Review: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #50 – A Monumental Reveal

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The Amazing Spider-Man #50, out today from Marvel Comics, finally resolves many parts of its ongoing story while starting new ones and even presents a shocking reveal.

After such a colossal and important issue as The Amazing Spider-Man #850, you would expect the issue following it to decline in quality, as the writer has put his most exciting moments into the previous issue to make it as outstanding as possible. This is not the case whatsoever, and the gripping story of The Amazing Spider-Man #50 may even be better than the super-sized anniversary issue that came before it. It is so full of new reveals, conclusions to plots that have been going on for so long, and some awe-inspiring art that the issue itself is one of the best Spider-Man comic books in the past several months.

The Amazing Spider-Man #50 Story

At the end of The Amazing Spider-Man #850, Spider-Man and “The Order of the Web” are fleeing the Ravencroft Institute, leaving the Green Goblin behind while the Sin-Eater is momentarily immobilized. This is not where The Amazing Spider-Man #50 picks up from. Instead, we are greeted with a silent 12-panel grid that shows our favorite web-slinger falling from the air and brutally crashing into various objects during his descent. The lack of sound effects or captions during this page gives it a haunting feeling, as it shows this beloved character beaten down nearly to the point of breaking. All of this works together to leave the reader to wonder how this came about. It is a brilliant way to open up the story and gets the reader excited to turn each page and watch as the issue unfolds.

Not only does Nick Spencer provide an astonishing issue in its own right with The Amazing Spider-Man #50, but the issue also concludes and reveals several components of Spencer’s ongoing storyline while beginning new parts of it. There are major events centered around the Sin-Eater, the “Order of the Web,” Norman Osborn, and even Kindred in this single issue. Every page feels like another punch to the face as something else shocking occurs. It is an issue you will never want to put down.

I have nothing but admiration for Patrick Gleason’s work on this issue. The Amazing Spider-Man #50 is filled with tense, emotional scenes, and they wouldn’t have nearly the same impact it does without the wonderful emotive faces that Gleason brings to life. Gleason can also portray Kindred with a unique creepiness and presents some terrifying art for the monsters he unleashes. The paneling of The Amazing Spider-Man #50 is particularly notable, with Gleason constantly pushing the boundaries of what is expected in modern super-hero comic books. Whether it be borderless panels, overlapping panels, or intentionally not using all of the space available, Gleason’s paneling choices pay off tremendously and add a substantial amount to the issue’s narrative.

The coloring of The Amazing Spider-Man #50 does a nice job of reflecting the tone of the issue. Edgar Delgado uses dark colors for most of the issue, which goes along nicely with the tense moments portrayed. Due to the mostly dark tone of the issue, when bright reds and oranges are later used for the monsters unleashed by Kindred, it is a frightening image as it contrasts with everything around it.

VC’s Joe Caramagna provides some outstanding lettering in The Amazing Spider-Man #50, which does a beautiful job of allowing the story to progress seamlessly. Caramagna uses unique speech bubbles for an inhuman character like Kindred, which is a subtle yet effective way to make him seem otherworldly. Caramagna also does some amazing work at providing captions that are easily identifiable, which is important when more than one character speaks through captions in an issue.

I was absolutely dumbfounded with how much occurred in a single issue and how it will have a giant impact on what is to come later in the series. I haven’t read a Spider-Man issue that had me this excited in a long time, and it is an experience no fan should miss. The Amazing Spider-Man #50 leaves you in awe of how great it was and leaves you desperately waiting for the next issue so that the phenomenal story can be continued.

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Review: 70’s Neon-Noir Psyche-Suckers In DRACULA, MOTHERF**KER!

By

Gabriel Hernandez

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DRACULA, MOTHERF**KER!, available now from Image Comics, is a reinvention of the Dracula story that pays homage to the strongest examples of 70’s exploitation horror. Written by Alex de Campi and illustrated by Erica Henderson, this graphic novel has a lot to like for horror fans if you can get past some glaring rough spots.

Cover Art

Henderson’s cover is a pristine encapsulation of the story with a perfect tone to match the 1974 setting. The combination of colors is sickeningly garish, but they flow in mellow strokes and curves to create a fever dream of composition for all the central characters. It’s loud and tacky but smooth and dreamy all at the same time, and that pretty much sums up the 70’s aesthetic.

