INVISIBLE KINGDOM #5 Ends On An Exceptional High

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The climactic end to the first arc of Invisible Kingdom will leave you in awe and desperate for the next chapter.

The Berger Books imprint of Dark Horse Comics has a dedication to great storytelling and Invisible Kingdom is a prime example of this manifesto. The plot, the art, and the design all work together to give the reader a breath taking reading experience.

In this issue the desperate crew of the Sundog face the overwhelming might of a Lux Warship. With little chance of success, the crew throw everything they have into the onslaught and prey for a David verses Goliath type victory.

INVISIBLE KINGDOM #5 Ends On An Exceptional High — Invisible Kingdom #5 Credit: Dark Horse Comics

G. Willow Wilson understands that a person’s true character is revealed when faced with impossible odds. The confrontation in this issue, and it takes up the majority of the comic, is a catalyst for showcasing the cast of characters that have been introduced over the previous four issues. Readers get to witness the cool headed strength of Captain Grix; the loyalty of the crew; and the immense faith embedded in Vess. Even the villainous Warship Captain has a moment to shine, albeit a wash with vile, self-assured arrogance.

Each moment of action is a way for Wilson to engage the reader with the characters on an emotional level. The exhilarating action heavy plot is the top layer of the narrative, with Wilson building character and relationships underneath. As a reader you are swept away by the impossible task the Sundog crew face but within the flood you are exposed to a mix of emotions. This issue takes you on an emotional rollercoaster and there is a moment of relief at the end when it is over and you can breathe again.

Without doubt Christian Ward’s artwork will blow you away. Five issues in and you would expect to be used to the artist’s beautiful vision but his elaborate, painterly style is a constant pleasure. He captures the chaos of battle as easily as the majesty of space travel. Each page is packed with colourful images barely contained within the confines of the panels.

Ward’s page layouts represent the chaos of battle as much as the artwork itself. He shifts from structured layouts to pages almost devoid of the normal comic book form. Boarders disappear and the images bleed to the edges on all sides. The art reflects the danger of the situation and the traumatic experience that the small crew of outlaws face.

Ward uses shapes and shadows to direct the reader through the page however it is Sal Cipriano’s lettering that does most of the hard work. The placement of the caption boxes and word balloons creates urgency and emotional pauses. He uses subtle, and some not so subtle, changes in the text to emphasise the personalities of the characters. Cipriano’s lettering is the stable framework around which Wards artwork hangs, as well as being the visual punch to Wilson’s script.

Invisible Kingdom has been a successful partnership between creators from the first issue. Each element of the comic works to enhance the reading experience without becoming dominant within the comic. This is especially impressive because of the talent involved, each creator is individually a strong voice within their craft. To come together and produce a comic of this standard without one aspect overshadowing another is a tribute to their talent and commitment to the comic.

Science fiction is extremely popular at the moment, especially with publishers like Marvel and studios like Disney pushing out more and more space based narratives. This makes it difficult for smaller, creator owned material to break through. However, Invisible Kingdom should not have a problem finding a place in the market. The narrative is engaging; the characters are varied and complex; and the art work is outstanding in every aspect. This is a beautiful, exhilarating read and should be on everyone’s reading list.

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Review: Mila, Andy, And Bandit Flee From Mother’s Forces In ASCENDER #4

By

Corey Patterson

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Andy and his daughter Mila have been on the run from Mother’s forces for some time now, all because of their robot dog Bandit. In this world, technology has been outlawed, and an army of sorcerers will stop at nothing to eradicate any form of technological resistance. But hope for the trio lies in the docks on Sampson and the ships they harbor. Will they make it before Mother’s monstrous vessels destroy them?

Story

ASCENDER #4 is largely a connecting issue that remains in motion, refusing to halt the narrative in just one place. Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen work in a satisfying dialogue to show reader’s what the character’s are feeling while avoiding forcing it into the issue’s non-stop action. Mila and Andy, having momentarily escaped the vampiric beings who raided their house, rush across the landscape as even more monstrous beings approach them.

