Tag Archives: he-man: eternity war

Review: He-Man: The Eternity War #15

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HEMEW 15 Print CoverI am Adam Prince of Eternia and defender of the secrets of Castle Greyskull. This is Cringer, my fearless friend. Fabulous secret powers were revealed to me the day I held aloft my magic sword and said “By the power of Greyskull!”, “I have the power!”, Cringer became the Mighty Battle Cat, and I became He-Man the most powerful man in the Universe. Only a few others share this secret, our friends: the Sorceress, Man-At-Arms and Orko. Together we defend Castle Greyskull from the evil forces of Skeletor.

The Eternity War against Skeletor is over. He-Man finally has defeated his arch nemesis but at a great cost. Many of He-Man’s friends and family have perished. Prince Adam has dreams of the future right after the Eternity War, dreams of eventually rebuilding the “Masters of the Universe.” Now several months after the war, the survivors are migrating to Castle Greyskull to live their lives and to re-build. Prince Adam has a plan to help the people and together with Teela and Stratos, Eternia will be alive and well again.

I read this issue three times as I wanted to look at every detail and read every word to really get it’s full impact. The story line was great. Dan Abnett did a great job in this issue of talking bout the present and the future of He-Man and Eternia. It was great to see She-Ra, I don’t think she get enough credit in the comic book world but she is a great character.

The one thing I do wish is that they would talk more about those who perished. I know that there is only so many pages to work with in a comic book, but I think there should have been a homage somewhere. I also like seeing Prince Adam in a more defining role instead of the lazy Prince who doesn’t like to train to fight much like in the beginning of the original 1980’s cartoon series.

Visually it was spectacular! Artist Pop Mhan and colorist Mark Roberts, did a fantastic job in this book. Everything was spot on from Prince Adam’s attire, to Teela and She-Ra’s Armour. The colors really popped and and was really appeasing to the eye.

I thoroughly enjoyed this comic and I can’t wait to read the next one. I was hoping it wasn’t too far removed from what I grew up with as a child and it definitely was all there. Go out and get a copy immediately!

Story: Dan Abnett Art: Pop Mhan Colors: Mark Roberts
Story:9 Artwork 10 Overall 9.5 Recommendation: Read

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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Cyborg #2 CoverWednesdays 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!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Brett

Top Pick: Cyborg #2 (DC Comics) – The first issue of the series was a fantastic start, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting the second. Writer David Walker seems to have addresses a lot of past issues with the character in the first issue, while also setting him on an interesting course too. This is a comic I keep checking the release schedule to see if it’s out, that’s how much I want to read it.

Prez #3 (DC Comics) – The first two issues have had me laughing, and they’re turning out to be really prescient when it comes to the future of politics and elections. Not sure if I should keep laughing or be really scared.

Princeless: Be Yourself #3 (Action Lab Entertainment) – Writer Jeremy Whitley nails it issue after issue, in this series which is so far ahead the rest of the comic industry as far as characters and themes. Girl power!

Snowden (Seven Stories Press) – Ted Rall chronicles the history of Edward Snowden and the NSA leak.

Zodiac Starforce #1 (Dark Horse Comics) – A new girl power comic that feels like a mix of Sailor Moon, Jem, and a lot of other series that are just awesome. This was an indie comic, and got picked up by Dark Horse, so it’s fun to see it also go from a small press comic to a full blown one. The first issue is all set-up and pretty entertaining.

 

Alex

Hank Johnson: Agent Of Hydra #1 (Marvel) – The preview pages j have seen of this comic looks absolutely fantastic. The idea of the behind the scenes look at the regular lives of some of henchmen in the worlds premier villainous organisation is really intriguing, and I’m sure there’ll be some interesting. Guest stars.

Old Man Logan #4 (Marvel) – I hadn’t realized just how much I missed reading about Wolverine until this series came out. Whilst I’m glad he hasn’t been resurrected for no reason, it’s nice to get some more time with one of the more interesting incarnations of Wolverine, too.

 

Edward

Top Pick: Hacktivist Vol 2 #2 (Archaia/BOOM! Studios) – The sequel series opened on a high note, and it looks like it will maintain the same tempo.

Batgirl #43 (DC Comics) – A new story arc for this standout series. Not much seems capable of stopping the momentum of this series.

