Review: JAMES BOND 007 VOL. 2 Is Literal Gold

JAMES BOND 007 VOL. 2, available from Dynamite Comics on July 8th, follows the titular super spy as he infiltrates ORU to uncover Goldfinger’s plan for terrorist domination. Greg Pak’s story continues through this second volume to showcase an alternate take on one of Bond’s most iconic villains, updated with a modern, evil plan.

Cover Art

Dave Johnson’s cover art is a sly statement on Bond’s conflict as he goes undercover for this volume. Bond is ostensibly one of the good guys, but he spends most of his time acting the villain part. Johnson’s use of the Ying-and-Yang symbol underscores Pak’s key story elements nicely.

Writing

Pak’s story is a prime Bond adventure with a healthy blend of action, romance, and surprises. In the story, Bond goes undercover to get acquainted with Goldfinger and ultimately join his organization. The goal? Discover and foil ORU’s master plan.

The story is straightforward, but Pak infuses plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. When the final conflict is revealed, Pak throws in a plot twist that puts Bond into a moral dilemma that you never see coming. It adds a layer of complexity that turns a typical Bond adventure into anything, but. A seasoned Bond fan might think, “Didn’t James Bond kill Goldfinger in the movie?” and you’d be right, but this new take on the Goldfinger legend felt completely fresh and new without detracting from the spirit of the original.

Pencils/Inks

Eric Gapstur and Robert Carey’s art is exceptional for a wholly unexpected reason. The character designs are standard fare for the handsome and square-jawed spy. The action scenes are authentic enough. But what really stands out is the incredible volume of scenery changes.

This volume has almost a different scene change on every other page. It must have taken Gapstur and Carey weeks to render a casino, Goldfinger’s mansion, Bond’s headquarters, a storage facility, an island visited by the 1%, a Director’s penthouse, and on and on. While that might seem like an inconsequential artistic focus, what the high turnover in scenery does is push you through the story at a break-neck pace. For a decently sized volume (about 175 pages), there’s barely a lull to be found—an excellent example of using the background, as much as the character movements, to push the pace.

Coloring

Rosha Kurichiyani’s coloring works well on two fronts. First, keeping pace with the tidal wave of scenery changes is no easy feat. While the backgrounds may not be super detailed, they’re colored realistically enough to keep the settings believable and grounded. Second, Pak’s story calls for a high amount of dramatic shadow on just about every panel. Kurichiyani handles the shading work with aplomb to give each scene change a little more dramatic depth.

Lettering

Ariana Maher’s lettering work is heavily dependent on the dialog in this volume. There’s the occasional ‘BRAKA” of gunfire, but this volume relies heavily on word balloons. Maher makes excellent use of space by shrinking the line spacing as tightly as possible to conserve space while still keeping the dialog readable. Maher’s space conservation allows the art and action to shine through to tell the story along with the dialog instead of competing against it.

Conclusion

JAMES BOND 007 VOL. 2, available from Dynamite Comics on July 8th, is an exciting entry in Dynamite’s run of Bond stories. The story keeps you guessing and the art flies. This is one of the better Bond stories you’ll read this year.

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Review: SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ANNUAL 2020 And The Metal Pandemic

Corey Patterson

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ANNUAL 2020, on sale in comic book stores Wednesday, July 8th, is a packed issue filled with six mini-stories. Each intriguing story features a different prominent character reacting to their own world’s pandemic.

Stories: Writing and Artwork

Big’s Big Adventure

Writer Ian Flynn, penciller and inker Jonathan Gray, and colorist Reggie Graham bring readers an offbeat tale featuring Big, the lovable cat well-known in the series. Readers join him in his recollection of a search for his best friend Froggy after the two’s recent estrangement. We see Big navigate an increasingly chaotic landscape, seemingly unaware of the destruction around him.