Writing

I really, REALLY liked the setup of this alternate version of Dracula. In 19th Century Europe, Dracula’s brides turn on him and imprison him “forever.” In 1974, an aging Hollywood starlet freed Dracula intending to petition Dracula to make her young and beautiful “forever.” A nighttime paparazzo photographs the bodies as they begin to pile up before he notices he’s attracted the attention of the monster. The pieces seem familiar, but nothing like this setup exists, and high praise goes to de Campi for dreaming it up.

That said, this is a frustrating book. The story setup is there. The 70’s setting is there. The characters, beyond the titular Count, are period-accurate and interesting. More importantly, giving the brides some agency in the Dracula story is something I’ve never seen before. It gives the legend a completely new layer of possibilities that I quite liked. What detracts from the greatness of this book are the plot holes, very big plot holes. This type of book feels good in the first reading and overall execution, but once you start to think about things that don’t make sense, the whole thing unravels.

For example, if the brides could incapacitate and imprison Dracula, why not simply destroy him instead of burying him in some undisclosed location? How did the aging starlet know Dracula was real and where to find him? If the brides knew about the starlet and her location, why not simply stop her from freeing the Count?

And the biggest question (less plot hole and more unexplained plot point) after reading the book through twice – why was Dracula so interested in going to extreme lengths to kill the paparazzo that posed absolutely no threat? I get the impression that if de Campi had added more pages to address these holes (and a few more not mentioned) this would have been a solid entry in the Dracula library. This is a big story, and by trying to tell too much too fast, it winds up feeling incomplete.

Pencils/Inks

Henderson’s artwork for this book is, generally, very good. It’s a treat to follow cars along the California coast with neon-soaked, streaking headlights on their way to crime scenes blown out in ambulance light reds. There’s a Hitchcockian feel to the panel work that would make Robert Burks (Hitchcock’s go-to cinematographer) proud. The setting and surroundings’ entire design is spot on for a stylistic impression of 1974, rather than a realistic recreation, and that was a great design choice.

By far, the artistic highlight is Henderson’s rendering of Dracula. Here, Dracula is no dusty, European aristocrat but a demonic force. He’s something akin to Lord Aku from Samurai Jack but with oodles of predatory malevolence (and many more eyes). He’s depicted as a true monster in every sense, and it makes him much scarier than your standard Count with fangs.

Where Henderson’s art doesn’t quite work is in the featureless character designs, excluding Dracula. The aging starlet is supposed to be “aging,” but there’s not a blemish or wrinkle on her to make you believe it. There are so many women in this book, but I constantly struggled to keep track of which woman was because they lack any distinguishing features and are never, except for the starlet, named. It would have served the book more to add some distinction to the characters’ look, especially the women.

Coloring

Again, frustrating. I love the neon-noir palette and Henderson’s choices in shading different settings in different colors to guide the story’s direction. In keeping with the 70’s time frame, all the right Day-Glo splashes are present, but the panels were never washed out.

The frustration comes in with the coloring and shading of the characters, particularly with Ateera. There are some scenes where the panel filter is so strong, coupled with the lack of facial definition, that it was difficult to tell which character was in panel. At one point, I thought a fourth bride had entered the story because the lighting on Ateera’s face was so extreme that she appeared as a completely different character. The coloring palette selection is great, and its application on the settings is excellent, but some colors were simply overdone.

Lettering

This is not good lettering. This is GREAT lettering.

Henderson uses a mix of fonts and applications to create a collage of visually interesting narration. The highlight, again, is the depiction of Dracula’s voice. The first time you read (hear?) it, the voice transmits as something speaking with old, malignant authority. Even Dracula’s voice feels inhuman, consistent with his outstanding design.

Conclusion

DRACULA, MOTHERF**KER!, available now from Image Comics, hits all the right notes for fans of 70’s horror, but incomplete story structure and uneven art keep it from being great. If you can overlook the rough spots, you’ll enjoy it. This book is a guarded recommendation.

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Review: The Team Is Off To The Races In SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #33

By

Anthony Wendel

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Sonic The Hedgehog #33 out this week from IDW Publishing is the start of a new journey. Rogue takes more of a leadership role as she pulls a team together to help find parts to repair Omega. The new work by Evan Stanley (writer and artist), Reggie Graham (colors), and Shawn Lee (lettering) are off to a decent start.

Summary

The Metal Virus is gone, but things aren’t quite back to normal. Omega is damaged and his allies turn to Tails and Sonic for help. The only way to rebuild him is to trade parts with a mysterious champion Chao racer… but things aren’t what they seem.

