Alex K Cossa, Author at Graphic Policy

Author Archives: Alex K Cossa

Review: Secret Weapons #0: Owen’s Story

Posted on March 15, 2018 by Alex K Cossa

“Owen Cho is a conjurer…which can be a great deal more frustrating than it sounds. You see, Owen’s “psiot” ability – unlocked at great expense and even greater danger – allows him to materialize objects out of thin air…but he can’t control what to summon or when it might arrive. But what do you do with a heap of undesirable objects conjured from parts unknown, anyway? Have a garage sale, of course!”

Valiant’s Secret Weapons is a critically acclaimed four issue series that was one of the most exciting things to happen in comics last year, and it has subsequently spawned two zero issues focusing on two of the characters from the minis series. Understandably the expectation of quality lays heavily upon these prequel issues, and although the first didn’t quite meet the those expectations, Owen’s Story can still live up to its prestigious sequel series, right? It doesn’t. Not really. And unfortunately comparisons are inevitable.

Although the creative team reunites again for this issue, Secret Weapons #0: Owen’s Story lacks the magic of the main series, and unless you’ve read Nikki’s Story this won’t flow as well as it could. It’s a shame, because Raul Allen and Patricia Martin once again provide a visually stimulating comic that is deceptive in its seeming simplicity. If there is one reason to buy this comic it is the visuals. Eric Heisserer‘s script isn’t bad, but it feels a little light in comparison to the other comics under the Secret Weapons comics. Dare I say that the comic feels like an unessential addition to the series? If nothing else it shouldn’t be your introductory issue into the Secret Wars story, but it will scratch the itch you have for more from the creative team and these characters.

Story: Eric Heisserer Art: Raul Allen and Patricia Martin
Story: 6.4 Art: 8.8 Overall: 8.1 Recommendation: Read if you’ve read Secret Weapons

Valiant provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

DC Rebirth Roundup: March 7th’s Comics

Posted on March 13, 2018 by Alex K Cossa

Welcome to Graphic Policy’s DC Rebirth: Recap And Review where we take a look at the comics released under DC‘s Rebirth banner and try to work out just how accessible they are for new readers – we’ll also be providing recap of sorts for the relevant story beats up until the issue in question in order to help you figure out if the series is something you’re interested in.

Each comic will receive a rating of Friendly or Unfriendly based on how easy it was for new readers to pick them up; the ratings are based solely on the issues released in the post-Rebirth ongoing series. More consideration regarding the comic’s accessibility will be given for the specific issue being read rather than the series overall, but if reading a back issue will help, then that will be mentioned. You’ll also notice that each comic will get a rating that falls on Graphic Policy’s typical ten point scale, which is there to help you pick between issues if you only want to check out one or two.

Not every comic is covered week to week, and that’s because I sometimes forget to read them (although that doesn’t happen often), or I really can’t bring myself to pick up the issue. If I have missed an issue, typically I won’t go looking for back issues to catch up on events – this feature is all about accessibility for new readers, after all.

Batman #42 Just don’t. Even the thought of recapping this leaves a dirty taste in my mouth. Unfriendly. 3/10

Deathstroke #29 Make no mistake, this is a fantastic series. It’s just really hard to read without reading a chunk of it in one go due to the complexity and interwoven genius of the plot. Yes, it’s kinda Unfriendly, but it’s very good. 8/10

Green Arrow #38 This issue caps off a LOT of loose ends. Too many for me to cover here in the detail the comic deserves, but fortunately there is a very brief recap that touches on everything you need to know (save one thing) without actually giving you any spoilers. That one thing that isn’t touched on? Ollie Queen is on trial for the murder of Wendy Poole, a victim of human traffickers that Green Arrow saved and lived in abject terror of being recaptured, so she has remained in hiding since her rescue. Which means the world at large think she’s dead. This issue is Friendly, and not too bad. 7/10

Green Lanterns #42 The Green Lanterns are on the case of some superhuman traffickers, and the case has taken a personal for Simon Baz as one of the victims was a previous date of his. Although it’s sort of Friendly, there’s not much of a flow to the comic as everything seems to rush far too quickly from point A to point B. 6.25/10

Justice League #40 I really have no idea what’s going on here, but for some reason the Justice Leagues are in trouble. Despite missing part one in this arc, the comic is still enjoyable enough to be marked as a Friendly 7/10.

