Nightwing & Shadow of the Hawk – Blu-ray Review

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

Nightwing & Shadow of the Hawk is the latest Blu-ray horror release from Eureka Entertainment, and offers an interesting pair of films for viewers. Despite both being films made n the 1970s, and focusing on stories centred around First Nation people, the two films are very different pieces, offering viewers a look at two very different styles of horror from this time period.

Nightwing was produced in 1979, and is a part of the popular ‘natural’ horror genre that was sweeping through film at the time. These are films where nature is the opposing force that our heroes have to overcome, and range from the low budget and niche films such as Frogs and Empire of the Ants, to the hugely successful, like Jaws. Nightwing actually has a few similarities to Jaws, despite being almost the complete opposite film. Where Jaws sets its action on an island, with a killer stalking the waters, Nightwing is set deep in the desert, with the threat coming from the skies, yet still manages to mirror many of the characters and themes from Spielberg’s hit.

The story follows the local lawman Youngman Duran (Nick Mancuso), who investigates a series of strange killings on his reservation, killings that begin with animals, but move on to human victims too. The corpses are found drained of blood, covered in deep bites, and there’s a foul stench of ammonia at every attack. He eventually discovers the culprits of the attack when a chiropterologist named Payne (David Warner) arrives on the scene, and tells him that a swarm of vampire bats has made their home on the reservation, and are responsible for the deaths. Together with a young doctor, played by Kathryn Harrold, the sheriff and the animal exterminator set out to find and destroy the colony, but end up butting heads with a local politician and businessman Walker Chee (Stephen Macht), who wants to downplay the danger of the situation so that he can close a deal with an oil company.

The similarities with Jaws don’t just end at the character archetypes, but are also present in the pacing of the film, with much of the first half or more of the film being a slow introduction to this world and the characters, and with as much focus on the interpersonal relationships and the people who live on the reservation as the bat attacks. It’s not until towards the end of the film that the focus really moves onto hunting the animals themselves. Where this film differs from the Spielberg hit, and many other natural horror films, is that there’s a second possible explanation given, one that has more of a supernatural side to it, making it stand out as a more unique entry in the genre.

Shadow of the Hawk is the second movie on the disc, despite being made three years before Nightwing, but offers a very different type of horror film. Where Nightwing has a slow build and centres on characters, even minor ones, Shadow of the Hawk has a much faster pace to it, and relies much more on the supernatural and the strange.

The story is centred on Old Man Hawk (Chief Dan George), an elderly medicine man who leaves his home village and travels hundreds of miles to track down his grandson Mike (Jan-Michael Vincent) in order to convince him to return home and help him combat the spirit of an evil sorceress, Dsonoqua (Marianne Jones). The two of them, joined by reporter Marueen (Marilyn Hassett), attempt to return to the village, but are plagued by strange visions, evil disciples of Dsonoqua, and dark magic at every turn.

Whilst at first glance Shadow of the Hawk seems to be another ‘Redsploitation’ film, a film that’s simply trying to cash in on the ‘exotic’ qualities of First Nation peoples for the entertainment of white audiences, the film is actually something more than that. Yes, the main hero Mike is played by a white man, rather than a Native actor, but the story is also about a man who rejects that part of his heritage, who latches onto the fact that he’s ‘half Indian’ whenever someone brings up his family. He’s a man who has rejected a huge part of his heritage, but over the course of the film has to learn to accept that, and even embrace it. The fact that the film also has Chief Dan George, a real life medicine man, author and activist for First Nation rights, and an Oscar nominated actor, makes the film feel like more than just a cheap cash-in that’s trying to make a buck from the Native population.

Both of these films have a sense of ‘Redsploitation’ to them, with two of the leads in Nightwing also being white actors playing Native characters, but they do seem to show a level of respect to the cultures they’re representing on screen. This is coming from a white British person though, so I could be completely wrong on that, and only First Nation people can speak with any real authority on the matter.

