chapterhouse - Graphic Policy

Tag Archives: chapterhouse

Underrated: Captain Canuck: Aleph

Posted on October 21, 2023 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: Captain Canuck: Aleph

I picked this trade up recently, and finally got around to reading it today, and I remember wondering once I was done why I hadn’t heard about it before. Published by Chapterhouse Captain Canuck: Aleph collects the first six issues of Kalman Andrasofszky and Leonard Kirk‘s 2016 run on the character.

If you’re wondering who the character is, and what the series is about, then wonder no longer!

“Born of the True North and tested in the field of war, Tom Evans is Captain Canuck, Canada’s greatest superhero. After an encounter with an alien artifact granted him superhuman strength and speed, Captain Canuck joined the global crisis intervention agency Equilibrium to take on the greatest threats that the world has ever known.

Captain Canuck needs all his grit and strength to stand up to the machinations of the deadly Mr. Gold and his sinister minions, but his most serious challenge lies much closer to home. What dark family secrets will he discover at the mysterious Site: ALEPH?”

Although Captain Canuck has a rich history, originally debuting back in July 1975, you don’t need to be aware of any of it. Oh, it’s well worth looking up if you’re curious, but to enjoy Aleph it isn’t required reading. What you get with this book is a story about team work, family, and the steely determination of a man who looks like a superhero, and has all the characteristics of superhero, but feels distinctly more human than superhuman. There are moments where other characters call out the traditional traits of a superhero that Captain Canuck exhibits, but only enough to make you wonder why a hero does what they do. And Canuck gives you his answer in this book; through his actions, not his words.

I paid $10 for this, and it was worth every penny.

Join us next week when we look at something else that is, for whatever reason, Underrated.

Underrated: Captain Canuck: Aleph

Posted on July 7, 2018 by Alex K Cossa

If you’re wondering who the character is, and what the series is about, then wonder no longer!

“Born of the True North and tested in the field of war, Tom Evans is Captain Canuck, Canada’s greatest superhero. After an encounter with an alien artifact granted him superhuman strength and speed, Captain Canuck joined the global crisis intervention agency Equilibrium to take on the greatest threats that the world has ever known.

Captain Canuck needs all his grit and strength to stand up to the machinations of the deadly Mr. Gold and his sinister minions, but his most serious challenge lies much closer to home. What dark family secrets will he discover at the mysterious Site: ALEPH?”

I paid $10 for this, and it was worth every penny.

Join us next week when we look at something else that is, for whatever reason, Underrated.

Mini Reviews For The Week Ending 1/27

Posted on January 28, 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.

Jon

DuckTales #5 (IDW): Even you haven’t watched the new DuckTales TV series these two stories of Uncle provide an entertaining series of hijinks and adventures featuring some of your favorite Disney Ducks by writers Joey Cavalieri and Joe Caramagna and artists Urbano, Greppi, Frare, Stella, Dalen, Razzi, Florio and Zanatta. The beginning is a bit to start with the plot lurching from event to event a little rapidly for my taste but the structure is solid overall and you can tell that the creators share a real affection for this world and these characters. The art is a spot on replication of the style of the TV show. Rating: 6.5 Recommendation: Buy.

Looney Tunes #241 (DC):After decades of cartoons, comics and other media it isn’t easy to come up with new scenarios for interspecies anthropomorphic mayhem but writers Sholly Fisch and Frank Strom and artists Robert Pope, Howard Simpson, and David Alvarez manage to do so with three stories of Sylvester the Cat in a theater, a library and an archaelogical excavation. There are several laugh out loud moments in each and the characters’ voices are captured so well that I wasn’t even distracted by Sylvester’s lisp or Porky’s stutter. A must for Loony Tunes fans and pediatricians’ waiting rooms.
Rating: 7 Recommendation: Buy.

Raven: Daughter of Darkness #1 (DC): Marv Wolfman and Pop Mhan return with a follow-up to last year’s Raven miniseries. That one flew under my radar but I’m definitely going to check it out. The good thing is that I don’t really have to because Wolfman does a great job of pulling in new readers who are only passingly familiar with the character and her complex continuity balancing frenetic action with compelling drama and well studied character moments. This one feels very much like Stranger Things rendered by the as a superhero story by Mhan’s always exceptional pencils. As Raven (aka Rachel) tries to figure out how to make her way in the ordinary human world, a mysterious girl capable of killing armed soldiers is on the loose. How is she connected to Raven’s destiny and what does the introduction of Baron Winters into the mix portend? I don’t know but after the cliffhanger I’m dying to find out. Rating: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Scooby-Doo Team-Up # 34 (DC): In the absence of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, writer Sholly Fisch and artist Dario Brizuela’s Scooby-Doo Team-Up remains the best way to introduce younger readers to the heroes and villains of the DC Universe. In this issue Daphne, Velma and Scooby join the Birds of Prey to solve the mystery of the giant mythical birds that are plaguing Gotham City. With its fast paced, humorous story and streamlined, approachable art, it’s almost as fun as a good episode of the classic cartoon. My one criticism is that they went for the sexier version of the Huntress’ costume in lieu of either of the superior post flashpoint variants . It looks out of place given the books overall tone and style. Rating: 7.5 Recommendation: Buy

Spy Seal Volume 1 TPB: This collected edition of Rich Tomaso’s Image series from earlier this year is a quirky curiosity: a fairly straightforward spy thriller cast with anthropomorphic animals and drawn in the style of Hergé’s Tintin minus the obsessively detailed backgrounds. It’s well executed and a clear labor of love but the combination of novelty and pastiche failed to hold my interest after about twenty pages or so. Rating: 6 Recommendation: Pass

The Demon: Hell is Earth # 3 (DC): After last issue’s gruesome cliff hanger the unexpected appearance of a figure from Etrigan’s past offers some much needed exposition and we begin to move toward the climactic confrontation with the party responsible for nuking Death Valley. As a fan of the character I’m really enjoying this newest take. Andrew Constant does a really good job of projecting Etrigan’s demented joy with some truly brutal rhymes. I liked Brad Walker’s work on Aquaman but he continues to do an even better job here, giving form to all of Hell’s perverse splendor. I really hope he continues to explore the darker corner’s of DC’s universe. I’d love to see him tackle Swamp Thing. Rating: 8. Recommendation: Buy

Logan

Marvel Two-In-One #2 (Marvel)– Chip Zdarsky and Jim Cheung’s Marvel Two-in-One #2 has your fully daily value of adventure, humor, and a heart that is three sizes too big. The Thing and Human Torch are looking for Reed Richards’ device for multiverse transport, and their journey takes them down memory lane and reminds them of their lost family. Cheung is a versatile artist who can bring everything from Kirby monsters to washed out undergrad flashbacks to life. He and Zdarsky reminded of why I used to love Marvel Comics, and maybe I still will if this book blossoms into a full fledged FF title. Overall: 9.3 Verdict: Buy

Sex Criminals #21 (Image)– Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky are back with some dirty jokes and relationship realness in this new arc of Sex Crims. They use a kind of a flip book structure to show how Jon and Suzie are in stable, yet unfulfilling relationships and kinda miss freezing time with orgasms and robbing banks. Chip Zdarsky can make the act of grocery shopping hilarious and kind of hot. Also, “cartslammo” is my favorite new sound effect. This is more of a new status quo establishing issue than a thrilling epic, but nails the “just okay” relationship. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Ryan

Sherlock Frankenstein And The Legion Of Evil #4 (Dark Horse)** – Jeff Lemire and David Rubin wrap up their mini-series with a superbly-illustrated issue that contains a major revelation sure to have implications for the main “Black Hammer” title, and set the stage for further intriguing spin-offs to come while they’re at it. Can’t ask for a whole lore more than this. Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Postal #25 (Top Cow/Image)** – Speaking of pleasing conclusions, Bryan Hill and Isaac Goodhart put their long-running (by contemporary standards) series to bed with a killer final installment that contains surprises aplenty and leaves things on a “Sporanos”-esque note of ambiguity that really worked for me, but might piss some others off. I know we’ve got a pair of one-shots coming up to ease the separation anxiety, but this book will be missed by many, and I’m definitely one of them. Overall: 8. Recommendation: Buy

