Category Archives: Reviews

Review: Djinn Volume 1 The Favorite

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If you were a child growing up in the 1980s, many people will remember, what was called “Event TV”. These days, event TV, may only follow a few nights, and ones that most people don’t remember, as they follow a weekly format. Growing up, I remembered how important these TV miniseries were, as we did not have DVR growing up, but just about everyone had a VCR, which you could pre-program. Ask anybody growing up then, and they could remember watching miniseries like Shogun.

There was nothing like watching the same thing together in the same room, which seems old fashioned these days. One of those TV miniseries, was Harem, which starred Nancy Travis, as a young English kidnapped into a harem. Rarely, has the world been explored, in fiction, and only recently, it has come out that this is a rather common practice amongst Sheiks in the Arabian Gulf. In Jean Dufaux and Ana Miralles’ brilliant and nostalgia stoking Djinn, the reader gets a supernatural and historical adventure.

We meet Kim, a young lady tracing her family’s history in Istanbul, specifically any record of her grandmother, this is where she meets a mysterious stranger. She reluctantly meets him later that night, which leads them to a brothel, where she soon learns that the key to finding out who her grandmother is, is finding more information about the Black Sultan. We also meet her grandmother, Jade, who was a member of the Black Sultan’s harem, who used her sensuality to wield power. By book’s end Kim, may be in some trouble and Jade, looks to have betrayed the very man who Sultan was reaching a treaty with.

Overall, an entertaining and action-packed story that will keep the reader engaged from beginning to end. The story by Dufaux has intrigue, scandal, geopolitical implications, and a mystery lying in the middle. The art by Miralles is gorgeous and invigorating. Altogether, both a journey back in time and a search for the truth, that will keep the reader second guessing to the last page.

Story: Jean Dufaux Art: Ana Miralles
Story: 10 Art: 9.7 Overall: 9.9 Recommendation: Buy

Review: Buck Danny Vol. 5 Thunder Over the Cordillera

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I remember growing up, I loved history, so basically consumed everything history related. Especially American History, as every day, historians are finding out new facts every day, as I pretty consumed with everything American Revolution related and Civil War related. Eventually I would branch out to other countries histories, and to what I have come to call, self-knowledge. Knowing where your family is from and your family’s roots to those places, became part of identity, much like every child.

Where my mother is from, the Philippines, there has always been a history of civil unrest, as every Filipino, even those of us born in the States, carry what the Bible calls “a brand plucked from fire”. As every Filipino family I know claims some lineage to Lapu Lapu, the man who killed Magellan. This firebrand can be seen all over the world, from those oppressed, as this is the very reasons there are coups and civil wars. This is what happens in the latest volume of Buck Danny, where our heroes are caught in a difficult situation.

We find our heroes racing to find help while Nicaraguan military is on the hunt for them shortly after their escape. Meanwhile, Colonel Diaz preps whomever still is loyal to him, for a civil war, one that will change the country forever. Eventually, Lady X, gets involved, and unleashes her mercenaries to quell any strife. By book’s end, the drug ring becomes pull to pieces and Buck saves Cindy.

Overall, the most exciting installment  of the series, as we see firsthand how Buck and his squadron embody the best in all of us. The story by Francis Bergese proves he knows how to tell high flying action. The art by Bergese evokes old school sequential art with new school sensibilities. By book’s end, you will be cheering for Buck Danny and looking for the next volume.

Story: Francis Bergese Art: Francis Bergese
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Review: The Accelerators #1

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Time travel is one of those topics within the genre that usually gets people fascinated. The idea that you can go back in time and change things that may go better in your fortune, is wish fulfillment t its best. The whole Back To The Future franchise is immortalized in the minds of move fans for this exact reason. Who would not want to be Marty McFly and change your father past, which betters your present lifestyle.

Of course, the ills of time travel, have also been stressed in those movies but also in others like Timeline and the Butterfly Effect movies. Rarely, has this genre ever moved into something resembling horror, as the evils that men would with such abilities, have rarely been explored. The closest movie fans have gotten to such concepts, is the Groundhog Day like movie, Happy Death day, where the protagonist relives the day she died multiple gruesome times. In RFI Porto and Gavin P. Smith’s engaging The Accelerators, it puts a terrifying and different twist on the time travel genre.

