Tag Archives: matt milla

Night Thrasher #1 is a bit of a choppy start

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Night Thrasher #1

It’s time to thrash the night! The death of a loved one draws Dwayne Taylor back to New York City, though his days as Night Thrasher are long over. But Dwayne finds the past difficult to outrun when Silhouette, his ex-teammate from the New Warriors, seeks his help against a new criminal called THE O.G. And the mystery of the O.G.’s true identity and what’s to come will change Night Thrasher’s legacy forever! Night Thrasher #1 is an interesting start with a throwback stilted style about it.

Night Thrasher #1 is an interesting comic. It relies pretty heavily on continuity and these characters’ pasts to truly care about what’s going on. If there had been a regular series, recent comics, it’d all make a bit more sense in execution. As is, Night Thrasher #1 feels like a comic geared more towards die-hard fans invested in these characters mixed with some nostalgia.

Written by J. Holtham, Night Thrasher #1 isn’t so much a fresh start to jump into as it is a comic steeped in the past and character relationships. At the center is Dwayne Taylor, aka Night Thrasher, who mentions his history, disappearing, being dead, but with little detail. Then there’s Dwayne’s relationship with Silhouette which is key to the issue and it’s emotional punches. But again, unless you’re bought into and know their history, it all feels surface level informational not really tugging at the readers’ heart.

Holtham does deliver some interesting concepts, and the underlying bones of the story and comic are solid, it’s the focus on the past instead of charging into the future that really holds the comic back. Much like the issue of gentrification within, the comic’s story itself feels like it struggles between two worlds and needs of the reading audience.

The art by Nelson Daniel is ok. There’s a little John Romita Jr. flair to it with color by Matt Milla and lettering by Travis Lanham. The comic’s visuals aren’t too flashy and the overall style feels like an action style that Romita had in the 90s. It was good but also there’s a stilted flow to the art in some ways that also matches a stilted narrative.

Night Thrasher #1 isn’t a bad comic but it also doesn’t live up to its potential. A comic focused on gentrification while also exploring the stars of 90s comics to today would be a fascinating read. It dances around those concepts instead relying on reveals that are predictable but also only hit if you’re really into the New Warriors. Overall, the is a comic for Night Thrasher fans that others will likely want to skip.

Story: J. Holtham Art; Nelson Daniel
Color: Matt Milla 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 – Kindle

Preview: White Widow #3

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White Widow #3

(W) Sarah Gailey (A) Alessandro Miracolo
(C) Matt Milla (L) Travis Lanham
(CA) David Marquez (VCA) SAOWEE
Rated T+
In Shops: Jan 17, 2024
SRP: $3.99

When a shady corporation called Armament threatens Yelena Belova and her neighbors with eviction under suspicious circumstances, she decides to take the problem into her own hands. After all, there’s rarely a problem a little murder can’t solve! But Armament is not quite what it seems – and a single mistake could cost Yelena everything.

White Widow #3

Exclusive Preview: White Widow #3

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White Widow #3

(W) Sarah Gailey (A) Alessandro Miracolo
(C) Matt Milla (L) Travis Lanham
(CA) David Marquez (VCA) SAOWEE
Rated T+
In Shops: Jan 17, 2024
SRP: $3.99

When a shady corporation called Armament threatens Yelena Belova and her neighbors with eviction under suspicious circumstances, she decides to take the problem into her own hands. After all, there’s rarely a problem a little murder can’t solve! But Armament is not quite what it seems – and a single mistake could cost Yelena everything.

White Widow #3

White Widow #2 continues its twist as a better True Lies

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White Widow #2

The movie Don’t Worry Darling is a film which questions past and present concurrently. It features an idyllic environment, which plays out like a scene from the 1950s. All the characters seem perfect and their situations just as infallible This is where we, the audience, notice the  crevices which hide the cracks that allow us to surmise who they really were.

We soon find out that the whole movie was almost an explainer for the existence of incels. It shows just how fragile the male psyche is. Those facades they put on, are not for them, but for those who may be watching. In White Widow #2, Yelena pulls back the layers of the onion of who Armament is and why are these interested in the town of Idyllhaven.

We’re taken to a flashback where Yelena saves Wolverine from an assassination attempt, as she discovers someone is hunting supers for some reason but she also discovers that she may be looking for another occupation. This leads to a scene where Yelena is discussing an healthcare provider the different options she has under her HMO. This is when she runs into a few of her neighbors, some of which she has no clue who they really are, as one of them works for a shell corporation for Armament, which makes her even distrusting. By the issue’s end, Yelena discovers an assassin nearby and Armament uses a far more basic way to intimidate her, which only stirs the pot for her.

