DEATH OF DOCTOR STRANGE #3 hits your local comic book store November 24th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you.
About the issue: MEET THE THREE MOTHERS! With no Sorcerer Supreme, Earth is left entirely defenseless against the mother – MOTHERS – of all mystical threats. Meet the Three Mothers: the Wyrd, an alien mage-priestess; the Crown, a powerful warrior-queen; and the Crawling, a monstress composed of acid-mouthed worms. Will they be the Marvel Universe’s undoing? And were they the ones who killed Stephen Strange?! In the vein of the Black Order, don’t miss the first appearances of the next great Marvel villain team!
The issue is by writer Jed MacKay and artist Lee Garbett, with colors by Antonio Fabela, and letters by Cory Petit. The main cover is by Kaare Andrews.
Check out the DEATH OF DOCTOR STRANGE #3 preview below:
Are you reading DEATH OF DOCTOR STRANGE? Sound off in the comments!
I read AfterShock Comics’ The Heathens #1about a week ago. Since then, I’ve found myself at a total loss for words about it. It’s not that The Heathens #1 isn’t fantastic. In fact, it’s the kind of comic you feel like you’ve been waiting to see, you just didn’t know it yet. It scratches an itch you didn’t know you had. The problem for me, with The Heathens #1, is it so masterfully immerses you in its world, it’s hard to even talk about the nuts and bolts of it. It doesn’t feel like a comic, like words and pictures. Writers Cullen Bunn and Heath Amodio, artist Sami Kivela, colorist Jason Wordie, and letterer Simon Bowland throw readers into a living, breathing, fully fleshed-out world. You’re guaranteed to get lost in its pages.
About THE HEATHENS #1 (from AfterShock Comics)
When evil men and women escape from the depths of the eternal abyss, the Pirate Queen Lady Shih is sent to retrieve them. But when one of history’s most notorious killers breaks free, even she needs help. Enter the Heathens: Shih, Lucky Luciano, Bumpy Johnson, Sofia the Golden Hand, and Billy the Kid. From Hell they came to mete out a justice as dark as their own tormented souls.
Writing
The concept of The Heathens is brilliant from the get-go. Bunn and Amodio have created a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen type of cast, except it’s populated by history’s damned souls. Joseph Stalin, the Zodiac Killer, Jack the Ripper and more stalk these pages. But it’s more than just the concept of The Heathens that makes this issue so brilliant. It’s that readers are thrown into a world that’s already been set into motion. Bunn and Amodio do no handholding, they offer no exposition dumps. Readers are greeted by two dead bodies, a couple anachronisms, and a mysterious chat between a hunter and her prey. The sheer intrigue and “What’s going on?” of it all will pull you in and it won’t let you go.
Art
Kivela has a stunning knack for the theatric. On one page, Lady Shih unsheathes her sword and swings it through the air. The whole page is interrupted by a severed hand, flying through the page’s center. Often, panels bleed – quite literally – into one another. Not only does this have a really cinematic effect, but when there’s no gutter between panels Kivela makes these characters seem like they can almost be two places at once. When we get a brief rundown of Lady Shih’s tumultuous history, the page is as rocky and chaotic as her life. Kivela makes each panel look like a wave that washes away the panel before it. Every page layout is brilliantly set up to focus readers in on the most important parts of the scene. Kivela’s tools are order and chaos. He uses both in equal measure, to devastating effect.
Coloring
Wordie uses plenty of red for this issue. And in the first scene, he makes sure we know why. The scene is cast in a subtle blue light. Everything in the panel is affected by the darkness of the nighttime, except for one thing. Two bodies sit in a car, bullet holes through their heads. Their blood stands out in brilliant red. It sets the tone for the issue, but also gives the color red a poignancy. So when we see Lady Shih is dressed fully in red, or the heathens all against a red background, it speaks to us of the blood on their hands. Wordie makes every seen come to life on the page, while also adding that simple but brilliant flare of meaning to each page.
