matt wilson Archives - Page 2 of 9

Tag Archives: matt wilson

The Whisper Queen: A Blacksand Tale #1 Starts an Emotional Fantasy Adventure

Posted on May 2, 2024 by Brant Lewis

With the king of Blacksand murdered, a team of bounty hunters tracks the murderers throughout the land. The king’s former court assassin, Javro, learns of the news and must find the bounty hunters, including her son and the killers, before the deadly ghost known as the Dark Whisper reaches them. The talented team of Chip Zdarsky and Kris Anka return to the world of Blacksand with The Whisper Queen: A Blacksand Tale #1, which has a perfect mix of fantasy, intrigue, and sensuality.

In the same fantasy setting as the previous miniseries, Zdarsky focuses on a new cast of characters in a different part of the world. I appreciate his penchant for world-building within context clues of conversations and other natural ways while letting the readers fill in the blanks. His greater focus lies within the characters and their relationship with how they see and interact with the world instead of having the reader look in as an outside observer. The lived-in nature of the world makes it feel like a living, breathing world whose surface has barely scratched. It’s a beautiful setting which is also unapologetically queer as well.

Javro is a compelling protagonist whose mysterious past provides a substantial investment for readers to latch onto. Seeing only glimpses of her past and initially being locked up by the dead king, I instantly wanted to learn more about her and how she got into this predicament. A party of three women provides a viewpoint different from the male group in the previous series. Zdarsky also establishes the shared history of Javro, Telkwa, and Waltax, making their relationships feel more realistic and lived with set dynamics and conflicts. Elements and themes such as parents looking after their children, the lead character’s dark secret, and the quest to find their child make The Whisper Queen: A Blacksand Tale #1 a mirror to The White Trees, where they are conversing with each other.

The highly talented work of Anka makes a much-welcome return, where he crafts a stunning world filled with fantastical settings, fantastic character designs, and plenty of sex appeal. Anka is not afraid to make passion drip off the page as he gorgeously draws a beautiful world filled with even more sumptuous characters. In addition, Anka nails intrigue and action with his super clean style and lines. Returning colorist Matt Wilson and new letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou help the fantasy setting feel more original and unique while tying in with the previous miniseries.

Despite five years since the previous miniseries ended, Zdarsky and Anka return in full force in their strong follow-up The Whisper Queen: A Blacksand Tale #1. With an exciting new trio of characters with a thrilling emotional and action-filled adventure, the issue lives up to the massive built-up hype. Mature in its storytelling and art, the story feels like the best type of fantasy. So, journey to the Blacksands and follow the party on their upcoming travels.

Story: Chip Zdarsky Art: Kris Anka
Color: Matt Wilson Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Story: 9.3 Art: 9.6 Overall: 9.4 Recommendation: Read

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

NYCC 2023: Avengers Assemble and more during Marvel’s Avengers Assemble panel!

Posted on October 13, 2023 by Graphic Policy Team

At New York Comic 2023, Marvel revealed what’s coming for the Avengers in the next few months during the Avengers Assemble: A This Week in Marvel Special Event. The panel was held on Thursday and revealed teases of art and more for issues coming out between now and February 2024.

Avengers United

Avengers United #1 is out now on Marvel Unlimited having launched during the panel. The start of a new Avengers epic as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes assemble in response to an impending interstellar disaster! Avengers United is by writer Derek Landy, art by Marcio Fiorito, and color by Erick Arciniega.

Avengers #7

Out on November 1, interior artwork for Avengers #7 was revealed. Avengers #7 is from writer by Jed MacKay, art by C.F. Villa, and color by Federico Blee.

Avengers #9

The Avengers battle the Twilight Court…for the sake of Kang the Conqueror? The Twilight Court wishes to bring Kang to justice, but the Avengers still have need of the comatose conqueror. Which side can claim to truly be just?

Avengers #9 arrived January 10 from writer Jed MacKay, art by C.F. Villa, and a cover by Stuart Immonen you can see below.

Avengers #10

As the Avengers battle the Twilight Court, the mysterious Myrddin has his rival within reach. With Kang being the only source of information the Avengers have regarding the Tribulation Events, can the Avengers save him before Myrddin strikes?

Written by Jed MacKay, with art by C.F. Villa, and cover by Stuart Immonen you can see below, Avengers #10 comes to shops on February 7.