He-Man: Eternity War #9 (DC Comics) – Every issue leads to a bigger turn of the plot. No idea what is coming this time, but it will be big again.

Mulan Revelations #3 (Dark Horse) – The first two issues have been heavy on style and a bit lighter on substance, but the concept is so cool that it deserves a chance to get settled.

Star Wars: Lando #3 (Marvel) – This series has been non-stop fun, proving that Lando should never have been a secondary character.

 

Elana

Top Pick: NEXT Wave: Collected Edition (Marvel) – The hilarious, highly political superhero team satire series featuring Monica Rambeau (formerly Photon or Capt Marvel) is out in a nice complete collection. The biting commentary and creativity of this series is renowned. From dream team Warren Ellis and Stuart Immonen.

Cyborg #2 (DC Comics) – This series is already a standout for having unusually astute analysis of blackness and also about disability. It develops Victor Stone aka Cyborg as a fascinating hero in his own right and as far as I can see it even resolved some of the previously problematic aspects of the character: (read about those problems in Robert Jones Jr’s essential essay “Humanity Not a Included“). I’m ecstatic to have an African-American writer on this title. David Walker’s story is potent scifi that works on metaphorical level and well as on a narrative level. He references Invisible Man– which has needed to happen in a Cyborg story for decades. It’s a can’t-miss series.

Grayson #11 (DC Comics) – In this issue Grayson fights himself. Or someone pretending to be him. I love Huntress in this series acting as his spy master. I totally respect this comic’s dedication to a female and queer male readership that too many series ignore.

Lumberjanes #17 (BOOM! Box/BOOM! Studios) – New story arc featuring our favorite feminist summer camp adventurers. Please get your kids reading this book. It’s groundbreaking and fun and fabulous. And read it yourself for swells of nostalgia for a relatable yet fantastical children’s story that I wish I’d had when I was little.

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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Rasputin07_CoverWednesdays 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!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Brett

Southern Bastards #10 (Image Comics) – One of the, if not the, best comic out there right now. It’s usually a slow burn, but each issue has more character insights than many comics have in a year. This Southern noir is fantastic on every level.

Captain Canuck #3 (Chapter House Publishing) – Some times you want your heroes to lose the gritty aspect, and just be heroes. This series gets back to that courtesy of some talented Canadian creators. Fun action, that’s entertaining and loses the cynicism of today’s superhero comics.

Invisible Republic #5 (Image Comics) – An amazing series that definitely doesn’t get the attention it deserves. It involves a reporter digging into the revolutionaries that took over a planet, and digs up a bit of dirt. An amazing focus on history being used as propaganda.

Princeless: Be Yourself #2 (Action Lab Entertainment) – The new series hasn’t missed a beat and continues the fun fantasy adventure with a bit of girl power mixed in.

Rasputin #7 (Image Comics) – The first arc focusing on the historical figure was interesting. Flash forward 100 years, and not only is he alive, he’s also advising a Presidential candidate. Now you have my undivided attention.

 

Edward

Top Pick: Hacktivist Vol. 2 #1 (BOOM! Studios) –  The second series dealing with the group of hackers follows on the plot from the first series, and tries to answer some unresolved questions.

Batgirl Annual #3 (DC Comics) – Kind of a catch-all for Batgirl, as she faces off against Helena Bertinelli, a former Batgirl (from No Man’s Land) and Dick Grayson (her pre-new 52 romantic interest).  Throw in a visit to Gotham Academy and this sounds pretty fun.

He-Man: Eternity War #8 (DC Comics) – There has been no missteps in this entire series as the creative team has pushed the envelope of what defines the core group of characters.  This is not your childhood’s He-Man.

Jem and the Holograms #5 (IDW Publishing) – This series has been nothing but fun since its launch.  It doesn’t look likely to stop any time soon either.  One can only hope that the suggested food fight from the cover gets realized inside.

Lazarus #18 (Image Comics) – Lazarus goes to Duluth to win the war, as different plot lines begin to intersect.

 

Elana

Top Pick: Grindhouse: Doors Open at Midnight: Trade Paperback Vol 3: Slay Ride and Blood Lagoon (Dark Horse) – “Books like ‘Grindhouse’ were the reason the Comics Code was invented.” – creator Alex De Campi.

