Green Lantern #20 - Comic Review

 

Writer: Jeremy Adams, Artist: Jack Herbert, 

Colourist: Romulo Fajardo Jr., Letterer: Dave Sharpe

With the launch of Green Lantern Corps things have changed for the main Green Lantern title as Hal's adventures now not only tie into what's happening in the other book, but he's sharing page space with Kyle Rayner as the entire Corps become embroiled in a galaxy spanning adventure. As a long time Green Lantern fan I like this kind of set-up more, and I think we've reached the point where having a singular GL headline a lone book just feels somewhat too small for the universe that has been built up around them. 

Following on from the events of the Fractured Spectrum special, this issue sees Hal dealing with an alien whose connected to the powers of the Red Lanterns, whilst Kyle and his team search for a piece of Source Energy in order to stop the Sorrow Lantern building his own Central Power Battery. Each of these stories takes up a fairly evenly divided portion of the book, though Hal isn't around for a good portion of his events as we spend several pages following Erastus, an alien blacksmith who eventually taps into the power of Rage. Erastus is a decent man, one who works hard, who takes great pride in his skill, but whose work is stolen by the local boss, who refuses to pay Erastus as he agreed to. We also see that Erastus's life partner cares little for him, going out partying when he comes home from work, putting him down, and even going off to sleep with other men. 

After spending this time with Erastus we not only understand why he's driven to anger, but I think that most people would sympathise with him. It would have been easy to have started with Hal coming to Alteon-X to respond to the carnage that Erastus causes, being introduced to him at the same time Hal is, but that would have presented Erastus as little more than an angry monster; a faceless foe for Hal to overcome. By spending this time with him we see the person under the anger, we understand how he came to this point, and it makes you want to see him have a decent outcome rather than him just being stomped by the hero. It's one of the things that I think the original introduction of the Red Lanterns lacked. We would eventually find out more about them and would learn to see them as victims in need of help rather than monsters, such as Bleez being a victim of torture and rape, or the frankly heart breaking origin story for Dex-starr, but these latter provided origin stories always struck me as the writers going back and justifying why you should care for these characters. Here, Adams gives us that reason up front and it makes it much better. 

When Hal enters the story we know Erastus, and as such I wanted Hal to be able to help him the same way that Sinestro was able to help the woman who'd tapped into the emotional spectrum in the first issue of Green Lantern Corps. But Erastus proves to be a quite formidable opponent, and this situation remains unsolved by the end of the issue, meaning that it's likely going to be carried across into the next one. What we do get is entertaining though, and the fight between him and Hal is decent, with Erastus using energy construct versions of his blacksmith hammers, whilst Hal does what he can to wear him down. It's pretty decent, and it's nice to see Hal in a situation where he has to think a little tactically, and where brute force isn't going to be the way out for him.

Whilst all of this is going on Kyle is continuing his mission to find Source Energy, a task that has seen him recruit Conner Kent, and the time travelling thief Odyssey onto a team with him. Their mission has brought them to the Source Wall, where they discover that one of the giant bodies that's part of the wall is actually a carefully hidden temple filled with traps that guard their prize. The fact that Kyle immediately makes the comparison to Indiana Jones (even giving himself the hat and whip) actually made it a bit more enjoyable to me as the book was able to lean into the tropes a little more, and the characters had some fun with the situation. 

This was a decent issue, one that I enjoyed a lot more than the earlier issues of the run where Hal was stuck on Earth. Having the main book be part of a larger story that includes the other GL's is definitely more my thing. I'm still not completely sure about the new villain, the Sorrow Lantern, but I'm definitely interested in learning more and coming to a definitive decision on if I like it or not. I am still quite amused that Hal Jordan cuckolded a man so hard he became a super powered space villain though, it's a hell of an origin story.

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Hellhunters #3 - Comic Review

 

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artist: Adam Gorham, 
Colourist: Frank Martin, Letterer: Travis Lanham

The first two issues of Hellhunters have been a very different kind of read than a lot of other current Marvel work. At a time where it feels like the main line is either pushing for MCU synergy, or moving from one big crossover event to the next it's nice to get a book that draws upon existing Marvel lore but is able to do it's own thing in it's own little corner. The fact that it's also a horror book set during World War Two also sets it aside as something a little special. However, the first two issues kind of didn't give readers much more than this, keeping a lot of details back and giving readers cool vibes and awesome set pieces to draw you in. 

Issue three, by contrast, puts a lot of its cards on the table and gives readers some big revelations. For example, this issue we finally get a name for the monsters that our mishmash group of heroes are up against; the Unhallowed. We find out where these creatures came from, and what their plan is, as well as getting another named monster in the form of the new foe Baraphiel, a huge kaiju-sized monster that can swallow people whole. The issue balances lore drops, action, and character development well; particularly with the new team member, Bucky Barnes.