Ringside # 14 (Image)** – Keeping with our finale theme, Joe Keatinge and Nick Barber pull a conclusion to their wrestling series out of thin air that actually works quite well, and while numerous plot threads were abandoned along the way as this intermittently-released title lost its focus, more or less every storyline that the creators actually stuck with is resolved in satisfying fashion here. Still not too keen on Barber’s art, but this was a better wrap-up than I had been expecting. Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

Regression #6 (Image) **- I was very happy to see Cullen Bunn and Danny Luckert not only return for a second arc of their creepy-as-shit horror series, but to raise the stakes and scope of what they’re doing considerably with this opening salvo in a new “run” of issues. Luckert’s art is just plain awesome, and the characters and their various dilemmas are becoming more and more engrossing as events play out in these pages. Unease so thick you can cut it with a knife. Overall: 8. Recommendation: Buy.

Shean

Legion #1 (Marvel)– Considering the popularity of the television show, I was hoping this was going to be superior. Though it contains glimpses of promise, I just can’t buy into it. Overall: 5 Recommendation: Pass

Deadpool Vs Old Man Logan #4 (Marvel)– Fans get to see the “Versus” part in this issue as a particular fact separates the friends. As Logan and Wade tear through the lab to find the girl, Wade finds her but feels at odds with her. Logan on the other hand, tear through the scientists to find out she is more dangerous than either of them ever expected. The two friends clash and she shows them both who she really is. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Patrick

Sex Criminals #21 (Image) **- Everything is fine as Matt Fraction & Chip Zdarsky bring us up to speed six months later in the lives of Jon & Suzie, sorry, Suzanne. The funny thing about where this series has gone is that, for me, the relationships are sostrong that I don’t need the chicken fat of porn jokes (which Zdarsky is damn good at), I don’t need the Kegelface subplot, I don’t even need Undercover Dewey (much as I do love him). The relationship stories are deep and real and awkward and funny and sad and great and horrible enough that I don’t need anything else. Suzie’s mom rebuilding their house just as it was, childhood room and all. Suzie’s mom and her “juicy crones” exploring their “deltas of venus” (and feeling the need to explain what that means to S.). Ana’s 34-year-old cat. This can be enough. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Black Magick #10 (Image) **- Greg Rucka & Nicola Scott continue to deliver in their magickal procedural. The circles continue to close in as the witch-hunter Laurent encounters Rowan’s familiar – and what is it about talking cats that brings out the best in their writers (Jim Davis notwithstanding)? Rucka & Scott master creeping dread here as Rowan’s cop partner Morgan’s wife gives birth and a pawn is born. Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

True Patriot Presents #7 (Chapterhouse)** – The all-Canadian anthology series continues with four stories. “Crude” is basically a swamp thing from the tar sands of Fort McMurray, only not scary or interesting. “The Red Ensign” is a fun black & white serial of a Canadian action hero vs. Nazi robot, courtesy Scott Chantler, in a lively cartoon style. “Dominion Jack” remains an incomprehensible mess of the worst superhero tropes, with horrible lettering not helping. J. Torres & Tim Levins’ “The Family Dynamic” is also bog-standard superheroing, but with no pretentions. Overall: 6 Recommendation: Skip (I bought mine, but I’m Canadian)

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 (**).

Mini Reviews For The Week Ending 7/1

Posted on July 2, 2017 by Alex K Cossa

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews.

Ryan C

‘Namwolf #3 (Albatross)** – More goofy, cartoony madness from Fabian Rangel Jr. and Logan Faerber that breezily moves the story along with a minimal amount of dialogue, but plenty of gorgeously colorful art to feast your eyes on. An insubstantial read, but a fun one nevertheless, that sets things up quite nicely for next month’s conclusion. Overall: 7. Recommendation: Read

No Angel #4 (Black Mask)** – Eric Palicki, Adrianne Palicki, and Ari Syahrazad put the wraps on their wildly up-and-down series (at least for now, we’ll see what happens) with another decidedly “down” installment that features a lackluster final battle, trite bow-wrapping, and rushed-looking art — all in service of a limp cliffhanger that sets up a sequel that’s probably not going to coming down the pike anytime soon. Overall: 3 Recommendation: Pass

Elektra #5 (Marvel)** – Speaking of lackluster concluding chapters that set up sequels few (if anyone) cares about, that’s precisely what Matt Owens and Juann Cabal have served up here. Who’s the real brains behind Murderworld? Prepare to be underwhelmed by that “revelation.” I enjoyed Cabal’s approximation of Jamie McKelvie’s art style, but other than that, shit — this mini-series went very far downhill, very fast. Overall: 3.5 Recommendation: Pass

Rebels: These Free And Independent States #4 (Dark Horse) – Protagonist John Abbott has a date with the War Of 1812 in the penultimate chapter of this latest arc in Brian Wood and Andrea Mutti’s “historical epic of America’s founding,” but to say things don’t go particularly smoothly for him is an understatement of staggering proportions. Another superb installment in this gripping, beautifully-illustrated historical drama that will have you on pins and needles waiting for the conclusion. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Logan

Beautiful Canvas #1 (Black Mask) Okay, this comic has a lot of things I like: a badass take no shit hitwoman as a main character, a queer romance, well-choreographed action from artist Sami Kivela, and a splash of color from Triona Farrell. It’s like eating a dish with great ingredients that don’t mesh into a coherent, tasty eating experience. The main character, Lon, is definitely well-defined, but Ryan K Lindsay and Kivela jump around so often that it’s hard to get a read on the supporting cast. It’s like they’re trying to out David Lynch David Lynch at times. Maybe, I’ll give this one a second try when it’s out in trade. Overall: 5 Recommendation: Pass

Patrick

The Dregs #4 (Black Mask)** – Writers Zac Thompson & Lonnie Nadler and artists Eric Zawadski (pencils, inks & letters) and Dee Cunniffe (colors) wrap up their story as Marlowe crashes the line at La Mancha, Vancouver’s trendiest new restaurant. In true noir fashion, Marlowe knows the truth, the bad guys know Marlowe knows, and it doesn’t make one iota of a difference. Except of course to Marlowe himself. The Dregs is a horror-filled take on gentrification which presents no solutions and no victories, only a kind of madness that makes the quixotic tilt at the windmill the only act of heroism possible. Arnold – Marlowe to me – is crazy, but I love this character and his world, and I would love to see him return. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Black Magick #6 (Image)** – As promised, Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott are back to show us who and what Rowan Black is up against. The first issue of the new arc takes us back to Rowan’s 13th birthday ceremony, where she awakens to the memory of all of her past lives – a very long and painful memory indeed. I love a good character study, and it was nice to see Rowan as a kid wrestling hard with the problem of how to do no harm in a world that seems to make special efforts to harm her and her family. Trying to figure out why to live by a code of justice that only seems to apply to her while letting the rest of the world off scot-free. Her mother’s assurances on that score ring absolutely hollow and are immediately proven to be objectively wrong (I won’t give it away) in a way that takes us out of character study and right back into the story we left off. Excellent work all around – I especially adored Nicola Scott’s portrayal of three generations of Black women, all individuals but at the same time clearly mothers and daughters. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