Darkest Hour

Evan Stanley, writer and artist of this mini-story, features Nite the owl in a spin on classic zombie stories. We watch the charismatic radio DJ refuse to leave his post after the late hours of night (much to his janitor Don’s chagrin). The contrasts between the owl’s brightly colored office with the dark shades outside are the perfect juxtaposition.

Reflections

Caleb Goellner, Aaron Hammerstrom, and Reggie Graham put together Reflections, a short but powerful tale for Metal Sonic. The Blue Blur’s antagonist reviews footage of his battles with his counterpart, shaking with anger. But when he watches Sonic come in contact with a dubious metal substance, Metal seems to have some other thoughts.

Eggman’s Day Off

Eggman’s Day Off, created by Sarah Graley, Lamar Wells, Bracardi Curry, and Gigi Dutreix, directly follows the previous story. We watch as Dr. Starline marvels at the growing spread of the metal substance and it’s increasing control over the populace. But when Eggman reveals his greater plans, the duck may have some second thoughts about his boss.

Flock Together

Sam King, Jamal Peppers, and Priscilla Tramontano offer up an action-packed story featuring the Chaotix. Espio and Vector plan a rescue mission for their partner Charmy. Readers will feel the team’s heartfelt determination to rescue their friend from the ever encroaching substance.

The Catalyst

Dutreix and Abigail Bulmers’s The Catalyst is the last mini-story of the issue. Jewel the beetle shows she’s a capable leader by helping the President of the Sonic Fan Club. But when they find more people hurt in search of Club members, readers will brace for the situation to grow from bad to worse.

Each of these mini-stories were lettered by the talented Shawn Lee, whose fonts brought a sense of cohesion to this different stories.

Conclusion

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ANNUAL 2020 was an intense and exciting read. We’re anxious to learn more about the substance in subsequent issues.

Which mini-story was your favorite in this book? Let us know in the comments below!

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Review: DEJAH THORIS VOL. 3 #6 Faces A Surprising Assassin

Gabriel Hernandez

DEJAH THORIS VOL. 3 #6, available from Dynamite Comics on July 1st, finds Dejah Thoris and her team locked in combat against the Jeweled Assassin, who may be protecting the source of the End Winter. Dan Abnett’s story and Vasco Georgiev’s art reveals the assassin’s identity and the power behind the coming war.

Cover Art

Lucio Parrillo’s cover work is consistently outstanding. Dejah Thoris strikes a confident action pose with both blasters firing away. Her quintessentially gravity-defying outfit is painted in a Parrillo’s unique style, and the entire scene is laden with the dusty reds of Mars. Parrillo’s painting pulls all of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ iconic components together for a stunning cover.

Writing

Abnett’s story starts right in the middle of the cliffhanger fight from the last issue (you can read our review of issue #5 here). Dejah and crew confront the assassin that’s psychically haunted her dreams, and they discover his surprising origin. Meanwhile, Tars Tarkas joins forces with Thuvia for protection against unknown enemies.

Abnett demonstrates he really has a handle on pulp adventure with this issue. The opening fight scene is rowdy, and it concludes with new information that furthers the plot. It’s a fine balancing act between mindless action and thoughtful detective work. The reader will vacillate between the two, both equally well done. With this level of quality, I’d be interested to see what Abnett could do if given another detective/fighter such as Batman, Daredevil, or The Shadow.

Pencils/Inks

Georgiev’s art hits the mark in two key areas. The action sequences are dynamic and slick. You feel every strike when Llana unleashes her fury on the assassin. The kicks, the punches, and glave strikes streak through the panels with a high degree of kinetic momentum.

Second, Georgiev put an extraordinary amount of thought and execution into the faces. In particular, when Morokh steps in for a little insectoid mind control, the victim of his psychic work unsettles you with a disturbingly zoned out stare. It’s one thing to draw faces with emotional expression, but it’s another to draw faces that look disconnected from the owner’s mind in a believable way. Great work by Georgiev on this issue.