Vengeance of the Moon Knight #2

Khonshu VS. Khonshu! Fist of Khonshu fights Fist of Khonshu as the new Moon Knight brings the fight to the Midnight Mission and Hunter’s Moon – but what could drive brothers to battle? And with the Mission a battleground, what of those who seek aid?

Vengeance of the Moon Knight #2 arrives February 14 from writer Jed MacKay, art by Alessandro Cappuccio, and cover by David Finch which you can see below.

Immortal Thor #3

Interior artwork from Immortal Thor #3 was revealed. You can get it October 25 with the issue from writer Al Ewing, art by Martín Cóccolo, and colors by Matt Wilson.

Immortal Thor #6

A LEGEND FROM THE PAST! The All-Father sought answers to his new troubles in memories of old. And to refresh those memories, he consulted his Skald… to tell a tale of when Young Thor and Young Loki journeyed out beyond Asgard – on a quest that would determine the fate of all the Realms. This is the story of the IMMORTAL THOR…and of his first Journey Into Mystery.

Immortal Thor #6 arrives January 24 from writer Al Ewing, art by Martín Cóccolo, and a cover by Alex Ross.

Immortal Thor #7

THE TRIALS OF UTGARD! Young Thor faced the tricks of the Utgard-Loki, with all that lived at stake – in a tale twice-told and now told again. Yet the teller was the Skald of Realms, in their aspect as Thor’s enemy. And thus, the tale could twist upon itself – and if Thor faltered, it could make a new end. This is the story of the IMMORTAL THOR…and the story may yet destroy us all.

From writer Al Ewing, art by Martín Cóccolo, and a cover by Alex Ross, Immortal Thor #7 comes to shops on February 28.

Doctor Strange #11

In the aftermath of the war with General Strange, Stephen and Clea must set things to rights. But what about Clea’s new sister? Will they really return her to her warlord parents? Can the Stranges reckon with the legacy of the Faltine?

Doctor Strange #11 arrives January 3 from writer Jed MacKay, art by Danilo S. Beyruth, and a cover by Alex Ross.

Doctor Strange #12

Doctor Strange is a busy man — sometimes, it seems like the busiest man. But that man has a best friend. So when there’s something strange haunting the Sanctum Sanctorum, who can we turn to? Why, BATS THE GHOST DOG, of course! But can Bats solve the mystery on his own, or is this good dog in over his head?

From writer Jed MacKay, art by Danilo S. Beyruth, and cover by Alex Ross, Doctor Strange #12 conjurs itself into shops on February 7.

Klik Klik Boom dishes revenge in June

Posted on March 14, 2023 by Graphic Policy Team

Writer Doug Wagner and artist Doug Dabbs team up with Eisner award winning colorist Matt Wilson and letterer Ed Dukeshire for the forthcoming revenge comic, Klik Klik Boom. This five issue miniseries is set to launch in June from Image Comics.

In Klik Klik Boom, readers meet Sprout, a mute assassin who communicates exclusively through polaroid pictures. After being raised by her doomsday-prepping grandfather in the rolling hills of Idaho, Sprout has grown up with little exposure to other people, TV, or seen clothes outside of Army fatigues. Now she’s headed to the big lights of New York City to avenge her grandfather’s murder, but will the city’s mesmerizing glitz and glam help her succeed—or be the death of her?

Klik Klik Boom #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, June 21.

Wanda Maximoff casts a spell for a new ongoing Scarlet Witch series!

Posted on September 18, 2022 by Graphic Policy Team

The Scarlet Witch will return in January in a brand-new ongoing solo series! A groundbreaking new chapter for one of Marvel’s most beloved characters, Scarlet Witch will be written by Steve Orlando and drawn by artist Sara Pichelli with color by Matt Wilson. Together these two comic powerhouses will open the door to a new era of adventures, mysteries, and quests that only a hero with Wanda Maximoff’s breathtaking and unmatched mystical abilities are fit for!

Following her redemption in the pages of X-Men: Trial of Magneto, Wanda is reborn as the hero the Marvel Universe needs her to be! Making the most of her fresh start, Wanda uses her powers in a glorious new way and embraces a new calling to help those who need it the most. Experience one the most powerful magic-wielders on the planet at her very best in the series Scarlet Witch fans have been asking for!

