Star Wars #27 - Comic Review

 

Originally published on Patreon

The current story-line in Star Wars is one that I've been enjoying a lot. And although it does tie into the Crimson Dawn stuff, it isn't reliant on that in order to be entertaining or engaging.

Picking up where the last issue left of, we once again follow a pair of Imperials who've been working on the secret project Second Sun, a new Death Star. Members of Crimson Dawn, they get the transmission from Qi'ra that they need to cause as much trouble for the Empire as they can. And what better trouble could they cause that giving the Rebel Alliance secret information about the Second Death Star?

To that end they've snuck on board an Imperial shuttle, killed the crew, and fled the Death Star with their two children. However, the Empire isn't about to let the secret get out, and they're quickly pursued. This issue follows them as they try to get away from the Empire and get the important information to the Rebels. 

Now, we know from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi that Bothan spies are the ones who eventually get the secret plans for the new Death Star into the hands of Rebel high command. But, are they the ones who also told the Rebels about it to begin with? I don't know. As such, I don't know if these defecting Imperials are going to make the Rebels aware of the Death Star (which the Bothans can then find the plans for), or if this attempt is doomed to fail. As such, this issue felt incredibly tense, as I was left unsure whether these characters were going to die or not.

This is one of the things that the Star Wars comics does best, it expands upon the stories that we already know, and it brings in new characters for readers to make connections with; characters that we know aren't guaranteed to make it out of these scenarios alive.

And it really does feel like the odds are against these people here, as they're chased from one location to another, eventually crash landing in perhaps the very last place you'd want to be if the Empire is trying to find you, Corusant. But, it is a planet home to billions, trillions maybe?, and as such it could be easier to hide there than in some more remote location. It certainly makes the next stage of their story seem like it could be an exciting one; and the fact that Luke Skywalker has taken an interest in them also looks set to make the coming issues ones to keep an eye on.

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Batman: Dear Detective #1 - Comic Review

 

Originally published on Patreon

In the official promotion for this issue Batman: Dear Detective is described as 'One part prestige art book, one part compelling noir tale', and honestly, I think this might be one of the worst pieces of miss-promotion that DC has ever done. Despite being told that Lee Bermejo's art is being collected into a cohesive story told through his covers, this conceit doesn't hold up for long.

This isn't a comic, it's a collection of Bermejo's cover art stuck together in a book, which is fine if that's what they were saying it is. But they've claimed that there's a story here too. So scattered throughout the book are random pages where someone has written a strange, rambling letter to Batman. Between this parts the covers attempt to tell a story without words; and whilst it does work to begin with if you're not looking too close the seams really start to show later on.

For example, on one page Batman is climbing up to a rooftop at night, the next he's on the roof in the middle of a rainstorm, the next he's jumping off the roof is a bright sunrise. And I guess it could all be part of the same sequence, but it feels a bit too disconnected. Later on we get images where Batman is fighting alongside various members of the family, and against different villains, and if these were just snapshots of his life that would be fine, but it's apparently one single narrative?

None of it holds up, and it drags enjoyment down because it's trying to be something it's not. It could have just been an art book showcasing some of the best Batman art around, but it's trying to justify its existence with this 'story', and it ended up making the whole experience feeling like a boring waste of time.

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Parasomnia: The Dreaming God #2 – Comic Review

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

Parasomnia: The Dreaming God isn’t one of the easiest Dark Horse books to understand. First of all, if you ended up missing the first four issue mini-series that began this story you’re going to be absolutely lost, as this is less of a sequel series and more of the next chapter in the same story. But even if you have read the previous five issues in this tale the second issue of Parasomnia: The Dreaming God might still leave you scratching your head somewhat.

