FRIENDS: THE REUNION | TV Review

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Friends was one of the most popular sitcoms ever made. It was a touchstone of ‘90s and early noughties culture. To celebrate the show being available on HBO Max the streaming service has made a special which brought back the important players from Friends.

The special was divided into five parts: the main cast doing a table read of classic scenes, the main cast having a quiz, a talk show format hosted by James Corden, the producers/showrunners talking about the production of the show, and celebrities and fans being interviewed about why the show was so special.

Friends: The Reunion was a self-indolent love-fest. This was to be expected since the special was made to promote Friends being on HBO Max and please long-time fans of the show. The risk was the special it could have been like The Inbetweeners special “Fwends Reunited.” The signs weren’t good because both specials used a talk show format with a divisive comedian hosting. Fortunately, Friends: The Reunion avoided most of the pitfalls that affected The Inbetweeners special.

The best part of the special was the pre-recorded section where the cast got to re-enact the quiz from the episode “The One with the Embryos.” This was based on one of Friends’ funniest segments, so it was a high risk with a high reward. The quiz retold some classic jokes, and the actors were able to recreate the humor with ease. The quiz section was more than just a redo of a classic scene, it also had questions about the show and brought had some special guest appearances. It was a delight to see minor characters come back and play a role in the special.

The table read did show that even after 17 years away the actors were able to return to their characters. David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow especially were delights as they became Ross and Phoebe again.

The interviews with Kevin S. Bright, David Crane, and Marta Kauffman did have a generic quality to them. They talk about the creation of the show and the casting. They end up going over information that fans would already know like Courtney Cox being approached to play Rachel but she wanted to play Monica. It was still fun to see footage that fans may not have seen like failed pilots, bloopers, and the moment when Matt Le Blanc dislocated his shoulder when filming an episode.

The section with James Corden allowed for more trips down memory lane because previous cast members appeared, as well as and a few celebrity guests. The memorable moment was the fashion show and the actors clearly still had chemistry together. A fun little moment was when the actors talk about where the characters would be now. It will be the closest we will ever get to a follow-up series.

Friends: The Reunion was able to get some big guests for the special for pre-recorded segments. This included David Beckham, the Korean boy band BTS, Mindy Kaling, and Malala Yousafzai. It was an eclectic mix and some seemed a better fit than others. They all had a personal connection to the series and they shared their favorite moments and episodes. The fans that were a part of the special were there to show how popular Friends was internationally. Some of these fans were gay and it was clearly an attempt by the producers to show that Friends had a gay audience.

On a final note, it was fun to see Lady Gaga performing “Smelly Cat” with Kudrow. However, this segment felt like a sketch from Saturday Night Live.

Friends: The Reunion was made for the fans, a final nostalgic trip with a cast and characters they love. But only the fans will be interested in the special and they find it the most rewarding.

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Self-Published Spotlight: A GAME OF DOUBLES

By

Manuel Gomez

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June 2, 2021

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.

Ryan Tavarez is the artist on the upcoming A Game of Doubles, the new comic written by Jonathan Thompson (Jonathan has been writing some of the best indie comics in the past year or so; Tales Of The Dead Astronaut was a surreal sci-fi anthology; Burn Residue is one of the grittiest crime comics I have ever read. Check them out). A Game of Doubles is the story of twin brothers, one of whom is a former tennis prodigy, who run into some serious trouble on their 50th birthday. Ryan took some time to field and volley some questions with me. So check it out and make sure to support and check out A Game of Doubles.

MFR: Ryan, what was your initial reaction to A Game of Doubles. What attracted you to the project?
Ryan Tavarez: This all starts with Jonathan’s short series: Burn Residue. I remember backing it thinking of it as being a cool slasher comic with the melted gas stations attendant. Thinking: “Cool! I love horror, I love slashers. I’m in!” And once I got the book and started to read it, I realized it was much more than that. And the twist hit me unexpectedly. And it was refreshing. When Jonathan reached out to see if I wanted to collaborate, I was in! And the script he delivered got me again! As I was reading his synopsis and the script I was like “…hmm a tennis comic? I’m not so sure.” But again, he pulled a swerve and it turned out to be a much darker story. Using Hitchcock as a foundation, and using the pace of a past tennis match to frame the story. Brilliant.

