Review: RONIN ISLAND #4 Reveals The Origin Of The Byonin

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Hana, Kenichi, and Master Ito — our heroic warriors from Ronin Island — are trying to find their place in the Shogun’s encampment. Kenichi, with Ito at his side, enjoys the luxuries offered by his royal bloodline while Hana serves with the army grunts. Both groups hope to uncover the secret of the Byonin by flattering the egotistical Shogun, but the nefarious secret they uncover may be more than they’ve bargained for.

All in all, RONIN ISLAND #4 shows how easy it is for people to lose their humanity.

Story

Greg Pak’s trio of heroes spend the majority of this issue investigating the Shogun’s encampment for clues. The narrative shows a stark difference between the way Kenichi is treated and how Hana it treated. It’s once again made clear to readers the Shogun finds the wealth and status of people more real than the character they embody.

This theme continues throughout the story as Kenichi and Ito go through the motions of the Shogun’s formalities, all the while looking for any information regarding the Byonin.

The story continues to dive deeper into the Byonin mystery, eventually seeing Hana uncover their origin within the depths of the Shogun’s doctor’s laboratory. In a way, the Byonin serves as a visual metaphor for the pomp and frills of the Shogun’s empire — a disease that masks the true humanity of the people underneath.

Art

Giannis Milonogiannis’ illustrations for RONIN ISLAND #4, combined with Irma Knivila’s coloring, highlights the true nature of the Shogun’s encampment. We see dark corridors mixed with unearthly colored chemicals in the lab to emphasize this empire’s nefarious nature. In addition, Simon Bowland’s lettering brings the Byonin to life by creating stark font contrasts between the monsters and their pre-transformed human forms.

Milonogiannis’ penciling and Msassyk’s coloring for the main cover offers a nice preview of the story. It features Hana and Kenichi staring off into the Shogun’s camp, contemplating their next steps to both escape and save their island.

The preorder variant cover by Ethan Young, on the other hand, offers a detailed sketch of Hana navigating the ominous-looking encampment’s interior, which highlights the drama soon to be unveiled in the story. However, Kris Anka’s unlocked retailer variant cover shocks us most of all, revealing part of Ito’s skull in the shadow. Together, these covers generate enough suspense to make the idea of reading this story irresistible.

Conclusion

RONIN ISLAND #4 reveals the levels of darkness humanity is willing to pursue when fueled by fear. It’s a sobering analogy to our modern society that will haunt readers. Fortunately, Hana, Kenichi, and Ito’s courage offers an equally powerful hope.

What did you think of the Byonin’s origin reveal? Let us know in the comments below!

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BOOM! Studios Announces New OVER THE GARDEN WALL Graphic Novel: “The Benevolent Sisters of Charity”

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

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June 5, 2019

BOOM! Studios announced a new graphic novel on Wednesday, Over The Garden Wall: The Benevolent Sisters of Charity, hitting stores in Spring of 2020. The book is written by Sam Johns and illustrated by Jim Campbell.

Over the Garden Wall is the Emmy Award-winning animated television miniseries created by Patrick McHale for Cartoon Network. The show follows two half-brothers as they journey through the strange and haunting Unknown, with Beatrice, a talking bird, as their companion as they search for a way home. The show is based on McHale’s animated short film Tome of the Unknown, which was produced as part of Cartoon Network Studios’ shorts development program. Over the Garden Wall was broadcast throughout the week of November 3, 2014 to November 7, 2014.

About THE BENEVOLENT SISTERS OF CHARITY:

It’s another day in the Unknown but Wirt isn’t feeling too well so when they come across a stately building run by the Benevolent Sisters of Charity who take care of all sick souls, he jumps at the chance to be pampered by the doting nurses. When the nurses frown on animals entering the facility, Wirt abandons Beatrice and Greg’s frog to the elements, then drags Greg with him into the open arms of the Benevolent Sisters. Those arms wrap a bit tight, though, and even when he’s feeling better, the Sisters don’t seem to want him to leave. And where did Greg go?

