Fight Club 3 #11 hits your local comic book store November 27th, but thanks to Dark Horse Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive five-page preview for you.
About the issue: Congratulations! It’s not the messiah we were expecting, but it’ll have to do. Marla Singer meets her power animal, we find out why the Crusades were a scam, and Junior has a troubling dream. Meanwhile, Balthazar is still as ugly as Tyler Durden.
Fight Club 3 is by writer Chuck Palahniuk and artist Cameron Stewart, with colors by Dave McCaig and letters by Nate Piekos. The cover is by David Mack, with a variant by Erik Wilkerson.
The series is a continuation of Palahniuk’s seminal novel Fight Club; Dark Horse also published Fight Club 2 between 2015 and 2016.
In Fight Club 3, Marla Singer is pregnant, but the baby isn’t her husband’s…it’s Tyler Durden’s.
Check out the FIGHT CLUB 3 #11 preview below:
Are you reading Fight Club 3? Sound off in the comments!
Hitting the shelves this week from Marvel Comics, we have Deadpool #1 with all the comedic wackiness you’d expect from its writer Kelly Thompson.
Since revealed on Twitter back in August, fans have long awaited the new Deadpool series with Thompson taking the helm on it. As Thompson seems to be in a high-point in her career, writing for Captain Marvel, her Captain Marvel spin-off titled and staring antagonist Star, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch which was extended past its planned initially five-issue run, the addition of the big Dee Pee has us all dying to see what direction Thompson wants to take with the character.
For starters, Deadpool #1 is certainly weird, and that’s not a bad thing. Starting the first page, and yes, the VERY FIRST PAGE with our “hero” being torn in half and internally monologuing about what it is like to be ripped in half is something that is just classically Deadpool, and a small taste of what is to follow.
That definitely looks painful…
What could be better than seeing a large Shuma-Gorath looking monster rip Wade Wilson in two? Probably watching him put himself back together like he’s putting on a pair of pants and going right back in for more. Fortunately for Wade Wilson in this issue, he’s not the only one out to hunt this monster, but you’ll have to read it to find out who.
Deadpool #1 includes some surprise guests that fans will be happy to see. One, in particular, I was pleased about, but I won’t spoil that for anyone who does not know already. The story is still a fun, and wacky set up to what we can assume will be the running plot for at least the beginning of Thompson’s run with the title.
This issue is full of strange monster designs with an art style by Chris Bachalo that brings out the bizarre energy they give off. I’m an especially big fan of Bellus, who aides Wade in his endeavor to kill the King of the Monsters, and looks like if a Chocobo from Final Fantasy sold its life away for a small-time position at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, and dresses like it too.
I love Bellus. I want a Bellus of my own.
The inking team understood the art style very well. They made each character stand out and emphasized the outlines around some of the weird anatomy among the monsters making them seem even more noticeably freakish. To bring it all together, there’s also the excellent job David Curiel did with the coloring, having backgrounds that were grayish and dull that made each colorful character and monster jump out of the pages.
The lettering for Deadpool is important as it delivers a lot of the punch lines in dialogue and what is a Deadpool comic if not funny? I am happy to say VC’s Joe Sabino kills it here with an easy flow of dialogue, keeping a steady pace with all the back and forth banter.
All in all, Deadpool #1 brings us into this strange story with some familiar faces from Thompson’s previous works to put her own flare into the story while keeping it as comical and fun as it should be. I’m very intrigued to see more of this monster-filled tale, and I am positive by the end of this issue, you will be too.
Von Freeze delivers a tale of a friendship lost to science.
One of the more interesting villains in Batman’s rogues’ gallery is Mr. Freeze. What started as a criminal with an ice gun turned into one of comics’ most sympathetic villains. With most of his crimes only to help fund his research in reviving his sick, frozen wife, how could anyone not feel bad for this man?
