Interview: Mark Russell Talks The SECOND COMING Of Jesus Christ In New Series

July 6, 2019

Second Coming #1 is out this Wednesday from Ahoy Comics, and Monkeys Fighting Robots got the chance to speak with writer Mark Russell about his thought process behind the series and what fans should expect.

The series is by Russell and artist Richard Pace, with finishes by Leonard Kirk and colors by Andy Troy on the scenes set on present-day Earth. Rob Steen letters the book. The main cover is by Amanda Conner and Paul Mounts.

As the name suggests, this is a story about the second coming of Jesus Christ, who returns to Earth in the present-day and moves in with the world’s greatest superhero, Sunstar (who strongly resembles a very famous character we’ll call “Blooperman”). Upon returning, the son of God is taken back at how the world has twisted his gospel into something “as un-Christlike as one can possibly imagine.”

second coming mark russell interview ahoy comics — Cover A by Amanda Conner and Paul Mounts.

DC Comics was originally slated to release Second Coming under its Vertigo imprint, but dropped the title earlier this year following some controversy. Luckily, Russell and Pace retained the rights to the property, and Ahoy Comics picked it up for publication soon after the cancelation.

**Read on for our interview with Russell about Second Coming, the transition to Ahoy, his writing as a whole, and more!**

Monkeys Fighting Robots: A lot of people heard the premise for Second Coming and immediately labeled it as “blasphemous.” But after reading it, it actually feels like you’re celebrating Jesus’ message of peace, love, and forgiveness, not mocking it. If anything, I’d say it’s more blasphemous of superhero comics, saying that these characters we idolize have been solving problems the wrong way for their entire existence. Would you agree?

Mark Russell: Yeah, I think that’s about the gist of it. It’s about rediscovering empathy, not as some sappy ideal or something we reserve for our private lives, but as a necessary ingredient for solving the very real problems of the world. For example, the global refugee crisis is not a problem that can be solved by super-strength or seeing through walls, but only with empathy and genuine concern for people we may not even know. And attempts to address these problems with force only make them worse, as can be seen by the situation on our southern border. The superhero solution of just overpowering the forces of evil (which is also sometimes necessary) only really works for a very limited set of problems. It’s about broadening our understanding of what really constitutes power.

MFR: What’s your history with religion? Were you raised in a religious household/environment, and how did your background influence Second Coming?

Russell: I was raised in what would today be considered a pretty average evangelical church. Which is to say, a church that had demoted Christ from spiritual leader to team mascot. The first comics I ever read were Chick tracts which combined right wing conspiracy theories about Catholics and Freemasons with detailed and often gleeful explanations of why everyone else was going to hell. What little of Christ’s empathy and kindness was left was reserved for other people in the church. I think people often use kindness and good deeds for people like them to buffer themselves from questions of conscience about their inhumanity toward people who aren’t. But ultimately, as Christ points out in the parable of the Good Samaritan, everyone is our neighbor. This is a big theme in Second Coming. How far modern Christianity has drifted from Christ.

MFR: What did you learn about comics from a business perspective amidst Second Coming’s shift from DC to Ahoy? What was your positive takeaway from the experience?

Russell: The industry is always in flux. The corporate landscape shifts under our feet in ways we can’t really foresee and the market is always in motion so doing work you believe in is really the only stability you can count on. There’s no point in chasing trends or trying to catch lightning in a bottle because the market will have moved on to something else by the time your project hits the shelves. So just do work that matters to you and that will be relevant to you for years to come so when the rug is pulled out from under you, you can bide your time and eventually find a home with other people who believe in the work the same way you do.

MFR: Has the move to Ahoy allowed you to take the story to new places that you wouldn’t have been able to previously? What kind of changes were made to Second Coming following the transition?

Russell: For one, we were allowed to expand the first issue from twenty-two to thirty pages, which was huge. It allowed us to tell a more complete story and really give people a stronger sense of what this series is all about right off the bat. Which I think was really important given how much the narrative had already been set by pundits and people who hadn’t even read it. Also, it allowed us to bring Leonard Kirk on board as a finishing artist and both Richard and I are very happy with the impact he’s had on the look of the series.

