End of the month? More like end of my existence as we have NINE comics to check out. From Clark Kent getting personally victimized at work to a team-up between a badass Colonel and a badass barbarian, we've got it all! Including some controversy. OOH CONTROVERSY!
Action Comics #1003
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis / Artist: Yanick Paquette / Colors: Nathan Fairbrian / Letters: Josh Reed
The longer this story goes, the more I'm liking it. It just feels like a solid story, be it a Superman one or not. There's a solid mystery, some good comedy, and things move at a really good pace. Add on top it that we're dealing with someone that may or may not know Clark's alter ego and someone that's capable of getting Kryptonite and you've got me hooked. I dropped off the main title book in place of this one because it does feel so personal and so much more mysterious and intriguing.
Plus, I like Superman for Clark Kent. Clark Kent is what makes Superman so interesting, so to have a whole book basically dedicated to him is going to be right up my alley. Not to mention there are some fun surprise appearances by other characters that make for some good comedy and helps move the story along.
Patrick Gleason is off art-duties this week but it's still just as good since we have Yanick Paquette here to pick up where he left off. I'm not all that familiar with Paquette's work outside of (I think) Nightwing from a few years back, but it's really good stuff. The page layouts are easy to follow, all of the panels flow really well in some stranger, trippier sequences, and this, more than most other books, feels like a real comic book for it. It has some thicker lines around the characters and everyone looks great, especially Superman. His design, for some reason, really stands out in this comic. Maybe it's because the blue suit makes so few appearances, or it's how Paquette draws him with such great authority.
I'd be remiss to mention Nathan Fairbrian's colors. In some of those stranger sequences, color would easily be something that gets away from someone, but he keeps a consistent motif throughout the page to keep the reader reminded of why things are happening. Plus, he colors the scene with the surprise guest appearance very well, keeping it true to the character involved.
Plus, I like Superman for Clark Kent. Clark Kent is what makes Superman so interesting, so to have a whole book basically dedicated to him is going to be right up my alley. Not to mention there are some fun surprise appearances by other characters that make for some good comedy and helps move the story along.
Patrick Gleason is off art-duties this week but it's still just as good since we have Yanick Paquette here to pick up where he left off. I'm not all that familiar with Paquette's work outside of (I think) Nightwing from a few years back, but it's really good stuff. The page layouts are easy to follow, all of the panels flow really well in some stranger, trippier sequences, and this, more than most other books, feels like a real comic book for it. It has some thicker lines around the characters and everyone looks great, especially Superman. His design, for some reason, really stands out in this comic. Maybe it's because the blue suit makes so few appearances, or it's how Paquette draws him with such great authority.
I'd be remiss to mention Nathan Fairbrian's colors. In some of those stranger sequences, color would easily be something that gets away from someone, but he keeps a consistent motif throughout the page to keep the reader reminded of why things are happening. Plus, he colors the scene with the surprise guest appearance very well, keeping it true to the character involved.
Amazing Spider-Man #6
Writer: Nick Spencer / Penciller: Humberto Ramos / Inks: Victor Olazaba / Colors: Edgar Delgado / Letters: VC's Joe Caramagna
I'm really not sure what to make of this issue. A lot of it relates to Boomerang and how Peter is going to handle him as a roommate, since he's a supervillain, and a lot of it follows Boomerang around. But, problem is, I don't really care about Boomerang, I care about Peter. The book really doesn't clinch me until the end when Peter gets himself wrapped up in a sticky situation (oh, god, that pun, it hurt to type it...). I think the next issue, since it'll be far less setup, will be much more what I'm looking for out of this comic, which has been fast-paced and exciting so far.
I'm also normally rather iffy on Humberto Ramos's art but here's it's just amazing. He has to compile so many supervillains, each with incredibly unique designs, into a single room and make them look good and he certainly does. There's one large panel in particular that's quite impressive on his part. Also I like how Boomerang looks with Ramos's style, it fits him well, especially in the light that Nick Spencer is going for with the character. Edgar Delgado also pulls a ton of weight here with giving those character designs life and keeping them consistent and not having colors batle with themselves, it's good on his part that my eyes are wandering around some panels to absorb all of the great looking characters.