Well, during the critically acclaimed Batman: White Knight series, an alternate version of Victor Von Fries has received another piece to his background that raised many questions. It turns out, his father not only loved cryogenics like his son but also worked for the Nazis during World War II. With the sequel series in full swing, it was inevitable to get a tie into our favorite frozen villain. So what is the history of Von Fries?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
Using Victor telling the story to Thomas Wayne during the night, Bruce is born as a framing narrative; we learn the history of the Von Fries family by starting with Baron Von Fries. Much like his son, Von Fries was fascinated with the medical science of Cryogenics, which caught the attention of Jewish doctor Smithstein. The pair became good friends, opening a lab together to further their research. When the antisemitism started to rise after World War I, Von Fries stood by his partner.
Everything changed, however, when Hitler rose to power. While Smithstein and his family went into hiding, the Baron continued his research. With the threat of the lab shutting down, Von Fries begins designing the first Freeze Gun.
When I first heard of the book, I was expecting a Nazi Supervillain origin story. What I got instead was so much better. It’s a more grounded story similar to the Joker movie in the case of it being a character piece. We get a story of a friendship that lasted through the decades, only to have it torn apart by science. Baron Von Fries is one of those characters people will be split on. Some might see him as a redeemed hero throughout his arc in the one-shot, while others will call him a selfish villain.
There are a few small things that weaken the story just a bit. The first comes from the reveal of the Baron’s experiments after joining the Nazis. We know he’s seen as a bastard in the present, but even what he did for science is too much to make him redeemable for when he tries to help at the end. There is one other thing that makes a present-day relationship seem off, but neither of these hinders this fantastic story.
Art:
While Sean Murphy usually writes the story and does the art, the legendary Klaus Janson takes up the position of artists. While some might miss the style Murphy has brought to the universe, Janson nails the darker, grittier tone of this tale with his style. From the first page where we see Baron Von Fries holding a gun, you get a chill running down your spine. This is not meant to be a clean looking, pretty story, but a dark story that is intended to shake readers to their core. It’s a great look to an already great story.
Conclusion:
Von Freeze is one of the best Mr. Freeze stories in his entire publication history. It is a grounded tale of science and the broken relationships caused in its name. The art of Klaus Janson fits this world perfectly, giving us a gritty image of World War II. I recommend this to Mr.Freeze fans, Batman: White Knight fans, and anyone who is looking for a deeper comic to sink their teeth into.
Hitting stores near you this week from Marvel Comics, Captain Marvel #12 brings us into Kelly Thompson’s “The Last Avenger” arc with a POWERFUL introduction.
Fans have been wondering for a while what current Captain Marvel writer Kelly Thompson has had in store for us with this dark new Captain Marvel storyline she has been flooding her Twitter with as of late. Thompson pulls no punches with this issue, and suffice it to say, neither does Carol Danvers. This action-packed issue starts this story off by bringing us right into a showdown comic-book fans have been curious about for a while now — the half-Kree super warrior vs. the God of Thunder.
Catching Thor off guard is probably the smartest thing you can do… Although it’s still the best of a bad situation let’s be honest.
There’s very little one can say about this issue without giving anything away. Anyone keeping up with the news on this arc already knows, even based on the cover alone, this is a story about Carol Danvers turning on and fighting her allies The Avengers, and doing so with a crazy new uniform that I can only describe as mephistophelian.
The art in this issue by Lee Garbett suits the direction and tone exceptionally well. Carol’s darkened outline and heavy shading around her eyes give her this absolutely sinister look to match her new design. It is accompanied by coloring from Tamra Bonvillain, adding this glow to the red Hala star on the face of the helmet giving it an eerie robotic-like quality that reminds me of Ultron’s face. All in all, a solid design choice.
This is my favorite panel in the whole issue. The design for Carol in this arc is really clean, the shadows on her face add a whole new layer to her expressions. She looks calm, focused, and determined, but still there she’s look angry, tired even.
Throughout the issue, letterer VC’s Clayton Cowles leaves Carol’s inner monologues scattered about giving us small looks and hints at what’s going on with her without giving us the full scope. Shedding some light on Carol’s dark actions but still leaving room for the reader to try to figure it out themselves. Overall the lettering is solid with all the necessary fight sound effects needed for a fight of this magnitude.
From start to finish, this fight is intense and will keep you flipping pages to see what’s next. It represents the fight between these two powerful super-beings very well with high-speed action constant changes in scenery. When all is said and done, it’s hard to imagine what will come next.