Lettering
Bowland’s lettering gives this issue a clear rhythm. The first letters we see in The Heathens are in a big yellow “BLAM.” Lady Shih dodges the bullet, whispers to herself in small font, and then returns fire with a single “WABOOM.” The W and A are skinny, and the BOOM stretches out in thick, orange bubble letters. You can hear the power behind the shot, you can listen for the echo. As the issue continues, the fonts change constantly. Shih’s prey, ranting anxiously, talks in small font before he dies. The use of bold and the parsing out of the dialogue makes it so that our cast of characters has a patter to what they say. Bowland creates a dynamic between these characters, showing how casually they address one another.
But one of the most impressive feats of lettering comes in the last couple pages. The Heathens breaks from its narrative, interrupted by pages from Stalin’s journal. The pages look stained, with creases and what looks like hand lettered font. At the top of each page is typed “JOURNAL OF JOSEPH VISSARIONOVICH STALIN.” But if you look closely, the alignment for the lettering is off and differs on every page. It’s a fantastic effect, mimicking the look of a page written through an old fashioned typewriter. Even in the smallest details, this issue delivers.
AfterShock’s The Heathens #1 is more than just a story. It’s a world to get lost in. Bunn, Amodio, Kivela, Wordie and Bowland are doing stunning work. Pick up The Heathens #1, already out, at your local comic shop! And check out the preview for The Heathens #2.
King Richard is the heartwarming family sports drama everyone should see this holiday season. With an Oscar-worthy performance from its lead, King Richard delivers an important message about staying focused. This thrilling story about the life of Richard Williams, Venus and Serena Williams’ father, is a captivating experience from start to finish.
Venus and Serena Williams are recognized as two of the world’s best tennis players. It was only a matter of time before a film came along to dive into their upbringing. However, King Richard isn’t told through the lens of Venus or Serena. Richard Williams carries the weight of this crowd-pleasing affair to highlight his influence on his two daughters. The film follows Williams (Smith), a father determined to turn his two daughters into global icons.
Director Reinaldo Marcus Green helms this inspiring true story that should warm everyone’s heart. Smith is joined by Aunjanue Ellis, Jon Bernthal, Tony Goldwyn, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton, and Kevin Dunn. A biopic about the childhood of Serena (Singleton) and Venus Williams (Sidney) told from the perspective of their father works overall, but another project centered on their adulthood should allow for more focus on the two stars. Zach Baylin’s script translates into this endearing film about a father who wants the best for his daughters, but if you came for Serena and Venus, they take a backseat.
Richard Williams is depicted as a man on a mission, he’s been through hardship, and intends to create a better future for his family. With an abusive and less fortunate upbringing, he refuses to let anything stop his two tennis stars from reaching the top. King Richard goes beyond tennis, the sport is an integral part of its story, but this film thrives more in its focus on a family overcoming their setbacks. No one is left behind in Richard’s vision, but his methods don’t always sit well with others. While his intentions are good, Richard can be a bit controlling and stubborn.
Green paces the film tremendously, which allows audiences to become attached to Richard, and there’s this feeling of intimacy in each scene. It assists in making his negative tendencies much more unnerving because you are rooting for this family to succeed. It’s a methodical transition from a supportive father to an overbearing father who only cares about himself. Smith delivers a powerful performance that should be recognized as one of his best. He captures the accent and personality of Richard Williams so well and carries the majority of this film with his commanding performance.
King Richard succeeds at keeping sports biopics fresh by switching up enough of the formula audiences might already be familiar with. Biopics have a habit of portraying the complicated side of success for the athletes or musicians they are centered on. Venus and Serena are children here, so Richard Williams takes on that complicated side, which involves fame and money. This allows the child stars to beautifully capture the innocence of Venus and Serena Williams. They are confident, but nervous about letting their family down, and Sidney and Singleton portray those emotions amazingly.