Nightwing #40 You’ll probably be okay to pick this up without much recap, as you can figure out that there’s a long history between Nightwing and the Judge (basically a maybe immortal with his eyes sown shut who is great at manipulation and seeing your deepest desires). In terms of accessibility this is probably a Friendly comic – you’re unlikely to find another clean jumping on point for another issue or two. 6.5/

Superman #42 You’re going to have a really tough time figuring out what’s going on with the first third or so of this comic if you’ve never heard of Bizarro, the anti-Superman who speaks in negatives and otherwise odd yet very endearing speech patterns. Other than that, the comic is Friendly and pretty solid. 7/10

Mini Reviews For The Week Ending 3/10

Posted on March 11, 2018 by Alex K Cossa

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.

Ryan C

Batman #42 (DC)** – Mikel Janin is a comics superstar. Tom King is a comics superstar. Only one of them turns in anything like a “superstar” effort on this book, though — and it’s not the writer. This Poison Ivy story is a complete waste, but damn, is it gorgeous to look at. Overall: 4. Recommendation: Pass

Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles #3 (DC)** – Mark Russell and Mike Feehan serve up what is as essentially a perfect stand-alone comic — smack dab in the middle of a six-issue miniseries. Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, Arthur Miller, Joe Franklin — all captured perfectly in a truly amazing, lavishly-illustrated story. So why am I not giving this comic a 10? Because Brandee Stilwell and Guz Vazquez’ “Sasquatch Detective” back-up feature isn’t just bad, it’s downright embarrassing. I wouldn’t have signed my name to this shit if I was involved with it in any way, shape, or form. Overall: 8. Recommendation: Buy

Gideon Falls #1 (Image)** – Folks had been waiting for the debut of this Jeff Lemire/Andrea Sorrentino horror series with baited breath, but one issue in it’s rather difficult to get a feel for. Certainly the art is amazingly rich and dark and atmospheric, but it’s difficult to see how the two main storylines tie in with each other, and the character of the fictitious town itself — a very important factor, you’d think, given its name is also the comic’s title — really isn’t established much at all, which is surprising (and disappointing) given that establishing a strong sense of place is a Lemire trademark going all the way back to “Essex County.” I dunno, I’ll stick with this a bit longer to see where it goes, but there’s not much to grab you in this opening salvo. Overall: 5. Recommendation: Read if you’re a fan of these creators, otherwise pass.

Spread #25 (Image)** – Justin Jordan and John Bivens welcome back original artist/co-creator Kyle Strahm for the final issue of this post-apocalyptic/Cronenbergian take on “Lone Wolf And Cub,” and while the conclusion is in no way surprising, it is good, and leaves things on a satisfying note. Folks who’ve been reading this from the start, like myself, will find nothing to complain about here. Overall: 7.5. Recommendation: Buy

Logan

Giant Days #36 (BOOM!)– Even though John Allison and Max Sarin conclude the overarching plot of Daisy, Esther, and Susan all going to separate housing after two years together at university in Giant Days #36, the real headliner is Daisy’s breakup with Ingrid. A super wound tight English girl and (a little too) free spirit German girl made for a great meet cute, but this relationship definitely had an expiration date. Sarin’s art and Whitney Cogar’s colors do a fantastic job of showing both the pain and comedy of a breakup including a full page where Daisy moves two inches in a week and Daisy just wrecking things. There’s a subplot with Esther trying harder at school, but it takes a backseat to the high drama of a first breakup that turns slightly nefarious on a final page. Daisy is a little worse for wear, but Allison and Sarin have made her grown up so much since she was a youthful recluse in the early arcs of Giant Days. Overall: 8.3 Verdict: Buy

Shade the Changing Woman #1 (DC/Young Animal)– Cecil Castellucci, Marley Zarcone, and Kelly Fitzpatrick jump ahead a few years in Shade the Changing Woman #1 with Shade coming to terms with her new human body and being emotionally connected to every war, famine, and disease in the world. Luckily, Rac Shade, who seems to be playing a more important role in this new series, is there to guide her with poetic advice and a seriously groovy palette from Fitzpatrick. This book runs the gamut from relatable, slice of life situation like Shade getting in trouble with her old friend River’s college RA for staying over too long to philosophical dreamscapes. However, Castellucci and Zarcone hit a note of real world relevance towards the end of the comic with the introduction of an ICE-like organization who is trying to deport aliens from Earth. It looks like Shade the Changing Woman will have a compelling internal and external conflict going forward plus the fantastic visuals of the last series. Overall: 8 Verdict: Buy

