Usagi Yojimbo: Bunraku - Book Review

'Presented in colour for the first time, the ongoing adventures of Stan Sakai's seminal and long running series are now being published by IDW. This first volume of all-new material continues the saga of Usagi Yojimbo with the three-part "Bunraku," where Usagi becomes embroiled in a puppet drama where the players are not quite what they seem! Will the aid of a supernatural ally be enough for Usagi to prevent more death?'

This is the first time that I've read a Usagi Yojimbo book. I've been aware of the character and the comics for many years, but never knew where to start reading the title. This book, proved to be that perfect stepping on point. Usagi Yojimbo has previously been published through Dark Horse Comics, but has recently moved to IDW Publishing. Usagi Yojimbo: Bunrako collects together the first seven issues of the IDW run, it's the start of the character's time with the new publisher, so makes this book a perfect point for new readers.

However, this doesn't mean that it's not open to older readers, those who've been fans of the character for years. IDW have made the very smart decision to make this a continuation of the original comics. It's not a reboot, or a reset, as the stories featured in this book make reference to older stories, and feature returning characters. It even tells you which volumes of the previous books to check out to learn more about these characters and stories. It's a great stepping on point, but one that encourages you to go back and read more.

There are a few stories presented in the book, the first one 'Bunraku' sees Usagi teaming up with the demon hunter Sasuke. The story has a nice introduction by Matt Alt, who gives a small introduction to Bunraku, and really sells you on the amazing craftsmanship that goes into the art. The story itself has a few fun twists and turns, and every time I thought I'd figured something out it threw in a new twist or revelation that I wasn't expecting. It kept me on my toes and made sure I was entertained throughout, and was a brilliant first story for my Usagi education.

The second story, 'The Hero' sees Usagi escorting the wife of a Hatamoto, a banner-man for a Shogun. Unfortunately, the Shogun is at peace, and the woman's husband is unable to earn glory in battle. He's become bitter and abusive towards his wife and the fame that she's receiving through her writing. Compared to the fun supernatural elements in the first story this one is much more personal, and deals with some very heavy concepts such as honour, duty, and abuse. The story foreshadows that it doesn't end well, and despite the villain getting his comeuppance by the end you won't come away feeling any real sense of victory, because no one really wins in that story. It feels a lot more real than the other stories because of this. It presents good people and bad, those who are in the wrong and their victims, but that doesn't mean that the good guys will win and get a happy ending.

The last two stories in the book are much shorter, being only single issue stories each, but are still great nonetheless. 'Adachi' sees Usagi return to the Adachi Plain, where his life as a Ronin began. The story refreshes experienced readers on Usagi's past, whilst presenting it to new readers. We get to learn how he became a Samurai without a lord, and how his journey has changed him. He also has to confront some of the ghosts of his past and put some of his unresolved emotions to bed. This story is a great piece of background information to those new to the book, yet doesn't seem to just retread old ground for readers already aware of this, by expanding upon his history and giving Usagi a new story to deal with.

The final story, 'The Swords of the Higashi' is the most comedic story in the book, and is a lot of fun. Usagi joins up with a pair of bounty hunter friends of his, Stray Dog and Gen. Much like Sasuke in the first story, these two are returning characters, and the story makes reference to some older adventures for curious readers. The story here kind of becomes a little farcical, and manages to walk the line between funny and too ridiculous well. It proves to be a great story to end the book on.

I wasn't sure what to expect from Usagi Yojimbo, but I'm so glad that I gave this book a chance. It was exciting, had mystery, told a story with emotion, gave me insight into the character's history, made me laugh, and left me wanting to go and read up on the older books. It's hard to really ask more from a book like this. It kept me entertained throughout and made me want to spend more time in that world; not every comic can boast that. Whether you're a new fan or you've read every issue of Usagi Yojimbo, I'm sure this book will satisfy.

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Dungeons and Dragons: A Darkened Wish - Book Review

'An all-new tale of epic scope and flair that combines the elements of story telling and action that make every adventure so fun!

'When war threatens the Moonshae Isles, legendary heroes return to defeat the forces of an unthinkable foe. The Forgotten Realms are changed forever as young wizard Helene and her friends grow from raw recruits on the streets of Mintarn into powerful warriors.'

Dungeons and Dragons is a franchise that's existed for decades, and is beloved across the world. With how long the franchise has been around you'd thin that there would be more books, shows, and films, set within its universe. But the problem is, the very nature of the game means that there aren't really characters or stories that you follow; you make your own. And whilst that makes for a lot of fun when playing, it makes it harder for people to create fiction for fans to consume.

Dungeons and Dragons: A Darkened Wish tries to create a story that spans decades and builds towards an epic conclusion, but because I'd never come across these characters or there world before I found it hard to be really drawn into the story.

This isn't the fault of the creators, writer B. Dave Walters manages to create some interesting scenarios and characters that were intriguing, but it felt like the story was trying to draw upon emotions that just weren't there. I didn't really care that one of the heroes got turned to darkness, because I didn't know him, or care about the relationships he had with the other heroes. I didn't care when one of the good guys died horribly, because other than them having 'levelled up' between issues I didn't really have a sense of who they were or why I should be bothered by their demise.

The story jumps around in time a lot too, and each issue takes place in a different time across decades. Whilst this means that we get to see some highlights from the lives of this group of heroes, we don't get to spend any down time with them getting to know who they are, what they think of each other, and why we should care about them. When each issue focuses on action over characterisation it leaves the whole thing feeling a little lacking.

I don't want this to sound too negative, as there was a lot of good in the book too; Solivigant the Kenku was pretty awesome throughout. The artwork by Tess Fowler is also great, and she manages to craft a very lived in world, with lots of details and small parts that make the world feel real and old. She also does some great work with the character designs, and the team of heroes aren't just distinct from each other, but their younger versions and older versions all go through some great visual changes.

Dungeons and Dragons: A Darkened Wish isn't the best fantasy book I've ever read, but it's far from the worst. It has some interesting ideas and tries to tell a bold and epic story, which is braver than most limited series runs.