Coloring

Dearbhla Kelly turns in another excellent performance with her nuanced use of skin tones on the coloring. Barsoomians have a distinctly reddish tinge to their skin, and Kelly gives the lead character the right tones without looking tacky. The pop of dark lips helps to emphasize the signature red skin by way of contrast to make the distinctively Barsoomian quality stand out a little more without looking like a bad sunburn.

Lettering

Consistent with the previous issue, Simon Bowland’s lettering makes great use of alternate font colors to emphasize non-human(oid) speech and provide some visual interest. The Kaldanian bug speech’s pinkish-red and the Tharks fern green speech bubbles add a little more alien distinction from one species to the next. As a point of improvement, sometimes the green font with the green fill for Tars’ word bubbles was a little too hard to read. It would have worked a little better if two greens were selected with a higher contrast to make it easier on the eyes.

Conclusion

DEJAH THORIS VOL. 3 #6, available from Dynamite Comics on July 1st, is a great mix of action, adventure, and detective work. The writing is a high-quality pulp adventure, and the art team is firing on all cylinders. The cliffhanger ending will leave you wanting more.

[UPDATE: The article was updated to correctly reflect that Dejah Thoris was created by Edgar Rice Burroughs and not Robert E. Howard]

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Review: The Truce Begins To Unravel In SACRED SIX #1

Gabriel Hernandez

SACRED SIX #1, available from Dynamite Comics on July 8th, begins a new story where creatures of the night attempt peaceful living in the town of Ashthorne in an uneasy alliance with humans. Christopher Priest’s story sets up multiple threads from Dynamite’s canon of Vampirella characters to weave a narrative that’s completely new, and yet, all too familiar.

Cover Art

There’s no better way to kick off a Dynamite series than with a cover by Jae Lee. On the painting, Nyx, Pantha, Chastity, and Draculina are overlooking their collective target, ready to pounce. Without even a hint of action, Lee’s composition and whimsical style communicates characters that are powerful and confident.

Writing

Priest’s story establishes the town of Ashthorne, and the dynamics of its supernatural residents, pretty quickly. First, through the eyes of its children. Then, through the misfortune of one its local zombies. Finally, through the conflicts of its town leaders.

Priest’s concept is pretty simple (“a town of monsters that just wants to be left alone”), but he deserves kudos for establishing so many interpersonal relationships in a small amount of pages. That said, there are a few too many threads started all at once with jarring cuts in the narrative flow. It was difficult to absorb it all without having to re-read the issue more than once. The inaugural issue could have benefited from either more pages or focus on fewer sub-plots to start off.

Pencils/Inks

Lee is a go-to artist for Dynamite covers, so it was a major treat to see him also drew the prologue as well. (Note for Dynamite: convince Lee to do a whole series or at least a one-shot). Lee’s prologue is a young adult’s slightly re-imagined recount of ancient Egyptian intrigue, and it’s gorgeous. The Egyptian characters are drawn with aristocratic superiority, and Lee’s signature whimsy suits perfectly for a vampire-centric story.

Moving on to his first mainstream work, Gabriel Ibarra draws everything post-prologue to set up the goings-on in and around the town of Ashthorne. Lee and Ibarra’s styles couldn’t be more different, but where Lee captures the majesty and magic of ancient Egypt, Ibarra breathes life into the dust and shadows of a Gothic town filled with gloom. Ibarra’s characters are immersed in constant shadow, even during the day. Although the creatures of Ashthorne live in peace with humans, Ibarra’s use of hidden eyes and faces that just barely emerge from the shadows when speaking gives the distinct impression that everyone in Ashthorne is dangerous.

Coloring

June Chang and Mohan’s coloring stands out for visual interest when almost nothing is bright or clear. In the sunny heat of an Egyptian battlefield, the scenes are covered by the yellow haze of smoke and sand. During the children’s walk home, two perspectives are colored (for two different sets of children) with the foreboding gloom of a setting sun. And the Ashthorne town meeting is barely lit by candlelight to keep the otherwordly residents “comfortable.” It’s almost a portfolio on the myriad of expert ways to do haze and indirect lighting for dramatic effect.