I'm also normally rather iffy on Humberto Ramos's art but here's it's just amazing. He has to compile so many supervillains, each with incredibly unique designs, into a single room and make them look good and he certainly does. There's one large panel in particular that's quite impressive on his part. Also I like how Boomerang looks with Ramos's style, it fits him well, especially in the light that Nick Spencer is going for with the character. Edgar Delgado also pulls a ton of weight here with giving those character designs life and keeping them consistent and not having colors batle with themselves, it's good on his part that my eyes are wandering around some panels to absorb all of the great looking characters.
Doomsday Clock #7
Writer: Geoff Johns / Artist: Gary Frank / Colors: Brad Anderson / Letters: Rob Leigh
Well, the big guy finally showed up and...yup. He sure did. He spoke a bunch of platitudes that I'm sure will make sense down the road and that was that, folks. We've waited nearly a year for this and, but, was it quite underwhelming. It's bookended by some very interesting developments but there's not enough context yet to make it as exciting as it should be. There remains no explanation for how Dr. Manhattan discovered the DC Universe, only his strange intrigue as to why he came and it's because he saw...an ending?
People were worried that this might betray the spirit of the original Watchmen and this issue gives those nay-sayers a bit of room to talk. Dr. Manhattan just doesn't feel right. He doesn't feel dismembered from things like he should be, that was the point of his character. He was a god among men toiling with humanity's insignificance and now, here? Worrying about his potential death, or that he dooms everything? Maybe the point is to make him human but he was never meant to serve that role. Ozymandias is the one who does that. Dr. Manhattan has no hubris or desires because those are human things.
And everyone else just feels so useless. The mime duo? Rorschach? Even Batman, the Joker, and the Comedian are second-fiddle to the story because Dr. Manhattan is only after Superman, but Superman has appeared TWICE in the entire comic! This comic is frustrating.
Mostly frustrating because the Gary Frank art is so stupidly good it's really not even fair. He does such an amazing job with each and every panel, pouring his heart and soul into them all to make them feel as impactful as they should. There has yet to be a bad-looking part of this comic. Even the single panel shot of the clean Watchmen button on the Joker looks great. It's a button! And Brad Anderson's colors are still the perfect complement to Frank's work. While most of the comic takes place with a beige background to represent wherever they are on Earth, Anderson still puts as much detail into his color work as Frank does with some of his backgrounds, and characters with multiple colors and shadows on them still have that amazing consistency to them.
Writer: Geoff Johns / Artist: Gary Frank / Colors: Brad Anderson / Letters: Rob Leigh
Well, the big guy finally showed up and...yup. He sure did. He spoke a bunch of platitudes that I'm sure will make sense down the road and that was that, folks. We've waited nearly a year for this and, but, was it quite underwhelming. It's bookended by some very interesting developments but there's not enough context yet to make it as exciting as it should be. There remains no explanation for how Dr. Manhattan discovered the DC Universe, only his strange intrigue as to why he came and it's because he saw...an ending?
People were worried that this might betray the spirit of the original Watchmen and this issue gives those nay-sayers a bit of room to talk. Dr. Manhattan just doesn't feel right. He doesn't feel dismembered from things like he should be, that was the point of his character. He was a god among men toiling with humanity's insignificance and now, here? Worrying about his potential death, or that he dooms everything? Maybe the point is to make him human but he was never meant to serve that role. Ozymandias is the one who does that. Dr. Manhattan has no hubris or desires because those are human things.
And everyone else just feels so useless. The mime duo? Rorschach? Even Batman, the Joker, and the Comedian are second-fiddle to the story because Dr. Manhattan is only after Superman, but Superman has appeared TWICE in the entire comic! This comic is frustrating.
Mostly frustrating because the Gary Frank art is so stupidly good it's really not even fair. He does such an amazing job with each and every panel, pouring his heart and soul into them all to make them feel as impactful as they should. There has yet to be a bad-looking part of this comic. Even the single panel shot of the clean Watchmen button on the Joker looks great. It's a button! And Brad Anderson's colors are still the perfect complement to Frank's work. While most of the comic takes place with a beige background to represent wherever they are on Earth, Anderson still puts as much detail into his color work as Frank does with some of his backgrounds, and characters with multiple colors and shadows on them still have that amazing consistency to them.
