THE HARBINGER #8 hits your local comic book store on May 25, but thanks to Valiant Entertainment, Monkeys Fighting Robots has a six-page exclusive preview for our readers. The book is written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, with art by Robbi Rodriguez, Rico Renzi drops the color, and you will read Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou’s letter work.
About THE HARBINGER #8: Psiot City is at war! A version of Peter Stanchek stands on both sides of the battle. It’s Harbinger vs. Renegade in the grand finale of THE HARBINGER, and only one version of Peter can remain…
Writer Kyle Starks (Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton, Rick And Morty) and artist Artyom Toplin come together for a collage of farmhouse horror in I Hate This Place #1. Featuring colors by Lee Loughridge and letters from Pat Brosseau, this opening chapter fires a shotgun blast of monsters and ghouls at the wall for one of the most fun creature features in recent memory. With fantastic, tense scripting and stellar visual work, this is a must-read for fans of off-kilter horror comics.
“After inheriting a farm house, Trudy and Gabby are ready to start the next chapter of their lives together…except it’s already home to a mysterious force that’s attracted ghosts, aliens, and all kinds of supernatural beings for decades.”
Writing & Plot
Kyle Starks puts together an immensely fun script for I Hate This Place #1. Every aspect of the plot and dialogue feels measured while still coming off as naturalistic and tonally appropriate. Trudy and Gabby, our leading couple, both have perfectly distinct personalities and are a blast to read as characters. Their dialogue and mannerisms bounce off of each other in a way that mimics a real couple with excellent chemistry. The pair’s quirks and details all come about through Stark’s script naturally, making this one of the most fun married couples to read in recent memory. Their reactions to the insane crap that happens to them is calmer than one would expect, but it fits with the overall feel of the comic. Speaking of that insane crap, Stark throws a bunch of it out there and it somehow all lands. Like a mix of The X-Files and The Cabin In The Woods, this story takes a bunch of different horror monsters and lets the roam free in different spaces on this little farm land. The core concept that comes into play – living on this land and just dealing with these entities as just a part of the property – is both hilarious and terrifying. The most impressive part of Stark’s script is how easy it is to care about this couple and feel empathy and fear for them, in the midst of such an insane plot. This is a fantastic script from beginning to end, and I’m already eager to see the next issue.
Art Direction
A comic with as insane a plot as I Hate This Place #1 deserves an equally insane art style. Fortunately, Artyom Toplin is here to deliver. His pencils make for a distinct design aesthetic that works very well in this book. Toplin’s sort of left-of-center, off-kilter designs for monsters and characters make each face and locale memorable. Toplin’s style is like a mix of Ryan Browne and Regular Show creator J.G. Quintel, and this is said as nothing but a compliment. His compositions are sleek and smartly framed, making the pacing of this issue saunter along with tension while endearing us more to the characters. This comic’s horror exists because of how Toplin builds sequences, which is doubly impressive given the book’s wild plot. Lee Loughridge’s colors finish off the aesthetic with a dark spectrum of neon and vaporwave-style hues. His work in here is eerie yet fun to look at, which fits perfectly with the rest of the comic. The lettering from Pat Brosseau has a neat hand drawn feel in both the regular text and the SFX letters. Functionally, it does as expected and makes for an easy reading experience – but looks cool while doing it. Overall, this is a comic that will stick out on the shelf and in your mind after reading it.
Verdict
I Hate This Place #1 is a crazy horror concept that is greatly executed. Kyle Starks’ writing is loaded with fantastic character work, memorable monster-intros, and a surprising amount of tension considering how nuts the plot is. The visuals from Artyom Toplin and Lee Loughridge are vivid and memorable, doing a great job of setting the pace and crafting this comic’s unique horror light-horror atmosphere. Be sure to grab this new issue when it hits shelves on May 18th!
