains are revealed.

Though the ending of the issue takes it in a different direction, Bishop: War College #1 is an intriguing start that lays the groundwork for an exploration of Bishop’s mission and drive. We’ll see if it continues this direction and dives in, as expected, in a “Scrooge” sort of story, but here’s hoping.

Story: J. Holtham Art: Sean Damien Hill
Ink: Victor Nava, Roberto Poggi Color: Espen Grundetjern Letterer: Travis Lanham
Story: 7.0 Art: 7.0 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle

Review: Savage Avengers #6

Posted on October 5, 2022 by Brett

With the Conan arc wrapped up, where can our group of time displaced heroes go next? The year 2099! Savage Avengers kicked things off with a Deathlok on the hunt for Conan sending the Cimmerian and a group of heroes back in time. The battle was fierce delivering a nice final arc for Conan in the Marvel Universe. The heroes adventure wasn’t over yet, with the end of the issue leaving them in the future. Savage Avengers #6 continues the shocking adventure as the series delivers more twists, turns, and reveals.

Written by David Pepose, Savage Avengers #6 continues to features the strength of his writing, the mix. Pepose, the writer behind indie comics like The Oz and Spencer & Locke, has a knack for taking familiar properties and delivering a new twist to them. So far, he’s done that in the first arc by both changing its setting from the previous “Savage” series, but also the ending. In this new arc we get the far flung 2099 but also some spins on characters.

The Savage Avengers are being pursued by the Punisher 2099 and eventually an army of Deathloks, hinting at the meta story from the first arc. But Pepose twists things further in ways having fun with the possibilities of a story in the future that can take advantage of the past.

The art by Carlos Magno helps it all with color by Espen Grundetjern and lettering by Travis Lanham. The comic is non-stop, a race in a way from the beginning. A pursuit leads to an escape which leads to further pursuit. With different “levels” and settings, the comic has an almost Warriors vibe about it. The art team help that frenetic space with visuals that deliver the action and it all looks great in its over the top ways (in a good way). Pepose delivers opportunity for some great visual “hell yeah” moments and everyone takes advantage of it.

Savage Avengers #6 continues a wild ride of a series that’s a hell of a lot of fun. It’s popcorn entertainment in the best way with crazy concepts and ideas that hint anything can happen. It’s the fun that comics should be.

Story: David Pepose Art: Carlos Magno
Color: Espen Grundetjern Letterer: Travis Lanham
Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle

Exclusive Preview: Savage Avengers #4

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Graphic Policy Team

Savage Avengers #4

(W) David Pepose (A) Carlos Magno
(C) Espen Grundetjern (L) Travis Lanham
(CA) Leinil Francis Yu and Sunny Gho
PARENTAL ADVISORY
In Shops: Aug 17, 2022
SRP: $3.99

WHO IS DEATHLOK? [[Consciousness rebooting…]]
Tasked with pursuing Conan the Barbarian, the cybernetic hunter known as Deathlok must now come to terms with his past. [[Where am I?]] And with Conan in the hands of Thulsa Doom, the Savage Avengers must turn to the unlikeliest of sources for aid. [[101100… Is that my face?]] How did one hero’s sacrifice lead to the end of the world? [[WARNING: Temporal safeties disengaged.]] Without their ticket back to the present, can the Savage Avengers stop Set’s return in the past – or will the snake god conquer the planet thousands of years ahead of schedule?

Review: Gambit #1

Posted on July 27, 2022 by Brett

Marvel has been on a nostalgia and retro kick lately. Creators go back in time to fill in gaps during their runs with new stories. Sometimes it works and sometimes it falls a bit flat. Gambit #1 is that type of story. It takes us back to the early days of Gambit and Ororo’s relationship. She’s been de-aged, now just a kid, and he has as thick of an accent as ever.

Chris Claremont, the writer of the time, returns to plot the tale and it’s as if he never left. That’s not necessarily a good thing. While the comic doesn’t quite have the same style Claremont used back in the day it picks up on the storylines with little refreshers. It’s been a long time since I read the original comics this revolves around. While I remember general plots specifics have long since gone. I found myself reading the issue feeling like I had missed something. Gambit #1 feels like you pick up a comic mid-way through its run.

That’s not a good feeling at all.

As such, I struggled to enjoy the comic until well into the issue. It began to focus a bit with its conflicts. While I don’t remember where the animosity came from, I could work with what was given. One person was bad and a major threat. Gambit and Ro are good. There you go, it’s all you need at that point. Of course that gets derailed as Claremont introduces a character at the end like we should know who it is. Maybe we should? Who knows. As I said, it’s been decades since I read the original comics.