MFR: Can you speak at all about your depiction of God in the story? He had me cracking up from the first page, when he appears as a terrifying, disembodied giant head screaming at Adam and Eve not to be afraid. The idea of God as an angry, spiteful deity isn’t new, but your version of God does feel flawed in a very real, relatable way.

Russell: God is depicted differently in the Bible depending on who’s doing the writing, but the Jahwist depiction of God resonates the most with me. It sees God as being a lot like us, but all-powerful. Which, yes, is a terrifying thought. This is the God who gets angry enough to flood the Earth, but then sort of feels bad about it afterwards, who makes impetuous bets with Satan, that sort of thing. And it’s not that God is spiteful, per se, but that he’s capable of great emotion. This is the God I wanted to use as the backdrop to Christ’s mission. A God that created the human race, but then got so frustrated and heartbroken that he abandoned them. Which is much the way that Jeremiah and other prophets describe what happened. It’s how they explain the Babylonian captivity and, in my story, it’s what opens the way for Christ to come to Earth and try his hand at the family business.

MFR: Why was Richard Pace the right person to tell this story with? His art feels very biblical, especially in the flashback scenes with the muted color palette.

Russell: Richard is really great with both the epic sweep of events dealing with superheroes and gods, but also very adept at capturing the intimate emotions of characters in their facial expressions and body language, the latter being the most important thing I look for in an artist.

MFR: Your comics are often supercharged with social/political/economic themes, but they always feel naturally woven into the story. How do you approach inserting these ideas into your comics without coming off as “preachy?”

Russell: I think if a writer genuinely cares about the characters they’re writing and the messages come organically out of the characters’ lives and struggles, the fact that there are bigger themes and messages at play doesn’t feel preachy. By having compassion for what these characters are going through in their own albeit fictional world, we allow ourselves to expand our own.

MFR: And what comes first in your process: the story idea, or the message that you hope to get across?

Russell: It varies. Sometimes, I get a story idea and it’s not until I’m almost done writing that I figure out what it is I’m actually trying to say with the story. Other times, there’s something I really want to say and I have to work at coming up with an elegant metaphor for my point and once I have it, elegant or not, the metaphor is what drives the story.

MFR: Why are comics the way you’ve chosen to get your messages out into the world? What speaks to you about them compared to other mediums?

Russell: You can get away with more in comics because the financial stakes are lower. You don’t have a team of executives constantly looking over your shoulder or focus-grouping your work the way you would if you were doing a TV series or movie. And the fact that it’s a monthly medium means that you get to tell a lot of different stories within the same title and if one falls flat, you get a another chance a month later. Comics allows me to simultaneously spend my days performing thought experiments on the biggest problems in the world and my deepest personal fears.

MFR: And finally, can you give readers a taste of what’s to come in Second Coming? The world’s changed a lot since Jesus first tried to spread his message. Between the development of nuclear weapons, the internet, and a couple of thousand years’ worth of other advancements, things have gotten significantly more complicated. Is Jesus going to have to address these hurdles?

Russell: Yes, but the first big hurdle to Jesus is having to fix just how wrong the world has gotten his message. So, of course, this runs him afoul of the mega-churches and institutionalized religions. Sunstar and his girlfriend are trying to adopt, but run into problems because, technically, he isn’t a human being. And we get to see Heaven’s food court.

Thanks again to Mark Russell for taking the time to talk with us!

Are you excited for Second Coming? Let us know in the comments! And read our review of the first issue right here!

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Popcorn Frights Unleashes The Second Wave Of Horror Hitting Florida This Summer

Ruben Diaz

July 5, 2019

Last week, the Popcorn Frights Film Festival announced its first wave of indie horror coming this year. Haunt, a new horror film from the writers of A Quiet Place was the highlight of the first announcement. Now comes the second wave of announcements of even more horror movies coming to the festival.