That’s a promise and a warning. De Campi absolutely delivers on grindhouse cinema gratification in comic book form– even better, it comes from a frankly female perspective on the genre. This series is messed up in all the RIGHT ways.

Each trade contains self-contained story arcs so you can pick up volume 3 even if you’ve never read the series before. In Volume 3 my entirely fictional girlfriend, Deputy Garcia is back with her motorcycle and eyepatch. I can’t wait!

Series creator Alex de Campi is our podcast guest next week!

Batgirl Annual #3 (DC Comics) – Cameron Stewart and Brenden Fletcher art by Bengal, David Lafuente, Mingjue Helen Chen, Ming Doyle…. Look at that list of awesome writers and artists! Not only do we get Babs catching up with Dick Grayson but we also see her meet with Batwoman and the Gotham Academy kids! These are all of my favorite things in one place! It is a standalone story you can read even if you aren’t reading the new Batgirl series. But after reading this I’m sure you’ll want to.

Phoebe Gloeckner: Diary of a Teenage Girl (North Atlantic Books) – Considered one of the best graphic novels of last decade it’s probably time that you (and I) finally read it! Plus there’s a movie of it coming out soon and you don’t want to be called a “poser”, right? The book is a combination of prose and illustration reads like autobiography. The press release calls it “a dark story of sex and drugs in the life of a 1970s teenage girl.” You should read Sean T Collins review because I can’t do it justice till I read the book.

1602 Witch Hunter Angela #2 (Marvel) – This is the funniest series in Secret Wars and the prettiest too. Last issue we met Shakespeare, Marlowe and King James (Logan Howlett aka Wolverine) and other Faustians (aka people with superpowers). This issue Angela and Sera will meet “Ye Olde Guardians of the Galaxy.”

 

Mr. H

Top Pick: Thors #2 (Marvel Comics) – The case is heating up as the murder mystery of the Gods continues. Blood, Hammers, and Justice shalt be served!

Daredevil #17 (Marvel Comics) – The last days of The Man Without Fear? Could be. This creative team has been white hot so I know Matt is in good hands, but I want to see the payoff.

Red Sonja Vol.2 #17 (Dynamite Entertainment) – Red hot chick swinging a sword, as usual all over this one. The 1973 one shot gave me a rejuvenation for this title. Hope the momentum doesn’t wane.

Superman #42 (DC Comics) – I am actually enjoying the prelude to the “Truth” storyline a lot more than the actual crossover. I’m interested to see just what it was that made Lois out Clark’s ID to the world? This intrepid reporter needs some answers. By Rao, I need them now!

TMNT Ongoing #48 (IDW Publishing) – The Stockman Swarm, The Shredder and Karai all move in for the kill. How could this not be good?

 

Paul

Top Pick: Thors #2 (Marvel) – the first issue of this story was fantastic; a crime story following the ‘police’ of Battleworld, the Thors.  Law and Order meets Asgardian officers, working on the orders of Lord Doom to keep the peace, and the foundation of Battleworld, in one piece.  Excited for what happens next.

Top Pick: X-Men ’92 #2 (Marvel) – the first issue totally brought me back to Saturday mornings, watching Marvel’s merry mutants as most of us remember them, complete with colourful costumes and Wolverine and Cyclops sniping at each other.  I am looking forward to see more from Cassandra Nova and what her rehabilitation facility for mutants is really all about.

1602 Witch Hunter Angela #2 (Marvel) – This was a very interesting first issue, following Angela hunting ‘witchbreed’, which turns out to be mutants.  The second issue puts Angela on the path to see dire omens not come to pass, and also introduces use to “Ye olde Guardians of the Galaxy”.  Looking forward to this.

S.H.I.E.L.D. #8 (Marvel) – I am a huge fan of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. tv show, and just as big a fan of the comic book treatment of the show.  It’s fun to see the tv agents paired up with various heroes from the Marvel universe an work together to solve the problem of the issue.  This issue has Agent May and Mockingbird setting out to kick some ass….sign me up!

 

Steven Attewell

Batgirl #42 (DC Comics) – despite not being remotely in the target demographic for this book, I’ve been enjoying the hell out of this series’ exploration of fame and identity.

Conan the Avenger #16 (Dark Horse) – Dark Horse’s Conan run has been one of the most consistently enjoyable comics for me in recent years (with the exception of that odd bit where Belit went to Cimmeria), so if given an option I’ll always pick one up.