Just when readers become fully engrossed by the non-stop action on Sampson, the authors immediately shift the narrative to Mother. This abrupt change keeps us on our toes and reminds us who the real threat is. Indeed, it is here we see her viciously interrogate a UGC commander who’s leading the resistance.

All of this calamity and violence is leading to an all-out war between users of technology and magic wielders, reflecting the conflict in the previous DESCENDER series. Can Andy, Mila, and Bandit escape the coming violence? Readers will be overcome with anticipation as they await the outcome.

Art

Nguyen’s artwork is arguably the main driving force behind ASCENDER #4. His penciling, inking, and coloring depict incredible scenes of Mila, Andy, and Bandit’s escape from Mother’s army on Sampson. Readers will hold their breath after seeing the trio leap off cliffs, swim in colorful lakes, and ride the fantastical flying sea turtles as the family makes their way to the docks.

Steve Wands’ lettering and design work beautifully frames the story’s artwork. While the dialogue is less prominent than in previous issues, he makes the most of it by filling empty spaces with onomatopoeia words, such as when the dragon-like beings send exploding fireballs down or the characters plunge into Sampson’s watery depths.

Comic Cover

Nguyen’s cover illustration places all of the focus on Mother, as well as all of the “Mothers” who have come before her. We see their spirits floating around the overlord to reflect their continual influence upon her psyche.

Conclusion

ASCENDER #4 pushes the narrative forward at lighting speed, but successfully brings readers along for the ride. Hopefully we’ll receive more explanations regarding the docks and Mother’s interrogation of the UGC.

Did you like the illustrations of Mila and Andy’s escape? Let us know in the comments below!

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Review: Barry’s Origin Comes to an Exciting Conclusion in THE FLASH #75

By

Jose "Jody" Cardona

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The Flash Year One Comes to an Exciting Conclusion!

Year One of the Flash has been quite eventful. After getting his powers, Barry traveled to the future and saw his city under the control of a metahuman named King Turtle. He went back and found the present version of Turtle and took him down. Since then, The Flash has worked to save the city and work on his relationship with Iris.

Before he can get too relaxed, however, King Turtle arrives from the future and begins to invade. Barry grabs his new suit and prepares to face off with the King. Unfortunately for him, the future villain releases his younger self to team up against Barry. How can the Flash take on two Turtles?

**Some Spoilers Below**

Story:

Picking up from right where we left off, Flash does more dodging than he does fighting the Turtles. The people of Central City see the speedster fight, and after seeing a chance, they swarm the base to help. Even Iris joins in on the fight freeing a few of the civilians before facing the present Turtle. Flash builds up speed and tries to go at King Turtle, but the villain blasts him with the Still Force. As he feels the Still affecting him, Barry pulls on the energy of the Speed Force to overpower it. Flash can trap the Still Force in the present, stopping the future kingdom of King Turtle from coming to pass.

This is your standard ending to an origin story arc. The villain is defeated, the hero learns what’s most important to him, and the future is hinted at being a bright one. This, however, doesn’t make it a bad issue by any means. The action is excellent, and watching the impact Flash has had on Central City is a bit heartwarming. I know cities support their heroes, but since day one, Central City supported Barry. This is another example of how this arc shows us what made Flash the way he is. From Iris’ impact to the city’s support, Year One nailed the origin of the fastest man alive.

The story also has not one but two epilogues. While one is a perfect way to end the arc, as well as several arcs in the series so far, the other, however, is just another tie-in to the Year of the Villain. It isn’t necessary, but it’s perfectly harmless.

Art:

Howard Porter concludes the arc strong with some of his best work. He can catch the best parts of the Flash and his powers with every page. Near the end of the issue is a two-page spread of the entire Flash family, both of the current continuity and pre-new 52. It could be this reviewer’s favorite page in the whole series.

