Category Archives: Reviews

Review: Jessica Jones #4

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jessica_jones__4Like every issue of Jessica Jones so far, something is really off with the characterizations in this series. Jessica Jones #4 opens with Misty Knight dissecting his and Jessica’s relationships and calling her “broken”. I took Misty for a kinder, more heroic figure, but maybe not in this story. Later in the issue, the shot of Luke hugging Misty end up in a press barrage condemning his erratic behavior. Someone might be manipulating Luke and/or Misty, and we’re probably not going to find out until this fairly decompressed story arc wraps up after six issues.

Jessica Jones is a really difficult comic to write about on an issue to issue basis because the new series is mystery driven instead of character driven. Certain folks might seem to be written out of character for the sake of the overall plot. But as writer Brian Michael Bendis, artist Michael Gaydos , and colorist Matt Hollingsworth unpeel layers of this onion of a mystery arc, the interactions start to shine through, especially Jessica’s blend of misanthropy and heroism which endeared me to her the first time I read Alias in college. A moldy old Bendis running gag since his days on Ultimate Spider-Man of D-list supervillains loudly proclaiming their innocence gets some new life when Jessica tackles Leapfrog and immediately asks the cops if she can help with their case featuring one of her dead clients. Even though her relationship with Luke is majorly strained, Jessica doesn’t retreat into herself, but wants to atone for her mistakes and help out.

This whole idea of Jessica helping out while being super snarky about it and making jokes jessicajones4interiorcomparing superheroes to head cheerleaders slides neatly into Jessica Jones #4’s reveal that Jessica Jones is a deep cover SHIELD operative. Or she’s basically what Jessica Drew was in Bendis mid-2000s Avengers comics, but with no family connection to HYDRA. This is why she had to send Dani off to her mom, went to jail, has a strained relationship with Luke, and pretended to think about joining Allison Greene’s organization. The reveal isn’t particularly groundbreaking, but gives the events of the previous issues some logical basis and also redeems the friendship between Carol and Jessica. It’s very messed up, but also quite heroic that Jessica is throwing her happy home life away to take down a big HYDRA cell while using her attitude of resentment towards superhero and their trappings as a way to keep her cover. Except Allison Greene isn’t just your run of the mill HYDRA accountant and yet another mystery that Bendis keeps slightly out of reach to get us to pick up issues 5 and 6. It’s refreshing that Jessica isn’t a criminal though.

Like Alias, the big (or probably medium sized in the long run) moments don’t happen in superhero slugfests, but in the middle of intense conversations. And even though he mainly goes for conventional grid layouts, Gaydos makes Bendis’ verbal tete-a-tetes more memorable with a well-placed facial expression, including Luke having a longing look about Jessica when Misty insults her or Carol’s look of surprise about Allison Greene’s leadership position in an unknown organization.

Without rehashing the events of Civil War II, this look shows that Carol know she’s on thin ice and letting a terrorist organization run around and kill innocent New Yorkers and superhumans wouldn’t be good for her approval rating as the new “top cop”. Hollingsworth mutes the color tone of her costume showing that she truly is there for Jessica as a friend and ally and not a high soaring hero like in previous issues. His use of dark blues in the early scenes with Luke and Misty show the coldness that Luke may feel towards Jessica as well as the web of intrigue around them and was one time the colors of Jessica Jones #4 stood out to me.

When Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos aren’t teasing and prodding readers for a fourth straight issue, Jessica Jones #4 is a celebration of its lead character’s heroism in the face of adversity and with a healthy dose of snark. And, on a more negative note, the portrayal of Misty Knight as jealous and cantankerous continues to confirm my theory that Bendis bases his characterization of classic Marvel heroes on what his plot demands. This is why most of his best work either is rooted in other creators’ work (Frank Miller for Daredevil, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko for Ultimate Spider-Man) or involves his own creations like Jessica Jones, Echo, or Miles Morales.

Story: Brian Michael Bendis Art: Michael Gaydos Colors: Matt Hollingsworth
Story: 6 Art: 8 Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

Marvel Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Review: Voracious: Feeding Time #2

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voracious-ft-2-coverIf you’ve been reading Voracious then you’re going to love this issue. If you haven’t been reading Voracious then you are missing out on one of the most underrated comic books of the year with a concept so uniquely interesting that you wonder why it has never been thought of before (but if it had, then there is no way it would have been done as well as Markisan Naso and Jason Muhr are doing it here); a time travelling dinosaur hunting chef, who serves dinosaur steaks.

But what if it wasn’t our past that Nate was returning too? What if his actions were having unintended consequences that he was utterly oblivious too?