From writer Greg Pak (Star Wars: Darth Vader, The Incredible Hulk) and artists Khoi Pham (Teen Titans, The Mighty Avengers) and Scott Hanna comes a new Milestone comic with one unique couple dynamic in Duo #1. Featuring colors by Chris Sotomayor and letters from Janice Chiang, this new chapter is held aloft by a fantastic, engaging script but let down by some just *okay* visual work.
“Nanotech engineers Dr. Kelly Vu and Dr. David Kim are committed to only one thing more than each other: using their regenerative nanobots to save the world. And following a violent attack, those very same nanobots end up saving David and Kelly’s lives…sort of. Their salvation comes with an unexpected consequence: husband and wife awaken to realize that they now share one super-powered body! But how close is too close, with the love of your life literally in your head? And what happens when a couple so closely bound discovers they have very different ideas about how their newfound powers should be used?”
Writing & Plot
A capitalist conspiracy, a compelling couple, and genuine emotional stakes make for one great first issue script in Duo #1. Greg Pak charms readers with a happily in-love pair in Doctors Kelly Vu and David Kim, and makes them even better with his sense of dialogue and characterization. This is a couple that wants solely to use their knowledge and resources to improve the world around them. Pak hits us with these altruistic tendencies from the opening pages, and makes us fall even more in love with this couple via their excellent dialogue. This is a couple that is sickeningly in love, but the text never gets too bubbly or cringe-y. Pak effectively makes this pair so loveable so that when tragedy at the hands of greedy a-holes strikes, it’s genuinely upsetting. What develops after this book’s major catastrophe is a wild combination of cool yet conceptually terrifying. Two people occupying the same body, even the most loving of couples, is a mortifying thought. The potential of what this titular duo can do with this incredible nanobot-driven power is exciting, and I also cannot wait to see them kick the crap out of the fat-cats that are responsible for their situation.
Art Direction
The sort of bright, futuristic aesthetic of Earth-M in Duo #1 is brought to life by the pencils of Khoi Pham. His compositions and character animations carry this comic’s pacing and endear readers to Kelly and David. His designs for some specific enemies that arrive are creepy and outright unnerving, adding a slice of horror into this superhero comic. This issue’s sense of pacing is carefully cultivated by how Pham builds sequences. He makes decisive cuts and shots on mostly larger panels that make the reading experience flow smoothly across the pages. His work here is largely very solid. However, I hate to say it’s the other areas of the art that fall short. The inks here lack any sort of definition and, when combined with the color style, make the comic look almost clay-like. Character features end up appearing soft and gummy and it results in pages that can be difficult to fully engage with. The colors, while vivid and rich in tone, have a sort of hyper-digital effect that could rub some readers the wrong way. It isn’t inherently bad, but could be considered an acquired taste. Oddly enough, similar inconsistencies were a part of the first issue of the new Blood Syndicate, so maybe it’s just an odd creative choice in the new Milestone books. The lettering from Janice Chiang is clean and completely serviceable, with fluid font changes and solid SFX lettering that blends into the reading experience well. Overall, this is a perfectly readable visual experience that I wish had been looked over a couple more times.
Verdict
Duo #1 is a comic with a fantastic script and solid penciling that is let down by inconsistent detail work. Greg Pak’s writing here is compelling, with great dialogue and twists that will bring out genuine emotional reactions from readers. Despite some great pencils from Khoi Pham, the details work in the inks and colors leaves something to be desired. Overall however, this comic is absolutely worth a pickup, so be sure to grab a copy when it hits shelves on May 17th!
NIGHTWING #92 hits your local comic book shop tomorrow, but thanks to DC Comics, we have a four-page preview to share with our readers. The book is written by Tom Taylor, with art by Bruno Redondo, Adriano Lucas drops the colors, and you will read Wes Abbott’s letter work. Variant covers by Jamal Campbell, Jen Bartel, and David Talaski.