The only downside is that Porter only does the art for the main story. Scott Kolins returns for the first epilogue, which is sadly a miss for me. It’s not terrible, but its certainly a downgrade. That said, the Year of the Villain epilogue, covered by Christian Duce, was fantastic and left the art on a high note. Overall, this comic looks wonderful, helping the arc stick the landing.

Conclusion:

Year One has ended, and it went out on a high note. The story was top notch, showing the readers the true heart of the Flash in an epic way. The art of Porter had always been great for this arc, and it succeeded here. Year One as a whole was a bit shaky at the beginning with treading familiar ground, but it was able to make a name for itself by being a stand-alone story that shows newcomers what makes Barry a hero. This arc succeeded and here’s hoping the future can be just as bright.

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Review: MARTIAN MANHUNTER #7 Meet the Martian ManEATER

By

Cody Walker

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Rooted in horror, Martian Manhunter #7 reveals a larger plan from a familiar face.

If you’re not reading this book at this point, you obviously have a hatred for good horror. Like Immortal Hulk, Martian Manhunter, from Steve Orlando and Riley Rossmo, uses body morphing and transformations that would make John Carpenter jealous. Rossmo’s art is one of a kind and perfect for this book. Ivan Plascencia’s color work is always amazing, but I feel it is phenomenal when combined with Rossmo’s pencils and inks. Deron Bennett is providing the lettering. Everything mixes so well in this book like they were all meant to work together.

MARTIAN MANHUNTER #7 Spoilers Below

At the top of this story, we are told this is taking place in Colorado a few years ago. Police are gathering outside a barn ready to bust in and free some prisoners. The barn is undercover as a pig farm, but the cops are there for human trafficking. The Vulture Cartel are the people running the operation, a fitting name for such folks. They can’t help but reveal information during the ensuing shootout, so we discover that this operation is merely a way station for the rest of their operation, and disabling this location will do nothing.

Rossmo captures the anxiety and hopelessness of these dire situations. Creating very detailed environments that give you a feeling of claustrophobia, like our heroes are trapped and there is no escape, adding a feeling of dread over the entire issue. Pigs pens clutter the area, the actual pigs are scattering and tripping up people all over the place, bullets are flying, whizzing past the detectives at extremely close range, narrowly missing time and time again. It’s definitely not a situation I would storm into.

As Midleton PD gets the first-floor situation under control, one last Vulture escapes into an elevator. Our main characters, Meade and Jones board the elevator and proceed to go down. In the elevator, Meade tells Jones if you have any other special abilities that this would be the time to put them to use. Jones pleads with her that he can’t be that person anymore. Inferring that perhaps J’onn doesn’t have a grasp on his powers anymore. Meade doesn’t buy it if he can mind wipe why doesn’t he use that to mind read? Jones can feel enough to know that the thought-stream is messy, and there are professionals waiting for them.

As the elevator opens, all hell breaks loose. These men are armored up, equipped with Martian tech, and ready for destruction. As Meade and her partner are pinned down, backup is not coming; the situation looks dire, Jones goes invisible and begins his assault on the Vulture Cartel. Disabling their guns with his laser eyes and throwing a few unseen punches, the Vultures go down quickly. Tabling a discussion for later, they bust through the door these professionals were protecting, what they find is absolute horror and not at all what they were hoping for. If you want to know what happens next, you’ll have to read the book.

Rossmo’s art carries this title, of course the writing gives him the story to draw, but his art is original and perfect for this genre. If realism is what you’re searching for, this book is not it, and that is exactly why I love it. The quick pace of this issue builds palpable anxiety, with environments that feel isolated and claustrophobic. Our lead detectives appear in constant danger the entire issue, even later on when they are discussing the day’s events. Usually with pacing like this in an issue you could finish it in 10 minutes, yet Rossmo’s art keeps you admiring the pages with a unique style that brings such a breath of fresh air to the medium.

What did you think of this issue? Let us know in the comments below.