At this point, if you’ve been following anything I’ve been writing about the series then it should come as no surprise that I’m a fan – it did land Best Mini-Series or One Shot in my Best Of 2016 list, after all. But with that love of all things Voracious comes a pretty high set of expectations with each subsequent issue that the creators have met effortlessly each time. As ingenious as the concept of time-traveling chef Nate Willner opening a diner using dinosaur meat is, there’s only so far that concept will go before the food goes stale. Voracious: Feeding Time #1 immediately allayed that concern with the introduction of some new characters and a glimpse at the consequences of the first arc.

This issue we’re back with the staff of our favorite diner, and we see… look out of respect for you, the creators, and my own reluctance to divulge spoilers I’m not going recap the issue here. Suffice to say that yet again Naso, Muhr and colourist Andrei Tabacaru have delivered another amazing chapter in a series that continues to amaze me – even more impressive a feat considering how much I expect from the series now.

Story: Marisan Naso Art: Jason Muhr Colourist: Andrei Tabacaru
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy (but make sure this isn’t your first issue, or it may not make as much sense to you).

Action Lab provided a FREE copy for review, but I will be buying a copy Wednesday

Review: God Country #1

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god-country-1I have been waiting awhile to read this book. Donny Cates has been teasing fans on social media with the awesome cover, and some incredible interior art from Geoff Shaw. That is the first thing you notice about any comic, the artwork, and God Country #1 made me notice right away. We all know story matters, you really need both the art and writing to be good to love a book. If one is solid and the other is breathtaking, that is even better, but if one is off, it can hurt the whole package, and your experience with it. This book doesn’t have that issue. Both the writing and art are well done.

For now, let’s focus on the art. I really loved the colored pencil and sketch style that Shaw used in this book. Emotions are huge throughout as we deal with a father with dementia, his son who is trying to care for him, and his own family that he is having to worry about as his father is getting worse. Shaw does an excellent job of showing the pain, anger, frustration, and sadness a family would feel, as caring for someone in that state isn’t easy. I felt uncomfortable as I turned each page as I watched a family in turmoil, but the art and story made me want to read more. Cates and Shaw both work well together to showcase that.

I do not want to spoil too much, as the set up for the ending of this book is pretty awesome, and leaves a lot of questions to ask, but what I will say is there is more than meets the eye to Roy’s father. It is very cool, and we see a massive tornado and storm of biblical levels, a demon, a massive sword, a badass moment, and a trippy cosmic ending page. Cates does a great job with narration, and dialogue to set up what appears to be an old angry man with his good days behind him. You go from being sad for this man, to wanting to know more about him immediately as he shows a badass side. The writing is sharp, and the set up works. Even as the book goes off the rails from a story about a son wanting to care for his father to another thing completely, it all works.

There is no calm before the storm. Not in this book. We get the storm, but no calm. I am very excited to see where this series goes, and will be reading this going forward. I would recommend that everyone give this book a try, and I hope you feel as intrigued as I do to find out more about this man, his sword, and more of this awesome mystery. This was a good first issue, and I have a feeling it is going to get crazier from here. It isn’t easy to be original, especially with so many good stories out there, but God Country #1 does a good job showing us a few things we’ve seen before, a few things we haven’t, and it does it with some beautiful art.

Story: Donny Cates Art: Geoff Shaw Color: Jason Wordie
Story: 8 Art: 9 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Review: Justice League/Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #1

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justlpr_cv1_dsTwo of comics greatest teams team up for the very first time! Something terrible has happened in Angel Grove! When the Command Center is breached and the teleporters are damaged, Zack is flung into another universe, where he’s mistaken for a villain by a mysterious masked vigilante. Can the other Power Rangers get to their friend in time to save him from Batman?

BOOM! Studios and DC Comics have teamed up to bring their super groups together for this rather interesting first issue. Written by Tom Taylor Justice League/Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #1 starts off with a shocker that’s super dark for a Power Rangers story and even a little dark for DC’s “Rebirth era.” That immediately caught my attention in a way that I had no idea where things were going from here, but I was intrigued to find out!

It’s a bit difficult to go through what works and what doesn’t in the comic without spoiling what’s inside but that issue follows somewhat what you’d expect after starting with a flash forward it then takes us through the events that leads up to that shocking beginning.

We get a lot of Power Rangers action as they battle Zedd after some more unexpected moments. That all leads to the eventually meeting of the Power Rangers and some of the Justice League following the formula of heroes battle before they eventually team up. That’s the one downside to the story. The latter half falls into the trope we’ve seen over and over.