After building up a strong family dynamic, King Richard takes the emotions to the tennis courts. There are some hard-hitting tennis rounds featured throughout this film, the most important coming at the end. Green captures the tennis matches in a way that allows you to become immersed in the emotions felt by everyone in attendance. The tension is constant and these tennis rounds serve as a reinforcement for the strong family values Richard has instilled in the girls. By the end, being humble is what stands out the most for Venus and Serena Williams.
King Richard is a powerful sports drama that will inspire anyone who watches this holiday season. Smith’s performance is going to garner a lot of well-deserved attention. I’d consider this his best performance in many years, and having a story fitting for the talent he possesses makes his work here that much better. King Richard is a heartwarming film that teaches the importance of staying true to yourself and being focused.
THE HEATHENS #2 hits your local comic book store December 15th, but thanks to AfterShock Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you.
About the issue: The Heathens chase the scorpion into its hole and find themselves surrounded by snakes. Can five alphas stay together long enough for the entire pack to make it out alive?
The series is by writers Cullen Bunn & Heath Amodio and artist Sami Kivelä, with colors by Jason Wordie, and letters by Simon Bowland. The cover is by Kivelä and Wordie.
HEATHENS#1 dropped on November 3rd. MFR reviewer Zac Owens gave the first issue a perfect score, saying it “scratches an itch you didn’t know you had” and promises “you’re guaranteed to get lost in its pages.”
Check out the THE HEATHENS #2 preview below:
Did you pick up the first issue of THE HEATHENS? Sound off in the comments!
Image Comics’ Primordial has always been weird. It’s an alternate take on the history of the space program, with a dash of otherworldly influence, all centered around three unsuspecting animals. But up until now, Primordial has been quite simple. The strangeness has been in the margins, while the meat of the story has been about Laika the dog and Baker and Able, two monkeys. Writer Jeff Lemire, artist Andrea Sorrentino, colorist Dave Stewart, and letterer Steve Wands treat Primordial #3as a shift in gears. While it still has our wonderful animals at the heart of the story, it fully embraces its weird, sci-fi undertones.
Writing
Lemire tells multiple stories in this one issue. He shows a history of Baker and Able, our space monkeys, and we follow a scientist that is beginning to learn about the mysteries surrounding these animals. But the truly shocking thing in this issue, is how much time we spend in an – as of yet unexplained – otherworldly realm. Lemire leans into the mystery of it all. He doesn’t offer answers, but the rules of this realm begin to slowly unfold. It’s an exciting shift that’s masterfully executed. In the hands of a less experienced writer, this shift in tone could feel forced or cheesy. But Lemire’s script inextricably links the supernatural goings on of this series to the emotional heart of the story – the development of our animal characters. One thread of the story isn’t being interrupted for another. These threads are one and the same.
Art
Sorrentino spends a good ten pages of this issue drawing in a style that’s not familiar to us as readers. Instead of the shadowy images he often presents, Sorrentino shows us pages and pages of a more traditional linework. He proves he’s just as moving in his storytelling in this format as he is in his usual wheelhouse. In fact, there’s a beautiful layer that’s added to these scenes – or rather, stripped away. Sorrentino strips back the filters, the Ben Day dots, and the inky blacks that often obscure the characters’ expressions, which he so often uses to brilliant effect. Without all of those things, the characters almost look naked. They’re simplified and laid bare. It’s downright beautiful. Sorrentino imbues these deeply complex scenes with a layer of poignant simplicity.
Coloring
Stewart also gives these scenes a sense of lightness. While the scenes that take place in the “normal” world are often dark blues, greys and browns, the scenes in the otherworldly realm have a brightness to them. Sure, many of the scenes are almost completely white. But when color does find its way into these scenes, it’s undiluted. The pinks, purples, reds and greens that we see are vibrant. Every other scene that Stewart colors has such a sense of place. You can feel the cold breeze, squint through the night air. And the otherworldly realm is scattered and placeless, in a joyful way. In a sense, Stewart still gives us a sense of place. He shows us that this is a place that feels like no place at all. It’s jarring and beautiful all at once.