Writing

There is a lot of talk about how this issue is a great jumping-on point for new readers of Sonic The Hedgehog and there is a lot of evidence to support this claim. There isn’t a lot of overhang from the previous story a new reader needs to know coming. In fact, the main aspect of what the reader needs to know (in this case, it’s how Omega is damaged and needs to be repaired) is introduced in the first few pages of the issue. So, points for living up to this claim.

The writing by Evan Stanley seems to focus on the characters and their interactions with one another. Rogue acting like a team leader for a heist seems on point but at the same time shows off a more caring aspect to her personality. So far, Stanley is demonstrating they have a good sense of the characters and have set up a good start to a new arc.

Artwork

With Evan Stanley acting as both writer and artist a lot of scenes seem to pop. There is some great use of facial expressions to show off the emotions of the characters as scenes play out. One panel imparticular which stands out features Sonic the Hedgehog grimacing while exploring a former Badnik base. The panel encapsulates just how creepy the location is.

The new colorist, Reggie Graham helps to bring attention to the scenery and background of each panel. Graham seems to have a talent for helping to visually illuminate scenes. This helps as Amy and Rogue travel to White Park and enter a building structured like a ski lodge. The lighting feels warm and welcoming as if someone coming inside from a winter night.

The lettering by Shawn Lee helps with the auditory aspects of the issue. Special attention is paid as Cheese enters the Chao race. The words and font used convey the idea Cheese is trying is best but is not in real danger as the action unfolds. A perfect fit as such a tiny and adorable character takes the spotlight.

Conclusion

Sonic The Hedgehog #33 seems like the start of a great new chapter for the series. While it is slower and with less action than previous issues, this is to be expected with the start of a new arc. For now, it seems like the work of Stanley and Graham will have a lot to offer the series.

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Review: A Case Of Identity Crisis Arises In CAPTAIN AMERICA #24

By

Corey Patterson

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CAPTAIN AMERICA #24, available in comic book stores on Wednesday, October 14th, follows Sharon Carter as she comes to terms with her de-aged body. It offers readers an intriguing look at someone learning to embrace a new way of living. But another person finds themselves in the middle of their own identity crisis. And this familiar character could prove to be a thorn in our heroes’ sides.

Story

Our story opens with Aleksander Lukin, former foe of Captain America, waking up in a cold sweat. The former general notices the consciousness of the Red Skull arising in his mind once again. Long time fans of the character know these two villain’s history, and this reintroduction was particularly jarring. Readers will no doubt wonder how this affects Aleksander’s self-identity going forward.

The tale abruptly shifts to Sharon and Steve Rogers’s training facility. Here readers get to see one of Marvel’s favorite couples in a

Writer Ta-Nehisi Coates masterfully weaves together Sharon and Steve’s storylines into one cohesive whole. We also loved the continued focus on the ramifications of events as far back as Secret Empire, as well as recent encounters with Selene and the Power Elite. But the most exciting aspect is the looming presence of the Red Skull.

Artwork

Daniel Acuña’s penciling, ink work, and coloring is perfectly suited to showcase Sharon and Steve’s many sparring scenes. The outlines of each character flow smoothly from panel to panel to show their motion. And VC’s Joe Caramagna’s lettering works in tandem by placing the word balloons along their shifting forms. We also loved the ominous themes generated by the gloomy background shading throughout Aleksander’s scenes.

Conclusion

CAPTAIN AMERICA #24 opens up doors to old foes and new possibilities. And we were thrilled to see Sharon in action once again.

Do you think the Red Skull is coming back? Let us know in the comments below!

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Review: ELFQUEST: STARGAZER’S HUNT #4 And The Bonds Of Family

By

Corey Patterson

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ELFQUEST: STARGAZER’S HUNT #4 hits comic book stores on Wednesday, October 14th and follows Jink, the daughter of Skywise the Stargazer. While her father is on a mission of his own, the young elf ventures into a tribe of wolfriders. The resulting experience is a tale of familial bonds that reminds us of the importance of reconnection with those closest to us.

Story

The narrative opens with the fan favorite Skywise the Stargazer drifting through space in a seemingly endless sleep. In order to occupy himself, the elf reminisces about the his lifemate, daughter, and the home of the “High Ones.” Readers can sense his deep longing for his family, but unbeknownst to him, his child Jink finds herself amongst the majestic beings themselves. What’s more, her long lost sister reveals she’s been living with them for some time.