People were worried that this might betray the spirit of the original Watchmen and this issue gives those nay-sayers a bit of room to talk. Dr. Manhattan just doesn't feel right. He doesn't feel dismembered from things like he should be, that was the point of his character. He was a god among men toiling with humanity's insignificance and now, here? Worrying about his potential death, or that he dooms everything? Maybe the point is to make him human but he was never meant to serve that role. Ozymandias is the one who does that. Dr. Manhattan has no hubris or desires because those are human things.
And everyone else just feels so useless. The mime duo? Rorschach? Even Batman, the Joker, and the Comedian are second-fiddle to the story because Dr. Manhattan is only after Superman, but Superman has appeared TWICE in the entire comic! This comic is frustrating.
Mostly frustrating because the Gary Frank art is so stupidly good it's really not even fair. He does such an amazing job with each and every panel, pouring his heart and soul into them all to make them feel as impactful as they should. There has yet to be a bad-looking part of this comic. Even the single panel shot of the clean Watchmen button on the Joker looks great. It's a button! And Brad Anderson's colors are still the perfect complement to Frank's work. While most of the comic takes place with a beige background to represent wherever they are on Earth, Anderson still puts as much detail into his color work as Frank does with some of his backgrounds, and characters with multiple colors and shadows on them still have that amazing consistency to them.
Harbinger Wars II: Aftermath #1
Writer: Matt Kindt / Art: Adam Pollina / Colors: Diego Rodriguez / Letters: Dave Sharpe
Well, true to the title, this issue does deal with a lot of the aftermath from the war. Still not sure who half of these characters are because I didn't read some of their miniseries, but there is still quite a bit of meaningful resolution and setup for further character development and story threads down the line to touch on here. Most of it relies on our primary character from the war, Livewire, and how the entire world basically hates her.
And, there are good points to be had on both sides. On the one hand, she performed a mass act of aggression against the United States, but on the other hand, they'd been torturing innocent children for several years. For better or worse, everyone is going to be after her. But it's great to see her pal X-O Manowar and her former lover Ninjak having her back. It shows some semblance of solidarity with Livewire. Where we go from here? Who knows. Having X-O back on planet Earth is interesting enough and Ninjak has enough problems to deal with. We're already in the middle of a story where he has to hunt and find her, so given the information we have now, that could be quite interesting.
Adam Pollina arrives as the artist and does a pretty solid job all around. There aren't massive action setpieces to worry about so we're mostly reliant on character expression and some slight movements, and he handles that very well. His backgrounds are quite detailed in places, adding to the atmosphere. He also draws things to match the tone of Matt Kindt's storytelling, giving us better insight to what the characters are thinking or feeling at any given moment.
Writer: Matt Kindt / Art: Adam Pollina / Colors: Diego Rodriguez / Letters: Dave Sharpe
Well, true to the title, this issue does deal with a lot of the aftermath from the war. Still not sure who half of these characters are because I didn't read some of their miniseries, but there is still quite a bit of meaningful resolution and setup for further character development and story threads down the line to touch on here. Most of it relies on our primary character from the war, Livewire, and how the entire world basically hates her.
And, there are good points to be had on both sides. On the one hand, she performed a mass act of aggression against the United States, but on the other hand, they'd been torturing innocent children for several years. For better or worse, everyone is going to be after her. But it's great to see her pal X-O Manowar and her former lover Ninjak having her back. It shows some semblance of solidarity with Livewire. Where we go from here? Who knows. Having X-O back on planet Earth is interesting enough and Ninjak has enough problems to deal with. We're already in the middle of a story where he has to hunt and find her, so given the information we have now, that could be quite interesting.
Adam Pollina arrives as the artist and does a pretty solid job all around. There aren't massive action setpieces to worry about so we're mostly reliant on character expression and some slight movements, and he handles that very well. His backgrounds are quite detailed in places, adding to the atmosphere. He also draws things to match the tone of Matt Kindt's storytelling, giving us better insight to what the characters are thinking or feeling at any given moment.