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Marvel Action: Avengers #10 – Comic Review

Originally Published on Set The Tape

Issue #10 of Marvel Action: Avengers seems to be a bit of a strange issue. To begin with it seems like a pretty simple set-up, A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics) have taken over New York City, and rule it with an iron fist. They’re doing this, in part, thanks to having captured and brainwashed a number of heroes into working for them.

These heroes are A.I.M versions of themselves, fitting the colours and logo of the evil organisation, such as Spider-Mechanic, The Golden Witch, and Yellow Hulk. We learn all this through Captain America, who begins the issue as an enforcer for A.I.M. before being rescued by some of his fellow Avengers, who are now running a resistance group from a secret underground bunker.

All of this seems fairly simple, and is an interesting and engaging idea that would be good enough to play a story out of, especially as the few remaining Avengers would have to fight their former friends and colleagues to save the day. However, the final moments of the issue seem to hint that there’s actually a lot more going on here, and that everything we’d seen up to that point is simply an illusion inside Captain America’s head. There are hints that this may be due to the Fear Eaters, who were apparently beaten at the end of the last story.

Unfortunately, the issue ends there and we don’t get a clear answer to what’s going on. Now, this is bad because I want to know what happens next and have to wait to next issue to get some answers, but it’s also good comic writing as Matthew K. Manning has me wanting to know what happens next and waiting for the next issue.

I’m going to be interested in seeing if we’re going to be jumping in and out of this apparent A.I.M. illusion/dream; if the dream turns out to be real or not; or even if the events shown in the previous issue where they beat the Fear Eaters might have been fake and the heroes actually lost the battle. Or maybe there’s something else going on that doesn’t connect with those creatures at all?

Because all of the questions raised in this issue over what’s really happening I find it a little hard to say if it was a good start to the story or not. Either we’ve had a lot of set-up for what’s going on, or most of it’s just a dream and we’re just getting hints at other things to come. I think a lot of how this issue ends up feeling will largely depend on what happens in the subsequent parts, but I think this was pretty good.


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Marvel Action: Avengers #2.1 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

The first issue in the new series of Marvel Action: Avengers takes on a tone different to what has come before as Katie Cook takes over writing responsibilities. The series has always read as a children’s book; it’s always been clear that its been designed for younger readers, but it’s still felt somewhat similar to Marvel’s regular superhero books. This issue, by comparison, feels a lot more like a story aimed at youngsters, and in some ways reminded me of the weird kookiness of comics from the 1950s and 60s.

The issue begins with Black Widow calling the Avenger together to tell them that H.R. has ordered them all to take the day off. Yes, apparently the team have a Human Resources department that wants to make sure they get time off and don’t end up having a mental breakdown. How is this not something that comics address more?

Several members of the team clearly don’t know what to do with themselves when told they can’t run around saving the world, but eventually the team heads out to do their own things, leaving Thor alone in Avengers Tower to read his fantasy book ‘Storm Well’. Except, he’s not as alone as he thinks. A miniaturised Ant-Man pops up out of nowhere, causing Thor a fright that ends up with him accidentally breaking one of Black Widow’s porcelain figurines she got for her birthday.

When the two heroes decide that the only way to deal with this crisis is to try and replace the figure before Black Widow finds out they head out to a local flea market to buy a new one. Unfortunately, they’re spotted at the market by Loki, who’s enjoying a cup of coffee and a newspaper, and he decides to make things difficult for his brother.

Now, already this doesn’t sound like the typical set-up for a super-hero comic, and the fact that the villain is not only just chilling out and about in public, but only causes a mild annoyance before being let go really makes it stand out. This is why I was saying it feels like something from decades past. The story feels more like something these characters would get up to on a quiet Sunday afternoon.

None of the characters seem to have any motivation beyond chill and have fun, even the bad guy, whose main motivation behind his actions seems to be ‘this’d be funny’. But you know what? I kind of enjoyed it. There were no world ending stakes, no real danger, and the biggest issue the characters faced was finding the right porcelain doll so they don’t get a disapproving look from Black Widow. The whole thing felt as overly sweet and kitsch as the doll they were trying to find – but in a good way.

It’s not clear if every issue of this new run is going to be similar, with a series of wacky and laid back one-shots instead of arching stories where the heroes have to save the world, but maybe something like this would be fun for a change. Why have another story about costumed heroes beating up the villains to save the world when you can have something that makes you feel relaxed and brings the occasional chuckle? Perhaps this new approach can help Marvel Action: Avengers to stand out from the pack. The fact that the cover for the next issue shows Captain America teaming up with Squirrel Girl has me a little excited to see some wacky high-jinks speaks a lot to how fun this new volume of the book might be.


A great subversion of expectations for an Avengers book, one that is accessible and enjoyable for readers of all ages, but clearly aimed at the younger reader. It draws upon much older comics and recreates the fun and weirdness of titles that came before.


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Marvel Action: Spider-Man #2.2 - Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

The latest issue of Marvel Action: Spider-Man picks up immediately where the last left off, seeing the spider heroes dealing with the aftermath of the Shocker’s attack. The trio have to jump in to prevent the destruction of an apartment building. Whilst this is fairly standard superhero fare it does have a little bit of a surprise when a few of the residents who hadn’t had time to run fall out. Gwen swings in and saves one and I thought to myself ‘Huh, that guy’s hair looks like an updated version of Harry Osborne’s, that’s cool’. Well, surprise surprise – on the next page he introduces himself as Harry Osborne.

If I was going to predict things that would happen in this issue Harry Osborne being introduced would not have been on my list. But this is something that I really like about the Marvel Action: Spider-Man series, the fact that they set things up way in advance, slip unexpected characters in, and talk about big name characters even before we’ve met them, such as the Kingpin being talked about a lot in the last run of the series.

I also like how the series sets up the potential of their being something romantic between Gwen and Harry, with Harry flirting with her superhero persona, and Gwen seeming to not only enjoying it but being distracted thinking about it after. There’s always been a thing about Peter and Harry getting into something of a competition over a woman in the history of Spider-Man, and whilst there’s not been any kind of hint that this version of Peter and Gwen have any kind of attraction perhaps this is indicating that maybe this classic story could be revisited in the future.

