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REVIEW: PUNISHER #1 Takes No Prisoners!

Review: PUNISHER #1 - What Is Primal Anger?

Punisher #1 hits comic stores this week. Marvel has a tough task in front of them. They have to replace Frank Castle and reel in new fans. This has been done before. Miles Morales replaced Ultimate Peter Parker. Nick Fury Jr. replaced Nick Fury. Success is possible, but the story and the character need to be done well enough to engage readers. Writer David Pepose’s introductory issue pulls you right in. Joining Pepose on the issue are Dave Wachter on pencils with Dan Brown on colors and Cory Petit on letters.

WRITING

Pepose is up to the task this week in Punisher #1. He introduces us to Joe Garrison. Joe’s story is similar to Frank Castle, but there is a difference. Garrison is joined by a friend called Triple-A. This is a cool character that helps Joe out with tech. So think of Oracle for Batman or Q for James Bond. This is an interesting touch for a punisher to have. Pepose makes Triple-A likable right off the bat. The character provides some clarity and comic relief when needed. In this debut issue, Pepose establishes that Garrison is an intelligent character. Through his sense of direction, and ability to track criminals and his ability to improvise while in a fight we get an idea of how good Garrison is. Finding hollow points in train tunnels and finding where the Sokovian is are one of the many examples Pepose uses to flash Garrison’s skill and intelligence.

Pepose also gives us a sense of how devoted Garrison is. He’s a man who has a goal of revenge, and this is made clear when he takes on several body guards for the Sokovian all at once. While he is out manned he is not out gunned. His determination and willingness to do whatever it takes is shown in these panels. Garrison will use anything at his disposal to get revenge. This will range from a bottle of alcohol to a lighter. Garrison will even put his body on the line as he takes damage from bodyguards to complete his mission. He’ll then use their own weapons against them and others as the fight continues. For an introductory issue, Punisher #1 is fun and intriguing. Joe Garrison seems like a fine character that you want to read more of. Pepose did a great job of giving the reader just enough to keep them hooked for next issue.

Review: PUNISHER #1 - What Is Primal Anger?

ART

The pencils by Dave Wachter fit the type of story being told. In the earlier parts of the issue, Wachter uses a lot of shading to keep Joe’s appearance hidden. This is seen when Joe goes to the bar looking for the Sokovian. Wachter shades his entire face for all of the interaction. Wachter uses hatching and cross hatching on Joe’s face at several times throughout the issue to provide some grittiness and texture to the character as well. There is also a closeness with this book in certain panels. This is an issue that introduces several new characters, so it makes sense to give the reader close up panels to get a good look at them. The way the panels are set in certain pages gives us a sequential view of some of the action. This is made clear on the pages where Hyde transforms. Wachter show us an image of his chest expanding and his shirt ripping. The next panel shows his muscles enlarging. Then the classic back expanding. All of these panels take you step by step through the transformation and give the reader everything they want to see. There is also a fight page where Garrison takes on the Sokovian’s body guards. Wachter uses this page layout almost like a role of film. It’s sprawled out across the page and gives us Garrison hit by hit as he fights off villains.

The colors by Dan Brown have the task of complimenting the pencils and setting the tone for the book. Brown nails this perfectly as his moody colors really pop on a dark issue like this. When Joe uses his rail gun to hit criminals with body armor, Brown lights up the page with a vibrant blue streak. While dark tones and colors essentially rule the issue, there is a brief flashback sequence that Brown uses much lighter colors for. This breaks up the monotony of the same palette for the issue. Brown excels at making the colors appeal to your emotions. In the flashback sequence, you do feel lighter and happier. The colors have everything to do with that.

LETTERING

The letters by Cory Petit have their fingerprints all over this book. Sound effects are everywhere, and they’re placed in just the right spot. As Joe goes to use one of his big guns, Petit puts a small “KLK” as the gun locks in and a larger “VRRRRR” as the gun heats up. There is a lot of dialogue in this issue, so Petit had to place his word balloons in the right spot so they don’t interfere with the pencils. As the Sokovian talks with Hyde, Petit places his word balloons above all of the characters heads so everything is visible. When Joe is driving his motorcycle down the street, the narration is placed on his left hand side where it can be easily read. All of these little touches that Petit applies matter in the enjoyment of the book.

Review: PUNISHER #1 - What Is Primal Anger?