As a rough breakdown, this series is about a family that was split apart when their son was kidnapped from his room one night. The boy had magical powers, whereby he could create and shape a vast, complex dreamworld, and those who’ve experienced it the once seem to be able to access it again even if he’s not around. After his disappearance, his parents split up, and whilst his mother has spent the time since searching for him wherever she can, the father, Grover, has ended up living on the streets, searching to clues to his son’s whereabouts in the dream world.

This dream world was at first shaped like some dark fantasy nightmare, and Grover spent his time fighting monsters and teaming up with a Native American tracker who may have once begun in the real world, but has been in the dream world for years. Over time they found information about a Faceless Queen, who has the child. And in the real world the mother is targeted by the cult who kidnapped him, forcing her to go on the run.

All this was changed in the last issue, where the fantasy world shifted into a cyberpunk setting, and Grover got roped into some industrial espionage. This issue he comes face to face with the titular Dreaming God, a child-like figure who, in the dream world, is an AI construct created to know everything, and could be used to find his son – maybe? I don’t know if it’s just me, but the whole point of the dream world and everything that’s happening in it seems to be becoming more and more muddled and confused.

I’m not really sure why Grover wants this dream AI God, why the kid is able to help him to find his son, why the dream world is turning against him with different dream people trying to kill him. The series was always complex, and even in the first arc it was holding back answers and leaving a lot to the audience’s imaginations, but this feels like it’s being deliberately obtuse now. Not a whole lot feels like it’s happened this issue, and of the things that did happen I couldn’t really tell you what it was, or if it was important.

I think that perhaps this is one of the bigger problems with some titles from Dark Horse. Dark Horse like to release four to six issue mini-series, and will split bigger stories into arcs that come out as separate titles that have four to six issues with months gaps between each title, where it could have all been one series. There doesn’t seem to be a reason why this is issue two of the second Parasomnia series, when it reads like it should have been the sixth issue of the first series. It doesn’t help readers to keep up with the story, and in series where the story is very complex, like this one, it can lead to a lot of confusion in the reader.

The art, once again provided by Andrea Mutti, looks fine, though there are a few moments that stood out as a bit weird. There’s a scene where background elements use actual photographs with a slight filter over them, which stood out on the page like a sore thumb, and the AI child looked a bit creepy at times. I don’t know if this was intentional or not, but the book is telling us this is a boy, but he looks like a creepy middle-aged dude at times. It certainly added to the horrible feeling of the dream world.

Parasomnia: The Dreaming God is a complex, and sometimes obtuse read, where it seems intent to keep important information away from the reader. Sadly, it feels like explanations and answers will be slow to come, as six issues into the story, and two into this series, it’s still hard to understand everything that’s happening.

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Black Adam - The Justice Society Files: Atom Smasher#1 - Comic Review

 

Originally published on Patreon

The latest issue of Black Adam - The Justice Society Files takes a look at one of the legacy members of the Justice Society, Albert Rothstein, the nephew of the original Atom. 

In this story Albert is wanting to be a hero like his uncle, putting together a rough costume, and heading out to try and stop an illegal arms shipment; all with his uncle Al on the phone with him, trying to talk him out of putting his life on the line as a costumed hero.

Unfortunately, whilst Albert is eager to do the right thing, he's still a rookie, and ends up getting spotted by the criminals; who immediately start shooting at him. Albert is forced to grow in size (leaving him as a giant naked man), in order to survive the shots, and to stop the criminals. Eventually Albert is able to save the day, and when he returns home he finds a package waiting for him containing his new costume, and a card from Hawkman.

This is a pretty simple story, a tale about someone's first time trying to be a hero and it going a bit off the rails. It's probably something that readers will have seen before. Luckily, Albert is a nice enough character with a decent amount of charm, so the issue never feels particularly boring or bad. It's a decent introduction to him, his motivations, and his power-set, that's a good jumping on point for those new to the character.

The back-up feature continues to tell two stories, one that shows us the life Adam had in ancient Khandaq, whilst the other sees Intergang trying to get the artefact. It's decent enough, but some of the flashbacks still feel very disconnected from the rest of the story.