True Patriot Presents #5 (Chapterhouse)** – Happy Canada Day, everyone! Chapterhouse serves up the latest installment of their anthology series. Red Ensign is a wartime Canadian hero with no special powers, much like Johnny Canuck. (The red ensign was the name of an unofficial Canadian flag used until we got our own flag in 1965). This is the opening chapter of a black and white movie serial featuring Nazi scientists and atomic secrets. Fun. Arrowhead is my favourite thing in the entire Chapterverse (the Avro Arrow was a 1960’s-era Canadian-made fighter jet, supposedly the most advanced plane in the world, and was never put into production for mysterious reasons). Here, a famous UFO sighting turns out to be a time traveller from the far future. Super fun! Dominion Jack is the daughter of the original (the official name of our home and native land was the Dominion of Canada, and July 1 was Dominion Day until 1982). This is a paint-by-numbers superhero-fights-supervillains-in-superjail story, with a standard melodramatic reveal. Crude is a tarsands monster, but it’s been several issues since we last saw it, and I completely forgot what this story was supposed to be about. Not that it was anything more than a Swamp-Thing-of-Fort McMurray (capital city of the Alberta oil sands). Nothing new, or even horror-genre-standard in either the writing or the art. Finally, the Family Dynamic, which stands out here as the only non-specifically Canadian heroes. They are elemental types in an okay superheroic story – but when they get a forest fire assist from Motor City’s Defender, media speculation abounds as to whether the Canadians are going to merge with their American counterparts. Ain’t that always the way, eh? It’s hard to rate an anthology, but the weak stuff (Dominion Jack, Crude) and the mediocre (Family Dynamic) really drags the good stuff (Red Ensign, Arrowhead) down. Overall: 6.5 Recommendation: Read (I bought mine, but cheap on Comixology).

Shean

Star Wars Droids Unplugged #1 (Marvel)– In this one shot, what feels like the Star Wars version of Lion King 1 1/2, we get three separate stories about the goings ons around the Empire. In the first one, we find out what the Probe Droids were up to when Darth Maul was not around.In the second story, we find out exactly what R2-D2 has to do to get ready for a mission. In the last story, BB-8 helps two rebels fall in love. Altogether, a fun lighthearted escape from the usual dire circumstances of the Star Wars Universe.
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!

Jay Baruchel Joins Chapterhouse Publishing As Chief Creative Officer and Investor

Posted on June 15, 2017 by Brett

Chapterhouse Comics has announced that actor Jay Baruchel has joined the company as an investor and Chief Creative Officer. The publisher was founded in 2015 and is Canada’s largest comic book publisher. Their flagship series Captain Canuck leads a line-up of 16 other monthy titles in addition to archive classics, graphic novels, and prose novels.

The company is Canadian focused with characters and creators representing the company. Baruchel is Canadian. The goal is to tell stories that Canadians can be proud of and the rest of the world can enjoy.

Baruchel co-wrote the Free Comic Book Day edition of Captain Canuck: Year One with Chapterhouse Editor-In-Chief and series writer Kalman Andrasofszky. The comic is first of a three-part series illustrated by Marcus To, featuring a cover by David Finch.

The company also recently announced a partnership with Diamond Books to be distributed throughout North America and Europe.

Mini Reviews For The Week Ending 6/10

Posted on June 11, 2017 by Alex K Cossa

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews.

Logan

Shade the Changing Girl #9 (DC/Young Animal)– Shade attends a Sonic Booms concert. They’re a band from the 1960s that was featured in her favorite Earth TV show Life with Honey, and she is sad and puzzled when they look so old. This leads to a chaotic series of events when Shade de-ages a bunch of Gothamites and looks for the actor who played Honey. Cecil Castellucci, Marley Zarcone, and Kelly Fitzpatrick produce an ode to nostalgia and add some heat to the plotline of the Metans looking for her M-Vest. The scenes in Meta are pretty trippy, and Shade interacting with “ancient” computers is quite a rush color-wise. Overall: 7.8 Recommendation: Buy

Giant Days #27 (BOOM!)– Esther going “woke” is predictably hilarious, and John Allison, Max Sarin, Liz Fleming, and Whitney Cogar also manage to skewer performative social justice culture without punching down. To catch the eye of an attractive lad, Esther decides to help protest the opening of a new chain grocery store with the help of lots of yelling, inane slogans, and barring the path of people getting food and necessary supplies for their family. Any time Esther is the center of a plot, the drama and comedy are both on high alert, and Sarin and Fleming produce some of the series’ most hilarious moments when she invites her woke beau into her apartment. The reaction shots alone are worth picking this issue up, and there’s also a simmering subplot with Susan and her ex McGraw, who still have feelings for each other. Overall: 8.4 Recommendation: Buy

Ryan C

Dark Knight III: The Master Race #9 (DC)** – Go on, admit it : you knew that Brian Azzaello and Andy Kubert, (and maybe even Frank Miller, assuming his involvement amounted to anything more than a courtesy credit) were going to stick the landing on this one along with every other thing that’s been wrong with it. And they surely do. All this issue proves is that they easily could have wrapped this series up in the originally-allotted eight issues, probably even six. But hey, Batman’s young again, so you know what that means : a “Dark Knight Universe” monthly series is probably on the way at some point. Try to contain your excitement. Overall: 1 Recommendation: Pass. I purchased my copy, which proves I need a brain transplant.

Batman #24 (DC) – Just as I thought. A stunt. Nothing happens in this issue apart from an over-wrought conversation between Batman and Gotham Girl until — that last page that we all knew about going in, anyway. Tom King just can’ seem to find his usual mojo as writer on this book, and while the fill-in pages by Clay and Seth Mann look really nice, David Finch’s art on the bulk of the comic is as terrible as ever. Overall: 3.5. Recommendation: Pass.

The Flintstones #12 (DC) – If the best book in the DC line had to go, this is the way to do it, as Mark Russell and Steve Pugh deliver a love letter to their characters, readers, and really to humanity in general. I miss this series already, and if you haven’t been reading it in singles, then by all that’s holy, please pick it up the trades! It’s not so much an extension and/or revamp of “The Flintstones” as it is the thematic and spiritual successor to another legendary comic that used prehistoric tropes to talk about then-contemporary (and timeless) issues : Howie Post’s sublime “Anthro.” Yes, this has really been that good. Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Green Arrow #24 (DC) – Benjamin Percy and Juan Ferreyra wrap up their “The Rise Of Star City” arc with a reasonably solid issue that leaves Seattle completely fucked and Ollie in a pretty tough little pickle himself. The cliffhanger ending feels more than a bit forced and basically comes out of nowhere, but the gorgeous, vibrant art more than makes up for any story deficiencies. Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Buy

George

Bankshot #1 (Dark Horse Comics) Writer: Alex de Campi, Artist: ChrisCross, Colorist: Snakebite Cortez. I had a major synaptic disconnect this past weekend, I literally had 5 minutes with Alex de Campi (a cool person by the way) at Book Expo America 2017, we talked about her other book Mayday and just never put the name to Bank Shot which I had just finished reading on the train up to BEA. I missed my opportunity to ask her about this latest kick-ass book. And kick-ass it is, from de Campi’s blazing plot and tight dialog, to ChrisCross’s amazing flair for action scenes and ability at drawing a tight fade, coupled with Cortez’s choices for lighting a panel with dramatic flare, Bank Shot is a solid jumping on point for fans of action and adventure. The hero Marcus King is a former US soldier, turned soldier of fortune, imagine a one man A-Team with a James Bond budget. Dark Horse has a track record for gritty comics and Bank Shot continues that legacy with this mini-series.

Patrick

Stray Bullets #24 (Image/El Capitan) – After getting beat up and kicked around and generally treated like a dog, Orson gets his day when the gang takes a detour to New Orleans for a little R&R. One of the things I love about David Lapham’s work is how he can lull you into some deep, quiet moments for pages at a time and then you hit the bottom of the bottle and everything turns upside down and inside out and that’s how the fire in the bar got started. Also: the most terrifying line in this book is “Derek would like his mustache back.” Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy already!