The book opens up a coliseum, filled with gladiators, but no the typical ones you see in period films, instead we have Barbarians fighting soldiers, Mayan warriors fighting scientists, like a gory Celebrity Death Match, that unfolds. We then meet a scientist named Alexa, who is running from the military and can move forward in time, through a technology resembling the rings in Tron. Eventually, this chase pulls in someone who has no idea what is going on, where we meet the character of Bertram, who serves as the reader, as we find out as he does exactly what is going on. By issue’s end, one of the characters may have met their fate which can also mean a very unstable future.

Overall, a unique and scary version of how time travel can affect lives in the worst ways. The story by RFI Porto is exhilarating and puts a new spin on the genre. The art by Gavin P. Smith is gorgeous. Overall, a great book which put the genre on its head and leads it in a great new direction.

Story: RFI Porto Art: Gavin P. Smith
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation:Buy

Mini Reviews For The Week Ending 2/17

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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.

 

Logan

KillOrBeKilled_16-1Kill or Be Killed #16 (Image)– A copycat vigilante is on the loose and causing all kinds of havoc plus there’s a real mind screw of an ending, but what Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, and Elizabeth Breitweiser do best in Kill or Be Killed #16 is show the haze of being on medication. Dylan has come clean about the demon telling him to kill people so he gets put on meds to block out the voices in his head. Most of the issue is him stumbling about with Phillips tightening up his art when Dylan’s sense of justice returns. Even though he’s a murderer, Dylan thinks he’s better than the guy haphazardly running around shooting low level drug dealers and cops. The moral compass of the series continues to be shattered and adding the psych hospital elements is a nice wrinkle. Overall 8.6 Verdict: Buy

Archie #28 (Archie)– Full disclosure: I’m only still reading this title for Audrey Mok’s beautiful art as she and colorist Kelly Fitzpatrick lends some energy Mark Waid and Ian Flynn’s repetitive slapstick gags and give Betty and Veronica sizzleworthy chemistry. It’s like Waid and Flynn don’t know what to write with the Betty/Veronica/Archie on ice for the time being. Some fun is coaxed out of Reggie’s pure villainy including being on his cellphone for an entire movie based on Archie’s Dark Circle comics and then spoiling the post credits scene. Overall: 6.7 Verdict: Read

Kick-Ass #1 (Image)– There’s a new Kick-Ass in town, and it’s not some annoying, immature nerdy kid. Patience is an Army vet whose husband ran off on her and left her in debt to the gangs who run her neighborhood. She wants to get the money back while also playing Robin Hood and giving some of it to the people who need it. Patience’s motivation might be practical, but John Romita Jr’s art is stylized as hell with action scenes that pack a punch. Mark Millar’s writing is a little more mature than the earlier Kick-Asses even if he paints things like poverty, racism, and terrorism with a very broad brush for an excuse to show a now-single mom kick bad guys in the balls. Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

Ryan C

Deadman #4 (DC)** – The brain-melting insanity from Neal Adams continues unabated, with the added bonus of the plot making as little sense as the dialogue at this point. To deadman 4his credit, Adams is still capable of the occasional dynamic composition, but by and large his artistic prowess seems to be skewing toward finding a level with whatever writing ability he may possess (which, admittedly, isn’t much). All of which means this is about the most fun you’re gonna have reading a comic book this week. The absurdity is all right out in the open, not pretending to be anything else, and the idea of grown-ass adults putting on costumes to fight crime? It’s as absurd as it gets.Neal Adams cuts right through the layers of bullshit and denial super-hero fans have constructed around themselves and is creating work that explodes conventions by laying them bare. He may be doing it all by accident while actually trying his level best to create a “good” comic here, but some things leave the entire critical spectrum behind by dint of their sheer indifference to it. Adams is making comics for an audience of one — himself. You know who else they say that about? Genuine iconoclasts as varied as Gerald Jablonski, S. Clay Wilson, Chester Brown, and the late Jess Johnson — pretty good company to be in. Overall: 0. Recommendation: Buy. You did not read that wrong.