MFR: I love your style. There is a lot of weight and movement in the images I have seen. Did you approach this project with these elements for a reason?
RT: Thank you! I like to think I come from the school of Kirby. Dynamism and movement is a major focus for me, even in still moments. I also like to think about how a character carries themselves in a conversation. I love to think about how people, in real life, change their posture depending on how they feel about whoever they are talking to; eye contact, where someone holds their hands, tone of voice. And then trying to capture that in comics.
I think both a conversation and a tennis match can be just as intense if framed properly, and that was the goal. Line up the intensity of the past tennis match, with the conflict in the present.

MFR: What was your process like? What tools and processes did you use to create the pages?
RT: I work with a hybrid system of digital and traditional! There are multiple parts to this. And it might get a little long, please feel free to condense this anyway you see fit.

1. Research – The first part was research. To begin, Jonathan gave me the script and two references: Stray Bullets and a documentary called John McEnroe: In The Realm Of Perfection. I read and watched the influences to get a good idea of where Jonathan was coming from. Then read his script. I read the script multiple times imagining the panels.
I then took some time to think of the angle I wanted to approach with the art. I decided on Alex Toth and the series Ping Pong. 2 very different things that I love.
2. Character – Then I had to cast the comic. And I spent a few days sketching what the brothers might look like. Once I had something that I was happy with I got it over to Jonathan for approval.
3. Thumbnailing – Then I went back to script and took it panel by panel. Jonathan specifically wrote with the 2×4 grid in mind a la Stray Bullets. So it was already all broken up. I do this part digitally.
4. Pencils – I enlarge my thumbs to 11×17 and print them in a really light red color. Then clean them up with a red pencil. Some people use a non-photo blue. But I find it’s easier to target and drop the reds out digitally when I scan the inks in.
5. Inking – I rule out my panels with a 1pt size Micron. Then hit any sound effects with the same pen. From there I ink it panel by panel. I’ll ink the faces first using a really fine brush pen. Currently using a Tombo Fudenosuke. Then I hit the lines with a Raphael number 4. Using the same brush to fill my solids. And using the Tombo to do my hatching.
6. Scan and Cleanup – 11×17 flatbed Epson scanner – 300dpi. Then in photoshop I drop the reds, darken the blacks, and clean up any smidges and smudges.
7. Screentone – I lay in screentones that I scanned from Deleter originals.
8. Lettering – Done digitally, word balloons are made with the pen tool.

MFR: Would you cite any specific artist or work as having an influence on A Game of Doubles?
RT: I spent time researching and taking cues from Alex Toth. While my style of drawing is not anywhere near the beauty of Toth, I really took to heart how he composed panels. Using blocks of black to help add to the weight and movement in some of the more stationary panels. Something as simple as a diagonal line goes a long way in spicing up a composition. And for the tennis match, Ping Pong by Taiyo Matsumoto was the main study. I knew the intensity of those matches would fit perfectly for the flashbacks, and really Ping Pong was my best point of reference for a sports manga to date.

MFR: How about you, was tennis something you knew anything about beforehand?
RT: I’m not a big sports fan. And the sport I do like is baseball. So tennis was definitely alien to me. But it was a great opportunity to learn about the sport and also went into why I was interested in working on the book. Jonathan also provided a really great documentary that did a good job of covering the basics.

MFR: Did you have to reference tennis games? Other than sports manga, comics don’t get too many sports scenes. Was this a challenge in any way?
RT: A lot of google searching was done. But really just focusing on why I loved Ping Pong so much. That really was the first time a sports manga ever got my attention. Challenging, absolutely. I am nowhere near the talent of Matsumoto. But I did my best to learn from him.

MFR: Did you have a favorite sequence to work on?
RT: Specifically, pages 3 and 6 are my favorite. The original reveal of intent with Jackson. And that all-out splash page to really tell you what kind of person he is.

MFR: Anything final you would like to add?
RT: I’d like to thank the folks out there who give this short a shot, don’t let the tennis deter you from checking this out if it’s not your thing. There’s a suspensefully twisted tale under the hood here that should tickle fans of horror comics and Hitchcock. Give A Game Of Doubles a shot! Lastly, check out my series Nomads if you’re into barbarian post-apocalyptic action. Volume One is 120 pages collecting the first 4 issues, with Volume 2 due sometime this winter. You can find that and more here: www.tavarezart.com.

MFR Thanks again for taking the time!
RT: Thank YOU for the opportunity! Salude!