Lettering
When we first see Able and Baker, they communicate with “Eee! Eee!” noises. Wands writes these in simple word balloons. The font looks slightly different to actual English words, a little less refined. But when we see Able and Baker in a flashback, the same letters look quite different. Wands shows us large yellow and green “Eee! Eeee!” noises bursting out of the confines of their word balloons. The panic and desperation of the moment is as clear as day. Separately, when Able is piecing together things he’s hearing, we see one line of dialogue split up into two disconnected caption boxes. The lettering for each half is on a simple white caption box and the rest of the panels on the page have little empty white boxes scattered all around. Wands gives us the feeling that Able is being hit with all kinds of information and he’s picking out little, relevant details.
Image Comics’ Primordial is a delight. It’s good to see that it not only does the emotional, grounded storyline of Able, Baker, and Laika right, but it nails its sci-fi elements too. Pick up Primordial #3, out from Image Comics today, at a comic shop near you!
SILVER SURFER REBIRTH #2 (OF 5) hits comic shops in February, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive first-look at the book!
About the issue: A MIGHTY MARVEL TEAM-UP?! NOT LIKELY…
Someone has stolen the Reality Gem and is restructuring the universe to their whims…and it’s NOT Thanos! Now, the Silver Surfer must do the unthinkable and team up with his worst foe to save all of existence. If only they could just stop trying to kill each other…
The issue is by writer Ron Marz and artist Ron Lim.
Get your exclusive first-look at Lim’s cover for SILVER SURFER REBIRTH #2 below:
Are you excited for SILVER SURFER REBIRTH? Sound off in the comments!
Welcome to Self-Published Spotlight, a regular interview column where I will be highlighting self-published comics and the creators and small print publishers who make them.
Funded in under a week and the subject of massive buzz, G.H.O.S.T. Agents has made the scene. Written by Rocko Jerome, the spy-fi action comic is an anthology designed to showcase some killer up-and-coming comic talent, and this is issue one of an ongoing series that includes artists Chris Anderson, Ben Perkins, Sam J. Royale, Barry Tan and will be published by Eli Schwab via COSMICLION Press. I had the chance to chat with this crew, and much like the G.H.O.S.T. Agents, they are all badasses themselves. But time’s almost up! So if you were meaning to get around to getting in, grab it now!
Monkeys Fighting Robots: So Rocko, where and how did you conceive the concept for G.H.O.S.T. Agents? Rocko Jerome: It’s a way that I can write stories in a genre that I enjoy without having to get someone’s permission or aspire to work for one of the two mammoth corporations that lord over the world of comics. I don’t suppose it’s really difficult for anyone to see what kinds of comics I’m into just by glancing at what we’ve cooked up, here. I was inspired by Michel Fiffe and the ballsiness of Copra, where he’s making the best Suicide Squad comic of this century, but doing it in a total DIY way and sort of daring anyone to stop him.
MFR: And this is also an ongoing series, right? I don’t know if I have seen a lot of Kickstarters for an ongoing. What made you want to make it a series and not a graphic novel or limited series?
Rocko: It is intended to be ongoing, yeah. With one major exception in the works, it will all be made up of short stories by a whole host of artists that all stand alone and, if I get my part right, also lean into a bigger narrative if the reader pays attention. I feel like here in the 21st century, the biggest adversary to overcome for every creator of every kind of art is our collective attention deficit. I feel like it’s not even a “disorder” at this point and more a collective state of being. We’re all busy. We all have literally hundreds if not thousands of things competing for our attention when we go on the internet. So I ask the artists that I collaborate with to commit to illustrating short, punchy stories, and I ask absolutely anyone in the public to spend a quick few minutes to read any of them. Kickstarter, was Chris Anderson’s idea and, although Eli and I were initially reluctant to go that route because we never had before, I’m glad we got over that and tried it. Because it’s gone very well, and I don’t think our more established conventional methods would have gone nearly as well as this has. We were fully funded within just six days, and that sixth day happened to be my birthday. It’s all very exciting. If I have my way and continue to be this lucky, I want to keep making G.H.O.S.T. Agents comics for the rest of my life. These guys all have scripts for future stories, and there are a lot more out there with other artists. I don’t feel like there’s any limit to what can be done with this concept. It’s wide open.
