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Detective Comics #975
Writer: James Tynion IV / Pencils: Alvaro Martinez / Inks: Raul Fernandez / Colors: Brad Anderson / Letters: ???
I had a solid feeling about going into this issue just on the cover alone. A confrontation with Batwoman has been teased for a while, and while I expected this to be the Gotham Knights going to her and finally getting the root of the problem (her connections to the Colony), I think we actually got something better as the core Bat-family assembled to be the jury for Batwoman's fate regarding where she stands with the rest of the Bat-family. Tynion has been working with this group of characters since 2014's Batman Eternal and it really shows here. The banter between the various Robins and Batgirl is amazing. I especially love how Damian is brought into the book.
But the book doesn't stop there. We get a solid flashback to the funeral of Batwoman's mother where we see the seeds of vengeance being planted in the mind of an innocent little girl, but we also see that a young Bruce Wayne is totally ready to walk down that road. It's a smart way of starting to link everything that Tynion's run of Detective Comics has been about: the ultimate disconnect between Batman and Batwoman. For as long as the story has been going, the two have always been on different sides of the same coin, so it's exciting to see that this has been the case since their youth.
This comic probably would have been just average if it weren't for the excellent artwork throughout the comic. Alvaro Martinez is capable of showing excellent emotion upon the character's faces throughout the entire conversation, but does amazing work with Batgirl. She's the easiest to read in the room, but it's entirely on purpose since she's sort of simmering in the background until her big speech at the end of the comic. Brad Anderson's colors are good as ever, and getting to see him bring the rest of the Robins and Batgirl to life is great.
I want to give special praise to Raul Fernandez's inks, though. What he does with shadows in this comic is simply mesmerizing. There's a splash page, with no dialogue anything, that is heavy with the shadow work and you instantly get not only the mood in the room, but also where each character stands in regards to how alight they are; the more in the light they are, the more set on their decision they are. It creates interesting foreshadowing for the conversation that's to come.
This is the final solo issue before the Tynion's final arc, "Batmen Eternal," which will likely see an end to what he and Scott Snyder started four years ago. It should be an epic, and I think that this issue highlights some of the best parts of his run with Batman and shows that he deserved to be on a Batman book.
But the book doesn't stop there. We get a solid flashback to the funeral of Batwoman's mother where we see the seeds of vengeance being planted in the mind of an innocent little girl, but we also see that a young Bruce Wayne is totally ready to walk down that road. It's a smart way of starting to link everything that Tynion's run of Detective Comics has been about: the ultimate disconnect between Batman and Batwoman. For as long as the story has been going, the two have always been on different sides of the same coin, so it's exciting to see that this has been the case since their youth.
This comic probably would have been just average if it weren't for the excellent artwork throughout the comic. Alvaro Martinez is capable of showing excellent emotion upon the character's faces throughout the entire conversation, but does amazing work with Batgirl. She's the easiest to read in the room, but it's entirely on purpose since she's sort of simmering in the background until her big speech at the end of the comic. Brad Anderson's colors are good as ever, and getting to see him bring the rest of the Robins and Batgirl to life is great.
I want to give special praise to Raul Fernandez's inks, though. What he does with shadows in this comic is simply mesmerizing. There's a splash page, with no dialogue anything, that is heavy with the shadow work and you instantly get not only the mood in the room, but also where each character stands in regards to how alight they are; the more in the light they are, the more set on their decision they are. It creates interesting foreshadowing for the conversation that's to come.
This is the final solo issue before the Tynion's final arc, "Batmen Eternal," which will likely see an end to what he and Scott Snyder started four years ago. It should be an epic, and I think that this issue highlights some of the best parts of his run with Batman and shows that he deserved to be on a Batman book.
Moon Knight #192
Writer: Max Bemis / Artist: Jacen Burrows / Inks: Guillermo Ortego / Colors: Mat Lopes / Letter: VC's Cory Petit
Much to my own surprise, I actually found myself enjoying this issue of Moon Knight, but it was only for the little things. The moments of his daughter playing with action figures of Kate Bishop and Dazzler, or of Marc just shutting down Bushman and kind of waiting to go through the motions with him. There's clever writing for a majority of the book, as well as some witty dialogue that does fit with the tone that Marc Spector should have. I also enjoyed the ludicrous location where the final battle of this arc is to be set, but it also sets up the potential for Moon Knight to get back to his roots; not, like, his 80s roots, I'm talking his Werewolf by Night roots.