Promoters Igor Shteyrenberg and Marc Ferman featured The Gravedigger in this wave of announcements. The film is the world premiere of South Florida-based filmmaker Erynn Dalton’s directorial debut. Other announcements include films from Blumhouse and Keola Racela and the Homegrown series which features the best horror shorts from Florida-based filmmakers.

So, now that “wave two” is out, what’s in store for fans of gore?

The Gravedigger

Set in the late 1700s, in one of Bavaria’s forgotten cemeteries, a lone gravedigger discovers a hideously scarred man hiding in a fresh grave. What the gravedigger doesn’t know is that the man is none other than the monster created by a mad doctor. What the scarred man doesn’t know is the gravedigger’s hand in his creation. And what neither men know is that they are hunted by their shared past.

Popcorn Frights Wave Two Announcements

Infección

Venezuelan writer, director, and producer Flavio Pedota presents a ferocious new nightmare that turns the zombie canon into a broad streak of social satire. A new rabies virus creates an epidemic outbreak and in the midst of chaos, a father tries to save his son from contagion.

Artik

From director Tom Botchii Skowronski comes a comic book obsessed serial killer who teaches his son how to get away with a series of brutal murders until the boy befriends a mysterious man who threatens to expose the family’s horrifying secret.

Itsy Bitsy

Based on the centuries-old poem, a family moves into a secluded mansion where they soon find themselves being targeted by an entity taking the form of a giant spider. Director Micah Gallo, who previously worked on films like Frozen (visual effects) and Hatchet, makes his feature directorial debut here.

Porno

From director Keola Racela (Sugar), comes the story of five teen employees at the local movie theater in a small Christian town who discovers a mysterious old film hidden in its basement that unleashes an alluring succubus that gives them a sex education…written in blood. Read our interview with composer Carla Patullo.

The Unthinkable

From the Swedish film collective, Crazy Pictures (Poetry for Fishes) comes their first feature film known as Den blomstertid nu kommer or The Unthinkable. In the film, Sweden faces a mysterious attack while a young man tries to reunite with his

The Girl On The Third Floor

The feature film stars former wrestler, mixed martial artist, and comic book writer Phillip Jack Brooks otherwise known as CM Punk. The story follows Don Koch, who tries to renovate a rundown mansion with a sordid history for his growing family. But Don soon learns that the house has other plans.

Bloodline

From Blumhouse, Bloodline stars Seann William Scott as Evan, a man who values family above all else, and anyone who gets between him, his wife, or newborn son, learns that the hard way. But when it comes to violent tendencies, it seems the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Z

From director Brandon Christensen who previously presented his film Still/Born at the Popcorn Frights Festival, returns. An eight-year-old’s imaginary friend terrorizes a family.

HOMEGROWN

doll for edgar-anthony dones-horror-movie — **A Doll For Edgar from director Anthony Dones**

Born in the swampy nightmares of Florida, Homegrown is where Popcorn Frights highlights filmmakers based in Florida. This year includes the world premieres of A Doll For Edgar (from my friend Anthony Dones), Always Listening, The Final Girl Returns, and the Road Warrior-inspired The Limits. Making the US premieres is a horror-thriller from Jon Rhoads & Michael Marrero’s (Popcorn Frights 2017 Best Short award-winners), Call For A Good Time. The Miami-based Borscht Corp productions Spirit No. 1 and Valerio’s Day Out, Terror Road, and Fever are also part of the Homegrown screening.

Popcorn Frights begins August 8th and runs through the 16th.
Make your way to Ft. Lauderdale to join in the fun.

Are you excited by the films in the second wave of announcements
from the Popcorn Fights Film Festival?