And, there are good points to be had on both sides. On the one hand, she performed a mass act of aggression against the United States, but on the other hand, they'd been torturing innocent children for several years. For better or worse, everyone is going to be after her. But it's great to see her pal X-O Manowar and her former lover Ninjak having her back. It shows some semblance of solidarity with Livewire. Where we go from here? Who knows. Having X-O back on planet Earth is interesting enough and Ninjak has enough problems to deal with. We're already in the middle of a story where he has to hunt and find her, so given the information we have now, that could be quite interesting.
Adam Pollina arrives as the artist and does a pretty solid job all around. There aren't massive action setpieces to worry about so we're mostly reliant on character expression and some slight movements, and he handles that very well. His backgrounds are quite detailed in places, adding to the atmosphere. He also draws things to match the tone of Matt Kindt's storytelling, giving us better insight to what the characters are thinking or feeling at any given moment.
Heroes in Crisis #1
Writer: Tom King / Artist: Clay Mann / Colors: Tomeu Morey / Letters: Clayton Cowles
OH BOY. The big one. You've probably heard some things about this book already if you've been on any geek-related sites the last couple of days. This book has been majorly hyped not only because it's another Tom King book, but also because it's got that dangerous word "Crisis" stamped right there in the title. DC's been due for one for a while. Haven't had a "Crisis" miniseries since, what, Final Crisis? Though it looks like this is going to be as personal, if not a little more, as Identity Crisis, which has a whole heaping load of controversy around that one.
I'm not going to spoil who the two dead heroes are but they do come as a notable shock given the state of things in the DCU. And, obviously, these deaths aren't permanent. They still come as a major blow, but, that's the problem with comics nowadays. Though what does make it hurt, and I mean hurt a lot, is Superman's reaction to it, because he blames himself for putting these heroes in Sanctuary and for making this possible. It's such a heartbreaking reaction and by God do Tom King and Clay Mann do such an incredible job at conveying his emotions.
Oh, and Clay Mann's art is like the best so I'm not sure what else you want me to say. He does everything from a nine-panel-grid to splash pages with the utmost excellence. And there's something in the way he draws Superman that makes him truly awesome, a true icon. The interview pages are also very well done because they carry a lot of subtle emotional weight with them. He even draws some pretty good fight scenes throughout the book, there's a lot he had to juggle and he handles it with perfection.
Writer: Tom King / Artist: Clay Mann / Colors: Tomeu Morey / Letters: Clayton Cowles
OH BOY. The big one. You've probably heard some things about this book already if you've been on any geek-related sites the last couple of days. This book has been majorly hyped not only because it's another Tom King book, but also because it's got that dangerous word "Crisis" stamped right there in the title. DC's been due for one for a while. Haven't had a "Crisis" miniseries since, what, Final Crisis? Though it looks like this is going to be as personal, if not a little more, as Identity Crisis, which has a whole heaping load of controversy around that one.
I'm not going to spoil who the two dead heroes are but they do come as a notable shock given the state of things in the DCU. And, obviously, these deaths aren't permanent. They still come as a major blow, but, that's the problem with comics nowadays. Though what does make it hurt, and I mean hurt a lot, is Superman's reaction to it, because he blames himself for putting these heroes in Sanctuary and for making this possible. It's such a heartbreaking reaction and by God do Tom King and Clay Mann do such an incredible job at conveying his emotions.
Oh, and Clay Mann's art is like the best so I'm not sure what else you want me to say. He does everything from a nine-panel-grid to splash pages with the utmost excellence. And there's something in the way he draws Superman that makes him truly awesome, a true icon. The interview pages are also very well done because they carry a lot of subtle emotional weight with them. He even draws some pretty good fight scenes throughout the book, there's a lot he had to juggle and he handles it with perfection.
I'm not going to spoil who the two dead heroes are but they do come as a notable shock given the state of things in the DCU. And, obviously, these deaths aren't permanent. They still come as a major blow, but, that's the problem with comics nowadays. Though what does make it hurt, and I mean hurt a lot, is Superman's reaction to it, because he blames himself for putting these heroes in Sanctuary and for making this possible. It's such a heartbreaking reaction and by God do Tom King and Clay Mann do such an incredible job at conveying his emotions.