Readers join Jink on her quest to find her father, exploring the fantastical world of the High Ones. We follow the young maiden across lush forests, sparkling shorelines, and deep caves. She even finds a romantic partner in Goldruff.

Wendy and Richard Pini’s narrative takes readers on a fantastical quest through the elves’ world. We feel as though we’re right next to Jink as she searches for her father. The strong bond of family colors each panel.

Artwork

Sonny Strait’s penciling, ink work, and coloring capture the essence of the ElfQuest comics from the eighties. The panels are full of bright colors, sleek elven features, and crisp outlines. In addition, Nate Piekos of Blambot®’s lettering does a brilliant job of differentiating between each form of dialogue. The mental communication, spoken word, and narration are clearly distinguished.

Conclusion

ELFQUEST: STARGAZER’S HUNT #4 provides fans with everything they love about the ElfQuest series. We’re excited to see what adventures Jink embarks on next.

Do you think Jink will find her father? Let us know in the comments below!

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Review: Revenge Flows Like Blood In THE DEVIL’S RED BRIDE #1

By

Gabriel Hernandez

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THE DEVIL’S RED BRIDE #1, available from Vault Comics on October 14th, begins a new series about an Onna-bugeisha (female samurai) on a quest to avenge her fallen clan. Sebastian Girner writes the inaugural story, a fascinating mix of 47 Ronin, Mulan and Zatoichi set in feudal-era Japan.

Cover Art

John Bivens’ cover is roughly drawn, but what it lacks in finesse, it makes up for in composition. Ketsuko, the main character, strides toward the reader with solemn confidence while wearing her own mask of sadness. The Devil’s Mask over her right shoulder hints of the undercurrent of power. Power represents decades of honor and tradition that drives Ketsuko to uphold her family and her clan’s reputation. Bivens makes excellent use of symbolism in the cover’s composition.

Writing

Girner’s story feels familiar and completely new at the same time. Ketsuko, daughter of the Aragami clan’s leader, “helps” her brother establish himself on the battlefield as a capable warlord. Through events not revealed in this issue, Ketsuko wanders the land as Ronin in search of purpose and revenge for her clan’s fate.

There are so many bits and pieces that feel like some movie you’ve already seen or book you’ve already read, but nothing quite matches. In that way, Girner completely succeeds in telling a brand new samurai story without blatantly aping other works. It’s a truly inspiring story on multiple levels. As a reader, you immediately get the final dynamic between father, son, and daughter. You can feel Ketsuko’s frustration with her assigned place in the clan, and you willingly accept her position (shown three years later) without hesitation. It’s rare to see a collection of characters fleshed out so well in a first issue.

Pencils/Inks

Consistent with the cover, Bivens’ work on the internal pages is a bit rough on the lines and details but makes up for it in the composition. Bivens uses camera angles on the panels and asymmetric character positioning to pump up each page with maximum drama. Every conversation is tense. Every battle is anxious. Every confrontation feels ready to boil over in bloodshed. All that drama is accomplished through Bivens’ composition.

Generally, the rough drawing style works because it infuses a rough, gritty tone. War is a dirty business, and this story is as much about war and the toll it takes on a country as it is about the main character. Bivens doesn’t glamorize the violence with “clean” art, and it makes the death scenes much more effective.

Coloring

Iris Monahan infuses the issue with a heavy mix of sepia tones and reds to give the reader the impression of an old Black & White film. It ages the story nicely to give you the impression of watching the story through the lens of history. When the reds appear, they punctuate the violence and gore that enhances Bevins’ grittiness well.

Lettering

As with the coloring, Jeff Powell’s lettering work does well to augment Bivens’ excellent composition. More than a few times, you catch the panels showing odd camera angles or showing the speakers “off-screen.” Powell does an excellent job drawing the word balloons in the unseen speaker’s direction without confusing what’s happening and keeping the story moving in the right direction. Powell also makes the visually interesting choice of softening the fonts to depict whispering. Powell’s creative lettering techniques in this issue are visually interesting and keep narrative pace with Blevins’ art.

Conclusion

THE DEVIL’S RED BRIDE #1, available from Vault Comics on October 14th, takes some of the best parts of classic samurai tales and splices them into a uniquely original story. The art is gritty and dramatic, and the writing has the potential to tell another classic tale. This is a great read for any samurai fan.