You can support the A Game of Doubles Kickstarter here.

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Review: THE ORVILLE #2: DIGRESSIONS (PART 2 OF 2) Shows Why Each Member Of A Team Matters

By

Corey Patterson

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THE ORVILLE #2: DIGRESSIONS is available in comic book stores on Wednesday, June 2nd, wrapping up the two-part Digressions storyline. Readers will remember the startling changes to the status quo last issue when the crew (and the world itself) was thrust into an alternate timeline.

In this universe, Kelly Grayson never ended up marrying Ed Mercer, which in turn prevented the events that led to the Orville’s team formation. What’s more, Kelly learns getting the team together is the only way to prevent the coming attack from the Kaylon.

Story

Kelly finds herself in a desperate situation. Being the only person who knows what will happen in the future leaves her with a huge responsibility. We can practically feel the urgency emanating from the page.

This story diverges from many of the previous plotlines in its focus on Kelly and Dr. Claire Finn rather than Ed. This issue shows the former leader not in any position to prevent an alien invasion. In fact, he’s not even aware of a coming crisis.

David A. Goodman’s script, while providing readers with an intriguing take on theories of time travel, does a brilliant job of highlighting the supporting members of The Orville’s former team. If it wasn’t clear before, we see how these “secondary” characters are actually more integral to the fate of the world than Ed himself.

Artwork

David Cabeza’s penciling and ink work offers readers realistic depictions of their favorite characters from the hit TV show. The characters’ expressions mirror those of their real life counterparts, drawing readers into their experiences. Michael Atiyeh’s coloring used a wide array of hues ranging from bright cool colors to darker shades to reflect the mixture of hope and despair in the story. And Richard Starkings & Comicraft’s Jimmy Betancourt’s lettering is differentiated well so as not to confuse readers.

Conclusion

THE ORVILLE #2: DIGRESSIONS culminates in perfect fashion after such a wild ride in previous issues. It also gives the incredible character of Kelly an opportunity to shine.

What other stories do you want to see played out in this series? Let us know in the comments below!

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THE VISITOR #5: All Of The Answers Arrive With A Lynchpin

By

Jake Palermo

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The Visitor #5 comes to comic stores from Valiant Entertainment on June 2. After a long hiatus, writer Paul Levitz provides the context for this series’ conflict. Artist Soo Lee and colorist Ulises Arreola provide dynamic action alongside rising tensions. Thanks to the lettering by Simon Bowland, the reader can genuinely experience this thrilling climax.

Background

To catch readers up pre-hiatus, The Visitor focuses on the titular cyborg time traveler and his mission to prevent an A.I. project from activating. Considering the murderous people behind it, he has every right.

The Visitor #5: Finally Some Context

The Visitor #5 is where Levitz can give readers some answers after so long. The satisfaction will vary by how much they will like the connection to Rai’s setting. Some readers may find it clever after so much buildup from previous issues. Otherwise, it might come off as annoying that this series is an extension of another franchise. Because the way Levitz handles the pacing in this issue is some of the best so far. From how the Visitor’s thoughts weigh on his mind to how the characters interact, there’s a genuine thrill to it all.

Connective Energy

Lee’s illustrations possess a great degree of actions in flux with The Visitor #5. With pages and panels reflecting specific moments of time for the Visitor to appear, they all have a certain weight. A splash page, for example, is a good way for both the reader and Visitor to assess the situation.

Later pages give the actions a degree of movement and greater intensity. Sometimes a single action across multiple panels can describe the situation. The Visitor #5 goes to lengths to show how one misstep can lead to a downfall. There’s no greater metaphor than a tree branch not being strong enough to hold the Visitor’s weight. With some parts of the plot happening simultaneously, the struggles feel very apparent to the reader.

It helps that coloring by Arreola adds to the anticipation. The Visitor’s bright blue electric powers are not just eye-catching. They also steal power from a secret group of villains. It brings a real sense of power balance to the narrative, as does the lettering of Bowland that louden actions like the Visitor communicating with supporting character, Daubner even if some SFX can seem dull in comparison like using plain white words for gunshots that look quieter than they should be.

Want To Try The Visitor #5?

The Visitor #5 is an interesting and thrilling return for a series back from hiatus. Now that the characters are open about their motivations, the stakes can connect to readers easier. While readers might or might not like how the narrative is going, they’re sure to be entertained.