But it’s that first half that had me really interested. It kept me on my toes and felt like a bit more of an “adult” take on the Rangers and not the kids show I remember from when I was younger. What’s also impressive is Taylor being able to keep the tone of the Power Rangers and the tone of the DC superheroes, which does differ, and make it work when they eventually meet. Each keeps their vibe and it flows well.

The art by Stephen Byrne is decent. I’m not the biggest fan of the style, but characters are recognizable and the action sequences are laid out really well. That’s the strength of the art, the action, and there’s a lot of it, is really solid. The battle with Zedd, the eventual battle between the Power Rangers and Justice League, it’s all solid work as far as the angles, panels, and flow. It’s just the character design I’m not the biggest fan of.

The first issue is a solid one. I honestly rolled my eyes when I first heard of this crossover, but after reading the first issue I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes. There’s a lot that works and does that really well. There’s some things that feel been there done that. But, something clicks in this rather bizarre combination.

Story: Tom Taylor Art: Stephen Byrne Cover Art: Karl Kerschl
Story: 7.5 Art: 7 Overall: 7.45 Recommendation: Read

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Review: Detective Comics #948

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tec48coverDetective Comics #948 starts out as possibly a new take on the early crime fighting days of Batwoman when she worked with her father, Jake Kane, to put a military twist on vigilantism after she resigned from West Point because of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. However, it quickly becomes sort of a cleaning crew for the first arc of co-writer James Tynion‘s Detective Comics featuring the nefarious paramilitary organization The Colony as well as the “Monster Men” crossover. Tynion, Marguerite Bennett, and artist Ben Oliver give Batwoman plenty of panel time as her trainees Cassandra Cain, Clayface, and Spoiler are nowhere to be seen. But, in attempting to tie up threads from these storylines, there’s no time to tell a good Batwoman story and answer the question, “What can Batwoman do that Batman can’t.”

In the flashback scene, Tynion, Bennett, and Oliver construct the emotional center of the “Batwoman Begins” arc, which is the relationship between Batwoman and her dad, Jake Kane. Oliver’s art in the first pages looks like some super cool Batwoman mod of the Arkham video games with heads up displays and angles showing her pursuit of Batman. But, then he softens his art when the costumes come off, and Kate has a drink with her dad, who is proud that she is improving as a crime fighter even if Batman has evaded their trail. This warm cameraderie leads in nicely to Batwoman watching her dad in his cell, but then she gets caught up in a potentially interesting action storyline featuring secret organizations with the potential to transform into kaiju. And the emphasis is definitely on “potential” as Batwoman’s personal narrative plays third fiddle to monsters, mad scientists, and a Prometheus wannabe.

Even Oliver’s art kind of falls off when the story hits the present. The glorious skyline of Gotham with its skyscrapers is kind of just drab and boring when Batman and Batwoman hit Monster Town. The image of a monster/seagull did make me a shudder a little bit and sells the fact that these dead monsters’ blood could lead to some terrible consequences more than Dr. October’s exposition. She is a charming and high energy character, and even if his cityscapes aren’t as well defined, Oliver still has a knack for expressions.

With the exception of the poetic flashbacks, Detective Comics #948 lacks the interpersonal tension that has been the best part of James Tynion’s run on the title, especially when Spoiler confronted Batman in the last arc. This incident isn’t even mentioned in this comic as he, Marguerite Bennett, and Ben Oliver decide to play a juggling act with the repercussions of the Monster Men, the resurgence of the Colony, and try to do a backdoor pilot for Batwoman’s upcoming series. Hopefully, we learn more about what makes Kate tick as a person and crime fighter in the next issue of “Batwoman Begins” instead of just rehashing (Not so.) old storylines.

Story: James Tynion IV, Marguerite Bennett Art: Ben Oliver
Story: 6.0 Art: 7.5 Overall: 6.7 Recommendation: Read

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

DC Rebirth: Recap And Review

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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. Generally, the quality of an issue won’t be discussed unless it directly impacts a new reader’s enjoyment of the series.

You may notice that not every comic is covered week to week, and that’s because I  sometimes forget to read them  (although that doesn’t happen often). 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.

 

aqm_cv14_open_order_varAquaman #14 If you’ve never read Aquaman before, then in order to make this Friendly you’ll need to know that the King of Atlantis has been framed. The USA is attacking Atlantis because a shadowy organisation is trying (and currently succeeding)to instigate a war between the two nations. Aquaman has had no luck in trying to prove his innocence, and is about to be assassinated by some US marines turned into killer hybrid human/sea-creatures. Oh, and Aquaman is a fucking bad ass.