Patrick

Big Trouble in Little China: Old Man Jack #6 (Boom!)** – What can I say about this that I haven’t said already? This series is ridiculously fun on every level: in this issue I particularly loved the idea of Lo Pan and Jack, in their separate battles, going “What would the other guy do?”. Where so many other comics are over-plotted to the point of being stifling, this one feels freewheeling and improvised, like writers John Carpenter & Anthony Burch and artist Jorge Corona are just trying to crack each other up. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

I Hate Fairyland #17 (Image)** – While it’s nice to see Duncan Dragon again, this issue feels like a placeholder in a series trying to regain its footing and mojo. Still, any time you can get an issue full of Skottie Young art is a good time – and hey, when is the Fairyland Monster Manual coming out anyway? Overall: 7 Recommendation: Buy

Koschchei the Deathless #3 (Dark Horse)** – Hellboy’s reaction to Koschchei’s tale about sums it up: “You know that most of that first part was already pretty dark, right?” Turns out that what I thought would be the story for the entire 6-issue series is only the beginning, and Mike Mignola and Ben Stenbeck take it somewhere even darker. Overall: 8 Recommendation: 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 (**).

Underrated: Marvel’s Iron Fist (Yes, The Netflix One)

Posted on March 10, 2018 by Alex K Cossa

This is a column that focuses on something or some things from the comic book sphere of influence that may not get the credit and recognition it deserves. Whether that’s a list of comic book movies, ongoing comics, or a set of stories featuring a certain character. The columns may take the form of a bullet pointed list, or a slightly longer thinkpiece – there’s really no formula for this other than whether the things being covered are Underrated in some way. This week: Marvel’s Iron Fist

Alright so I know this is going to be a tough sell for many of you so before we get into the meat of the column, I want to clarify my stance on this show because I actually enjoyed it. It wasn’t as good as any of the other entries in Netflix’s live action series on the whole, but it was enjoyable none the less. Taken out of context from the other Netflix offerings, this isn’t as bad as you may have heard. Now for additional context, I’m relatively ignorant as to Iron Fist’s comic history, and so I entered this show not really knowing much about him. But then the same can equally be said about Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and the Punisher.

Iron Fist debuted in March of 2017 to less than positive reviews, with one critic stating that the series “failed to grasp what makes Iron Fist interesting.” Others claimed the show missed an opportunity for diversification by casting Finn Jones as the titular character instead of an Asian actor, whereas Jones’ innocent and naive take on the skilled martial artist didn’t exactly resonate with everybody, either. Despite the criticisms of his portrayal Jones, much like the show itself, isn’t as bad as you would expect. He gives the audience a naive and overly innocent Danny Rand which is a complete juxtaposition to the troubled heroes already mentioned above. Danny Rand hasn’t been broken like Jessica Jones, he has lead a relatively sheltered life despite his extreme martial arts training, and he starts the series full of hope and optimism.

When it came to the fight scenes, they felt more elegant than the scrappy brutal action of Daredevil, even though there were (yet again) criticisms over choreography I never felt as though the action was phoned in (honestly I was more frustrated that Iron Fist didn’t seem to be as legendary a fighter as one would expect given his reputation). As someone who has trouble telling the difference between a roundhouse and a side kick, and I’m probably not the only one, the fight scenes were good. Granted I much preferred Colleen Wing’s sword play over the fisticuffs, but then I was on a Game Of Thrones kick at the time this came out.

iron fist poster Speaking of Colleen Wing, it was Jessica Henwick’s character that stole the show for me. Her interactions with Rosario Dawson’s Claire Temple often provided some of the more entertaining and humorous moments in the show – and often at Danny’s expense. Indeed were it not for Colleen Wing and Claire Temple, one could argue that Danny Rand would have been utterly lost about half way through the series. Danny’s naivety was his biggest weakness in the series, often leading him into some dumb decisions and because of that the plot needed some strong characters to push, pull and guide the Iron Fist where he needed to go – and more often than not save him from himself. Iron Fist may have been a story around Danny Rand’s return to the world, but it’s the supporting cast who are the real stars of the show.