About the issue. Blüdhaven mayor Melinda Zucco is in trouble—pretending to work for Blockbuster while secretly trying to take him and his gang of criminals down, while also working alongside Dick Grayson to uplift the city. But as his half-sister sharing the last name of the man who killed his parents, it’s…a lot to juggle, and enough for one to accidentally let slip a secret or two in the wrong company if she’s not careful… Meanwhile, Nightwing and Oracle cuddle up and decide to finally define their relationship.
Everything Everywhere All At Once has emerged as one of the biggest films of 2022, earning near-universal critical and audience acclaim. The question is does Everything Everywhere All At Once deserve this acclaim?
Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh) is a Chinese émigré to the United States. She runs a laundromat with her husband, Waymond (Ke Huy Quan). Tensions are high amongst the family and their business is about to be audited by the IRS. Evelyn’s world gets rocked when another version of Waymond hijacks her husband’s body to warn her the multiverse is under threat from a great villain, and she might be the only person able to stop them.
Multiverse stories have become increasingly popular. Since Avengers: Endgame the Marvel Cinematic Universe has explored their multiverse with Loki, Spider-man: No Way Home, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and DC is about to explore their multiverse with Flashpoint. Whilst on TV Rick and Morty and His Dark Materials have been hits. These aforementioned properties are big-budget blockbuster releases – Everything Everywhere All At Once gave the multiverse setting an indie sensibility.
What the writers/directors Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert created was the ultimate mash-up of Terry Gilliam, The Matrix, and Rick and Morty. Their film was an ambitious and oddball film that was hilarious, action-packed, and thoughtful. Everything Everywhere All At Once managed to have the trifecta of being entertaining, intelligent, and emotional.
Comparisons with Rick and Morty were the most obvious. Both Everything Everywhere All At Once and Rick and Morty were multiverse-set stories that were also zany comedies and looked at philosophical ideas. Everything Everywhere All At Once was bloody hilarious: it provided some of the biggest belly laughs I have had in the cinema for a long time. There were small interactions between the characters that raise a chuckle, to big outlandish moments. This was a film where characters had to perform random actions so they could gain special abilities. Some of the moments that induced big laughs were the Space Odyssey parody and when a man tried to use a phallic-looking item.
Like Rick and Morty, Everything Everywhere All At Once addressed the issue of existentialism. It was a world-shattering revelation for Evelyn to find out she was just an insignificant speck in a vast multiverse. The version of Evelyn that the film followed was of a woman who never fulfilled her potential which adds to the existential crisis. A part of the film felt very similar to the Rick and Morty episode “Rixty Minutes” because Evelyn got to experience the life of a successful version of herself if she never married Waymond.
The film’s villain came to a similar conclusion as Rick Sanchez about the multiverse: everything is meaningless. If every eventuality can happen then why bother. Owlman in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths had the same view as Everything Everywhere All At Once’s villain and set out to destroy all reality. The villain in the film had the ability to go into any universe without any technology and had the abilities of a god.
Comparisons between Everything Everywhere All At Once and The Matrix may not seem obvious at first. Everything Everywhere All At Once was a bizarre indie film, whilst The Matrix was a special effects-heavy sci-fi film with a major studio backing. Yet there were similarities. Both films were high-concept sci-fi films with a focus on philosophical issues. Evelyn was like Thomas Anderson/Neo because they were both living mundane lives and ended up having their minds blown when they find out the true nature of their reality.
The comparisons can go even deeper. In The Matrix characters could have skills like martial arts and piloting helicopters uploaded into their minds. In Everything Everywhere All At Once people could instantly gain the skills of other versions of themselves through ‘reverse-jumping.’
Everything Everywhere All AtOnce was also a really fun action film. Michelle Yeoh is an accomplished martial artist, so it was great to see her use her skills once again. There were some fight scenes that were also funny. Some of the highlights were when Alphaverse Waymond used a fanny pack as an effective weapon, one character gained wrestling abilities, and Evelyn had to fight off a mass of agents from another universe. The fight scenes had a Jackie Chan quality to them, especially when Waymond was involved because of his agility and use of weapons.