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Review: SEA OF STARS #1 – A New Voyage Begins

Ben Snyder

Sea of Stars #1 was clearly made by people who are mesmerized and fascinated by Space. Space has always shared an unsettling amount of characteristics with the seas on Earth, especially when used as the setting for science fiction stories. Writers and artists use the vacuous abyss as a stand-in for the now (mostly) discovered and mapped out the ocean. Sea Of Stars #1 definitely fits into this formula and uses this vast unmapped canvas as an obstacle for a Father and his son, Kadyn, to overcome in order to reunite after a giant space whale/shark/eel-thing destroys their ship. Jason Aaron and Dennis Hallum’s script can be speech bubble heavy, but the overall premise is layered with intrigue and mystery. Stephen Green’s art is exceptional in this issue, and Rico Renzi’s colors compliment the art seamlessly. Sea Of Stars could be the next great series to read.

The first scene is an entire piece dedicated solely to explaining how empty space is, which seems to be an integral part of the story. However, to the recently motherless Kadyn, the emptiness isn’t the same beautiful muse that Picard soliloquized over in Star Trek. Space to Kadyn is boring. Space is what is between him and his father ever since his mother died, and the dialogue Aaron and Hallum write for these characters really drive this home.

Some scenes can be too reliant on dialogue, however, especially when Kadyn and his father are talking in the ship. It looks like two whole pages are literally covered with speech bubbles. Perhaps, the layout of these pages could have eased the congestion or even spaced the conversation more, making it longer. But really this is just a minor blip on the radar, and it doesn’t take too much away from the book.

All of this is not even considering the subtleness that Aaron and Hallum use when introducing the main mystery: how is Kadyn breathing in space with a damaged suit and talking to space creatures?

Porkchop in Space — Space… The Final Frontier… How boring

Green’s art and Renzi’s colors really make this issue. Without their abilities in tandem, it is doubtful Aaron, and Hallum’s script would work as neatly. Once again we’ll go back to the opening shot of Kadyn’s “Porkchop Comet” is seemingly floating amongst the few sparkling stars. The bluish-purple hues mingle amongst each other to create this jazz/sunset-like appearance, which would be a perfect time for a newly widowed father and motherless child to bond over. You can almost hear the smooth horns in the background. Once again, it really sells how barren this team is making space, emphasizing the lack of celestial bodies and moody, emotional colors.

The character designs are equally expressive and creative. The look of awe on Kadyn’s father as the space creature destroys their ship is the perfect amount of “Oh S—“ without being overly corny. And the creature itself is horrifying and massive, like a giant blue, tentacle Moby Dick. The amount of detail displayed when Kadyn is walking amongst the artifacts from the museum is commendable as well. Jared. K Fletcher’s letters are stylized ideally for the story and even encroach their way beautifully onto panels. One specific use of hollowed out letter over the space monster chomping the Porkchop Comet was particularly effective. As a whole, this is some of the best overall art in a comic book this year.

Sea of Stars #1 is a great teaser of a series just about to start. Jason Aaron and Dennis Hallum’s script is mysterious and seemingly well thought out, but the real take away is Stephen Green’s art and Rico Renzi’s colors. Sea Of Stars #1 is simply the result of a dynamic creative team being allowed to flex their muscles, creating a thrilling new series that has only just begun.

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Review: NO ONE LEFT TO FIGHT #1 – There is Always Someone New To Fight

Ben Snyder

No One Left To Fight #1 attempts to answer the question: what happens when you defeat the big bad? But alas, this is a story, and there is always something to fight or conquer. And No One Left To Fight #1 begins with world hero Vale, returning to his friends with the hopes of some new adventure to go on. Writer Aubrey Sitterson, artist Fico Ossio, and letterer Taylor Esposito construct a bright, vibrant world for this story, and while the plot does not seem that unique quite yet, the characters are genuine and different enough that they may overcome their own trope trappings.

Reading No One Left To Fight immediately brought up the nostalgic feeling of a triumphant overpowered hero returning after a long absence. It reminds one of past Dragon Ball cartoons, which makes sense as it was chiefly inspired by Dragon Ball. It does not help that main protagonist Vale even resembles Dragon Ball hero Goku, with an orange Gi, spiky hair, and a presumably easy-going personality. Most of the side characters also similarities to Dragon Ball characters. But these similarities are really only surface deep, as Sitterson goes in-depth into these characters and what makes them different. Although Vale is pretty laid back, he might be struggling with some PTSD symptoms from his battle with Gor Despo and now is pretty averse to fighting in general. Timór is similarly narcissistic and arrogant as his Dragon Ball counterpart Vegeta, but he is noticeably jealous with his children admiration of Vale and fearful of his wife’s friendship with Vale.