Captain Marvel #12 is a very easy comic to get lost in, but it will also fly by just as any good page-turner does. It’s an ambitious way to kick off the new story arc and show us what we’re looking toward in future issues. Despite the dark display, I do still believe in Carol Danvers and have faith that she’ll be making the right decision at the end of this all. As a Captain Marvel fan, I am very excited to see what else Thompson has in store for us in the future and recommend this issue all who follow Marvel Comics.
Do you think Carol can take on every Avenger? She certainly seems to be trying, let us know what you think in the comments!
ONCE & FUTURE #4, out this Wednesday from Boom! Studios, continues the tale of Duncan and his grandmother. And they’re doing a good run for the most messed up family of the year award. Assuming that is an award.
This cover is full of foreshadowing.
***SPOILER WARNING***
When you stop and think about it, Duncan has been through a hectic few days. First, he learned that his grandmother was actually quite capable. Oh, and she owned several guns (one of which she was willing to point at his head). Then he learned that monsters and the legend of King Arthur is real – but not the legend he was expecting. And now he’s on an epic quest to save Britain. With his grandmother at his side. Talk about crazy. And perhaps a little bit awkward.
Once & Future has brought us an interesting twist on the whole legend of King Arthur. Considering how many retellings are out there, it’s a breath of fresh air. Seeing the series take on a darker and twisted tone is exactly what this story needed.
This isn’t what it looks like…
Kieron Gillen has brought us a dark and foreboding tale in Once & Future #4. The series is proving to be more complex than expected, full of historical parallels, deception, and peril. And poor Duncan is caught in the middle of it all.
The fourth issue in the series proves that there are plenty of depths to still be discovered in this story. If you thought the previous three issues were dark, you’d better prepare yourself for what is to come.
The parallels drawn in this issue were extremely satisfying, combining the present with the legend in unexpected ways. If that wasn’t enough, there’s some delightful commentary on pop culture – which was totally unexpected. But made for a nice little touch.
Honestly, it’s actually kind of hard to believe that there are only two issues left in the series. That isn’t a whole lot of time to wrap things up. But this is Gillen we’re talking about, so there’s little doubt that this series is going to end explosively, yet decisively.
Time to take careful aim.
The artwork behind Once & Future #4 was superb. The characters are full of life, their movements believable. The enemies are grotesque in all of the right ways. And the colors are simply stunning. The combination of all of these elements have made for a memorable series, to say the least.
Dan Mora’s lines allowed for a creative take on this world, fleshing out the tale. His sense of movement and violence is perfect here, as are the expressions he provides the characters. Meanwhile, Tamra Bonvillain’s colors are simply striking – vibrant and eye-catching. They’re fantastical, but that just increases the overall effect of the story.
And finally, the lettering. Ed Dukeshire’s lettering is the icing on the cake here. His understated addition is exactly what was needed here. It tells us the story without ever feeling obtrusive.
They say no good deed goes unpunished…
Once & Future #4 was an intense read, no matter how you look at it. Duncan’s story is nearing an end, and yet there’s so much to wrap up. And it seems like every turn he and his grandmother make brings them towards more danger and confrontations.
It’s going to be an adventure to see what the next two issues bring us. And how bad things are going to get before they’re resolved (assuming they even are).
FIREFLY #11, out this Wednesday from Boom! Studios is a good reminder for why you’d best think twice before messing with certain mothers. Fans of Firefly will be curious to see just what Mrs. Reynolds has to bring to the table.
Inara is looking striking as ever on this cover for Firefly #11.
***SPOILER WARNING***
The latest series set in the Firefly universe has been setting up for something major for quite some time now. And it seems like it’s all about to come to a head. In the last issue, we had a major surprise thrown our way, in the form of a new ally arriving on the field. Only, her arrival actually makes things even more complicated than ever.
While this tale wasn’t written by Joss Whedon, it is still set in the world that he created. And it’s keeping it alive, no matter what it takes. And that means throwing some crazy or surprising plots at us, from time to time.
That being said, there is a finite amount of time that these stories can fit into. And we must be starting to run low. So we’re just going to go ahead and appreciate as much as we can. And that’s easier to do without getting too particular about timelines.