Lettering

Willie Schubert’s lettering is the glue that holds this issue together. Lee and Ibarra’s work are both gorgeous, but the shift from one to the other is a bit harsh. Schubert softens the shift with lettering that maintains a consistent level of readability and tone for the reader during the transition. This is a great example of lettering that helps to balance the art.

Conclusion

SACRED SIX #1, available from Dynamite Comics on July 8th, kicks off a complex new story in the Vampirella universe. The characters are fully-realized, and the art, from two separate artists, is dramatic and perfectly suited for the horror genre. This book is worth a look.

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Review: Revealed Identities Bring Crisis In STEALTH #3

Gabriel Hernandez

STEALTH #3, available from Image Comics on July 8th, follows Tony’s father as he seeks to reclaim his suit and gather intel on Dead Hand before Detroit is ripped apart. Mike Costa places the heroes and villains on a collision course while Tony struggles with his new secret.

Cover Art

Jason Howard’s composition on the cover is a great match for this issue’s content. Dead Hand takes the city hostage in Joker-like fashion, and he calls on the citizens of Detroit to turn over Stealth. Effectively, he turns Detroit against their hometown hero and puts Stealth right in the palm of his hand. There’s a quality about this cover’s composition that’s reminiscent of classic Neal Adams’ Batman covers.

Writing [No Spoilers]

Mike Costa’s story focuses on the fallout from Tony’s discovery of Stealth’s real identity. Deadly Hand turns Detroit into a fear-zone by ordering and carrying out random executions, and Stealth visits old haunts to gather any weapon he can use to put an end to the violence.

Howard’s cover works so well because this reads very much like a Batman/Joker story from cover to cover. Costa sets up a villain that’s practically a kissing cousin to the Joker, distorted face included. Stealth is a man against the world, using gadgets and guile to stop Dead Hand. And Detroit (much like Gotham) is ready to boil over from the violence and fear. Despite the lack of action in this issue, the tension is turned up to 11 for the next issue.

Pencils/Inks

Nate Bellegarde’s art is grounded and emotional. Building on Costa’s writing, most of the issue is a plot development that starts the climb towards the arc’s climax. That development takes place in small vignette scenes where the characters are exchanging information and laying plans, usually through serious conversation. To prevent those scenes from becoming flat, Bellegarde pays a lot of attention to facial expressions that communicate just as much through the eyes as their word balloons.

Bellegarde’s attention to facial expressions is made all the more exceptional by the distinctive and realistic design of all the characters, including the lesser side characters. From the doctor you meet in the opening scene to the gang members that receive an unlikely proposition, everyone looks like real people you’d see walking down a city street. Noses, eyes, and hair are distinctive and natural, and you can tell Bellegarde took the time to not just put copy/paste side characters in the panels just to get it done.

Coloring

Tamra Bonvillain’s coloring is excellent in this issue for her execution of shading. There’s an entire range of scenes that take place just past sunset, and the sky is cast in deep violet. The characters have an outdoor meeting, and the character shading pops without looking too bright, and it makes the darkening sky stand out more than its already rich color. It’s a gorgeous bit of work from Bonvillain.

Lettering

Sal Cipriano’s lettering is clean, easy to read, and efficient. Cipriano made a clever choice with the caption boxes when Stealth is suited up that staggers with a beveled square tooth on one edge to mimic the style of Stealth’s wing design. It adds to the flair of the overall issue’s style and makes the text more enjoyable to read.

Conclusion

STEALTH #3, available from Image Comics on July 8th, is a strong mid-point in the story arc that looks and feels like a classic Batman/Joker story. The writing is grounded and hits all the right emotional notes, and the art matches the emotional punches beat-for-beat. This is a solid recommendation.