MFR: Alright, so this question goes to the artists. How did each of you get involved with the project?
Chris Anderson: We were just wrapping up Image Grand Design, and I was brainstorming something to do for WIZERD 2. Rocko and I were talking about what a great experience it was working together, and he asked me to do a G.H.O.S.T. Story for the ‘Zerd. That led to asking me to do the story in this issue and so on.
Art by Chris Anderson
Ben Perkins: My story is really short and sweet. Rocko liked my work, he asked me to do a story, and I said yes.
Art by Ben Perkins
Sam J. Royale: On May 2nd, 2021, Rocko said, “Hey bro, would doing a cover featuring a Mod-era Wonder Woman expy on a motorcycle be something exciting for you?” I agreed immediately but then realized how difficult that could be, so I cried and bought more time by insisting on designing the logo first.
Art By Sam J. Royale
Barry Tan: Rocko originally approached me about collaborating on a story for Darkest Image after seeing a Kirby-inspired pin-up I posted. Midway into it, he had the idea to include it in G.H.O.S.T. Agents, and we agreed it would be a good fit with some art and dialogue revisions. And so here I am amongst the company of these exceptional artists.
Art by Barry Tan
MFR: Eli Schwab, you’re publishing this through Cosmiclion Press. How did GHOST Agents end up in your headquarters? Eli Schwab: After Image Gand Design, Rocko and I were looking for another time to do something together. I had such a fun time working with Rocko laying out that book that I was excited to get creative with him again. The cool thing about working with Rocko is that we both have similar strengths, and we also fill in the places where the other may lack. What I mean by that is we’re a great team that picks up where the other isn’t focusing. So like when Rocko is wondering about how to print on newsprint, I can go find out how we can do it and if it’s cost-effective. Also, after a wild project like IGD, you really learn about people and about their work ethic. I would be down to work with almost any of the creators from Image Grand Design/Disaster. There are a lot more great books coming from the crew, too! Some published by me and some not.
The brilliantly deranged minds of writer Doug Wagner and artist Daniel Hillyard from 12 Gauge Comics have an especially grotesque Kickstarter live as we speak. Plastic, the duo’s acclaimed over-the-top serial killer mini-series, is up for grabs as a special edition hardcover! This expanded edition of the 2017 Image cult classic incudes a new 6-page backup story revolving around Edwyn, a former serial killer who goes on a vengeful murder spree to reunite with his blow-up doll girlfriend. Yes. You read that right. The second book is the brand new OGN Narco, also from the same creative team and set within the same Plastic universe (as is the currently-releasing Image series Vinyl). This book assumes a more Hitchcockian suspense as a young man with narcolepsy witnesses a murder and pursues the killer, despite the fact that stress and violence triggers his condition.
I got to sit down and talk to Wagner and Hillyard about their decision to move to Kickstarter from Image for this release, their cause to return to this twisted universe, and what they may have in store for the future.
“MARCUS WESPHAL suffers from severe narcolepsy. His condition is peculiar—if he gets overly excited or stressed, he passes out.”
“However, he’s adapted well. He has all his groceries delivered; he’s got good friends, he’s developed quite a following as an online sleuth, and he admires the girl of his dreams, JESSICA WRIGHT, through his front door peephole (he’s working up the courage to ask her out, OK?!). Marcus has crafted the perfect bubble for himself. But when he watches Jessica get murdered right before his eyes, helpless to do anything about it before passing out, that bubble bursts.