Everything Everywhere All At Once wasn’t just a high concept film, it was a family drama. Evelyn had tensions with her family members. Waymond was trying to muster the courage to give his wife divorce papers. There was generational strain because Evelyn’s father (James Hong) had disowned his daughter due to her marriage, whilst Evelyn and her daughter, Joy (Stephanie Hsu) had a frosty relationship. Evelyn was uncomfortable with Joy being gay and dropping out of college. This all plays into the stereotype that Asian parents are overbearing but Everything Everywhere All At Once does have fun with the idea and for Evelyn sorting out her family issues was just as important as saving the multiverse.
Due to the film taking place in many different universes and showing different versions of the characters it required a great editing job. And Paul Rogers provided. He was able to make the film a compelling piece. The climax was mesmerizing as it showed events across the multiverse. Rogers deserves an Oscar nomination, at least for his work.
Everything Everywhere All At Once was a rare film because it got everything right. It had perfect acting, writing, and direction, making it a cinematic triumph!
From modern comics star-writer James Tynion IV (Batman Detective Comics; Something Is Killing The Children) and artist Gavin Fullerton (Bog Bodies) comes a horror story of humanity and vulnerability in The Closet #1. With colors from Chris O’Halloran and lettering by Tom Napolitano, this first issue is the perfect blend of compelling character writing and outright creepiness. With a career-high script from Tynion and intensely atmospheric visuals from the art team, this is a must-read first issue for horror buffs.
“Thom is moving cross-country with his family and dragging the past along with them. His son, Jamie, is seeing monsters in the bedroom closet and will not let them go.”
Writing & Plot
James Tynion IV once again reminds readers how great horror works with his script for The Closet #1. The majority of this comic is written as a sad reflection on one man’s failings and struggles in his relationship. This baggage and conflict in turn fuel the very horror that is being inflicted upon this couple’s son. This type of intimate, cyclical horror is what Tynion is best known for, as it’s similar to his approach in Something Is Killing The Children. However, this approach is much more sub textual yet deliberate in its messaging about how trauma and conflict affect kids. Tynion’s script is free of overhead narration, instead burying his meaning in the characters’ dialogue. This dialogue is also, as expected, brilliantly human. The conversations can range from poetic introspection to just a couple with a toxic power dynamic having a argument. Every aspect of the dialogue writing is memorable and human. However, possibly the most impressive aspect of Tynion’s writing is what he does when there are no words on a panel. His script directions for the silent panels are loaded with tension and meaning. For this comic it ranges from the dad silently staring at a beer glass, to a child confronting a horrific apparition manifesting in their closet. Tynion is at the absolute top of his game here, and I can’t wait to see how the rest of this series develops.
Art Direction
Horror comics can have incredibly compelling scripts, but that won’t mean anything if the visuals can’t sell the terror. This is why The Closet #1 has Gavin Fullerton on hand to deliver a deeply atmospheric reading experience. His character detail and set design are engrossing, allowing readers to get lost in the narrative and tone of this story. Character expressions are realistic and make us feel like we’re in the room, watching discussions and arguments take place. Fullerton’s compositions make these character-centered, mundane sequences feel naturally paced and more compelling with his choice of focus. This deliberate sense of pacing goes double for the creepy sequences where the horror comes alive. These are the parts where Tynion just lets Fullerton do the work, and it pays off in spades. The careful composition of these quiet, unnerving sequences and the slow reveal of the monster are genuinely chilling and are the work of a practiced pro.
The atmosphere of this book is brought together by the colors of Chris O’Halloran. His unique tones and darker color choices make this book stand out and keep the whole experience encapsulating and unnerving. The lettering from Tom Napolitano is memorable and matches the visual tone of the comic. There’s a kind of imperfect hand-drawn feel to the font that makes it stick out and be a part of the visual experience, but still feels natural to read. Overall, this is a visually outstanding horror comic that stands tall with some of the best in the genre.