The films also come with an audio commentary on each film, involving film historians and writers. Sadly, other than that the only real extras offered are the original trailers. It’s a shame that there’s not more on offer on the disc, as I’d have loved to discover more about these films, and the way that First Nation people were represented in film at the time, but it is still an interesting an entertaining collection all the same.

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Orange City by Lee Matthew Goldberg - Blog Tour

 

'Imagine a secret, hidden city that gives a second chance at life for those selected to come: felons, deformed outcasts, those on the fringe of the Outside World. Everyone gets a job, a place to live; but you are bound to the city forever. You can never leave.

'Its citizens are ruled by a monstrous figure called the "Man" who resembles a giant demented spider from the lifelike robotic limbs attached to his body. Everyone follows the man blindly, working hard to make their Promised Land stronger, too scared to defy him and be discarded to the Empty Zones.

'After ten years as an advertising executive, Graham Weatherend receives an order to test a new client, Pow! Sodas. After one sip of the orange flavor, he becomes addicted, the sodas causing wild mood swings that finally wake him up to the prison he calls reality.'

Where to begin with Orange City? I'm not entirely sure. It's a book that took me by surprise more than once, a story where I thought I knew what it was going to be about, where I thought I knew what was going to happen next; yet it kept surprising me with more twists and turns than I was expecting. It ended up being a book that really intrigued me, one that I found hard to put down.

The story begins before our lead character has even been introduced, as we meet E, an agent of The City. E is not a very nice man. We learn that from the start. In fact, we learn that most of the people in Orange City aren't going to be nice people. We're introduced to The City, a huge, advanced place hidden away from the outside world where criminals and castaways are given a second chance at life. At the centre of the city lies the Eye Tower, a monolithic structure that houses The Man, the being who made all of this a reality.

E works for The Man, and it's his job to head back to the outside world, an America still reeling from the War To End All Wars, where he finds those selected by The Man and offers them a chance to come and join The City. It's on one of these assignments that we meet our hero for the book, Graham. Graham is a young man who's had a really rough life, his parents killed when he was a child, brutally beaten by his foster parent every day, and now facing a prison sentence. So when E turns up offering him a fresh start, a way out, Graham grabs it with both hands.

Skipping forward a decade we find Graham as an over worked and under appreciated advertising executive for one of the biggest PR firms in The City. He puts in his work, even at weekends, doesn't go out to bars or parties, and lives the same dull routine day after day. However, he's broken out of his rut when his boss, E, gives him a new assignment, testing out the upcoming flavours for their new client Pow! soda. Thus begins a series of events that will push Graham to breaking point.

The book is described as being a dystopia, a word that gets thrown around a lot in publishing, so I was expecting to see a story with some of the familiar trappings of the genre, but was pleasantly surprised at just how dark and twisted this book was. The City is an absolutely horrific place to live. This isn't one of those dystopia books where a small group of people are raging against an establishment that benefits a certain group, this is a place where everyone suffers, everyone is a pawn, and it's all for the enjoyment of one individual, The Man.

Very quickly into the narrative we see that The City might be held up as a second chance, a place where people can build a new life for themselves and find meaning, but it's really not. Nothing that happens in the city is free. People are constantly watched by The Man and his millions of cameras. Every conversation is listened to. And anyone who doesn't do what they're told, who doesn't act a certain way or says the right things is banished to awful slums, where the inhabitants are fed a cocktail of drugs to keep them quiet and compliant, and they're used for horrific experimentation.

The City isn't a saviour from prison and the horrors of the outside world, it's a prison with a shiny exterior. It's a living hell for most of the people that live there. Now, there could be some arguments that most of the people there deserve to suffer, the majority of them are criminals and killers, but you soon come to care about what happens to these people, even the ones you know aren't good people, because of the greater evil of The Man.

