Mini Reviews For The Week Ending 5/11
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 short reviews from the staff of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full review for.
These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews.
Shean
War Of the Realms: New Agents Of Atlas #1 (Marvel)– In his own story, we find former SHIELD agent, Jimmy Woo becoming his own version of Charles Xavier. As he has a school for ” Unusually Gifted” beings and a team of superheroes which includes Silk, Amadeus Cho and Ms Marvel and with some new heroes like Wave and White Fox. Their forces become united when Malekith and his army of Frost Giants and their presence unearths Toto Pele, Philippines own version of Thor . By issue’s end, Malekith gets more than he bargains for in this part of the world. Overall: 9.6 Recommendation: Buy
Star Wars Age of Rebellion Boba Fett #1 (Marvel)– a book which plays well with the “space western” element of Star Wars,this gets right into Fett’s reputation around the galaxy. As we find a bounty hunter , whose just looking for his next job, as it becomes a moral quandary. As his next target is not only elusive but also has a body count so high he doesn’t care who dies next. By issue’s end, Fett gets his man while I only temporarily, becoming a hero by capturing this deadly fugitive. Overall: 9.6 Recommendation: Buy
Age Of Conan: Belit #3 (Marvel) I will keep this one sweet and short, this story has officially gone adrift. As it started as something exciting, but slowly become a Pirates of the Caribbean ripoff. Hopefully, the next issue takes a turn for the better. Overall: 6 Recommendation: Read
Ryan C
Wasted Space #9 (Vault)** If you’re looking for the cliffhanger of the year, this comic has it, with a final splash page that will absolutely knock your socks off and leave you speechless. As for the rest of the issue? It’s really damn good, too, but we’ve come to expect no less from Michael Moreci and Hayden Sherman. Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy
Black Hammer: Age Of Doom #10 (Dark Horse)** Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston are racing toward yet another finish line here, with an issue that almost goes by a bit too quickly and in too convenient a fashion, but it works — albeit just barely — even if the cliffhanger ending seems to fly in out of left field. Overall: 6.5 Recommendation: Read
Vindication #4 (Image/Top Cow) ** A breakneck-paced finale to an intriguing series that frankly has to do too much with too few pages and consequently feels pretty rushed, which is a shame — next time, give MD Marie and Carlos Miko six issues, but definitely do give them another project to work on, they both deserve it. Overall: 6 Recommendation: Read
Detective Comics #1003 (DC)** I have no clue where this “medieval knights in Arkham” storyline that Peter J. Tomasi and Brad Walker are putting together is going, but that’s okay — because I no longer care. They’re giving me no reason to. Nice enough art, but dear God, what a freaking mess. Overall: 2 Recommendation: Pass
Logan
Batman and the Outsiders #1 (DC)– At long last, Bryan Hill and Dexter Soy’s Batman and the Outsiders drops with a focus on Outsiders. Hill and Soy spend most of the comic reintroducing and establishing a new character and the team before breaking out the actual mission on the last couple pages. It’s a fairly solid take on the dysfunctional hero team with high energy action scenes from Soy. However, faces are Soy’s kryptonite so conversations between Black Lightning and his “benefactor” Batman fall flat. The final page really opens this series’ playbook up, and the team’s inherent flawed nature will make it slightly better than your run of the mill spy/black ops/secret Avenger type comic. Overall: 7.5 Verdict: Read
Red Sonja and Vampirella Meet Betty and Veronica #1 (Dynamite/Archie) Dynamite tries to revive their flagging Red Sonja and Vampirella properties with the help of once and future pop culture icons, Betty and Veronica, in Red Sonja and Vampirella Meet Betty and Veronica #1. Amy Chu’s plot is simple: Red Sonja and Vampirella are teaming up to solve some ritual murders in Riverdale and are majorly fishes out of water. Also, Maria Sanapo’s art is bland and more concerned with fanservice than storytelling as it seems Dynamite’s budget only went to the dozens of variant covers commissioned by this series. RS and V Meets B and V has its fun moments like Red Sonja becoming a football star, but it’s a paint by numbers and a little infantilizing to Sonja and Vampirella, who is stuck being a cheerleader. Overall: 4 Verdict: Pass
Deadly Class #38 (Image)– Marcus and Maria are back at King’s Dominion as hardened killer and gang leader as Rick Remender and Wes Craig bring Deadly Class back to its roots so lots of high school drama, a dash of violence, and Marcus brooding in graveyards. He has picked up quite a few fans and potential allies during his time away, but he spurns them all and continues his running monologue about how fucked up the world’s system is and how King’s only perpetuates it. Craig creates some neat layouts in this issue like a wraparound staircase panel as Master Lin catches Marcus and Maria up to speed and awards them “transfer credits” for what they’ve experienced in previous issues. His gift for caricature as the man who created the “Fuckface” killer is back as he distorts Brandy, Viktor, and Shabnam, the three bloodthirsty and racist students who want to take Marcus out. Returning to the high school setting makes the comic more similar to the show, but Marcus has way more battle scars and ghosts of old friends haunting him everywhere. Overall: 8.3 Verdict: Buy
Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write. See you next week!
Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).