The way these characters diverge from genre tropes gives hope that No One Left To Fight will evolve past these traps into crafting its own unique story. Unfortunately, there really is not much story to go on in this first issue; it is more so an introduction to the central characters. And besides the two previously mentioned, all of them seem to be feasibly interesting. Fargen VI seems to add comic relief, although because he looks different from every other character, perhaps there is some interesting backstory to him, but Krysten really steals the show with her confidant and cool mom attitude.

Krysten is only in this issue for a couple of scenes, but her presence is felt in every frame. She is the reason Vale and Timór fight, and it almost feels like she is the reason Vale came back, as Sitterson and Ossio clearly depict Vale still having feelings for her.

Vale Knocks on Door — Is now not the time for “Knock Knock” Jokes?

Fico Ossio’s art is vibrant, kinetic, and fits well with Sitterson’s script. The color pallet is a tad overly bright with neon colors flooding every page, and it may turn off some readers. However, Ossio’s fight scenes are beautifully rendered, and the energy blasts dispense look awesomely destructive. Ossio also gets noticeably creative with his panel layouts and use of empty space, especially when the action scenes kick off. There is some confusion as to what may or may not be one of Vale’s hallucinations, but that seems to be the point. If anything it falls more so on the script for there not being more of the interruptions, because the few instances of it happening in this chapter almost feel like accidents.

No One Left To Fight #1 is a fun, energetic deconstruction of the Über powered fighting cartoons and does so lovingly. Sitterson’s characters are thoughtful plays on the tropes they are based off, and Ossio’s art is fast, detailed, and visceral. The one complaint that could be levied against this chapter is the overall lack of substance or drive, but that is to be expected for a first issue. With that being said, No One Left To Fight #1 is definitely worth the first leap.

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Marvel Comics Exclusive Preview: WOLVERINE VS BLADE SPECIAL #1

Anthony Composto - EIC

July 4, 2019

Wolverine vs Blade Special #1 is out July 10th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive preview for you.

The book is by Marc Guggenheim and Dave Wilkins, with letters by Travis Lanham. Variant covers are by Matteo Scalera & Moreno Dinisio, and Gabriele Dell’Otto.

About the issue:
Two of the deadliest hunters ever to have stalked the night face off! Wolverine vs. Blade – ’nuff said!

Marvel first announced the book back in April on Monkeys Fighting Robots.

“This is a book that’s been — not kidding — ten years in the making. I couldn’t possibly be more excited for it to finally see publication. I think it’s worth the wait,” said Guggenheim.

It’s also worth noting that the book is rated MATURE and features a big ol’ Parental Advisory warning on the cover, so fans should be ready for a bloodbath.

Check out the full WOLVERINE VS BLADE SPECIAL #1 preview:

Are you excited for Wolverine vs Blade? Let us know in the comments!

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Why SUPERMAN’S PAL JIMMY OLSEN Is One Of This Summer’s Most Anticipated Comics

Anthony Composto - EIC

July 4, 2019

One of this summer’s most hotly anticipated comics is a Superman title that isn’t about the Man of Steel at all, but his pal Jimmy Olsen.

Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen hits comic shops July 17th, from storytellers Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber, colorist Nathan Fairbairn, and letterer Clayton Cowles. Over the course of 12 issues, the Daily Planet photographer will tour the “bizarre underbelly of the DC Universe” in a series that DC promises will end in Jimmy’s death.

The hype for this book is high; the comics community has been itching to get their hands on it since its original announcement. And after the Superman: Leviathan Rising Special gave readers a taste of what to expect from Jimmy’s story, the hype has only increased. But why? Why is a strange, campy maxi-series about one of Superman’s supporting characters poised to become the breakout book of the summer?