I'm not going to talk about the greater mysteries at play, or what happens in the plot beyond what's outlined in the blurb, as going into the book without any further knowledge really is the best way to experience this. When you don't know whether to expect a mystery, action, or even romance, every part of this story comes as a surprise because it will change from time to time, take your expectations and subvert them in delightful ways. Just be careful though, because much like Graham and his new soda's, you could end up hooked.

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Justice League #59 - Comic Review

 

The Justice League has always been one of the most important comics in DC's arsenal, showcasing some of the best talent in the company, and some of the biggest heroes that they have to offer, as such when the DC universe goes through a revamp it's important that a bold new version of the team is presented to showcase how things are going to be different. Justice League #59 gives readers this as Brian Michael Bendis starts to bring together a new team of heroes.

The Justice League story, 'Prisms' begins with a conversation between Green Arrow and Black Canary where Oliver lets the readers in on his issue with the League, that he thinks they need to be more down to earth, to be seen doing things for regular people more and not set up on pedestals. This definitely fits with what we know of the character, and their longtime mission to help regular folk, and it's a good mission statement for the League too, especially in an age where those in authority are being held more and more accountable.

After this we're introduced to a new threat for the League when a strange creature called Brutus appears in Khandaq, where it enters into combat with Black Adam as he protects his citizens. When the League arrive on the scene to assist they manage to beat the invader back through a portal to wherever he came from, but learn little about him. Upon further examination the League determine that the creature shares the same energy signature as the new hero Naomi.

And that's pretty much it for the first issue of Justice League as we don't get much more time for anything else, what with the second half of the issue being given over to the Justice League Dark (more on that in a moment). What time we do get seems to focus on the most part on the action moments of the issue, with very little characterisation of plot development taking place. The only character moments we do get are given to Green Arrow and Black Adam, who are always great additions to any team, with most of the rest of the League feeling like background characters.

Sadly, the dialogue doesn't really seem to help with this. Brutus talks like a child much of the time, asking weird, disjointed questions and seeming to have a lack of vocabulary. He asks things like 'What does the symbol thing on your chest mean?', 'You the ruler of this world?', and 'What's the battle stick made of?'. I don't know if this is intentional, whether Brutus is going to be revealed to be a child or something, but it feels very odd; especially when some of the other characters start making odd quips and jokes that feel out of character.

This is the first time that I've read a Bendis comic in years,  and I have to admit, I'm not hugely impressed. He's a name that gets a lot of praise, who's done some big work in the comics industry, but if this is the level of quality that I'm to expect from the Justice League stories under his tenure I'm not going to be looking forward to new issues.

In contrast, the Justice League Dark story, 'Return to Caledonia', is a great issue, and really raises the overall quality of the book. Though, as with the Justice League story, I can't help but feel that it would have benefited from a full issue of it's own, rather than being made to share space with its sister team in the same book.

Thanks to Future State readers got to see some interesting things that Ram V had planned for his run with the team, and it looks like that nightmare future is at risk of coming to pass as Merlin returns to Earth and begins to put plans into place to take over the world of magic.

Whilst the Justice League story seems to be doing things fresh the JLD are carrying on from their previous run, with John Constantine and Zatana referencing their time under Wonder Woman's leadership, and how things have changed since she disappeared. It's nice to see this previous series acknowledged, as it was a great series, and it seems like Ram V is aiming to bring a lot of that quality to this new run.

Sadly, the short length of the story means that we don't have much to talk about beyond Merlin returning and Jason Blood delivering a message of warning to Zatana and John. It's a shame that we don't get more, but Ram V is able to use the space given to him to create a story that's dripping in atmosphere and sets a tone for a pretty dark story, and one that has a lot of stakes running on it. So far it's definitely the most impressive part of the double feature issue.

I like the line-up for the new Justice League, and have always enjoyed the Justice League Dark, so getting both teams in one book should be a great thing, but sadly both stories feel under-served thanks to having to be in the same book. Whilst this could encourage some creative storytelling from the writers, having to make the most of the short space, I'd much rather have had two separate books.

