[Review] THE WARNING #1 Has Eye-Catching Art, but is Light on Narrative

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We have a strange machine materializing in a major metropolitan city. The only lead as to what’s causing it appears to be a mass in space hurtling toward Earth. So begins The Warning #1, the opening chapter in new series from Image Comics.

Creator Edward Laroche gives readers a shot of high-tech military sci-fi with his new series, and the book offers an interesting premise. However, this first issue doesn’t do as much as you might like try and establish it.

The Writing

This book feels like it is the opening to a much broader, epic-scale story. A lot of the dialog is military jargon, but it is mostly tight and believable. That said, it’s hard to judge The Warning #1 as a single work, as it doesn’t provide a cohesive narrative. Instead, the book feels like a sequence of different opening scenes.

Laroche dedicates the first half of the book to a character meditating on an insect before hopping on a plane to engage in a military operation. We then jump into two other shards of the narrative, without ever establishing who our first character was. This leaves the reader without crucial details and why we should care about them.

That lack of established motivation and pathos is a theme throughout the book. We’re jumping back and forth between different points in time without establishing the fundamentals of the story. It feels as though the writer is putting the horse before the cart by pushing the scope of the story before really giving us any foundation.

The Artwork

Laroche pulls double-duty as writer and artist for The Warning #1, and the artwork is the stronger element here. Each panel is intricately detailed, giving the reader some genuinely beautiful images throughout.

The art manages to convey story elements, character attributes, and tone with more effect than the dialog in some cases. Jargon-laced scenes of military operations and tech are sharp and tightly-framed, while the more human moments are given a softer focus. Many of these panels will simply hang on a striking image and allow the artwork a moment to breathe.

Color work on The Warning #1 is provided by Brad Simpson, who does an excellent job of conveying tone as well. Greens and dark backgrounds dominate the techie, military panels, while brilliant yellow tones bathe the quieter moments.

Final Thoughts

The Warning #1 is an intriguing opening chapter. The writing falls flat on certain key points, but the artwork is a treat throughout.

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Review: Diana and Ares Feud in WONDER WOMAN #59

By

Jose "Jody" Cardona

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Ares and Wonder Woman don’t see eye to eye after all!

Wonder Woman has a new ally, and it’s one she doesn’t expect. Ares has been reborn into our world with a new mindset. He wishes to the right all the injustices of the world and assists Diana. The first stop in his journey appears to be the country of Durovnia. There is a war going on, and a few mythical creatures have emerged with it. Steve Trevor goes missing amongst the fighting; Wonder Woman decides it’s time to step in. How will she react to the new God of War?

**Some Spoilers Below**

Story:

Wonder Woman is taken aback by the sudden appearance of Ares, but also his new goal of justice before she can ask more questions, a fighter jet approaches and fires a missile. Diana and Ares team up to stop it, but the God of War directs the weapon towards a village, killing everyone within. Wonder Woman scolds Ares, claiming he is just the same bloodthirsty monster she has always faced. He defends his actions, arguing she can be just as violent as he. In all the confusion of the battles, the mythological creatures that have stayed hidden relocate with others to meet their leader. Along with them as a hostage, however, is Steve Trevor.

The story is beginning to take shape, and it promises to be a good one. While the issue still feels slow, there is enough here for an interesting read. The back and forth between Ares and Wonder Woman made me a question to both sides regarding morals. While it’s obvious Ares is in the wrong, he does bring up a good point about Diana’s fighting habits.

The biggest problem, as I mentioned, is the pace. I want to see more action than diverting a missile. You have two of the greatest warriors in DC Comics, and all they did was push a rocket. This was just a stunt to show what Ares’ idea of Justice entails, but it was very underwhelming.

Art:

The other part of the issue that was underwhelming continues to, unfortunately, be the art. Cary Nord has a unique art style, and while it produces interesting designs, it isn’t growing on me. There are many panels sprinkled throughout the comic that look more like Frank Miller’s Dark Knight: The Master Race than it does Wonder Woman. If any facet stands out, it would have to be the colorwork. There is a balance between being colorful enough to pop but subdued enough to be taken seriously, and that deserves commendation. That said, it’s not enough for me to get behind this issue. There will be some who will enjoy this art; I’m just not one of them.

Conclusion:

It’s getting there. The pieces are coming together slowly, but I can see this Wonder Woman arc being a great one. I love the dynamic already building between Diana and Ares, but it needs to pick up the pace. Fix that, and we might get a fantastic story for Wonder Woman fans.