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Review: DETECTIVE COMICS #1023 – A Few Talons More…

Matthew Brake

DC Comics released Peter Tomasi’s Detective Comics #1023 on July 7th. Joined by artist Brad Walker, inker Andrew Hennessy, colorist Brad Anderson, and Rob Leigh on letters, this issue serves as a lead-in to James Tynion IV’s Joker War event.

Writing

As the Joker raises Lincoln March and an army of Talons, Batman pursues Harvey Dent, breaking into Hugo Strange and the Mad Hatter’s lair to find him. Batman eventually confronts Two-Face, but right when he thinks he’s been subdued; Lincoln March arrives with the Talons.

There are a few nice callbacks in this issue. The Court of Owls continues to show their resiliency as a relatively fresh addition to the Batman lore. Two-Face even dons the armored suit used by Jim Gordon during his brief stint as Batman during Scott Snyder’s run.

Overall, however, this issue rings a little hollow. I say this as someone who really likes Peter Tomasi’s work, but the characterization in this issue just seemed shallow. At times, the writing in this issue was just people yelling other people’s names and then fighting.

One gets the impression that some of the books at DC are in a holding pattern mode, waiting for the new status quo to establish itself after Death Metal.

Art, Inks, and Colors

The art team does a serviceable job on this issue. I appreciate their Joker, a kind of grinning gremlin, and the other villains, like Two-Face and Mad Hatter. Their Batman, however, made me less than enthused.

I have to acknowledge that I enjoy the line work and the colors, particularly the shine that the darker parts of Batman’s costume has. But while Batman’s legs are certainly muscular, the rest of the design, from the upper body to the cape to the cowl, make me think of a skinny guy in cosplay. Maybe I’ve just been too spoiled by Jason Fabok, Mitch Gerads, and Mikel Janín’s Batman designs over the last five years, but Batman has lost some of his foreboding grandeur.

I will say that the image of Alfred’s broken neck that Batman sees while he’s in the Hatter’s trance did make me feel a little.

Batman snapping his neck back into place sits in an awkward place between touching and perhaps needlessly grotesque, but I think the moment works in a comic with some otherwise shallow characterization.

Lettering

Leigh’s lettering is serviceable in this issue. I have a lot of respect for a letterer who tries his best to make sure that every character has a unique voice, whether through font or coloring, which Leigh does here. He is also able to communicate tone well, whether its Batman’s steady internal monologue or the aforementioned characters-shouting-each-other’s-names-and-then-attacking dialogue. Leigh also adds in plenty of “sound effects” throughout the issue, all of which are seamlessly added into the fabric of the story without begin overwhelming or distracting, but providing the accentuation (as in the above “krak” of Alfred’s neck).

Conclusion

I was initially excited about Tomasi being on Detective. I’ve been a big fan of his for a few years now, but this issue demonstrates to me that maybe it’s time for a new writer to take over. Hopefully, once the Joker War runs its course, and Death Metal establishes a new status quo, a fresh vision can be brought to this Bat-title.

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Review: X-FORCE #10 – A Minor Miscalculation?

Matthew Brake

Continuing the tale of Krakoa’s “CIA,” X-Force #10 gets released by Marvel Comics on July 8th. Writer Benjamin Percy, along with artist Joshua Cassara, color artist Guru-eFX, letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna, and designer Tom Muller take readers into the heart of the island nation of Terra Verde, which has been overrun by an invasive plant form that Beast is responsible for creating.

Writing

As Domino, Wolverine, and Kid Omega fight there way through the temple in Terra Verde; Jean Grey struggles with a crisis of conscience when she learns that Beast has been keeping secrets, not just from the rest of Krakoa, but the other members of X-Force, specifically about his actions in Terra Verde. Later, she joins Sage and Black Tom Cassidy in the effort to destroy the Terra Vedean plant creature and rescue whoever remains from the X-Force team.

Percy and company make a few interesting choices in this issue. First, they continue a decades long trend of making Hank McCoy an inherently unlikeable character. Hank dismisses the genocide he unleashed on Terra Verde as a minor miscalculation, at least until being confronted by Jean.