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She-Hulk goes to Murderworld: A Marvel: Multiverse Missions Adventure Gamebook by Tim Dedopulos - Book Review

 

'Embark on an adventure with She-Hulk to uncover a sinister plot from destroying the world where your choices – and chance – drive the story

'When She-Hulk decides to represent old foe Ruby Thursday, who swears she is being framed for murder, she must overcome her bias to prove Ruby’s innocence. Her investigation leads her into a conspiracy involving tech companies wielding insurmountable powers… and yet who are all mysteriously dying like flies. While trying to get Ruby out on bail, She-Hulk discovers a mysterious Expo being held in L.A., but a swarm of zany villains have been sent to slow her down. But for She-Hulk, nothing will stand in the way of true justice – even if it means facing a villain who believes mazes and games should only end one way: in murder.'

Having previously read and enjoyed the previous Marvel Multiverse Missions book, You Are (Not) Deadpool, I was excited to try out the second book in the series, She-Hulk goes to Murderworld, especially now that the TV show is coming to an end and I need more She-Hulk in my life.

Just like in the other book in this series, She-Hulk goes to Murderworld does not put you in the shoes of the titular hero. This feels like something of a risky choice, as I imagine most readers want to play as the comic book heroes, fighting the fights and doing all of the cool stuff, but this series puts you into the role of a regular, ordinary person in the Marvel Universe who gets swept up in an adventure you're not equipped to be dealing with. And this is a move that I ultimately think works for the better; especially in this book.

The Deadpool book was enjoyable, but it also felt a little odd at times thanks to the reader having to pal around with a character that's extremely weird. This time, it feels like it works a lot better as She-Hulk is a more grounded and serious character than Deadpool; even if she does break the fourth wall and comment on the game mechanics a few times.

This more serious focus also comes into play with the story, as in the other book you were running around trying to figure out what was going, often left wondering why you were doing things, other than simply 'because Deadpool is telling me I have to'. Here, you're a paralegal working on a murder case with She-Hulk, and what you're doing makes more sense. You're searching for clues, interviewing witnesses, and following the trail to try and get your client freed and find the real killer.

But, this being a She-Hulk book, it's not your average procedural, and the very first things that happen in the story show that off, as you and She-Hulk get attacked by a vampire cow, Hell Cow. Despite the more serious tone of the book, this first encounter shows us that this is still going to be pretty damn weird too.

The book uses the same kind of mechanics as the other one, so if you've played that it'll feel familiar to you. If this is your first go round at one of these books there's enough explanations and help to begin with that you don't feel like you're too overwhelmed when things kick off for the first time.

I hope that these books prove popular, and that we get more of them. These first two have been really enjoyable and intriguing, and I'd love to see what characters the team at Aconyte would do for next. With so many weird and wonderful characters in the Marvel Universe, this feels like a series that could go on for a while, and do some great things.

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Batman #127 - Comic Review

 

Originally published on Patreon

The new issue of Batman begins with a flashback to one of the more infamous stories from JLA, 'The Tower of Babel', where Batman's contingency plans to eliminate every member of the Justice League get stolen and used against them. Superman asks him what contingency there is for Batman, what could ever take him down. And this really solidifies what this arc is about (and gets further explanation later on), the thing Batman created to eliminate him if it was ever needed.

I honestly love this idea, and the fact that Failsafe was designed and built by the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, a special hidden personality within Bruce's psyche, and therefore Batman knows nothing about it is a fun conceit. Batman would absolutely have to have no idea about Failsafe, or how to take it out, for it to work. Plus, it's a fun excuse to give us more Batman of Zur-En-Arrh.

Speaking of, we get a much better look at his costume in this issue, and we see that it's not built out of rags like the previous time we saw it, but is a proper, armoured suit. It maintains all of the colours and the general look of the original suit, but gives it a modern twist. It's very cool, and is a great way of not only bringing the look up-to-date, but to make this appearance of it stand out.