The art by Sid Kotian is ok. It has a retro style to it in some ways but overall it’s a look I’m not a fan of. Beyond Gambit, the characters have a weird mix of 80s and 90s with shapes of heads often not quite right and details coming and going. Espen Grundetjern‘s color looks nice with again a bit of a blend between the 80s and 90s and Clayton Cowles provides the lettering. Just overall, it’s an art style I’m not a fan of. Nothing stands out as exciting and there’s some visuals that make no sense at all.

Gambit #1 plays into the nostalgia crowd. Unless you absolutely loved this moment for the X-Men, these characters, or Claremont, it’s an issue that doesn’t make a case of why it’s needed. It hasn’t yet revealed anything particularly interesting. It hasn’t made itself vital. It also has a choppy sense in its narrative. It feels like a missed opportunity for one of the best to return to revisit a classic era.

Story: Chris Claremont Art: Sid Kotian
Color: Espen Grundetjern Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Story: 7.0 Art: 7.0 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle

Review: Savage Avengers #1

Posted on May 21, 2022 by pharoahmiles

The 80s were known for some of the corniest movies ever made. The decade churned out some interesting subgenres along the way. It perfected and somehow bastardized the teen movie genre. The other genre that it was also known for was the urban horror genre.

The best known movie to come out of this genre is Candyman. The film touched upon many of the issues that still affect people who dwell there. One of my favorites, purely because of how crazy the concept is, is They Live. The one that forever stands out because I grew up on those same streets, are The Warriors, and things like what happened, is more than entirely possible.

In the debut issue of Savage Avengers, we find Conan returning to the Marvel Universe with a gang of misfits, as he is hunted much like the protagonists in the iconic film The Warriors, but by the invincible Deathlok. It feels like those classic 80s movies, a fun twist on the superhero genre.

We find Conan in New York City the modern era, as he uncovers the lair of the snake clan he once fought during the Hyborian Age. But, these present day disciples are no match. As Conan finishes off the last of these sycophants, an unlikely foe emerges, Deathlok, who acts as judge and jury, looking to erase the Cimmerian from the timeline. This battle gets the notice of the other heroes in the city, including Cloak & Dagger, Black Knight, Weapon H, Anti-Venom and Daredevil, while a mad bomb gets unleashed, releasing everyone’s darkest desires and deepest rage. By the issue’s end, the team is brought together and thrust into an interesting situation.

Overall, Savage Avengers #1 is a fun debut issue that perfectly blends high fantasy with urban fantasy. The story by Pepose is masterful. The art by the creative team is gorgeous. Altogether, it’s a wonderful re-introduction to the original Savage Avenger.

Story: David Pepose Art: Carlos Magno
Color: Espen Grundetjern Letterer: Travis Lanham
Story: 9.6 Art: 9.5 Overall: 9.7 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology/Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW

Review: Savage Avengers #1

Posted on May 18, 2022 by Brett

The mixing of Conan the Barbarian with Marvel’s characters has generally been good. While there’s been some bumps here and there, it’s been entertaining in a fish out of water sort of way. Surprisingly, the character has fit in to the more modern times and hasn’t felt as out of place as one would expect. Savage Avengers #1 kicks off the Cimmerian’s latest adventure as it brings together a new team of heroes and takes them on a wild ride.

Written by David Pepose, the comic’s focus is to set things up and it does that quite well. With Conan at the center, the initial conflict has the barbarian taking on Set cult who has acquired a mad bomb. But, that’s really just a distraction as the main story involves a Deathlok who has been sent to take out Conan for violating the time stream. As it happens, various heroes are brought into the fold, though those specifics are a little shaky. Savage Avengers #1 does a great job of giving each hero their moments so readers can get a good sense of who these characters are and what they bring to the team dynamic.

But it’s a comic written by David Pepose, so things get twisted up a bit as the end of the comic sends the heroes in a new direction that should deliver an intriguing new take on the Conan + team dynamic.

There’s also an intriguing aspect to the comic with the news that Marvel won’t be continuing their line of Conan comics. So, with Deathlok’s mission involving Conan committing a crime against the time stream, one wonders if the direction of the comic was impacted by that decision. It’d be easy to write away Conan in the Marvel Universe by having Deathlok succeed eventually.

Pepose is joined by Carlos Magno on art with color by Espen Grundet and lettering by Travis Lanham. It all looks great as expected with the character fitting together nicely. There’s a wide mix of fantasy, sci-fi, and superheroes here and nothing feels out of place at all. Each character has their distinct look down but together the visuals creates a team that feels like they naturally go together. There’s also a solid handling of the action which doesn’t get lost as each member does their thing in battle.