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Review: BATGIRL #37 – Amazingly Takes Risks In Storytelling

By

Cat Wyatt

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THE YEAR OF THE VILLAIN ‘The Offer’ has made its way over to BATGIRL, and it’s looking a little messy for our heroine. If that wasn’t enough for Barbs to deal with, BATGIRL #37 throws another plot thread into the mix.

* BATGIRL #37 SPOILERS Below*

Batgirl 37 Cover — The cover for Batgirl #37 shows Batgirl being hunted by the Moth.

Whenever any major event happens in the comic book world, it’s a given that it’ll touch most character series as well. Well, here is the obligatory tie in issue for The Year of the Villain – ‘The Offer.’ That being said, you can honestly read this issue without any understanding of what is happening in that series. The only downside is that you might be slightly confused on why a typically blasé antagonist is going for Batgirl’s throat.

To be fair, the Moth really did need an upgrade. He wasn’t exactly a bad villain before this point, but he’s certainly more interesting when he’s not pulling his punches. And apparently he was very determined to make a name for himself here; by killing the infamous Batgirl. Or rather, he tried. It wouldn’t be very good for the series if she died right here, after all.

Batgirl 37 Page 1 — The alternate cover for Batgirl #37 leaves us with even more questions.

What was impressive about this issue is that they didn’t let the tie in railroad the entire issue. Instead, Cecil Castellucci, the writer, decided to simultaneously continue forward with the other plot that has been developing.

You may be wondering; how can you run two plots at once? Easy! While Batgirl is focused on one antagonist (Moth), let her other antagonists go off and do something else. Unfortunately, in this case, said antagonists seem to be in over their heads. It may very well turn out that they’ll end up wishing she had interfered. But only time will tell on that count.

Batgirl 37 Oracle Rising — Batgirl and the Moth having an aerial fight.

It’s still strange at times to see Batgirl back in her classic black and gold crime-fighting suit. But then there are times when she goes up against a classic antagonist, and it just feels right. Batgirl #37 is one of those times.

There were a lot of flashy moments in this issue, thanks to the new tech that Moth got his hands on. It made for some very dramatic fighting, credit should be given to Carmine Digiandomenico and Jordie Bellaire for making the fight so much fun to look at.

Andworld Design handled the lettering for Batgirl #37, and it shows. There was a ton of dialogue and internal monologuing for this issue. Yet it was relatively easy to tell who was saying what. And give Andworld Design bonus points for altering the font and colors for the newly introduced character at the end. That was a nice touch.

Batgirl 37 Sample Page — There’s a new Oracle in town?

Batgirl #37 took some risks in splitting up the perspectives like this, but it paid off. Jumping back and forth between a tie in plot and the main plot ended up feeling almost organic. And better yet, by continuing with Barbs’ quest, her readers didn’t end up feeling shafted (assuming that they’re not following the major event, of course).

It will be fascinating to see where this plot ends up leading. They’ve messed with Oracle in the past, but never to this extent. Any guesses on what they’re going to do with this new character?

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Review: Timothy Faces His Friends And Family In BOOKS OF MAGIC #10

By

Corey Patterson

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BOOKS OF MAGIC #9 took readers on a wild adventure into a book prison which housed Ellie, the classmate and best friend of Timothy Hunter. Fortunately the determined young woman managed to escape and find a way back home. Timothy, upon hearing the news, rushes to meet with her in the hopes of reigniting their relationship after having been gone for so long; the same goes for his father, who the wizard hasn’t seen in weeks. But the young man will soon learn that the magic in his life comes at a high cost, especially for his friends and family.

Story

BOOKS OF MAGIC #10 takes readers back into the mind of Timothy as he wrestles with new problems in the “real” world. One would hope his troubles would die down after escaping the magical lands wanting to entrap him, but this individual isn’t so lucky. Upon returning to London, Timothy searches for his father, only to find the anxiety-reducing spell has left him in an almost catatonic state.