CONCLUSION

Punisher #1 is a fun issue that should bring in new fans while keeping older ones. David Pepose writes a good script that gives us a new character who seems interesting. The art department had a big hand in making this book a success. Their work and love for the material shows on the page. Punisher #1 is available at a comic shop near you!

 

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Marvel Comics Exclusive Preview: SPINE-TINGLING SPIDER-MAN #2

marvel comics exclusive preview spine tingling spider-man spider man

SPINE-TINGLING SPIDER-MAN #2 hits your local comic book store on November 15th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive three-page preview for you!

About the issue:
Peter Parker finds himself in the most terrifying haunted house possible. Who took Peter’s powers? Who took Peter’s friends and family? Who stands the best chance at taking Spider-Man down PERMANENTLY?!

The issue is by writer Saladin Ahmed and artist Juan Ferreyra, with letters by Joe Caramagna. The main cover is by Ferreyra.

Check out our SPINE-TINGLING SPIDER-MAN #2 preview below:

marvel comics exclusive preview spine tingling spider-man spider man

marvel comics exclusive preview spine tingling spider-man spider man

marvel comics exclusive preview spine tingling spider-man spider man

marvel comics exclusive preview spine tingling spider-man spider man

marvel comics exclusive preview spine tingling spider-man spider man


Are you reading SPINE-TINGLING SPIDER-MAN? Sound off in the comments!

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Marvel Comics Exclusive Preview: IMMORTAL THOR #4

marvel comics exclusive preview immortal thor

IMMORTAL THOR #4 hits your local comic book store on November 15th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive three-page preview for you!

About the issue:
SUMMONS OF THE ALL-FATHER!

On the dark side of the moon, God faced Goddess – and that was only the beginning of Thor’s troubles. But as his many foes gathered to destroy him, the Odinson had one final trick to play… This is the story of THE IMMORTAL THOR…and the Summoning of the Four.

The issue is by writer Al Ewing and artist Martín Cóccolo, with colors by Matthew Wilson, and letters by Joe Sabino. The main cover is by Alex Ross.

Check out our IMMORTAL THOR #4 preview below:

marvel comics exclusive preview immortal thor

marvel comics exclusive preview immortal thor

marvel comics exclusive preview immortal thor

marvel comics exclusive preview immortal thor


Are you reading IMMORTAL THOR? Sound off in the comments!

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Review: PUNISHER #1 – What Is Primal Anger?

Review: PUNISHER #1 - What Is Primal Anger?

PUNISHER #1 hits your local comic book shop today from Marvel Comics. This is an exciting issue that had me thinking about how we interact with art and the emotional responses it invokes. Check out my full review and a four-page preview below.

The book is written by David Pepose, with art by Dave Wachter, Dan Brown drops the colors, and you will read Cory Petit’s letterwork.

About PUNISHER #1:
Is this the return of Frank Castle—or the start of something else? Frank Castle has disappeared, but evil will always need to be punished. With all-new threats rising to claim innocent victims, criminals will need to beware of a dangerous vigilante hunting them from the shadows. Who is the new Punisher? What put him on his path of vengeance? And when the smoke clears, will he even make it out alive? It’s John Wick meets The Fugitive in this action-packed new saga from Ringo Award-winning writer David Pepose (SAVAGE AVENGERS, MOON KNIGHT: CITY OF THE DEAD) and Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated artist Dave Wachter (PLANET OF THE APES, X-MEN LEGENDS), as the Marvel Universe meets the next generation of punishment!

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Marvel Comics Exclusive Preview: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #8

marvel comics exclusive preview guardians of the galaxy

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #8 hits your local comic book store on November 8th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!

About the issue:
THERE’S A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN! AND NEW (?) GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.

The truth about Grootfall is out there now, but will the universe listen? Do we even have to ask? It’s the Guardians vs. Whitecap High Command! The Fight for the Fold reaches its explosive conclusion just in time for everything to go to flark!

The issue is by writers Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing and penciler Kev Walker, with inks by Walden Wong, colors by Matt Hollingsworth, and letters by Cory Petit. The main cover is by Emilio Laiso and Bryan Valenza.