Agents of PACT #2 (Chapterhouse) – The moment I’ve been dreading: the meeting of Fleur de Lys and Kebec. But first: more of this incomprehensible plotline and Marla’s inexplicable gold… generating? manipulating? conjuring? Gold-type powers. Back to Manon and Yvette. Uh, Yvette? Really? For a 20something Québécoise? Yvette is a name that hasn’t been given to girls here since about 1957, and it’s easy to find the most popular 100 names for any given year on the internet. Also, for someone as supposedly starstruck as Yvette is by Manon – as in, meeting Fleur de Lys is the sole and entire reason for Kebec to come back to the fold – there is not one panel depicting their meeting. Kalman Andrasofsky & Blake Northcott’s writing is painfully by-the-numbers (including the scene between Redcoat and Marla where R. explains how she had to make the tough call in the field). Federica Manfredi does a solid job on the art, though Caroline Nolasco’s colours muddy it rather than enhance it. Overall: 5 Recommendation: Skip

The Divided States of Hysteria #1 (Image) – Howard Chaykin returns to the present(ish) day with a political thriller designed, by his own admission, to offend liberals and conservatives alike. First things first: master letterer Ken Bruzenak absolutely crushes it here – the relentless noise of internet chatter that pervades the background is both maddening and perfect for not only the tone but for Chaykin’s writing in general. In terms of art, Chaykin’s page design smartly drives the story forward in a dense but crisp televisual style. Now, the story. Really basically, the President and cabinet have been assassinated. Frank Villa, our usual cynical lantern-jawed hero/schmuck, is a CIA field officer now (apparently) in charge of counter-terrorism stuff. Things go wrong and a group of Muslim women set off a bomb in the middle of New York City. Meanwhile, various serial killers are arrested in sordid circumstances. This book is dirty and messy and grimy, bloodshot and cum-stained, every page a crime scene. Which does not mean it’s provocative – rather, it reminds me of Kathy Griffin’s Trump-decapitated photo, where the targets are easy and the punches aimed squarely downwards. Chaykin’s work is, as always, remarkable and unique and relentless. But the politics are too reactionary to be truly provocative, too angry and confused to be really incendiary, and overall so overwrought that I’m left with the impression that what we’re seeing is not so much the state of America as the pure, unadulterated state of 21st-century Chaykin. Overall: 9 and 4 Recommendation: Read

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

Mini Reviews For The Week Ending May 6th

Posted on May 7, 2017 by Alex K Cossa

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews.

Alex

Black Bolt #1 (Marvel) Sometimes I find I have very little to say about a comic other than “Yup, I liked it.” Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

The Damned #1 (Oni Press)** I got the review copy of this, but never read it. Then I saw it at my LCS for $1, and figured why not? It was easily worth a buck. Overall: 7 Recommendation: Buy

Secret War #1 (Marvel) I wanted to like this, especially after the zero issue, but I just couldn’t find anything positive to say about an issue that seemed to shift story direction too quickly – where the Avengers mindwiped (I hope so) or have they just accepted that Hydra is in charge? I don’t want to say that the potential of the zero issue seems to have been wasted… but… I doubt I’ll read the next issue. Overall: 5 Recommendation: Pass

X-Men Gold #3 (Marvel) Didn’t I just read issue #2? The second issue in as many weeks concludes the opening three-parter, and signals the end of the controversial artists. X-Men Gold #3 is quite an enjoyable read, that hearkens back to a very classic X-Men feeling story. It’s an enjoyable read, but nothing spectacular – unlike the previous issue. Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

Logan

Eternal Empire #1 (Image) Sarah Vaughn and Jonathan Luna’s latest collaboration is a poetically paced deconstruction of “conquering queen” arcs in fantasy stories, especially Daenerys Targaryen’s in Game of Thrones. The issue opens up with a queen meeting a dragon in an almost beat for beat replay of the Game of Thrones Season 1 finale before cutting to the monotonous, terrible life of a worker that grows the crops that supports her army to conquer even more people for her “eternal” empire. Luna’s use of grids helps nail down the routine feeling of our protagonist’s life, and he switches up color gradients when she tries to run for it. There is lots of worldbuilding on the political, religious, and cosmological fronts, but Vaughn and Luna temper it with a hell of an escape plotline and clean artwork.
Worth picking up for any fans of fantasy and especially relevant in the current American climate of authoritarianism and distraction through a variety of high tech versions of “pak wine”. Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

Patrick

The Dregs #3 (Black Mask) This series continues strong, as Marlowe wanders into an uptown coffee shop and finds what he’s looking for in a vintage clothing store. Where “vintage” means the 90’s. Writers Zac Thompson & Lonnie Nadler absolutely nail the Chandlerian tone, while artist Eric Zawadski and colorist Dee Cunniffe bring us a place we’ve never seen: the ups and downs of Vancouver. And they all manage to show us that the main difference between the scum and the dregs is where they end up in the bottle. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

The Damned #1 (Oni Press) Confession: The Sixth Gun is one of those series I missed but always wanted to get into. So I was happy to see a new series by Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt. The premise: Prohibition-era noir, with demons. Interesting enough (although the gangster thing is a bit played out for me, personally). But I found the debut issue muddled, with Bunn giving too much backstory and not enough information being revealed through the story action (a trick at which Chaykin, for example, excels). And I found Hurtt’s artwork is too cartoony to be really terrifying here. Overall: 6 Recommendation: Read

Freelance #2 (Chapterhouse) Still not into it. Wrtiers Jim Zub & Andrew Wheeler can’t manage to be specific enough about the threat to make me care about the plot, nor deep enough about the romance to make me care about the characters. Vaneda Vreak & Cindy Leong’s art feels rushed and too sketchy to really get into the action. I don’t know why, but in my head I kept comparing it to William Vance’s art on the spy series XIII (an unfair comparison to just about anyone) and I was out. Overall: 5 Recommendation: Skip

True Patriot Presents #4 (Chapterhouse) I’m a Canadian Forces brat, so the very idea of Jay Stephens’ Arrowhead totally delights me. (That idea being that industrial defense powerfhouse Avro designs a combat armour program that gets mysteriously cancelled, like its Arrow fighter jet) In this issue, further delight as Stephens brings us a 1956 adventure of the original Arrowhead with giant robots and ex-Nazi scientists. More of these, Jay! Then it’s back to the present, and the future – because time travel is real, bro. Great fun! As for Dominion Jack, the less said the better. Especially considering that, as a patriotic hero name, Canada hasn’t been a Dominion since 1982, when they changed our July 1 holiday from Dominion Day to Canada Day. Then onto my hometown of Montreal for Meaghan Carter’s Le Fantôme. I was frustrated from the first caption, setting the scene at Montreal’s Ecomuseum, which is actually called the Biodome (yes, for real). I chalk it up to unnecessary artistic licence, but still. Story and art are both rushed and kind of perfunctory. Also, a note on the Quebec French accent in comics: they don’t pronounce “the” as “ze”, but as “de”. Arrowhead: 8, Dominion Jack: 4, Fantôme: 5 Overall: 6.5 Recommendation: grab it (it’s digital-only on Comixology) for Arrowhead alone.

