Review: Booze, Monsters, & B-Horror in COUNT CROWLEY: RELUCTANT MIDNIGHT MONSTER HUNTER #1

Actor and horror-lover David Dastmalchian cuts his teeth in the world of comics with the first issue of his debut series “Count Crowley: Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter.” The first of this four-issue horror-comedy mini-series from Dark Horse Comics will arrive on shelves this Wednesday just in time for Halloween. While it stumbles a bit out of the gate, there’s still plenty of boozy and monster-filled fun to be had.

MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD

Small town television reporter Jerri Bartman is in danger of losing her job due to her volatile on-air attitude. That is until she’s given a chance to host the network’s late-night creature feature and B-movie slot, filling in for the missing Count Crowley. While wearing the ridiculous costume and introducing old horror movies seems simple enough, her first night quickly gets complicated. A crazed stranger approaches her, demanding to see Count Crowley; A crazed stranger that turns into a werewolf. It seems that being a cheesy monster-flick host has more to it than was put in the job description.

Dastmalchian’s sense of dialogue is smooth and natural, and the humor is pretty on point for this type of book. Each character has his or her own believable voice, from Jerri’s dry sarcasm to her manager’s desperate but friendly demeanor. The book is a fluid page-turner carried entirely by character dialogue and action. There’s no additional narration, as this isn’t the sort of story that needs it. While the characters feel like tropes that have been done hundreds of times before, it fits the story’s simplicity. This is meant to be a comedic love letter to Hammer films and EC comics, and so far it nails it.

Playing as Count Crowley may be a bit tougher than they let on.

The major flaw in the writing, and honestly the only real flaw in the entire issue, is the opening sequence. It’s a flash-forward to what happens at the end of the book. Which works as the plot point the rest of the issue builds up to. Not only is it unnecessary and robs tension from the rest of the issue, but it also has some problems that make it feel tacked on. There’s a specific sequence with a magically appearing gun that then randomly appears in Jerri’s hands in the next panel. This “wait, where did that come from?” moment completely breaks the story’s immersion in the first few pages.

The art team’s work here on “Count Crowley” is pretty stellar. Lucas Ketner’s pencils and inks are full of believable environmental detail, bringing the 1980’s small-town feel to life in a quiet way. His stellar character drawings easily convey emotion to the reader and are honestly a bit reminiscent of hyper-detailed Scooby-Doo art. This is in no way an insult, and it works perfectly for the story being told. Ketner’s art is filled in by Lauren Affe’s fantastically appropriate colors, as she creates a sort of grainy overcast effect to the panels. She uses a muted color palette that simulates the look found in the classic Creepy and Eerie horror comics that “Count Crowley” pays tribute to. It’s a neat blend of nostalgia and modern technique.

“Count Crowley: Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter” #1 is a simple yet fun jaunt into a nostalgic horror-comedy made just for fans of the genre. Despite a shaky opening, the story smooths out into an enjoyable page-turner with likable characters and great work from the art team. If you’re looking for a fun new read just before Halloween, David Dastmalchian’s debut comic is worth adding to your pull list.

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Review: BOOKS OF MAGIC #13—Can Tim Fix His Crumbling Relationships?

Corey Patterson

BOOKS OF MAGIC #13, available in stores Wednesday, October 23rd, brings the focus back to one of the main themes within this series: relationships. Writer Kat Howard hones in on Timothy Hunter and Ellie, separately, as they try to fix the damage the world of magic has wrought upon their personal lives. For Tim, the only clear answer involves literally repairing the magical bonds keeping his father from full consciousness; for Ellie, the best course of action requires her to alert the authorities.

These two former friends’ paths continue to diverge, but it’s only a matter of time before their courses collide once again.

Story

In a fit of desperation, Tim uses his inventive side to create a device that would allow him to examine the exact magical spells bonding his father. This item is worn over the eye and function almost like x-ray glasses—the sheer fact that a novice wizard like himself could craft such a device in an afternoon is nothing short of amazing.