The rest of the issue is given over to the furthering of the Miles plot and his growing relationship with Mr Schultz (who is totally and completely still going to turn out to be the Shocker). It was nice to see the two of them getting to know each other a little more, and it was good to see Miles treat the revelation about him being a former convict as nothing that really bothers him. With him being the son of a police officer, and a super-hero, it could have been easy to paint him as being flatly against people with criminal pasts, but the fact that he acknowledges that people can make mistakes in their past and learn from them shows a welcome level of maturity and wisdom.

Issue #2 also manages to fit in a fun fight sequence with a big spider-like robot that takes the heroes through Columbus Circle and down into the subway system. Whilst it’s nothing that is going to wow you or strike you as new and innovative it’s a fun use of different environments taking the fight below the streets, and the drone has a great design that reminded me of the Tachikoma walker robots from Ghost In The Shell.


A great middle issue for a story-line that is giving a much needed spotlight to Miles, and reinventing one of Spider-Man’s more ‘joke’ villains.


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Marvel Action: Spider-Man #2.1 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

I didn’t realise that the latest issue of Marvel Action: Spider-Man would be the start of a new volume, and was a little surprised by this as the series had only really just begun, and it didn’t feel like it was a time for a relaunch. Luckily, this new series seems to carry straight on from the last issue without any big changes, being more of a normal continuation than the start of something new.

The fact that there were no big, drastic changes to the status quo of the book with this new volume was a relief, as I’d say this is easily the best title in the Marvel Action catalogue and I don’t want to see that quality decrease. Another worry was that the writer for the first volume, Delilah S. Dawson, has been replaced with Brandon Easton. I’d not read anything by Easton, though I had seen his episode of Agent Carter, but quickly found him to be a great fit for the series.

Easton has managed to carry across a lot of what made the previous volume of the series so good, namely the personal relationships between the lead characters. The fun and friendly banter is back, with the trio teasing each other whilst in the middle of combat, as well as some good character development outside of their costumed identities, as we get to see the three of them obsess over science issues and their struggles with them.

This issue also introduced readers to the Marvel Action version of Shocker, the iconic Spider-Man villain. I have to say, I really like the new look for Shocker that Easton and artist Fico Ossio have put together. He’s instantly recognisable as the villain, with an updated version of his classic ‘quilted’ look. I also love the small electrical bolt symbol on his belt buckle as a nice little piece of attention grabbing detail in the middle of his suit.

What immediately jumped out about this new design, however, is that his mask looks very similar to Iron-Man. The fact that he’s stealing tech from Stark Industries means that this might not be a coincidence either. I’m half expecting the character to have an origin that connects in with Tony Stark in some way, similar to the recent Spider-Man movie villains, but hope that he’ll stand on his own as a Spidey villain rather than feeling like some kind of Iron-Man reject. The issue has presented a possible identity for the villain, but I’m not sure if perhaps I’m just suspicious of any new character introduced into the story. I’m eager to find out if this is just a big red herring or not.

Marvel Action Spider-Man has been the best book in the series, and thanks to this issue upholding the standards it’s already delivered I can say with confidence that this hasn’t changed. It might have a new numbering and a new creative team behind the wheel, but it still feels like the same title that I’ve loved since it began. I can’t wait to see with Brandon Easton does next.


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Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins - Book Review

Dungeons and Dragons is cool. Let's just get that out of the way first of all. Anyone who doesn't think it is has clearly never played it, because as soon as you do you realise its so much fun. But whilst it's a lot of fun to play it seems like it's sometimes hard to watch. A lot of the time this comes down to the fact that most people who play the game are just regular folk like you and me. Critical Role, however, stands out as something a little different, thanks in part to the players being such good actors.

Within the first episode of the web series you'll end up being sucked into the world that the group have created, as well as the characters that they play. It doesn't just feel like a group of friends playing a game, but a group of creatives making something special. That's why there is literally hundreds and hundreds of hours of Critical Role content out there; people recognised that it was something special.

Despite having a hugely successful web series that takes weeks to watch through even if you don't do anything else, fans always want more Critical Role in their life. This is where Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins comes in. Jumping back in time to the very beginning of the story, this book shows readers just how the group first came together all those years ago when they were playing in their homes.

The story begins with elf twins Vex and Vax investigating the strange happenings in a small town surrounded by a swamp, where the young and old are getting sick and dying. The two of them are trying to find out if it's some kind of curse, a poison, or some evil force behind the events when they discover a much bigger plot, one that has drawn in several groups of adventurers.

It's fun to see several members of the group split across other groups, and to see that they actually didn't really like each other that much. Viewers of the series got to see these characters after they'd been together for years and had become something of a family, but here they're just strangers. Instead of teasing there's outright hostility at times.

This isn't the Vox Machina that most fans will know, and it might be something of a shock to see the characters portrayed in this way, but it still ultimately feels like Critical Role, with the same group of misfits and idiots, and the same plans that don't work. One of my favourite parts of the book is when the group are standing around outside the evil lair, coming up with various plans whilst Grog goes running off in the background, attacking head on. It feels like a comic representation of every planning session the team has in the series, where things usually go a little crazy and unexpected.

It won't take you long to read through the book, but if you're all caught up with the episodes and don't want to go back and rewatch this'll certainly scratch your Critical Role itch for an hour or two, as well as shedding some light onto the origins of the iconic group of heroes.

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Marvel Action: Avengers #9 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

Slug-like aliens and sad Avengers abound, as Marvel Action: Avengers #9 brings the story of the Fear Eaters to a conclusion, as the alien invaders sweep through New York City.

An invasion of alien parasites that feed off the fear of the populace should be a big threat, and should feel like an epic fight for the Avengers. It’s been building for the better part of a year (especially with some of the long gaps between issues), and this should be the big pay off. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really feel like there are any stakes in this issue.