Grass Kings #12 (Boom! Studios)** – It feels like things are moving faster in Matt Kindt and Tyler Jenkins’ quiet-but-tense opus, and with the Feds about to rain down holy Hell on the so-called “Grass Kingdom,” the stakes are considerably raised. This series could use a stronger editor — Kindt’s scripting repeats words and phrases in short order and with poor rhythm, and points already made are frequently re-iterated — but that’s about the only gripe I’ve got, and Jenkins’ watercolor-infused art is more than enough to make up for any slack in the narrative act. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Slots #5 (Image/Skybound)** – Dan Panosian’s story of a down-on-his-luck prizefighter attempting an ill-advised comeback for dubious reasons had been flagging a bit over the last couple of issues, but with only one left to go, he rights the ship quickly and lines up all the pieces on his board for what promises to be a humdinger of a conclusion. I was getting a little nervous about this one, now I’m not. Overall: 8. Recommendation: Buy

Shade, The Changing Girl/Wonder Woman Special #1 (DC/Young Animal)** – The first few pages of this comic, which feature Wonder Woman laying around naked in a milk bath wearing a blindfold, should appeal to any number of fetishists out there, but beyond that the appeal of the issue quickly fades — the allegories about women fragmenting themselves into different roles that others “need” them to be, while certainly true, are here entirely too obvious and frankly not even clever, which sets the tone for an uncharacteristically predictable yarn from the usually-surprising Cecil Castellucci. I liked Mirka Andolofo’s art — hell, I liked it a lot — but, as with last week’s dept h 23“Mother Panic/Batman Special,” it’s asked to stretch itself pretty think in order to pad what should be a standard-length story out by an extra 10 or 12 pages. I dunno, the whole “Milk Wars” thing was kinda fun at first, but my interest level is fading quickly. Overall: 4. Recommendation: Pass.

Christopher

Dept H #23 (Dark Horse) With humanity’s hope riding on Mia, she puts things into perspective to put her mind off her limited air supply. Revealing what may be the cause of her father murder. Along with hinting at what may have caused the plot to murder her father began. Being subtle at who she believes is responsible both directly and indirectly. With only one issue remaining, will the full truth be revealed? Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy 

Patrick

I Hate Fairyland #16 (Image)** – Gertie has gone to hell and is not having any of the devil’s muffin fluffing nonsense. So he sends her back home – in a sequence that, as a parent of a somewhat fussy eater, is terrifying and hilarious. I would actually have liked to see more of Gert and the devil squaring off – seeing Gert vulnerable and emotional is kind of off-putting. But as usual, Skottie Young’s art is stellar and well worth any story quibbles. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy.

Kill or be Killed #16 (Image)** – With a copycat vigilante on the loose in New York, Dylan’s claims to be the original while in Bellevue are met with heavy medication. I don’t know if anyone else has thought of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” meets “Death Wish” before but I am down with this. Ed Brubaker could go darker for my money (even though he is setting up some pretty dark stuff), but artists Sean Phillips and Elizabeth IHateFairyland_16-1Breitweiser continue to do brilliant work. Breitweiser’s colors here – muted grays and browns and institution green – are perfect. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Koshchei the Deathless #2 (Dark Horse)** – Mike Mignola continues the story of Baba Yaga’s hired man and his mission to rid the world of the last dragon. The folk tale style of the story really pleases me – even though we are on a definite quest, there are any number of interesting side tracks and they don’t all feed into the plot as such. But Mignola is such a good writer that as soon as we do get back to the main plot, things get intense very fast. Ben Stenbeck’s drawing perfectly straddles the line where realistic adventure and great monsters meet, and Dave Stewart’s colors capture the banality of a long walk through the woods and the brutality of dragon-fighting. Very entertaining. Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy 

Stray Bullets #32 (Image)** – Orson, Beth, and Nina have taken the money and run. But as Orson quickly points out, “We did all this robbing and stealing to be free, but we aren’t free at all, are we?” So Beth sends Orson back home to Baltimore. After checking on the motley crew we’d left behind, we settle in with Chandra from the strip club that started this whole ordeal. Predictably, there are drugs and fires. But in the end, Orson pulls one of his signature moves – what I now think of as Laphamian – a great idea that is also at the same time a terrible idea. Stray Bullets is all about terrible people trying to convince themselves otherwise by occasionally doing the right thing, and that’s just the way I like it. Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Mage: the Hero Denied #6 (Image)** – As is by now usual, Kevin Matchstick does nothing but wait for signs and trails to follow. As a main character who is supposed to be the Pendragon, he is merely passive and reactive – which makes his wife Magda far and away the most dramatically interesting character in this series. Her quest for the Perfect Home is simple and clear, and the stakes – the lives and happiness of her children – are very high. More of this and less of Questing Beasts and the Fisher King until Kevin can actually figure out why he’s in this story. Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