But Tim refuses to dwell in the success of his accomplishment and immediately tests the device on the older man. As expected, most of the spells surrounding him are Tim’s own doing, adding more weight to the already guilt-ridden boy. He throws all caution to the wind and attempts to sever the magical bonds with his screwdriver wand, but to no avail.

What Howard does next is quite surprising, given the nature of her angsty protagonist. Instead of having him attempt to “fix” the situation as usual, she has Tim opt to spend some quality time with his father. It’s as if the boy’s realized no amount of repair in a relationship can occur without quality time between both parties. Sometimes, simply “being” with someone will heal more than a magical “fix” ever could. And, amazingly, Tim’s magical bonds begin to fade away as his father slowly remembers all the time spent with his son over the years.

But not all is fine within Tim’s web of relationships; Ellie is still traumatized after seeing him use magic to seemingly kill Mr. Davies last issue. Afraid for her life and the lives of others at their school, she reports to an investigator in the hopes they will restrain Tim before something else horrible happens. But there’s more to this investigator that meets the eye, and she appears to have further plans for the wizard boy.

Artwork

The artwork within BOOKS OF MAGIC # is incredibly unique, even for this fantasy series. Penciler Tom Fowler, inker Craig Taillefer, and colorist Jordan Boyd alternate between a standard view of Tim’s world and the “magic vision” granted by his device, alternating between the bland colors of the London streets to the bright colors of magical elements brilliantly highlight the differences between worlds. And letterer Todd Klein, with carefully place dialogue bubbles, allow the writing to guide readers between these two “views” of reality with little confusion.

Comic Cover

Kai Carpenter’s cover art depicts Tim and his trusted owl Yo-yo staring out into the distance, possibly preparing for new challenges. This shows readers that despite the evil Davies’ demise, trouble lies not far behind.

Conclusion

BOOKS OF MAGIC #13 gives us a look at Tim’s relationships that have been damaged due to his wizard life, but all hope is not lost. We’re treated to glimpses of redemption and repair through the quiet moments between our hero and his father. But can the harm done to Ellie be undone as well?

Did you agree with Ellie’s decision to encourage the authorities to arrest Tim? Let us know in the comments below!

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Review: The Future Is In Danger in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #32

Colin Tessier

In Marvel Comics’ Amazing Spider-Man #32, on sale October 23, the future is now. Spencer doesn’t give Spidey any time after Absolute Carnage; there’s a new crisis and it threatens tomorrow’s world today. Spencer establishes these dire stakes and leaves us wondering what’s menacing Miguel O’Hara’s home.

Amazing Spider-Man #32

Writer: Nick Spencer

Artist: Patrick Gleason

Colorist: Matthew Wilson

Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna

As established in Amazing Spider-Man #25, Miguel is back in the present because he needs help. Spencer leaves many the specifics of his situation unanswered; it’s unclear how Miguel wound up in an sinister science facility but the mystery is intentional. But Spencer drops enough hints that draw the reader in without leaving us totally in the dark. The art team complements this narrative secrecy.

Amazing Spider-Man #32 — Miguel O’Hara finds himself at the mercy of some invasive scientists.

Artist Patrick Wilson and colorist Matthew Gleason consistently shroud scenes with shadows. Early on, a group of ominous-looking bad guys stand in a dimly lit room while they discuss their plans for Miguel. “Think of the discoveries, the breakthroughs…think of the patents,” one of them says with an evil smile on his face. The image of these men secretly scheming in a dark room pairs with Spencer’s script to heighten the tension-packed story.

Similarly, the art team augments Kindred’s brief inclusion in the issue. Spidey’s newest villain received some narrative attention in the Absolute Carnage; though he may take a backseat in this story, Spencer and the artists want to make sure the reader remembers Kindred. When Peter Parker first appears, he recaps the challenges he’s faced in recent weeks, including Carnage and the feeling that an unknown danger looms near. Here, the art team shows Kindred surrounded by darkness. As with the group who abducted Miguel, the art team conveys his intimidating nature. In both cases, we’ll just have to wait and see how Spencer develops both respective antagonists. But Spencer swings for the fences with Miguel’s return and kicks the storyline into high gear with a gripping cliffhanger.