Hoping to seek reassurance in Ellie, Timothy makes his way to her house. But the traumatized girl has little to say to him as she relays her fear of Mr. Davies, the evil teacher who cast her into the book prison. Timothy reassures her that he’ll be able to stop Davies with magic and proceeds to demonstrate his ability to control pieces of chalk on the ground. Unfortunately, this ignites the fearful memories of Ellie’s imprisonment and causes her to abandon the well-meaning Timothy.

These devastating reactions from his friends and family upon returning to London leave Timothy in a depressed state. It’s clear magic won’t solve all his problems; in this case it appears to make things worse. Readers will grapple with Tim’s desperate attempts to reconnect with the family and friends he’s been forced to abandon for some time.

Art

Tom Fowler’s pencils, Brian Churilla’s inks, Marissa Louise’s colors, and Todd Klein’s lettering work in harmony throughout BOOKS OF MAGIC #10. It may seem difficult to transition the story’s setting back to the non-magical world of London, but the creative does a great job of entrancing readers all the same. The bold outlines framing the London streets, the variety of colors in Timothy’s chalk demonstration, and placement of dialogue boxes give readers the impression of a classic fantasy storybook all the same. It shows us there’s still magic involved in Tim’s life despite his less than ideal circumstances.

The Comic Cover

Kai Carpenter’s cover artwork gives us those fantasy vibes from childhood. He continues the series’ trend of illustrating the cover to look like a storybook while adding a detailed map of the magical lands Timothy traverses.

Conclusion

BOOKS OF MAGIC #10 brings readers back to reality as Timothy seeks to rectify the damage his magic has wrecked upon his life. It’ll be interesting to see how he will continue the wizard training in such circumstances.

What did you think of Timothy and Ellie’s reunion? Let us know in the comments below!

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Review: BATMAN: CURSE OF THE WHITE KNIGHT- The Beginning Of A New Batman Classic

By

Ben Snyder

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When Batman: Curse Of The White Knight was announced in late 2018, fans imagined it following similar themes as Sean Murphy and Matt Hollingsworth’s Batman: White Knight, which was one of the most unique takes of the Batman mythos in recent years. Amazingly, Curse Of The White Knight takes a bolder more mythical approach to the Batman/ Joker relationship that is to be commended.

Spoilers For BATMAN: CURSE OF THE WHITE KNIGHT Below

Joker Escapes Arkham — Arkham’s walls haunt its inmates

Batman: Curse Of The White Knight picks up directly after the events of the first series. Alfred is dead, the Joker is in prison (For now), and Batman revealed his identity to Detective Gordon. The Joker unsurprisingly breaks out of Arkham and recruits Azrael to his cause. While The White Knight dealt mainly with themes of rehabilitation, justice, and the consequences of past deeds done by one’s family, Curse Of The White Knight goes to supernatural lengths to differentiate itself.

Murphy’s script does a marvelous job of blending supernatural with reality and blurring the lines differentiating them. When Bruce is reading Alfred’s letter, the letter does seem prophetic and the act of Bruce finding this hidden tome under his father figures bed looks like he is unveiling a religious artifact.

This push and pull between the supernatural are present in one of the series antagonist, Azrael. The way Murphy blurs the lines between whether Azrael is insane or not is particularly effective. He is unhinged, Azrael smashes an orderly’s head against the wall after being diagnosed with cancer, but then the Joker hands him a flaming sword with imagery reminiscent of someone being ordained by higher powers, think Excalibur to King Arthur.

If there is one negative to Murphy’s script, it’s the lack of Joker/ Jack Napier. What made his original series so compelling was how Murphy was able to distance Joker from Jack Napier, making them completely different characters despite how they shared the same body. Despite his escape from Arkham and finding Azrael being the catalyst for the entire chapter, the reader experiences most of this chapter through the perspective of Batman. But this is something that will surely change in future chapters.