Overall, White Widow #2 is a better True Lies that we didn’t know we needed. The story by Sarah Gailey is fun. The art by the creative team is stunning. Altogether,a story that spills with suspense.

Story: Sarah Gailey Art: Alessandro Miracolo
Color: Matt Milla Letterer: Travis Lanham
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Kindle

Exclusive Preview: White Widow #2

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White Widow #2

(W) Sarah Gailey (A) Alessandro Miracolo
(C) Matt Milla (L) Travis Lanham
(CA) David Marquez (VCA) Elena Casagrande, Peach Momoko
Rated T+
In Shops: Dec 13, 2023
SRP: $3.99

Just as Yelena Belova begins to settle into life in suburbia as a consultant for honest, hardworking assassins, change comes in the form of Armament – a company whose endeavors seem to infiltrate every aspect of life in the tiny town of Idyllhaven. But what exactly is Armament’s interest in Idyllhaven – and what does it have to do with Yelena’s rogue mentees?

White Widow #2

White Widow #1 shows potential but doesn’t nail the opening

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White Widow #1

Yelena Belova returns! Superspy. Rogue agent. Shadow of the Black Widow. Yelena Belova has been many things, but striking out as a hero in her own right is new to her. Now that she’s finally free to choose her own path, who will she become? With the spotlight coming on the big screen, Marvel is ramping up the spotlight on Belova, the White Widow, kicking things off with White Widow #1… and it’s an ok start.

Written by Sarah Gailey, there’s a lot ot like about White Widow #1. Where it’s good, it’s really good but overall the plot is a bit odd and a headscratcher. Yelena is trying to figure things out in her life. She’s moved to a town away from all of the superheroes and running her own business, acting as a mentor to other assassins and spies. She lives in a house with a bunch of other quirky characters and of course has a dog she adores. With her life being either controlled or stolen from her, she’s on a mission to figure things out. That includes small details about her likes, dislikes, and what she’s neutral about. And that’s where the issue shines.

Gailey delivers a fun comic showing off the quirks of Belova as she literally makes a list of the small details of her life. We get to see her thoughts laid out in lists and quips like Ladybugs don’t have enough spots. It’s a minor thing in the big picture but it gives personality to the character and delivers some laughs. That concept of trying to find one’s path is perfect for White Widow, a character who has mostly played a secondary role in the Marvel Universe. Gailey’s focus on that, and her lists, emphasizes this is a character who has never quite fit one column herself, being a villain, hero, and something else depending on the situation.

Where the comic stumbles is the big picture villain and that might have to do with the fact it’s a monthly comic and not a graphic novel to be read in one sitting. Of course there’s bad things happening in the small town she has moved to. A mysterious company has been buying up all of the businesses in the town and even has gone so far to send an assassin to try to intimidate the last owner and Yelena to sell out. It’s all a little over the top going from 0 to 60 without any escalation. Wouldn’t you just send some punks or gang to start? Why an augmented assassin? And of course the town Yelena just so happens to move to is having this problem.

The fact Yelena also seems to be struggling to connect the dots when things are so obvious is a little frustrating. The company doing the purchasing is also the same company trying to hire her mercenary/assassin proteges. The connection feels obvious but plays out in an odd way. Yelena immediately going into action to hunt down the company feels much more logical than what happens in the comic. The tactics used by the evil corporation also feels so over the top as presented as well, but once we get a better idea as to their wants, maybe it’ll make a bit more sense.

The art by Alessandro Miracolo is good. With color by Matt Milla and lettering by Travis Lanham, the comic has a nice balance in the visuals. There’s some action, some lighthearted moments, some comedy, and it all works. There’s also some solid layouts and design to introduce readers not just to Yelena but also the town and other characters. What particularly stands out is Yelena’s lists. While not everything is 100% readable, it feels like the comic goes out of its way for you to get a chance to read most of it or enough to guess as to what’s covered up. It’s a nice detail that adds a lot to the comic and delivers some solid humor.

White Widow #1 is an ok start overall. There’s a lot to like and the details deliver a fun read. But, it’s big picture plot feels a bit convoluted and as presented doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. That all could change as the series progresses but if you’re diving in, come for the cool action and decent laughs, just don’t think too much about anything else.