Savage Avengers #1 is a solid start to the series which brings together a motley crew. It takes the Conan + team dynamic we’ve seen before and shakes it up just enough to stand out from the previous volume. It also plays with a plot we’ve seen many times (robot from the future sent back to erase someone) but does so in a way that’s fun. It’s the start of what should be an entertaining adventure and with recent Conan news, a possibility anything’s on the table.

Story: David Pepose Art: Carlos Magno
Color: Espen Grundetjern Letterer: Travis Lanham
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology/Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW

Exclusive Preview: Kang the Conqueror #4 (of 5)

Posted on November 11, 2021 by Graphic Policy Team

Kang the Conqueror #4 (of 5)

(W) Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing (A) Carlos Magno (C) Espen Grundetjern (L) Joe Caramagna (CA) Mike Del Mundo (VCA) CAFU
RATED T+
In Shops: Nov 17, 2021
SRP: $3.99

• Unstoppable force meets immovable object as Nathaniel Richards’ mission to change his timeline slams into a horrible inevitability: the tragic fate of Kang’s great love, Ravonna Renslayer.
• Can young Kang avert catastrophe and find his way to a better future? Or is he doomed to repeat the same cycle of tragedy and violence for all eternity?

Review: Kang the Conqueror #1

Posted on August 18, 2021 by Brett

Lets be honest, Kang the Conqueror has a rather convoluted history when it comes to Marvel Comics. Alternate versions, fractured timelines, variants… Cable might be the only character whose history is crazier. With the character getting the spotlight, it’s no surprise that he’s getting a series for himself and one that looks to try to streamline his history. Or is that future? Maybe present? Kang the Conqueror #1 kicks things off in a story that takes us through the basics that we know and have generally been consistent.

Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly have the unenviable (maybe it’s enviable to them) to make sense of the rather convoluted history of Kang. The duo sticks to the basics with this debut issue. A weary, older Kang contacts a younger version of himself and takes him through a messed up version of “this is your life”. We learn the failures… and failures of Kang as he teaches his younger self where he messed up and what lessons need to be learned.

There’s something rather relatable to readers. It takes on the concept of what advice we’d give our younger self and takes it to an extreme. Lanzing and Kelly also deliver a solid amount of emotion. We can understand the hurt of the older Kang, especially for those who themselves have failed. In some ways it feels like it streamlines things in some ways. Try reading a wiki entry on the characters and you’ll understand what I mean.

The art by Carlos Magno is solid. The issue takes us through time so different settings. Different technology. The art handles it very well and all of it looks like it’s the same world. The far future and far past feel like they fit together. Magno also has some solid page layouts. There’s pages and spreads that’ll have you lingering on the pages just to take in the layout. What really surprises is how well the art pops as far as the emotion of the issue. It nails the rollercoaster of a ride between the two main characters. The color by Espen Grundethern and lettering by Joe Caramagna helps with that emotional ups and downs.

Kang the Conqueror #1 is a solid debut. It takes a rather complicated history and streamlines it in some ways. Add in some actual emotional ups and downs and you get a comic that’s a solid ride and entertaining. Where the series goes will be intriguing but right now even if it’s a comic version of “this is your life”, it’s a series that’ll be worth picking up just to understand Kang’s history.

Story: Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly Art: Carlos Magno
Color: Espen Grundetjern Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Story: 8.4 Art: 8.4 Overall: 8.4 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology – Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW

Preview: Kang the Conqueror #1 (of 5)

Posted on August 14, 2021 by Graphic Policy Team

Kang the Conqueror #1 (of 5)

(W) Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing (A) Carlos Magno (CA) Mike Del Mundo (VCA) Natacha Bustosm Juan Cabal, Carmen Nunez Carnero, Joshua Cassara, Iban Coello, Patrick Gleason, Peach Momoko, Todd Nauck, R.B. Silva, Skottie Young
Rated T+
In Shops: Aug 18, 2021
SRP: $4.99

THE ORIGIN OF KANG!
The man called Kang the Conqueror has been a pharaoh, a villain, a warlord of the space ways and even, on rare occasions, a hero. Across all timelines, one fact seemed absolute: Time means nothing to Kang the Conqueror.
But the truth is more complex. Kang is caught in an endless cycle of creation and destruction dictated by time and previously unseen by any but the Conqueror himself. A cycle that could finally explain the enigma that is Kang. And a cycle that begins and ends with an old and broken Kang sending his younger self down a dark path…

Kang the Conqueror #1 (of 5) — Mike Del Mundo

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