“What has yesterday done to tomorrow?” Miguel asks on the last page. With just one line, Spencer subtly echoes real-world questions about the environment and other issues. As with the villains, Spencer plants some seeds; he shows glimpses of a futuristic city’s destruction (with Doctor Doom standing under it), and Miguel bluntly says, “something is very wrong.” Some readers might be turned off this vague storytelling. But Amazing Spider-Man #32 is the first chapter of another mini-event, so Spencer has plenty of time to show his cards and the issue’s strengths make us want to dive deeper into this dangerous problem heading right for Spider-Man.

It may have been nice to have at least one issue where Spidey’s life relatively returned to normal. Packing too many events together can be overwhelming but constantly dealing with disaster is part of the superhero’s lifestyle. So it’s fitting that Peter must head right into another crisis. Amazing Spider-Man #32 doesn’t tell us much about what that threat is but with its compelling real-life connections and more time-travel chaos to follow, it’s a successful start to Spidey’s next adventure.

What’d you think of Amazing Spider-Man #32? Are you glad Spider-Man 2099 is back?

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Review: GOING TO THE CHAPEL #2 Keeps the Flame Alive

Grant DeArmitt

Not every comic can make a kiss more explosive than a shotgun, but if you remember the very end of Issue One, you know that Going to the Chapel can. That kiss, shared by a bride-to-be and the thief holding up her wedding, made an already deadly situation even deadlier, but fans of the latest Action Lab series were left in the dark as to why it was happening. With Issue Two, the Going to the Chapel team explores the complicated, dangerous past that lead to that kiss, and the disaster it’s making in the present.

THE STORY

As it turns out, Emily and Tom have a romantic history, one that ended very badly. Now, Emily is not only unsure of how she feels about Tom now that he’s back, but his presence is reminding her of how unsure she is of marrying her fiancé, Jesse. Meanwhile, tensions are building in the chapel’s main room, where the Bad Elvis gang is seriously regretting holding the dysfunctional Anderson family hostage. The robbers have firearms, sure, but a rifle isn’t much compared to Grandma Harriet’s attitude. If that’s not bad enough, bridesmaid Natalie has an un-confiscated phone on her, capable of giving the cops outside a leg up. If, of course, she can stay off Instagram.

THE WRITING

Writer David Pepose has a unique gift for crafting lovable characters and writing great, exciting action sequences for them to play a part in. He could get you to appreciate a friendship in the midst of a speed of chase. Going to the Chapel #2 is a great example of his talent in the way he fleshes out the people that attend and complicate this wedding, without losing focus on the main character arcs. The Bermuda’s Love Triangle of Tom, Emily, and Jesse is still front and center, and as the saying goes, it’s causing them to make some very stupid choices.

THE ART

Those choices lead to an incredibly tense, white-knuckled action sequence at the close of the comic, with edge-of-your-set visuals good enough for any Quentin Tarantino fan. The pencil behind those visuals is Gavin Guidry, whose choreography of the blockbuster scenes provides the fun and danger of this comic. Like a good symphony, Guidry’s art can thrill by either going big or by staying small; in the moments when nothing’s exploding, the tension on his characters’ faces is enough to string along the reader. But Gavin’s work doesn’t just shine in tense moments. Much of the humor of the book rests on his shoulders, brought to life in the small actions and reactions he gives his characters. Gavin could draw his way around a scene from the A-Team, sure, but he could also rock the hell out of a cold open on The Office.

THE COLORS

Providing the vibe for this comic is colorist Liz Kramer, whose sunset tones give this book its warm, seventies detective TV vibes. Liz’s choice to give everything a soft glow anchors the emotion of the page for the reader. In flashback scenes of Emily and Jesse’s engagement, Liz set the stage for what could be a romantic night in Paris. In the climactic sequence at the end, she paints the scene like something straight out of a Wild West shootout. If David’s writing gives this comic its action and Gavin’s art its humor, you can credit Kramer’s skill in coloring for its soul.