Lazarus X+66 #6 (Image)** – In the final issue of this spinoff series, the Hunter goes to kill the Dragon aka The Zmey. As usual in the world of Lazarus, things are much more horrible than they initially appear to be – which is really saying something. Making this origin story a kind of Russian folktale is perfect for the utter brutality and fatalism involved, and Greg Rucka pulls it off nicely. I wasn’t thrilled Tristan Jones’ artwork here, something in the sketchiness of his lines muddied the storytelling for me, with all details given the same weight. But that Michael Lark cover! Very much looking forward to the return of the main series. Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

Shean

ThrawnCoverStar Wars Thrawn#1 (Marvel) In probably one of the better origin stories to come out of Marvel, we get one about Timothy Zahn’s most elusive villains. We meet Thrawn as squadron of Storm troopers, but unfortunate for him, he gets captured and has a proposal for the Emperor, one that is easily accepted. We soon see how manipulates everyone around him to gets what he wants. By issue’s end, he undertakes his 1st mission , one that will change his fortune. Overall: 9.8 Recommendation: Buy

X-Men : Grand Design #1 and #2 (Marvel) I will keep this one short and not because this book is bad, in fact this book is pretty spectacular, but this book covers the whole history of the X-men and in probably the most enjoyable digestible version, asthese first 2 issues exemplifies the benefits of this type of compression combined with Pistons art knocks this out of the park. Overall: 10 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 (**).

Review: Black Bolt #10

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Where we last left Black Bolt, he had returned to Earth as a changed man, took Blinky with him after defeating the Jailer and had to meet up with Titania, the wife of the Absorbing Man and during the funeral service, Lash returns to kidnap Blinky and it is up to the Midnight King himself and Titania for a rescue mission.

Saladin Ahmed‘s Black Bolt has garnered well deserved critical praise since last year. Ahmed who has previously written novels made a big splash on the comic book scene working for Marvel with Black Bolt as part of their new Inhumans titles of the “ResurXion” line. Say what you will about the Inhumans but their books have gotten better and better with Black Bolt being one of the best if not the best of them. The book not only has taken the character of Black Bolt in new scenarios but also further develops him. The first arc of the book changed him for the better between his friendship with the Absorbing Man and Blinky, who in a way has become something of an adoptive daughter for him.

And it’s further expanded upon and empathized in issues 8 and 9 and the trend continues in this issue. The issue deals with something else from his past, the fallout of “Infinity” where Black Bolt in the end unleashed a Terrigen Bomb (long story) that created a lot of new Inhumans, basically people who had Inhuman DNA in them but never went through the process. So the narration makes it clear that Black Bolt has regrets doing that as it’s one of those things where he thought it could save his people against Thanos. It kind of did but brought along a lot of fallout and of course, Lash and his minions are among the fallout. But he fights them anyway to get Blinky back.

The book delves further into Black Bolt gaining humanity more and more when it came to Lash holding Blinky hostage. Yes, it sounds like a cliché when I type it but Ahmed doesn’t make it written like a cliché. The book makes it clear that this is a tough decision to make. He cares about Blinky, he doesn’t want her harmed so he does what he has to do but it’s not a decision you think he’ll make. Traditionally, some hero would think of a clever way to beat the villain and rescue the hostage. This is not what happens and it’s an understandable one. It’s not portrayed as a weakness which is very refreshing to see.

Lash’s plan basically involves ruling humanity, despising Black Bolt for unleashing the Terrigen Bomb. Which that second part may suggest a bit of classist in him as he sees himself superior than other Inhumans and he has created a makeshift device that’s similar in concept.

As everything escalates, the issue reaches the highest point of such when it came to the ending which I won’t give away because I certainly didn’t see it coming.

Ahmed still nails the characters in this book, either further developing than how other writers have done so before or giving them unique voices. As I mentioned, Black Bolt has been given a lot of development and that continues especially in a section connected to Inhumans: Judgment Day. It’s just as much of a touching scene as it is in that one shot and blends together very well-seamlessly even. Ahmed of course nails the action as well as he never writes a boring book. Dude just knows what to write.

