Happy new year! Here’s to the end of a horrendous year and hopefully a much better 2021. We’re kicking things off with some news and reviews from around the web you might have missed!
The Beat – A Year of Free Comics: 25 years later, CALVIN AND HOBBES remains a classic – Free comics!
Reviews
CBR – Ghost Rider: Return of Vengeance
ICv2 – Magical History Tour Vol. 1: The Great Pyramid and Magical History Tour Vol. 2: The Great Wall of China
I honestly don’t remember much about Vengeance, the Ghost Rider also-ran. I remember he existed and the design but as a whole the specifics elude me. Thankfully, Ghost Rider: Return of Vengeance catches readers up with a nice recap of what you need to know and why the character is important.
Ghost Rider: Return of Vengeance lays things out in its title. It’s a one-shot that’s focused on the return of the character. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Michael Badilino, aka Vengeance, is in Hell, held prisoner for whatever reasons. With threats of torture and being forced to battle for his life, Ghost Rider: Return of Vengeance is a prison break story.
Your enjoyment of the comic will really depend on how much you care about the Ghost Rider corner of the Marvel Universe or the character. This is a piece of whatever puzzle is being put together for all of that. It’s a jailbreak story with a beginning, middle, and end, but that’s about it. There’s little more than that and Badilino’s background. It’s a chapter of whatever is going on with Ghost Rider and the battle in Hell.
Howard Mackie’s story is fine. It doesn’t stand out in any way but also isn’t terrible either. It feels like a throwback to the comics of the 1990s when Vengeance was a thing. The dialogue is a bit cheesy and there’s a slight choppiness to the narrative. But, it’s a straightforward story. There’s little that’s surprising and a few things you just need to accept.
Javier Saltares handles the art. Saltares is joined by Marc Deering on ink, Arif Prianto on color, and Joe Sabino on lettering. The art too is a bit of a throwback though the opening has a bit of a modern feel to it. There’s not a whole lot that screams “Hell” to me beyond the demons on the page. It feels like a missed opportunity. There’s some details dropped in characters and panels as well that makes the art just ok.
There’s nothing bad about Ghost Rider: Return of Vengeance but there’s also little that stands out. It’s a perfectly entertaining comic in a turn off your brain sort of way. The comic exists as part of the big picture plans for Ghost Rider and that corner of the Marvel Universe. It doesn’t really stand on its whole but it gets the motorcycle rolling for whatever is to come for Vengeance.
Story: Howard Mackie Art: Javier Saltares
Ink: Javier Saltares, Marc Deering Color: Arif Prianto Letterer: Joe Sabino
Story: 6.75 Art: 6.95 Overall: 6.85 Recommendation: Read
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: comiXology – Amazon – Kindle – Zeus Comics
Wednesdays (and now Tuesdays) are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in
Each week our contributors choose what they can’t wait to read this week or just sounds interesting. In other words, this is what we’re looking forward to and think you should be taking a look at!
Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this week.
Avengers #40 (Marvel) – “Enter the Phoenix” begins as the cosmic force returns to Earth looking for a new host.
Bad Reception (AfterShock) – If you missed the individual issues of this slasher horror comic, now’s your chance to see what you missed.
Batman Annual #5 (DC Comics) – Clownhunter gets the spotlight in this issue where we learn more about the intriguing character.
Dark Nights: Death Metal The Last 52: War of the Multiverses #1 (DC Comics) – The event wraps up next week but we’re getting one final spin-off one-shot before the big finale.
Ghost Rider: Return of Vengeance #1 (Marvel) – The rather interesting Ghost Rider gets the focus in the next chapter in that pocket of the Marvel universe.
Kaiju Score #2 (AfterShock) – A robbery under the cover of a kaiju attack is a nice twist on the genre. The first issue had a lot of personality and details that stood out and where this all goes should be a lot of fun.
Nailbiter Returns #8 (Image Comics) – The horror series wraps up the year and it’s been a great addition and return. It’s proof not all horror sequels have to stink.
Power Pack #2 (Marvel) – The first issue was a fun return of the team of kids. The tie-in to “Outlawed” also has worked out well so far. There’s a nice mix of event and standing on its own and it has us wanting an ongoing series.
Transformers: Escape #1 (IDW Publishing) – A new limited series that spins out of “World War”. With war raging, the Ark program is reactivated to get those caught in the crossfire off the planet.
Ghost Rider: Return of Vengeance #1
(W) Howard Mackie, Ed Brisson (A/CA) Javier Saltares
Rated T+
In Shops: Dec 30, 2020
SRP: $4.99
THE ONE YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR – THE RETURN OF VENGEANCE!
MICHAEL BADILINO was a bad dude in life… and that landed him in hell. But not just any old rung of hell, a layer so deep it’s reserved for those special enemies of hell – one where a former SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE may suffer for all eternity!
As LILITH’s gambit against JOHNNY BLAZE and MEPHISTO for the throne of hell heats up, you can bet other players will enter the arena… and Badilino will find a way to ride again as VENGEANCE!
Fan-favorite GHOST RIDER creators Howard Mackie and Javier Saltares return to the saga of the Spirits of Vengeance in an all-new tale as Vengeance brings his own brand of hellfire to the Marvel Universe!
Knull is coming. The God of Symbiotes will make his long-dreaded arrival this December in King in Black, the monumental event that delivers on everything Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman have built up in their groundbreaking run on Venom. To celebrate this epic storyline, readers can see Knullified versions of their favorite Marvel heroes on twisted variant covers coming in December.
These chaotic versions of heroes like Captain America, Thor, and Storm reveal just what happens when Knull’s overwhelming darkness overcomes the Marvel Universe as we know it. You can see some of these glorious covers now featuring an all-star lineup of amazing artists including Skan, Ken Lashley, Taurin Clark, Iban Coello, and more! Be on the lookout for more Knullified variant covers coming your way and brace yourself for Knull’s impact this December in King in Black!