There is a door that appears only to those who need it most, who have no one else in the world to turn to. On the other side of this door is a mysterious witchcraft shop. Friend or foe, human or otherwise–if your need is great and your hope is gone, there you will meet the SCARLET WITCH! Wanda Maximoff is familiar with hitting rock bottom–and now that she’s finally found peace, she’s pledged all her power to help others who are languishing at their lowest. But when a woman falls through Wanda’s door with a terrifying story of a town gone mad, the Scarlet Witch will have to muster her wits and chaos magic to deal with an insidious threat!

Check out the first spellbinding cover by Russell Dauterman, who also designed Wanda’s new costume, and be there when Scarlet Witch embarks on her greatest journey yet this January!

Comics

Paper Girls Gets an Official Trailer

Posted on July 5, 2022 by Brett

Paper Girls is coming to Prime Video and we have the first official trailer for the series.

Based on the comic by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, Matt Wilson, Jared K. Fletcher, Dee Cunniffe, and published by Image Comics, it follows four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls. Set in a fictional Cleveland, Ohio suburb the town is invaded by a mysterious force from the future.

It’s the day after Halloween in 1988 when four young friends accidentally stumble into an intense time war and find themselves inexplicably transported to the year 2019. When they come face-to-face with their adult selves, each girl discovers her own strengths as together they try to find a way back to the past while saving the world of the future.

The comic began in 2015 running for 30 issues and wrapping up in 2019. The television series was announced in 2019 and green-lit in 2020. It’s set to premiere later this year.

Get ahead of what’s sure to be a hit and get the entire comic series now! Paper Girls debuts July 29th.

Paper Girls Gets its First Teaser Trailer

Posted on July 2, 2022 by Brett

Paper Girls is coming to Prime Video and we have a look at the first teaser trailer for the series.

The comic began in 2015 running for 30 issues and wrapping up in 2019. The television series was announced in 2019 and green-lit in 2020. It’s set to premiere later this year.

Get ahead of what’s sure to be a hit and get the entire comic series now!

Review: Hulk vs. Thor: Banner War Alpha

Posted on May 11, 2022 by Brett

I worked in a comic shop for many years and a discussion that would constantly come up is who would win in a fight between two characters. Many comics would attempt to play out those battles, some better than others. Hulk and Thor have collided many times in the past building up a nice rivalry as to who is the toughest. Hulk vs. Thor: Banner War Alpha kicks off the latest clash in a comic that’s a bit of a letdown.

Hulk and Thor have each been having their own intriguing journeys. Donny Cates has been guiding each as the writer and is the writer for Hulk vs. Thor: Banner War Alpha. Celebrating 60 years, these two are back at it again in a comic that is a lot of fighting but not much else.

To Cates’ credit, Hulk vs. Thor: Banner War Alpha does a solid job of rehashing where each of these characters are in their lives at the moment. It makes an easy way for new readers to jump in. And then the fight begins because… Thor needs to let out aggression!? Yes, Cates just says “fuck it” and makes the battle about male ego and the inability to work out one’s own problems. There’s absolutely no depth to it at all and the comic feels a bit lesser for it. It really is just Thor wanting to work out some aggression and his “daddy issues”.

That simplicity also makes the readers realize that this is a theme in Cates’ run for both. They’re both individuals wracked by toxic masculinity that can’t work out their own shit so they break stuff instead. It kind of makes each lesser for it in some ways. It makes each comes off as assholes.

Still, the battle is entertaining and there’s moments of levity. We’re really all just reading this for the fight anyways, right?

Martin Coccolo’s art delivers that brutality. Mixed with Matt Wilson’s colors and Joe Sabino’s lettering, the comic visually pops and entertaining to look at. There’s a brutality about the punches but they’re delivered in a way that makes it all a little over the top comedic. It’s Looney Tunes in a way with two individuals beating the snot out of each other but neither doing much damage. All that’s missing is the tools from Acme. Overall, the visual effect is one of comedy and that’s somehow enhanced by the silliness of the simplicity for the reason the two are fighting.

Hulk vs. Thor: Banner War Alpha kicks things off as promised. It’s a comic, so far, about these two fighting, not much more. If you’re looking for a decent reason or depth, this isn’t delivering that. If you just want to see these two punch each other, then this is your pinnacle of entertainment.