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MAN-BAT #5: The Completion Of A Metamorphosis

By

Jake Palermo

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Man-Bat #5 ends this DC Comics miniseries on a high note on June 1. Writer Dave Wielgosz completes the titular character’s journey into self-actualization. It’s something artist Sumit Kumar displays through the life cycle of Kirk Langstorm with colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr., all while letterer Tom Napolitano showcases the weight of every action.

Man-Bat #5: Shedding For Honesty

Wielgosz commits the series towards a resolution focusing on Kirk’s recruitment into Justice League Dark. Man-Bat #5 is where everything comes together satisfyingly. Firstly there’s Kirk’s affliction symbolizing his conflict with his inner self. Then there’s how his attempts at fixing everything causing rifts between everyone he cares about. Ultimately, this issue confronts how Kirk’s desire to fix everything is what’s holding him back. So the issue ends on a positive if the uncertain note on Kirk’s future after finally letting go of his delusions.

Stages of Change

Kumar shows Kirk’s arcs in a physical sense through his illustrations. Man-Bat #5 begins with a swole King Man-Bat; it shows Kirk in a state of power but unstable mind, which is why some of the bigger plot points happen within Man-Bat’s mind where he and Kirk merge. With the end result being a Man-Bat with more human-esque facial features. This allows him to communicate with others without any more limitations.

The background colors by Fajardo display probably the high points of the characters’ inner conflicts. The cool night colors become more intense when Scarecrow uses his fear-inducing sonic weapon. Or how Man-Bat’s battle with Batman often has red backgrounds to display the heightened hostility between them.

Napolitano’s lettering brings more nuance to the conflicts of Man-Bat #5. Batman’s word balloons being slightly distorted shows how he’s under the influence of Scarecrow. Man-Bat, in the meantime, has a black word balloon with green outlines and fonts to show off his Venom augmentations. They are very similar to his captions, almost as if Man-Bat is powering his way through Langstrom’s influence. At least until the end, where their saturated captions show a compromise between them.

Complete Man-Bat #5

Man-Bat #5 ends this mini-series on a compelling note. After viewing Kirk Langstrom’s journey, readers can’t help but want to see more of him. Because while this stage of his life is complete, Man-Bat’s story isn’t quite over yet.

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ONION SKIN: The Many Layers Of Being An Aimless Adult

By

Jake Palermo

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Onion Skin comes to comic stores from IDW’s Top Shelf imprint on May 26. Created by Edgar Camacho, this award-winning graphic novel reflects the lives of aimless adults.

Onion Skin Has Many Layers

What makes Onion Skin an award winner are its captivating characters and rich narrative. The protagonists, Rolando and Nera, both experience a sense of aimlessness common in twenty-somethings. It’s a familiar feeling of wanting to do something with life, but feeling stuck after numerous disappointments. Rolando certainly fits this mold after working an unfulfilling job to the point of a breakdown. Nera, meanwhile, is a free spirit enjoying life on the lamb but wants companionship. Their chance encounter is what pushes them out of their respective malaises. It’s a common, if relatable, feeling of taking a risk in life.

But what really stands out is how Camacho arranges the narrative to evoke aimlessness. The non-linear fashion of Onion Skin isn’t merely a design choice; it plays a role in-story. Throughout two timelines, it’s difficult to tell if these events happen in the past, future, or if everything’s just a dream. Rolando finds Nera familiar, and Nera has the food truck as if waiting for Rolando. But it feels like this is the first time they met. For all the reader knows, it’s alternate realities at play or a stress fantasy. The complete ambiguity of it all is a perfect rendition of being wayward.

Complementary Seasonings

Camacho decorates the two timelines with different saturations of color. Most of Rolando and Nera’s time with their food truck is clearer and brighter for objects to stand out. On the other hand, their time getting together permeates muted colors. These saturations complement the simpler illustrations to evoke joy or confusion, respectively. It’s almost like after a journey, Rolando and Nera get what they earn. That is until some of the muted atmosphere appears in the food truck timeline like they’re in danger of going back to being wayward. But it’s the lettering of Onion Skin with sound effects or word balloons that ties everything together.

Order Onion Skin

Onion Skin is a must-read story of being an aimless adult, not just in its characters but in how it can happen in any place or time. It’s certainly great enough to warrant rereads to try and make discussions about it.