Marcus is now the prime suspect in Jessica’s murder. If he’s going to prove his innocence, he will have to leave the safety of his apartment and track down the real killer. Or, could he possibly be the killer and not even know it?
MFR: You guys seem to have entirely too much fun making stories in this universe. What keeps you coming back for more?
DANIEL: I’m glad it shows—it really is so much fun. I just can’t get enough of this type of stuff. Horror comedy and slapstick horror is where my gear shifter has gotten stuck, and I couldn’t be happier.
DOUG: As oversimplified as this may sound, we love it. Daniel and I constantly talk about how much we love mixing horror and comedy and sprinkling as much insanity into it as we can come up with. I know for me, I can admit I have this weird sense of humor. I find it so fascinating that people can be offended by the mere suggestion of a blow-up doll or the fact that a person can be sexually attractive wearing something like a unicorn onesie. I love incorporating that into our Plastic-verse stories. It makes it weird, uncomfortable, and disturbing… three of my favorite things.
MFR: Both Plastic and your current ongoing Vinyl have been published by Image Comics. What made you decide to go the Kickstarter route, and how has that experience been different?
DOUG: For me, I thought NARCO was best suited for a Kickstarter from the beginning. NARCO isn’t your typical comic, and I didn’t think it would read well broken up over several issues. Add to that, original graphic novels don’t typically sell quickly enough for us to pay everyone involved as soon as I’d prefer. The obvious answer to me was Kickstarter. Kickstarter allows us to finance the book quickly, and more importantly, sell it directly to the readers who would be interested.
DANIEL: This is my first venture into the world of Kickstarter, so I don’t really know much about how everything works, but the idea of being able to release NARCO as a complete story and right into the hands of readers is something that I can totally get behind. And I never knew how much I wanted a PLASTIC hardcover edition, until now.
DOUG: And as far as the experience of it, I could probably write a book about the differences between traditional publishing and Kickstarter. I think I can speak for both of us when I say the two are drastically different. Typically, we finish a book, send it off to the publisher, and it magically appears in stores. When it’s on the shelves, Daniel and I don’t get to interact with many of the folks buying the book. Sure, we interact as much as we can with the readers online, but it’s such a small fraction of the people buying it. Kickstarter is kinda the exact opposite. We’re interacting daily for several straight weeks with everyone that backs the project. It’s solely up to the team to promote the book (that’s Daniel, Keven Gardner, Sean Edgar, and myself). If you know Daniel and I, we are NOT fans of selling ourselves. We’re the typical creatives that want to sit in our caves and create. With a Kickstarter, we have to step out of that safe zone and do our best to sell people on our book. Fingers crossed that works out.
MFR: I gotta know, was the backup story in the new Plastic Hardcover one that had been stewing for a while, or did it strike suddenly?
DOUG: It has been stewing since 2017. Daniel and I had started tinkering with a follow-up to the original Plastic mini-series and had planned a deep dive into Edwyn’s unusual childhood, his fascination with removing heads, and what prompted his first kill. This little backup story is a glimpse into what we have planned.
DANIEL: Exactly that. Really, you can think of the PLASTIC backup story as a glimpse of things to come.
MFR: Despite how similar they all are, every story you’ve come up with in this twisted world you guys have created still feels fresh and surprising. Where does a non-serial killer character like Marcus in Narco fit in as a protagonist in this overall narrative?
DOUG: Marcus is kind of our quirky and odd “normal” person, or audience cipher, that’s about to get a small taste of this crazy world of serial killers, blow-up dolls, and sunflower cults. He doesn’t have the resume of Edwyn or Walter, but he knows just enough about all of this serial killing stuff to be a danger… mostly to himself. Personally, I think one of the more enjoyable aspects of adding him to the mix is that he’s almost the polar opposite of our protagonists in PLASTIC and VINYL. Where VINYL’s Walter is this seemingly unshakable, calm, calculated monstrosity, Marcus is a guy who has a narcoleptic condition that has him passing out at the first sign of anything exciting. How does a guy like that handle being hunted by a serial killer? Well… he passes out of course.