Ryan C

Batman #22 (DC)** For all the griping I’ve done about Tom King’s run on this series, things could be worse — Joshua Williamson could be writing it. He does, in fact, write this issue, and it’s loaded with painfully awkward and clunky dialogue that shouldn’t make it past an editor and makes a mockery of a Bruce-Wayne-meets-his-father scene that even a mildly competent author could wring some decent emotion out of. Throw in Jason Fabok’s dull-as-dry-toast “New 52”-style art, and you’ve got yet another incredibly lame chapter in the rancid “The Button” storyline. Overall: 2 Recommendation: Pass

Bane Conquest #1 (DC)** For some reason I can’t explain, there are people out there who miss ’90s superhero comics, but fear not : Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan are on hand here to remind you of just how lousy they were. A go-nowhere story matched with sloppy, dated-looking art makes for a really poor introductory chapter in this long-form story. 12 issues of this? No thanks, I’m out. Overall: 1 Recommendation: Pass

Postal #20 (Top Cow/Image)** The shit hits the fan in a big way in this issue, as Mark makes a big stand, Maggie does likewise, and a series regular I shan’t name meets an ignominious end. A seriously fun, compelling, even jaw-dropping script from Bryan Hill paired up with strong and dynamic art from Isaac Goodhart makes for one terrific read. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Shipwreck #4 (Aftershock)** I’m not sure how Warren Ellis has managed to cover so much ground — both actual and theoretical — with the sparse, economic scripting style he’s employed for this series, but damn if he doesn’t take things even further here while managing to fill in quite a few of the intriguing blanks he’s left along the way. Phil Hester, for his part, continues to deliver the goods with his smartly bleak, richly minimalist art. Terrific stuff all around. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Shean

Injustice #1 (DC) We open up the series with Superman being locked up by Batman, for being too dangerous to the world. As Kal El outlines all the casualties both men have suffered from the events in Injustice. Meanwhile, Harley Quinn is hiding out in Arrows former haven, when she gets arrested by Amanda Waller. By issue’s end, the reader and Harley is introduced to the Suicide Squad. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Bane Conquest #1 (DC) There’s no words for this book, I couldn’t stay engaged enough in the story to know what’s going on. Basically just pass on this one. Overall: 6 Recommendation: Pass

Jean Grey #1 (Marvel) This issue was so much fun, as it shows a whole different side to Jean Grey. We get to meet an X-man without all the terrible history comics fans have gotten to know and find a character more akin to Ms. Marvel ‘s youthful glee. In this first issue, we find Jean stopping a supervillain group known as the Wrecking Crew. By issue’s end, she more than shows her teeth as a superhero but what will follow, is this version still having to face the Dark Phoenix. Overall: 9.3 Recommendation: Buy

Guardians Of The Galaxy: Mission Breakout #1 (Marvel) In this first issue of this brand new series, we find the Guardians held captive by the Collector. What follows is series of witty banter as they plot on how to escape. Of course, the brains of the operation, Rocket, finds a way out. By issue’s end, they not only freed themselves but the rest of the zoo. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Guardians Of The Galaxy: Mother Entropy #1 (Marvel) This series is straight up “Meh”, I wanted to like it but it is trying to be too many things at once. Overall: 5
Recommendation: Pass

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

Chapterhouse in May 2017

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Graphic Policy Team

CAPTAIN CANUCK 2017 #1

The CHAPTERVERSE continues!

Volume 3 of Captain Canuck returns with a brand new first issue! Tom Evans has walked away from Equilibrium, his brother Michael, and the mantle of Captain Canuck, choosing to return instead to a simple life on the reservation near Flin Flon where he grew up. What a terrible time for an extraterrestrial incursion!

Written by Kalman Andrasofszky | Illustrated by Leonard Kirk | Cover by John Gallagher
$3.99 | 32 pages, 6.25/10.18 | Full Color
Diamond Order#MAR171568

CAPTAIN CANUCK— VOLUME 1: ALEPH

Trade Paperback (Offered Again)

Captain Canuck Volume 1: Aleph, collects issues 1-6 of the all-new series by Kalman Andrasofszky and Leonard Kirk. Born of the true north and tested in war, Captain Canuck is thrust into battle at the head of the global crisis intervention agency called Equilibrium. He must find his way as a warrior, leader, and ultimately, hero to save humanity from the machinations of Mr. Gold, Blue Fox, and the even more menacing forces that watch from the shadows.

Written by Kalman Andrasofszky | Illustrated by Leonard Kirk | Cover by Kalman Andrasofszky
$19.95 | 96 pages, 6.25/10.18 | Full Color
Diamond Order#MAR171570

CAPTAIN CANUCK— VOLUME 2: THE GAUNTLET

Trade Paperback (Offered Again)

Site ALEPH is secured and Equilibrium is ready to explode onto the world stage. So everything’s great, right? WRONG. Mr. Gold is still at large, Marla Ritchie is still missing, and Captain Canuck will move heaven and Earth to find them both. The Gauntlet collects Captain Canuck #7 – 11 and features the comics debut of Blue Fox and the first appearance of the all-new, rebooted Northguard, now spinning into his own solo series!

Written by Kalman Andrasofszky | Illustrated by Leonard Kirk | Cover by Kalman Andrasofszky
$19.99 | 128 pages, 6.25/10.18 | Full Color
Diamond Order#OCT161389

CAPTAIN CANUCK SERIES ONE COMPENDIUM 1975 – 1981

Trade Paperback (Offered Again)

In celebration of 40 years Captain Canuck is back in Chapterhouse Comics’ premiere TPB. This 366 page compendium features all of the issues from the 1975 – 1981 series including issue #15 in full colour. Never before seen art and extras by Richard Comely, George Freeman and Claude St. Aubin make this a collector’s item a must have for fans of the Captain, new and old!

Written by Richard Comely, George Freeman | Illustrated by Richard Comely, George Freeman, Claude St. Aubin | Cover by George Freeman
$29.95 | 366 pages, 25.9×16.8×2.5 cm | Full Color
Diamond Order# MAR171571

The Pitiful Human-Lizard Volume 2: #13

An alien attack leaves the heart of downtown Toronto in ruins, and our hero with very little of his regenerative powers! A very shaken Human-Lizard must travel home safely via streetcar against hostile passengers that want to take advantage of his vulnerable state. Luckily for the Human-Lizard, Mother Wonder’s husband Sam is there to protect him!

This issue follows the events from Captain Canuck #1 (2017) – ON STANDS THE SAME DAY!

Written and Illustrated by Jason Loo | Color Assists By Meaghan Carter | Cover By Jason Loo
$3.99 | 32 pages, 6.25/10.18 | Full Color
Diamond Order# MAR171578

DIE KITTY DIE! Hollywood or Bust!

Issue 1, Volume 1
THE HIT SERIES IS BACK!
Kitty Ravencraft, the beautiful magical witch and star of her own comic book, returns! This time Kitty is on top of the World! Her new comic book series is a huge success and she’s once again the talk of the comic shops! Naturally, Kitty’s publisher wants to capitalize on her new-found popularity with a big budget blockbuster Kitty movie! To make this happen, Kitty goes off to Hollywood, but once again she finds herself in danger! Die Kitty Die: Hollywood Or Bust will be Kitty’s biggest… scariest… and funniest adventure yet! It will be magical. Hopefully she’ll survive!
Written and Illustrated by Dan Parent and Fernando Ruiz | Cover A By Fernando Ruiz
$3.99 | 32 pages, 6.25/10.18 | Full Color
Diamond Order# MAR171572

FANTOMAH #1

The CHAPTERVERSE continues, with this brand new series!

From out of the depths comes Chapterhouse’s newest vigilante, the dreaded Fantomah. 24-year old Paz Gallegos has been holding her family together for years. But when her two sisters go missing and her life begins to unravel, Paz finds herself thrown into a world of gangs, guns… and ghosts. Something spectral is lurking just below the surface of Paz’s nightmares. Something not afraid to leave a trail of bodies in its wake. Fantomah’s story begins here, in
a pulse-pounding first issue brought to you by Ray Fawkes (Batman Eternal, Intersect) and Soo Lee (Fight Like a Girl).

Written by Ray Fawkes | Illustrated by Soo Lee | Cover By Djibril Morrisette
$3.99 | 32 pages, 6.25/10.18 | Full Color
Diamond Order#MAR171575

THE LINKING

Prose Novel

Dren is just an average kid, living an everyday life in his run of the mill hometown. That is until his telepathic powers manifest and he is thrust headfirst into the middle of a diplomatic conflict between Humans and the alien Zengati. Dren must use his newfound powers to uncover the truth or he risks both sides entering a war that will see no clear victor.