Batman #14 Having just returned from a five issue sojourn to Bane’s Santa Prisca prison because Batman needed to “liberate” a villain to save a character introduced in the first issue of the series. However the only thing that’s relevant to this issue is that Catwoman has, allegedly, murdered quite a few people. This is a Friendly issue of Batman, and I suspect it’ll be an ideal place to hop in before the next long arc begins.

Cyborg #8 I have no idea why the events in this comic are happening specifically, but I’m sure it makes sense if you do know because it still made sense to me with only this issue to read. This is a surprisingly Freindly comic, more or less.

Green Arrow #14 Oliver Queen is “dead” and Green Arrow has been framed for multiple murders, leaving the Emerald Archer essentially living a true Robin Hood life in the trees outside Seattle. Black Canary has broken into the police station, just as Ollie failed to prevent another murder in a pretty big way… the rest of the recap will come courtesy of this Friendly issue.

Green Lanterns #14 This issue has the now-standard recappy bit at the beginning via the two Green Lanterns thought bubbles, which covers more than you’d expect of the relevant events so far, make this comic Friendly enough for new readers without any recap here.

harley-cv11_dsHarley Quinn #11 The first part of a new arc that has minor ties to previous events in the comic (Harley may or may not have received a gift from Mistah Jay in a previous issue), make this a pretty Friendly jumping on point.

Justice League #12 There’s absolutely no relevance to previous events in this issue that instead serves to provide some background on the villain in the Justice League Vs The Suicide Squad series. Technically a accessible issue, but not the best place to start seeing as how there is barely any mention of the Justice League. For that reason I’m saying this is Unfriendly.

Justice League Of America: The Atom Rebirth  There’s nothing to recap here, and you won’t find a Friendlier place to start reading this series.

Justice League Vs The Suicide Squad #3 A supervillain broke some other villains out of  hidden prison, at the same time the Suicide Squad captured the Justice League after new member Killer Frost drained Superman’s life force (he’s probably not dead). We find out why in this issue, which is just about Friendly enough to just jump into.

Nightwing #12 Dick Grayson has returned to Bludhaven to find himself. The reasons why are currently irrelevant, but the former Robin has stumbled upon a support group for reforming supervillains who are getting framed for murders, so he’s decided to help. Oh, and he’s also somehow become a part of Bludhaven’s advertising campaign to attract tourists. This is Friendlier than you’d expect.

Superman #14 A recap won’t help you here. but Superman being confused will. This is a Friendly enough issue, I guess. that kicks off a new arc for the Man of Steel.

 

Monday Manga Review: One Punch-Man Vol. 1

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one-punch-man-vol-1_cA manga series that packs quite the punch!

Nothing about Saitama passes the eyeball test when it comes to superheroes, from his lifeless expression to his bald head to his unimpressive physique. However, this average-looking guy has a not-so-average problem—he just can’t seem to find an opponent strong enough to take on! Every time a promising villain appears, he beats the snot out of ’em with one punch! Can Saitama finally find an opponent who can go toe-to-toe with him and give his life some meaning? Or is he doomed to a life of superpowered boredom?

From the web to the printed page (and to the screen in an anime) One and Yusuke Murata‘s One Punch-Man definitely delivers a punch in this first volume. For a while now I’ve heard about this manga series and hadn’t taken a look, so it felt like a smart idea to dive into the first volume for a “Manga Monday” review.

I honestly knew very little going in other than it stars a bald-headed character that packs a punch. And after finishing the first volume, I’m not sure there’s a lot more than that. One Punch-Man feels like it has a goal to spoof Western superhero comics and over the top manga. The character literally just walks up to the enemy and punches him.

It’s pretty straight forward, yet there’s still something deeper that can be debated about the series. Is it really about a search for purpose? For challenge? For satisfaction? Or is it just about punching things? It’s hard to say if the series gets much deeper than this since I just read the first volume, but on the surface, it’s not too deep… but could be.

There is a choppy flow to the manga which I wasn’t too keen on. I’m not sure how much of that was the original writing and how much is the translation by John Werry. It’s been years since I could read Japanese, so can’t really say, but it’d be interesting to see how the flow of the narrative differs between the Japanese and English dialogue.

Murata’s art is dynamic though. For as sparse as the dialogue is at times, the art speaks for the story. The power of the punch, the flow of what’s going on, it’s all there in the art. There’s sections where the comic is silent it feels like, but the story of the battle is still conveyed.