The Fear Eaters, which always seemed quite large and looming in their previous appearances, are suddenly very small. They’re slugs the size of a cat with a weird goat/dog face and antennas. They float around ‘menacingly’ and make the Avengers see their worst fears. There’s very little about them that seems frightening or deadly at all; I’m a little surprised that average New Yorkers aren’t beating them back with sticks or something.

This sudden disappointing drop in threat level from the villains makes the majority of the issue more boring than anything else. Other than a few of the Avengers having to stand around looking at things that they’re scared of nothing really happens. Even the defeat of the aliens feels uneventful.

It turns out that the armour Black Panther has been working on is an adaptation of Iron Man’s stealth armour, one that’s been reinforced with vibranium, and now transmits a person’s thoughts rather than shields them. This means that T’Challa is able to don the armour and use it to attract the Fear Eaters to him. Once the aliens have been summoned to him T’Challa ends the invasion by confronting his own fear of his father’s disappointment, which for some reason causes the Fear Eaters to run away.

I know that the Marvel Action line is aimed at younger readers, and that they might not want to overly complicate their stories so as not to confuse kids, but there’s pretty much no reasoning for the events in this issue. How were the Fear Eaters going to destroy Earth when they just float around making people sad and sacred? Why were they drawn to Black Panther by reversing its ‘brainwave systems’? And why is one person getting over their fear enough to end an entire planet-threatening invasion?

I don’t want to make it sound like one huge rant about the issue, but this simply feels like one of the weakest conclusions to a story I’ve read. The good guys win because they’re the good guys, and that’s about it. Sadly, I find it hard to believe that even their target child audience would feel satisfied with this conclusion. Hopefully the next story arc will prove to be be better.


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Marvel Action: Spider-Man #12 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

Marvel Action: Spider-Man #12 sees the three spider-heroes fighting alongside Venom one last time as they tangle with the evil Doctor Octopus.

Using the information gathered from the secret lab in the previous issue, Peter, Gwen, and Miles journey to an apparently abandoned building where Doc Ock is supposed to be meeting his mysterious boss, taking Venom along for some added muscle. Unfortunately, Venom proves to be something of a lose cannon, and his breaking into the lab unleashes a horde of murderous robots that swarm the group.

The team are able to beat these ‘Octo-bots’, but when the now costumed Doctor Octopus arrives to fight them with a second wave of robots things become even more dangerous for our heroes. When Venom goes too far, and tries to eat Doctor Octopus, Miles is forced to step in and knock the anti-hero out with his new Venom Blast powers. With Venom under control again, and Doctor Octopus captured, the team are able to find Eddie Brock’s missing phone and laptop, and escape before Doc Ock’s backup arrives.

After their run in with the metal armed villain the heroes are hanging out together on a rooftop when Iron Man arrives, giving the three of them the chance to finally talk to him about what it takes to be a hero; something that they’ve all been working towards since the start of the series.

I have to be honest, the end of this Venom arc feels a little bit lacking compared to some of the other stories, possibly because the team ended up fighting Doctor Octopus once again in a secret lab. In a lot of ways the issue is very similar to the previous one, however, the development with the lead characters manages to stop it feeling like a dull retread.

The three spider-heroes have been trying to find a way to meet Iron-Man since the very first issue, and their places in the Daily Bugle internship have all been a part of this journey. Despite the three of them working together to produce some amazing articles, mostly covering the adventures of their alter-egos, none of them manage to win the competition to interview Tony Stark. Luckily, Stark isn’t just sitting in the background doing nothing, but actively went out of his way to bring the three of them together into a team so that they can help each other.

This conclusion to their journey feels like the perfect end to the the first year of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, as it not only proves that the three of them have gone on to become great heroes in their own rights, but have grown as people as well.

Thankfully, whilst this issue marks the end of both the Venom arc and the first year of the series, the story is far from over, as the heroes once again discover hints of a mysterious ‘Kingpin’ that’s been behind everything that they’ve gone up against so far. Fingers crossed they’ll begin to learn more about this mysterious figure, and possibly even learn more about Miles’ new powers, in the next issue.


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Marvel Action: Black Panther #6 - Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

Vita Ayala and Arianna Florean bring to a close the story of the Wakandan Scientific Conference, showing readers just how much T’Challa and Shuri have grown over a relatively short time.

With the Wakandan Scientific Conference only moments away, the final pieces are being put into place to receive the ambassadors and guests. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned (as these things rarely do) when Shuri’s latest invention, the Matter-To-Data Converter, is stolen before it can be taken to the conference.

The device, which can scan an object down to the individual molecules and convert them to digital data, was made with the intention of using the technology to safely dispose of toxic chemicals and radioactive waste, but could easily be turned to evil ends if falling into the wrong hands.

Luckily, T’Challa and Shuri are able to track down the thieves and a fight ensues in the streets. Whilst they manage to capture one of the thieves the other gets away with the device. Fortunately, they’re able to learn that the Conference is the target, and are able to go after the thieves in order to prevent a huge disaster.

This final issue in the Wakandan Scientific Conference continues with the themes that have been a big part of this story arc, namely that Wakanda isn’t quite the perfect nation that we, and even the royal family, have been led to believe. There are people in the nation that help each other and lift each other up yes, but there are also those that take advantage of those around them and push others down. This has led to some people feeling like they have been abandoned by their rulers and left to fend for themselves.

This not only makes the country itself more interesting, but it means that the heroes are having to go up against villains who aren’t really bad people. They’re people that want something better for themselves and others in similar situations, not something selfish like power and wealth. And this makes it all the more difficult for the heroes as they can’t just go in punching, but have to try and make things actively better.

I’ve loved seeing this side to the Black Panther story, of the wonder nation not quite being as good as it should be, and of a King who thinks his country is a paradise learning that he has to do more for his people than he’s already doing. In a lot of ways it makes the title more interesting than if it was just Black Panther fighting some super villain.