Christian Ward‘s art as always nails everything. With a watercolor look, a splash of colors, it fits the tone the book is going for and something of an appropriate Sci-Fi feel to it like the first arc and can be gothic too which can appeal to me. But not only that, he knows how to convey emotions-artwise. Ahmed nails that as well mind you. With Ahmed, he doesn’t beat you over the head as to what Black Bolt is feeling and Ward’s art empathizes the facial expressions like in the first couple of pages where he looks distraught and helpless-it’s astonishingly well executed. And the one section with art by Stephanie Hans with the scenes between Black Bolt and Medusa are beautiful. Like, when has her art never been beautiful?

Black Bolt just remains to be one of the most in sync books between writer and artist I have seen.

I’m not just saying this as a Marvel fan or a fan of the Inhumans, Black Bolt is a book I highly recommend reading and this issue does not disappoint and has me dying to know what will happen in issue 11. There is a lot to love and if you’re a fan of the character or Ahmed’s work or Christian Ward’s, check it out.

 

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Review: The 99: Sacrifice

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Within the medium of comics, no one gets death as deftly as sequential art does. Books, can portray a death quite convincingly, describing every detail, as if you were in the room. Movies and tv shows, do it well too, as they show the viewer visually and sometimes not, what occurs. As the death of a beloved character, can make the audience gasp or cheer.

This last season of Game Of Thrones, saw the death of Littlefinger, a villain within the books and the TV show, who seemingly was behind every sea change within Westeros. Then in the recent storyline of Detective Comics, saw the death of Clayface, a once hated but now redeemed character, that divides Bat Family. Either way, much like in life, when one person is so attached to other’s lives, their fatality can be devastating. In this newest volume of The 99, every wielder of the Noor stones face a sacrifice or a demise of someone close.

Dr. Ramzi,  at the beginning of the book, asks every member what personal sacrifice each undertook before they discovered their powers. One of the wielders talks about how each got sold in to child slavery but got turned into a cold-blooded killer and receives the Noor stones this way. Another finds one of the heroes finding his powers through being bullied and almost killing someone. By book’s end, the giving up of something or someone in this book, shows the true measure of a hero.

Overall, this feels like the “After School Special” of the series, which can be good, but this team has told better stories. Stuart Moore and Fabian Nicieza feels seral in this book, which is not exemplary of the series. The art by the different artists is the one consistency from the rest of the series that is in this volume. Altogether, the series has done better than this volume, skip this one and find the rest.

Story: Stuart Moore and Fabian Nicieza
Art: Ron Wagner, Joe Rubinstein, Paco Diaz, Chris Schons, Steven Yeowell, Kevin Kobasic, Don Hudson, Mark Buckingham and Steve Buccelato
Story: 5.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Review: Jean Grey #11

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Where we last left off Jean Grey, she had decided to face the Phoenix head on despite getting much reinforcements to assist her in the battle against the Phoenix Force but alas, it came at a price but has survived that price?

With the events of Phoenix Resurrection over and done with, the (sadly) final issue of Jean Grey can commence given issue 10 left off with a whopper of an ending where the Phoenix force straight up blew up the time displaced Jean Grey. It certainly left me dying to know what happens next.

The book written by Dennis Hopeless with art by Victor Ibanez has been a very engaging read for me even when it was first announced. I loved the writer, I loved Jean Grey’s new look and upon looking at the book, I was definitely entertained and it’s not just the best the time displaced Jean Grey had ever been written, it’s the best the character has been written-period. I love this character’s attitude and her responses to certain situations and what her future self has done, even with Emma Frost. It’s very engaging and entertaining and certainly the entire course of the book made her sympathetic to her plight about not wanting to have the same fate as her future counterpart. Hell, the lampshading on what came before was among the things enough to sell me on this book.

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It’s among those that have me rooting for the character to survive especially with issue 10 as I was constantly worried if she was going to make it or not. Hopeless is extremely good at writing characters whether it’d be women or men. He brings a lot of energy and is able to make any character compelling to read even when they already were. If somebody wasn’t a fan of Jean Grey before, I’d like to think this would be the book to sell them on the character especially time displaced Jean.