Verdict
The Closet #1 is a brilliant first chapter to this character-driven horror comic. James Tynion IV’s script is insightful and thematically rich, while still knowing how to bring the chills. The visuals from Gavin Fullerton and Chris O’Halloran are immaculately detailed and sharply composed, crafting a dense and tension-filled atmosphere from beginning to end. Be sure to grab this first issue when it hits shelves on June 1st!
EROTECH is a dark office comedy about making the perfect sexbot. You can back the project to publish the first issue starting May 16 on Kickstarter. The book is written by Darin X. Cape with art by Geoffrey Krawczyk. Monkeys Fighting Robots talked with Krawczyk about his latest project.
About the book: Join Samantha as she rallies her team of misfit engineers and out-of-touch managers to release a new sex robot in this edgy comedy.
MFR – Geoff, thank you for taking the time to talk with me. EROTECH #1 is launching on Kickstarter; what will your emotions be like on the first day?
Krawczyk –I’m not quite sure what to expect! This will be my first stab at crowdfunding, and so I’m a bit nervous. We’ve been doing a lot of research with people to find out what people expect and want from a KS project. I think we’ve got some cool stuff and, of course, a great book, so I’m hopeful for sure.
MFR – Can you talk about your creative partnership with Darin X. Cape; were his scripts tight, or did he give you room to breathe artistically?
Krawczyk –Darin has been fantastic to work with. He contacted me on an availability posting I made, and we clicked immediately. He’s created some fun characters and a story that I think is engaging and has a great mix of relatable and absurd. His script was laid out fairly tightly, but he truly let me build the visuals the way I saw fit, including tweaking dialog, pacing, jokes, etc. And he was always receptive to my ideas as we worked, so it was a collaboration in the end, and I’m thrilled that we were so in tune.
MFR – EROTECH is a dark comedy; what was your design approach to the first issue?
Krawczyk –Darin and I both wanted the story to exist without a specific time and place, sort of either 2 hours or 5 years from now. So I tried to design a world that felt like a contemporary office space but with just a hint of futurism. The throwback 64 color palette and halftone with modern digital tools also is a big part of that. And the story has so much color and character, so I knew the drawing style could incorporate pseudo-realism to ground it but with a lot of exaggerated cartoony language. I wanted it to be wacky but still feel real.
MFR – How do you make comedy work in a comic book as the artist?
Krawczyk –Comedy is all about timing, which is why I think comics are so well suited for it. I get a maddening amount of control of how the reader moves through the story and dialog (if I do it right), and you can use that to your advantage with panel structure and page turns. I also tried to add some funny things as background and set dressing, so it rewards a re-read. I want to build on that as we do more!
MFR – The color palette in the issue is very stylized and textured; talk about the emotions you were trying to convey.
Krawczyk –I wanted each scene to have its own distinct color palette because, with such a dialog-heavy story set in a corporate office, it can be tough to distinguish locations. So I tried to make them distinct while repeating motifs throughout the issue. And I am fond of the older comics’ palette and prominent halftones. It just has such a great flavor that’s a bit Pop Art/Mad Men. And using digital tools to color, I could approach it a bit like painting, building up more complex coloring and effects to accent the story more than you could actually accomplish back in the day. It’s a nice mix of old and new.
MFR – Samantha goes through a range of emotions throughout the issue, with the last page ending in a solid statement. How did you set up the panel structure to stick the landing on this dramatic moment?
Krawczyk –We took our time with the last few pages because we wanted to wrap up the story and set up the next issue without it feeling rushed. The dialog was worked over to give us a bit of room to breathe, even as there’s a complex interplay between the characters and locations. I think the palette changes between the control room and the experiment floor (even down to panel borders shape being distinct) also help to give it a nice visual rhythm, so that the relative lack of color and close up of Samantha ends the sequence with a nice pop and centers the story on her, even as she guides us to the next issue.