This brings me to the second interesting choice Percy makes. Rather than show the entire conversation and the resolution to the argument between Jean and Beast, he resolves it using a prose section, which many of the Hickman-related X-titles have been in the habit of using. While these sections are often used to provide supplementary material in the X-books, I haven’t really seen them used to skip past showing an entire sequence of character interactions. I’m of two minds about this choice.

Finally, Percy adds fuel to the fire of the whole Jean/Scott/Wolverine polyamorous relationship question. This issue seems to confirm that is in fact the case.

Art, Colors, and Design

Not all of X-Force’s initial infiltration team makes it out of Terra Verde. Wolverine does, while Domino’s fate is a little unclear. Domino spends a good chunk of the issue as the POV character, but then who inner monologue stops, and we never see her again. However, Kid Omega’s fate is clear, and it is here that the art team does some really great work.

Kid Compost, indeed! These are some really horrific images. The art team really highlights the brutality of Kid Omega’s death (actually, that’s been a theme on X-Force. One wonders how any of the X-characters ever lived through their previous adventures).

Lettering

Caramagna’s lettering is good in this issue. Nothing flashy, but everything he does is serviceable to the story. Domino’s monologue flows well and accentuates the horror she encounters, while Jean’s telepathic communication provides the exposition necessary to understand how X-Force can overcome the Terra Vedean threat.

My only complaint concerns the aforementioned prose page, which is designed well, but makes the mistake of “telling” where a comic book should be “showing.” That has less to do with Caramagna specifically than with the artistic choice to tell the story this way.

X-Force continues to be one of the stronger X-titles. Its premise as a mutant “CIA” continues to be intriguing. This issue, in particular, sees a bit of a shakeup in the team with Colossus’s involvement foreshadowed. By the issue’s end, Domino’s fate is a little unclear, and how will Beast act moving forward after his confrontation with Jean?

What did you think about X-Force #10? Tell us in the comments below!

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Review: STRANGE ACADEMY #2 – School’s in Session!

Matthew Brake

It’s the first day of classes for the students in Strange Academy #2, released by Marvel Comics on July 8. The students of Dr. Strange’s academy for magic users get their first taste of just how hard it will be, not only to hone their magical abilities but to get along with each other. Writer Skottie Young along wither artist Humberto Ramos, colorist Edgar Delgado, and letterer VC’s Clayton Cowles give us a glimpse into the day in the life of this “strange” (yeah…I know) school.

Writing

We spend a good chunk of the issue spending time with the students, as they get to know each other and work through potential conflicts, and their eccentric faculty, including such venerable Marvel characters as The Ancient One, Scarlet Witch, and Magik (more on her in a bit).

One gets the impression reading this comic that Young is writing a young X-Men story, but with magic users. It isn’t too hard to imagine the character of Emily as a Kitty Pryde or Jubilee (specifically from X-Men: The Animated Series) type of character. She is a young girl thrown into an extraordinary world with fellow students from extraordinary places. In issue #1, her parents were scared of the possibility that others could find out what she can do (much like Jubilee’s foster parents from the aforementioned X-Men series). Anime fans might also get a My Hero Academia vibe from it.

There aren’t a lot of stakes in the story. Sure, there is the threat of possible expulsion for failure, but for the most part, we just get to walk with the students through their first day. And sure, Magik sends some students to Hell as punishment for tardiness and rudeness, but it’s mostly played for laughs.

One plot point to watch for in future issues concerns “the cost of magic.” In issue #1, Zelma explained to Emily that there is always a cost to magic. To use magic, “here” requires taking something from somewhere else. When Emily asks Zelma why she doesn’t feel the same draining sensation at Strange Academy that she did at home, Zelma evasively explains that the faculty have “taken care of it.” Later in a faculty meeting, this is brought up, with some ominous undertones that indicate that not all may be well at Strange Academy.