While I’m sad that this is the final issue of the book, it does end up being the most appropriate way to end the title. The entire issue culminates into her jumping into different time periods of meeting different hosts to facing the Phoenix Force itself head on. And it’s actually pretty clever and it kind of felt like Quantum Leap meets Silent Hill in a way. Okay, it’s not graphic save for one moment as to how the time displaced Jean gets resurrected and brought back to Earth which felt something straight out of Hellraiser, but I mean more on the psychological side of things. Which culminates into a great moment where the Phoenix Force is pissed at her despite resurrecting the OG adult Jean Grey completely, it just hates teen Jean but she doesn’t let what the Phoenix Force say bother her. I don’t want to give it away completely but it encapsulates everything I love about this iteration of the character.

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Dennis Hopeless really sells this issue. It seems pretty clear he knew this would be the final issue and decided to give it his all until the very end (and setting up what happens in X-Men: Red for Tom Taylor to write). The book simply never has a dull moment and how can it given what’s at stake for Jean herself? It’s well executed. The art by Ibanez along with assistance from Alberto Albuquerque help much as they provide plenty of fun facial expressions from everyone from teen Jean’s smirk to the rage of each Phoenix host. They certainly nailed those moments very well enough.

If you love the works of Dennis Hopeless or liked Jean Grey before, this is the book to pick up. Buy the trades, buy this issue or previous ones, whichever. I highly recommend this title through and through. Check it out!

 

 

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Review: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #29

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Where we last left Squirrel Girl and company, Nancy had been finally rescued thanks to the combined efforts of Squirrel Girl herself, Loki, Tippy Toe and Drax after Squirrel Girl had been conned by space hunks especially one who claimed to be the Silver Surfer himself. However upon confronting the perps, the real Silver Surfer arrives and Squirrel Girl assumed he’s the con artist and it’s up to the others to stop her from making a horrible mistake.

Compared to other Marvel books, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is definitely the most cartoonish of the bunch and that is saying something given superhero books are technically absurd but this is book takes things up to eleven but that’s not a bad thing though.

What the book does well is establishing its sense of humor, it’s kind of like a comic strip except not structured like one, actually I take that back, it’s like a fun webcomic to be more accurate. It is drawn like one, like, it’s just that that’s what it feels like but again, that’s not a slight against it. The book’s writing and art do make it a distinct Marvel book from the rest and reading it, it’s very easy to see why this book has caught on for so many people especially given she’s now going to get a shot being in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the upcoming New Warriors series. While she has gained popularity over the years, the book by Ryan North and Erica Henderson may have been the very book to soar her into popularity full time.

And yes, I am among this book’s fans. There is something endearing about Squirrel Girl in general whether it’d be her optimism or absurd power set where she can take down the most powerful characters in the Marvel universe. And the book really keeps that spirit but also cranks it up to eleven as I mentioned beforehand.

This arc is no exception. She’s taken on Galactus already so she might as well meet the Silver Surfer but if it’s Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, there’s bound to be something absurd to make it all happen. And it’s a hilarious read from here to kingdom come really such as the efforts to stop Squirrel Girl from fighting the Surfer himself to essentially the climax of the issue (this arc isn’t done yet actually).

The jokes do land for the most part, some wouldn’t land quite as much but the book does have an absurd sense of humor that I can get into, kind of like say for a random example, The Pink Panther Strikes Again where both rely on high concept absurdist humor to maximum but great effect. Ryan North has a knack for writing good characterization especially given the friendship between her and Nancy and how to make a joke work. It’s not just the Squirrel Girl show, he knew to include somebody as a counteract to Squirrel Girl herself and Nancy is effective as something of a straight man to the book’s insanity. There are small details like random comments pertaining to anything underneath the pages like “I don’t want to sound too serious but I will go on a limb and say that, yes, friendship is eventually worth it.” As if North had envisioned Ron Howard saying that.

The art style definitely fits the proceedings. Erica Henderson’s art may not be for everyone but I quite like it. Again, it fits the book’s tone. If it’s going to act like a cartoon, then have it look like a cartoon to boot. It’s yet another Marvel book where it feels like the writer and artist are in sync with each other and it’s very effective in that regard. And I do like that the next issue is apparently going to be the punchline to the this entire arc. The space hunks or spacebros as I call them have been caught yes but their punishment still needs to be decided. So I imagine that will be fun.