Iron Fist is the weakest of the Netflix Marvel shows, but when you stop comparing it to them you’re left with an enjoyable show that is, arguably, among the upper middle tier of live action superhero adaptations across the various distribution methods. However because the show is a part of the same shared universe that Daredevil, Jessica Jones et al inhabit the comparisons are inevitable (the less said the better about the seeming lack of connection to the larger MCU other than the odd mention of the Chitauri invasion from Avengers and the other plot points from the movie). Unfortunately for Iron Fist it doesn’t come off as well in those comparisons. The lead isn’t as strong as those in the other entries, but then few are. Finn Jones delivers a more than capable performance but is often outshone, especially in The Defenders, by his costars’ screen stealing performances.

All of this contributes to the general bad feeling toward Iron Fist, which when coupled with the internet’s love to hate on things (no judgement – I’ve been caught up in the wave as well before), didn’t allow the show to stand on its own legs. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t a great show, but it’s better than you’ve likely heard – and that’s why I feel it’s Underrated.

That’s all we have for this week, folks. Come back next time when there’s something else Underrated to talk about.

Review: Sonitus #1

Posted on March 7, 2018 by Alex K Cossa

Sonitus #1 is the first issue in a three part miniseries published by Alterna Comics as part of their newsprint initiative. Retailing at $1.50 an issue, you’ll be able to pick up the entire series for less than $5 – which is a steal of a price no matter where you look. Sonitus #1 kicks off a story that’s steeped in supernatural creepiness almost right from the get go as the lead wanders around an empty and potentially haunted house. And honestly, that’s really the gist of what physically happens in the issue. However, Cody Sousa and Dan Sheppard weave a deep and soul crunching internal monologue as Cecelia Lo Valvo and Dee Cuniff drench the pages in an atmosphere so thick you can taste it.

I’ve read this twice since starting this review, and I can honestly tell you that it gets better with each read through. The layers to the comic are nuanced and reveal themselves to you the more time you spend within the pages of the comic and walls of the decrepit house. Beneath the dark, horror like exterior is a man having a nostalgic moment for times gone by, providing an endearing dichotomy to the sense of foreboding from the comic.

Sonitus #1, being only $1.50, is well worth buying. It’s not often you can get a comic for this price that’s this reasonable, which almost makes the purchase worth it alone, but when the $1.50 comic is as good as Sonitus #1 is then there is absolutely no reason for you not to buy this. A must read regardless of your genre of choice.

Story: Cody Sousa and Dan Sheppard
Art: Cecelia Lo Valvo Colourist: Dee Cuniff Letterer: Dezi Sienty
Story: 8.8 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.65 Recommendation: Buy

Alterna Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Review: Bloodshot Salvation #7

Posted on March 7, 2018 by Alex K Cossa

“Master storyteller Jeff Lemire takes the helm for the year’s most terrifying, most memorable special issue – told entirely in PITCH-BLACK DARKNESS!

Deployed into the demonic realm called Deadside in search of a cure for his ailing infant daughter, Bloodshot has lost the one sense he needs most to navigate the land of the dead: his sight. Blinded with only his four-legged ally, Bloodhound, to aid him, Ray Garrison must fight onward as one man against the darkness – even as he is beset from all sides by a horde of inhuman entities that crave only death, suffering, and slaughter…”

Note: the first time I reviewed this comic was before I had read Bloodshot Salvation #6. As such, the following text has been altered a little, but as my opinion of the comic hasn’t changed after multiple readings, there aren’t any major changes. Spoilers are very minimal.

It’s hard to understate how excited I was to read this issue without resorting to overly enthusiastic hyperbole. The concept of a comic being created entirely in black with minimal art is one that intrigued me significantly, but knowing that Jeff Lemire was going to be writing and drawing it ratchets my anticipation up a little. Okay, so “drawing” may be a stretch as the art is limited to exactly what Bloodshot can see – blackness – and it’s only the creative use of the borders and gutters that give your eye something to look at.