Check out our GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #8 preview below:

marvel comics exclusive preview guardians of the galaxy

marvel comics exclusive preview guardians of the galaxy

marvel comics exclusive preview guardians of the galaxy

marvel comics exclusive preview guardians of the galaxy

marvel comics exclusive preview guardians of the galaxy

marvel comics exclusive preview guardians of the galaxy


Are you reading GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY? Sound off in the comments!

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Review: THE HOLY ROLLER #1 – Insane Fun! (Andy Samberg, Joe Trohman & Rick Remender)

Review: THE HOLY ROLLER #1 - Insane Fun! (Andy Samberg, Joe Trohman & Rick Remender)

THE HOLY ROLLER #1 hits your local comic book shop on November 22, but thanks to Image Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an early review for you. The book is written by Andy Samberg, Joe Trohman & Rick Remender. Roland Boschi is the artist, and Moreno Dinisio drops the colors. Check out my review and five-page preview below.

About the series:
Comedian Andy Samberg (SNL, Palm Springs) and Fall Out Boy’s Joe Trohman join Rick Remender (Deadly Class, The Scumbag, LOW, The Sacrificers) and fan favorite artist Roland Boschi (The Scumbag, Wolverine) for the upcoming series The Holy Roller. This bowling-themed bonanza will strike this November from Image Comics as part of the ever-growing Giant Generator Studios line.

The Holy Roller is a tale of a trick-bowling-ball-wielding vigilante battling to liberate his home by bowling the perfect game—against evil! Kingpin meets Inglourious Basterds meets Batman (that old chestnut) with equal parts action and humor, and a special introductory issue featuring 42 pages of story—two issues worth of content for the price of one.

To care for his ailing father, pro-bowler Levi Coen is forced to quit his dream job and return to his hometown, which he soon discovers has been overrun by Neo-Nazis! With only his bowling ball collection to defend himself, Levi becomes THE HOLY ROLLER!

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What Is Comics?! Episode 5 – What Makes A Good Cover?

What Is Comics?! Episode 5 - What Makes A Good Cover?

What Is Comics?! is an organic conversation between two friends about the medium we love. The goal is to enlighten and entertain, but mainly to chat with my buddy once a week.

This week, we are talking about cover design and what makes a good cover.

About the creators:
Jamie Jones is a cartoonist and illustrator living in Savannah, GA. Previous works include “Quarter Killer” with writers Danny Lore and Vita Ayala (Comixology Originals), “Kicking Ice” written by Stephanie Phillips (Ominous Press,) and “Tales of MFR” with Matt Sardo (monkeysfightingrobots.com). He is the current can illustrator for 81 Bay Brewing Co. in Tampa, FL. Alongside his freelance work, Jamie has been self-publishing his pulp action-adventure comic, “The Baboon,” under his Bow Tie Press imprint, running several successful Kickstarters.

Matthew Sardo has been part of the comic book community since the early 90s, working at comic shops and then running his own. The Comic Vault in Chicago was twice nominated for the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award. Since 2012, Matt switched over to the world of journalism and then launched Monkeys Fighting Robots in 2015 to shine a brighter light on the world of comic books. Matt’s next role is convention director of Indie Comics Creator Con in New Haven, CT.

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Review: PETROL HEAD #1 – Robots, Start Your Engines

From writer Rob Williams (Judge Dredd; Suicide Squad) and artist Pye Parr comes a high-octane take on a dystopic used-future story in Petrol Head #1. This simplistic yet effective first issue will catch readers with its absolutely stunning art and keep them wrapped up by the surprising amount of charm its main characters bring to the table. With a lot of heart and phenomenal visuals, Petrol Head rips off of the line with its opening chapter.

“In a climate crisis-ravaged future metropolis, an old, grumpy, obsolete, smoke-belching, cigar-chomping, HOTROD-RACING ROBOT is one 12-year-old girl’s only hope. Together, can they outrace the chasing Robo-Cops with an invention that might just save humanity?”