Written by Justin J. Little | Cover By Miko Maciaszek
$9.95 | 198 pages, 5.5/8.5 BW | Soft Cover
Diamond Order# MAR171577

Mini Reviews For The Week Ending 2/18

Posted on February 19, 2017 by Alex K Cossa

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews.

Alex

God Country #1 & 2 (Image) I missed the first issue when it came out last month, but when I found out that Donny Cates was the series writer I made a point to go back and find the first issue – and bot am I ever glad I did. God Country has got to be one of the most well narrated stories I’ve read in some time, with such an interesting idea behind it; a man suffering from Alzheimer’s disease is cured when holding a giant sword. The two issues I’ve read have both been fantastic in every way a comic should be. Overall: 9.25 Recommendation: Buy

Kill Or Be Killed #6 (Image) After reading the first issue of this series on the recommendation of a fellow member of the Graphic Policy team, I’ve been constantly surprised at how gripping this series has been. The creative team have been producing such a fantastic story that evokes the feeling of the old pulp vigilante novel with a distinctly modern reinvention. Highly recommended. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Old Man Logan #18 (Marvel) You’re probably going to want to read this twice just so you can take in the phenomenal art work courtesy of Andrea Sorrentino and Marcelo Maiolo. Jeff Lemire is also on top form here, too, making this a fantastic comic to sit down with. Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy

Venom #4 (Marvel) While I love the relationship between the symbiote and host, I care less for the rest of the comic. It’ okay, but only worth reading if you’re into the series already. Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

The Wild Storm #1 (DC) Having never read any Wildstorm before I had no idea what to expect going it to this comic, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. Ben has a bit more detail below, so I’ll let you read his review now. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Ben

The Wildstorm #1 (DC): Despite never having read the Wildstorm imprint, I was excited about this comic because the idea of Warren Ellis world-building an entire superhero universe makes me squeal with joy. The result is an audacious beginning for what could be one of the most impressive imprints in DC since Gerard Way launched Young Animal.

Jon-Davis Hunt is on art duty here. I love his work with Gail Simone on Clean Room, modern and polished yet with an unnerving supernatural horror atmosphere. The Wildstorm is geared to science fiction, however that doesn’t stop Hunt from excelling, particularly when it comes to scene decompression and panel layout.

I didn’t know what to expect from Ellis’ writing as I’m more familiar with his blatantly political and brutally mean-spirited indie work. However, his approach here seems to be inspired by cyberpunk, particularly Ghost In The Shell and The Matrix. It may be a superhero story, but Ellis is much more centered on powerful corporations, conspiracies, and the continually dysphoric nature between man and machine in the modern world.

There’s a lot of audacious, big-idea concepts going into this book, best of all without the sacrifice of character development. Each character comes in with their own personalities, goals, and complex morality. I have no idea what’s in store next, but I’m excited to find out. Story: 9 Art: 10 Overall: 9.5

Patrick

Kill or be Killed #6 (Image)** – Not sure how I feel about the abrupt switch of focus away from Dylan and his demonic vigilante spree. Much as I like NYPD detective Lily Sharpe, the sheer hard-driving intensity of this series gets diluted here. For me, this is just too much setup and a bit of a placeholder. Hopefully next issue will return to the suffocating, sweltering atmosphere I’ve gotten to love from this series. Overall: 7 Recommendation: Buy if you’re following, but this isn’t a good point to jump on.

Sex Criminals #16 (Image)** – Oh hey, this series is still going on! It’s been so long since last issue that Fraction & Zdarsky have to give us 8 PAGES of recap. I will stand by what I’ve been saying lately about Sexcrims: the plot is boring and getting in the way of my enjoying the hell out of two characters just trying to figure out how to be in the world together. Overall: 6.5 Recommendation: Pass.

Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turles Adventures #4 (IDW/DC)** – Picking up right where we left off, with the Scarecrow giving New York a dose of fear gas, and the Joker and Harley giving the hyenas (I’d forgotten they were called Bud and Lou!) a dose of mutagen. Pity this series will only go 6 issues, both my inner 5-year-old and my actual 5-year-old are loving it (even if this ish is a bit of a 4th-issue placeholder). Whatever Matthew K. Manning and Jon Sommariva have cooked up next, I’m down. Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy.

Freelance #1 (Chapterhouse) – I’m not really sure what’s going on in this series – I’m not sure who Lance/Freelance is, what he’s about, what he wants, what his plans and goals are, who his friends are, and there is absolutely nothing in this comic to help me want to know more. What we’re really given is a continuation of the Aurora Dawn cult from the other Chapterhouse comics, which I guess is supposed to be the glue that holds the Chapterverse (nice name!) together. But feels more like a narrative sunk cost fallacy – does anyone really care about these guys? Jim Zub & Andrew Wheeler are pro writers and Vaneda Vireak’s art is OK enough, but it just doesn’t have a beating heart all its own. Overall: 6.5 Recommendation: Pass.

Agents of PACT (Chapterhouse) – One more time for the people in the back: if you don’t know Quebec French, get somebody who does to check it! This may seem like a quibble coming from a fluently bilingual Montrealer, but it’s a flaw that shows the other flaws in Kalman Andrasofsky and Blake Northcott’s characterizations. As for the plot, you really have to be invested in what’s been going on in Captain Canuck and Northguard to get who’s who and what’s what. And while it’s kind of nice to see the North given such focus, would it kill these guys to show us more of Canada than ice and snow? Anyway, Federica Manfredi does a good job on the art, but this is nothing to write home about. Overall: 7 Recommendation: Pass.

Ryan C

Kill Or Be Killed # 6 (Image)** – A bit of a curious issue, as Ed Brubaker’s script abruptly switches perspective to a new character, whose actions are related via semi-omniscient narration provided by — our usual protagonist, who doesn’t even know who this woman is yet? Sean Phillips’ art is uncharacteristically askew as well, with people drawn in bizarre and almost miniaturized proportions. I don’t get it, but events do, at least, still move forward in various and interesting ways. Overall: 5 Recommendation: Read if you’re following this series, pass if you aren’t.

Batman #17 (DC)** – After an issue that marked something of an uptick last time out, Tom King reverts to his now-customary disappointing form with this one, as a lackluster forthcoming confrontation with Bane is set up in lackluster and obvious ways. Alfred once again comes off as much more confidently-written than his boss, which is likewise becoming the norm, and David Finch’s art is — well, what it is. If you like it, you still will — if you don’t, you won’t. Overall: 4 Recommendation: Pass.

Dead Inside #3 (Dark Horse)** – John Arcudi and Toni Fejzula ramp their superb prison-murder-themed noir toward its conclusion with some truly surprising plot twists, painfully human character interactions, and the kind of quietly-omnipresent tension that makes for truly memorable reading. This series isn’t even done yet and I’m kinda missing it already. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Mother Panic #3 (DC/Young Animal)** – Jody Houser’s storyline is really gathering steam, with effective action scenes delivered with an economy of words deftly balanced against solid plot progression that shows Violet Paige/Mother Panic’s long-range plans coming into place while dropping more revealing hints about her tragic backstory at the same time. Tommy Lee Edwards’ sketchy art style serves the material on offer incredibly well, and one really gets the sense that this creative team is on the verge of hitting a serious — and potentially memorable — stride. Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Buy

Shean

Black Panther: World Of Wakanda#4 (Marvel)– The team behind this book have brought issues to the forefront that rarely get dealt with in this medium.In this issue, the nations is steal dealing with the fallout of the death of Queen Shuri , this leads to a splinter groups of those who still oppose TChalla. Anneka and Ayo get sent to sea with Village Chieftain who is imposing sex slavery on the village women. By issue’s end, an unexpected death occurs while a long hidden secret is revealed. Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Odyssey Of The Amazons#2 (DC)-The Giants our heroines were fighting at the end of their last chapter have turned out to be Trolls. After a successful fight, they find refuge in a village full of Vikings. Their commander soon find dissent amongst the ranks and even starts his question her own decisions. Before the end, we find out the Trolls’ intention for the Amazons they kidnapped. Overall: 9.3 Recommendation: Buy