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Review: Resurrection And Revolution In LONE SLOANE: CHAOS

By

Gabriel Hernandez

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LONE SLOANE: CHAOS, available from Titan Comics on October 14th, recounts the delivery of Sloane’s corpse to Imperator Shaan as a prized trophy, but the journey doesn’t go as planned. This latest installment of the Sloane sage, written and drawn by Phillipe Druillet, brings Sloane and Shaan together for the first, and possibly last, time in their eternal struggle for the soul of the universe.

Cover Art

Druillet’s cover, as with the entire book, is a masterwork in visual design. Sloane holds Legend in a loving embrace as their figures tower over the demonic forces circling Shaan. As rich in symbolism as hatching texture, Druillet presents a multi-layered image that tells a story within a story on every square inch.

Writing

Sloane’s dead body is transported by train to Shaan’s palace as the trophy for years of conflict. En route, Legend infiltrates the train and resurrects Sloane to re-assume his place as a symbol of hope for all of Zazhann’s inhabitants against the dark, tyrannical rule of Shaan.

Druillet’s story is an esoteric mix of sci-fi space opera and baroque art. It isn’t easy to classify this as a comic. This work could easily be conceived as a series of bas relief paintings in an ancient cathedral or as a series of psychedelic posters found in some underground, experimental art house. Druillet pushes the Sloane mythology to messianic levels and finds new ways to interpret the value of art, sex, music, good and evil within a space drama context. In lesser hands, the plot would come off as some cheesy sci-fi melodrama. In Druillet’s hands, this is art.

Pencils/Inks

Druillet’s art style will not be to everyone’s liking. It’s a baroque style executed with obsessive amounts of hatching and line work that takes simple characters and settings and complicates them to mind-bending levels. Basic renderings, such as a wall, are brimming with hundreds and thousands of small lines, rectangles, triangles, and a plethora of other geometric shapes to give you the impression that everything has meaning in its texture. You’re almost forced to stare into the very molecules that make up every object.

Of course, this hyper-textured art style makes every character visually arresting, which could be interpreted as magnificent or grotesque. My perception picks up that it’s a bit of both. A true artist’s talent is to give the viewer something that begs interpretation with different outcomes for every viewer. And so, it’s up to the reader to decide if this is beautiful art or grotesque art, and both answers are correct, depending on your point of view.

Coloring

Jean-Paul Fernandez has the daunting task of coloring in the infinite number of geometries and lines to bring depth to Drullet’s world. In this, Fernandez succeeds admirably. The shading and palette in some panels save Druillet’s work from becoming so chaotic that it becomes unrecognizable. Fernandez satisfies the need to shade the worlds and slathers the entire book in the gritty, molten mood of a world on the verge of civil war. Outstanding work by Fernandez.

Lettering

The lettering work here is a superb example of organic integration with the art. This book is translated from Druillet’s native French by Edward Gauvin, but it’s unclear if Gauvin executed on the translated lettering or if Gauvin translated the script and Druillet re-penciled the translation. Either way, the word bubble designs also follow the model of excess (sometimes to an absurd degree) additions of geometric shapes and lines for just the simple tails. Those added shapes are technically unnecessary, but they match the art style perfectly.

Conclusion

LONE SLOANE: CHAOS, available from Titan Comics on October 14th, is the type of comic that pushes all the contemporary artistic boundaries. By itself, the story is imaginatively odd but coupled with the hyper-textured art, creates a completely different category of comic. I highly recommend picking up this book for anyone that wants to stretch their imagination.

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Review: It All Comes Down To This In STEALTH #6

By

Gabriel Hernandez

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STEALTH #6, available from Image Comics on October 14th, opens the door (literally and figuratively) to answer all the questions about the origin of Stealth’s suit and the fate of Detroit. Writer Mike Costa’s finale ties up all the loose threads with a low-key climax that’s heavy on satisfying answers.

Cover Art

Jason Howard’s cover art shifts the specter of danger away from Dead Hand into a dramatic visage of Stealth. The winged hero’s shadow towers over his arch-nemesis and his son as he prepares to swoop down for the kill. It’s a great, dramatic composition that echoes the final battle in this issue.

