Tag Archives: mel joy san juan

Review: Vigilance #2

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Vigilance #2

Supergirl is one of those shows you either love or hate. It’s easy to see as a copy of Smallville, which it shares some similarities, other than the canon. One of those things that it charmingly imbues is the heart that most superhero shows shy away from. It often reveals the vulnerability of their protagonists, something that the comics usually do. The show’s third season more than pushed the show creatively, in some ways it surpassed what its predecessor did in its lengthy run.

This particular run showed a protagonist both broken and brokenhearted. It also introduced a villain as daunting as she had ever faced in the World Killer, Reign. The first seasons saw her fight villains that gave her a run for her money, but this one was the first time where the villain pretty much left her thunderstruck. In the second issue of Vigilance, our titular hero faces off someone even stronger than the threat she just neutralized.

We find Vigilance, soon after stopping a threat has destroyed much of Hong Kong, when its master, Imperito Lux, an alien invader, stops our protagonist in her tracks, as she soon realizes her new foe’s might. We also get treated to Imperito’s backstory and she came into power, while not only enslaving armies but also entire planets. Imperito also underestimates Vigilance, as we get battle royale between the two superpowered beings as the we also find out that Imperito targeted Earth so she can face off against Vigilance.

Overall, an interesting chapter in this ever-evolving story, one that shows fidelity in the promise its showed in the debut issue.  The story by Micah Cox is action-packed and is well versed in the art of worldbuilding. The art by the creative team is auspicious. Altogether, a story that definitely deserves to be in the pantheon of great superhero stories.

Story: Micah Cox Art: Mel Joy San Juan, Danny Cooper
Story: 8.8 Art: 7.0 Overall: 9.4 Recommendation: Buy

Review: Vigilance #2

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In the world of superheroes, there are a few tropes, things that you know will happen, and the enjoyment is based on the execution of it all. There are some annoying tropes, like civilians not being able to tell heroes from their alter egos. Another annoying trope is the obsession certain villains have for their nemesis, the superhero. The least favorite of all the tropes that exist in the comics medium is how people in positions of power and importance in these books are readily acceptable of these beings who otherwise would be outcasts or deemed threats.

Now, all the tropes are not necessarily bad, the favorite of mines are the battle royales between the opposing two characters, and thy have not necessarily been the good versus bad. Hulk versus Wolverine, now only their first, but their subsequent fight is legendary within comics. Then there are the many fights between Batman and the Joker, which got downright disturbing in the recently revisited The Killing Joke. They can be more than fun, as in the second issue of Vigilance, where she takes on Queen Ma’la.

We pick up right where the first issue ends, as Vigilance has just defeated many of the Queen’s minions, but Vigilance clearly underestimates the Queen, as she has met her match. Within the context of the fight, the reader gets the origin story of Queen Ma’la, as Vigilance is not fighting an ordinary regent, but one who has had not to overcome her society’s expectations of her as a woman and a royal, but just how ruthless she could be. She has come to even enslave whole societies. By the end of this episode, both individuals have found their match, but the reader and Vigilance are left with a mystery, as to why they call her “destroyer”.

Overall, a fun issue that gives you backstory as well, it is if someone took the fight scene from The Players Club (which is one of the best I have ever seen and was even highlighted in the documentary, Ultimate Fights from the Movies ) and Chronicles of Riddick, in the same universe, definitely a movie I would watch any day. The story by Micah Cox does something totally left field of what would a regular big bad fight, to something more introspective but keeps the fun. The art by Mel Joy San Juan is masterful and captures these characters in the best light. Altogether, a fun issue that raises a lot of questions and which this reviewer can’t wait to keep pulling on this string to find those answers.

Story: Micah Cox Art: Mel Joy San Juan
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Knightingail: Shadow Divisions #1 to be Released by Big Dog Ink

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Big Dog Ink and Wayne Gardiner have announced that Knightingail: Shadow Divisions will be released nationally in comic book stores this coming July. Knightingail: Shadow Divisions is an all-ages, fantasy-adventure comic book series  that will be released as a 6-issue monthly mini-series from July to December 2013.

Knightingail: Shadow Divisions continues the adventures of Knightingail where the first mini-series volume, Knightingail: The Legend Begins, left off. Knightingail and her four Centurion companions must use their combined powers to destroy Luceus and his invading army. At first, they find that their combined powers are able to easily overcome the evil Whitesticks, Lava Dogs, and fire and acid breathing Dracons. However, the stresses of war soon bring their toll on the five over-worked Centurions, and divisions erupt between even the closest of friends. Taking advantage of these divisions, Luceus contracts with a tribe of assassin warriors called the Shadow Ravens to assassinate the isolated Centurions. Sicari, Queen of the Shadow Ravens, leads the assault herself against the a lonely and distraught Knightingail, who must somehow find the will to survive and re-unite her friends once more.

Knightingail: Shadow Divisions will include the same phenomenal, full-color artwork seen in the first volume. Mel Joy San Juan is the new penciller/inker and colorist Katrina Mae Hao returns as well.

Two covers will be released nationally in stores. The Cover A artwork will be provided by interior artists San Juan and Mae Hao. Cover B artwork will be illustrated by the amazing team of Nathan Seals and Kate Finnegan (issues 1-3) and Val Hochberg and Finnegan (issues 4-6).

KG_V2_1A KG_V2_1B SD1-Page1-MelKatrina