Copperhead #9 (Image Comics) – Read the first trade of this unusual space-western/single-mom comic and really enjoyed the strange little world that Jay Faerber and Scott Godlewski have thrown together, so I’ll keep following this story.

Rasputin #7 (Image Comics) – A really strange little gem, this series posits a revisionist history of the infamous Russian mystic in which Grigori Rasputin’s powers not only are quite real and extend to genuine resurrection and clairvoyancy, but he’s also secretly a prince in communion with the forces of Russian folklore.

Southern Bastards #10 (Image Comics) – having really enjoyed Scalped, I eagerly anticipated Jason Aaron’s new series. Took me a while to get into the first trade – something about the way Jason Latour draws mouths threw me off until I got used to it – but the second trade’s revelation of Coach Boss’ backstory was mesmerizing and made this a must-read for me.

Review: He-Man Eternity War #7

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EW07The story line for He-Man comes at an interesting time in DC Comics.  Although it is a DC Comic by publishing, and not by shared universe, it nonetheless is part of a similar structure of a lot of superheroics, a superhero with a secret identity and an archetypical arch-nemesis.  While DC is trying to deconstruct two of its other main heroes, Superman and Batman, it is also doing the same with He-Man, except that with He-Man it is doing so in a way which is less of a stunt and more of an epic restructuring of the character.

Eternity War started off as much less than what it has become, in fact the first few issues, while fun, looked like a Lords of the Rings redux set on Eternia.  As the series has progressed though, it has looked at numerous different aspects of the characters and helped to define what exactly made them the way that they are.  This issue takes that to the next level, as it not only examines what exactly She-Ra was doing missing all those years, but also casts a better light on just why it is that Skeletor has always been evil.  As opposed to the stunt-like storytelling elsewhere at DC, this builds the character’s backgrounds in meaningful ways, which while restructuring them, also pays homage to what made the characters so popular to begin with.  The story here is simple enough, as Skeletor and his allies plus She-Ra decide to journey to Despondos in order to find a way to stop Hordak.  Before stepping foot into the dimension, Skeletor reveals what happened to him before he left, and it drastically alters the situation.

This series has thus far had its successes and its relative lows, but this issue contains the best example of story telling thus far.  At a time when it seems to be popular to re-invent superheroes, this series proves that it is the one to do it right.  There are bound to be those who will still think that this is “just a He-Man story” but those that do so are missing one of the best comic series on the market in the past half year.  DC has proved with a few other series that it is not afraid to take chances, and while outside of its main universe, this series belongs with those few others.  After all, He-Man maybe be sci-fi/fantasy, but both genres are defined by their epic stories, and this is shaping up to be one.

Story: Rob David and Dan Abnett Art: Edgar Salazar
Story: 9.5 Art: 9.5 Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

 

 

Exclusive Preview: He-Man: The Eternity War #7

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Journey back to Skeletor’s first days as a member of the evil Horde, tasked with crushing the great rebellion on planet Etheria. Will Skeletor’s past provide the key to defeating Hordak in the present?

Written by Dan Abnett, with art by Edgar Salazar, and a cover by Jonboy Meyers, He-Man: The Enternity War #7 takes us back in time to the early days of Skeletor as a member of the evil Horde. From DC Comics the comic hits shelves on July 1.

HEMEW_Cv7

Review: He-Man Eternity War #6

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He-Man - The Eternity War (2014-) 006 - covFor those that might look at Eternity War as a He-Man related comic event, they would only be partially correct.  The powers that be at Mattel have been working hand in hand with the comic creators to tell a story that is above and beyond what has come before, and in so doing has looked some of the archetypes of hero and villain.  So far it has been examined why exactly Skeletor feels the need to switch sides to being aligned with the heroes, but this issue takes on a different theme, that of the superhero and the secret identity.  The Prince Adam secret identity of He-Man has been one which has been with the hero since the onset, and helped to appeal the story to some from a storytelling standpoint.  The idea of nobility having a double life as a hero is nothing new, it comes from sources such as Zorro and the Scarlet Pimpernel, and even from Batman, but the need for the secret identity has never been examined as it has here.