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Superman: Red and Blue #1 - Comic Review

 

I didn't know anything about Superman: Red and Blue before reading it, and it made the experience very surprising, so if you don't want to know what it is or what it's about but want to know if it's worth picking up, yes, yes it it. If you want to know more about the book and what I thought of it please read on.

Superman: Red and Blue is an anthology of short stories that focus on Superman, all with art where the only colours are, you guessed it, red and blue. This issue has five stories, 'Untitled' written by John Ridley with art from Jordie Bellaire, 'The Measure of Hope' written by Brandon Easton with art from Steve Lieber and Ron Chan, 'The Boy Who Saved Superman' by Wes Craig, 'Human Colors' written by Dan Watters with art by Dani, and 'School of Hard Knock-Knock Jokes' written by Marguerite Bennett with art from Jill Thompson.

One of the things that all of these stories have in common, beyond the obviousness of them all being about Superman and using a limited colour pallet, is that these are some of the most human stories I think I've seen featuring the character.

'Untitled' sees Clark Kent travelling to the nation of Lubania, a nation where Superman and Batman were held prisoner and tortured for months in Worlds Finest #192 - 193. Clark has travelled there to interview Nikolai Koslov, the man who ran the concentration camp where he was held prisoner; the man who tortured him every single day he was there. Clark comes face to face with the man who made him feel his weakest, the man who still haunts his dreams, and has to talk with him. We see the level of trauma that Clark has had to live with in this story, the amount of post-traumatic stress that he has inside him. We even see that a small part of him wants to punish Koslov for what he put him through, to burn him in half with his heat vision. This story shows a level of pain that we've never seen in Superman before, and it's incredibly shocking for that.

'The Measure of Hope' sees Superman coming to attend the funeral of a woman who has passed away following an addiction with heroin. Her son was a kid who looked up to Superman as a child, who's best moment was seeing Superman in action, in having Superman talk to him. He adored and idolised him, so when he learnt his mother was a drug user, when he was afraid of what might happen he wrote to Superman asking him for help. Unfortunately, thanks to how much fan mail he gets it takes Superman a long time to read through his letters, and by the time he reaches these ones it's too late to help this family. The story is an incredibly moving one, one where we see that Superman can't save everyone, even if he really wants to. It's a story that shows why terrible things still happen in a world where Superman is there to help; because despite all his powers he's still just one man, and one man can't save the entire world all the time.

'The Boy Who Saved Superman' sees Clark at the Daily Planet, watching a young man interview for a job, a man who he calls his hero, the man who was the boy who saved Superman. We go back to one of the earliest adventures of Superman, where he'd only been around for a few months, and in protecting Metropolis from a giant monster is rendered unconscious. Whilst others are fleeing in terror a lone boy takes hold of the unconscious hero and drags him through a collapsing building, taking him to the roof, above the dust clouds, so that he can get into the sunlight the hero needs. He manages to get Superman out, he gives him the boost he needs to save the day, but loses his hand doing so. When seeing him again in the Daily Planet we see Clark almost lost for words, stuttering out what he wants to say, because he's face to face with the young man who saved his life, his own personal hero.

'Human Colors' is the strangest tale in the collection, and sees Superman confronting an imp from the fifth dimension, who has drained all of the colour out of the world, leaving it completely black and white. The imp gives Superman a small box, a box that contains all of the stolen colours, but Superman isn't sure if he should open it or not; so decides to start with two particular colours to see what happens. This is probably the strangest of the stories in this issue, and it doesn't so much focus on Clark in particular, but on humanity as a whole and the connections that we all have with our emotions.

'The School of Hard Knock-Knock Jokes' is the only story in this issue to not feature Superman at all, instead focusing on Clark as a child, attending his first days in kindergarten. The story shows Clark in a very mundane situation, one where powers and abilities won't help him through, and instead he needs to focus on the qualities that make him a good person, his kindness and generous spirit.