It was revealed that Bucky would be part of Hellhunters when the series was teased, but after the first two issues it was almost easy to forget that he was going to be there. The book felt like the kind of thing that could be going on during the time, sure, but it was different enough from the existing Captain America and Bucky WWII stuff that it was hard to see where the two could mesh together. This issue brings the Hellhunters to a US camp, where they try to give the commander a report that will convince him to lend them more support. They're after Captain America if they can have him, but convincing a military general that monsters from myth are taking over the war isn't easy even in the Marvel universe. The team are on their own, and may even lose Nick Fury and Peggy Carter in a week or two too, meaning that they've got little time to finish their mission.

Whilst the people in charge talk strategy, Romero runs across Bucky Barnes, the young teen 'sidekick' of Captain America. Romero, having thought that Bucky was just a publicity stunt, is shocked to learn that he's an actual soldier. I appreciate how the issue really hammers home how messed up it was that Bucky was at war, how he was literally a child soldier, and how it really messed him up even before he became the Winter Soldier. When we first see Bucky here he's crying because Dum Dum Dugan took away his collection of ear trophies he'd taken from dead Nazis. It's incredibly jarring to see this teen crying over his kill trophies having been taken off him that it makes Bucky being there so uncomfortable, to the point where you even have to question what the hell Cap was thinking having Bucky along at all.

That being said, Bucky actually brings some great energy to the team when he finally convinces them to bring him along. He's full of personality, cracking jokes, and trying to bum smokes off Fury, it marks him as very different from the older, more world weary members of the team. Plus, the full page splash of Ghost Rider Romero jumping his Harley whilst Bucky rides on the back, singing, and shooting his gun with a huge smile on his face is such a weird but wonderful moment that it makes you put your objections to Bucky being there aside so that you can just enjoy the silliness. 

Gorham and Martin do a great job with the art this issue, and the just mentioned splash page is one of the best looking parts of the book, and makes for such a striking image that if Marvel don't make it into a poster they're missing a trick. But, this isn't the only good thing about the book, as the art team fill it with amazing moments. The opening page, showing us the Unhallowed, is both beautiful, and evokes the spirit of the supernatural winter that they bring in their wake thanks to the blues and purples that fill the page with ghostly light. The violence and gore are also incredibly well done, with most of the more disgusting moments being implied through clever visuals, rather than turning the book into an off putting splatter-fest. 

Hellhunters has reached its halfway point, and it's a bittersweet thing as it feels like the series has really found it's feet here with the introduction of Bucky. It's sad that there's only going to be a couple more issues, but I can easily see this series being held up as one of the best pieces of both Marvel horror, and it's World War 2 catalogue. 

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Justice League Unlimited #4 - Comic Review

 

Writer: Mark Waid, Artist: Dan Mora, 
Colourist: Tamara Bonvillain, Letterer: Ariana Maher

The best thing about Justice League Unlimited is the huge roster, where Waid is able to use pretty much any hero in the DC Universe; but this issue goes one step further and shows us that no one is safe of being drawn into the action as even a civilian has to step up and help save the world.

In the last issue the terrorist group Inferno lived up to their name by setting the Amazon rainforest on fire, an action that spells doom to the entire world with the global ramifications that its destruction would bring. It also appeared to kill Swamp Thing, taking a powerful force away from our heroes. To help them combat this threat Mr Terrific has to try and find someone else who can do what Swamp Thing can do, and so reaches out to Tefé Holland, the daughter of the first Swamp Thing, Alec Holland, to help bring the rainforest back to life.

It's a pretty action packed issue, one that focuses a lot on the conflict in the amazon, and as such much of what we see has our heroes surrounded by thick smoke and flames, and so whilst there's nothing inherently bad looking about the issue (it is Dan Mora after all) it's not the most engaging looking issue of the series for me. This was only compounded for me with the use of The Green, the psychedelic plant realm that gives Tefé her powers. Things get a bit weird in places, and whilst I didn't hate it it wasn't stuff that I found particularly exciting. 

Outside of the main story, however, was a subplot that was much more my thing. In previous issues we saw that Martian Manhunter left the League after losing control of himself on a mission, something that happened because a number of his psychic powers have been lost since the events of Absolute Power. This issue has Batman find J'onn, in the desert of Egypt. Those expecting Bruce to give J'onn a stern talking to, or to order him to come back to the League will be disappointed, as instead he connects with J'onn on a personal level, understanding that the loss of his powers would be like the loss of a sense, and even says out loud something that I've held as my personal opinion for years, that J'onn is the heart and soul of the League. 