“As usual, Wirt just wants some assurance that everything will be okay but The Unknown is mysterious and never exactly what it seems, so trusting the wrong people in the forest can end badly for all involved.” said Matthew Levine, Editor, BOOM! Studios. “Sam and Jim guide our young adventurers through this particular health scare with plenty of twists and surprises along the way for fans of Over the Garden Wall.”

The TV show won the 2015 Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program; you can currently stream the entire miniseries on Hulu with a subscription.

Comic books based on Over the Garden Wall have been in production since 2014, starting with a one-shot adaptation of the show and spinning out into various miniseries and graphic novels. The comics have varied from telling stories set in between episodes of the show, to stories that served as both sequels and prequels to the show.

About the creative team:

Sam Johns is a writer living in Brooklyn, NY. They graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2012 and have been making comics ever since. When they’re not telling their own stories, they love to read horror novels aloud to their dog Khaleesi.

“The first time I saw Over the Garden Wall, I accidentally binged it in a single day. Since then I’ve watched it in one sitting many times… but, you know, intentionally. I’m the oldest of six siblings, so it was an absolute joy to write about the incredible bond between brothers, and the sometimes incredible fights that come with that closeness.” said Johns. “I was even able to insert some of my Mom into the story! She’s a nurse! But, like, a much better at her job, less scary nurse. I also think growing up in Pennsylvania gave me an edge. The forests there are just like the Edelwoods, and I took a lot of inspiration from hiking there with my friends!”

Jim Campbell is a cartoonist, illustrator, comic book colorist, and animator who served as a storyboard artist for Patrick McHale’s Over the Garden Wall miniseries for Cartoon Network in 2014. He has illustrated various Over the Garden Wall comic books as well as an original graphic novel Over the Garden Wall: Distillatoria for BOOM! Studios. Campbell has been drawing comics off and on since teaming up with the Meathaüs collective in 2001. He has been a color artist for Dark Horse, Marvel, Spongebob Comics, Mad Magazine, and Tony Millionaire. In his spare time, he plays in the Brooklyn band Paper Fleet.

“It’s exciting to step into the world of Over the Garden Wall with the talented Sam Johns. I’m thrilled to show fans of the show exactly what Greg, Wirt, and Beatrice are up to now as they run into yet another group of mysterious folks in the depths of the woods and try their best to survive the experience.” said Campbell.

OVER THE GARDEN WALL: THE BENEVOLENT SISTERS OF CHARITY is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ award-winning KaBOOM! imprint, home to comics for middle grade and younger readers including licensed series such as Adventure Time, Steven Universe, Regular Show, Ben 10, and Over The Garden Wall, along with original series like Just Beyond: The Scare School by R.L. Stine and Kelly & Nichole Matthews, Hex Vet by Sam Davies, RuinWorld by Derek Laufman, Hotel Dare by Terry Blas and Claudia Aguirre, and Pandora’s Legacy by Kara Leopard, Kelly & Nichole Matthews.

For more on OVER THE GARDEN WALL: THE BENEVOLENT SISTERS OF CHARITY and more from KaBOOM!, please visit www.boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on Twitter.

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Review: Forced To Face God In STRONGHOLD #4

By

Darryll Robson

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Trapped by the Stronghold in a virtual reality and forced to live a collection of simulated lives, Michael The Primacy struggles to break free. Year after year, life after life, Michael begins to lose a grip on reality and question his purpose for being.

In the fourth issue of Stronghold from AfterShock Comics, Phil Hester and Ryan Kelly once again stretch the boundaries of the medium to tell a compelling story using techniques only available in a comic book.

Forced To Face God In STRONGHOLD #4 — Stronghold #4 Credit: AfterShock Comics

Phil Hester spends a large portion of this issue overlaying realities. He gives the reader a taste of Michael’s imprisonment interspersed with the reactions of surrounding characters. The concept of time is distorted by overlapping panels on a page thereby presenting different time dilation’s at the same moment.

The way that the characters perceive the passage of time is illustrated in such a unique way by Ryan Kelly, with one reality overlaid not only on the ‘real world’ inhabited by the Stronghold and Claire but also on top of each other. As the small panels build up like a stack of playing cards something else is happening in the central panel, which has been bled beneath everything else. This highlights the difference in perception between Michael and the onlookers but also hammers home the importance of what is occurring to Michael.