The stories in this issue focus on what make Superman great, not his powers, but his humanity. Superman might be an alien, he might have the powers of a god, but he's one of the most human of characters, one of the kindest and most decent; and these stories demonstrate that. I'm looking forward to seeing what the rest of the series has in store.

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Nightwing #78 - Comic Review

 

Whilst Batman will always be an engaging and brilliant comic character the Batman books are often pretty dark and gloomy, both in art and tone. Having a dark and brooding Batman might be good, but it can often leave you feeling a little glum yourself. If you want something that has everything good about Batman, the street level heroics, the big names, and the fancy gadgets, but want something with a bit more heart and hope to it Nightwing is the hero for you, and the new issue of the series sets up a fun, heartfelt era for the character.

Coming in off the back of the universe wide relaunch, a lot of books seem to be establishing how things are going to be going forward with the Infinite Frontier, and whilst DC are embracing a lot of what's come before they're making it clear that this can be a fresh start for both characters and readers alike. I think that's probably most evident in Nightwing.

Nightwing begins with a flashback to Dick's childhood in Gotham, following the death of his parents. A group of rich Gotham teens are picking on a kid, and Dick steps in to help him out, alongside Barbara Gordon (turns out this was their first meeting), resulting in Dick knocking a couple of teeth out of the bully's mouth. Despite feeling that he's probably going to be in trouble with Bruce for not keeping his head down Alfred assures him that he did the right thing, that Dick's willingness to stand up against bullies and help those in need, even out of costume, makes him an amazing person.

This is a message that we see reiterated across the issue, as Dick saves a young puppy being abused and about to be shot in Bludhaven, putting his life on the line to help a poor, defenceless animal. Even when facing down a gun, with the threat of being shot over a dog, Dick remains kind and caring, putting others before him. He even keeps on smiling and reassuring the pup after she bites him in fear. Dick has always been one of the best people in the DC universe, one of the kindest and most decent; and this issue really shows it. 

Even when Dick has to confront the harsh reality of the death of Alfred when Barbara comes to see him, giving him his inheritance, it's a moment filled with hope and love. Dick has lost his father, but Alfred has left him a letter that tells him how decent a man he is, of how much Alfred loved him, and how proud he was to call him son. It's a tender moment, one that could have been heartbreaking, yet leaves Dick with a smile.

Whilst Batman hides in the shadows and broods over his pain Nightwing swings into the light, embraces what makes life decent, and is a beacon of hope. This seems to be what this issue wants to set up, and it seems like Tom Taylor is going to be taking this part of the character and pushing it to the forefront, giving readers something wonderful and uniquely Dick Grayson.

Part of what makes this issue such a joy to read is the art, provided by artist Bruno Redondo and colourist Adriano Lucas, who make the book bright, bold, and a lot of fun. The scenes are full of colour and brightness, even those that take place at night, with the characters popping out of the page. There's a lot of characterisation in both Dick and Barbara throughout, even in the different time periods, and you can see a lot of small quirks in their facial expressions and body language at both ages that make them instantly identifiable and fun to spend time with. Barbara's reaction to Dick's new puppy friend is a particular highlight.

Nightwing #78 was one of the most enjoyable and fun books in the DC relaunch, and one that I'm very much looking forward to seeing more of. I don't know what the creative team have in mind for the book, but I'm sure it's going to be a lot of fun.

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London by Dominik Szcześniak - Book Review

 

'Written by Dominik Szcześniak with art by Rafał Trejnis, London is an outsider's view of the capital, a graphic novel about what it's like to be a European worker in the city and unsure how you fit in. It's the kind of story that seems obvious and one that everyone thinks they know all about. In reality the issues of coming from one country to work in another are more complicated than you might think.'