Story: Sarah Gailey Art: Alessandro Miracolo
Color: Matt Milla Letterer: Travis Lanham
Story: 7.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Preview: White Widow #1

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White Widow #1

(W) Sarah Gailey (A) Alessandro Miracolo
(C) Matt Milla (L) Travis Lanham
(CA) David Marquez (VCA) Adam Hughes, Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, Declan Shalvey, Leirix
Rated T+
In Shops: Nov 01, 2023
SRP: $4.99

Yelena Belova returns! Superspy. Rogue agent. Shadow of the Black Widow. Yelena Belova has been many things, but striking out as a hero in her own right is new to her. Now that she’s finally free to choose her own path, who will she become? Sarah Gailey (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Eat the Rich) joins forces with Alessandro Miracolo (Obi-Wan, Yoda) for a groundbreaking new chapter in the life of one of Marvel’s most enigmatic antiheroes.

White Widow #1

Exclusive Preview: White Widow #1

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White Widow #1

(W) Sarah Gailey (A) Alessandro Miracolo
(C) Matt Milla (L) Travis Lanham
(CA) David Marquez (VCA) Adam Hughes, Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, Declan Shalvey, Leirix
Rated T+
In Shops: Nov 01, 2023
SRP: $4.99

Yelena Belova returns! Superspy. Rogue agent. Shadow of the Black Widow. Yelena Belova has been many things, but striking out as a hero in her own right is new to her. Now that she’s finally free to choose her own path, who will she become? Sarah Gailey (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Eat the Rich) joins forces with Alessandro Miracolo (Obi-Wan, Yoda) for a groundbreaking new chapter in the life of one of Marvel’s most enigmatic antiheroes.

White Widow #1

Mini Reviews: Hawkgirl, Fall of X, Gotham at War, and a blackout drunk PI!

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Uncanny Avengers #2

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Hawkgirl #3 (DC Comics) – Kendra, Galaxy, and Argus hit the road and fight the Court of Owls in Gotham with the assistance of Batman and Chef Alysia Yeoh in Hawkgirl #3. Artist Amancay Nahuelpan‘s visual tricks and skill with layouts get a workout beginning with a hilarious, yet epic riff on “I’m Batman”. He and writer Jadzia Axelrod continue to have wonderful chemistry as she puts captions revealing Kendra’s inner thoughts, and he brings the fisticuffs and handles the shift in timelines with style and grace. Letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou also adds flavor to Axelrod’s dialogue with his bubbles, font choices, and timely capitalizations and underlining and highlights some big emotional beats like Galaxy’s insecurity around Batman or Kendra’s nigh-metafictional rage about how she’s been treated by different characters in the DC Universe over the year. Hawkgirl #3 is a fun team-up, adds depth to Galaxy and Kendra’s characters, and also progresses the Nth metal mystery plotline as the book continues to be one of the cutest, gayest, and most badass current comics on the stands. Overall: 8.8 Verdict: Buy

Brett

The Blackout Bombshell #1 (Sumerian) – Written by Louis Southard with art by Dean Kotz, color by Patrick Buermeyer, and lettering by Buddy Beaudoin, The Blackout Bombshell #1 nails everything you’d want in a PI/noir story. The private dick is a… dick, a blackout drunk who can’t remember why he wants to find a mysterious woman. She also just so happened to show up at his door and tried to kill him. Then there’s an attorney who himself has some ethical and personal issues. An ever growing pile of dead bodies are mixed in and it’s all set in a post Vietnam world, and you’ve got an intriguing start that’s full of individuals you want to slap. The art is solid, using a noir-ish style but a more modern setting. It all comes together for a start that fans of detective stories will want to get. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

Avengers Inc. #1 (Marvel) – Writer Al Ewing, artist Leonard Kirk, colorist Alex Sinclair, and letterer Cory Petit deliver an intriguing Avengers team that mixes your typical spandex superheroes with a bit of a detective/crime spin. It all works well setting things up for what should be something a bit different from your regular Avengers title. The art by Kirk and the team is solid with colors popping to set up each scene. Overall: 8.25 Verdict: Buy

Catwoman #57 (DC Comics) – The third part of “The Gotham War,” writer Tini Howard, artist Nico Leon, colorist Veronica Gandini, and letterer Lucas Gattoni give us events from Catwoman’s perspective. It’s a decent entry in the crossover event as she must figure out how to proceed through Batman’s stubbornness. But, the comic also focuses a lot on the Red Hood, almost distracting from the title character. The end adds a bit of a wrinkle to the story but beyond that, the entry is rather forgettable. Overall: 7.25 Verdict: Read