Make no mistake, this stripped down comic is a very ambitious project. Going into this comic, the question upon my lips was whether Lemire could carry the story using only words and the creative use of panel lines, or does the comic stumble one time too many?

Having read the previous issue, the only real context one needs to know to pick this comic up is that Ninjak believes something in the Deadside can help Jessie with her nanite infection. Anything else is really just extraneous information. So because the why of Bloodshot being in the Deadside doesn’t really matter in the context of the comic you’ll be reading, it doesn’t matter that he had no real plan on what to do when he got there. He is both literally blind and figuratively blind, which adds a meta layer to an already great issue. But because you don’t need to know the whats and whys behind the events of the comic you’re able to appreciate it for exactly what it is (and that mean the flimsy plan to cure Jessie in the Deadside despite having no idea how can be over looked). The story is honestly a very straight forward tale about a man in an unfamiliar situation, and although very well written, would be almost unremarkable in any other medium.

But this is comics, and this comic is remarkable.

In reality the importance of this issue isn’t in the content of the story, as good as it is, but in how Lemire tells it. Bloodshot Salvation #7 is an issue where the sum of what it is, and what it represents, make it worth buying and reading more than the story itself, because as an example of what can be accomplished with how comic books can be used as a storytelling story telling method. When you read this, spend some time looking at the panel layouts; something as simple as a gutter may be far more significant than it would initially seem – or it might not.

This ambitiously brave comic could easily have fallen flat. After all, you could probably fit all the dialogue and internal thoughts within the issue into a page or two, and so you’re buying what, a comic full of black pages, a little dialogue and some visual sound effects that combines into one of the most technically impressive comics you’ll ever see.

Whether you’re a fan of Bloodshot, or Valiant, or you’re not, Bloodshot Salvation #7 is a book you’ll want in your collection as an example of a master craftsman at his very best, producing a seminal work of art that transcends conventional wisdom of what makes a comic work.

Frankly, this is phenomenal.

Story: Jeff Lemire Art: Jeff Lemire
Story: 8 Art: Uh… Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Valiant provided Graphic Policy a FREE copy for review, but I’ll be buying this anyway. At least one copy.

DC Rebirth Roundup: Feb 27th’s Comics

Posted on March 6, 2018 by Alex K Cossa

Action Comics #998 Just wait to the next issue. you’ll thank me for it.

Batgirl #20 Penguin and his son, Darksun, have hijacked some satellites. The weather also isn’t ideal. As far as comics go, this is Friendly enough to hop into, and it’s not half bad, either. 6/10

Blue Beetle #18 As a one shot story, you really can’t go wrong with a comic that successfully introduces you to the hero, the mentor and the supporting cast while simultaneously telling a compelling and fun superhero story. Blue Beetle #18 is fun, Friendly and well worth checking out. 8/10

Detective Comics #975 Batwoman shot and killed Clayface because she thought he was about to go all super psycho and kill Orphan. Needless to say, that doesn’t sit well with the Bat-family. The Trial Of Batwoman is a Friendly, and dialogue heavy comic. 7.5/10

Justice League Of America #25 I’ve missed a few issues in this series, but picked this up largely due to the fact it was the first part of a new arc, however alas it’s not the most accessible (meaning that it’s Unfriendly). It’s also not worth reading. 4/10

The Flash #41 Gorilla Grodd has stolen Barry Allen’s Speed Force and frozen time in Central City, which means it’s time for Wally West to step up to the plate and save the day. The issue is sorta Friendly, but whether it’s worth reading is another matter. 5/10

Teen Titans #17 The first part of a new arc. Is it an easy to pick up issue? It is indeed a Friendly one, but it’s just not great. 6/10

Wonder Woman #41 The first part of a new arc, which is generally the safest place to jump on board with any DC series at this point, And this one is probably Friendly, but being honest I couldn’t make it through through this pile of drivel. Friendly or not, this really isn’t worth your time. 4/10

Mini Reviews For The Week Ending 3/3

Posted on March 4, 2018 by Alex K Cossa

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews.