The blurb for London says that it's an 'outsider's view of the capital', that it would be exploring life in the city for people from outside the UK, and the things that they have to face once they move there. Whilst I agree that the book does explore some of the aspects of the lives of immigrant people coming to Britain, their difficulties in finding work and places to live, I'm not sure that there's much in this book that makes it connected to the capital itself. Other than a few panels where we see things like London underground stations this could very well be any city in the UK.

I think the book is less about the city of London, and more about the people who come to Britain hoping to find a better life. People who flee war and violence, people who are escaping poverty, people who just want a better life for themselves and their loved ones. 

Unfortunately, I never felt like I was able to get to know any of the characters that populate this story, thanks in part to the skipping around of the timeline, but also thanks to everyone feeling very similar to each other. The book follows Mickey, a man who has travelled to London from Poland and is working in construction and decorating to earn money so that he can return to Poland a richer man. Whilst this itself would make an interesting story and an engaging character to follow it's also the motivation for the majority of the other characters in the book, and other than the way they're drawn there's little to separate or distinguish them from each other.

One of the other issues that I had with the book, and I feel should be spoken about so that other readers aren't taken by surprise, is the amount of racial slurs that appear in it. I'm sure that some of this is realistic, that there are work places full of white people who like to joke and talk about minority groups in derogatory ways, using some of the most disgusting language they can, I don't want to read that. You can make people racist without resorting to using the N-word a dozen times. The only thing this does is makes me like the book less, especially as there are not voices there challenging these views, and they're simply allowed to exist within the work.

I was really hoping to like London, as I have with the other Europe Comic books I've read, but this was the least enjoyable of their books. I never made any connection with it, the story and characters bored me for the most part, and the racism inside it put me off. This is not a book that everyone is going to enjoy.

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Kid Innovators by Robin Stevenson - Book Review

 

'Throughout history people have experimented, invented, and created new ways of doing things. Kid Innovators tells the stories of a diverse group of brilliant thinkers in fields like technology, education, business, science, art, and entertainment, reminding us that every innovator started out as a kid. Florence Nightingale rescued baby mice. Alan Turing was a daydreamer with terrible handwriting. And Alvin Ailey felt like a failure at sports. Featuring kid-friendly text and full-colour illustrations, readers will learn about the young lives of people like Grace Hopper, Steve Jobs, Reshma Saujani, Jacques Cousteau, the Wright Brothers, William Kamkwamba, Elon Musk, Jonas Salk, and Maria Montessori. '

History is one of the most important subjects for children. Not only does it show how we got the world we're in right now, but it also allows us to build better futures. A good knowledge of what's come before can help to inspire people to go on to do great things, and Kid Innovators is a prime example of a book that can show children that they can achieve amazing things.

The book is split into sections, with each one featuring a handful of people from across the world and across history, some recent, and some much older. There'll be names in the book that a lot of readers will be familiar with, such as Bill Gates or Florence Nightingale, but also a lot of lesser known people like William Kamkwamba and Maria Montessori. There are sections for things such as technology, or saving lives. 

Each person in the book is given several pages where Robin Stevenson talks about their life and their achievements, but particular focus is given over to their childhoods. A good many of these biographies tend to skip over much of these people's later years, even if these are the years where they achieved the most or are best known for. This is intentional, as the book seems to be trying to encourage children to pursue their interests, to find their passion and never give up; things that were a vital part of these people's lives.

As the book is designed to appeal to younger readers there's a lot of illustrations throughout, with each biography getting several. The illustrations are bold, bright, and colourful, and help to break up what could be quite long and dry sections of writing for younger readers.

Along with the short biographies the book has a list of additional books that readers could check out if they're interested of learning more, and as such this makes a pretty good starting resource for readers of all ages. The book is designed for children, but I learnt some new things because of it, and as such am definitely going to be going out of my way to learn a little bit more if I can.

A great introduction to some interesting and inspiring people that could capture a child's imagination and encourage them to pursue their dreams.