The ladies of the Serenity crew are looking fierce on this alternate cover.
Firefly #11 was an issue full of surprises, betrayals, and political maneuvering. The entire Firefly crew have been pulled into a confrontation that Mal and Zoe had hoped never to see again. And things are about to get messy.
Greg Pak has written us an interesting tale up to now. It seems like Mal (and the crew) have been thrown from one mess to another, but in truth, it was all leading up to this moment. Or rather, this series of moments.
Even knowing that they’re all going to walk away from this doesn’t help to ease the tension much. Though it is making us question how it’s all going to get resolved, considering how bad things are looking.
The latest twist is a strange one. In a way, it sort of fits with Mal’s character. But in other ways, it’s left us with even more questions and concerns than ever. And perhaps a few raised eyebrows. But only time will tell how it all plays out.
This striking alternate cover of Firefly #11 features the one and only River.
Firefly #11 had some beautiful artwork to support this hectic issue. The backdrops were stunning – starry skies and romantic backdrops for what is looking to be a bloody setup. That should make for a jarring setting, but it fits.
The fire and battle scenes were likewise fascinating to look at, though there’s likely to be a whole lot more of that in the following issue or two. And finally, the facial expressions helped bring this issue a few steps further, reminding us of all the characters we fell in love with during the TV run.
Dan McDaid and Vincenzo Federici were responsible for the pencils and inks for this issue, while Marcelo Costa did the coloring. And finally, Jim Campbell did an excellent job with the lettering (as always).
Zoe and Wash are looking adorable on this sweet alternate cover of Firefly #11.
Firefly #11 was a bit of a strange issue, all things considered. But it’s holding our attention, and leaving us curious to see how everything unfolds. Considering all of the difficulties any series with constrained timelines must face, they’ve done a decent job of things.
The real question is, will the crew be thrown into another crisis, once they’re free of this whole mess? Or will they get a breather for once? Oh, who are we kidding? The Firefly crew never seems to catch a break.
GWENPOOL STRIKES BACK #4, out this Wednesday from Marvel Comics, continues Gwen’s slightly crazed gambit for saving her series, and thus her skin. It’s a masterful example of chaos and fourth-wall-breaking, with Gwen going above and beyond to win the battle.
Gwenpool and Mjolnir…that seems like a safe combination!
***SPOILER WARNING***
Fans of the massive personality known as Gwenpool have been enjoying this miniseries, while also seeing it for the hope that it is. We can’t help but hope that this series will garner enough attention to get her another full series.
The entire premise behind Gwenpool Strikes Back has been shockingly clever. Leah Williams has run away with the idea of Gwen’s fourth-wall-breaking abilities. And she’s used them to start a conversation about comic sales and how their effects are always harsher on any character who isn’t an A-lister (no offense, Gwen).
The fourth issue in the series brings us a Gwen at full force. She’s determined to get some attention, and as we saw in the last issue – she’s not afraid to pick a fight to do it. But now she’s forced to find a way out of said fight. Thankfully, Gwen is nothing if not resourceful.
Please make note of the special guest for this issue.
Gwenpool Strikes Back #4 may be a series of chaotic events, but there are some treats snuck into the pages. These moments are specifically designed for fans of the character. After all, it’s the fans who will freak out at the fact that Christopher Hastings wrote an entire page of this issue. And yes, before you worry – his page is just as inane and delightful as you might be hoping.
While Hastings wrote that one page, Williams took charge of the rest. And as anybody following the series is aware, Gwen is up for one massive fight – all thanks to the big guy that she ticked off. The fight is something unexpected, in a way. Gwen uses her panel hopping abilities to good effect, giving fans a solid reminder of all the reasons we fell in love with her in the first place.
But naturally, that means that things get a little crazy along the way. This is Gwenpool we’re talking about, after all. The end result is a lot of dramatic bouncing around, some light humor, and a few truly laugh out loud moments. In short, it’s exactly what the fans have been hoping for.
Apparently Gwen knows Morse code. Who knew?