It's a beautiful moment, one that's nicely placed in the middle of the issue to break up the chaos that's going on on the other side of the globe, and helps to give the reader a small break from the frenetic energy that that other story has. When the series started I was unsure how Waid was going to juggle so many different characters and large casts like this, but this issue was a great example of how he does that. Even when things are chaotic, with dozens of heroes, the whole world on the line, and bits that weren't quite my taste, he can still inject these wonderful, small character focused scenes to balance it out and make it a great book.

As mentioned earlier, I wasn't keen on all of the art in the issue, but that's not due to the quality of it. Mora and Bonvillain do an amazing job at bringing everything to life, it's just that I found the scenes in the fire to be a little oppressive (which is probably what they were going for), and I've never been too keen on stuff set in The Green. It's personal taste rather than a critique of the art itself, which is absolutely beautiful.

The slowly unfolding story of Inferno feels like it's reached a key moment here, and whilst not a huge amount happens with them it feels like the League has proven to them that they can stop Inferno, and that this is going to have some repercussions to come. The issue also ends with another reminder of their spy within the League, which we've known about for a while now, and it seems like Waid has a plan for the characters that's yet to be revealed.

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Superman #23 - Comic Review

 

Writer: Joshua Willaimson, Artist: Dan Mora, 
Colourist: Alejandro Sánchez, Letterer: Ariana Maher

The first few stories in Joshua Williamson's time on Superman spent time creating some new characters, such as Dr. Pharm, Marilyn Moonlight, and the Chained. It felt like a bold new era for the character that was brining in these new elements, but this latest arc has been a wonderful melding of these new changes and classic characters to create what might be my favourite arc in the entire run. Not only do we have Lois taking a bigger role as a new Superwoman, but we've got Doomsday, big new lore about the Time Trapper, and even the Radiant. Williamson has brought a lot of different pieces together here to create a truly exciting and engaging Doomsday story; something that has rarely (if ever) been done since his first introduction. 

With the Radiant and its army attacking Metropolis in the last issue, demanding that Superman hands Doomsday over to them, things feel at their most desperate here. Clark is fighting side-by-side with Doomsday against the invading forces, and Lois has been snatched out of linear time by the Time Trapper, a far distant future version of Doomsday that can control the flow of time itself. Having previously tried to talk Clark into making a deal with him, Time Trapper is now attempting it with Lois, warning her of the dark future that is close to coming into being that only he can help prevent. There's a moment where it seems like Lois might take the deal, but this is Lois Lane, a woman who's never bowed down to bullies or monsters even when she didn't have powers. Unfortunately, her defiance of Time Trapper leads to tragedy.

Meanwhile, the battle with Radiant and his fleet is raging across Metropolis, with multiple members of the Superman family helping out but unable to turn the time. With things looking grim for the heroes it's time for Lex Luthor to step up and be the hero. After the Lex Luthor special there's some questions as to where he is at the moment mentally, if this is the completely amnesiac Lex, or if this is his villainous side playing a long con, and his actions this issue do little to help clear that up. You could argue that what he does is quite sinister, but his protests that he did it for the right reasons seem completely plausible. I'm enjoying this story for him, and like that Williamson isn't giving the game away yet. Superman Luthor was a favourite of mine, and his time as a hero was a delight, so if we get a good Luthor for a while it's definitely a plus as far as I'm concerned.

As mentioned earlier, there is a moment of tragedy in this issue, and for a while I thought that Williamson was perhaps building up towards a death that would have been absolutely heart breaking. Whilst we avoided that there's no denial that a beloved character has something bad happen to them, and that as a result of that another character may be on a path back to villainy. As someone who enjoys the characters that surround Superman and wants more of a supporting cast featured in modern comics over stories that just centre on heroes and villains I like that this is included here, as it gives this character their own storyline, and seems to suggest that it'll be something that will continue on for a while at least.

The issue ends with two scenes that set up future developments, one of which was hinted at in a previous special issue and that I was expecting to see relatively soon, but the other was a complete surprise as the last two pages hint at huge things not just for Superman but the entire DC Universe. 

What can I say about Dan Mora's art that hasn't been said hundreds of times over by now? The man is one of the best artists in the business, and every panel of the book is phenomenal. He perfectly captures the epic scale and chaos of the action, showcasing the raw power of the characters at play here, as well as filling those characters with some beautifully human moments; some of the moments with Lois at the end of the book are beautiful depictions of someone wracked with guilt and sorrow trying to hold themselves together. I don't think there's a character that Dan Mora hasn't nailed yet, and this book and all of the amazing things he's bringing to life are just a genuine delight.

This is my favourite run on Superman since before the New 52. Williamson is capturing a load of the stuff that I love about the 90's Triangle Era Superman titles with a more modern comics sensibility on top, and each issue leaves me feeling both satisfied and eager for the next.