THE LETTERS

Bringing it all home is Ariana Maher’s lettering, which plays a big part in how smoothly this comic reads. There’s a uniformly laid back texture to Ariana’s words that can transition between small, whispered lines and loud exclamations easily and without changing so much to distract a reader. Plus, music is very important to this book, and without Ariana’s way of working its lyrics onto the page, we wouldn’t have the great mental soundtrack that helps this comic work. Like any great comic, a soundtrack is very important in Going to the Chapel.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

Look at at a lot of major comic publishers right now, and you’ll see that so many are focused on cross-company storytelling. There’s nothing wrong with that; we all love a good major event from the Big Two, as all the Absolute Carnage reviews you’re seeing now will tell you. However, there’s a special quality to a comic that is self-contained, one that puts character over crossover and soul over spinoffs. That’s what Action Lab has with Going to the Chapel, backed up by some true masters of the craft and a strangely relatable story. After all, who hasn’t been to a terrible wedding?

****

You can pick up Going to the Chapel at your local comic shop and on ComiXology October 23rd. For more reviews like this one follow us on Twitter. And for all the best comic book reviews, news, and discussion, say tuned to Monkeys Fighting Robots.

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Review: The Zombie Action Continues In SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #22

Anthony Wendel

As the Zombots continue their rampage through IDW’s Sonic The Hedgehog, more and more cast members get corrupted. As more zombie tropes are utilized, does the story take a turn for the mundane or does it keep manage to keep the intensity from the previous issue?

Summary

Amy and her team find the base compromise and must evacuate before they are all become Zombots.

Writing

Considering where the previous issue left off and the cover art for this issue, the actual outcome was already broadcast far in advance. The Restoration Headquarters falls to the clutches of the Zombot horde. The only surprise in this issue is to find out how it happened and who was lost in the ensuing chaos. There will be no spoilers here as it is an interesting scenario to watch play out.

Ian Flynn is leaning into the tropes associated with zombie media. This issue plays out the whole “large area thought to be sheltered turns in an instant” plotline. Yet, a quick cut to the creatures from Lost Hex island is enough evidence to showcase Flynn knows where the story is going and has every intention to make sure he doesn’t overuse the zombie arc. One can only hope he succeeds with what he has planned out.

Artwork

Priscilla Tramontano is the only individual credited with artwork for the issue. The skill on display here, especially for a single artist is overwhelming. The terror and panic from the chaos which erupts in the course of the issue would not be as palatable if the art wasn’t of such a high caliber. Special respect for the scene where Amy Rose changes seamlessly from heartbroken to determined in two panels.

Shawn Lee does a fantastic job of lettering this issue. It’s amazing to see which special effects will be utilized in the issue. Bonus points for making sure Amy’s hammer made a “piko” sound every time it was used and totally nailing an alarm as being “awooga.” It makes the entire issue seem audible while reading.

Conclusion

Despite how the zombot arc seems to be have been going for a while in Sonic The Hedgehog, it still manages to be a lot of fun. The art helps by showcasing the terror and pain the characters are experiencing. Fans need to make sure they don’t give up on this series any time in the future or they will miss out on a lot of great moments.

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Review: IMMORTAL HULK #25 – The Breaker of Worlds is Inevitable

Cody Walker

Nothing can save you, nothing is left to hear you scream, and there is no escape from the Breaker of Worlds in Immortal Hulk #25, out this week from Marvel.

Al Ewing takes the story billions of years into the future and into the 9th cosmos. German Garcia and Chris O’Halloran are charged with creating a brand new universe, while Joe Bennett, Ruy Jose, and Paul Mounts are the usual suspects handling the last 2 pages of the current timeline.

World building a completely untouched universe within Marvel is a great honor, but comes with tremendous pressure. Garcia takes the reins and just slays it. Conceptual science fiction is a veer off the path from what Immortal Hulk has been, but Garcia is able to capture the essence of body horror we’ve come to love while leaping into an unexplored cosmos.

O’Halloran does a masterful job of capturing vibrant beauty in a dying universe. Worlds are breaking, color is gone, but O’Halloran accentuates every light in the darkness, and green is the last thing anyone will see. The last living world is a vivid geometric one that permeates a pleasing pastel palette. If this is all that is left, at least it is beautiful.

