SPIDER-MAN: BLACK SUIT & BLOOD #2 hits your local comic book store on September 18th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive six-page preview for you!
About the issue: AMID THE CHAOS CAME A COSTUME! Spider-Man’s black costume 40th Anniversary celebration web-slings into dark and novel territory – BLACK, WHITE & BLOOD style!
GREG WEISMAN (SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MEN, Gargoyles, The Spectacular Spider-Man) and JAVI FERNÁNDEZ (MARVEL ZOMBIES: BLACK, WHITE & BLOOD) take Peter Parker and the symbiote suit right to the bleeding edge!
ERICA SCHULTZ (DAREDEVIL: GANG WAR, BLOOD HUNTERS) and MARCELO FERREIRA’s (STRANGE, MOON KNIGHT: CITY OF THE DEAD) Spidey shows no mercy!
And legend DAN JURGENS (THOR, THE SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN) writes and illustrates a bold new take on one of the most iconic chapters of Spider-Man’s life!
The issue features three stories. The first is by writer Erica Schultz, artist Marcelo Ferreira, inker Roberto Poggi, and colorist Andres Mossa; The second is by writer/artist Dan Jurgens, finisher Brett Breeding, and colorist Christ Sotomayor; The third is by writer Greg Weisman and artist Javi Fernández. All three stories are lettered by Joe Caramagna, and the main cover is by Giuseppe Camuncoli & Edgar Delgado.
Check out our SPIDER-MAN: BLACK SUIT & BLOOD #2 preview below:
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Transformers #12 is a stunning display of character work and intense action with high stakes. Writer Daniel Warren Johnson, artist Jorge Corona, colorist Mike Spicer, and letterer Rus Wooton all come together to bring this issue to life in ways that really weigh on you after reading.
The issue starts with Carly seeing Soundwave fighting Cliffjumper on a large screen. As the Autobots and Decepticons fight, she jumps into action in an attempt to save him. She succeeds, and with this the autobots push the offensive. It seems like they’re winning, but something much worse is soon come to pass.
WRITING
This is DWJ in his element. His forte is crafting elaborate stories with high emotional stakes, and this issue is no different. His characters have all grown immensely from the very first issue of the comic. Optimus hardly knew Earth at first, but now is willing to fight for it. Throwing Elita into the mix shook things up further for the Autobots, as now the perspective of a character more loyal to their homeworld has been thrown into the mix. Johnson explores that cleverly. The two play off of each other in a complex way, two different sets of ideals clashing. Optimus clings to whatever life he discovers, wanting to protect what he can. Elita is more concerned with protecting her own people, and is angry with Optimus for being so righteous and not seeing it her way.
Johnson also brings Optimus to dark places in this issue. The character is frustrated with what’s happening and the situations that he’s been put in, and because of that, he does things that he wouldn’t normally do. None of this feels out of character though. It feels like a step forward for the character in the grand scheme of things, and it’s a welcome one at that. Johnson understands these characters and the limits they have, and does his best to make us understand those as well.
Carly watches Soundwave attack Cliffjumper
ART
Corona has a really tough job as the artist of this book. He has to make the gigantic robots feel like they have personalities and traits of their own. He has to infuse them with emotion in a way that you can’t do with human characters. Impressively, he constantly succeeds. You sympathize with the Autobots. You feel for them and cheer for them when they succeed. You’re sad when they fail. This type of reaction to these characters could not have been possible without the life Corona brings to them. The shapes of their bodies and expressions on their faces are strong indicators as to whether they feel hurt, defeated, or determined.
That’s not to say that they feel human though. They don’t, and they shouldn’t. Corona understands that too. They’re still these giant robots that the artist details expertly. He balances that well though by bringing a real emotion to them through their body language. They move uniquely, but Corona does his job well in allowing us to be able to read these foreign beings’ postures and how they act, and allowing us to deduce their feelings through that. It’s a very emotionally charged book, and that doesn’t let up with the art.
The Autobots face off against the Decepticons
COLORS
Spicer delivers yet another pulse-pounding display of colors that pop and add more weight to the attacks of these characters. The colorist really excels in enhancing the action. He provides an integral assist to the emotional aspects of the story by placing the cast in bright lighting that makes them feel larger than life. He also makes sure the weight of each character’s blow is known. Optimus blasts Devastator with the arm that’s on loan from Megatron, and the bright pink and purple colors surrounding it make that blast felt. It’s brighter and brighter near the center of the beam, but as you get farther away from it it becomes flat and dark. It just really makes that impact known and the weight of Optimus’s attacks acknowledged.
Carly drives a car into Soundwave
LETTERS Wooton does an exceptional job of not just giving personality to the characters, but to the book as a whole. Separate from the story, he really cements the rules of the world through the various sound effects featured throughout. They feel almost like their own character sometimes, filling in the blanks where the art and colors can’t. There’s specifically this one scene where Optimus enters a blind rage, and during that there’s multiple heavy thuds present on the page. They get smaller and smaller the more Optimus comes to blows with his opponent, almost drowning them out entirely. He loses sight of what’s important, and the letters reflect that. Not only that, but it’s like you can feel what’s moving because of that. You can imagine the motions some of these machines make through the letters. It all makes an image in your head that perfectly displays what’s moving, and what that means. It’s a small touch, but an important one.