The majority of this issue acts as a flash forward for the characters.  An older He-Man rules absolutely over Eternia, but as they say absolute power corrupts absolutely, and a short vignette of the actions of this are explained here.  In so doing it looks not only at the character but also at the superhero medium as a whole.  In a world where so many superheroes are super powered operatives whose identities are known, this issue helps to make the case why secret identities are still a valuable part of hero’s lives.

This may not be the most hard hitting of the issues thus far in the series, but there is much to be said for the approach of the creative team.  While earlier issues focused almost wholly on epic battles, the focus has changed drastically to being something much different.  Now the characters are examining not only who they are, but also almost breaking the fourth wall to examine some issues beyond.  Thus while this issue lacks a true hook in terms of plot development it fits neatly in the sequence of this series.

Story: Rob David and Dan Abnett Art: Pop Mhan
Story: 8.8 Art: 8.8 Overall: 8.8 Recommendation: Buy

 

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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Fight Club 2 #1 CoverWednesdays 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!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Brett

Top Pick: Fight Club 2 #1 (Dark Horse) – Fight Club is both a fantastic book and movie. When I heard a sequel was being made as a comic, I was initially apprehensive, even with it being written by Chuck Palahniuk. But, after the first issue, I’m beyond all in. The first issue is absolutely amazing, both in story and art.

Captain Canuck 2015 #1 (Chapter House Publishing) – I grew up mostly in Buffalo, right along the Canadian border. And due to that, I’ve known about Captain Canuck for a while. A new updated version? Hells yes!

Fubar: Mother Russia #2 (Alterna Comics) – The Fubar series of comics gives us a zombie twist on history. The latest volume puts us in Russia during World War II, where a zombie outbreak is causing the Russians some issues.

Material #1 (Image Comics) – A man comes home from Guantanamo Bay, irrevocably changed. An actress receives an offer that can revive her career. A boy survives a riot and becomes embedded within a revolutionary movement. A philosopher is contacted by a being that dismantles his beliefs. Ales Kot‘s latest sounds fascinating.

You Don’t Say (IDW Publishing/Top Shelf) – Nate Powell‘s latest release from Top Shelf. All you need to know is it’s Nate Powell. That should be enough for you to pick this one up.

 

Edward

Top Pick: Surface Tension #1 (Titan Comics) – This new series puts a twist on the zombie/post-apocalyptic genre by taking a look at the world’s oceans and the environmental impact of our actions there.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad #3 (Marvel/Disney) – This Disney adaptation is doing what the best adaptations do – remind nothing of the original material (in this case a theme park ride) while capturing the same spirit.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #3 (Archie Comics) – Archie’s darker comics have been pretty fun so far.  Sabrina is not getting as much attention but she returns here for some more dark tales of sorcery.

He-Man Eternity War #6 (DC Comics) – Fantasy and Sci-Fi meet here and produce the best in the genre at the moment.  Those with inhibitions about He-Man should let go of the past and hop in for a wild ride.

Inhumans: Attilan Rising #1 (Marvel) – There has hardly been a misstep in Marvel’s relaunch and rebranding of the Inhumans.  It continues here with a big development.

 

“Big Daddy Cool” Johnny Dellarocca

Top Pick: Convergence: Shazam #2 (DC Comics) – It’s Steampunk vs. Dieselpunk! Plus the creative team of Parker and Shaner is an unbeatable combination.

Captain Midnight #23 (Dark Horse) – One of the best monthly series out there, and it looks like it’s coming to an explosive end with issue 24!

King Flash Gordon #2 (Dynamite Entertainment) – If all of the Dynamite King titles this has been the best. The creative team of Acker and Blacker has done a great job of continuing the amazing work of Parker and Shaner and have preserved the pace and fun of what went before. This has become one of favorite monthly titles.

Where Monsters Dwell #1 (Marvel) – As a Dieselpunk fan it really doesn’t get any better that flying ace The Phantom Eagle taking on monsters and dinosaurs! Sign me up!