VC’s Cory Petit takes care of the letters in Immortal Hulk #25. His work is very subtle as this is a universe void of life, and void of sound. Par%l connects to the Breaker of Worlds witnessing darkness in the mind of the hulk, and this is where Petit’s skills shine. The words from the hulk look like they bring the depths of hell with them.

Ewing uses language to express that this is not our universe. This is something no one has ever seen before. I think it’s pretty easy to believe that this is brand new territory through Garcia’s art without Ewing making it harder than it needs to be. Writers tend to “get cute”, as my father would say, or try too hard.

These beings are telepathically communicating with English words, but the only real differences are proper nouns and “hir” instead of what I assume to be “her”. I was actually enlightened by the comment section that “hir” is a gender neutral pronoun. It never occurred to me to Google it because I just assumed it was for “her”. You know what they say about assuming, and you learn something new everyday.

These beings use what they call “manipulators” to connect and communicate, but they don’t know the word “hands”. Ewing tries too hard here and instead of being something that could add to the story it seems like a few lazy changes that ultimately just distract from the story and strip it of its desired effect.

Rather than soaking up the beauty in the entropy of this new universe, I’m trying to figure out who this 3rd person narrating the story is and why they know 18th century French words like “creche”, but not “hands”. These are the types of things people focus on and get distracted by when writers get too cute. If you’re going to make changes to the language, go full Hickman, no half measures.

And I know you’ll say “well these beings don’t have hands or arms so how would they know those words?” Ok, well how would they know a French word from the 18th century that is rarely ever used by anyone?

Other than that this is some very fascinating sci-fi with some truly terrifying images that Immortal Hulk has been known for. Think Interstellar, but a giant green monster is coming to destroy all the planets being explored. After 24 horror filled issues, this issue raises the stakes. Hulk is not just the Earth’s problem anymore. He is everyone’s problem. The Breaker of Worlds is inevitable, and he’s coming for you.

What did you think of Immortal Hulk #25? Are you interested to see more from the 9th cosmos? Let us know in the comments below.

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How SANDMAN Changed My Concept Of What A Comic Could Be

Justin Munday

October 22, 2019

How SANDMAN Changed My Concept Of What A Comic Could Be

After being drawn into comics by superheroes, Neil Gaiman’s Sandman showed me how much more the medium had to offer.

When I first started reading comics, I did not have any real preconceptions as to what they were (or were not) capable of as a medium. I never thought of them being just for superheroes, as posters of stories like Saga and Y: The Last Man had already told me otherwise. Though every time I looked around at recommendations for the so-called “best” comics to read, the title Sandman by renowned fantasy author Neil Gaiman popped up. It wouldn’t be for another couple years after I had gotten into comics before I made the gamble and scooped up the first omnibus volume. It was not until I broke in the spine and sat down to read issue number 1, “The Sleep of the Just,” that I realized what comics were truly capable of as a medium.

In the beginning, Sandman has the tone and appearance of a sophisticated horror comic. DC’s Vertigo imprint has (er, had) its fair share of such stories, from Alan Moore’s Saga of the Swamp Thing to The Hellblazer. However, Gaiman quickly sets his story apart from its contemporaries with the scale of the story he chooses to tell. Dream of the Endless, a.k.a Morpheus, a.k.a. The Sandman is the physical and ethereal embodiment of dreams. He is the patron saint of stories. He has existed since the first living thing in the universe fell asleep and will continue to do so until after the last one passes on. His family, “The Endless,” are all manifestations of universal concepts (Destiny, Death, Destruction, Desire, Despair, and Delirium). Gaiman’s 75-issue tale gets to know every facet of Dream’s job as the keeper of dreams and his relationship to his family, all while running a full spectrum of genres. Where one arc maybe a dark horror story, the next issue could easily be a high-fantasy tale, followed by a comedic commentary on Shakespeare’s plays. Yet it never skips a beat.