This moment represents not just an escape from the machine but a much bigger, metaphorical escape. The handling of this momentous moment in the comic by Kelly is sublime and it is punctuated with a small, emotional punch that humanises the character and the narrative.

As the story moves on, these earlier moments feed into the emerging narrative which begins to question, in an almost meta-narrative, the concept of history and myth building. Interpretation and bias is a theme that Hester and Kelly have explored in the subtext of previous issues but this idea is brought into the foreground during this issue.

While Kelly focuses on the characters, pushing their emotional responses, Dee Cunniffe casts magic with his color palettes, bringing the settings to life and imbuing the pages with emotional context. The two main night scenes in the comic have a very similar coloring however the feeling behind them are very different and this is subconsciously relayed to the reader through the color choices not only in the panels but also in the gutters. The treatment of the gutter in Stronghold has been impressive from issue 1, taking a routine part of a comic book page and turning it into an important aspect of the storytelling.

Another aspect of the comic that is essential to the look and feel of Stronghold is Simon Bowland’s lettering. His placement of the speech balloons leads the reader around a page and focuses attention on specific panels, often by the lack of speech more than anything else. Character interaction exists both physically, thanks to Kelly’s detailed figure work, and verbally due to Bowland’s speech layouts. The back and forth banter between Michael and Claire is represented by over lapping balloons but the seriousness of some speech is emphasised by its isolation within word balloons and the speech around it.

Stronghold is a strange story packed with numerous science fiction ideas. There are great leaps from one idea to the next and the structure of the story-line may seem a little baffling, especially as larger than life characters introduced in one issue don’t make an appearance in the next. But Hester and Kelly aren’t just telling a story about wild Alien races or secret societies, their narrative runs deeper.

Throughout the pages of Stronghold, the creators are questioning the nature of storytelling itself, and in particular the process of telling a story in a comic book format. This is very similar to Kelly’s previous work on Cry Havoc with Simon Spurrier. The entire art team uses the medium and it’s own limitations to engage the reader in an emotionally gripping way.

Stronghold is a highly impressive comic and dares to raise the stakes in superhero storytelling. The world is becoming more in tune with the unique aspects of comics, and the Stronghold team are bravely using everything the medium has available to captivate, entertain, and challenge the reader.

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Review: Will BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Have To Stake Her Friend?

By

Darryll Robson

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A new story arc, a new Artist and a new dilemma for the Scooby Gang: there is a lot going on in the new issue of Buffy The Vampire Slayer from BOOM! Studios. After the shock ending of issue 4, Jordie Bellaire is taking the series into new territory where nothing feels safe anymore.

The first arc has been a massive success drawing praise from critics and fans alike. So, can the team keep this momentum going?

Warning: Contains spoilers for issue 4. Don’t read on if you are not up to date.

Will BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Have To Stake Her Friend? — Buffy The Vampire Slayer #5 Credit: BOOM! Studios

Writing/Story

This issue opens with violence and the release of anger. Bellaire channels the emotions of all Xander fans everywhere as she taps into Buffy’s rage and demonstrates just how dangerous she can become.

The pace is then pulled right back as the narrative jumps in time to before Buffy and Willow have found out about Xander’s late night encounter with Drusila. The sequence of events then touches on various relationships that the characters have and, to some degree, how they take them for granted.

In this issue Bellaire is showing the reader how the three central characters react with one another and how important their relationships are. The bound these young people had in the T.V. show was one of the foundations for the show’s success and Bellaire is daring to break that bound. However, by introducing the threat she is also examining the bound on a much deeper level. The reaction of Buffy and Willow and the cruelness of ‘vampire’ Xander all give new insights into their relationships.

This issue of Buffy is almost totally dedicated to this premise giving the plot the weight that such episodes as The Body had during the original series. Bellaire is demonstrating a series of grief reactions in the characters, allowing paternal instincts to shine in Giles, bitterness and even jealously from Drusila, and of course the desperation and anger of Buffy. It is an emotional roller-coaster of an issue.

Art

The art work is by the new artist to the series, David Lopez. It is significantly different to Dan Mora’s work from previous issues and this is evident from page one. Lopez’s style is more expressive and distorted. He uses the dynamism of the moments to express feelings and employs almost minimalistic features to illustrate the character’s emotions.