Gwenpool Strikes Back #4 had a lot of fun art crammed into these pages, but that’s probably no surprise at this point. The artist team has taken the script that Williams wrote and just run away with it all.
That being said, there were some seriously noteworthy elements here. For example, the multiple Gwen’s all look exactly like the comics they were ripped from, and that is something easier said than done. It helped make them all distinct, and added to the hilarity at the same time.
Gwen’s abilities were also shown off to perfect effect here, with some dynamic panel diving interspersed around sillier moments. And the final highlight of this issue would probably be the sense of movement and impact. There are a few scenes which will make you wince in sympathy, but it kind of fits what Gwen has been up to lately.
And of course, we’ve got to give credit to the artists behind all of this. David Baldeon provided the pencils and inks, while Jesus Aburtov did the coloring. And lastly, there’s VC’s Joe Caramagna, who provided the lettering (and thus all of the sound effects and complicated speech bubbles).
Christopher Hastings, AKA ‘Daddy’
Gwenpool Strikes Back #4 was a fast-paced and chaotic issue, full of Gwen at her best – both in the humor department and regards to her abilities. This is the Gwen that fans have fallen in love with, and it’s great to see her back.
Vic Sage uncovers something from his own unsavory past in the midst of chaos in TheQuestion: The Deaths of Vic Sage#1, out this week from DC Black Label.
Jeff Lemire scripts a unique mystery for the Question the likes of which he has never dealt with before. Denys Cowan pencils and Bill Sienkiewicz inks this dark tale, and Chris Sotomayor handles the colors for Hub City on the brink of collapse. Willie Schubert takes care of the lettering.
In the modern age of comic books the art has become very realistic and extremely detailed in quite a few cases. Shading is usually done with cross hatching and short straight lines, but Cowan and Sienkiewicz use scribbles that make this book look like it was made decades ago and just finally released this week.
Cowan and Sienkiewicz give this book a very gritty feel that looks like a throw back to the late 80’s. While the art makes this book look like a counterpart to The Dark Knight Returns, the issue brings up some very real and very current problems in today’s society. TheQuestion: The Deaths of Vic Sage is a new book I’m sure Frank Miller would actually love.
Sotomayor’s work does a fantastic job of portraying the nostalgia of an older story. The color blending is more obvious and you can still see “brushstrokes” in a few panels. Sotomayor’s color palette is not too expansive in this issue, and is very similar to the style you’d see in the horror genre.
The Question: The Deaths of Vic Sage #1 reminds me of Seven; the detectives are investigating the killer in all these very shady and seedy locations where the lighting is always dim to avoid detection. These are places most people would avoid, and if you had to walk down an alley lit like Sotomayor’s Hub City, you would be checking your phone for any alternate route or dialing 911 preemptively so all you’d need to do is hit send.
Schubert’s lettering looks free hand and similar to handwriting. While the words have the appearance of an older comic, the sounds are very crisp and modern. The lettering combined with the use of internet and computers are the consistent reminders that this issue is not actually a flashback.
With questions still needing to be answered Vic sits down at a computer and shows, those that still might not have realized, that the internet has the answers for everything. If you’re out there spouting off completely wrong information when all you have to do is perform a search on Google, it’s pretty embarrassing for all of us.
Just like in the rival’s Immortal Hulk, also out this week, the Question is dealing with a city full of people that have had about enough of the bull$#!t. A Bug’s Life taught us that strength in numbers is insurmountable, but obviously not enough of the public has seen that movie. The generation that grew up with that movie are adults now, and things have got to change.
We’re starting to realize the power we have and it’s scaring those in power so much they’re throwing billions of dollars into the pockets of garbage politicians who couldn’t pass an English test to save their lives. Stories like this one and the Question’s relentless pursuit of the truth are inspiring forces giving us the confidence that what we’re doing isn’t a lost cause.
We can do better. We will do better. Vic Sage will guide us.
What did you think of The Question: The Deaths of Vic Sage? How do you think this book would fit into Frank Miller’s Dark Knight universe? Let us know in the comments below.
DARK ARK: AFTER THE FLOOD #2 hits your local comic book store December 4th, but thanks to AfterShock Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you.