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Red Hulk #1 - Comic Review

 

Writer: Benjamin Percy, Artist: Geoff Shaw, 
Colourist: Bryan Valenza. Letterer: Cory Petit

A new era has begun at Marvel as Doctor Doom has taken over the planet after becoming Sorcerer Supreme, and it seems that part of his new rule is locking away people who might be a threat to him. One of those people is General Ross, a man who's not just a high ranking US military figure, but is the sometimes hero Red Hulk, a creature as powerful as the Hulk, but with the mind of a cold, calculating soldier. And whilst the Red Hulk getting his own titular One World Under Doom tie-in around the same time that the character is making his big screen debut does feel like it's likely some MCU synergy going on behind the scenes the book is entertaining enough that I don't really mind.

The issue opens with a sequence that shows how this Hulk is in many ways more frightening that the green one, as we see General Ross aboard a commercial flight above North Korea. Ross changes into the Red Hulk, destroys the flight mid-air, and uses it as cover to attack a North Korean facility below; all of this part of a carefully calculated scheme to make it appear like North Korea destroyed a civilian target as the first step to conflict across east Asia. Thankfully, it turns out that the entire scenario was one conjured up by magic. It appears that Doom not only captured Ross to take him off the board, but to use his military mind to help him test out scenarios and plans.

We soon learn that Ross isn't the only 'asset' that Doom has locked away like this, as several others, including Deathlok and Machine Man, begin communicating with each other using morse code. Thus begins a long, careful scheme to break out of the prison that Doom is keeping them in. And this is the main conceit of the book, Doom has captured a number of people and they're breaking out of prison, and Red Hulk is leading that charge. It's a set-up that I like, one that I don't feel like we've really seen too many times before, and with an interesting assortment of characters thrown into the mix too.

It would have been easy to fill these cells with some bigger name characters, for Doom to have somehow captured key heroes from various teams across the world, with people like Captain America or Spider-Man there to be a big name draw. They could even have done a bit of a Secret Invasion twist on things, like having a character such as Iron Man in one of the cells saying he's been there for months, raising questions as to if the Iron Man in the other titles has been replaced with a Doom-bot.

But Benjamin Percy has chosen to take a different route, to make the book feel smaller and more self-contained by keeping Red Hulk as the biggest name and having him team up with some characters who don't get used that often. It leave the book feeling like it's not going to be a huge part of the One World Under Doom story, and as such is going to be freer to do its own thing. It feels like there's a lot of promise here, that the book can go in many different directions, and a big part of the excitement for the next issue is in seeing where that's going to be.

Geoff Shaw and Bryan Valenza do a great job on the art, and there's some really visually fantastic moments to be found in a book that's largely just several people locked in almost empty rooms. The opening sequence is fantastic, and showcases the destructive power of Red Hulk in a horrifying way. 

Red Hulk #1 was a book that I wasn't sure I wanted to read, it felt like it was likely being done because the character was on the big screen, and that it would end up being a tie-in that I'd think little of and not care to finish. However, it's the best thing with the One World Under Doom banner that I've read so far, and I'm genuinely looking forward to the next issue. 

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Absolute Wonder Woman #5 - Comic Review

 

Writer: Kelly Thompson, Artist: Hayden Sherman, 
Colourist: Jordie Bellaire, Letterer: Becca Carey

One of the things that strikes me each time I pick up an Absolute title is the amazing needle that the creative teams seem to have threaded, that they've created characters who feel so different and new, yet also perfectly embody the aspects of the originals that made them so well loved. The Diana that we have in Absolute Wonder Woman could be a completely new character, and out of the three Absolute titles we've had so far this is the one that I could easily see being it's own book; just file off the serial numbers, change a few names and it's it's own indie title. It's the one that I think stands on it's own the most, that has managed to craft something that doesn't need the DC connection to be as good as it is; and that's phenomenal to me because this is still so clearly Wonder Woman.

Issue five marks the final part of 'The Last Amazon', the opening chapter to this new series. As such, readers are expecting the immense threat of the Tetracide to be dealt with here, a creature that has proven to be unstoppable and unkillable each issue leading to now. Diana has tried multiple things, magics and weapons that should spell the end of most foes. As such, it feels a little like Kelly Thompson is going to have a hard time bringing this to a conclusion that feels satisfying. If Diana is able to defeat a monster like this how will other foes be any trouble to her, and why didn't she just use whatever magic or weapon from the beginning?

Luckily, Thompson is able to not only answer both of these questions, but does it in a way that feels in keeping with everything we've had so far and sets an interesting stage going forward. A good portion of the issue is given over to flashbacks to Diana's time in Hell, where her mother, Circe, gives her her most dangerous weapon, something that should only ever be used as a last resort. We see the affect this weapon has on Diana, not in the fight in which she uses it, but in the impact it has on her following this. She describes it as 'cruel', something that Diana would never want to be, and it's only through some soul searching, and advice from a god, that she comes to understand this weapon and why her mother gave it to her. 