Hollingsworth and Murphy continue to prove they are one of the premier artistic team-ups with their respective colors and line work. Individually their talents are self-evident but together they create a brutish, hulking, almost noir vibe that is perfect for a locale such as Gotham. The architecture of Arkham haunts over its inhabitants with crumbling Spartan walls and heavy shadows, similar to the ones that hide the inner workings of Wayne Manor.

The way Murphy depicts brute strength and violence is borderline iconic. Hollingsworth’s colors push it over that edge. Batman lugs around Gotham with huge shoulders and biceps that look almost cartoonish. He towers over everyone he shares a frame with, as does Azrael. Look no further than the scene in which Batman interrogates the Arkham warden. It’s played almost for laughs, but when Batman got serious, I jumped reading it.

Murphy and Hollingsworth’s Batman: White Knight was nothing short of a modern-day Batman classic. Their newest effort Batman: Curse Of The White Knight, with letters from AndWorld Design looks to be following right in its predecessor’s footsteps.

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HOUSE OF X #1 – Hickman Almighty

By

Brandon J. Griffin

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A new era for the X-Men begins in HOUSE OF X #1. Strap yourselves in, Hickman has schematics for a whole new world for the magnificent mutants of Marvel.

SPOILERS LIE AHEAD

Oh my goodness, Jonathan Hickman. Immediately upon starting to read this issue, you can tell it’s something special. This is a very bold and different direction for our beloved mutants. We’re entering uncharted territory for the first time in a long time and there’s nobody more suited to drive us there than Hickman.

We’ve seen Marvel promise plenty of “fresh starts” for the X-Men over the past few years, but nothing has been this impactful. House Of X isn’t just a beginning to a new story or the introduction of a new threat. This is an entirely new vision of the mutant population and their role in the world around them.

What Hickman provides in this introductory issue is an in-depth and highly imaginative exploration of brand new concepts. This reads more like a guidebook than a comic book issue, but it’s all for the better.

Hickman’s time away from Marvel was clearly for the best. He comes back now as a the fully formed creative mastermind that he is. He brings the structure, schematics, tools, and story devices over from his brilliant work on Black Monday Murders, East Of West, and The Manhattan Projects to House Of X in a dense but digestible format.

We’ve read X-Men comics time and time again that set the mutants off on their own somewhere to try and survive away from the world. This isn’t about mutants trying to survive, this is about mutants trying to thrive and succeeding. The nation of Krakoa is both Xavier and Magneto’s dreams realized at once (less violently on Magneto’s part).

Krakoa gets re-purposed in a big way and becomes the most important concept to Hickman’s new mutant landscape. The “habitats” are inventive, eerie, and instantly iconic.

The “Flowers of Krakoa” are a crucial tool for the new mutant nation, one that puts them into a position globally that they’ve never been before. Krakoa has more in common with Wakanda as a nation of power rather than a simple refuge like we’ve seen in the past.

Hickman loads up House Of X #1 with plenty of charts and maps, making this introductory experience less overwhelming and easy to swallow for readers of all levels of X-Men experience. There isn’t any required reading that leads into this issue, readers are provided with everything they need.

The “Orchis Protocol” is another new concept introduced in great detail. They’re proof of just how much thought went into this new layout for mutant kind by Hickman. They could also provide a wonderfully paranoid opposition for Krakoa’s mutants going forward.

House Of X is so fleshed out not only as far as mutants are concerned, but the entire world. In our intro to “Damage Control” we even see the repercussions from Reed Richards and Tony Stark having gone missing for some time. This is a level of planning and layout that we haven’t seen in a very long time.

Hickman’s chart and detail on the “Omega Level Mutants” page provides clarity where we don’t get much anymore in the world of comics. This will be something comic book fans will surely appreciate in our discussions and debates about these characters and this world.

No matter how current you are on X-Men continuity coming into House Of X, it’s a total blank slate. There’s a mystique and atmosphere of unknown that’s established immediately and beautifully maintained thanks to Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia.