Art

Speaking of Magik, one of my favorite panels from this issue involves her….let’s call it an “instructional lesson” to her students. When Iric, the Asgardian, shows up late to her class, challenging her to do something about it, Magik does “something about it,” and sends him to Limbo or “Hell.”

Iric’s roommate, Doyle Dormammu, takes some delight in seeing the teacher punish his annoying roommate (a relationship that I’m sure will grow from animosity to grudging respect as the series progresses)…perhaps TOO MUCH delight.

Ramos does good work here, communicating Magik’s displeasure with Doyle and his subsequent disappearance. The cracks in the wood of the desk are a nice touch!

Coloring

Delgado’s colors and shading are beautiful in this issue. Following the situation mentioned above with Doyle and Iric, Magik notes Doyle’s mistake: he neglected to realize that the person next to him (in Doyle’s case, his roommate), could mean the difference between life and death, a lesson the two boys learn in Limbo.

As Magik gives this speech, Delgado’s use of colors and shading almost gives Magik (and this issue) a watercolor look at times.

While Ramos’s style is a little bit too cartoon-y for my tastes (although I think that fits the tone of the book), Delgado’s coloring, particularly how he shades them, is gorgeous.

Lettering

In a book with a lot of characters from many different dimensions, Cowles’s lettering helps to give each character their unique voice. Doyle’s Dark Dimension dialect is kept separate from the Asgardian dialect of Iric, while Gus the Frost Giant is given his own unique blue lettering in contrast to Dessy’s pink lettering, which is somehow able to communicate a torturedly sweet yet demonic tone. It does seem that, with all of the other non-human students having some kind of unique accent on their lettering, that Shaylee the Fairy should have some sort of unique addition to her lettering as well.

This is a fun series so far, and one that I think would be a good jumping on point for young adult and teen readers, given “group of misfits coming together and forming a quirky friendship group” vibe of the book.

I do find it interesting that Magik and Scarlet Witch are in the same issue. As a Krakoan, Magik’s people are being taught to despise the Scarlet Witch. I wonder if any of this will come up in their interactions or how any future conflict between Krakoa and the Scarlet Witch might affect her and Magik’s professional relationship at the academy. That may, of course, depend on how self-contained Strange Academy remains from other titles.

What did you think of Strange Academy #2? What do you think the faculty is hiding from the students? Tell us in the comments below!

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Review: NAILBITER RETURNS #2 Continues the Series’ Momentum

David Weber

July 8, 2020

This second issue of Nailbiter Returns out this week from Image Comics continues the momentum of the first issue, and provides a thrilling tale that engages the reader.

Written by Joshua Williamson and illustrated Mike Henderson with colors by Adam Guzowski, Nailbiter Returns follows Alice — the daughter of the Nailbiter — on a quest to find her mother, who has recently gone missing. The art is exceptional and perfectly compliments the story as it unfolds.

Nailbiter Returns #2 Story

The story of Nailbiter Returns #2 continues the quest of Alice to find who is responsible for her mother’s disappearance and does an excellent job of keeping the readers engaged. While the issue opens with a separate story from Alice’s that features characters we are unfamiliar with, it eventually connects with the main story in a clean and satisfying way.

The most interesting technique used in this issue of Nailbiter Returns is when the story subverts the readers’ expectations. There are moments when scenes are set up to allow the reader to assume what events occur but are directly contradicted later. This allows the issue to be filled with fun twists that are sure to catch the reader off guard.

Art

The pencils and inks of Nailbiter Returns are clean, and the semi-realistic art style is great for getting across exaggerated emotions while still keeping a serious tone. Gore and violence also maintain the same horrific impact they would have if the art style were hyper-realistic.

Most scenes in NailBiter Returns are filled with color, which not only makes them a pleasure to look at but also causes panels devoid of color to stick out and possess an eerie feeling. One scene in NailBiter Returns #2 depicts extreme violence, and the colors chosen are all very bland beside the vibrant red of blood. This is very effective and emphasizes the traumatic nature of the scene.