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Review: SPIRIT UNTAMED Struggles To Ride Into The Sunset

By

Eric Trigg

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Spirit Untamed is just another botched effort that insults the original Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. Spirit Untamed showcases another low point for DreamWorks, as this film struggles to find a reason to exist. The film manages to make the Netflix series, Spirit Riding Free, come off better than it is. Having only been to theaters once, nearly twenty years ago at that. Spirit’s return to theaters should be ignored because Spirit Untamed offers nothing to justify its 87-minute runtime.

A bland story carried by uninteresting characters is sure to deter audiences from returning to theaters. Spirit Untamed’s synopsis does tease a solid story to build on, but the execution is underwhelming. Children probably won’t have gripes with this film, and that’s ok because placing young girls at the center of the story should send a positive message that young moviegoers can appreciate. Directed by Elaine Bogan and Ennio Torresan Jr, the film is written by Aury Wallington and Kristin Hahn. Spirit Untamed stars Isabela Merced, Jake Gyllenhaal, Marsai Martin, Grace Moore, Eiza Gonzalez, and Mckenna Grace. It centers on a young girl named Lucky (Merced), who moves to a small town and bonds with a Kiger mustang named Spirit.

Isabela Merced as Lucky in DreamWork’s Spirit Untamed

Wallington and Hahn’s script sets a solid foundation, but fizzles out and becomes trite. Lucky is introduced as the daughter of a horse-riding stunt performer (Gonzalez), something that has been hidden from her. An accident leads to her mother’s demise, and Lucky has been raised by her Aunt Cora (Moore), who worries that Lucky’s lack of care for rules and restrictions will cause trouble for her. The script establishes that Lucky is very much like her mother in that regard, so her loved ones want to keep her safe since it’s believed that’s what got Lucky’s mom hurt. After arriving in town, Lucky’s initial disinterest is changed after meeting Spirit. When Spirit’s livelihood is put at risk, Lucky sets out to help her new best friend. The strongest aspect of Spirit Untamed is the relationship between Lucky and Spirt, the horse unlocks her confidence in the qualities her Aunt Cora is trying to deny her.

Sadly, the other characters are so uninteresting, Lucky isn’t that compelling either. The self-discovery she makes along the way sends a strong message to younger viewers but Spirit Untamed offers such a lackluster adventure in the process. Still, the script isn’t a jumbled mess, or incoherent, the characters are just dull, which brings the film down. Merced’s performance as Lucky makes the character’s growth pleasing to watch and lends to the self-discovery angle. The performances draw some interest, but the one-dimensional characters can’t be saved by it. Spirit Untamed’s animation isn’t very smooth either in comparison to the original 2002 film. If the characters don’t take audiences out of the film, the animation should get the job done with no issue. Bogan and Torresan’s directional debut isn’t a strong outing, Spirit Untamed doesn’t capture the emotional weight it’s searching for but it does offer great action and heartfelt moments for kids. There are some pacing issues along the way, which is what makes the film seem longer than what it is.

Spirit Untamed should go unnoticed because there are far better family outings for everyone to enjoy. The glimpses of hope the film shows aren’t enough to keep it engaging from start to finish. A movie for kids doesn’t have to suffer from weak scripts, animation hiccups, and a nonfulfilling story. Spirit Untamed won’t impress fans that grew up with the original film, or those that have an interest in Netflix’s series. This story about a girl and her horse does not deserve any attention.

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THE PURSUIT OF LOVE | TV Review

By

Kieran Freemantle

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Based on a novel by Nancy Mitford, The Pursuit of Love was a lavish period miniseries from the BBC and Amazon Studios as it explores the lives of two young women during the Interwar period.

Linda Radlett (Lily James) and Fanny Logan (Emily Beecham) are cousins and best friends. Linda is a romantic who has a troubled love life. She gets married, has affairs, and enters politics during this turbulent time. Fanny is a well-read young woman who ends up marrying and settling down. Their relationship becomes strained during this period.

The Pursuit of Love was an ambitious series from the BBC and Amazon. It had an all-star cast and served as Emily Mortimer’s directing debut. What was delivered was a light and breezy series that also touched on some serious subject matter.

Mortimer was influenced by the works of Wes Anderson, using many of his techniques. The series was told from Fanny’s perspective. The narration was used to tell the backstories of characters and their current situation. This could have been dry and boring, but the writing and direction ensured that there was plenty of humor through the dialogue and framing. It made The Pursuit of Love an entertaining watch.