The fight sequences have chaotic layouts and even the sedated moments seem to have less of an order to panel layout. Lopez enjoys layering his panels, over lapping them and changing their shapes to distinguish and separate moments in a scene. This is especially effective in the opening scene and Xander’s later verbal attack on Willow.

It is worth noting that Lopez does not have the same attention to physical representation as Mora did. Lopez’s art is emotionally driven so some of the characters do not always appear like photo realistic interpretations of the actors that played them. This contrast from previous issues takes some getting used to especially as there are some panels where Lopez over exaggerates facial features for an emotional effect but totally loses the representation of the character.

Lopez constructs a flow of narrative which is exciting with highs and lows. The atmosphere is produced by the color work of Raul Angulo who also adds that extra shock element on certain pages. Angulo is able to lead the reader into a situation, raising their heart rate panel by panel until the shock moment comes, in the same way instrumental music is used in horror movies.

Ed Dukshire adds subtle changes to the word balloons to illustrate emotional, or in some cases, physical alternations. Again this is most notable with Xander however the use of longer tails on the balloons in some panels give the images room to breathe while adding an air of bewilderment or shock to the panels.

Conclusion

This issue of Buffy The Vampire Slayer is a reactionary issue. It takes the reader on an emotional journey, allowing each of the character’s reactions to take on part of the grieving process. The overall plot doesn’t advance which is perfectly fine for this type of story. Unfortunately, the few moments of larger plot development actually feel out of place and stand out too much against the grief element.

The art work also requires some adjustment time for the reader but luckily most of this is taken up in the opening sequence. Some readers may find later character representations difficult to digest but the story is strong enough to carry the reader passed these points.

This issue of Buffy is very effective and an emotional roller-coaster. It continues to propel the series forward but visually isn’t as impressive as the first four issues.

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Review: DESCENDENT #2 Asks Who Should We fear?

By

Darryll Robson

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Kidnapped children, strange symbols, and secret societies form the basis of Descendent from AfterShocks Comics. While reminiscent of a 1970’s horror movie or one of Jonathan Hickman’s side projects, Descendent proves that conspiracies and their perpetrators can still fire the imagination of creators and readers alike.

Descendent asks who should we fear? — Descendent #2 Credit: AfterShock Comics

Writing/Story

David Corey posts YouTube videos about his investigations into the conspiracy he believes surrounds the missing children of high ranking politicians. Unfortunately for him, he is being observed by a robed society who wish him ill.

Meanwhile Agent Hernandez is carrying out her own investigation but seemingly with no success.

Could the two meeting prove to be beneficial or will they be drowned in the secrets surrounding them?

Stephanie Phillips packs this issue of Descendent with threat and mystery. Although not excessively original in the general plot, it is the telling of the story that makes it fresh and exciting. Secret robed sects are two a penny and can be found in numerous movies, novels and comics the world over, however Phillips expands on the familiar with engaging characters and gives the whole story a modern twist.

One of the stand out aspects of Phillips script is the inclusion of humour into characters and scenes. Where you might expect straight faced situations to play out, Phillips injects a comical glance between characters or a panel of childishness that contrasts the seriousness of the moment. This integration of comedy is a dying skill in the world of intense action and sombre reality but it adds depth and a relatability to the characters. Phillips makes her central cast complex and more than the sum of their parts; they are not simple plot devices used to move the narrative forward.

Art

The main art work by Evgeniy Bornyakov is atmospheric and adopts a tense, thriller feel. The acting of the character’s works best during the static interactions; they have an emotional physicality expressed through posture and facial expressions. Where Bornyakov’s art sometimes falls flat is during action sequences. With some panels he produces an impressive composition with altering viewpoints to add suspense and drama, however there are moments that lack the required dynamism or threat.

The coloring does an impressive job of setting the scenes. Lauren Affe creates an eerie night for the graveyard scene but turns the light up for the saturated modern police station setting. The contrast between the police headquarters and the secret societal room exists because of Affe’s coloring.