Gradients are also used heavily throughout Nailbiter Returns #2, mostly as backgrounds. This is a pleasant change from many of the single-color backgrounds seen in other comic books because the variety of colors provides more for the eye to look at. In terms of story, these gradients serve to calm the reader and relieve tension, tricking the reader into a false sense of security before shocking them with a horrifying scene.

Conclusion

NailBiter Returns #2 is a brilliant issue that is clearly created by people who know what they are doing. The storytelling and artistic techniques used to surprise the reader or put emphasis on certain scenes are all extremely effective and come together to create a truly thrilling tale. The continuation of the mystery surrounding Alice’s mother is engaging and keeps the reader turning the pages. This issue is a phenomenal read and exciting for what could occur in the rest of the story.

Are you enjoying the new Nailbiter narrative? Let me know in the comments below!

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BLACKHAND IRONHEAD – A Relevant Capepunk Story

Jake Palermo

Blackhand Ironhead is the latest release between Panel Syndicate and Image Comics for September 23, 2020. Headed by comic artist David Lopez, and his colorist Nayoung Kim bring the series stateside, with help from script tutor David Munoz, logo artist Cris Castan, and translations by Stephen Blanford.

Blackhand Ironhead – What A Time For a Collection

Blackhand Ironhead physically collects at a time of important relevance. This series is what TV Tropes calls a Capepunk, a series about the prevalence with superheroes in a realistic manner. Realistic, in this case, refers to the age-old question from Watchmen “who watches the Watchmen [police].” Because people with some form of power can easily let it go to their heads, the current Ironhead, Alexia Ross’s father, for example, is a respected superhero and runs a corporate empire. But he is heavily image-obsessed and even suggests his daughter take over the company in an impractical outfit that she doesn’t even fit in. Even then, he wants to leave Alexia a better world than what it was before a heart condition claims him.

Unfortunately, it turns out the old Ironhead had a few skeletons in the closet. One of which comes in the form of Alexia’s older half-sister, the current Black Hand. The original Black Hand was supposedly a supervillain who had a fling with Charles Ross. But the only reason she was thrown in jail was being a threat to Charles’ reputation. All without a lawyer or due process.

That reflects a particularly bad reality, especially for people of color. Readers of Blackhand Ironhead are quickly becoming aware of some of the morally reprehensible things done by notable people. Athletes, pro wrestlers, police, even people in the comics industry, all of which involved in some form of abuse scandals. If these people are the highest authority or what to aspire towards, does this give them the power to do as they want? Or is it an excuse to justify their actions? These questions serve as the basis for a story of significant importance.

Art

As writer and artist, Lopez crafts Blackhand Ironhead as he sees fit. The younger characters like Ironhead and Blackhand not only look youthful, but their lack of greater detail make them expressive. A good number of the older characters like Charles and Titan, however, have the traditional designs of square-jaws. But this design makes them look both old, stiff, and not a lot of room for expression. Unless they get angry, something Nayoung Kim shows with both red and black on Titan’s face. The only exception to that role is Arthur Watson, whose high energy fills him with life and expression.

A number of objects come with surprising detail within Blackhand Ironhead. Some of the supervillain weaponry look positively whacky, including an Oscar Meyer car with giant ears. Against the rotoscoped or simple architecture, the whimsy is a nice distraction from the seriousness—all without feeling obligatory.

Blackhand Ironhead: A Look at Superheroes

At the end of the day, Blackhand Ironhead isn’t simply a critique of superheroes like The Boys. It’s about how heroism is about responsibility, not entitlement. No matter how many people criticize superheroes, there is still a need for them in bleak times. But that doesn’t mean that their sacrifices and efforts should make them above it all. Because when service and reputation matter more than helping others, that’s abusing karma to avoid responsibility.

What do you all think? Is this series just another attempt at Watchmen? Or do the themes matter now more than ever? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

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