Writing

Costa’s finale wraps up the mystery of Stealth’s suit efficiently and effectively by adding in a sci-fi trope that comes out of nowhere – time travel. Within the context of the story and how it all eventually comes together, it makes total sense. Using time travel as the deus ex machina for the story also adds an interesting twist to the nature of Stealth’s illness and Dead Hand’s power. Costa takes what could have been a predictable origin story and flips it on its head to open the door for a whole range of story possibilities in the future… the very far future.

As a story, it works. In service of tying up all the loose threads and open plot points throughout the miniseries, Costa’s twist is unique and satisfying. That said, the revelation of time travel is so potentially huge and fraught with potential that I wish it had been dropped in an earlier issue to give it time to breathe. It felt a little awkward introducing that plot point so late in the series. I wanted more time (no pun intended) to see where this story goes; that’s a criticism and a compliment to Costa’s writing.

Pencils/Inks

Nate Bellegarde’s art style works well for giving the characters and scenery a high degree of grounded reality. It would be easy to see this series getting picked up by some network or streaming service for a series ala Netflix. Bellegarde infuses so much realism into the characters on page as to be almost photo-realistic. Tony is bedraggled in every possible way given the gauntlet of fights he’s endured over the last few issues. Dead Hand looks frighteningly malignant but not in a cartoonish way. And Stealth’s action scenes rival anything you’d see in a recent MCU film.

Above the style, I give Bellegarde big credit for the emotional punch at the end of the last battle. The timey wimey revelation at the last battle’s end was trippy and mind-bending in a way not seen anywhere else in the series. Yet, Bellegarde integrated the tunnel, visions, and memories(?) into the issue in such a way as not to distract from the realism of the series but add a whole new layer. Great work from Bellegarde.

Coloring

Tamra Bonvillain really shows off some impressive psychedelic coloring techniques in this issue. Stealth’s blue radiation glow and the explosion from a wrecked car have been the only types of eye-catching pop over the sum of the series so far, but we get a little more here. The singularity, the tunnel, and the merging of events glow and flow like nothing we’ve seen before. It’s beautiful and expressive as a force of nature that makes complete sense.

Lettering

Sal Cipriano’s lettering gets high marks for doing exactly what it needs to do in an exposition-heavy comic – keep things moving. There’s a LOT of exposition, and Cipriano moves your eye through the dialog without feeling like your reading an instruction manual. The best kind of dialog is the dialog that doesn’t force you to stop and think about with every panel. This issue moves fast, and Cipriano gets a lot of credit for making that happen.

Conclusion

STEALTH #6, available from Image Comics on October 14th, takes a quantum leap into a sci-fi subgenre to open up a whole world of future stories with the main character. The plot is inventive, and the art adds depth and dimension to the finale’s twist. This is a solid finale from the whole team.

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TARTARUS VOLUME 1: A Space Opera With More Room To Grow

By

Jake Palermo

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Tartarus Volume 1 is the collection of the space opera series from Image Comics releasing September 30. From the minds of writer Johnnie Christmas, artist Jack T. Cole, and letterer Jim Campbell comes a grey vs. gray morality story.

Tartarus Volume 1 Story

Tartarus Volume 1 focuses on Tilde, a military cadet on the run from the life she knew. In the universe of Tartarus are factions of people who follow very extreme ideologies. Tilde runs from the military dictatorship she served Baxna. The reader sees that years of service don’t matter to the leaders, not even the general who saw her as a daughter. The fact her mother is a dangerous warlord who risked everything to get a better life on the mining colony Tartarus is too great a risk for a Galactic War they’re fighting. Because to them, any reminder of Surka is a threat to them. After this disheartening revelation, Tilde flees to her mother’s home.

Johnnie Christmas has the main conflict of Tartarus Volume 1 revolve around a web of actions that tie together. Everything from Tilde’s academy friend Klinzu and his attempt to get a date and an engineer’s attempt to better himself comes together. Unfortunately, with so many plot points, there is barely enough time to show character. Tilde is rather reactionary to everything around her, doing whatever the plot demands. But it’s only because most of her actions are about taking care of family and friends, including her twin Mogen, she meets on Tartarus. Again though, readers would benefit from seeing more of Tilde’s interactions with these people. Otherwise, it’s mostly just tidbits like with the high-strung Chief Ilzn who treats her well.