Doctor Strange Monsters Unleashed #1 (Marvel)– Marvel’s most recent silly universe event, Monsters Unleashed feels more like a filler than anything canon changing, with no real death toll to even be seen. In this one-shot, we catch-up with the Sorcerer Supreme in the middle of a fire fight. Strange is less powerful and actually more cunning as his magic seems to be waning at this point. By issue’s end, an unusual team up occurs that shifts the edge on the side of the good guys. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Read

Super Sons#1 (DC) Robin and Superboy have always been footnotes in a very crowded hero universe , serving more as gimmicks than actual heroes with stakes. This all changed when DC decided to introduce Damien, as he not the typical Suitor to the Robin mantle, as he isn’t only Bruce Wayne’s actual son but he brings a whole new attitude and set of the skills to the job. So when Damien’s Robin seeks help from Jon’s Superboy , not only teen angst sets in , but their unusual circumstances pervade their assemblance of a life. By issue’s end, their famous fathers intervene in what seems like a hair brain plan.
Overall: 9 Recommendation: Read

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

Mini Reviews For The Week Ending 9/17

Posted on September 18, 2016 by Alex K Cossa

Alex

Old Man Logan #11 (Marvel)* Holy shit. The art in this issue is fantastic. There’s a brilliant two page spread early on that I just stared at, marveling at how interesting the layout was. And then there’s another that’s even better! In two pages, with minimal dialogue Andrea Sorrentino tells the story of the same two men fighting a similar fight fifty years apart. It’s one of the most inventive and visually interesting pieces of art I’ve seen in a long time. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Action Comics #963 (DC) There’s a human Clark Kent running around Metropolis who seems to genuinely believe he isn’t Superman. Which, considering we know he isn’t the Superman we’ve been following since Rebirth began, is an intriguing proposition. One issue in, and this is shaping up to be a brilliant story. Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy

All-Star Batman #2 (DC) Despite the $4.99 price tag, this comic is so worth the money. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Dark Souls: Legends Of The Flame #1 (Titan Comics) I wasn’t expecting this to be an anthology, but it is, and I was quite pleasantly surprised by it. The individually stories are distinct in their illustration and story telling methods, and are neatly tied together to make an in story connection to each other – and I’m sure I missed a couple more, as well. This comic may be aimed toward fans of the series, but it can also be enjoyed by those who have an interest in fantasy style comics. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Read

Detective Comics #940 (DC) Wow. A must read if you’ve read the series so far. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Green Lanterns #6 (DC) There’s a couple of great character building moments in this issue that, for me at least, make this the stronger of the two Green Lantern titles this week. The back ad forth bickering between Simon and Jessica is entertaining, but also serves as a great narrative device to keep readers abreast of the situation while also providing a few laughs. Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Kingway West #2 (Dark Horse) Not a bad issue… but it wasn’t as gripping as the first. Worth looking into if you’ve read the first issue. Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

Mycroft Holmes #1 & #2 (Titan) Why haven’t I been reading this already? I picked up the first issue when it came out… and forgot about it. Then the second came around, and I grabbed it, figuring it’ll be a quick diversion. Nope – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s writing a comic that fans of the Sherlock TV show, or the movies, can expect to love. Mycroft, unlike his brother, is a likeable scoundrel who just happens to be as intelligent as the great detective. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Brett

NVRLND #2 (451 Media) – Like the first issue this is a twisted take on the classic Peter Pan tale, except Peter fronts band, Hook is drug dealer… and the drug is pixie dust. It’s an interesting take on the subject and definitely unique and entertaining. The colors and art is top notch playing off of the style of the comic really well. Well worth checking out. Overall Rating: 8.35 Recommendation: Buy

Red Hood and the Outlaws #2 (DC Comics) – I’m a bit shocked at how much I’m enjoying this series. The action is constant and there’s some good humor peppered throughout. I’m not totally sold on the Red Hood undercover as a bad guy aspect, but things are still shaking out. Overall Rating: 7.9 Recommendation: Read

Suicide Squad #2 (DC Comics) – Lots of action and not much else. Something about this volume isn’t quite clicking yet as it’s relying too much on Jim Lee’s art, action, and humor and not giving us much else. This is close to a Michael Bay film in comic form. Overall Rating: 6.95 Recommendation: Pass

The Flash #6 (DC Comics) – This series has been picking up speed with each issue and this one has all the reveals. Holy crap is it good as writer Joshua WIlliamson his his stride here. Add in great art and this is quickly becoming a favorite of mine at DC. Overall Rating: 8.45 Recommendation: Buy

Wonder Woman #6 (DC Comics) – My favorite of the series so far. This issue focuses on Wonder Woman coming to the US to return Steve Trevor. Greg Rucka really plays off of the fish out of water aspect and focuses on the language barrier. It’s a small, but amazing detail. Overall Rating: 8.35 Recommendation: Buy

Scooby Apocalypse #5 (DC Comics) – This series shouldn’t work, but somehow it does. It’s brainless fun. Overall Rating: 7.65 Recommendation: Read

Deathstroke #2 (DC Comics) – Writer Christopher Priest has said we shouldn’t like Deathstroke as he’s a villain and he’s playing that up well. The issue bounces around a lot in time and locations which doesn’t quite work super well, but this one feels like it’ll come together in trade. Overall Rating: 7.6 Recommendation: Read

All-New X-Men #13 (Marvel)* – A cute issue that has Bobby trying to meet guys. It also has a clash between the young X-Men and Inhumans setting the stage for at least a bit of drama in the upcoming Inhumans vs. X-Men Overall Rating: 7 Recommendation: Read

Mockingbird #7 (Marvel)* – I’ve generally enjoyed this series as its done well to play on humor and action. This issue slowly slides into the more serious area and the inclusion of a certain individual from Bobbi’s past has me nervous. Overall Rating: 7 Recommendation: Read

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #4 (DC Comics) – I’m digging this direction and this issue has some really entertaining moments. Guy Gardner not wearing underwear anyone? We know an epic fight is around the corner, I’m just thankfully entertained until it gets here. Overall Rating: 7.8 Recommendation: Read

Green Lanterns #6 (DC Comics) – Jessica and Simon battle the Red Lanterns and there’s a lot of character development for both as they finally learn to work together. The series has been pretty good and it’s great to see these D-List Lanterns get the spotlight. They’re odd couple schtick so far is entertaining. Overall Rating: 7.45 Recommendation: Read

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #2 (DC Comics) – Not a bad issue, just rather paint by numbers with scenes. Pursuit scene as they run from bad guys while in a car and on bikes? Check. The safe house being surrounded scene? Check. Characters not getting along before having to work together? Check. But, there’s some decent humor at least. Overall Rating: 7 Recommendation: Read

Gotham Academy: Second Semester #1 (DC Comics) – As cute as always and very entertaining. This is a solid series still to give to that tween looking for a comic series to be theirs. Overall Rating: 8.05 Recommendation: Buy

Hadrian’s Wall #1 (Image Comics) – A murder mystery in space with a rather intriguing political world thrown in? Both topics are something I dig, so not a shocker this is a comic I’m enjoying. Overall Rating: 8.15 Recommendation: Buy

Elana

Doom Patrol 1 (DC): Lives up to the hype and lives up the the legacy of a title that’s been innovative since it’s mid sixties debut. A Doom Patrol comic for 2016 with vibrant writing and art. Thoughtful, funny and weird but accessible. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Jem And The Holograms #16 & 17 (IDW) Two perfect issues of Jem. Jen Bartel is one of the hottest rising starts in comics and her goth Lisa Frank art is the perfect fit for at series with a visual style that melds 90s alt nostalgia with the new wave 80s aesthetic of the classic cartoon. This story is funny and the group dynamics are right-on. Plus, the bear! They actually believably worked in the iconic wild grizzly bear that showed up in the TV show. And that is an achievement that had this veteran fan of the old cartoon laughing out loud. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Afterlife with Archie 10 (Archie Comics). Francisco Francavilla’s luridly cinematic art is the perfect fit for the introduction of a new immortal and only marginally moral Josie and the Pussycats to the dark world of Afterlife with Archie. I don’t normally read this series but the story was totally accessible to me. Some of the clothes weren’t quiet historically accurate but its all so good looking it got this stickler to not even care. A fun Interview with the Vampire spoof which is actually earned by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s story. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy. Disclosure: I did lights for a play Aguirre-Sacasa wrote over a decade ago. He’s as brilliant know as he was then.