We Talk He-Man The Eternity War with Dan Abnett

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Dan Abnett’s most prolific works comes from the the series 2000AD in his native UK, but he has made his mark on American comics after working on the likes of Heroes for Hire, Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy.  He was recently given the helm for the Eternity War series for He-Man.  We got a chance to talk with about the new series.
eternity001Graphic Policy:  The Masters of the Universe carries with it so much pre-existing stories but also cliches of the characters as being for kids.  How do you approach this series to break through that?
Dan Abnett: I was basically briefed by Mattel and DC to write the series ‘seriously’ and play up the epic sword and sorcery angle. I think they came to me because of my experience working on major fantasy properties like Warhammer. The idea was to make it heroic and dramatic, but without losing the sense of fun and escape. That meant taking even the ‘silliest’ and most unlikely characters and saying ‘no, this isn’t a joke. It’s a part of this world and we treat it with respect’… but still have fun when appropriate.
GP:  Were you a fan of the characters as a child?
DA: it was a little late for me, actually, though I was aware of it, of course. Early in my career as a writer and editor, I worked on many licences (at Marvel UK etc), and over that time wrote for Transformers, Thundercats, Galaxy Rangers, GI Joe… just about every classic property of the era. Except He-Man, so it was very nice to ‘complete the set’ and get a chance to write Masters of the Universe too. And it’s nice to do it in such a high profile way, with a great, glossy monthly DC book, with fantastic art (Pop Mhan is amazing), wonderful color and the support of Mattel and DC. And, of course, being allowed to do massive things, like bringing back She-Ra, is a real treat…
GP:  All-out war has never really taken place for He-Man, rather he is usually depicted foiling some plan from one of his enemies and then moving on.  Has it been hard to change the focus?
DA: I think the scope is absolutely there, given the size of the potential cast and the scale of things. It suits an epic handling. If you tipped out your toybox, you’d have so many warriors ready to assemble into armies and factions…
eternity002GP:  In terms of writing a battle focused story, how do you balance the story so that the battles do not overwhelm the plot?
DA: I’m not sure that there’s a specific technique. I just try to maintain an over all sense of the scale and confusion… lost of things going on, then zoom in onto specific characters to personalize the mayhem.
GP:  Eternity War has featured new takes on some classic characters such as Teela, Skeletor and She-Ra.  Are you worried at all that fans might not accept them?
DA: I hope they do, and they seem to have. Mattel has been brilliantly ‘hands on’ with this, guiding me every step of the way, and suggesting characters to use… and how to use them in cool ways that fit into their lore. They’ve been really great, and I’ve been reassured that I’m not damaging things by doing anything too radical. If the Masters’ ‘masters’ are happy with it, I’m pretty sure the fans will like it too…
GP:  The series has been a balance of of sci-fi and fantasy, true to the characters roots.  How do you approach this as a writer to balance these two genres which are similar but also somewhat different?
DA: I think the mix is really entertaining. The blend of blades and tech reminds me (in a really good way) of classic “Planet Stories” like Robert E Howard’s Almuric and Edgar Rice Burroughs’s “Mars” and “Venus” sagas, so it’s a very honorable tradition. This is a world of warriors and magic, but it’s also a world of ancient and power civilisations, with sophisticated technology and crafts, so the blend is very comfortable.
eternity005GP:  This series focuses less on the difference between Prince Adam and He-Man.  Is that less important for the character than it has been in the past?
DA: I’d say not, actually, as the difference or ‘split’ between those two sides is becoming increasingly important as the Eternity War unfolds.
GP:  Can you give us an idea of what is ahead for He-Man?
DA: Things are really going to get epic. This is the biggest He-Man story ever,  a saga on a “Lord of the Rings’ type scale, with the fate of worlds in the balance. If you’ve enjoyed it so far, you’re going to love how massive it becomes as all the opposing parties begin to clash.

Review: He-Man Eternity War #5

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hemaneternitywar005The latest run of He-Man in his own title has perhaps been the best representation of the character thus far in his experience in popular culture.  This run focused a more mature approach to the character which aims to highlight both the strengths of the sci-fi/fantasy mix while also presenting characters that are far more approachable for those who are not fans of the character.  That is to say that He-Man has achieved a degree of quality which does not depend on the character himself for the stories, but rather the characters and his allies and enemies simply populate the stories which would be equally strong in other cases.  This story first approach is one which benefits most series and characters, and it has been especially highlighted with the Eternity War miniseries.