MFR – EROTECH is an office drama; how hard was it to set up panels and keep the back-and-forth conversation organized so the reader’s eye could flow through the pages?
Krawczyk –I credit Wally Wood and Larry Hama for their storytelling directives a lot. It’s not so much about slavishly following the 22 panels, but more so considering how the camera placement can accentuate the storytelling and keep it both clear and interesting. And I think it’s nearly impossible to escape a lot of ‘talking heads’ type shots in this kind of office setting, so I also tried hard to use facial expression and body language to help too.
MFR – The comic book industry is harsh; how do you measure success?
Krawczyk –At the end of the day, it’s all about getting the book into the widest amount of hands. I think we’ve got a unique story to tell and have put together a fun and eye-catching book, as well as some fun things planned for the campaign. I want to deliver the best reading experience I can for the people who support us. If we can do well enough to start work on the next issue, then I will be THRILLED!
MFR – A year from now, you have a table at a convention, and you see someone cosplaying as the L-1000; what will your reaction be?
Krawczyk –Ha! It would honestly blow my mind. Although, a totally faithful cosplay may not be allowed on the all-ages floor! 😉
MFR – Geoff, thank you again for your time, and best of luck with EROTECH #1!
VENOM: LETHAL PROTECTOR #2 hits your local comic book store on May 18th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, you can read the first four pages right here on Monkeys Fighting Robots!
About the issue: VENOM VS HYDRO-MAN…FOR THE FIRST TIME! ‘NUFF SAID!
The issue is by writer (and Venom co-creator) David Michelinie and artist Ivan Fiorelli, with colors by Bryan Valenza, and letters by Travis Lanham. The main cover is by Paulo Siqueira and Matthew Wilson.
This LETHAL PROTECTOR series takes readers back to Venom’s early days, while also promising “hints at what’s to come in his future!”
Check out the VENOM: LETHAL PROTECTOR #2 preview below:
Are you reading the new VENOM: LETHAL PROTECTOR? Sound off in the comments!
WHERE STARSHIPS GO TO DIE #1 hits your local comic book store June 6th, but thanks to AfterShockComics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you.
About the issue: Point Nemo – the farthest oceanic point on earth from any landmass. A spacecraft graveyard where rockets and satellites can be safely ditched on the ocean floor. In a near future ravaged by climate change, an African astronaut teams with an Indian shipping magnate to mount a dangerous salvage mission to recover the wreck of humanity’s first interstellar starship. But what they find is beyond their worst nightmares.
WHERE STARSHIPS GO TO DIE is by writer Mark Sable and artist Alberto Locatelli, with colors by Juancho!, and letters by Rob Steen. The main cover is by Jeremy Haun, and the incentive variant is by Maan House.
Check out our WHERE STARSHIPS GO TO DIE #1preview below:
Are you looking forward to WHERE STARSHIPS GO TO DIE? Sound off in the comments!
WOLVERINE #24 is due to hit your local comic shop in August, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has the privilege of revealing the cover and solicit text for you today!
The comic is by writer Benjamin Percy and artist Federico Vicentini, with a cover by Adam Kubert.
About the issue: HELL ON EARTH – AN A.X.E. TIE-IN!
The Hand’s HELLBRIDE seeks revenge on WOLVERINE and SOLEM. But with Earth reeling from the revelations of A.X.E., a dire play from the Best There Is may be the planet’s last, best hope!
As the solicit text states, this issue will be a tie-in to JUDGEMENT DAY, Marvel’s summer event starring the Avenvers, X-Men, and Eternals (A.X.E.). Marvel will be announcing their various August tie-in issues throughout this week.
Check out the WOLVERINE #11 cover below:
Are you excited for Marvel’s JUDGEMENT DAY? Sound off in the comments!