There are some subtle touches to Troy Peteri’s lettering that helps the storytelling process. An occasional alteration to the tail of a speech balloon gives that particular piece of speech an added element or indicates that the speech is somehow different; this is most noticeable in a conversation between a police officer and a prisoner when they communicate through glass. Peteri is able to effectively dampen one character’s speech by changing the end of the balloon tail.

The subtleties in the art work help to reinforce the realism that Phillips utilises in her script. The narrative has an edge because the world of Descendent is relatable: this approach made the X-Files popular in the 1990’s.

Conclusion

Although there is an odd wobble in some of the panels, the overall structure and narrative flow in Descendent #2 is pleasing and effective. Phillips’ story has credibility which is backed up by the complex art work, and as such draws the reader in. She has control over the plot and shows just enough to give the reader a shock without making everything obvious.

One of the outstanding elements of this comic are the little character moments that add depth and humour; whether this is David blowing out his cheeks on a glass patrician or a shrouded figure quipping a cheesy one liner. These moments breathe fresh air into an all too serious genre and allow the reader to engage with the narrative on a more comfortable level.

Descendent is proving to be an intriguing, character driven comic to rival great conspiracy stories like Saucer State or the Black Monday Murders. Different enough to stand out but similar enough to bare comparison.

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Review: Oliver Queen And Hal Jordan Team Up In THE GREEN LANTERN #8

By

Corey Patterson

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Now that Hal Jordan is back from his cosmic battles against Controller Mu’s forces, he’s ready to reacclimate himself to Earth life again. And what better way to do this than to team up with his old pal Oliver Queen, a.k.a. Green Arrow? THE GREEN LANTERN #8 is a fun, buddy cop story that addresses the ever-present reality of drug abuse in our society.

Story

Grant Morrison takes readers to the planet Hadea-Maxima, a war-obsessed world that believes institutionalized murder is required to maintain a healthy population level. One of the occupants, a drug lord named Brotorr, enlists an assassin to take out a dealer called Glorigold who’s based on Earth. The job? Kill Glorigold and destroy the planet.

The story shifts to a drug deal taking place in an abandoned alley, featuring a desperate man willing to pay handsomely to get his fix. It’s here we see a classic Green Arrow/Green Lantern team up in action. And we see them uncover something quite disturbing.

The interplay between these two heroes gives readers the impression of a long friendship that’s been neglected. The amount of time apart, while somewhat of a sore spot for Oliver, nevertheless subtracts nothing from their personalities’ chemistry. And their comparability makes them the perfect heroes to investigate the true purpose of the intergalactic drug trade.

Readers will enjoy this detective story as it deals with both cosmic and contemporary issues. It serves as a quintessential Green Arrow/Green Lantern team up story for seasoned and new readers alike.

Art

Liam Sharp’s penciling continues to astound readers in this series addition. The way he seamlessly shifts between the street level drug deal to the dimension hopping scenes is nothing less than impressive. Steve Oliff’s coloring complements these illustrations beautifully by using a wide range of colors to feature the aliens, heroes, and drug dealers’ interactions. And Tom Orzechowski’s lettering perfectly captures the characters’ emotions, such as the drug dealers desperation after being apprehended by the green clad heroes.

Sharp’s main cover shows the two heroes poised for action in front of an alien with a drug needle, giving readers a preview of the story’s subject matter. Toni Infante’s variant cover focuses on Hal, granting him an emerald sword conjured by the ring. This is a cool illustration highlighting Hal’s battle prowess and ingenuity, two qualities which he will need in this story.

Conclusion

THE GREEN LANTERN #8 takes a topical subject and adds the chemistry of Oliver and Hal to craft a satisfying story. It’s just the boost of motivation Hal needs to jump back into action after the Controller Mu saga.

What did you think of this team up story? Let us know in the comments below!

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WAR OF THE REALMS #5 And Why This Event Is A Cut Above The Rest

By

Brandon J. Griffin

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WAR OF THE REALMS #5 brings one step closer to a glorious finale. Jason Aaron’s masterpiece epic reminds us with every issue why crossover events were popular to begin with.

SPOILERS LIE AHEAD

Malekith’s forces continue to wage war on the final realm, Midgard. The Earth’s mightiest heroes and company fight for the fate of the world. War Of The Realms #5 is loaded with tons action and surprises. This event continues to be a major home run for the creative team.