Oh, and Clay Mann's art is like the best so I'm not sure what else you want me to say. He does everything from a nine-panel-grid to splash pages with the utmost excellence. And there's something in the way he draws Superman that makes him truly awesome, a true icon. The interview pages are also very well done because they carry a lot of subtle emotional weight with them. He even draws some pretty good fight scenes throughout the book, there's a lot he had to juggle and he handles it with perfection.
Marvel 2-in-1 #10
Writer: Chip Zdarsky / Artist: Ramon Perez / Colors: Federico Blee / Letters: VC's Joe Caramagna
Oh my oh me oh my is this an amazing comic book ladies and gentlemen. This is full of heart, it's full of life, it's full of that pure, innocent goodness that you come looking for in a comic book. Zdarsky's run with Ben and Johnny has been nothing short of emotional and this one is very emotional for all the RIGHT reasons. We really see why these two are worthy of being not just part of the Fantastic Four, but just heroes in general. And we see why they are so good at it.
But besides a lot of the flare that goes on in this comic, there's still a lot to unpack for Johnny and Ben that hasn't been fully spoken of yet. Ben has some real powerhouse moments but Zdarsky saved the great one-liners for the Human Torch himself, and they are all awesome.
I don't want to compare this to the new Fantastic Four series by Dan Slott, but while I was reading it, I couldn't help but think of how much better this comic is, and it doesn't even feature the main brunt of the modern Fantastic Four. But it has the heart and it has the energy that a Fantastic Four comic needs. This is what a big return should feel like!
And boy oh boy does Ramon Perez help that out. While some of his faces are still a bit wonky to me, he draws some amazing fight sequences, some amazing setpieces, and just does an astounding job with some of the character designs here. His backgrounds are a bit stale but that also helps keep all of the characters, the things that matter, in focus. It definitely feels like a step up from the last issue, and that's maybe because now he's had an issue to get those characters and how they feel under his belt. We don't get to see the awesomeness of his Invisible Woman again save for some small snippits, but he draws close-ups on her face with great detail.
And what would a Marvel 2-in-1 review be without touching on how consistent and amazing the colors are in this comic? Federico Blee does a wonderful job with the big fight scenes here and helping the bombastic moments pop out a lot more. Again, the world that Ben and Johnny are on leaves for some more stale, boring colors, but when things kick into gear, Blee is right there to make it happen.
Writer: Chip Zdarsky / Artist: Ramon Perez / Colors: Federico Blee / Letters: VC's Joe Caramagna
Oh my oh me oh my is this an amazing comic book ladies and gentlemen. This is full of heart, it's full of life, it's full of that pure, innocent goodness that you come looking for in a comic book. Zdarsky's run with Ben and Johnny has been nothing short of emotional and this one is very emotional for all the RIGHT reasons. We really see why these two are worthy of being not just part of the Fantastic Four, but just heroes in general. And we see why they are so good at it.
But besides a lot of the flare that goes on in this comic, there's still a lot to unpack for Johnny and Ben that hasn't been fully spoken of yet. Ben has some real powerhouse moments but Zdarsky saved the great one-liners for the Human Torch himself, and they are all awesome.
I don't want to compare this to the new Fantastic Four series by Dan Slott, but while I was reading it, I couldn't help but think of how much better this comic is, and it doesn't even feature the main brunt of the modern Fantastic Four. But it has the heart and it has the energy that a Fantastic Four comic needs. This is what a big return should feel like!
And boy oh boy does Ramon Perez help that out. While some of his faces are still a bit wonky to me, he draws some amazing fight sequences, some amazing setpieces, and just does an astounding job with some of the character designs here. His backgrounds are a bit stale but that also helps keep all of the characters, the things that matter, in focus. It definitely feels like a step up from the last issue, and that's maybe because now he's had an issue to get those characters and how they feel under his belt. We don't get to see the awesomeness of his Invisible Woman again save for some small snippits, but he draws close-ups on her face with great detail.
And what would a Marvel 2-in-1 review be without touching on how consistent and amazing the colors are in this comic? Federico Blee does a wonderful job with the big fight scenes here and helping the bombastic moments pop out a lot more. Again, the world that Ben and Johnny are on leaves for some more stale, boring colors, but when things kick into gear, Blee is right there to make it happen.