The most recent issue of Eternity War was one of contrasts.  While it was overall pretty well put together, it nonetheless had a few of the common problems often associated with comics as a medium.  In this case it was specifically the near death of She-Ra, a little bit of a reduction of a powerful female character to a damsel-in-distress like sidekick.  Although the series seemed to be veering down a well trodden road, it takes this same development and turns it around in this issue in an unforeseen and entirely inventive turn.  It reintroduces the old DC comics concept known as hypertime (even mentioning it by name) and in the process features what must be the first in continuity appearance of an action figure in the medium.  The rest of the issue pushes the plot forward, as well as given the He-Man fans something to be excited about, in a “will they or won’t they?” context, in the last few pages.

The creative teram continues to reimagine the characters of the Masters of the Universe in this interesting issue.  While the plot itself is maybe a bit more commonplace, the tricks that they pull out of their bag are not, even breaking what fans might consider the regular boundaries of the fourth wall.  The end result is an issue which once again proves that this new take on the character is for real and deserves attention.

Story: Rob David and Dan Abnett Art: Pop Mhan
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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BitchPlanet04_CoverWednesdays 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!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Brett

Top Pick: Bitch Planet #4 (Image Comics) – This is the series I look forward to reading every single issue and count down until I can get the next in my hands. Taking important societal issues and packaging them in an entertaining 70s(ish) exploitation story… brilliant! This issue focuses more on the sports team that’s being but together, plus obligatory shower scene(s)!

Fubar: Mother Russia #1 (Alterna) – Stalingrad. 1943. One baby. One rifle. Two million zombies. A Soviet sniper risks her life to protect something she hasn’t seen in a long time: a perfectly healthy two-year-old boy who has just stumbled right into the middle of the zombie apocalypse.

Mayday #1 (Black Mask) – A washed-up, drug-addicted screenwriter and a transgender bartender stumble onto a Satanic cult’s plan to sacrifice people all across LA (geomapped in the form of a pentagram, of course) and bring on Armageddon. If that doesn’t interest you…

The Order of the Forge #1 (Dark Horse) – How about some alternate weird history? George Washignton. Paul Revere. Ben Franklin. This is American history you don’t learn about in school (cause it’s not exactly true, just really entertaining).

Pisces #1 (Image Comics) – A former Vietnam Vet pilot trains with NASA to make first contact. But war trauma leads to dark visions of his future.

 

Edward

Top Pick: He-Man: Eternity War #5 (DC Comics)  –  The last issue left off with some pretty big plot twists.  This series is mixing together fantasy and sci-fi in an amazing way.  This isn’t your childhood’s He-Man.

Jem and the Holograms #2 (IDW Publishing) – The first issue set up the character and provided enough background to get the series going.  It will be interesting to see where the series heads from here.

Jungle Book Fall of the Wild #5 (Zenescope) – The final issue in the final series of the trilogy.  There are lots of answers left for the series, but will they all come here?

Princess Leia #3 (Marvel) – This series got a little bit of a slow start in its first issue but got things moving in its second issue.  This looks like it will continue in this third issue.

Silk #3 (Marvel) – Overshadowed by Spider-Gwen, its fellow spin-off from the Spider-Verse.  This series is better in every way so far.

 

“Big Daddy Cool” Johnny Dellarocca

Top Pick: Convergence Shazam #1 (DC Comics) – I have been looking forward to this series since it was announced. Jeff Parker and Evan “Doc” Shaner may be the perfect creative team for the Capt. Marvel Family. Their work on Flash Gordon demonstrated Parker’s uncanny ability to write fast paced, fun pulp adventures, and Shaner’s clean retro style is the perfect choice for Shazam!

Captain Midnight #22 (Dark Horse) – this series continues to impress me with! Like Jeff Parker, Josh Williamson just really knows how to right the classic pulp character of Captain Midnight! Teamed with X, this story should one of conflict and tough choices!

Convergence Justice Society of America #1 (DC Comics) – Classic Alan Scott and Jay Garrick. Do you need any other reason to get this book?

Convergence Plastic Man & The Freedom Fighters  #1 (DC Comics) – Another return of classic versions of DC characters! And this time Eel O’Brien is leading the Freedom Fighters against the Nazis!

Princess Leia #3 (Marvel) – I am a Star Wars freakasuarus and the in-canon work Marvel is producing are some of the best Star Wars stories being told. This series in particular is my favorite so far because of the way Leia is being fleshed out as a capable pilot, scrappy fighter, and strong military leader. And the artwork is stunning. If you are looking for a solid book featuring a strong female lead, this book is THE one!

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