Art

What really attracts readers to Tartarus Volume 1 is the immersive and vibrant world the characters live in. Jack T. Cole decorates this world with images resembling middle ages illustrations. Not least of which are the tarot cards that serve as introductions to the chapters. When looking through the issues, a reader can easily reread the material to understand what takes place fully. On a side note, there are pieces of exposition on one page that describe pieces of the world. Each has a sense of identity where Baxan origins look like military reports; others include simple hazard warnings. This, along with 80’s era sci-fi designs, provides the series’ backgrounds with a sense of culture. Despite the name Tartarus, there seems to be a sense of living and thriving in this world.

Jim Campbell provides plenty of opportunities to communicate how people interact with everything in Tartarus Volume 1. Most word balloons float around to display activity. Even side characters feel like they actually live in these worlds rather than float in them. As for captions, blue captions are usually inner monologues from Tilde, unlike yellow captions for locations. This provides plenty of opportunities for people to see what she’s thinking and how it can differ from her actions. One time, Tilde even speaks out loud because keeping it in her head would blend with the cool colors.

Tartarus Volume 1 Is Only The Beginning

Tartarus is like movies such as Valerian and Mortal Engines, full of world and in-universe culture. Yet it’s storytelling potential feels limited in comparison. Because with so much going on, it’s hard to get a lock on the side plots. Hopefully, the issues following Tartarus Volume 1 can deliver more on character interaction than just the plot.

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Dinosaurs, Mermaids, and Friendship Galore in LUMBERJANES #74

By

Cat Wyatt

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LUMBERJANES #74, available Wednesday from BOOM! Box brings one beloved series ever closer to its conclusion. The End of Summer is nearly here, and that means the campers are working on their last big adventures.

A very endearing variant cover for Lumberjanes #74.

So, there’s some good news, and some bad (read: sad) news about Lumberjanes. We’ll do the sad news first. In case you haven’t heard, Lumberjanes is nearing the end of its series. Considering that it was originally created as an eight-issue run, it’s done pretty well for itself.

All things must come to an end though, even great things. The fun of Lumberjanes will always live on in our hearts. A fact that will probably be made easier by the good news; Lumberjanes has officially been picked up by HBO Max, with Noelle Stevenson (one of the original creators) at the helm.

Realistically, that’s a ways off. At least that will give fans time to finish Lumberjanes, as well as likely rereading the series a time (or two). With that in mind, let’s dive into our review of Lumberjanes #74.

How far do you think Ripley’s scream carried?

The Writing

Lumberjanes #74 continues ‘The End of Summer‘ plot arc, and it is a bittersweet read, of that there is no doubt. Written by Shannon Watters and Kat Leyh, this is an issue designed to wrap up all lingering plots – and to give fans a chance to say goodbye.

Think of all the insane adventures the Roanoak cabin has had over the years. Now, try and count up all the new friends they’ve made along the way…as well as a few enemies, here and there. Now picture trying to find a way to bring it all back together, and you’ll have a decent idea of how massive this current arc is.

This issue has a little bit of something for everyone. There’s chaos, dimension-hopping, dinosaurs, mermaids, friendship, and even a little bit of romance. All while setting the scene for what will surely be the final adventure (one can only assume).

What makes Lumberjanes #74 shine so brightly are the little moments. How each character is holding true, and showcasing what made fans fall in love with them. Even when they didn’t get a lot of screen time in this issue.

A candy eating dinosaur, what are the odds?

The Art

As always, the artwork inside Lumberjanes #74 showcases that iconic style, laying out vibrant groundworks for adventuring. The style may have changed over the years, as artists switch in and out, yet there has always been something so quintessentially ‘Lumberjanes‘ about the style itself.

Kat Leyh is the lead artist, as well as being one of the writers for this plot arc. It feels appropriate, given how everything is coming full circle at the moment. Leyh’s characters seem as spirited as ever, but that’s no surprise. What is intriguing is seeing how old elements are popping back up, but in new ways.

The colors were provided by Maarta Laiho, and it’s the colors that truly set the tone for this issue. From calming backdrops and bright dinosaurs (yes, really!), to starry skies and punk mermaids. It all seems to flow from one scene to the next, thanks largely to the dominant colors.

Aubrey Aiese was the letterer for this issue, and it’s the lettering that brings everything together. While the emotions of the campers are clear on their faces, it’s the lettering that really evokes that particular tone of voice known to each of them.

Conclusion

Lumberjanes #74 is a vibrant collection of quick adventures, following the campers that fans have come to love. This may be the beginning of the end for the series, but it is still wonderfully done, doing justice to the characters, and the fans.

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