A lot of the issue is given over to Batman and Tim trying to fight Failsafe inside the Batcave and Wayne Manor, and despite their every effort there seems to be nothing that they can do to slow it down, let alone stop it. We see how deadly it is back in Gotham, where several members of the Bat-Family are being loaded into ambulances from their fight with him before.

The final pages of the issue manage to up the ante even more, as the Bats bring in one of the heaviest of hitters to help stop Failsafe. It's going to be interesting to see how super powered heroes fare against this thing, as I wouldn't have put it past the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh to include the possibility of Batman calling in allies when he created Failsafe, and included take-downs for them too.

The back-up feature brings the Catwoman story to a close in a surprising way. We travel to Metropolis and meet an older man who runs a small florist. He grabs a muffin and coffee for breakfast, chatting to the staff and being friendly, before heading to his flower shop where he finds Catwoman waiting for him. Because he's the Penguin.

Yep, turns out Oswald faked his death, got some plastic surgery, and is retiring for a regular life in another city because he just wanted out of the game. He framed Batman for his murder as one last parting gift on his way out, but it turns out it's not really part of some sinister scheme; and he never wanted his children to kill each other to get his money.

It's kind of a nice send-off to the character, and if this ended up being the last time we ever saw him I'd be really okay with that. Sometimes characters start to get a bit stale, they need to reinvent themselves, or sometimes just bow out; and that's what Penguin is doing here. We'll just have to wait to see if it sticks.

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The Lonesome Hunters #4 – Comic Review

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

The final issue of The Lonesome Hunters has finally arrived, and whilst I’m happy to have the next chapter in this hugely enjoyable series in front of me, it’s bittersweet, as this is the final issue of the initial four part mini-series, and it means we could be waiting a while to get more.

Last issue, Howard had travelled with Lupe in order to return a watch to the Magpie Queen, a supernatural entity that has been targeting the two of them. However, when he entered the abandoned house he was quickly attacked by the creature, who also wanted the magical sword that Howard has in his possession; a magical sword that he’d left in the car with Lupe.

This issue we pick up in the middle of the action as Lupe realises that something’s wrong, and that Howard is in danger. Having lost all of her family, everyone that she’s ever cared about, Lupe has to face the idea that she might lose Howard too. Although they’ve only really known each other for a few days, the old man is pretty much all that she has in the world, and so Lupe steps up and tries to save Howard. But will it be enough?

A lot of times in stories where a young hero learns about the world of magic and monsters and is thrust into a situation where they have to fight to survive it tends to be something that happens very quickly. They find themselves having to take up a weapon or die in the heat of battle, and don’t really have time consider their actions. Tyler Crook has kind of done the opposite here; he has Lupe away from the danger, away from the action, able to sit there and weigh up her options. She’s forced to confront the gravity of the situation and consider her future, and I think that it makes her ultimate choice to pick up the sword and rush into battle mean a little more. She’s thought about it, and this is the choice that she’s come to.

And whilst this issue has some action and some horror, it’s not really about that, but the characters. We spend the required time on the conclusion of this particular arc, and we get to see some cool stuff, but the focus is really on the characters, their relationship to each other, and their feelings. The best scenes in this book aren’t when Lupe has to charge into battle, or when the Magpies go up against her, they’re the ones where she and Howard are just talking. I came to this series hoping for some cool supernatural action, and whilst I got that, what I got more of was a series that has a lot of heart.

Crook seems to care less about the amazing world he’s crafting, and more about what that means for these two people. Some writers clearly want to tell stories where amazing things happen, and you can see where the characters are just being moved from one explosion or fight to the next, where the spectacle is the point. But here it’s the opposite. The big moments are the things that break up the important ones. This isn’t two characters getting swept up in a story that’s bigger than them, this is a story about these two people, their experiences, and their emotions. The stuff that’s happening around them is almost secondary. And this makes The Lonesome Hunters an incredibly strong series. The next arc could just be four issues of Howard and Lupe driving to the next stage on their journey, chatting shit bout their lives, their hobbies, and I’d eat that up.