Alpha Flight #2 (Marvel) – Overall, Alpha Flight’s entry in Fall of X has been entertaining by predictable. Written by Ed Brisson with art by Scott Godlewski, color by Matt Milla, and lettering by Travis Lanham, it hasn’t surprised too much. Still, it’s interesting to see this sort of resistance against Orchis and the government’s bending to their will. While the overall story follows the beats you’d expect, individual choices and moments stand out. The art is good and the characters all look like the Alpha Flight we love with some nice fights and dynamic moments. Still, the comic feels like it’s playing it a bit safe instead of pushing the underlying concepts and themes of Fall of X. Overall: 7.5 Verdict: Read

Dark X-Men #2 (Marvel) – Writer Steve Foxe, artist Jonas Scharf, colorist Frank Martin, and letterer Clayton Cowles continue to deliver what is the standout of Fall of X. The team is dysfunctional but on a mission that’s familiar, save mutants. But, it’s that dysfunction of this misfit team that really stands out and nails the spirit and classic feel of the X-Men. Add in solid art and some dynamic visual moments and you have a comic series you hope continues well after this storyline event ends. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Uncanny Avengers #2 (Marvel) – Writer Gerry Duggan, artist Javier Garron, colorist Morry Hollowell, and letterer Travis Lanham take on the newest unity team as they fight Captain Krakoa and the new iteration of the Mutant Liberation Front. There’s a lot of interesting moments but really we just want to find out who is under the mask of Captain Krakoa, and we’re given a major hint here. Overall, the comic is entertaining enough with some decent action and good art but it feels like a piece of a puzzle rather than a comic that stands on its own. It’s only job is to get the plot from point A to point C, when it could be far more. Overall: 7.75 Verdict: Read

Uncanny Spider-Man #1 sends Kurt on a story of redemption

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Uncanny Spider-Man #1

On the darkest of days, he is the spark in the shadows! After the devastating events of the Hellfire Gala, Kurt Wagner is on the run – and having the time of his life?! Swashbuckling about NYC in disguise, the Uncanny Wallcrawler sets aside his mutant angst and dedicates himself to the hero’s life: saving civilians, hanging with fellow wallcrawlers, battling baddies, and hunting down the best pizza on the planet. But he can’t ignore the mutant plight forever… Uncanny Spider-Man #1 kicks off the next journey for Kurt as he attempts to find redemption and heal from his past.

Written by Si Spurrier, Uncanny Spider-Man #1 is an interesting comic. It’s entertaining and fun overall really emphasizing the playful nature of Nightcrawler. But, it also feels a bit odd in its focus on things that shouldn’t be all that new and surprising for Kurt.

The comic takes us through some adventures of Kurt as he stops bad guys and has run in with Sentinels. It’s all fun action but overall it’s the other moments that really stand out. We get a hurt and still healing Kurt talking to Spider-Man about his current status. The conversation is interesting with real heart and plays off the personalities of the two quite well. But, the negative, is Spurrier’s focus on Kurt the outsider. There’s a focus on his attempt at banter with villains and pizza. The idea of Kurt not knowing pizza all that well feels a bit odd like he’s treated as brand new to New York City and the US as a whole. It just doesn’t feel like something he’d be so surprised about, enjoy like TMNT sure, but there’s a weird focus on it in the comic. But, Spurrier really nail’s Kurt’s playfulness and juxtaposes it with Peter Parker Spider-Man to show that when it comes to other characters donning Spider-Man’s costume, he’s not that odd of a choice.

Lee Garbett‘s art is entertaining. With color by Matt Milla and lettering by Joe Caramagna, the comic has a swashbuckling nature about it, a modern day Three Muskateers vibe as Kurt bamfs in to save the day. Like the story itself, the visuals play off what makes him an interesting character. There’s the exaggerated poses, the bamf, and the tail that make him stand out. There’s also a slight darkness about the comic too which reflects the sad nature of it all as Kurt must clear his name and find direction.

Uncanny Spider-Man #1 is a fun read but there’s moments the characterization of Nightcrawler seems a bit odd and outdated. Still, it’s an interesting new take for the character and with what’s teased, a hell of a big deal for what’s to come for the entire X-Men line.

Story: Si Spurrier Art: Lee Garbett
Color: Matt Milla Letterer: Joe Caramagna Design: Tom Muller, Jay Bowen
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

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