I won't spoil what this is, but we later see first hand why she would see it as cruel, and why it's something that Diana should avoid using. Thompson gives us a conclusion that's huge in scale, yet makes it part of Diana's personal journey and creates a great reason as to why we may not see this weapon often, and why Diana can't just fall back on using it to solve all of her battles. And this is very Wonder Woman to me. Her main universe counterpart is capable of huge destruction, she's not been afraid to do bad things to save the world, such as killing Maxwell Lord, but she never relies on that. Cruelty, killing, and the endangerment of innocents isn't what Diana does unless there's no other way to save the day, and she'll be the first in line to take on the pain of having to do those terrible things; and Absolute Wonder Woman is no different in that regard.

The art team continue to create a book that's absolutely stunning to look at, one where the art is as impressive as the writing, and the two of them come together to create a book that feels damn near perfectly crafted. The moments of wonder and action feel huge and shocking, and the more intimate moments hit perfectly, and there's not a single page where you're bored looking at it. Even when it's a page of Diana and Circe talking to each other on the beach the way that the panels are presented to you draws you in, gets you interested, and leaves you wanting more.

The Absolute books were pitched as a new take on the Elsewords concept, of a unified new universe where these heroes and villains would be presented in new and interesting ways. But Absolute Wonder Woman doesn't feel like that. It's not a 'cool look how weird this is' kind of Elseworld, it's not a story that rides on the novelty of being different. Absolute Wonder Woman already feels like a book that's going to be held up as a quintessential Wonder Woman title, a book that people are going to recommend for decades to come. 

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West Coast Avengers #4 - Comic Review

 

Writer: Gerry Duggan, Artist: Danny Kim, 
Colourist: Arthur Hesli, Letterer: Joe Caramagna

West Coast Avengers has been a delightful surprise since it began, with it's unique set-up of heroes trying to rehabilitate villains, and it's interesting team roster. This latest issue expands on two of these teammates in particular as we finally get an explanation as to why Tony and Rhoedy trust the apparently reformed Ultron, and we see more of the PTSD that Firestar is going through after the events of her time with Orchis.

Last issue we learned about 'The One', one of the four different Ultron's that exist now that Ultron has split his personality. The One has started a cult, a Church of Ultron, in which he's transforming humans into cyborgs with super powers. The West Coast Avengers are figuring out how to deal with that threat this issue, as well as internal conflict. And that's the main thrust of this issue, how this situation is affecting the team, and what it might mean for them going forwards. There's no real physical conflict to be found inside these pages, other than a small flashback, yet the book manages to be more entertaining than some of Marvel's recent 'blockbuster' books.

The first half of the issue reveals how Ultron gained the trust of the team's leaders, in a flashback that does seem to make this version of the villain trustworthy. You could argue that this is all a trick, that he played the odds and gambled on Tony deciding to trust him and believe his claims, but for the most part I do want this to be on the level. I'd like for this Ultron be actually want to be a hero, and whilst I know that even if that is the case it'll eventually get undone, I think him honestly trying to reform himself would be a much more interesting and rewarding story than it all being a villain plot.

Firestar, on the other hand, doesn't trust him, even after learning the truth. And for those that read the Krakoa saga that's absolutely understandable. Firestar was put in an awful situation, where she had to go undercover with a group that was actively causing the genocide of her people. A group that was being helmed by an evil AI. It's not hard to see why she can't trust Ultron here, and her reactions of drinking alcohol, lashing out at her teammates, and refusing to see things their way makes a lot of sense when you consider the fact that she's been through trauma.

This isn't just a meta reading of the text though, as Blue Bolt outright states this to her, telling her that she's going through PTSD. She denies this at first, but after he pushes the point she starts to see that perhaps he's right, that she may need to work through the trauma that she's still carrying before putting herself into a position where she's expected to go out and save the world; especially if that means having to work alongside, and fight, AI's. This was my favourite part of the book, I adored seeing how Angelica's journey post-Krakoa has been going, and her scenes with Blue Bolt might be the best moments in West Coast Avengers since the first issue. It feels like it's going to be a long journey for her to get to a place of healing, but when comics often ignore older stories in order to tell new ones the fact that it's been carried across this way is a delight; but considering that Gerry Duggan told that previous story it's not that surprising that he's still interested in exploring it here.

The book looks great too, and the art team of Danny Kim and Arthur Hesli do some great stuff throughout. The small action beats in the flashback look superb, and you get a great sense of the scale of destruction that happened in that moment. The new look for the heroic Ultron is pretty cool too, and has some very classic comic sensibilities to it that go well with Tony and Rhodey's armours at the moment. They also do a great job at humanising Firestar and Blue Bolt, both in showing her pain as well as his weirdly infectious joy in moments where you genuinely believe he's a decent guy underneath his gruff exterior.