DANIEL: [Laughs]
MFR: What were some of your biggest influences, in any medium, going into the creation of Narco, and into all of these comics overall?
DANIEL: Usually we all start by throwing out some names of media, films, books, art, shows or music that sums up the feeling we’re all aiming for on a particular story. Doug threw out some suggestions at the beginning, which were awesome, and we went from there building the look and feel of the book.
DOUG: In regards to NARCO, my primary influence there is clearly Alfred Hitchcock. When Keven pitched the idea to us, my very first thought (that I blurted out loud) was this should be like REAR WINDOW meets PSYCHO. Daniel and Keven liked that idea and we were off. We admittedly knew it was risky to create a Hitchcock-inspired comic book in this day and age, but once we had that direction, we were compelled to finish it.
As far as PLASTIC and VINYL, the influences for both are far and wide. For me, those were inspired by this crazy amalgamation of everything I love. Alien, The Evil Dead, Dale and Tucker versus Evil, Seven Psychopaths, Zombieland, Memento, Predator—top all of that off with rom-coms and buddy movies. If I loved it, I tossed it in the insanity story blender.
MFR: If you can divulge, what can we expect next from the world of Plastic/Vinyl/Narco?
DOUG: Daniel and I should be done with NARCO by the end of 2021. Next, we’re diving straight into the third installment of our “Material” trilogy. There was PLASTIC, then VINYL, and finally… as you guessed, we’re not allowed to say just yet. But we are expecting the third installment to come out in 2022. After that, we have this long list of Plastic-verse stories we need to get to. As long as people seem to like what we’re doing, we’ll keep doing it.
DANIEL: The next story is going to be awesome! That’s all I can say. And that I bet no one can guess the title [laughs].
Back the Kickstarter today to grab these absurdly fun and hilariously macabre collections, along with some fantastic extras!
The Last Session #1 from Mad Cave Studios is out in comic stores on December 1st. This five-issue series by Jasmine Walls, Dozedraws, and Micah Myers features the complex appeals of Tabletop RPGs, from the improvisational theatrics that encourage self-expression, to how this can also cause creative differences between players.
The Last Session On Self-Expression
What does it mean when a club president never shows up?
One of the main appeals of this series is exploring why TTRPGs remain popular and accessible, namely the mix of socialization and improvisation. Just the way the story’s campaigners first meet demonstrates this: They make their failed after-school club into a place of solace from their awkward teen phases. Everyday anxieties like finance, job searches, body issues, etc. give way to a freer feeling of being themselves. Writer Jasmine Walls gives each character some genuine quirks, worries, and views on their role in the game. The way they develop themselves as people even outside of the game fills the reader with the same excitement as the characters.
Which brings us into the titular Last Session. Before our campaigners go their separate ways, they’re ending the campaign that brought them together. The only difference is, the game master Jay’s girlfriend Cassandra joins in as well. Throughout the story, creative differences and how the campaigners play the game clash with this new addition. Readers can’t help but empathize with the initial group of friends when their escape fantasy has a disruption. But readers also can’t help noticing that Cassandra is just trying to express herself as well. The complexities of the plot, characterizations, and the way readers connect them all is astounding.
Express Your Feelings
The Last Session features the evocative artwork of Dozedraws. Each character features a unique design that comes with expressive body language. For example, Cassandra’s in-game character Kezz features highly exaggerated facial features in every scene she appears in. This combined with her brightly colored complexion and cheery outfit match Cassandra’s bubbly self in the real world. Which is to say nothing of how Kezz stands out amongst the fantasy world full of dark dungeons. All in all, both Cassandra and Kezz steal every scene they appear in.