Sandman’s narrative swerves from the main continuous story-arcs that contain Dream’s “current” story to flashbacks and anecdotal one-shots. Several of the stories do not even have Dream as a character, and instead feature other minor characters in semi-related stories of their own. One such story-arc is about a motley group of characters all staying at an inn and swapping fantastic tall-tales. Since Dream is the literal embodiment of storytelling, he’s by extension included in this arc even if he doesn’t make an actual appearance.

Despite how odd Sandman’s structure may be, it never gets overwhelming or confusing. Gaiman’s ability to tell such a wide range of far-reaching tales and make the whole story wrap-up into itself is what makes Dream’s story so memorable. It’s also where I realized how special the comics medium really was. Unimaginable concepts are brought to life in a massive variety of art styles. Gaiman’s poetic prose is blended with the varied dialogue of a cast of dozens. The fact that this sort of story told over 7-years and 75-issues makes a cohesive whole with such craft is what sold me on what comics can really be. I had never thought of comics being such a different medium than novels or film. I had never thought of the idea that there are stories that can only be told in a comic, as they were too imaginative for novels or too massive in scope for television and movies. Since reading Sandman, I’ve noticed its influence through a similar style of narration in other comics. Sandman is high-art in a comic book. It’s one of the most imaginative pieces of fiction of the 20th century, and it’s what made me realize what exactly comics were capable of.

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Review: MARAUDERS #1 Breaks Loose And Sets Sail

Darryll Robson

Adventure on the high seas has to start somewhere, so join Gerry Duggan and Matteo Lolli as they introduce you to Marvel’s new pirate captain and her crew in Marauders, hitting the shelves this week.

Jonathan Hickman’s HoX/PoX laid the groundwork for the Dawn of X and now the baton has been passed to a large team of creators to expand on the new mutant world and catch up on everyone’s favourite X-Men, wherever they are.

Utopia Bound

With the establishment of a new Mutant Nation on Krakoa, it is finally time for all mutants to settle down in safety. Unfortunately, not all Mutants are able to reach Professor X’s Utopian society. Across the world there are nations who have declined to recognise the mutant sovereignty, cutting off mutants who want to join their own kind. And closer to home, Kate do-they-still-call-you-Kitty? Pryde is having troubles of her own accessing Krakoa.

Gerry Duggan establishes early on in Marauders that his X-book is going to be dealing with outsiders, those who haven’t experienced, or in some cases can’t experience, the magnificent society that has appeared. The opening sequence not only introduces the central character, Kitty Pryde, but also immediately throws a wall up between this story and the larger Dawn of X world. Poor old Ms Pryde can’t access Krakoa, and her discovery of this is quite painful.

Luckily, her rejection from the Mutant State opens up new opportunities, one handed to her by Emma Frost, who is now heading up The Hellfire Trading Company. Duggan’s tale spans the world and re-introduces a number of X-Men to the readers.This is a perfectly balanced first issue narrative, mixing plot with character introductions. Duggan lays down the groundwork for the series, showcasing his main cast and setting up future threats. The powers of each of the X-Men are demonstrated in a number of ways that are relevant to the story, acting as reminders to readers who don’t know or may have forgotten what these characters can do.

Each scene acts like a building block, forming the foundation of the comic. Duggan places each block into place so that by the end there is a firm ground to launch the ongoing narrative.

One of the noticeable aspects of Marauders is the quirky sense of humour throughout. The central cast joke with each other, and even in the face of danger they find time to quip to their exit. Duggan’s script is littered with jokes and sarcastic comments. This atmosphere is picked up by artist Matteo Lolli who gives the characters a jovial appearance. Over exaggerated gestures and comical expressions lighten the mood, easing the reader into the comic.

Marauders At Large

There is a fairly extensive cast list, each with their own unique appearance. Lolli’s figurative work is expressive and dynamic, capturing the life that these characters lead. The panels are full of energy and a brightness that marks it out from the heavy, more serious X-Men comics that Hickman has put out in the last few months. This lightness is achieved by keeping the pages bright and simple. There isn’t too much background detail, instead focusing on creating the impression of locale, and the colors, provided by Federico Blee, are vibrant and warm. Each page transition is inviting because the impression from each page is fun and relaxed.