CONCLUSION
This is yet another brilliant issue of Transformers from Johnson, Corona, Spicer, and Wooton that furthers our journey with these characters. We learn more about them every issue, but in a new way that doesn’t feel done to death. This team has somehow made a 40-year old franchise feel new and fresh by allowing us to meet these characters for the first time again, but in a way we haven’t before. Because of that, they feel larger than life and new. It’s impressive storytelling that hopefully continues in issues to come.
From writer/modern horror icon Zac Thompson (Come Into Me; Alien Romulus)and artist Nicola Izzo (Buffy: The Last Vampire Slayer, Firefly: Keep Flying) comes a chilling murder mystery entrenched in paranoia. With lettering done by DC Hopkins, and coloring by Francesco Segala and Gloria Martinelli, this five-issue mini-series follows a photographer deep in the frozen landscape of the great white North. However, as her attention drifts away from her intended subject, she instead captures something much more chilling: a murder. How far will she go to uncover the truth, and how far will others go to ensure it remains buried in the snow?
Writing/Story
From the first issue, Blow Away solidly establishes itself and its heroine as detail-driven, missing nothing in its vast environment. Our heroine Brynne is single-minded to a fault and makes no qualms about being liked or disliked. She wants the truth out there. Brynne’s focus and drive allow her to find evidence where even police officers fail to, yet it adds a layer of conspiracy and madness to this story. She has no trust in anyone from the start, and this whispers in the ear of the reader “Could Brynne simply be projecting all of this, and it be a misunderstanding?” It’s a fascinating journey, especially as the spiderweb deepens and it becomes impossible to tell who can be trusted, or if the heroine is sane anymore. Thompson layers in clues and hints that act as red herrings, never allowing the reader to truly know what any character truly is thinking or what motives are until it is done.
Art Direction
The landscape in Blow Away is a harsh one. For most of the series, we are stuck in snow and ice, watching camera frames of similar panels. Yet the action, or lack thereof, never feels dull or muted, due to the amount of detail placed in every square. The story greatly emphasizes the amount of detail Brynne is keen on, and Izzo delivers that detail in spades. Every singular frame includes minute differences down to the placement of snow. Following along with Brynne as she searches for clues on each panel becomes instinctual and intriguing as it all feels vast and detailed. The lettering from Hopkins greatly helps with the flow of the story as well. While Brynne is a talker, the conversation feels sparse, with text bubbles regularly following the flow of the environment, allowing a seamless transition between spaces and thoughts.
However, what undoubtedly will capture most readers of Blow Away is the coloring. The work from Segala and Martinelli is a master class in presenting temperatures and emotions through colors alone. The wide shots of the mountains raging with snow and wind are awe-inspiring, as the color remains so vibrant, and showcases the sheer cold being experienced. The standout for color, however, was the beauty of the sunrises and sunsets presented throughout. The passage of time was expertly and beautifully shown in gorgeous hues of orange and blue.
Verdict
Blow Away is enthralling. It is a series you could pick up simply because it looks so darn pretty, but there is a real and captivating story there. The protagonist is built extremely well over the five issues, with a journey that, while confusing, is also gripping at every turn. This is one of those series that I was looking forward to picking up every issue a bit more than the last, yet now that’s over I can only feel satisfied having been along for the ride.
Episode 185 – John Cassaday passed away on Monday. The older I get, the more death takes a toll on me. The microphone is my therapy, and it feels awkward and strange, but I need to express my grief. Our time on planet Earth is short; check in on your friends and family.
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Jeremy Massie’s HOLLER hits your local comic book store on September 25th, but thanks to Dark Horse Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive eight-page preview for you!
The graphic novel collects issues #1-8 of HOLLER, originally published in single issue format by It’s Alive Press. The collection also includes a new cover and an original issue cover gallery.
About the graphic novel: Mark lives in a tiny town in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia in the early 1990s. He doesn’t fit in and feels out of sync with his family and the mostly-conservative crowd there. Lucky for him, he finds an escape—the grunge band he forms with his best friend, Jay! As the lead guitarist in Magnesium Mama, Mark and his bandmates make their time in their hometown bearable. Between gigs, there are a lot of ups and downs, and, luckily, Mark can remember most of them!
Massie, who both wrote and drew the series, also put together a playlist to celebrate the book’s release and its grunge inspirations, which you can listen to right here!
Check out our HOLLER preview below:
HOLLER hits bookstores on September 24th, and comic shops the following day on September 25th. It’s available for pre-order now.
Are you excited for HOLLER? Sound off in the comments below!
ASTONISHING TIMES: RISE OF THE KOKIN #5hits the internet September 10th, but thanks to Comixology Originals, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive five-page preview for you.