Logan

Lockjaw #1 (Marvel)– Daniel Kibblesmith and Carlos Villa create a funny, adorable comic that starts out as a riff on the “Pizza Dog” issue of Hawkeye and turns into the story of a broken, depressed man trying to find redemption with the help of a giantteleporting dog. Kibblesmith finds the humanity in perpetual Z-lister and even adds him to the too small pantheon of queer male superheroes. Villa and inker Roberto Poggi really bring the visual comedy, especially when Lockjaw interacts with Karnak. The one knock on the book is that a trans character is called by her dead name as sin as she’s introduced. Overall: 8 Verdict: Buy

Mera #1 (DC)– This is kind of Mera’s solo comic, but Dan Abnett, Lan Medina, Richard Friend, and company also make it Ocean Master’s too. For reasons beyond their control, they are both living normal lives on Earth. The plot barely gets off the ground, but Abnett and Medina do a good job of showing Mera balance the roles of exiled queen, wounded warrior, diplomat, and separated wife in this issue with the help of sepia toned flashbacks. Mera barely has any of her aquakinetic abilities so it’s riveting to see her use her martial art skills she picked up as the crown princess of the militaristic nation of Xebel. Hopefully, this mini ends up truly being her story and not the 100th iteration of sad white boy villain relapse. Overall 6.8 Verdict: Read

Calexit #2 (Black Mask) Calexit #2 lacks the balls to the wall action of the first issue, but Matt Pizzolo and Amancay Nahuelpan take a step back and look at the messiness and moral greyness of revolutions. Sure, most people in California/L.A. don’t like Trump, but are they ready to pick up guns and fight against him and the militias keeping Cali down like the Mulholland Resistance? Like a good journalist, Pizzolo frames scenes from both resistance leader Zora and her nefarious counterpart’s POV. What I got most out of this issue is that Nahuelpan is a skilled master of body language and character “acting” using multiple panels to unearth people’s emotions in real time. Overall: 8 Verdict: Buy

Ryan C

The Terrifics #1 (DC) ** – Jeff Lemire and Ivan Reis won me over pretty quickly with this quirky lineup — Metamorpho and Plastic Man on the same team? I’m down for that — and everything was going along swimmingly with sharp characterization, a simple-but-fun premise, etc. Then came the final-page cliffhanger, and all I can say is : I’m out. At this point I honestly wonder whether DC knows how to do anything other than strip-mine Alan Moore’s imagination for all its worth and then some. Overall: It would have been 8, but it’s lucky to end up with 2. Recommendation: Pass

Thanos #16 (Marvel)** – After two issues of pretty dull recap stories, a switch seems to have been flipped, and now Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw are just throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. The origin story of the so-called “Cosmic Ghost Rider” is the focus this time out, and given his less-than-secret identity (revealed last issue, but what the hell, I’ll refrain from “spoiling” it anyway), seeing how he got from points “A” to “B” is a blast. This is brainless stuff in the extreme, to be sure — but fun brainless stuff, superbly illustrated. Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Buy.

Royal City #10 (Image)** – Jeff Lemire is hitting a real groove here, and this chronicle of the final night of Tommy’s life is equal parts absorbing and heartbreaking. Sophisticated, emotive storytelling with powerfully understated art and authentic chracterization makes this possibly the best thing coming out under the Image label right now. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Underwinter: A Field Of Feathers #5 (Image)** – Ray Fawkes puts his melancholic and moody horror series to bed with a finale that comes entirely out of left field — and makes perfect sense in context. If you saw this coming, congratulations on having ESP. For the rest of us, though, it’s going to take a couple of re-reads before we fully absorb what’s happened here — and that’s a rather beautiful thing. Overall: 8. Recommendation: Buy

Alex

Batman: Sins Of The Father #1 (DC) Based off the Tell Tale series of video games, this comic is some form of sequel to said games so despite being well written and artistically solid, it’s hamstrung by the reader needing patience to allow the background information to filter out. It’s not a bad story, but I’m tired of reading another Batman story set in another new universe so I doubt I’ll be back for the next issue, but for fans who want a story free from continuity then the bones are here for a great story. Overall: 6.75 Recommendation: Read

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write. See you next week!

Those Two Geeks Episode Nineteen: The One Where We Complain About Tom King’s Inconsistency. Again.