I'm not sure what there is for me to say about the art that I haven't for the last view issues. I think Moon Knight himself was drawn better than in the past and I really enjoy Burrows' interpretation of Frenchie, it's a solid capturing of how he should look. The only thing that really bothered me was some of the coloring; I thought it was odd during the big fight scene at the end. We suddenly shifted from being on the sea to him fighting on an orange background? I think it was so Moon Knight doesn't get drowned out, but maybe there could have been a darker orange to symbolize that it's still nighttime and not a blaring sunset?
I found myself looking forward to the next issue by the end, though not by anything that the comic does (since the end doesn't make a lick of sense and it clearly just more Sun King mind-games) but by the cover. Should be cool, and will hopefully be action-packed.
I'm not sure what there is for me to say about the art that I haven't for the last view issues. I think Moon Knight himself was drawn better than in the past and I really enjoy Burrows' interpretation of Frenchie, it's a solid capturing of how he should look. The only thing that really bothered me was some of the coloring; I thought it was odd during the big fight scene at the end. We suddenly shifted from being on the sea to him fighting on an orange background? I think it was so Moon Knight doesn't get drowned out, but maybe there could have been a darker orange to symbolize that it's still nighttime and not a blaring sunset?
I found myself looking forward to the next issue by the end, though not by anything that the comic does (since the end doesn't make a lick of sense and it clearly just more Sun King mind-games) but by the cover. Should be cool, and will hopefully be action-packed.
Spider-Gwen #29
Writer: Jason Latour / Artist: Robbi Rodriguez / Colors: Rico Renzi / Letter: VC's Clayton Cowles
This is certainly the most interesting issue of Spider-Gwen we've gotten in a long time, if not in the entire run of the series, spanning all the way back to the pre-Secret Wars stuff in 2015. It opens in a very jarring, though quite comedic, way and then what follows is essentially an all-out brawl featuring the series' major fighters...
And I'd be lying if I said this wasn't the most excited for Spider-Gwen I've been in a while. The comic has spent the last 33 issues (again, including the early 2015 stuff) building up the menace that is Matt Murdock's Kingpin not only as a strategist but as a capable combatant. We see more of the former in this comic, and it makes him all the more the terrifying for when he actually feels the need to get into a fight.
I particularly enjoy the subversion of who gets into the real fight of the issue, as it really captures the heart of this "Gwenom." I've often thought Rodriguez's art in the fight scenes in this comic can get particularly amazing and it shows here; every blow that is landed has some significant weight to it. Each blow is carried out not to just injure but to knock the other one out. It's a real bare-knuckles, knock down brawl.
Rodriguz and Renzi also so a particularly good job with the pair of characters that appear through the comic that I don't want to give away, because their inclusion is such a surprise that it's actually impossible to predict. Latour includes them in a fairly jarring way and it doesn't make all that much sense why they would be worried about it until the very end, when the rest of the comic really comes into perspective and a much larger threat, one that's been under our nose for a while, makes its presence known. Again, I'm very much looking forward to the next issue.
I'm pretty glad that Spider-Gwen is back to form and is shaping up as the exciting action series that it began as. Hopefully it can keep this up for the rest of the arc!
And I'd be lying if I said this wasn't the most excited for Spider-Gwen I've been in a while. The comic has spent the last 33 issues (again, including the early 2015 stuff) building up the menace that is Matt Murdock's Kingpin not only as a strategist but as a capable combatant. We see more of the former in this comic, and it makes him all the more the terrifying for when he actually feels the need to get into a fight.
I particularly enjoy the subversion of who gets into the real fight of the issue, as it really captures the heart of this "Gwenom." I've often thought Rodriguez's art in the fight scenes in this comic can get particularly amazing and it shows here; every blow that is landed has some significant weight to it. Each blow is carried out not to just injure but to knock the other one out. It's a real bare-knuckles, knock down brawl.
Rodriguz and Renzi also so a particularly good job with the pair of characters that appear through the comic that I don't want to give away, because their inclusion is such a surprise that it's actually impossible to predict. Latour includes them in a fairly jarring way and it doesn't make all that much sense why they would be worried about it until the very end, when the rest of the comic really comes into perspective and a much larger threat, one that's been under our nose for a while, makes its presence known. Again, I'm very much looking forward to the next issue.
I'm pretty glad that Spider-Gwen is back to form and is shaping up as the exciting action series that it began as. Hopefully it can keep this up for the rest of the arc!
The Flash #41
Writer: Joshua Williamson / Artist: Carlos D'Anda / Colors: Luis Guerrero / Letters: Steve Wands
At first I didn't even notice the change in artist; it took me a quick re-read of the first few pages to notice that we were with D'Anda now. It's a solid, fluid shift, too, and I find it interesting that we should get an artist change just as we get a change of who the official Flash is for the comic. This is no longer Barry's story, it seems, so it's only fair for us to get a change-up in artistic style to portray this new POV.