I've said it before, but West Coast Avengers is a book that took me by surprise, but is by far my favourite Marvel team book at the moment, and I hope that it gets the attention that it deserves.

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Doctor Vampire - Blu-ray Review

 

Some of the best horror films throw a little bit of comedy into the mix, things like Shaun of the Dead, Dog Soldiers, or An American Werewolf in London immediately come to mind. And it's not an easy thing to do, go too far one way and it's either a silly movie with horror themes, or a horror movie with some very out of place jokes. Out of those two, I find the first to be the best, a movie that's so silly that it becomes hard to actually see it as a horror film, but you're having way too much fun to care. This is exactly the kind of movie Doctor Vampire is.

Vampires were a popular brand in Hong Kong cinema thanks to the success of Mr Vampire, a movie that spawned a number of sequels and knock-off's over the coming several years. Whilst few of these managed to capture much of the magic of the original Mr Vampire (still one of the best vampire movies made in Hong Kong) there were ever increasingly creative attempts to win over fans of the genre; and Doctor Vampire might be one of the best examples of this.

Beginning in England, we meet Dr Chiang Ta-Tsung (Bowie Lam), who's in the country for work. When his car breaks down on a country lane he goes looking for help and arrives at a castle that houses what looks like a tradititional early 90's pub. What makes it stand out, however, is the very sexual nature of the staff and customers, and it becomes clear to the audience that Chiang has stumbled into a brothel. What's less obvious, especially to him, is that it's run by vampires. After Chiang thinks he saves a young woman named Alice (Ellen Chan) from an angry customer, he gets taken upstairs and thanked for his heroics with a steamy night of passion in which he loses his virginity.

Back in Hong Kong, Chiang returns to the hospital where he works and tells his two best friends that he finally had sex. The three of them, the worst doctors in the hospital, have to keep the information quiet from Chiang's girlfriend May (Shiela Chan), who works in the hospital as a nurse. However, when Chiang begins to feel strange, unable to eat his favourite garlic dish, needing sunglasses when out in the daylight, and being drawn to buy himself a cape, his friends begin to suspect that he's becoming a vampire; a suspicion backed up when they discover that he was bitten in his private area during his steamy night with Alice. Meanwhile, in England Alice's master, the Count (Peter Kjaer) discovers a taste for Chiang's blood by drinking it through Alice, and sets out to get more of it.

One of the things that makes Doctor Vampire stand out against some of the other Hong Kong vampire movies is that it forgoes that traditional Jiangshi (hopping vampire) and focuses instead on the western vampire in a collision of traditions and cultures. This is illustrated in a couple of scenes in the film, where Chiang is considering what life might be like if he completes his transformation into a vampire. He questions how he should move as a vampire, hopping out of the room with his hands raised, and later in the story his two friends buy him a costume that makes him look like a Qing dynasty official (the traditional look for the Jiangshi). There's even a Taoist priest who arrives for the final battle, his talismans and vampire killing sword at the ready, but with the enemy being a western vampire this ends up being pretty useless, and he ends up locked inside a freezer for the rest of the finale.

Doctor Vampire embraces a lot of the tropes of the western vampire genre, including putting romance as one of the central themes. Despite her having bitten him, Chiang begins to fall in love with the vampire Alice; and she him. His love for her and his transformation into a vampire is a big part of the narrative, and whilst there is the added wrinkle that he's cheating on his long term girlfriend, a lot of this plot ends up being kind of sweet. The cruel, ancient count who's trying to get between them has shades of Dracula, whilst being far enough removed that you'd never accuse the film of being too inspired by it.

Where Doctor Vampire excels, however, is when it's not taking itself seriously and leans into the sillier parts. Chiang and his two friends are the worst doctors in their hospital because they don't do enough operations, so we get a sub-plot of them doing unnecessary operations on patients to get their numbers up, such as a circumcision to cure a headache. The farcical moments like Chiang lurking around in a cape, or a nurse thinking his friends are fellating him in the staffroom are so ridiculous that you can never take the film seriously, but are fun enough that you can't help but be a little bit charmed by them. A lot of the time the film feels more like a comedy that just happens to have vampires in it than any serious attempt to be a horror movie.

If you're not looking for a very serious movie, one that's more interested in giving you a fun experience over the small things like a plot that makes complete sense or internal consistency, Doctor Vampire is a film that offers that. How many movies have a vampire who looks like he raided a fancy dress shop shooting lasers out of his eyes whilst flying through the air, or heroes that get inexplicably transformed into Buddha powered warriors by a statue? Doctor Vampire might not win any awards, but it certainly kept me entertained throughout, which I can't always say for every film I see.