A few years ago when Jason Aaron wrote Original Sin, one of the biggest highlights of that story was the character pairings and team interactions. While the event itself may not have been the most memorable or epic, it was loaded with great dialogue and character interplay.

Jason Aaron extracted what worked well about that event and injects it into this massive epic story that he’s been building towards for years. On a major scale, War Of The Realms satisfies with epic action and grave stakes. On a smaller scale, it’s loaded with charming and memorable scenes between characters that we adore.

It’s not just about the pairings this time and the dialogue between them this time. It’s about how all the heroes of this universe come together and unite as a front against overwhelming odds. Along the way, we get these abstract collaborations and team-ups that should bring a smile to any Marvel fan.

Moments like Spider-Man leading “The Spiders Of Hel” or Wolverine joining the Warriors Three are satisfying quick bits that fans will remember fondly long after the event concludes. Jason Aaron creates these insane scenarios and takes time to have characters like Spidey be in awe of how bizarre and awesome the world they live in is.

It’s impressive that Jason Aaron is able to have his cake and eat it too as far as Thors are concerned. We have a triumphant return for Odinson as he returns to form in glorious fashion. We also have the continuing saga of Jane Foster as a nonstop force of will and determination.

Jane Foster’s new role as All-Mother/Valkyrie doesn’t come across as the usual re-purposing of a character that was momentarily holding a superhero’s mantle. The journey Jason Aaron has taken Jane Foster on has been both satisfying and rewarding.

Colorist Matthew Wilson fills the backgrounds of each and every battle scene with glorious movement and action. Up front we have fleshed out characters, blushing with exhaustion and anger through the blended colors. Fires burn bright and the ensuing chaos explodes off the page, Wilson is the perfect extension of Dauterman’s illustrations.

Artist Russell Dauterman does a lot of interesting panels utilizing depth perception and a blurry effect that look wonderful. There are a few characters that he doesn’t have the best eye for yet but that barely matters when he has such a huge cast to work with. Dauterman’s action scenes hit hard and his dramatic panels carry plenty of weight.

Dauterman has also shined brightly when it comes to the violence and gore of the series. Handing a bunch of Asgardian weaponry over to Earth’s mightiest, and heavily featuring Frank Castle, yields a lot of bloody action and Dauterman has delivered on every brutal blow.

Ultimately, what makes War Of The Realms succeed where so many Marvel/DC events have failed over the past decade or so is inclusion. This story affects every single corner of the 616 universe, but doesn’t shake the makeup of the universe. It’s a good old-fashioned fight against the forces of evil to save the universe.

Rather than taking an entire reboot of a publisher’s whole line to have a united front, War Of The Realms unites the whole Marvel line against a single enemy. It doesn’t feel forced or fabricated because it’s a threat that’s slowly been developing over years and not just some new big-bad who knocked out the previous big-bad.

There’s a palpable sense of comradery among these heroes, they’re facing this invasion together. From the main book to all the various tie-ins, so much is happening out in the open. This isn’t a story of secret missions, this is a public stance to save our realm. The story isn’t complicated or trying to say much other than that comic books are still fun.

It’s exciting to see all our favorite heroes, as well as the lesser-known, step-up and do what they do best. Malekith and his forces are also a familiar and interesting threat, not just faceless hordes of enemies. Each ally of Malekith is a faction or figure prominently featured in a Thor story at some point.

War Of The Realms is a return to form for Marvel events, it’s an instant classic that just has fun being a Marvel comic book. This should be the blueprint for large-scale comic book crossover events going forward; hopefully DC is paying attention as well.

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How JUSTICE LEAGUE #25 Plunges DC Into “Year Of The Villain”

By

Colin Tessier

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With Justice League #25, writer Scott Snyder delivers a riveting prologue to “Year of the Villain,” DC’s upcoming company-wide event. By the end of the issue, the reader will be left begging for the official introduction to the expansive crossover.

Warning: this article contains spoilers for Justice League #25. Reader discretion is advised.