But besides a lot of the flare that goes on in this comic, there's still a lot to unpack for Johnny and Ben that hasn't been fully spoken of yet. Ben has some real powerhouse moments but Zdarsky saved the great one-liners for the Human Torch himself, and they are all awesome.
I don't want to compare this to the new Fantastic Four series by Dan Slott, but while I was reading it, I couldn't help but think of how much better this comic is, and it doesn't even feature the main brunt of the modern Fantastic Four. But it has the heart and it has the energy that a Fantastic Four comic needs. This is what a big return should feel like!
And boy oh boy does Ramon Perez help that out. While some of his faces are still a bit wonky to me, he draws some amazing fight sequences, some amazing setpieces, and just does an astounding job with some of the character designs here. His backgrounds are a bit stale but that also helps keep all of the characters, the things that matter, in focus. It definitely feels like a step up from the last issue, and that's maybe because now he's had an issue to get those characters and how they feel under his belt. We don't get to see the awesomeness of his Invisible Woman again save for some small snippits, but he draws close-ups on her face with great detail.
And what would a Marvel 2-in-1 review be without touching on how consistent and amazing the colors are in this comic? Federico Blee does a wonderful job with the big fight scenes here and helping the bombastic moments pop out a lot more. Again, the world that Ben and Johnny are on leaves for some more stale, boring colors, but when things kick into gear, Blee is right there to make it happen.
Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers #31
Writer: Marguerite Bennett / Penciller: Simone di Meo / Inks: Alessando Cappuccio / Colors: Walter Baiamonte & Francesco Segala / Letters: Ed Dukeshire
Welp, just like Avengers and Justice League before it, we can officially categorize Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers as "I have no idea what's happening, but I think I like it!" Though such is the case when we shift gears into the hands of a new writer. Marguerite Bennett is on the helm now and there actually isn't a notable difference in tone or character, just that the story is a bit...weird. There isn't an inherent lack of knowledge in Ranger lore, it's just that things are being played around with a bit more. The Promethea really looks exactly like Terra Venture and I don't remember if this is something that's been touched on before or not. And there's another new Ranger, this one glitching in and out of reality, but she doesn't look like anything we've seen before. She kind of looks like those Gods we saw throughout "Shattered Grid."
And the Ranger team on the cover, while a cool one, doesn't really come together until the end, and it isn't as if we spend a majority of the issue with them together. They just kinda go off on a mission. We see them doing things on the ship, sure, but not a whole of interaction. It's a very interesting team, sure, but it's tough to say how they'll work as a cohesive unit just yet.
Simone di Meo was a good choice to pick for us to transition back from "Shattered Grid." Her art feels similar but different enough that we can move away from that tone into a far more dire one since apparently, the universe is falling apart or something. The lines here are a bit much in some parts and don't add as much detail as they should, but then she draws one of the coolest splash pages of the year so what do I know?
The colors here are tough to talk about. On the one hand, the Rangers all stand out very well. But on the other hand, they're out in space and everything is in shadow, so sometimes it's tough to make out just what is going on exactly.
Writer: Marguerite Bennett / Penciller: Simone di Meo / Inks: Alessando Cappuccio / Colors: Walter Baiamonte & Francesco Segala / Letters: Ed Dukeshire
Welp, just like Avengers and Justice League before it, we can officially categorize Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers as "I have no idea what's happening, but I think I like it!" Though such is the case when we shift gears into the hands of a new writer. Marguerite Bennett is on the helm now and there actually isn't a notable difference in tone or character, just that the story is a bit...weird. There isn't an inherent lack of knowledge in Ranger lore, it's just that things are being played around with a bit more. The Promethea really looks exactly like Terra Venture and I don't remember if this is something that's been touched on before or not. And there's another new Ranger, this one glitching in and out of reality, but she doesn't look like anything we've seen before. She kind of looks like those Gods we saw throughout "Shattered Grid."
And the Ranger team on the cover, while a cool one, doesn't really come together until the end, and it isn't as if we spend a majority of the issue with them together. They just kinda go off on a mission. We see them doing things on the ship, sure, but not a whole of interaction. It's a very interesting team, sure, but it's tough to say how they'll work as a cohesive unit just yet.