Well first, let’s look at the team behind the book, specifically Fraction and Lieber. Both men are seasoned veterans when it comes to humor books, and humor books surrounding superheroes in particular. Fraction’s Hawkeye (with artist David Aja) became an instant classic when it launched in 2012, and Lieber’s Superior Foes of Spider-Man (with writer Nick Spencer) similarly gained cult status when it came out the following year. Both series drew attention for their atypical portrayal of superhero (and supervillain) life. They poked fun at what it was like being “lower” level characters in a world with literal gods. Jimmy Olsen looks like it’s going for a very similar vibe.

Outside of their superhero work, Fraction’s Sex Criminals (co-created with Chip Zdarsky) is one of the funniest comics of this millennium. What other comic takes time away from telling its story to make fun of its own creators? SexCrims is blunt, absurd, and oh so wonderfully meta (all of which bodes well for Jimmy Olsen, as we’ll get to in a little bit). Meanwhile, Lieber’s The Fix (co-created with Nick Spencer) has killer visual comedy, showing off the artist’s hilarious timing, transitions, facial expressions, and more. Both of these guys have regularly used the medium in new and interesting ways, tapping into the full potential of comic books. With these two at the helm, Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen is sure to be an uproariously good time.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen DC Comics Matt Fraction Steve Lieber — This page is a perfect representation of Lieber’s abilities. Just look at how perfectly he captures a tone and makes you laugh in just six textless panels.

Putting aside the creative team, readers seem to love superhero comics that poke fun at the absurdity of the genre. As great as these stories are, they’re built on tropes and cliches, and they force you to suspend your disbelief to an unparalleled degree. That’s what makes it so refreshing when a series comes along that addresses and embraces the silliness. It’s like the creators are saying, “Look, we’re in on the joke too. We know this stuff gets cheesy, but that’s part of why we love it so much!”

Jimmy Olsen looks to have its tongue planted firmly in its cheek. And because it’s tied so closely to Superman – the OG superhero, whose comics have been the gold standard for corny, predictable moments – it is in the best position to take shots at the genre. Just look at this moment that Lieber shared on his social media:

$superman's pal jimmy olsen steve lieber matt fraction$

This is a DC comic, a SUPERMAN comic, that’s calling out the Man of Steel for his goofy history. It’s not mean-spirited; it’s as much a celebration of these kinds of moments as it is playful ribbing. Other artwork out there in the ether shows gorillas in wedding attire chasing after Jimmy (a lot of the available artwork is of Jimmy being chased by various people and creatures, actually). You can see another page below where Jimmy turns into a giant turtle creature. This is clearly a series that’s looking to tackle the ridiculousness of comics head-on, and with lots of love.

Jimmy Olsen is the perfect character to do this kind of exploration with. Like Hawkeye and Superior Foes showed us, these stories work best from a lower level character, because it’s closer to where we (the readers) are. It’s closer to our point-of-view, making it a more immersive experience. It doesn’t get much “lower level” than Jimmy. Jimmy is just a newspaper photographer. He’s an everyman, and not in the same way that Spider-Man is an everyman. Jimmy has no powers. He’s just a regular guy living in a world of gods and monsters. What happens to Jimmy is what would happen to any of us readers if we lived in the DC Universe. That’s what makes him the ideal window into this world.

“I think there’s a lot of storytelling power in the juxtaposition of the ordinary and the extraordinary, and Jimmy is all about that,” said Lieber in an interview with The Los Angeles Times. It’s “a chance to be funny in the world full of much larger than life characters.”

So why should you be excited for Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen? Take two of the smartest, funniest, most creative dudes in comics, give them a character with no powers that they can put through the ringer, and let them go nuts stretching the absurdity of superhero comics to its limit. You tell me: what’s not to be excited about?

Tell us in the comments why YOU’RE excited for Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen!

And keep reading for some bonus preview images from the series!