About the issue: Spinning out of the pages of the smash hit series Astonishing Times from Frank J. Barbiere, Arris Quinones, and Ruairí Coleman, Rise of the Kokin tells the story of Kokin, the mysterious cybernetic samurai.
A tragic tale of revenge comes to its close as Kokin fights back against those who have betrayed him — but at what cost? Witness the final chapter of Kokin’s origin!
The series is written by Ruairí Coleman from a story by Coleman, Frank J. Barbiere, and Arris Quinones. The art is by Coleman and Reese Hannigan, with colors by Andrew Cramer, and letters by Taylor Esposito. The book’s design is by Dylan Todd.
Check out the ASTONISHING TIMES: RISE OF THE KOKIN #5 preview below:
Have you been reading ASTONISHING TIMES: RISE OF THE KOKIN? Sound off in the comments!
SPIDER-MAN: REIGN 2 #3 hits your local comic book store on September 11th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!
About the issue: Old Man Peter Parker is lashing out and making wildly bad decisions, but what else is new? Well, now he’s got Miles Morales after him (and Miles is no spring chicken himself). The Spider-War is fought, and the whole of existence may very well be at stake as time and space get pulled to the brink!
The issue is by writer/artist Kaare Andrews, with colors by Brian Reber, and letters by Joe Caramagna. The main cover is by Andrews.
Check out our SPIDER-MAN: REIGN 2 #3 preview below:
Are you reading SPIDER-MAN: REIGN 2? Sound off in the comments!
Welcome to the Monkeys Fighting Robots Podcast, episode 184! This week, we take a look at Comic Book Roundup and its impact on the comic book industry. Thanks for checking out the podcast; have a great week, and read more comics!
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Welcome to the Monkeys Fighting Robots Podcast, episode 183! This week, I reflect on Terrificon, Eddie P Con, the state of indie comics, and what’s next. Thanks for checking out the podcast; have a great week, and read more comics!
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From modern comics icon Jeff Lemire comes his first ever series published at Boom! Studios with Minor Arcana #1. Featuring Steve Wands on letters, this first issue endears readers to the protagonist with fantastic character writing, while teasing the magical yet foreboding undercurrent this story will dive into. With a compelling story and Lemire’s unmistakable visuals, Minor Arcana is off to an excellent start.
“Theresa, the daughter of a small-town “psychic” fraud, returns home to care for her ailing mother, however begrudgingly. But when Theresa discovers that there may be more to the magic than she originally believed, she’ll find herself caught up in a town that desperately needs her help…”
Writing & Plot
Jeff Lemire once again dabbles in the world of the supernatural with Minor Arcana #1. Unlike the reality-breaking horror of Gideon Falls, however, here he focuses more on the concepts of “magical gifts” through the guise of confronting a difficult childhood. Thersa’s journey to her childhood home is one of frustration and pain that feels very real. One of Jeff Lemire’s strengths as a writer has always been how human his characters are. He’s one of the best in comics at crafting characters that feel like people you’ve met, with very real – often tragic – stories. Lemire spends most of this issue introducing readers to Theresa, her ailing mother, and her history where she grew up. The hints of magic are just that – hints. Other than the very beginning and a mysterious cliffhanger at the end, we don’t get much of the underlying supernatural elements in this issue. This works out in the story’s favor though because of how invested we get in Theresa’s character. The mystery around her arcane abilities is a genuinely compelling one, with Lemire bringing his unique use of dreamlike sequences and suspense to the pages of this new story. We only get brief glimpses of Theresa’s mystical connections, but they’re so intriguing due to both Lemire’s presentation and his work in making her an easy character to empathize with. After this first issue’s cliffhanger, the wait for #2 will be a long one.
Art Direction
So much of what works in Minor Arcana #1 stems from Jeff Lemire’s unmistakable visual style. The same approach that he used in his earlier works such as Essex County and Sweet Tooth, as well as more recently in Mazebook, is used again here in Arcana and to stellar effect. Lemire’s wiry linework and distinct character designs give the comic an atmosphere that switches from naturalistic to unnerving on the fly. His representation of a small town with a corner diner feels like the sort of thing we’ve all seen dozens of times, but that familiarity works in the story’s favor. As soon as the supernatural stuff kicks off, the atmosphere becomes dreary and dreamlike – and element Lemire mastered a long time ago. Lemire’s art has always had this effect of combining genuine charm with a sort of unnatural tone. His characters and animations are wonderfully detailed, almost spiting the sort of “low fidelity” style of his work. The lettering from frequent Lemire collaborator Steve Wands perfectly matches the atmosphere of the rest of the art, perfecting the reading experience. Overall, Minor Arcana has an unsurprisingly standout visual style.
Verdict
Minor Arcana #1is yet another phenomenal debut from of the medium’s greatest talents. Jeff Lemire’s writing endears us to his cast of characters and makes us truly care for the protagonist, all while sucking us deeper into this mysterious world of the arcane she barely knows anything about herself. His visual work is both charming and unsettling, capturing an atmosphere that is unique almost entirely to Lemire’s stories. Be sure to grab this debut issue when it hits shelves on September 4th!