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Wonder Woman #770 - Comic Review

 

The final pages of Infinite Frontier gave readers a small hint as to what would come next for Wonder Woman, as the hero gave up her god-like powers and took on a new costume; one with a very different look to the one's we're familiar with. However, it did give hints that perhaps there would be some kind of Norse connection coming as she took on a more Nordic look to her outfit. 

Very quickly this is proven to be true in issue #770 of Wonder Woman, as Diana awakes in the midst of a huge battle in the real of Asgard. This is the afterlife, one where warriors go to fight all day and party all night. It might not be the afterlife that she was expecting, but it does appeal to her as a born warrior all the same. Unfortunately, she discovers that she's not invulnerable in Asgard, and is killed by an axe blow she was expecting to simply bounce off her. Fortunately, those that die in Asgard don't stay dead (it is the afterlife after all), and she finds herself in the great hall feasting and drinking with her companions soon after. 

The next day, as Diana wracks her brain for the foggy memories of her life, she is approached by Ratatosk, the small horned squirrel who lives upon Yggdrasil, the great world tree and a part of the Parliament of the Green. The tree is dying, and when it goes Ragnarok will come and Asgard will be destroyed. Now Diana not only has to try to find a way to remember who she is, she also has to figure out a way to save Yggdrasil if she ever hopes to escape Asgard.

Having been so used to seeing the DC Universe embrace Greek mythology over the years, with Norse mythology tending to be used exclusively by Marvel, it's really interesting to see it appear in this company's stories. It instantly feels different and fresh, and puts Diana in a place she's completely unfamiliar with, even if that's only down to her not being able to remember everything. But it also felt fresh for me, and I think if this story was being done with the expected Greek mythology it wouldn't have been half as interesting.

The new setting not only puts Diana on the back foot, but includes some interesting new things, such as Yggdrasil being connected to the Green, and therefor Swamp Thing; a character that Diana knows well thanks to her time leading the Justice League Dark. There is also a panel that might hint at another connection to a familiar character when we see Thor. The Norse god is riding on the head of a giant monster, spitting lightning from his hammer, and there appears to be a big lightning-bolt symbol on his chest. This immediately made me think of Shazam and Black Adam, who have a similar symbol; plus the fact that Thor controls lightning and it's making me think that perhaps DC's Thor gets his powers in the same way.

There's a lot of interesting stuff in this first issue, things that don't get fully explained here, but make it intriguing enough that you'll want to pick up the next issue to find out. There's also a fun back-up feature that explores the younger days of Diana's life, where we see her celebrating her birthday on Themyscira. This story has a much different look and feel to the main one, which a look and feel that marks it out as a story for all ages, with some absolutely delightful artwork.

Wonder Woman #770 is the first Wonder Woman issue I've read in years, and it seems to be the perfect jumping on point for new readers. It's engaging, has a great sense of mystery, and takes the character in an interesting new direction. Whether you're a long time fan or coming to the character for the first time, this is an issue that's sure to satisfy.

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Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures #2 – Comic Review

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

Following on from the fast paced and action packed first issue of Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures, this second issue continues to move at high speed as our new heroes fight valiantly against the forces of the Nihil.

We return to the surface of Tyrmant 4, where the Jedi forces, aided by their new force sensitive friend Zeen Mrala, have managed to stop the debris from the Great Disaster from impacting on the city, however, they now face down a small army of vicious mercenaries and pirates. Whilst the Younglings are brave, and capable Jedi, they’re not alone, and are soon joined in their fight by Jedi Master Yoda, as well as their field medic Buck, or as he’s also known Buckets of Blood. Together with their young charges the older Jedi must not only lead the attack against the Nihil, but also try to rescue Zeen’s friend from within their massive Spider Cruiser.