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TRAILER: STATE LIKE SLEEP Is A Drama Thick With Mystery And Intrigue

By

Ruben Diaz

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November 28, 2018

State Like Sleep stars Katherine Waterston (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald) as Katherine Grand, a grieving widow who is investigating the death of her hubby and the case takes her face-to-face with parts of her past and a mystery that includes an elite gentleman’s club. State Like Sleep comes via The Orchard and hits theaters January 4th, 2019.

About State Like Sleep

Official Description: One year after the untimely death of her husband, a young woman receives a phone call that pulls her back to Brussels and the life there that she’s tried to forget. She is forced to finally confront her grief but is swept up in unraveling the mysteries surrounding her husband’s last days alive.

The trailer for State Like Sleep is modern noir at its best, presenting the buildup and mystery just right without revealing a single thing about where it all goes. One of the best actors of this generation, Michael Shannon (Shape of Water, Man of Steel), stars alongside Waterston and instantly gives off a vibe of dangerous untrustworthiness. But is that only a ruse? Director Meredith Danluck is making her feature film debut after several acclaimed short films and documentaries like The Ride (2010).

State Like Sleep features a cast that includes …

Katherine Waterston as Katherine Grand
Luke Evans as Emile
Michael Shannon as Edward
Mark O’Brien as Darren
Carlo Rota
Bo Martyn as Frieda
Tessa Mossey as Fashion Model
Nadine Djoury as Station Nurse
Michiel Huisman as Stefan Grand
Jean-Michel Le Gal as Cop 2

State Like Sleep looks like it’ll be an intriguing, twisting story with plenty of mind-fu*kery going on. Variety called it “unsettling” which only makes me want to watch it even more. While it’s called a noir film, it reminds me of the 90s era of suspense-thrillers like Basic Instinct or Primal Fear.

Did this trailer get you excited for State Like Sleep?
Leave your comments below!

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TRAILER: A DOG’S WAY HOME Finds The Path Straight To Our Hearts

By

Ruben Diaz

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November 28, 2018

A Dog’s Way Home is a follow-up to A Dog’s Purpose and based on yet another best-selling novel in the series which follows a lost dog, Bella (voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard) trying to find her way back to her owner played by Jonah Hauer-King (Little Women, 2017). The adventure takes Bella across several hundred miles where she encounters challenges and meets new friends. Sony has A Dog’s Way Home set for release on January 11, 2019.

About A Dog’s Way Home

Official Description: A dog embarks on a 400-mile journey home after she is separated from her owner, Lucas, who is an aspiring medical student.

The trailer for A Dog’s Way Home sets up a pretty epic journey for the adorable canine known as Bella. Nothing proves that statement more accurate than the dog meeting Wes Studi (The Last of the Mohicans, Mystery Men) who is an incredible actor with an unforgettable face. Behind the scenes, director Charles Martin Smith is an animal movie veteran having directed both Dolphin Tale films.

A Dog’s Way Home features a cast that includes …

Jonah Hauer-King as Lucas
Ashley Judd
Edward James Olmos
Alexandra Shipp
Bryce Dallas Howard as Bella (voice)
Wes Studi
Barry Watson as Gavin
Chris Bauer as Kurch
Tammy Gillis as Officer Leon

If the trailer doesn’t tug those heartstrings then either you have no heart or don’t like dogs which basically means you have no soul. The only exception is if you’re allergic which kind of makes sense. Kind of.

A Dog’s Way Home fills the seemingly mandatory role of having a movie about a dog’s journey every few years. It looks fun and heartwarming which are two vital ingredients for this kind of film. It’s a star-studded cast too which might indicate a quality script considering it attracted such talent.

Did this trailer get you excited for A Dog’s Way Home?
Leave your comments below!

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[Review] SPIDER-GWEN: GHOST-SPIDER #2 Gets the Band Back Together

By

David DeCorte

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Multiverse travel is weird, folks. Weird enough for Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #2 to give a new meaning to “conflict with oneself.”

Gwen remains stranded in an unknown alternate universe after the events of Spider-Geddon #2. She’s also reuniting with some familiar faces, though everyone seems to have played a bit of a role change in this alternate world. The result is a tense working relationship for Gwen as she tries to find the one person who can help her get back to her own reality.

The Writing

The book’s subtitle, The Ballad of Gwen Stacy, fits the theme of the issue well, with about a quarter of the book spent recounting the fates and struggles of this new world’s Peter, Gwen, MJ, and Harry. Still, the writing from Seanan McGuire is tightly focused throughout Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #2. Everything serves to move the plot forward, while allowing characters enough emotional space to build pathos.

I did have some minor gripes about the characters’ actions. Namely, Gwen and the natives of this world seem overly-reluctant to help one another.