Marauders is going to be fun.That is what the script and the art tell the reader. Sit back and go with the flow. Cory Petit picks up this mood with the lettering by creating a bouncing pace through his speech balloons and their placements. Even during large speeches, Petit breaks up the text into smaller, easily digestible balloons so that none of the exposition feels heavy handed. The reader is led through the comic at a pleasant speed, relaxed and entertaining. There are dangers in this world but these are minimised by a cheeky grin or a lost flip-flop.

Despite the obvious tonal change from the X-Men parent title, one of the links between this and what has come before is the design work by Tom Muller. Muller’s design for the inserts, title pages and logo’s is one of the more outstanding parts of Marvels X-Men reboot and it is a joy to see that these designs are going to be used across all of the comics. This not only links the comics visually but reminds the reader that it is all apart of something greater, a much larger plan.

Conclusion

Sailing out of Hickman’s introduction to Dawn of X is a difficult task for any comic. That is made slightly more difficult for Marauders because it is the first none Hickman title. However, with Marauders, Duggan and Co. stamp their mark on the X-World early on, making this comic very much their own. Not only is this going to be a wild ride for these characters but it is also going to be a fun one.

With possibly the best line up of X-Men out of the upcoming releases*, Marauders is not a title to be missed. Kate Pryde, Emma Frost, Storm, Pyro, Iceman, and Nightcrawler welcome you aboard and hope you stick around for the ride.

*reviewers bias

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Review: Ten Creative Teams Weave a Captivating Web in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: FULL CIRCLE

David DeCorte

Wherever you think this is going to happen…you’re going to be surprised. The writers sure were, at least, as suggested by the last pages of Amazing Spider-Man: Full Circle, out this week from Marvel Comics. “Seven teams of Marvel’s most creative contributors crafting an all-new adventure of the Amazing Spider-Man in a round robin style,” explains the book’s opening page. “No road map. No contact. No plan. Just a whole lot of prayer.”

Spidey’s recruited into a special S.H.I.E.L.D. operation by Nick Fury. After just a few pages, we have space werewolves launching a full-out assault on a Florida amusement park…and after that, things start getting weird.

The Writing

The creative teams behind Amazing Spider-Man: Full Circle assembled this 88-page story using a collaborative method similar to the exquisite corpse. As in the novel Naked Came the Manatee, each writer crafts a short sequence, before handing the story off. As such, it’s hard to gauge the work in terms of standard craft elements.

Despite the unconventional approach, the end result is a surprisingly-compelling take on Peter Parker’s story. The book touches on some of the character’s foundational concepts in a fresh and interesting way, with a story unlike anything you’ve likely read before.

John Hickman begins the narrative with a fairly straightforward S.H.I.E.L.D. adventure. From there, the story immediately deviates into a fast-paced and surreal comic adventure. Gerry Duggan’s first page opens to Pete falling through space next to Peter Porker (aka Spider-Ham). And, at that point, we know we’re off to the races.

There is plenty of quick, snappy, and funny dialogue in each chapter of Amazing Spider-Man: Full Circle. It’s undeniably fun, with the humor and the bizarre story being enough to make the book worth picking up. Truth be told, I never thought I would see a bespectacled werewolf scientist greet Spider-Man with the line “Come with me if you want to learn.” However, despite its disjointed and deliberately unplanned nature, a broader and fairly insightful narrative takes shape within these pages.

Pete’s guilt and resulting sense of responsibility are prominent themes in the story, as is the way in which a single, seemingly-minor decision can alter the world in profound ways. His conscious eats away at him; the pigs, the man in the box…all keep reminding him of Uncle Ben’s death and how it’s his fault. Ultimately, though, the book’s thesis boils down to one simple truism: you can’t change the past. You can only try to live a better present.

The Artwork

Overall, the artwork in Amazing Spider-Man: Full Circle is an accomplishment as impressive as the writing.