Where the first issue spent a good amount of time setting up the characters and the situation, this issue jumps straight into the action, and a there isn’t really a moment to slow down and catch your breath whilst reading it. There are a few quieter moments to be found here, but these feature Yoda infiltrating the enemy ship, and as such can’t really be described as peaceful or less intense as the Jedi Master sneaks his way through dark corridors dodging enemy patrols and trying his best to stay alive.

Despite it being a non-stop ride there is a lot of character development thrown in too. There are fun moments like Buckets of Blood charging into battle whilst screaming his name, and the subsequent questions this raises from the kids, as well as some important development for Krix, as we find out what happens to him now that he’s in the hands of the Nihil. With the other High Republic comic (published by Marvel Entertainment) having a much darker, almost horror tone at the moment it’s nice to have some contrast to this in Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures. This book really does feel like an adventure, a big bombastic story full of action and spectacle, and it’s damn entertaining because of that.

The art in the book really adds to this too, with each and every panel being crammed full of detail, and the big splash pages showing off these huge, sweeping moments of battle. The line art is provided by Harvey Tolibao and Pow Rodrix, and it’s hard to tell that it’s being done by two artists, as they complement each other so well, and the colours from Rebecca Nalty make the panels pop, with the bright colours of some of the aliens and the light saber blades standing out amongst some of the ore drab browns and greys of the Nihil forces.

With a ton of action, some fun moments, character development, and the seeds for more exciting things to come, I’m really hard pressed to find anything about this issue that I didn’t love.

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Star Wars #12 - Comic Review

 

Straight away readers know that they're going to be getting something different with this issue of Star Wars, as right there on the cover is Han Solo. As the current run of the series is set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi there's no way for Han to actually be in these events; the added fact that he and Chewbacca appear to be on a snow covered planet points towards whatever the contents are, to involve the past, specifically Hoth.

Despite having flashbacks take up the majority of the issue this doesn't really interfere with the ongoing 'Operation Starlight' story, and gives an important breather to what has been a pretty tense and fast paced narrative so far. It also brings some of the members of the Rebellion closer together, and shows the reader a little bit of what makes these characters tick.

The story opens with Kes Dameron waiting to hear from his wife, Shara Bey, who was last seen being left behind on board an Imperial Star Destroyer. Unfortunately for Kes, there's been no contact from her, and he's left with nothing to do. This leads him to the observation deck, where we learn he comes to think, as well as talk to the hologram of his son, Poe. He's not the only one on the observation deck, however, as General Leia has also come for some quiet introspection, with her thoughts being on Han Solo.

The two characters open up to each other, connecting over the fact that they're both unable to help people they care about. Kes shares a story with Leia, about the first time he and Shara met, and it shows that it was her bravery and piloting skills that initially drew Kes to her. We learn that Shara used to be a racing pilot in one of the most dangerous courses in the galaxy. Not only does this reinforce just how good of a pilot she is, but kind of reminds me of Anakin Skywalker, who also honed his piloting skills on the racetrack.

In return for this story Leia shares one about Han, about why she cares so much for him. We're taken back to the planet Hoth, where the newly formed Echo Base is having difficulties. With one of it's generators breaking down it means that the temperature is dropping fast, and that the Rebellion may have to abandon their new home. When Han realises that he and Chewie might be able to save the base they head into a dangerous situation, putting their lives on the line for the Rebellion.

We see that Han absolutely hated Hoth, that the cold and the ice were the bane of his existence, and that he wanted nothing more than for the Rebellion to move on to a warmer world. However, he also knows that they've expended so much time and resources creating the base that abandoning it would be a disaster for them. He puts aside his feelings and puts his life on the line to save a place that he hates, and he does this because despite his bravado he actually believes in the Rebellion; believes in it enough to risk everything for it.

This, we learn, is why Leia cares so much for Han, because under his gruff persona he's a decent man, one that she knows she can count on.

Despite the story of 'Operation Starlight' only really moving forward in the last few pages it still feels like a valuable issue, because it shows why these characters care for each other and why they're willing to risk everything for each other.

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