The first volume is interesting and I can see the appeal of the manga. There’s a goofy simplicity and innocence to it all that’s entertaining and fun. It’s a quick read, though you’ll linger staring at the art, and most importantly it’s entertaining and has me wanting to check out more.

Story: One Art: Yusuke Murata
Story: 9 Art: 9 Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Viz Media provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Trade Waiting: Black Science

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Joe goes over Black Science, the fantastic book from Image Comics by writer Rick Remender and artist Matteo Scalera.

You can order volume 1, volume 2, volume 3, volume 4, volume 5, and volume 6 now!

 

 

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Early Review: Infinite 7 #1

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i7_1_cvr-a-regFor centuries, a secret world government has employed the INFINITE SEVEN, the world’s greatest assassins to do their dirty work. The only way to become one of their members is to prove your worth by killing one of their members. But what happens when Anthony Zane, a teenage boy from the suburbs does just that? Action hero archetypes are re-imagined in what is sure to be the blockbuster series of the year!

The first issue of Infinite 7 is an interesting one, playing off of action film stereotypes with characters that we’ve seen before (especially if you grew up in the 80s). There’s the Schwarzenegger-esque character, the take on Bruce Lee complete with Enter the Dragon outfit, a version of Snake Plissken, and more. And just seeing that alone made the comic enjoyable and fun. If that’s all writer Dave Dwonch was planning, it’d be entertaining. But, Dwonch gives us a twist at the end that I’m not ruining that here. And that twist is where the comic goes from lampooning a decade of films to doing something a bit different, and what that is we’ll see in the second issue.

Dwonch throws in Anthony Zane and as the story builds you’re not quite sure how he fits in. I did my best to ignore the descriptor text, so I wasn’t sure what to expect in how he fits in the comic. As we move along, you get a bit better of an idea until the end and when you think it’ll all go one way, the story veers in another, and with that I was hooked.

Infinite 7 #1 is a fun action comic at times sending up the archetypes we’ve seen before and at the same time celebrating them in a way. It both makes fun of and revels in it all too. And weirdly it had me excited to see what familiar things we’d see in future issues, it feels like part of the fun.

The pencils by Arturo Mesa and colors by Geraldo Filho drive home that fun and excitement in a way by recognizing the silliness of it all and exaggerating the scenes and actions much like the characters are exaggerations. It’s clear Mesa and Filho are in on the fun as they channel what made 80s action movies great with testosterone-fueled scenes and action sequences that can only be described as over the top. The fun story translates into fun art and vice versa.

I didn’t quite know what to expect with Infinite 7 and while I thought the series was going to go one way, it surprises me and goes another keeping me on my toes and bringing something new to this type of story. The one bad thing about an early review is I have to wait that much longer for the second issue, but that also gives me more time to think about where it’s all going and then be proven wrong and surprised, much like this first issue.

If you’re a fan of 80s action films like Commando, Escape From New York, or its recent incarnation in The Expendables, then this is a comic for you. The final order cut-off is January 9th, so make sure to pre-order to not miss out.

Story: Dave Dwonch Art: Arturo Mesa Colors: Geraldo Filho
Story: 8.35 Art: 8.35 Overall: 8.35 Recommendation: Buy

Action Lab Entertainment provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Review: Justice League vs Suicide Squad #3

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jl_ssquad_cv3_dsIt’s going down!! Justice League vs Suicide Squad #3 is everything I wanted it to be and more. We all knew going into it that this was going to be like the Batman vs Superman battle royal until the two sides discovered there was a bigger bad on the loose that they would have to join forces to defeat. It was the twist that we all saw coming but, thanks to Joshua Williamson‘s great writing it still came as a huge surprise.

Issue three picks up with the Justice League under Amanda’s control and the Suicide Squad gloating at their victory. We also get clued into Amanda’s dirty little secret, her possible demise and a group that the two teams will have to join up to fight that makes our favorite baddies look like kittens. This issue was a well-written page turner that got my heart racing and had me flipping pages that weren’t there for at least 30 seconds, all in the hopes that the story would keep going. Williamson chose the perfect point to end this issue and I can not wait to see what happens in the next one.

Jesus Merino and Andy Owen‘s art work is pretty and dark and is consistent with the tone and story. It is beautiful to look at and feels like another character in the issue. He somehow manages to catch the ominous vibe that the combined groups new enemies have in his work.

Overall this issue was well written, beautifully drawn. Not only was it well crafted but, it works well as a stand-alone issue. I felt it had just the right amount of suspense to warrant checking out the next issue while being a solid read.

Story: Joshua Williamson Art: Jesus Merino and Andy Owen
Story: 8.9 Art: 8.7 Overall: 8.8 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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