$superman's pal jimmy olsen steve liever matt fraction dc comics$

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Review: Dragan Makes a Modest Proposal in RED SONJA #6

David DeCorte

Red Sonja #6 is a pivotal issue in writer Mark Russell’s run on the series. He manages to round out the first arc of the story on a narrative high point, though, delivering a satisfying close while still heightening anticipation for what will come next.

Dragan makes Sonja an offer that would solve all her problems at once. She could spare Hyrkania and rescue her cousin. She knows she can’t trust Dragan, of course. That said, she’s running out of time and options to save her country, and her last remaining family.

The Writing

One of Russell’s greatest strengths thus far is his ability to balance narrative elements. He provides action and political intrigue in excellent proportion to one another. Flashback sequences are used to develop characters and expand on the themes present in the issue. It’s a great demonstration of the author’s keen sense of dynamism.

There’s little action in Red Sonja #6, but the book is thrilling and engaging nonetheless. Sonja spends the issue uncertain about which course of action to take. By the book’s end, though, the reader gets the sense of Sonja’s resolve in her decision. The book works extremely well as a closer to the series’ first arc.

The only significant ding against Red Sonja #6 comes toward the book’s end, where we see the death of one of our established characters. The death is motivated and dramatic, though it’s awkward in context of the narrative. We’ve spent time establishing the character, and building to this individual playing a significant role in the story, only to see the person die. At least we can say that the incident does, in turn, motivate Sonja’s next steps, though.

Despite that loss, the book remains consistently entertaining, with clear and present stakes for Sonja. Overall, it’s the same strong writing we’ve come to expect of Russell’s story thus far.

The Artwork

Given that Bob Q takes over art duties beginning with our next issue, Red Sonja #6 is a decent, but not inspiring sendoff for artist Mirko Colak.

This issue isn’t as action-oriented as previous books in the series. As such, Colak doesn’t have as much opportunity to showcase many of the impressive action sequences that make his work on the title stand out. He attempts to inject some dynamism into the visuals by altering the perspective from one panel to the next. However, sequences of extended dialogue come across as stiff from a visual standpoint.

The work in Red Sonja #6 is very meat and potatoes. It’s strong from a craft perspective, but not Kolak’s most impressive outing.

The colors provided by Dearbhla Kelly end up carrying more of the weight than the line work. The colors are detailed, showing a great deal of texture. We can read the shadows on the faces of characters and on objects, really grounding the reader in this world.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve enjoyed Russell’s run thus far, Red Sonja #6 certainly doesn’t disappoint. Very excited to see where the story is headed in the next arc beginning in August.

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DC Comics Exclusive Preview: THE FLASH #74 “Year One – Chapter 5”

Matthew Sardo

July 4, 2019

The Flash #74 hits your local comic book shop on July 10, but thanks to DC Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has a five-page exclusive preview.

The Flash is written by Joshua Williamson, with art by Howard Porter, HI-FI handled colors, Steve Wands lettered the pages, with Porter and HI-FI’s work on the cover. Evan “Doc” Shaner provide the variant cover.

About The Flash #74:

“The Flash Year One” continues! The Turtle has made his grand entrance, and it’s about to bring down the house! As an untested hero with the mastery of his abilities still in its infancy, Barry Allen will face the toughest challenge of his life to defend Central City from the invading forces of those who seek its destruction. Our hero is faced with the fateful choice to either become a superhero or die trying!

Check out the preview below.

What do you think of Flash Year One? Comment below with your thoughts on the series.

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AfterShock Exclusive Preview: OBERON #5 (8-Page Preview)

Matthew Sardo

July 4, 2019

Oberon #5 hits your local comic book shop on July 10, but thanks to AfterShock Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has a eight-page exclusive preview.

Oberon is a supernatural adventure written by Ryan Parrott (VOLITION, Power Rangers), with art by Milos Slavkovic (Lightstep), Leonardo Paciarotti handled colors, Charles Pritchett lettered the pages, with Slavkovic’s work on the cover.