Simone di Meo was a good choice to pick for us to transition back from "Shattered Grid." Her art feels similar but different enough that we can move away from that tone into a far more dire one since apparently, the universe is falling apart or something. The lines here are a bit much in some parts and don't add as much detail as they should, but then she draws one of the coolest splash pages of the year so what do I know?
The colors here are tough to talk about. On the one hand, the Rangers all stand out very well. But on the other hand, they're out in space and everything is in shadow, so sometimes it's tough to make out just what is going on exactly.
And the Ranger team on the cover, while a cool one, doesn't really come together until the end, and it isn't as if we spend a majority of the issue with them together. They just kinda go off on a mission. We see them doing things on the ship, sure, but not a whole of interaction. It's a very interesting team, sure, but it's tough to say how they'll work as a cohesive unit just yet.
Simone di Meo was a good choice to pick for us to transition back from "Shattered Grid." Her art feels similar but different enough that we can move away from that tone into a far more dire one since apparently, the universe is falling apart or something. The lines here are a bit much in some parts and don't add as much detail as they should, but then she draws one of the coolest splash pages of the year so what do I know?
The colors here are tough to talk about. On the one hand, the Rangers all stand out very well. But on the other hand, they're out in space and everything is in shadow, so sometimes it's tough to make out just what is going on exactly.
The Flash #55
Writer: Joshua Williamson / Artist: Scott Kolins / Colors: Luis Guerrero / Letters: Steve Wands
Hey Scott Kolins is back on The Flash, that's awesome. And turns out his artwork is the best part of the book, so we'll just talk about that for a bit. From the very first page it is so refreshing to see his art back in this comic. He draws action and speed so well, and more important, his attention to detail is very fine, so everything feels real and when the big explosive moments happen they come with an impact. There are a few times where his faces get a little goofy and it looks like eyeballs are about to pop out of heads, but when characters are just chilling and talking it's all very good. Luis Guerrero does great work on coloring, too, to emphasize some more of the detail that Kolins puts into the work.
And I'll even touch on Steve Wands' lettering, because there are more than a few times where that becomes important. It's good stuff. I like the word balloons he gives the strange demons that show up and the text he uses near the end is downright chilling.
But as for the story itself? I guess it's a horror comic, we're doing that now. Halloween is soon, so, why not? It's a break from the Forces that Barry has been dealing with and really it just feels like this is filler for now so we can let other bigger stories get ahead. Each time we see Warden Wolfe I get more annoyed and there's so many cops getting their hands into Iron Heights I'm barely sure who is who anymore. I've got Barry and Iris down and that's what matters!
Really the most interesting stuff is potentially between Commander Cold and Iris, since she wants to help him out so badly. He's an intriguing character and I have a feeling will play a big role before this little arc is wrapped up, so that's definitely something to look forward to.
Writer: Joshua Williamson / Artist: Scott Kolins / Colors: Luis Guerrero / Letters: Steve Wands
Hey Scott Kolins is back on The Flash, that's awesome. And turns out his artwork is the best part of the book, so we'll just talk about that for a bit. From the very first page it is so refreshing to see his art back in this comic. He draws action and speed so well, and more important, his attention to detail is very fine, so everything feels real and when the big explosive moments happen they come with an impact. There are a few times where his faces get a little goofy and it looks like eyeballs are about to pop out of heads, but when characters are just chilling and talking it's all very good. Luis Guerrero does great work on coloring, too, to emphasize some more of the detail that Kolins puts into the work.
And I'll even touch on Steve Wands' lettering, because there are more than a few times where that becomes important. It's good stuff. I like the word balloons he gives the strange demons that show up and the text he uses near the end is downright chilling.
But as for the story itself? I guess it's a horror comic, we're doing that now. Halloween is soon, so, why not? It's a break from the Forces that Barry has been dealing with and really it just feels like this is filler for now so we can let other bigger stories get ahead. Each time we see Warden Wolfe I get more annoyed and there's so many cops getting their hands into Iron Heights I'm barely sure who is who anymore. I've got Barry and Iris down and that's what matters!
Really the most interesting stuff is potentially between Commander Cold and Iris, since she wants to help him out so badly. He's an intriguing character and I have a feeling will play a big role before this little arc is wrapped up, so that's definitely something to look forward to.