The new release from Eureka Entertainment has a brand new 2K restoration of the film, which compared to some old clips of it that I've seen might make this the most visually impressive version of the movie that you'll be able to get your hands on. The new audio is also really crisp and sharp, and sounds fantastic throughout. Alongside the film there's the usual audio commentaries, featuring returning names Frank Djeng, who does a solo commentary, and another with Arne Venema and Mike Leeder. For those familiar with Eureka's usual Hong Kong movie releases you'll know the kind of commentary tracks to expect here, and both offer interesting additions to the movie. There's also an interview with Stacey Abbott, author of Celluloid Vampires: Life After Death in the Modern World, and Vampire Slaying 101: Remixing Monster Traditions in Doctor Vampire, a new video essay by gothic scholar Mary Going who goes into the marriage of eastern and western vampire myths present in the movie. 

As with previous Eureka releases, this new Blu-ray offers fans a wonderful way to experience the movie, with crisp video and audio quality, and a load of extra features that gives you a reason to dive into the film a couple more times. Doctor Vampire might be an unusual entry in the Hong Kong vampire film catalogue, but it's one that's loads of fun.

Doctor Vampire is available on Blu-ray from 24th February 2025.

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Ultimate Wolverine #2 - Comic Review

 

Writer: Chris Condon, Artist: Alessandro Cappuccio, 
Colourist: Bryan Valenza, Letterer: Cory Pettit

One of the things that I like more about this new Ultimate Universe over the first one is that whilst there's a pretty varied style across the board, and most of the books are doing their own thing, none of them have been bad, and certainly so far none of them have been incredibly objectionable. There have been some big changes, the world is so unlike the one we know that entirely different nations exist, and some well known characters have died already, but it's not as bad as a racist Captain America, incest twins, or heroes being eaten alive. But if there's one title that feels like it could possibly come close to entering that territory it's Ultimate Wolverine; but unlike those examples, the book has so far managed not to feel nasty or meanspirited.

The first issue of Ultimate Wolverine introduced us to this world's version of Logan, who had been through the same adamantium infusing experiments as the 616 version, but had also been programmed into this worlds Winter Soldier. This is a Logan who has yet to escape being a weapon, and is being used to hunt and kill anyone who opposes the rule of the Rasputins and Omega Red. We saw this in the first issue where he was sent to kill an Opposition cell, including two of their mutant leaders, Mystique and Nightcrawler. This is what I mean by this book has the potential to be like the worst parts of the old Ultimate Universe, because right from the start Ultimate Wolverine has shown it's not afraid to kill characters in horrible ways. But whilst things such as the Blob eating the Wasp felt like they were done for shock sake, here at least it feels like it fits.

We see that even more this issue, a world in which killing, cruelty, and darkness feel right at home. From the opening pages where we see the Maker creating the world he wants, to the Rasputin's torturing Logan, and the throwing away of loyal subject's lives in order to perform a test; the cruelty feels baked in, and as such it means that the brutality this series delivers doesn't feel as jarring, even though it's more extreme than what we'd see in the main 616 universe. The first issue of Ultimate Wolverine felt like it was creating the tone, but this issue shows us how that tone works, how the Eurasian Republic operates from the top and gives us insight into the twisted machinations that take place in the background.

As with the first issue, the art on the series is impeccable, and suits the tone wonderfully. Cappuccio and Valenza create some absolutely beautiful moments in this book that most pages had at least one panel that had me stopping for a moment just to pour over how good it looked. The scenes in the forest were beautifully crafted, and captured the desolate, cold atmosphere in ways that almost had you feeling the chill. The art works well in moments of violence too, where you see just enough that you can feel the visceral, animalistic nature that Logan brings to his killing, yet it never feels overly gory or gratuitous. It manages to walk that line between dark and disturbing incredibly well.

Ultimate Wolverine, like much of this new universe, feels like a slow burn story, one that's not just carefully crafting these characters but the world they inhabit, allowing the reader to get a little more each issue rather than presenting everything up front. It's an approach that's working incredibly well for this title so far, and has quickly elevated this book to my most anticipated Ultimate book each month.

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Boom Bandits: The Complete Saga - Graphic Novel Review

 

'In Scarcity, you can't trust anyone over the age of 40. For Pixie and Freydank, life expectancy is low and regularly disrupted by immortal elders from neighbouring Methuseland. When a small act of mischief forces them to flee their home, they discover a forgotten relic that - if unleashed - will smash the status quo and cause potential anarchy between the two cities.'

When people say the word comic most would hear it and think of superheroes, folks with powers and bright costumes who rush in to save the day against equally as strange villains. However, British comics are a very different animal, and those who grew up in the UK would be more used to seeing characters like Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog, or the ABC Warriors on the shelf of the local newsagent over someone like Superman or the X-Men. British comics are less about larger than life heroes, and more about examining the world around us through a satirical, often grim lens that will create these extreme characters and settings that have more to say about society than you'd first think. Helldunkel Studios new graphic novel, Boom Bandits, follows in this tradition.