The art styles on display are as varied as the storytelling. However, the work manages to come together in a cohesive manner. There are no jarring stylistic breaks, and despite involving the talents of well-over a dozen pencilers, inkers, and color artists, the images within flow well from page to page. That, on its own, would be worthy of merit. However, the art teams at work here manage to elevate the images beyond that standard, turning in genuinely great work.

The book offers readers a sampler platter of some of Marvel’s best artists. We see everything from Michael Allred’s heavier, almost vintage-styled linework, to animated and highly-dynamic work by artists like Valerio Schiti and Chris Sprouse. One notices the change in style from one segment to the next, but it never feels off-putting.

The same goes for the color tones employed. We can shift fluidly from a stylized palette of greens and yellows, to one of more naturalistic color and back again. However, each colorist’s palette features a balance of these elements to make things feel like a cohesive, planned work.

Final Thoughts

Amazing Spider-Man: Full Circle is one of the most novel, creative, and interesting Marvel comics of 2019. In the words of Peter himself, “it was pretty convoluted”…but we mean that in the best way possible.

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Review: THE AMAZING MARY JANE #1- Amazing Barely Begins To Describe Her

Ben Snyder

Few characters have risen to prominence recently more steadily than Mary Jane Watson; this rise to fame is reflected in The Amazing Mary Jane #1 from writer Leah Williams, artist Carlos Gómez, color artist Carlos Lopez, and letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna. The Amazing Mary Jane #1 is another chance for Mary Jane to stake her claim as a legitimate fully-fledged character that independent of Spider-man and for the large part, The Amazing Mary Jane #1 succeeds. Leah Williams’s script shines as she uses MJ as a mouthpiece to deconstruct certain comic book tropes while simultaneously making her sound real and authentic. Carlos Lopez’s colors pop and Carlos Gómez’s figures are detailed and expressive. The Amazing Mary Jane #1 does more than live up to its a namesake.

The Amazing Mary Jane #1 kicks off with MJ beginning her new Hollywood movie, which is just a ploy by Mysterio for more personal reasons than artistic integrity. What begins as a fairly innocent scheme will surely unravel into something much more dangerous though as the final page hints because…comic books. The plot is simply fun and fits right in with the overall light-hearted tone of the Spider-Universe.

Leah Williams thrives at writing dialogue for Mary Jane and it is clear she takes pride in making MJ a strong empowered character. MJ quickly deduces that there is something amiss with the director and is relentless in her questioning of him. But Mary Jane is also fun and joyful as is shown in her banter with Peter over the phone. It’s almost to the point of being corny, exemplified by the spontaneous dance she does with Peter while he’s at the market.

Williams also uses Mary Jane as a mouthpiece to critique something she fins about the comics/movie industry when Mary Jane gains the leverage to help re-write the movie’s script. Mary Jane is a complete character in this story and Williams also treats the “villain” of this story the same way. Sure, Mysterio’s plot is incredibly vain and more so an inconvenience instead of a crime (besides the fraud) but it also comes from an incredibly normal feeling of wanting your story told.

Mary Jane Has Her Own Rogues Gallery to Fight

Carlos Gómez’s lines and Carlos Lopez’s colors work splendidly with Williams’s energetic and fun script. The colors are vibrant and pop off the screen and the figures are impressively detailed and expressive. Some of the more chaotic scenes don’t work as well as quieter scenes due to the lack of focus on surrounding objects, but overall the art holds up.

Gómez also shows the ability to quickly change the tone of a scene with cleverly crafted panel placements. When the director snaps on one of the crew the large, spacious, and open panels of MJ and the director exploring the set become boxy and confined with an intense focus on the director’s unhappiness. Of course, once the message is clear the panel layout opens up again. This short instance does wonders in diversifying the pace of the story.

The Amazing Mary Jane #1 from Leah Williams, Carlos Gómez, Carlos Lopez, and VC’s Joe Caramagna does a fantastic job at setting the stage for Mary Jane to truly establish herself. It’s not the most revelatory ride, but most fun things aren’t. So sit back and enjoy the ride The Amazing Mary Jane takes you on.

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