Writing & Plot

Post-climate disaster stories are a dime a dozen in the comics medium, so it’s fortunate that Rob Williams gives readers one with heart and genuine charm in Petrol Head #1. After the world has become largely unlivable, humanity is forced to live in large domes cities that are governed by extremely powerful robots. Petrol Head, our titular protagonist, is a retired racer from what was once the most popular form of entertainment in the dome – auto racing. After witnessing his friend and mentor destroyed in a race, he proceeds to live out a quiet life on his own. But when a young girl and her father seek refuge in Petrol Head’s garage from the robotic government, his life gets a bit exciting once more. The double-size length of this comic allows Williams to give readers extra time and himself extra space to get the tone and characters down. Petrol Head himself immediately feels like a perfect part of the world he is in – a worn-out being on a used-up planet. His quiet, gruff nature pairs perfectly with his partner, a small robotic bird with a smart-mouth. The pair have a back-and-forth similar to The Goon and Franky, and they’re a ton of fun to read. The young girl and her father – a scientist trying to improve the lives of the people living in the dome – add more to the world itself of course, but really make for an interesting wrinkle for the protagonist. Petrol Head, like most robots, has no reason to care for humans. Bots have only ever been entertainment, so why should he care about what they’re trying to do? This thread going forward will no doubt be fascinating to watch, and it’s great to see how multi-layered of a story Petrol Head is turning out to be.

On a more personal note, Williams posits a conundrum that hits a little close to home for me. As someone who is conscious of the direction our environment is headed, simultaneously being an automotive and motorsports enthusiast is a strange headspace to occupy. In its own way, Petrol Head #1 is a love-letter to the best parts of our reliance on the internal combustion engine, with an old racer trying to make sense of a world that has no want or need of him anymore.

Art Direction

So much of the charm in Petrol Head #1 is created by Pye Parr’s visuals. He does incredible work bringing lifelike emotion to robots that have a limited way of expressing themselves. There is a slightly Transformers-esque approach to how Parr draws his bots, with their facial animations have more range than what is normally seen in robotic faces in comics (see Ramondelli’s The Kill Lock). The rest of this world is incredibly well-detailed, and the action sequences explode off of the page. Parr’s work here has hints of Geoff Darrow, with his ability to emulate the detail of realism but still have the fantastical visual approach a fun comic needs. Much of this stems from his use of thin pencils with very little shading, instead letting his color art do much of the dimensional work. Parr’s sequential direction uses a cinematic storyboard approach to plot events, giving the story an even pacing that picks up right when the action starts. His colors perfectly capture the used, hyper-industrialized metropolis of the done city within the arid wasteland. Parr’s vivid palette is often tinged by the smoggy atmosphere and colored by the red sun poking through the polluted air outside the city. Parr’s lettering is also stellar, with his eye-catching SFX work highlighting the action without overtaking anything in the panel. Overall, Pye Parr has drawn one of the finest-looking Image comics of this year.

Verdict

Petrol Head #1 is a surprisingly charming and visually stunning debut issue. Rob Williams’s double-size script does stellar work in introducing readers to his gruff but lovable titular protagonist and sets up what is sure to be a surprising and fun story. Pye Parr’s artwork is absolutely phenomenal, with great character animations and detailed panels making for a reading experience that explodes off of the panel. Be sure to grab this new #1 when it hits shelves on November 8th!

 

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Review: Angels, Devils, and Dogs in DAMN THEM ALL #9

Vertigo’s collapse left a hole in the comics landscape — the middle-ground between simpler adventure or superhero comics and more daring, avant-garde entertainment. There have been plenty of comics since that tried to fit that niche, including an imprint by Vertigo’s editor, Karen Berger herself. But Vertigo’s longest running series, Hellblazer, was hit especially hard by the collapse. Attempts to revive the book since have faced all sorts of speedbumps, ranging from DC trying to fit the series into their wider universe to premature cancellations. Boom! Studios’ Damn Them All #9 sees writer Si Spurrier, one of the minds behind a particularly well loved run on Hellblazer, continue in the spirit of that Vertigo classic. Si Spurrier is joined by artist Charlie Adlard, colorists Sofie Dodgson and Daniel Silva De Carvalho, and letterer Jim Campbell for a comic that keeps up that grungy, British look at the occult — while still managing to find its own voice.

About Damn Them All #9:

72 devils of the Ars Goetia have been stripped from their unearthly realm and trapped in our reality. Possession of a magic coin is now all it takes for someone to summon one of these powerful demons to do their bidding. Which means plenty of small-time gangsters have jumped on the opportunity to escalate their petty turf wars to a supernatural level. Gang enforcer/shaman/priest Ellie Hawthorne is caught in the middle and unwilling to trust the gang boss she works for with with so much power. Not to mention her suspicions that her magic-dabbling uncle Alfie had a hand in creating the new status quo. So she makes it her personal mission to send all the demons back where they came from.