Faith #3 (Valiant). A fun, new reader-accessible issue where Faith takes her new boyfriend Archer to his first comic con. Full of legitimate comic con advice, this would actually be useful thing to give to con newbies and new comic readers alike. The meta humor totally works and as always it’s refreshing to see a hero who looks like Faith in action. Overall: 7 Recommendation: Buy.

Patrick

Black Science #24 (Image)**: And I’m out. Lead character Grant McKay is so unappealing to me that I just don’t get why any of the other characters – particularly his daughter Pia – is even interested in helping him. For someone so smart, her memory is too short, which smacks of a writer who’s trying to push his own agenda instead of listening to his characters. In short, Grant has it too easy for someone who’s such a dickwad. Perhaps as well, the back half of this issue leans very heavily on having read the rest of the series so far. Since I’ve come late to this party, I don’t know what the emotional stakes are or who the players are. Nothing personal, Rick Remender, and it certainly has nothing to do with Matteo Scalera’s art. Overall: 7 Recommendation: if you’ve come this far, read, otherwise skip

Stray Bullets #18 (Image/El Capitan)**: Ah, now last issue makes sense. Putting two horrible women like Annie and Beth in the same room is like putting two scorpions in a jar – it’s fascinating to watch, you know it’s going to end badly, and you feel like a horrible person for watching, but then you go “Well, I’m not as bad as the guy who put them in the jar in the first place.” David Lapham has a genius for this kind of stuff, and for bringing out people’s true desires at the worst possible moment in the worst possible way. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Lady Killer #2 (Dark Horse)**: More Florida daylight noir this week from Joelle Jones. Everyone wants a piece of Josie’s action in this one – geez, can’t a lady just go about killing people on her own without a bunch of men sticking their nose in her business? Actually, now that I’ve written that, I kind of wish the series would explore that casual misogyny a little more. Clearly Josie is a capable Cosmo girl of the mercenary set, and there is no reason for the men around her to encourage that sort of independence. Not that I’m disappointed in this issue, I just like this series enough to say that I would go along with it if it went further down the well. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Cinema Purgatorio (Avatar)*: I’m really only buying this for the Alan Moore/Kevin O’Neill lead story, which nails the Grant/Hepburn repartee so precisely and then rachets up the rot inside it in 6 tight pages. A haunted house in a haunted cinema. There are other stories in this book as well, but they’re forgettable for me, except Garth Ennis & Raulo Caceres’ “Code Pru”, in which our EMT tech has to go get the exorcism kit out of the ambulance. I like the short format here so well, Garth, that I kind of feel that any attempt at forcing a longer narrative on it is energy wasted. I’m perfectly okay with a black sitcom format where Pru and her partner veer through New York dealing with messed-up mystical emergencies. Overall: Cinema 8.5, Code Pru 8 Recommendation: Read

Captain Canuck #9 (ChapterHouse): There’s a fine line in any espionage story between being complicated and being obtuse, and Kalman Andrasofskzy doesn’t walk it very well. Case in point: the page one exposition of the history of the Redcoats has no dates. I’d’ve liked it in the story if it were clearer from the outset what all the rival factions were and who was purportedly working for whom. Also, the stakes aren’t particularly clear, so that this story looks like a bunch of infighting featuring recycled characters from another comics company. And does every superhero story now have to have them working for a shadowy superspy agency? Aside from saying that it’s set in northern Canada, nothing about this series actually seems to deal with what it would mean for a Canadian to be a superhero, or superagent, or whatever these people are supposed to be. Overall: 6 Recommendation: Pass

Northguard #2 (ChapterHouse): I’m not sure how Northguard is different from Captain Canuck – like, do they work for the same people or not? Anyway, this issue continues last issue’s mission against a mystical cult – but does it conclude it? I’m not sure. And I’m not sure what impact it has on writer Anthony Falcone’s overall story. What I am sure of is that Kebec is a terrible code name for a Québécoise supersniper. I know that it’s creator Richard Comely’s name and they’re stuck with it, but criss de câlice d’ostie de tabarnak, as we say. Also, speaking of sniping, I would appreciate it if they could get someone to edit the French that is being forced into the mouths of their francophone characters. Overall: 6 Recommendation: Pass

Ryan C

Superwoman #2 (DC)*: A major step backward for Phil Jimenez’ ambitious series, as confused panel layouts and poorly-staged action sequences get things rolling before a huge lull in the middle kills story’s rhythm and flow — adding insult to injury, or writer/artist finishes by giving us a reveal of the mystery “big bad” that has little, if anything, to do with Lana or Lois — who may or may not still be dead. Overall: 2.5 Recommendation: Pass

Briggs Land #2 (Dark Horse)**: Family drama is the order of the day from Brian Wood and Mach Chater as our protagonist consolidates power in her breakaway sect far more easily than I would have guessed and the story slaps its obvious “Godfather Part II” influence right on its sleeve by quoting the film directly. Still pretty solid stuff on the whole, but something of a letdown after a terrific first issue. Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

Hadrian’s Wall #1 (Image)** : The “C.O.W.L.” triumvirate of Kyle Higgins, Alec Siegel, and Rod Reis take us into the future — and into outer space, to boot — with a series that seems to be staking its bets on the idea that we’re going to find a combination sci-fi mystery thriller/post-breakup domestic drama interesting. Which, I suppose, it could be, but the characters are drawn in strokes that are far too broad to be able to make that determination at this point. Nice to see Reis drop the “updated Sienkiewicz” look to his art and adopt a style more uniquely his own, but I’m keeping this series on a fairly short leash. Overall: 6 Recommendation: Read

The Fix #5 (Image)**: Nick Spencer and Steve Lieber pick up right where they left off after a short hiatus, and nothing’s changed — which is a damn good thing. Our hopelessly lame and corrupt “hero” is even more lame and corrupt than we thought, the mayor of LA is a dipshit millenial “bro,” and there’s more to the murder at the center of our story — much more, in fact — than we would have possibly imagined. I still think Spencer’s a massive dickhead, but this is a damn fun comic. Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Shean

The Forevers #1 (Black Mask)– What would one do to gain wealth and fame? This question is explored immensely within the first issue of this exciting series. As a group of friends make a black magic pact which gains them these things and more. Ten years pass, and each individual is affected by what the pact has brought them, but as we find out in the first issue, when one of them dies, the power gets spread out to the rest. Unfortunately for this group of friends, one of them figures out this and goes about killing each of them, but which one? This is part of the mystery which makes this series very interesting already. Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Jughead #9 (Archie)– Jughead has always been the best friend that all other best friends wish they were, as he has served as comic relief for his more confident friend, Archie. In the latest issue, the gang comes back to school, while Jughead struggles to understand why Archie is so girl crazy, he gets his first crush. Pops hires a new girl who moved into town as the diner ‘s mascot and instantly dazzles Jughead. Within this issue, he not only gets his first crush but also goes on his 1st date,and oh yeah, that girl is Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

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

« Older Entries