With this arc now over I’m interested to see where the story will go next, whether it will continue to examine these themes further, or if it will begin to feel more like a traditional super hero comic. Hopefully Vita Ayala will be on to continue writing past this story, as I think she has a great grasp of not just the characters, but a varied and interesting idea for how to treat the world too.

I’d also like to see Arianna Florean continue on as artist, as he work has been really exceptional these last few issues, giving characters and environments a real sense of life and energy; something that isn’t easy for a story that doesn’t rely on big splash pages or over the top action sequences. I’d also like to see Shuri continue to use her fairy wing backpack, as her flying around is not only awesome, but the wings might be one of my favourite parts of the comic.


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Marvel Action: Avengers #8 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

We finally discover what the Fear Eaters are after months of build-up, but just what is it that they’re after, and why are they manipulating Black Panther?

It seems like every issue up till now has been building towards the reveals that we get here. AIM and the U-Foes, Count Nefaria and the Ruby Egress, they’ve all been part of the bad guys’ plans to prepare for the coming invasion of the Fear Eaters; and now the Avengers finally know about the bigger threat to the Earth.

The issue picks up where the previous one left off, with Captain America face to face with one of the mysterious aliens, and Black Panther apparently fallen victim to their mental manipulation, seeing his deceased father. The U-Foes and Madam Masque walk into this situation, and as per comic book rules they end up fighting the heroes despite being there to help them.

Once the misunderstanding has been sorted out and the fight comes to a close the U-Foes are able to fill in the Avengers, and the readers, about the origins of the Fear Eaters, and their apparent only weakness, Vibranium. The revelation comes as a surprise, as despite the fact that Captain America was able to beat a Fear Eater in combat it’s not obvious that this was because of what his shield was made from; and it explains why the creatures have targeted Black Panther.

It’s still not clear why they’ve made T’Challa their focus. Surely taking him out of the equation would be a better way of preventing him from equipping the Avengers with Vibranium? This does make me think that perhaps there’s more going on than is at first clear, and that perhaps T’Challa isn’t being manipulated by the Fear Eaters. The fact that the issue ends with T’Challa appearing to make some kind of Iron-Man/Black Panther armour makes me think that he might be preparing for the oncoming invasion rather than being used by the aliens. Whatever is happening, it’s sure to cause some twists and turns in the next issue.

The information we’re given in this issue helps to clear up what’s been going on since the title’s launch, and certainly raises the stakes somewhat without giving away too much of what is to come. So far the series has wrapped up each chapter of the story within three issues, and whilst this story might come to a close next issue it could conceivably go on for longer. Whatever path Matthew K. Manning chooses to take the story, I’m sure it’s going to be good.


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Marvel Action: Black Panther #5 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

Okay, Vita Ayala might have done one of the best things I can think of for this title, giving Shuri fairy wings. But before I start gushing over how much I enjoyed that, let’s talk quickly about the plot of the issue.

The story begins with Black Panther taking down a gang of bad guys lead by Batroc the Leaper, which results in one of his aides getting hurt and needing medical attention. Rather than electing to use Shuri’s tech to heal himself he chooses to use the expertise of one of the local medicine women. Shuri, being the science nerd that she is, thinks that there’s no place in the modern world of medicine for ancient remedies and insults the healer. When Shuri starts to become the victim of a number of accidents and mishaps she becomes convinced that she has been cursed by the healer, and sets out to find a way to break the spell.

I really enjoyed the focus on Shuri in this issue, and the framing of traditional healing techniques and medicine versus modern science. The story doesn’t so much as pit the two against each other with one clear winner coming out on top, but makes the point that just because something is considered old or outdated doesn’t mean that there isn’t merit to it, or that those with age shouldn’t be listened to. It’s a lesson that Shuri seems to need to be taught, having become so focused on science and technology.

The best thing about the story, however, is the way that her journey to lift her perceived curse feels like something from a Saturday morning cartoon or Disney movie. There’s a princess with fairy wings, albeit products of science, going through jungles and caves searching for rare ingredients, running from traps and scary animals, and picking up a warthog sidekick up along the way.

The art by Ariana Florean really adds to this feeling. Florean takes on a less realistic approach and feels a lot more cartoonish in their work. Characters are bold and look different from each other, with unique body shapes or exaggerated features. Animals have almost human expressions, and feel more alive and full of energy. The whole thing seems to take on a more magical and comical life thanks to this artwork, and really helps the issue feel like a lot of fun.

Whilst this is a stand alone type of story it feels a lot more entertaining than the initial three part story that kicked off the title. The focus on character, along with the lighter tone and fun artwork, means that it doesn’t start to feel drab or dull in any places, and I’d have been happy to have seen this story go on for more than just the single issue.

I was excited to see what Vita Ayala would be bringing to the title, and so far it’s been a great improvement on all factors. I really hope that the title can keep this level of energy and freshness going forward.


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Marvel Action: Spider-Man #10 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

There’s a definite Venom movie vibe here in issue ten of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, as the iconic Spider-Man villain is introduced to this new continuity.

When a mysterious new, black clad Spider-Man begins to appear around New York, attacking criminals and leaving destruction in his wake, Peter begins to suspect that Miles might be behind things. Miles wears a black suit, and the new Spider-Man appears to have web-shooters too, so it must be Miles behind things, right?

If that seems to be something of a big leap in logic you’re not alone in thinking that, as Miles is understandably upset that Peter would begin to suspect him of going around the city assaulting people. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see much of how this new wrinkle in the team’s relationship affects Miles as he’s not actually around for a great deal, having stormed off when Peter makes his suspicions known.

It’s something of a shame that the team is still having interpersonal conflict, especially after they seemed to put things to bed following their run in with Black Cat, but I’m hopeful that this won’t become a major issue between the three of them and that things can be resolved fairly soon. Perhaps this will even become something of a catalyst for Miles to finally come up with a name for himself that isn’t Spider-Man 2, wanting to break away from Peter’s shadow somewhat after this argument.