About the issue: Now that the creatures of Shrae’s Ark have found land and made a home for themselves, they have a new challenge ahead of them: they must find a way to make sure that Noah’s Ark finds land, too. And as Khalee struggles with her newfound power and her position as human leader of the monsters, new revelations about her own birth come to light.
Dark Ark: After The Flood is by writer Cullen Bunn and artist Juan Doe, with letters by Dave Sharpe and a cover by Juan Doe. The series is a continuation of Bunn, Doe, and Sharpe’s original Dark Ark run.
MFR critic Corey Patterson says of the series, “Bunn masterfully weaves together a narrative that raises just as many questions as it answers”
Check out the DARK ARK: AFTER THE FLOOD #2 preview below:
Are you reading Dark Ark? What’s your favorite series from AfterShock? Sound off in the comments!
Bruce Banner dishes out some SMASH lessons in Immortal Hulk #27, out this week from Marvel.
After Banner delivered his manifesto to the world, it is time to kick the plan into action. Stories like Immortal Hulk #27 and this week’s Question: The Deaths of Vic Sage highlight problems that are being brought to the surface all over the world. The youth of tomorrow have grown up and they’re done taking $#!t from corporations and war mongers. Comics and other stories in today’s society could very well be the driving force behind these uprisings all across the globe.
Hong Kong, Chile, Iran, and here on our own soil, the public is beginning to learn the power they have in numbers. Without us, the corporations don’t have anyone to sell their garbage to. The sooner global consumers realize the power we all possess just by being the many over the few, the better off we will all be. Immortal Hulk #27 explores these very real problems with a very monstrous twist.
Al Ewing is absolutely killing it with Immortal Hulk in the absolute best way possible. I was admittedly not even a fan of the Hulk until this series. Taking the jade giant back to his roots in horror was the best thing that has happened at Marvel since Robert Downey Jr.
Joe Bennett is cementing himself as one of the legendary Hulk artists. There’s not much to say about his work in this book that hasn’t been said hundreds of times already. It really is that good and if you’re still not reading this book at this point, I don’t know what else to say to convince you, but this is still Marvel’s best, and I don’t think there’s even a close 2nd.
The army of inkers handling Bennett’s pencils are Ruy Jose, Belardino Brabo, Marc Deering, and Sean Parsons. Usually with that many people contributing to one artist’s work there would be noticeable differences with each inker, but the art stays consistent throughout the entire issue.
Paul Mounts is the regular colorist for Immortal Hulk and he gives Bennett’s work that little extra that pops off the page. Mounts delivers beautiful bright colors time and time again that are exactly what comics are made for. The fight scenes are every bit as cinematic and every bit as awesome as any MCU film.
VC’s Cory Petit handles the letters and once again does such an amazing job with adding action into the panels without obscuring any artwork. His letters fit so well it appears as part of the art instead of an addition to it.
While the first 25 issues tackled Banner learning about some of his new abilities, discovering things about himself, and focusing his anger. Now that his anger is focused, it is time to start the plan in motion and destroy the human world.
Last issue we saw Banner keep mentioning “human world” and Immortal Hulk #27 shows us exactly what he meant by that. He means to disrupt the world as we know it and bring back much simpler and happier times when multiple greedy corporations weren’t fighting for every penny of our paychecks.
Roxxon has been established in the Marvel universe to essentially act as capitalism personified, or monsterified in this case. Banner goes after their data servers and seriously hinders Roxxon’s ability to further control public consciousness. Just like in the real world, corporations have discovered how valuable public opinions are to their bottom line and controlling the beliefs of easily manipulated people allows them to keep doing what they do.
Our personal information has never been more valuable, but we consistently give it away for free so advertisements can cater directly to us. What started as a way for people to connect and be social has turned into a brainwashing machine for profit. Have any of you actually bought anything from those annoying Youtube ads that interrupt whatever you’re trying to watch or listen to? If anything it makes me hate whatever company is interrupting my song.
It’s getting crazy out there, Hulkamaniacs. Get your masks and spray paint ready.
What did you think of Immortal Hulk #27? Do you like the political aspect or would you rather get back to roaming through hell? Let us know in the comments below.