Superman in Justice League #25 — Superman nearly loses all hope in Justice League #25

THE ONLY WAY OUT IS TOGETHER

Since March, the “Sixth Dimension” storyline has dominated Justice League; in this climactic issue, the team narrowly avoids yet another universe-altering crisis, as well as a conflict similar to Marvel’s Civil War. Batman plays Tony Stark’s role when he seemingly betrays his teammates by aligning with the World Forger. The Dark Knight believes his actions are essential for the heroes’ victory but, like Steve Rogers, the Flash and his allies refuse to compromise their morals by joining him. Another full-fledged battle between Batman and the Leaguers could be an enthralling story and hopefully we’ll get to see it someday. But, as it turns out, the Caped Crusader didn’t turn to the dark side this time; instead, he secretly had the heroes’ triumph planned out all along.

Seeing Superman swoop in and save the day might make the reader want to sigh with disappointment. Countless other times, the Justice League has faced an insurmountable threat, and Big Blue’s heroics are the deus ex machina that bails them out. While Snyder’s climax calls back to Final Crisis, where the Man of Steel overcomes darkness and doubt with his unfailing optimism, it tells a more intimate story. Unlike Grant Morrison’s famous event, Snyder’s tale individually focuses on the Last Son of Krypton; the hero must push past his own insecurities rather than those of the entire world. Subsequently, Snyder holds a microscope to Superman’s strained psyche. The hero’s time as a prisoner in the Sixth Dimension has eroded the Kryptonian’s persistently hopeful attitude. He can imagine eventualities where Batman will betray him, which demonstrates a steep drop from the Man of Steel’s legendary optimism. Still, when he’s on the verge of giving up, Superman reminds himself of his friends and teammates and draws strength from these memories.

“Together, we are more than we can even imagine,” Snyder narrates while Superman inevitably beats the World Forger. The Justice League may have bent under the pressure during “The Sixth Dimension,” but they certainly didn’t break. Though the heart-pounding conclusion to this issue doesn’t paint a rosy picture for the team’s future, the Leaguers’ latest test has only strengthened the bonds between them.

Justice League #25, Flash, Wonder Woman — The League’s fight with themselves seems like the main story but there’s a more dire threat on the horizon.

IT’S ALL COMING TOGETHER

DC’s Year of the Villain #1 gave fans an explosive preview of the titular event that could radically change the status quo of the DC Universe. In that one-shot, some of DC’s top writers, including Snyder, Brian Michael Bendis and James Tynion IV, revealed that many of the company’s worst villains are teaming up in another ambitious attempt to beat the heroes once and for all. Naturally, as the author of Justice League, Snyder hosts the opening round of this brewing war.

At the end of this issue, Batman, Superman and their teammates return home and quickly learn there’s no rest for the weary. During their absence, Lex Luthor and the Legion of Doom saved the world from Mister Mxyzptlk, one of Superman’s classic antagonists. Luthor used the victory to globally broadcast a devastating speech in which he told billions of people that, thanks to the Justice League, the multiverse is dying. Snyder crafts a masterful monologue for Luthor, who tells everyone to reject the Justice League in order to save themselves. With just one broadcast, Luthor has turned the world against the League. Plus, thanks to his self-sacrifice, first seen in DC’s Year of the Villain #1, he made himself a martyr. Mera delivers these world-changing news updates to the League and, just like that, the “Year of the Villain” has begun.

The heroes begin to deliberate their response(s) to these developments (finding the Monitor and the Anti-Monitor and assembling a multiversal army), but Luthor’s schemes have the League on the ropes, if not already defeated.

What did you think of Justice League #25? How do you think “Year of the Villain” will change the DC Universe?

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Review: JUSTICE LEAGUE #25 and One Punch Superman

By

Michael Fromm

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In Justice League #25, the Sixth Dimension storyline culminates with an explosive brawl for the fate of the Multiverse. Will the Man of Steel be able to find his super friends, or be forever lost in a pocket dimension of infinite darkness? Will the Justice League defeat their older, more powerful super-dopplegangers? Has Batman truly turned heel in order to preserve this idyllic future? Read on to find out.

Previously, on Justice League, the team hurtled through Sixth Dimension space, with Apokalyptian guards Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen on their tail. Thanks to this dimension’s versions of Darkseid and The Legion of Doom, the heroes managed to escape. However, the World Forger, Justice League of Tomorrow, and a super-powered, super-suited Batman now stand in their way.