And I'll even touch on Steve Wands' lettering, because there are more than a few times where that becomes important. It's good stuff. I like the word balloons he gives the strange demons that show up and the text he uses near the end is downright chilling.
But as for the story itself? I guess it's a horror comic, we're doing that now. Halloween is soon, so, why not? It's a break from the Forces that Barry has been dealing with and really it just feels like this is filler for now so we can let other bigger stories get ahead. Each time we see Warden Wolfe I get more annoyed and there's so many cops getting their hands into Iron Heights I'm barely sure who is who anymore. I've got Barry and Iris down and that's what matters!
Really the most interesting stuff is potentially between Commander Cold and Iris, since she wants to help him out so badly. He's an intriguing character and I have a feeling will play a big role before this little arc is wrapped up, so that's definitely something to look forward to.
X-O Manowar #19
Writer: Matt Kindt / Artist: Juan Jose Ryp / Colors: Andrew Dalhouse / Letters: Dave Sharpe
Now this is a team-up I was not expecting, but am very much looking forward to more of! It's X-O Manowar and Col. Jamie Capshaw headed in to fight creatures from the Unknown. Not sure how much of a help Capshaw, a normal human, will be, but I guess we'll find out. She's a fairly capable woman and is very strategic and intelligent when it comes down to it. The scene where she gets chewed out is so good because it's so obvious that she could wipe the floor with this dude no problem, but she holds back, knowing she's going to show him up later.
There wasn't a whole lot of Aric until toward the end of the book when he heads off to meet the Unknown ship, and it is a solid scene, where we see just how outclassed Aric and Shanara are. It is rather reminiscent of his futile battle against Divinity, and I have to wonder how big a role that will play in the coming fight. Divinity may even get involved!
We have another standout art job here. Juan Jose Ryp may be one of my favorite artists to star in Valiant, alongside Clayton Crain. His work is just so brutal and real and detailed. Sometimes it's overly detailed and his mouths look a bit weird, like the faces don't have great proportions, but overall, the designs and aesthetic always work. Andrew Dalhouse also does amazing color work, moving from heavier shadows at times to the opulent greens and blues of a wide open field.
Writer: Matt Kindt / Artist: Juan Jose Ryp / Colors: Andrew Dalhouse / Letters: Dave Sharpe
Now this is a team-up I was not expecting, but am very much looking forward to more of! It's X-O Manowar and Col. Jamie Capshaw headed in to fight creatures from the Unknown. Not sure how much of a help Capshaw, a normal human, will be, but I guess we'll find out. She's a fairly capable woman and is very strategic and intelligent when it comes down to it. The scene where she gets chewed out is so good because it's so obvious that she could wipe the floor with this dude no problem, but she holds back, knowing she's going to show him up later.
There wasn't a whole lot of Aric until toward the end of the book when he heads off to meet the Unknown ship, and it is a solid scene, where we see just how outclassed Aric and Shanara are. It is rather reminiscent of his futile battle against Divinity, and I have to wonder how big a role that will play in the coming fight. Divinity may even get involved!
We have another standout art job here. Juan Jose Ryp may be one of my favorite artists to star in Valiant, alongside Clayton Crain. His work is just so brutal and real and detailed. Sometimes it's overly detailed and his mouths look a bit weird, like the faces don't have great proportions, but overall, the designs and aesthetic always work. Andrew Dalhouse also does amazing color work, moving from heavier shadows at times to the opulent greens and blues of a wide open field.
There wasn't a whole lot of Aric until toward the end of the book when he heads off to meet the Unknown ship, and it is a solid scene, where we see just how outclassed Aric and Shanara are. It is rather reminiscent of his futile battle against Divinity, and I have to wonder how big a role that will play in the coming fight. Divinity may even get involved!
We have another standout art job here. Juan Jose Ryp may be one of my favorite artists to star in Valiant, alongside Clayton Crain. His work is just so brutal and real and detailed. Sometimes it's overly detailed and his mouths look a bit weird, like the faces don't have great proportions, but overall, the designs and aesthetic always work. Andrew Dalhouse also does amazing color work, moving from heavier shadows at times to the opulent greens and blues of a wide open field.
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