The use of the Anderson styling declined as the series progressed. This was due to the series becoming more focused. The aim of the first episode was to introduce the characters, the second looked at Linda’s failing marriage and her relationship with a communist, and the final episode was about her relationship with a French aristocrat and her second pregnancy just as the Second World War starts. However, the source novel was only 247 pages and at times it felt like the series was stretching itself thin. Yet it was still better than the last time I saw the BBC adapt a short novel into a three-part series (i.e. War of the Worlds).

The heart of the series was the relationship between Linda and Fanny and how they drift apart. As teens they were close, almost like sisters. But as they got older the relationship becomes strained because Linda flaked on her responsibilities. Fanny has to settle down and start a family whilst Linda leaves her. To Fanny, Linda reminded her of her mother, a woman that constantly left Fanny. Despite their issues they were still family.

The series also looks at wider issues because of the time it took place. This was a period where society was rapidly changing. This was a time where World War One was fresh in people’s mind, fascism and communism was on the rise, and the Great Depression afflicted the world. The series touches on a lot of this. Linda’s father was a War Veteran who hated foreigners and believed in status and that women are just meant to be wives and mothers. This runs into conflict with Fanny who was educated and his children rebelling in their own way, like going to Hollywood or fighting for the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War.

Linda’s relationships reflected different political views and social statuses. Linda’s husband, Tony (Freddie Fox) was an upper-middle-class banker and was a Conservative MP. Some of his family members were sympathetic to the Nazis. Christian (James Frecheville) was the Communist who offered Linda intellect, but she was out of her depth when she had to partake in humanitarian work. Fabrice (Assaad Bouab) was the French aristocrat that was able to give Linda passion and luxury just as World War Two was about to start.

The series did have a great cast. Whilst Lily James and Emily Beachem were fine leads, the scene stealers were Dominic West and Andrew Scott. They had some of the funniest lines and played some of the colorful characters in the series. Mortimer was also a delight in her small role as The Bolter, Fanny’s mother. She was so selfish that she will be a character audiences will love to hate.

The Pursuit of Love was a jolly series that fans of British period dramas will be satisfied with. It stands out because of its humor and visual style which helped make the series seem like an indie film.

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Review: BATMAN/CATWOMAN #5 and the Hysteria that Follows Darkness

By

Zac Owens

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It’s often troubling to read a particularly dark story. That’s probably why we refer to them as “dark” in the first place. But creators have several tools to help us take their dark themes in. Some creators push the pedal to the metal. They say, “Oh, you think this is dark? You haven’t seen anything yet.” Others almost ignore it. Their characters, as a coping mechanism, push aside their trauma and fill the silence with laughter. Batman/Catwoman #5 fills its silences with hysteria. As this plot kicks into gear, writer Tom King, artist Clay Mann, colorist Tomeu Morey, and letterer Clayton Cowles show us that these characters are starting to break under the pressure.

Writing

King’s approach to the darkness in this plot is almost one of ignoring it. Catwoman gets drunk and taunts a bartender instead of grappling with some of the things she’s seen. But she has a madness that is just below the surface. It’s telling that we get three plotlines in this issue, and in only one of those is Selina drunk, but she acts with similar abandon in all three. She copes through self destruction. She finds comfort in witty banter and whimsical violence. But it all ends in blood and sweat. And the fact that these three plotlines are years apart, shows that she’s been carrying this trauma with her for a long time. King pushes deeper into what it’s like to be a superhero. He asks us to look at the scars that are left once the bright sound effects have long faded away.

Art

Mann never lets us forget the dual nature of Selina’s self destructive tendencies. She’s a funny drunk, but she’s also brutal fighter. One page shows old Selina, looking down through her sweat at someone she beat the crap out of. Mann interrupts that panel by overlaying a picture of a younger Selina from the panel below. She leans against a wall with a bottle in hand, a slight smile on her face. She seems harmless one moment but ruthless the next. Similarly, Mann shows Selina’s snap from comic book violence to true gore. She dodges bullets and delivers karate kicks, only to pummel someone into a bloody mess a page later. Catwoman is unpredictable and Mann shows us this has potential to be just as scary as it is charming.

Coloring

Morey has reds, blues, and greens representing themes and moods in this issue. The red is always used in instances of violence. Even when it seems fun or bright, Morey quickly subverts it and brings it back to gore. Red surrounds Phantasm in every scene. She is an Angel of Death, after all. But it follows Selina into the future. We begin to wonder how much Selina has become a product of Andrea Beaumont’s actions, rather than Bruce Wayne’s. Morey visually links the two almost as though he’s asking us to spot the difference.