The highly imaginative and dense concepts presented to us are visually stunning and easy to understand thanks to their illustration and tone. The mutants themselves have so much life and wonder to them, there’s a confidence that’s earned and displayed.

House Of X #1 is a gorgeous book that matches the ambition of Hickman’s ideas and lays them out in a way that’ll warrant multiple reads. You couldn’t ask for a better showing in order to really sell this exciting new era for our beloved mutants.

This issue and everything we’re provided inside feels like a reward for all the lackluster years of X-Men comics. For every false start and broken promise there is a page in this issue sure to make any die-hard X-Men fan’s heart flutter.

There hasn’t been an X-Men comic this ambitious and crucial in the 29 years I have been on this Earth. Hickman is an absolute god-send for Marvel’s beautiful mutants. This is the real deal, it delivers on every promise that was being made by Marvel.

This is absolutely the most important X-Men comic to come along in a very long time. Whether you’ve been keeping up on continuity or have stayed away from X-Men for some time, House Of X is the best possible jumping on point you could ask for.

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Review: MIDDLEWEST #9 and the Heart of a Storm

By

Michael Fromm

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Previously, in Middlewest, Magdalena believes that the raging tempest within Abel is incurable, and forces him to leave her travelling carnival. Abel’s anger gets the best of him, who unleashes the inner storm that destroys Magdalena’s fair. In the aftermath, Mags tries to rebuild, but faces resentment from her workers for shunning young Abel. Meanwhile, Abel’s father is still on the hunt for his son, and leaving a path of destruction in his wake. Finally, Abel and Fox continue on their quest for a cure, only to be chased down by giant squirrel creatures, and then surrounded by spear-wielding forest people.

Middlewest #9 is published by Image Comics, written by Skottie Young, with art by Jorge Corona, colors by Jean-Francois Beaulieu, and lettering by Nate Piekos.

* * Some Spoilers Below **

Story

Run as he might, Abel’s past is catching up to him. He is astounded and relieved, however, when the woodland people he and Fox encounter seem to know his mark.

One of the many admirable traits of Middlewest is that it isn’t a fantasy quest to save the world. That stakes are much more grounded, and personal. Abel and Fox’s journey have similar attributes to, say, Frodo and Sam’s, but the evil they are trying to thwart is from within. In this most recent issue, we seemed to have gotten a pretty good idea of how Abel will be able to do just that, as well as what could happen to him if he lets his heart of a storm take over.

Writer Skottie Young continues to take us down his Yellow Brick Road, this time really doubling down on his familiar, yet wholly unique worldbuilding. In Middlewest #9, we get a glimpse of new faces, a religion thought long-gone, and its deity. Young cracks open the door to his world another inch to make our eyes bulge in curiosity, yet holds back just enough to keep us wanting more. And he paces the book in such a way that lets the readers soak it all in and be captivated by the world and story as it unfolds.

Of course, Middlewest wouldn’t be half as enthralling if it weren’t for Abel and the characters he encounters. Abel is a thoroughly flushed out character in Young’s tale, with relatable attributes such as having to deal with inner demons, as well as the ‘sins of the father’ trope. In this issue, Abel learns that anger isn’t always the best response, thanks in full to the help of his familiar. Yes, Fox is an interesting character, one who isn’t always 100% the kindest of companions, but is wholeheartedly loyal. This issue gave him some intriguing developments, such as a better understanding of why these talking animals exist. There is also clearly much more to learn about Abel, his family history, and the truth of his heart of a storm, given the exciting plot point in this issue’s final page.

Art

Jorge Corona’s work is simply stunning. Each and every panel is something to behold. His characters are animated and full of life. The overtly expressive eyes helps in conveying the emotions of the characters, and we as the reader cannot help but feel as well. But what’s even more impressive are the tiny details in the backgrounds of each panel. Corona adds layer after layer of elements in the scenery and architecture, that you find something new upon each look.