The lettering by Micah Myers reflects the personalities of some of the characters. The color-coded captions, for example, feature caricatures of whoever is speaking in real time. This makes it easier for readers to identify characters as they switch between the real world and fantasy world. That’s not even including how some characters express excitement in the form of word graphics. Or how one surprise character speaks with an entirely different word balloon and font to everyone else; it makes them feel like they’re on an entirely different level from the campaign party.
Gather ‘Round For The Last Session
The Last Session is a series full of surprises with how each character interacts. The series feels like it genuinely captures the highs and lows of TTRPGs. While creative self-expressions are always a welcome escape from real world problems, they can also lead to creative differences. But it’s the way these challenges are overcome that each character has a chance to develop outside of the game.
Marvel’s Eternals has a lot to say about what it means to be a human. This film brings the visual spectacle you’d expect, but it unpacks a deeper message about humanity. The amount of heart found at its core is what makes Eternals different from other Marvel films. It might not always hit the mark with its humor, but this is another solid addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Director Chloe Zhao helms this ambitious film that provides a rich lineup of characters to invest in. At times, it can feel as though Eternals wants to juggle too much. The narrative utilizes flashbacks to catch viewers up on the reunion of these immortal beings. However, these glimpses of past events seem to take up more time than the current events. The film wants to establish who the Eternals were and who they are today and it doesn’t always work. Since the characters are so likable, it makes up for the uneven narrative of past and present.
Ryan and Kaz Firpo collaborated on penning this latest addition to the MCU. Eternals stars Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, and Don Lee. These immortal beings that were created by the Celestials reunite to protect humanity against the Deviants. The Eternals consist of Sersi (Chan), Ikaris (Madden), Kingo (Nanjiani), Sprite (McHugh), Phastos (Henry), Makkari (Ridloff), Druig (Keoghan), Ajak (Hayek), Thena (Jolie), and Gilgamesh (Lee).
Each character is written in a manner that makes it impossible to not feel invested in their progressions. Sprite, who can project impeccable illusions, desperately wants to be a human. Her entire arc emphasizes the themes of humanity and the importance of cherishing every minute of life. Trapped in the appearance of a child, she struggles to live forever due to her mentality maturing but not her appearance. Sprite was my favorite member because of the inner turmoil that is brought to life through McHugh’s amazing performance.
There are some bits of dialogue from Sprite that lack subtlety, so perhaps Eternals not centering on her was for the best. Sersi (Chan), who has the power to manipulate through physical contact, is portrayed as the film’s focus. While I didn’t find it difficult to relate to her, the other Eternals getting more attention would have been nice to witness. All of the performances are incredible, some more emotionally draining than others. Jolie impresses as Thena, the Eternal with the power to craft weapons out of cosmic energy. Jolie captures Thena’s confidence and inner struggles tremendously.
Eternals does suffer from its pacing towards the middle, the film lasts for over two hours and it will be felt. These characters help keep you engaged, and the breathtaking action sequences assist in that too. The downtime from its blockbuster-worthy fighting is only at its best when exploring the life of Kingo, who is another standout thanks to Nanjiani’s performance. Kingo has made it as a hit actor for many centuries, and his charisma makes him someone you want to see more of. In between though, Eternals does encourage detachment from its narrative with the humor that doesn’t always stick.
Ramin Djawadi’s score adds weight to the high stakes found in the film’s central conflict. Particularly during Eternals’ final battle to save humanity, which includes some of the film’s most impressive visuals. Marvel has a formula that audiences are used to and I’d say this was a solid change of scenery while still including aspects of previous Marvel films. Eternals was an effective film overall and only lost its footing with narrative and pacing issues.
The Last Session features the evocative artwork of Dozedraws. Each character features a unique design that comes with expressive body language. For example, Cassandra’s in-game character Kezz features highly exaggerated facial features in every scene she appears in. This combined with her brightly colored complexion and cheery outfit match Cassandra’s bubbly self in the real world. Which is to say nothing of how Kezz stands out amongst the fantasy world full of dark dungeons. All in all, both Cassandra and Kezz steal every scene they appear in.