Before the team are able to track down the person responsible for these attacks they come across one of his victims, the Lizard. This is actually a really nice conclusion to the hanging thread left in the first story arc, where the Lizard managed to escape the heroes and was still out in the world. The heroes come across an unconscious Lizard, administer a serum to change him back into Kurt Connors, and hand him over to the police. Delilah Dawson didn’t have to include this call-back to the earlier story, but it is a great moment that makes the story feel like part of a bigger whole and a connected narrative, rather than standalone adventures.

Following the capture of the Lizard, Gwen does some investigating and discovers that all of the stories about the black clad Spider-Man come from the same source, a disgraced journalist called Eddie Brock. Deciding to go and talk to Eddie to find out what he knows she gets drawn to a local bodega, where Vemon is attacking a man who tried to rob the place.

This is where it begins to feel like Dawson has taken some inspiration from the recent Venom movie. This is Eddie’s local bodega, and he doesn’t like that a criminal has come into it and tried to hurt the owner, so he and Venom are taking matters into their own hands. I don’t know if this choice was Dawson’s, or if it was direction from above, but I kind of like it. The Venom movie was pretty good, and the character has straddled the line between villain and anti-hero so often in the comics over the decades that having him follow a similar anti-hero route here feels like a good choice. Saying that, even if he is something of a hero, there is conflict between him and Gwen in this issue, so it’s not clear how hero this anti-hero is going to be just yet.

Issue ten doesn’t just introduce a new villain in Venom, it also sees a change in artist from Fico Ossio to Davide Tinto. This isn’t the first change in artist on the title, but it’s the first one that really stood out to me. The other artists on the book have seemed to work with a very similar style that makes them flow into each other nicely; here, however, things feel a little different. This may also be down to the colourist, Valentina Pinto. Despite being different to what has gone before it still fits the tone of the book nicely, and looks very, very beautiful throughout. A great start to a new story arc featuring one of Spidey’s most iconic villains.


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Marvel Action: Black Panther #4 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

The fourth issue of Marvel Action: Black Panther takes a break from the established pattern of the Marvel Action series, and instead of starting a new story line that will go across three issues, acts as a stand alone piece.

The main plot for issue four centres around T’Challa taking part in Exchange Day, an event that comes around every 10 years in which the king of Wakanda secretly trades places with an average worker so that they can get a feel for what life is like within the nation. It’s basically Black Panther Undercover Boss.

T’Challa goes to work in the vibranium refinery, one of the more important industries in the whole country. Unfortunately, his visit there takes a turn for the worse when he discovers that one of the foremen is corrupt, and abusing his position to both torment the workers, and to steal vibranium.

There isn’t a huge amount of action in this issue, and the one fight that does ensue when T’Challa confronts the corrupt refinery workers is over pretty quickly. But then this isn’t really a story about a superhero. Instead, issue four focuses on the fact that T’Challa is first and foremost the ruler of a nation, and as such has bigger things to focus on than costumed crime-fighting.

However, the issue also makes T’Challa seem like something of a foolish king. He assumes that because he is living well then the rest of the country is. Yes, he knows that not everyone is living in a palace surrounded by wealth the way he and his family are, but he still believes that everyone has a good life. The refinery visit acts as something of a wake-up call for him, and makes him realise that there’s actually a lot more for him to learn and to be aware of.

There’s not much more that can really be said about the issue, as there’s nothing here that feels like it’s going to be playing into any kind of larger story, or be part of any kind of long term character growth. The end of the issue seems to neatly wrap a bow around T’Challa having learnt from his experience, so it doesn’t seem that his continued change as a king will really come up again. It could be that the next story line will deal with social upheaval and the poorer classes rising up in protest against their ruler – but it just doesn’t feel like that’s the route the writer is going down.

This is the first issue to feature a new creative team, with Vita Ayala replacing Kyle Baker as writer, and Ariana Florean taking over art duties. Ayala has written for the character of Shuri in the past, so has some experience in the Black Panther toy box. And even though this issue didn’t excite me greatly, I’m very eager to see a black woman getting the chance to write these amazing black characters.


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Marvel Action: Spider-Man #9 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

Issue nine of Marvel Action: Spider-Man sees the team having to work through their differences as they come up with a plan to stop the bad luck-inducing Black Cat.

Marvel Action: Spider-Man continues to be my favourite book in the Marvel Action line. The way that Delilah S. Dawson writes the three spider-heroes is easily the best part of the book, and they have such fun chemistry that an issue of just the three of them hanging out, not having to fight villains, would still be an awesome book.

In this issue the three heroes kind of have it our with each other following the interpersonal drama that started a few issues ago, in part thanks to the way Black Cat has been messing things up for them. Peter admits that he feels that he deserves to be the leader because he’s older and has been a hero for longer, and that he views Miles as ‘Spider-Man 2’ because that was his name first, but he comes to see that whilst he might have more experience they’re a team together, and others feelings matter a lot too.

Gwen thinks that the boys don’t like her assertiveness and wanting to rush into situations because she’s a girl, thinking that she’d be listened to more and liked if she was a guy. Miles explains that he feels like he’s often overlooked, and that the others discount what he has to say and brings to the team because he’s not the first Spider-Man, or different enough from him like Ghost-Spider.

Despite having a big chunk of the story given over to three teens arguing with each other, the book doesn’t make it annoying or un-entertaining, and you really actually want the three of them to have this conversation so that they can move past this. The characterisation is that compelling that even when they’re having a silly fight you’re engaged and want a good outcome for them.

Thankfully, the three of them are able to put most of these issues to bed and come together as a team to stop Black Cat from breaking her dad out of prison. It’s good to see the three of them working together so well, and using their smarts to beat her despite her bad luck powers still affecting them.

Throughout the time we see Black Cat in this issue too she mentions Kingpin a lot, and I genuinely thought that this was slowly being used to set up for the villain for the next story arc. However, come the final panels there was no hint of the Kingpin being around or that he would appear anytime soon. The preview cover for the next issue actually makes it definitively clear that he won’t be the next focus, however, as Venom is front and centre. Whilst I’d have loved to have seen what Dawson would have done with the character I have to be honest, I’m a little more excited for Vemon.