The Nowak village in this issue of Middlewest is a perfect display of Corona’s finesse and genius. It’s as if George Lucas commissioned Studio Ghibli to craft a new, refreshing take on Endor. Another impeccable example of Corona’s work is the double splash page featuring the Nokoyuna. It is nothing short of awe-inspiring, intimidating, beautiful, and terrifying all at once.

Conclusion

Middlewest #9 is fantastical storytelling and breathtaking artistry – capturing one’s complete attention as if by magic.

What did you think of Middlewest #9? Let us know in the comments!

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LUMBERJANES #64 – Pure Chaos and Fun Galore

By

Cat Wyatt

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The Roanoke has found themselves trapped in the aptly named Land of Lost Things. Surely they’ll find a creative way out of there before LUMBERJANES #64 comes to an end.

Lumberjanes 64 Cover — Another bright and fun cover for the Lumberjanes.

SPOILERs For LUMBERJANES #64 Below

The Lumberjanes have always had a talent for getting themselves into (and out of) trouble. That’s just the way it goes. So we everyone knew that when they got themselves trapped in the Land of Lost Things that they would eventually find a way out.

But that doesn’t mean the journey would be any less fun. The Lumberjanes plots have always been somewhat short and sweet – the perfect escape from a world that is sometimes too intense to bear.

Lumberjanes 64 Alt Cover — The alternate cover for Lumberjanes #64 is so sweet.

‘The Fight Stuff’ was a cleverly named and fun issue written by Shannon Watters and Kat Leyh. This issue had a lot of fun playing with a world full of portals. The Land of the Lost, as mentioned earlier, is exactly what it sounds like. So not only did our missing Lumberjane end up here – but so did a lot of other interesting items and creatures.

A giant space station in the middle of the Land of Lost Things.

It may seem odd to see dinosaurs and space stations in the same place (unless you’re a Whovian, then this is just another day of the week), but for the Lumberjanes this is pretty on par for the course.

As was the somewhat insane solution to their problems. Who would have expected that the best way to get home would be to mess with a crashed space station, to free up space (no pun intended) so that a herd of dinosaurs could fit by. Apparently, the Lumberjanes would have guessed that one.

But seriously, this was a cute and fun issue. It had a lot of the elements fans love about the series; the lighter tone, the character interactions, and some witty banter work well. Plus there was some heartfelt dialogue thrown into the mix.

Lumberjanes 64 Page 3 — Portals! Space! All a normal day for this crew.

While the plot was fun, it was the artwork that brought Lumberjanes #64 to life. The dinosaurs portrayed were in the same style most of the creatures the Lumberjanes come across – stylized with lots of bold colors. It makes them look cuter than their real-life counterparts, but that’s a good thing.

AnneMarie Rogers clearly had fun coming up with a bunch of different dinosaurs to draw. Meanwhile, Maarta Laiho filled the issue with as many vibrant colors as she could manage. Yet neither of these elements felt out of place. Must be the Lumberjanes charm.

Letterer Aubrey Aiese opted to go with a slightly more classic look (for the Lumberjanes, that is). The word bubbles never blocked any of the fun action that was happening, thankfully. Meanwhile, the font had a slightly handwritten look to it – a trademark of the series.

Lumberjanes 64 Pg 4 — Sometimes listing out all of the dangers in a situation isn’t the right call…

Lumberjanes #64 wraps up the current plotline for the series. However, it also appears to be setting up for the next plot. Presumably, our cabin of mischief makers will be making reparations for losing a certain bear lady’s telescope.

Lumbgerjanes 64 Pg 1 — Another Lumberjanes badge to add to your mental catalog.

This issue was a fun light read. It’s perfect for younger readers as well as older fans just needing a change of pace from all of the darker-toned comics available.

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MARTIAN MANHUNTER #7 Spoilers Below

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What did you think of Middlewest #9? Let us know in the comments!

***SPOILERs For LUMBERJANES #64 Below***

* BATGIRL #37 SPOILERS Below*

SPOILERS LIE AHEAD

SPOILERs For LUMBERJANES #64 Below