About Oberon #5:

The dethroned King of the Fairies’ sordid past is revealed as Oberon comes face-to-face with his former servant – PUCK. But is he friend…or foe?

Check out the preview below.

Do you have Oberon on your pull list? Comment below with your thoughts on the series.

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Review: MIDSOMMAR Is A Horrific Breakup Experience

Eric Trigg

bang! matt kindt interview dark horse comics comic books

After taking audiences by storm with his breakout masterpiece Hereditary, Ari Aster returns with Midsommar, which tells the most disturbing cinematic breakup tale.

Aster’s sophomore feature depicts a ruthless and unnerving descent into madness between two people that don’t deserve a happily ever after. Written and directed by Aster, the film stars Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Will Poulter, and Vilhelm Blomgren. Midsommar follows a group of graduate students that travel to Sweden for a festival that occurs every ninety years, but they find themselves caught in the ritualistic practices of a pagan cult.

Dani and Christian are a couple on the verge of disintegration, and as shown in the trailer, no one wants out more than Christian. However, once a tragic event occurs, he decides to stay with Dani out of guilt. This then leads to Christian inviting Dani to join him and his friends on the trip to Sweden. Similar to Hereditary, Midsommar gives an intense look into grief and features a tour de force performance from its female lead.

Midsommar — Florence Pugh as Dani in Ari Aster’s MIDSOMMAR.

Pugh stars as Dani, the film’s heroine who is trying to recover from a tragic event. While her co-stars do what they can, Pugh shines as the distraught protagonist, as she goes through almost every emotion during the film. It’s made clear very early on that this character suffers anxiety due to the events going on in her life, and that factors into why Christian wants to leave her. Reynor stars as Christian, the boyfriend of Dani who has been trying to break away for a while. His plan’s only reinforced by his friends Josh (Harper), Pelle (Blomgren), and Mark (Poulter), who don’t seem too fond of Dani either for the most part. Midsommar may feature a pagan cult performing raw, bone-chilling practices, but it’s still a gruesome breakup story at its core.

As soon as the group arrives in the Swedish village, they are mesmerized by its scenery and the attire of the festival participants, better known as the Harga. Dani and her distant friends are invited to participate in the daily festivities, which include maypole dancing, meditation, feasting, and consuming mind-altering drugs. At first, the villagers seem harmless but certain practices will lead to the group of friends reconsidering their decision to come, but by then it’s too late.

Aster has crafted a visually stunning film that will cause disgust just as much as it will leave viewers in awe at how beautifully shot it is. Midsommar isn’t as frightening as the trailers make it seem, but it is very unsettling to watch and will leave audiences pondering on what they just witnessed. The film’s cinematography by Pawel Pogorzelski is stellar and a visually satisfying component that brings the horrific imagery to life. The Haxan Cloak’s score accompanies the disturbing two-hour experience so immaculately and will stick with you once the credits roll. Yet, despite its horrific nature, certain lines and sequences in Midsommar will undoubtedly spark laughter.

Midsommar is a successful sophomore feature from Aster, who is leaving his mark on modern horror. The film isn’t as coherent as his debut film, but it is more bizarre. Midway through the film, it feels like Aster becomes focused on sparking a reaction with graphic imagery rather than finishing a coherent narrative. The film does manage to end on a high note, but along the way, the story becomes a bit muddled in its attempt to be visually discomforting.

Regardless of that, after leaving audiences floored with Hereditary, many wondered how Aster would follow it up. Well, he has crafted a dark romantic film about a toxic relationship that can’t be saved. By the time Midsommar reaches its bonkers finale, the relationship between Dani and Christian has been shattered. Not only do they go through a traumatic experience, but the audience suffers right along with them.

Once the credits roll, the viewers are left with a sense of catharsis. Aster has a knack for putting his audience through the wringer, and he doesn’t switch up for this latest outing. There is no way to prepare for Midsommar and the bizarre activities that ensue, but expect to be left emotionally drained.

A24 will be releasing Midsommar in theaters on July 3rd.

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