Set in a far distant future, Boom Bandits introduces readers to a society divided, a world of haves and have-nots, where the rich tower above the poor un a beautiful city, whilst those without must eek out a hard existence in dangerous, gang filled slums. This isn't too unusual a setting, it's something that has been used in literature throughout the ages to quickly sans easily show a society that's grown corrupt by prioritising the elite. In this world, however, it's not just being rich that sets those above as different, it's also their age. Scar City is home to the Boomers, a group of older people whose wealth has allowed them to access technology that has slowed the ageing process down, allowing them to continue to live a lifestyle where they have access to all of the resources, and the younger people are left to rot in a world where the excess of the older generation has left it almost impossible to survive, let alone thrive. Can you see the social commentary yet?

Just the name of the book, Boom Bandits, hints at the kind of story it's going to tell, where the Boomers are equated to criminals, bandits who have stolen the world from those that have come after. They've taken the healthcare for themselves, they've got the best homes, they're protected by the best security and police forces, they can eat whatever they want, do whatever they want, and all the while they look down on those who are different from them as little more than dirty, violent, and criminal. Those who've been left behind, who survive in the ruins of the world left to them by the selfish Boomers, live in a society dominated by gangs and violent culture, mainly as there's not enough to go around anymore, and so those that live in the slums must fight to even get by.

It's here that we meet a pair of Boomers who've come to tour the slums are part of a vacation, who see the younger people and their literal fight to survive as something to be entertained by, treating the people as an attraction, barely considering them human, referring to them as Guttersnipes. When the technology that protects them from being harmed fails some of the locals express their dislike of the system by violently attacking the Boomers, something the earns a violent response. Not ones to get their own hands dirty, the Boomers send in their security forces, the Youthanisers, a third class of cybernetically enhanced people that 'protect' the Boomers and their interests, but are little more than state sanctioned killers. 

When one of the Youthanisers attacks people in the slums, killing anyone it can find, not caring if they're engaging in any crime or if they were part of the attack that spurred this on, a young girl named Pixie ends up in an underground vault that's home to an old mech from the Tech Wars. This silent young girl is somehow able to connect with this machine, seemingly with her mind, and uses it to battle the Youthaniser. Thus begins a war between the Boomers and the youth of society, one where survival itself hangs in the balance, and with the promise that society itself will forever be changed by the outcome.

It's not hard to see the subjects that Boom Bandits is tackling, but like with all good satire it's done in such a way that you get from this what you want to take away. You can read the book simply as a story set in a fictitious future where gangs are fighting back against an oppressive system with little more to it than just being a decent sci-fi story; but if you want to you can go deeper, you can see the social commentary about generation inequality, crime, police brutality, and other topics. Boom Bandits has a lot to say, but it doesn't preach, it allows the reader to find these things on their own and trusts that you're smart enough to see what's being done here. And even if you're not, you're probably still going to have a good time reading it anyway.

Boom Bandits moves at a pretty brisk pace, and it likes to get the reader from important point to important point as quickly as possible. As such, it can sometimes feel like the story is moving a bit too fast, and there are times where I came away wanting a bit more space to explore this world and the characters a little more before the next big set piece of story beat was hit. That being said, enough time is spent with the characters that the few really important ones get fleshed out enough that you can understand their motivations, you feel a connection to them, and you feel bad when some of them don't make it to the end. Other characters, particularly some of the older Boomer characters, don't quite get the same treatment, and come off as a little cartoonish in their villainy, but this may be intentional, as it does help towards showing this 'upper' class as a faceless, detached mass, one that feels less individual and more of a system of oppressors. 

The art, also by the book's writer Bruno Stahl, looks absolutely fantastic. I have to be honest, the first time I read Boom Bandits was as individual issues for the first two parts of the book, and I read these digitally. I enjoyed the art at the time, but I honestly didn't connect with it as much as I did now having the physical book in my hands. The black and white art looks so much better on paper than it does a screen, and where before I may have felt that it needed a little something more to feel fully finished and realised now it just works for me. I loved the art on the book, and even once I was finished reading I'd find myself flipping through it several times, just soaking up the images. Digital comics may be more common now, and often easier to get than physical books, but as far as I'm concerned the best way to experience Boom Bandits is with the physical book in your hands.

Boom Bandits is a book that I enjoyed more as a complete, physical package, so if you missed out on the individual issues and have been holding out for the complete collection this new graphic novel will more than satisfy you. If you like British comics, and are a fan of 2000AD this book will feel right at home for you, as it feels like it was ripped right out of the pages of that publication (in the best way possible). I can't wait to see what Bruno Stahl and Helldunkel Studios gives us next, because this book was an absolute joy to read.

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