Story: Donny Cates Art: Martin Coccolo
Color: Matt Wilson Letterer: Joe Sabino
Story: 7.0 Art: 8.5 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology/Kindle – Zeus Comics

Paper Girls Gets its First Teaser Promo

Posted on May 8, 2022 by Brett

Paper Girls is coming to Prime Video and we have a look at the first teaser promo for the series.

The comic began in 2015 running for 30 issues and wrapping up in 2019. The television series was announced in 2019 and green-lit in 2020. It’s set to premiere later this year.

Get ahead of what’s sure to be a hit and get the entire comic series now!

It’s the Brawl to End Them All in the Hulk vs. Thor: Banner of War Trailer

Posted on March 25, 2022 by Graphic Policy Team

Donny Cates is currently taking two of Marvel’s most iconic characters on transformative journeys in the pages of Hulk and Thor. And next month, the acclaimed writer will smash both sagas together in an all-new epic: Hulk vs. Thor: Banner of War! Hitting just in time for the two heroes’ 60^th anniversaries, this five-part crossover will kick off in Hulk vs. Thor: Banner of War Alpha #1 before exploding in the pages of both Hulk and Thor’s hit solo titles throughout May and June. Tackling ongoing mysteries from both series and featuring artwork by rising star Martin Coccolo and covers by legendary artist Gary Frank, the story promises to deliver Thor and Hulk’s most glorious battle yet and the showdown will have a shocking impact on both characters’ futures.

In the aftermath of the opening arc of Hulk which saw the debut of Titan and the “God of Hammers” arc that ended with the death of Odin, both Bruce Banner and Thor Odinson have both undergone massive changes, but one thing remains constant — their heated rivalry! When mysterious circumstances bring them into conflict once more, will the God of Thunder be able to triumph against a Bruce Banner who can now control his rage? Get your first look at the fight that will go down in Marvel Comics history in the Hulk vs. Thor: Banner of War trailer, featuring never-before-seen artwork!

Check out the complete list of issues below and be there for the fight that will smash the Marvel Universe at its core when Hulk vs. Thor: Banner of War Alpha #1 arrives on April 27.

Comics

Review: Undiscovered Country #17

Posted on November 10, 2021 by Brett

Our group is in the zone of Possibility with a machine that can create anything. Undiscovered Country #17 presents the possibility of the infinite with an interesting proposal and debate about what to do and how to proceed. In an issue revolving around Ace, we get to learn more about his character and the hope of the possible, that feels grounded in reality, that he represents.

Written by Scott Snyder and Charles Soule, Undiscovered Country #17 begins the issue focused on the possibility of music and ends on something grander. The group is presented with an offer to use the tool in front of them to rebuild the realm they’re in and then use it to create anything they want. And that’s literally anything. They can create a cure for disease, a weapons system to protect themselves, the possibilities are endless. And that sums up a lot of what this arc is about, the possibility of America.

One scene in the issue sticks out and it’s the discussion of what the United States is good at. That’s selling and exporting its own legend. That its message told some sort of truth. In this realm, all of those legends come together and the result is a mess of a situation. But, it’s also clear those legends mean nothing without the people to share them and believe in them, and more importantly to create new ones. There’s a to to chew on in this arc and issue which makes what to ruminate on much more interesting than the specifics of the issue.

Giuseppe Camuncoli and Leonardo Marcello Grassi continue their fantastic art. Matt Wilson provides the color whole Crank! handles the lettering. The small details of the issue is what stands out as readers will linger on pages to catch the references and hints as to what things represent. Ships in the background are throughout history and concepts and that alone is interesting but it’s the reveal at the end that’ll leave readers excited to guess the references.

Undiscovered Country #17 continues grand ideas. The issue, and series, is one that will challenge readers to think through its themes and debate themselves the concepts within. It’s also a story that can be appreciated for its surface level action and entertainment. In other words, it’s a comic that captures so much about what America is about.

Story: Scott Snyder, Charles Soule Art: Giuseppe Camuncoli, Leonardo Marcello Grassi
Color: Matt Wilson Letterer: Crank!
Story: 7.5 Art: 8.0 Overall: 7.6 Recommendation: Read

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology – Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW

« Older Entries Recent Entries »