This is an issue I've been waiting for since "Rebirth" two years ago: a comic where Post-Crisis Wally West takes over for a little bit. It's a refreshing switch and definitely gives us a different tone for this comic. The story here is fairly simplistic, but I think this is a necessary simplicity as we have to situate ourselves into Wally's shoes as he adjusts to his return to Central City and still considers his choice about approaching Iris and telling her the truth about who he is. The ending, and what happens, certainly provides us with an interesting situation that Wally will have to confront.
D'Anda works great for this comic, showing us solid versions of Kid Flash and the Flash of the Justice League of China. I really enjoy his solid line work here, and the coloring on display from Guerrero allows Avery and Wally's costumes to pop with energy whenever they're on a panel. And as always, the outfit for Post-Crisi Wally West is so bright and colorful that it matches the overall tone of his character very well, and both D'Anda and Guerrero have a field day with it.
This is an issue I've been waiting for since "Rebirth" two years ago: a comic where Post-Crisis Wally West takes over for a little bit. It's a refreshing switch and definitely gives us a different tone for this comic. The story here is fairly simplistic, but I think this is a necessary simplicity as we have to situate ourselves into Wally's shoes as he adjusts to his return to Central City and still considers his choice about approaching Iris and telling her the truth about who he is. The ending, and what happens, certainly provides us with an interesting situation that Wally will have to confront.
D'Anda works great for this comic, showing us solid versions of Kid Flash and the Flash of the Justice League of China. I really enjoy his solid line work here, and the coloring on display from Guerrero allows Avery and Wally's costumes to pop with energy whenever they're on a panel. And as always, the outfit for Post-Crisi Wally West is so bright and colorful that it matches the overall tone of his character very well, and both D'Anda and Guerrero have a field day with it.
X-O Manowar #12
Writer: Matt Kindt / Artist: Ryan Bodenheim / Coloring: Andrew Dalhouse / Letter: Dave Sharpe
Much like Moon Knight, I'm surprised I walked away something I didn't particularly enjoy from the last time I picked up this comic, and it, again, comes from a change in perspective. When last I read this comic, I wasn't a big fan of the art because it was a drastic change from the heavy paint-style that the book really reveled in; however, this is a tonal shift, and we're no longer reading an epic, we're reading a redemption story of sorts. This time, I did have problems with the art in regard to the Hunters, but I actually had bigger problems with the story.
Things feel a big more weightless than they did before; the Hunters are a threat that are too freshly introduced for me to care about how Aric goes about defeating them or how bad they injure some of Aric's pals, Schon not included because the story has really allowed us to become emotionally attached to her. The ending does have a certain amount of power to it, but makes no sense as to how it happened given what we saw earlier.
Seeing Aric come to terms with his situation and not just sit around and mope for several issues was refreshing though, and is quite in character.
I enjoyed the art most during the councilroom scene and the very beginning, where it feels like both Bodenheim and Dalhouse poured their all into this comic. I still don't enjoy the simpler designs of the Hunters since it makes them look like Warframe rip-offs, and it makes me much rather see that artist on this comic.
I'm curious where this comic will go given where this issue wraps and what's supposed to be coming in May in time for Harbinger Wars 2 and Aric's part to play in that story. We seem to be set up for a major conclusion to his arc out in space ad I hope that these next couple of issues deliver. I do think it'll necessary to ditch this simpler art style as we see Aric at his full-power, to really give weight and scale to what he can do when he's in a rage mode.
Things feel a big more weightless than they did before; the Hunters are a threat that are too freshly introduced for me to care about how Aric goes about defeating them or how bad they injure some of Aric's pals, Schon not included because the story has really allowed us to become emotionally attached to her. The ending does have a certain amount of power to it, but makes no sense as to how it happened given what we saw earlier.
Seeing Aric come to terms with his situation and not just sit around and mope for several issues was refreshing though, and is quite in character.
I enjoyed the art most during the councilroom scene and the very beginning, where it feels like both Bodenheim and Dalhouse poured their all into this comic. I still don't enjoy the simpler designs of the Hunters since it makes them look like Warframe rip-offs, and it makes me much rather see that artist on this comic.
I'm curious where this comic will go given where this issue wraps and what's supposed to be coming in May in time for Harbinger Wars 2 and Aric's part to play in that story. We seem to be set up for a major conclusion to his arc out in space ad I hope that these next couple of issues deliver. I do think it'll necessary to ditch this simpler art style as we see Aric at his full-power, to really give weight and scale to what he can do when he's in a rage mode.
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