If you like this book and the Squirrel Girl character in general or just like very cartoonish stuff, this book is for you. If not, I’m sure there’s something else but this book is very endearing, check it out.

 

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Review: Marvel Two-In-One #3

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Where we last left off, Ben Grimm/Thing and Johnny Storm/Human Torch encountered Victor Von Doom as they battled the Mole Man and his monsters on Monster Island and in private, Doom as left Thing with the Multisect, a device that will allow the ability to travel through the multiverse. However, Johnny has been losing his powers and they now have to get answers as to what’s happening.

While not exactly the resurrection of Fantastic Four fans have been clamoring for, Marvel Two-In-One is the start of something akin to that with Ben Grimm/Thing and Johnny Storm/Human Torch being the main leads of the book all the while using a past Marvel title which could count as a revival. And who better than to write these characters than Chip Zdarsky? And there is a reason he is among Marvel’s MVP of writers as of late.

From the first issue to Marvel Two-In-One #3, Zdarsky has a clear grasp on character, emotion and action. He also excels at humor excellently as well (see his Howard the Duck run for example) but I digress. He not only understands these characters but really develops them and make them more humor especially given Ben lied to Johnny that Reed and Sue could be still alive and yet, they’re going on a multiverse journey anyway which does make for a solid storytelling engine because of the dramatics it’d bring.

For this issue however, Hercules not only guest stars but a character from a previous issue appears in a major role, Rachna Koul via Hercules. And I got to say, Zdarsky really delivers when it comes to writing the dialogue for Hercules. It’s crazy spot on to a T while adding his unique touches such as how he deals with whatever Zeus says to him and the best part? That’s no doubt a callback to an issue of Secret Warriors. They don’t share the same writer but I’m sure a lot of writers in the Marvel offices share their stories with each other so I don’t doubt Zdarsky got wind of what Matthew Rosenberg wrote concerning that issue’s brief mention of Hercules.

Rachna Koul is also interesting of herself. You know the quote in Thor where it’s said that magic is a science people don’t understand? That’s kind of what happens here as she explains every single thing as to how even Hercules’s abilities work. It’s bizarre but also fascinating as to what Zdarsky even wrote. And it’s interesting to see what she has to say about superheroes with her main problem being they act better than everyone…yet she claims to be better than everyone else because of her own intelligence especially given how she managed to fight off a particular villain. All that and she’s very to read with her snarkiness and don’t care attitude and all.

Zdarsky does put in plenty of intrigue as well given the issue bookends itself with the presence of Victor Von Doom (or Iron Doom as I refer to him as) and the Mad Thinker. I can see why Zdarsky loves writing Doom. He gets Doom, he honestly does even when he’s in Iron Man armor. It’s just delightful to read, I can’t explain it. And the cliffhanger certainly has an interesting setup for things to come as to what could happen next in issue 4. And it kind of plays off like as if Zdarsky understands horror too, which, I’d be up for.

Zdarsky always knows how to tell a good story-even in his comedic ones and understands characters and can write in fun action scenes. The art by Valerio Schiti certainly helps matters especially when it came to the scenes with Doom and Mad Thinker. Plenty of shadows that give Doom a menacing look to him especially when there’s green glow surrounding him-having him look like a figure of death to creepy effect, same goes for the last couple of pages. And the rest, well staged and no doubt elevated what Zdarsky wrote. Again, another Marvel book where writer and artist are clearly in sync with each other.

And I should mention, this is a two page “end credits” kind of thing that humorously serves as an amusing punchline to a particular action beat.

If you’ve been enjoying Marvel Two-in-One, the book is still going strong and I recommend it to even people whoa aren’t fans of the Fantastic Four. If this is your jam, check it out!

 

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Review: Black Panther Vol. 4: Avengers of the New World Book 1

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Black Panther is coming to theaters and we’re reviewing each trade paperback volume of the current ongoing series from Marvel! We continue with the first part of “Avengers of the New World.”

Black Panther Vol. 4: Avengers of the New World Book 1 collects issues #13-18 by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Chris Sprouse, Wilfredo Torres, Adam Gorham, Jacen Burrows, Terry Pallot, Walden Wong, Karl Story, Dexter Vines, Laura Martin, and Andrew Crossley.

Get your copy. To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Amazon/Kindle/comiXology or TFAW

 

 

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