** Some Spoilers Below **

Story

The “Sixth Dimension” storyline wraps up in this oversize issue as Superman faces down the World Forger to save the Justice League! Can Superman withstand the might of a being that can create worlds from nothing?! Plus, with the Justice League away, Mr. Mxyzptlk’s been wreaking havoc! Can anyone on Earth stand up to the fifth-dimensional menace?

As far as comic book conclusions go, Justice League #25 has proficient pacing. It gives the right amount of time for each beat in the over-sized issue. What stands out in the writing is the narration Snyder scribes as Superman makes his last stitch effort to escape his galactic prison. It starts out as something grim and full of despair. From there, it builds into words of inspiration and full of hope.

Snyder concludes the issue with a positively sinister message from Lex Luthor. He encourages the world to unleash their inner villains in order to save the world. It’s a chilling and exhilarating set up for the upcoming Year of the Villain event. This issue proves once more that Scott Snyder is one of the most talented storytellers working in the comic book industry today.

Art

The artwork is masterful, as we’ve come to expect from Jorge Jimenez and Alejandro Sanchez.

Yes, the intense action sequences of Leaguer versus Leaguer are expertly illustrated and colored. However, what truly stands out in Justice League #25 is Superman’s visual journey. Starting out as a deflated and emaciated version of himself, Superman makes a stunning transformation before the readers’ eyes when he reaches the suns.

A splash page featuring the Man of Steel, his father, and his son is as heartwarming and powerful and intense as the suns he flies through. It builds and culminates in the single punch heard around the Multiverse. It is visual storytelling at its apex.

Conclusion

Snyder and Jimenez craft an exciting, adrenaline-fueled conclusion to one of the best Justice League arcs – both in terms of storytelling and artwork – in years. The book is made that much more enticing by the set up for the Year of the Villain event.

What did you think of Justice League #25 and the conclusion of The Sixth Dimension? Let us know in the comments!

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JOKER/HARLEY Coming To DC’s Black Label

By

Kevin Sharp

-

June 4, 2019

DC Comics already has a Joker-centric Black Label book on their hands with Batman Damned — and all the controversy that’s come along with it. Now the publisher has announced a new BL book debuting this October: Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity. Much like Sean Murphy’s Batman: White Knight, the series puts a new spin on an old relationship.

Joker/Harley will be written by Kami Garcia (author of the upcoming Teen Titans: Raven) and illustrated by Mike Mayhew and Mico Suayan. DC put out this plot description:

The nine-issue psychological thriller follows Harley Quinn, the young and brilliant forensic psychiatrist and profiler consulting for the Gotham City Police Department (GCPD), as she pursues a vicious killer terrorizing the city. She has no idea the investigation will bring her face-to-face with the most notorious serial killer in Gotham’s history—the Joker.

Writer Garcia said,

“There is no character more terrifying than the Joker. He is one of the most complex psychopathic killers ever created. I wanted to approach the project as if the Joker was a real person—an intelligent and sane psychopath, who kills because he wants to, not because he suffers from delusions… In the series, Harley is the only character with the skill set and intelligence to hunt the Joker, but the investigation will force her to confront her own inner demons.”

Dan DiDio added,

“When Kami came to us with the idea of profiling one of the most mysterious and dangerous characters in the DC Universe, it felt so new and original. Kami, Mico and Mike are taking great care to ensure that the mystery surrounding the Joker and Harley Quinn remains intact, while delivering a story that’s both compelling and haunting. This series is exactly the kind of unique, standalone story that’s perfect for DC Black Label, one we hope will engage both casual and new fans of these characters.”

You can read the full press release here. Joker/Harley hits comic stores on October 2.

Are you interested in seeing the Harley Quinn-Joker story retold as a Black Label, out-of-continuity series? Leave us a comment!

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About THE BENEVOLENT SISTERS OF CHARITY:

About the creative team:

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Writing/Story

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***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***

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What did you think of Justice League #25 and the conclusion of The Sixth Dimension? Let us know in the comments!

SPOILERS LIE AHEAD