Fico Ossio continues to provide artwork on the book, and as per usual it’s beautiful. The fight scenes between the spider-heroes and Black Cat are full of dynamic movement and action that helps to make this book stand out from some of the other Marvel Action titles. Even the ‘boring’ scenes where there are no superheroes are so full of energy and fun that every panel is a joy to behold.

Marvel Action: Spider-Man is a great example of how good the Marvel Action line is, and showcases some of the best work that IDW and Marvel are bringing readers.


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Marvel Action: Avengers #7 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

Marvel Action: Avengers issue seven gives readers a peek behind the curtain as we discover who has been pulling the strings behind everything that has happened in the last six issues, and gives us terrifying hints at what is yet to come.

There are two main storylines in this issue, which appear separate at the moment, but I’m sure will come together in the next issue. We return, once again, to A.I.M., the Advanced Idea Mechanics, who were responsible for brainwashing Iron Man in the first story-arc of the series. We learn that not only were they behind that attack on the Avengers, but were responsible for the recent troubles with Count Nefaria too.

Thanks to their leader Modok, we learn that both of these events were A.I.M. trying to prepare a defence of the planet, trying to secure supplies and possible soldiers. However, as they were unsuccessful, they’re leaving the planet behind. The threat that they were worried about is clearly made out to be extraterrestrial in origin, but we know little else about it at this point. However, the fact that A.I.M. is willing to flee earth in order to avoid this invasion, it’s sure to be a threat that is going to push the heroes to their limits.

Thankfully, it would appear that Madame Masque and the U-Foes are prepared to break their alliance with A.I.M. rather than flee the planet, and it looks like Matthew Manning is setting up something of a team-up between them and the Avengers in order to face this coming invasion.

The Avengers, however, are experiencing a slight issue themselves. During the course of the book Black Panther has to face off against a villain named Killer Shrike, who appears to be suffering from some kind of paranoia or psychosis. This appears to be far from an isolated incident, as we later see Black Panther and Captain America talk about another villain, Whirlwind, who was experiencing something similar. It appears, however, that it’s not just the villains who are being affected, but the heroes too, as Black Panther experiences visions of his deceased father.

It’s not completely clear what threat the Avengers are going to be facing in this invasion, despite the small glimpse of the creature Captain America has, but the way that A.I.M. is reacting to their coming, and the way that they’re affecting powered individuals is all setting the stage for something that feels a little special.

The series has been clearly building to this storyline, and it’s nice to see that the past adventures have been a part of a bigger whole, rather than isolated incidents. Hopefully the next few issues will prove to live up to the hype that’s being built up, and deliver on the epic invasion that we’ve been promised.


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Marvel Action: Spider-Man #7 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

Peter Parker, Miles Morales, and Gwen Stacey swing into action in issue seven of Marvel Action: Spider-Man as they come up against the dastardly cat burglar Black Cat.

When the three young heroes find a burglar breaking into a jewellery store they inadvertently end up catching Walter Hardy, one of the best cat burglars in the world. Whilst this may initially seem like a good thing it turns out that Walter has a daughter, Felicia Hardy, who soon sets her sights on revenge against the Spider Squad for getting her father sent to prison. The super powered cat burglar draws the heroic trio into a trap, where she uses her ability to cause bad luck in people to cause the heroes to lose in spectacular fashion.

Black Cat makes a pretty good first appearance here, using one of her lesser known abilities to cause a lot of trouble for our heroes. The run of bad luck that they experience not only allows her to win against them, but also to drive a wedge between them.  The three heroes have a few victories under their belts by this point, but are still a fairly new team, and as such there’s a lot of tension between them as they try to figure out their places.

This is something that runs throughout the issue. Peter is trying to be a leader and mentor to the others, using his longer experience as Spider-Man to lead them into their fight against crime. Whilst this makes a degree of sense due to him having been a hero for longer and having developed their web shooters, he’s still a teenager, and barely older than the others. He’s unsure of himself, and doesn’t know if he has what it takes to be a leader.

Gwen by contrast is very much the stronger member of the group, wanting to charge her way into any given situation. She’s headstrong, and is afraid that inaction might mean that a bad guy could get away. She’s clearly had to fight for her place in the world before, being a young woman, and isn’t sure that she’s able to follow someone else.

Miles is the most unsure member of the group. He’s even struggling to find a name for himself. This was a situation I was wondering how the book would address. Having originated in the Ultimate universe, Miles became Spider-Man following the death of Peter Parker, and even kept that name when he became part of the 616 universe, though that also included a much older Peter. Here Peter isn’t as old, and isn’t as well established as the 616 Spider-Man, so it’s still unclear if he’s the kind of person willing to share the title of Spider-Man, though from his comments that Miles should call himself Spider-Man 2 it might be something this Peter isn’t so comfortable with.

This sense of conflict between the three, and their struggle to find their places within a team is  brilliantly highlighted with the inclusion of Black Cat, and something that I’m looking forward to seeing develop over the next few issues. The villain is sure to push the heroes further, but whether or not they come to find themselves by the end of this story remains to be seen.

As always the artwork by Fico Ossio is wonderful, and is able to capture wonderful moments of character interaction, which is no easy feat when they all have their faces covered. Fico manages to bring life to static masks, able to create expressions that convey so much emotion.  There’s also the option of a variant cover with artwork from Nicoletta Baldari, which is both completely different from Fico’s work, yet captures the sense of fun that fills the book.


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Goosebumps: Horrors of the Witch House #3 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

The latest story from the Goosebumps comics, Goosebumps: Horrors of the Witch House, comes to a close in this, it’s third issue, which sees the heroes of the story finally come face to face against the villainous Veruca Curry.

Having been captured by Veruca’s animated gargoyle, Rosie, Becca, and Carlos, find themselves inside the creepy Whaley House, where the young, tech witch reveals her plans to the trio. It turns out that Veruca isn’t just a witch, but comes from a long line of witches, and wants to try and use modern technology to boost her powers.