I’m honestly mad that this series is over, for now at least, as it’s been one of the best things I’ve had to pleasure to read each month. If Dark Horse don’t bring out the next stage in this story soon I’m going to be very upset, as I need more. And the fact that it’s this great, whilst being written and drawn by one person is absolutely astonishing.

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Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 - Comic Review

 

Originally published on Patreon

So, with issue four we get a new title, or an expanded title as Dark Crisis becomes Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, a book that has now been revealed to be a direct sequel to Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Things start to really escalate in this issue, and Pariah's plan seems to all come together in the final moments to set the stage for something huge in the future. But before we get to that, everything else.

Since the last issue the Justice Society have stepped up and are leading the worlds fight against Deathstroke's forces, as well as helping to spread hope and helping people wherever they can. There's a great two page spread with panels that show the JSA and other heroes working together, saving folks from disasters, getting supplied to hospitals, and visiting sick kids. They've become the wall against which the darkness is breaking a little.

However, there's still one hero who needs to be helped away from the darkness himself, Nightwing. Having fought and lost at Titans Tower, and with Beast Boy laying in a coma, Nightwing is more beaten down then we've ever seen him. And When Alan Scott comes to see him he doesn't seem to really want to know. He tells Alan that there are other heroes out there doing the right thing, helping out, younger heroes who've stepped up and become bigger and better than they ever thought possible. And Alan tells him that people need the first person who ever did that, Dick Grayson. 

It's a truly wonderful scene that really shows how important Dick is, how he was the first sidekick, the first young hero, and one of the people in the DC Universe every hero looks up to in some way. Everyone else can be out on the front-line, doing whatever they can, but they need Dick there with them too, leading the way, being the beacon they all need. As someone who loves Dick Grayson, seeing him acknowledged in this way was a truly heartwarming and emotional scene.

Elsewhere in the issue, Hal get saved from some fake people in John Stewart's prison/dream world thanks to Barry Allen, who was freed from his own dream prison by Wally West in the last issue of The Flash. Together, the two of them head off to find the person Barry believes might be able to help stop Pariah's plan; a journey that takes them into Batman's world.

Back on Earth, Black Adam comes to the Legion of Doom for help in the fight against Deathstoke and his dark army; but when they Legion come under attack from Deathstroke, the darkness manages to infect everyone there, except Black Adam, increasing the evil army.

This issue definitely built a lot more stakes, provided some decent explanations, and had some great character moments. And the final page will change the DC Universe going forward in big, big ways. 

This is one of my favourite event books in a long, long while, and I'm loving everything that's been happening in the series so far. Let's just hope that this quality continues.

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Frankenstein: New World #2 – Comic Review

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

The first issue of Frankenstein: New World returned readers to the B.P.R.D. universe, thousands of years after the story of Hellboy and his allies ended with the destruction of the world as we knew it. Now, after watching over the remains of humanity within the centre of the Earth, Frankenstein has re-awoken, and has set out to the surface with his young companion.

The last issue did a lot of stage setting, managing to not only continue the story that fans had spent decades reading, but making it accessible to new readers too. We got to know what humanity was like in this new world, how they’d survived the end of the world, and met Lilja, a young girl who’s been having strange dreams of a woman trapped inside a crystal, calling out to her.

This issue, we get to explore the surface world with Lilja and Frankenstein, as they walk across this new Eden. Pollution is gone, the skies are clear, the plantlife is abundant, and amazing animals call it home. There are bright, vibrant insects, amazing looking birds, and huge flying manta-like creatures that make their home above the trees. And that’s just in the first couple of pages. The characters are awed by the things around them, and we get to experience that discovery alongside them.