Issue 9 tests that resolve when an old flame of hers tries to show how a demon could be used to connect people spiritually, resolving conflicts and bringing about a new kind of peace. Though he’s less willing to talk about the costs. Meanwhile, Ellie’s friend, Dora, is trying to cope with the aftereffects of being mentally invaded by angels. That desperation leads her to ask advice from a demon known for being particularly psychotic.

Writing

Damn Them All continues to slowly sketch the contours of its world. This issue in particular delves into the comic’s take on possession and how a demon bound to serve can try and find his own form of freedom. It’s a refreshingly specific take on the occult, the kind only offered by writers deeply familiar with the real-life stories and legends. Damn Them All is a book unafraid to get deep into the weeds. Sometimes it even dedicates entire pages to fictional journal entries by Ellie’s uncle, explaining the supernatural forces at play.

That means a prose-heavy approach that has become a bit less common in genre comics. Which is especially helpful for a book that focuses so heavily on creatures that are foreign to our reality. A demon describes two humans appearing to him through “The hiss of their numbers. Interfering waveforms, resolving to resonance.” Dora “Recalls the agony of the angels’ touch only distantly. Like somebody else’s photos, fading on a sunlit wall.” Show, don’t tell may be a common maxim, but one that can only go so far dealing with big, fantastical ideas. And in this case, there’s a real texture in the telling. Demons are simultaneously cold, near-mathematical concepts — Ellie’s uncle compares them to genes — and childlike outcasts, abandoned by  their creator and reality itself. As the comic’s reality has continued to unfold, the core story has only become more rewarding. This is definitely a series that demands to be reread.

Art

Charlie Adlard sticks to a more grounded, understated approach with his character art. Ellie is not a character prone to dramatic poses. The buildings the story takes place in aren’t terribly exciting. A caption even describes the apartment this issue revolves around as “brutalist,” often shown painted with dull, flat colors and sparse, functional furniture, which helps create contrast when the demons from hell show up. The demons themselves are more blurry shapes than physical presences, reality itself fragmenting and shattering around them. This issue in particular gets to show the world from a more demonic perspective, reality itself as a web of connections, covering a magician so he appears like a cross-contour drawing.

Coloring

Sofie Dodgson and Daniel Silva De Carvalho’s coloring work uses flat planes of color with rough brush-stroke edges to help give each page depth. There’s a washed-out, understated quality to the colors chosen during the real-world segments. Which means their work especially shows during the comic’s moments of demonic presence. Unstable psychopath Andras is colored like an off-register print, shades of bright red, blues, and yellow making him almost appear to vibrate off the page. While the connective powers of King Beleth fill the page with calming blues and golds. Its a world of wild contrasts, visible through just the color palette.

Lettering

Jim Campbell’s lettering does a good job of communicating the ebb and flow of conversation. Quieter asides are drawn in grey, smaller letters, which combine with both normal and bolded letters to give characters different volumes they bounce between as they talk. Even the demons, in their scratchy, more chaotic lettering, have a rise and fall to the way they speak. The all-caps lettering also switches to lowercase when handling speech stutters like “ah” or “eh.” It helps the conversation feel more natural, which is especially important in a book that revolves around so much speaking.

VERDICT

Damn Them All #9 continues the slow burn in a series that has only managed to get more interesting over time. It’s worth reading for those interested in the Hellblazer tradition of rat bastards solving occult mysteries. The book’s out now from Boom! Studios so check it out!

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BLACK SIGHT #2: Read the first 5 pages! (Stephanie Phillips & Conor Boyle)

BLACK SIGHT #2: Read the first 5 pages! (Stephanie Phillips & Conor Boyle)

BLACK SIGHT #2 drops on Kindle & comiXology on October 31 via Comixology Originals. Thanks to the publisher, Monkeys Fighting Robots has a five-page preview for our readers. The book is written by Stephanie Phillips, with art and colors by Conor Boyle (Artist, Colorist), and you will read Tom Napolitano’s letter work. Dave Johnson created the cover.

About the five-issue mini-series:
While traveling alone across 1960s Europe, a young woman finds herself imprisoned in a secret CIA black site that’s used for psychological experimentation. This terrifying thriller follows her attempts to not only escape, but to separate stark reality from mental manipulation. Can she free herself, and get away with her mind and soul intact?

Check out the preview below.

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