Trying to get the children to join in her scheme, she informs them that she is using the mystical energies inside the foundations of the old house to amplify a spell that will allow her to take control of the town’s inhabitants, and possibly even the rest of the world. She tries to appeal to the children, to get them to give in to their greedier natures and join her so as not to interfiere in her plans. However, the three kids prove too much for her and not only escape from her clutches, but come up with a plan to derail her schemes.

The third issue of Goosebumps: Horrors of the Witch House is the first issue in the series to actually give us some concrete answers as to what is going on, as opposed to the multiple theories proposed in the first issue, and vague hints in the second. Whilst it’s good to finally know what Veruca is planning, the information is left a little vague and Denton J. Tipton and Matthew Dow Smith don’t really go into any detail about why she needs the Whaley House to achieve her aims, or why she wants control of the world. This may be because this issue also has to provide a resolution to the story, as well as giving us all this information. As such, I can’t help but feel this could have been something that was revealed earlier on in the story so that more time could be given over to it.

The resolution also seems to happen fairly quickly, with the kids beating Veruca almost suddenly. One thing that is good about the resolution, however, is that thanks to some earlier character moments in the previous issues where Rosie had to deal with evil tech, her solution to beating Veruca has already been seeded for the reader, and doesn’t just come out of nowhere. That being said, Veruca melting when she gets hit by water does come as something of a surprise, as it hadn’t been something even hinted as possible, but feels like an appropriate resolution to the story.

Whilst the story in this issue feels like it moves quite fast at times, and some details are left out because of this, the art is great throughout, with Chris Fenoglio managing to deliver art that feels very neat and simple, yet contains great details. The characters all look great, and Veruca in particular stands out thanks to the brilliantly crazed expressions that Fenoglio gives her.

A fun conclusion to the story, Goosebumps: Horrors of the Witch House proves to be a great addition to the Goosebumps universe that is sure to entertain readers.


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Marvel Action: Black Panther #2 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

Wakanda faces natural disaster in the second issue of Marvel Action: Black Panther as the nation’s weather spirals out of control, and the people face a deadly disease.

Marvel Action: Black Panther feels very different from the other books in the series. Where books such as Avengers or Spider-Man have a very recognisable setting and feature costumed heroes fighting against villains, this book stands out because despite prominently featuring a major hero, it doesn’t feel like a superhero book.

Over the course of the issue Black Panther rescues people from a fire, which is something that we see quite often from costumed heroes, but following that he kind of moves onto the back foot as he tries to find a way to save his people from things that are outside of his control. Readers really get a sense from this issue that T’Challa is a very reactive hero, one who uses his enhanced strength and dexterity to solve problems, yet here he is facing one where throwing punches aren’t the solution.

It’s because of this that his sister Shuri really gets the spotlight. People who watched the Black Panther movie will know that Shuri is a character who is much smarter than her brother, and this issue highlights that. Whilst T’Challa is running around Wakanda saving people, Shuri is working on several problems at once, communicating with her brother, organising medical assistance, trying to find out what’s going on, and all the while trying to dodge calls from her mother.

The second issue doesn’t move the plot forward in any great ways, and we don’t learn a whole lot new; for example it was pretty obvious who the villain was before Queen Ramonda figured it out. Shuri and T’Challa try to find a way to stop the spread of the malaria that is ravaging the population, but keep getting prevented from doing so, first by a giant sand storm, then alligators, then hippos; it felt a lot like writer Kyle Baker knew where he wanted his characters to be for issue three, and that meant slowing down T’Challa and Shuri so that they don’t get there too soon. However, the almost constant streams of things getting in their way felt a little comical, and silly by the end.

There’s nothing hugely wrong with the issue, but it felt a little lacking. The story doesn’t move forward in any big ways, most of the characters are dull and lacking any agency, and the plot seems to be treading water. Despite this, the artwork by Juan Samu is beautiful, and he makes all of the characters look beautiful, with some amazing design work on the costumes and the buildings in Wakanda. Hopefully the third issue will improve in a number of ways.


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Marvel Action: Spider-Man #5 – Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

Kraven The Hunter comes to New York seeking to hunt Spider-Man in the latest issue of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, bringing one of Spider-Man‘s greatest foes face to face with two members of the spider team.

Having been brought to New York by J Jonah Jameson, Kraven and his kids have been tracking Spider-Man, figuring out his routines and mapping sightings in order to figure out where they are most likely to come across him. It’s nice that Erik Burnham has taken the time to show that Kraven is doing his research like this, that he’s utilising both his talents as a tracker and technology, rather than just suddenly turning up to challenge the hero like so many comic villains do.

One of the biggest surprises in this issue, however, is the inclusion of LMDs – Life Model Decoys. This not only adds more to the world building of the Marvel Action universe, but gives our spider-themed heroes an opportunity to fight three members of the Avengers. Not only is it great to see our heroes get to test out their new webshooter tech, courtesy of Peter, but it makes for some fun action as the three of them begin to form a more cohesive team. They may not be perfectly trained, and they still have a long way to go, but they’ve clearly progressed over the few issues that they’ve been together.

When Kraven finally feels like he’s gathered enough intel he decides to take on both Miles and Gwen individually first, removing them from action before he challenges Peter in single combat. It’s a smart move from his point of view, as it means he only has to have three one on one fights rather than taking on a whole team, but it helps to establish how much of a threat he is. Kraven gets to fight the two heroes and dispatches them both fairly easily, thanks to both his physical prowess and some smart technology. By the end of the issue Kraven has managed to beat two of the three heroes and captured them with little effort, leaving just Peter to stand alone against the new villain.

Marvel Action: Spider-Man issue five is a brilliant middle issue, one that showcases the threat that the villain poses, his strength and intelligence. It ups the stakes by placing two of the heroes in captivity, whilst separating the other, forcing them to face this new threat alone.

Erik Burnham and Christopher Jones continue to produce brilliant work on what is to date my favourite of the Marvel Action line. The writing is spot on, the characters are interesting and fresh, even if they are ones that we’re familiar with, and the art is beautiful. I can’t wait until issue six.


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