However, not everything above ground is quite so wonderful, and the two of them end up coming to the aid of a frog-person being attacked by some vicious plant-like creatures. Saving the girl, Lilja and Frankenstein discover that the surface has new sentient people on it too, and start to make friends with Bonji people. Sadly, it looks like something evil has followed them to the surface, and is bringing darkness to this new world.

It’s still not clear exactly what the big goal is for Frankenstein: New World. We’ve gotten vague hints across the first two issues, but it’s still at a point where the story could evolve and go off in any direction. And it’s kind of great that it’s not clearly telegraphing what’s to come. Instead of waiting for the next story beat to drop, you get to sit back and enjoy the journey for what it is, marvelling at the things that the characters are discovering.

And the world that Mike Mignola, Christopher Golden, and Thomas Sniegoski, have created through the writing, and that Peter Bergting, and Michelle Madsen have brought to life with their wonderful art, is truly a big draw for this title. It feels so completely different to other entries in the B.P.R.D. universe, despite clearly being a part of it, that it feels unique and special. I don’t know if this world is going to stick around, if this story could be the end of all of it, or if it could spark off new adventures in this setting, or if somehow everything gets undone and it goes back to what it used to be, but I kind of hope that we get more of this place and these people, even after only having them for two issues.

As someone who’s not read a lot of the Hellboy and B.P.R.D. stuff I don’t know if this is enjoyable for long time fans, but as someone coming in with only the vaguest knowledge of those comics it’s a great little story that stands on its own, that feels incredibly charming, and seems to have a lot more story just waiting to be told.

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Star Wars: Obi-Wan #4 - Comic Review

 

Originally published on Patreon

The Star Wars: Obi-Wan series feels like it's been a bit of a mixed bag. There have been some absolutely fantastic moments, but some of the mains stories that Obi-Wan has been writing in his journal feel a bit dull at times if I'm being honest. The story with him and Qui-Gon in the mining complex didn't do much for me, for example.

However, this issue is easily my favourite of the series so far, as we get a dark and interesting Clone Wars era story that sees Obi-Wan and Anakin in a kind of situation we've never really seen before.

The two Jedi are called into a secret mission with Admiral Yularen, who gives them a top secret mission, to track down and eliminate a former ally, who's gone rogue and is performing terrorist attacks. Our to Jedi heroes hate the idea of being sent in as executioners, and this seems to further build towards Anakin's eventual feeling's that the Jedi have become corrupted.

The two of them travel to the planet where their target is located, having taken refuge in an old Sith temple. The two of them make their way down the jungle river, past effigies made from Clone Trooper armour, and come face to face with a man they once fought alongside, who now wears old Clone armour, sits on a throne, and wields a sword made from the bones of Clone Troopers. Despite trying to talk him down Anakin is forced to kill the man in a moment that feels very much like suicide by cop.

This is easily the darkest story in this miniseries so far, and might compete for one of the darkest stories in Star Wars mainly because it's clearly taken its story from Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now. This isn't the first time the series has done this, with the old Shatterpoint novel also being loosely based on those stories.

The thing is, it works so well in a universe that seems to be perpetually at war, where regular people are either forced to fight and do terrible things, or live under fascist regimes. Of course some people are going to be pushed too far and will end up becoming monsters. 

The artwork on this issue is also phenomenal, and has some truly creepy and unsettling moments scattered throughout. the Clone Trooper effigies look disturbing, the Sith temple looks amazing, and I knew it was Sith before the story told me because of how well designed it is, and the sword made from Clone bones is one of the darkest, and coolest looking weapons in the saga by far.

This is the kind of thing that I wanted from this series, stories that show how Obi-Wan has been challenged and pushed in unexpected ways. He's been through some incredibly dark, and harrowing things, yet never strayed from the light or the path of the Jedi. This story showcases just how much strength that took him at times thanks to the things he's had to deal with, and it really elevates the character.

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