Lettering

Cowles also shows us the link between Andrea and Selina. At one point, we see Andrea talking to one of her victims. (If “victim” is the right word.) She talks and her words surround him. Her speech bubbles create a wall around him, on the page. Visually, he’s boxed in by her, trapped. Cowles is showing us that her words tell him that he’s not getting out of this. Later, when we see Selina fighting with someone in the future, she does the same thing. In the midst of the battle, she speaks to her opponent. Her speech bubbles surround the other character, making it visually clear not only that Selina has the upper hand, but she’s also learned a thing or two from Andrea Beaumont.

Batman/Catwoman #5 shows the cracks that are forming beneath the surface. From its first issue, this story has been about the scars a life of crimefighting can bring about. Now we’re actually beginning to see where those scars came from. King, Mann, Morey, and Cowles continue to do some of their best work. Pick up Batman/Catwoman #5, out from DC Comics June 1st, at a comic shop near you!

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Review: THE SWAMP THING #4 is a Wonderful Mix of the Old and New

By

Zac Owens

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The Swamp Thing #4 reads almost as much like a page from a textbook as it does a comic. An exciting textbook. Its pages are chock full of history. Writer Ram V, artist Mike Perkins, colorist Mike Spicer, and letterer Aditya Bidikar turn the Green into a world of old comics and ripe new ideas.

Writing

V’s story is a collision of the old and the new. His fresh faced characters rub shoulders with legends. Perhaps it’s because V makes this history lesson so beautiful, or because this series has already been such a delight, but one can already picture writers of the future treating V’s story with the same gravitas. Though this issue risks being overly expositional, V sidesteps this pitfall. He informs us of the rules of this world through the inquisitive eyes of newcomers. But he also gives a unique voice to each of their guides. “How did you end up here?” Jennifer Reece asks the Floronic Man. “Half-formed and unwanted,” he answers. It doesn’t answer her question, but it tells us so much more about who it is that’s leading her through the wilderness.

Art

Perkins is Stephen Bissette. He’s Bernie Wrightson and John Totleben. Yet somehow, in all of it, he’s also Mike Perkins. Perkins seems to effortlessly take on the styles of his predecessors. He moves between his own style and theirs so seamlessly that it underlines again why Perkins is a perfect fit for Swamp Thing. But not everything Perkins does in this issue is an homage. His original work is a breathtaking ode to the all-encompassing nature of the Green. When Swamp Thing connects with the Green, he sees its power. Behind his head we see plant cells, the patterns on a leaf, large forests, and the indistinct image of a green land mass. The images show the scope of the Green, but they also surround Swamp Thing. Perkins envelops us in this world, making us wish we never had to leave.

Coloring

There’s a clear battle in Spicer’s pages between the Red and the Green. The Red represents Man’s encroaching influence. We see it in the flowers, spreading like a pestilence through the Green. But we also see it in Swamp Thing. The more the issue goes on, the more red seems to cling to our moldy friend. Some of it is Levi Kamei, as beneath the surface he’s still a man. We see images of Swamp Thing in the past, but as they catch up to the modern day they become more and more infused with red. But some of this crimson hue is the mysterious mark that Levi’s brother left on him. The red drips like blood but offers no answers just yet.

Lettering

One of the most noticeable things about Bidikar’s lettering is what’s missing. There are no sound effects. There’s plenty of action. Plenty of chances for a “BOOM” or “POW.” But Bidikar offers none, and it gives the Green an almost religious quality, like whispering in church. That’s not to say this issue’s lettering doesn’t have style and even a sense of fun. This whole issue just goes to show how much Bidikar does. Rarely do characters speak in plain speech bubbles with normal font. The Floronic Man, Ivy, and Swamp Thing all have their own fonts and speech bubbles. They each have their own sound. And when one character fades away, their words fade too. Bidikar is deliberately and brilliantly doing everything to add flavor to the lettering. It’s working.

The Swamp Thing #4 is beautiful and a fantastic mix of homage and innovation. This creative team is creating a series that feels quiet and gentle. Just like the Swamp Thing himself. Pick up The Swamp Thing #4, out from DC Comics June 1st, at a comic shop near you!

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