Posted on March 4, 2018 by Alex K Cossa

On the docket this week: The geeks are alone again, and have a bit of a chat about finding semi-valuable comics in unexpected places, Batman #41, Black Panther, and a bunch of other movie related things.

As always, the Alex and Joe can be found on twitter respectively @karcossa and @jc_hesh if you feel the need to tell them they’re wrong individually, or @those2geeks if you want to yell at them together on twitter or email ItsThose2Geeks@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you ~~next week~~ in the future!

Underrated: Ultimate X-Men

Posted on March 3, 2018 by Alex K Cossa

Ultimate X-Men was a series launched under Marvel’s Ultimate Marvel imprint that aimed to do away with 40 years of so called convoluted continuity into a more modern and updated setting. The second title to launch after Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate X-Men was written by Mark Millar and drawn by Adam and Andy Kubert. Millar was largely ignorant of the storied history of the X-Men, and reinvented the characters with the 2000 X-Men film as his primary reference. Millar has admitted in an interview with Sequential Tart that he knew bugger all about the characters before Joe Queseda and Bill Jemas asked him to pitch for X-Men, expecting them to use the script as toilet paper. Instead, because Millar knew next to nothing about the franchise, they decided that he should be the one to reboot the X-Men for Marvel’s Ultimate line of comics.

Free from the shackles of the past Millar set about crafting a new, and more modern universe for the X-Men to inhabit aimed to bring a return to the mainstream appeal the franchise enjoyed years before.

Launching in 2001, Ultimate X-Men was also part of Marvel’s “dot-comics” format, which was an early translation of print to digital using a slightly animated Flash format. Comic pages would appear on the screen showing a handful of panels at a time, and speech and thought bubbles hovering over the characters. The format would eventually pave the way toward Marvel Unlimited. Although not the first comic on the dot-comics format, it was one of the first that I read that way. Because the dot-comics were free to whomever had an internet connection and the patience to read the comics in their episodic form (if memory serves, five or so pages were uploaded every few days), they were a great way for people like myself to get introduced to a series that I otherwise would not have before.

Although I had previously dabbled in the X-Universe before, I was never a constant reader. Ultimate X-Men drew me into reading an ongoing series featuring Marvel’s merry mutants for the first time. The characters were familiar and yet felt fresh, the situations they were in reflected more of the world around them than the main Marvel universe characters did. Or at least that’s how it felt at the time. It was here, with a newly discovered love of the characters that I truly became an X-Men fan and not just a Wolverine fan. At the time the irony that the series was being written by a man who knew bugger all about the characters was something I was unaware of, but the benefit of hindsight brings into sharp focus that provided one is a competent writer and has some understanding of the subject, then the essence of characters one is writing about shine through. And Millar, for the most part, had that understanding.

Running from 2001 until 2009 where it was cancelled at the conclusion of the critical and commercial failure of the Ultimatum crossover, Ultimate X-Men enjoyed nearly a decade as the fan favourite X-title. Although it was eventually relaunched as Ultimate Comics X-Men in 2011, the series never enjoyed the success of its pre-Ultimatum days.

Would Ultimate X-Men have worked had it been released today? Although we’ll probably never know, you can look at DC’s New 52 and to a lesser extent the successor to the Ultimate line (Ultimate Comics) to get an idea – although there are obvious faults with either comparison. The New 52 replaced DC’s continuity in its entirety, to much chatter from fans, and the Ultimate Comcs line tried to pick up after the failure of Ultimatum which had driven many fans away already. However you look at it, for nearly ten years Ultimate X-Men, and some of its companions under Marvel’s Ultimate line, were among the pinnacle of superhero comics. The reimagining of the characters, stripping them down to their core and putting them in a different world was a brave choice, but one that I, and thousands like me, fell in love with.

I grew up reading Ultimate X-Men, both as a comics fan and a human, and it hurts me a little to see people ignore it as an unimportant part of Marvel’s past because it’s not chronologically relevant in the X-Men’s story. It’s not, not really, but that doesn’t mean the stories told under the Ultimate X-Men banner remain among some of my most cherished to this day. If, for whatever reason, you haven’t read them then you can find the collected editions easily enough at your favourite online retailer (or, maybe your LCS can get them in for you).

That’s all we have for this week, folks. Come back next time when there’s something else Underrated to talk about.

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