On the one hand, the reader could understand why these people would endure pain from being around one another. Another part of the problem could be Gwen’s single-minded focus on reminding other characters that her friends are in danger on her own world. However, interactions are standoffish and even hostile, especially between Gwen and MJ. It’s to the point that they seem almost like enemies forced to fight a common threat.

The characters’ attitudes don’t really hurt the larger narrative, though. Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #2 maintains the fast-paced storytelling of the previous issue with an interesting and engaging alternate universe story.

The Artwork

Rosi Kampe’s artwork carries the same momentum as in our last issue. Each frame carries a sense of animation, with figures that jump right off the page. The close-up frames, in particular, showcase how great Kampe is at capturing facial expression.

The work is nicely stylized throughout Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #2. Backgrounds tend to bounce back and forth between intricate detail and starkly minimal. That’s not always a compliment, as in the hands of a lesser artist, it could be gratingly annoying. However, it reflects the storytelling nicely here, with no small help from colorist Ian Herrin.

Colors are used throughout as an expressive tool to highlight the emotional pitch of each frame. The more somber first half of the book is dominated by subdued green and purple hues. However, as the tone changes, more oranges and lighter colors take over the backgrounds.

Final Thoughts

Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #2 continues on the strong trajectory set by the previous issue with tight, punchy writing and eye-catching artwork. I highly recommend you add this one to the pull list.

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Review: HEROES IN CRISIS #3 – A Story Takes Shape

By

Matthew Sardo

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Heroes In Crisis #3 hits your local comic book shop this week, with Lee Weeks handling the bulk of the artwork for Tom King’s story; Clay Mann worked on the first and last pages (nine-panel grid).

Colors are by Tomeu Morey, with letters by Clayton Cowles.

King builds on his story with the third issue, but it feels more like a filler episode of LOST as the second set of survivors walk across the island. We get to see the final moments of Wally West, and a fantastic side story with Lagoon Boy, but the main plot does not move an inch.

Which brings me to my dilemma. Is a very well written filler issue good? Marc Guggenheim holds the gold standard when it comes to filler issues with Amazing Spider-Man #574. This is a powerful issue where Flash Thompson loses his legs saving a group of his fellow soldiers during the Iraq War. Guggenheim gave readers a single issue that rocked Marvel Comics. Does Heroes In Crisis #3 have that same type of gravitas? The short answer: no. What this third issue of a nine-issue story establishes is that an editor needed to step in and trim the fat to create a tighter narrative.

King is writing about issues that are personal to him, and he’s pouring his guts out. The Lagoon Boy plot thread in this issue is intimate and utterly painful to read. This is what makes it so hard to critique this book. Yet, what an editor should have said to Tom is, replace Lagoon Boy with Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman. You can tug at the heartstrings with Lagoon Boy, but you can rip the reader’s heart out with Wonder Woman, and that’s great writing.

With the art on the issue, you feel sorry for Weeks. The book was billed as King and Mann, but that is not what readers are getting. The first issue of the series is some of the most amazing artwork I’ve seen in a very long time. So to switch artists is tough, and no matter who stepped in, the artwork would take a step down.

With all of that said, halfway through the book, there is a single panel page of Booster talking to Sanctuary, and it is brilliant. It looks nothing like the rest of the book; the art team knocks it out of the park. Clayton Cowles’ letters are perfectly aligned to keep the conversation flowing. Weeks pulls every ounce of emotion possible out of the page. Plus, you’ll stay up all night trying to figure who’s fingerprints are on the page.

The short stories in Heroes In Crisis #3 will impress you, but if you step back, you’ll realize the train has yet to leave the station.

Are you reading Heroes In Crisis? What do you think of the series so far? Comment below with your thoughts.

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Review: THE FLASH #59 Promises Avatars of the Forces

By

Jose "Jody" Cardona

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The Flash learns of future allies in the making!

The Flash is finally on his Force Quest! After the several Force incidents in Central City, Barry and Iris travel across the globe to search for them. They start in the country of Badhnisia, where the duo comes across a pair of thieves named Gemini. The criminals are able to use their tech to drain Barry of his speed to get away. As the Central City couple recovers from their loss, The Flash senses a disturbance. The Speed Force points him towards Gorilla City, and the pair takes off. What will our couple find and how does Gemini play into this?

**Some Spoilers Below**

Story:

The Flash arrives in Gorilla City with Iris to find a complete massacre. While they search the city for any survivors, they come across a trio of gorilla scientists. While they aren’t sure what caused the killings, the scientists have something for Barry. A projection of King Solovar appears and explains what will happen with the Forces. Like The Flash and the Speed Force, the other three forces will find avatars. It’s up to Barry to find them all and work together. Before they can learn what they must face, Commander Cold points the pair in the direction of Corto Maltese, where the first avatar has appeared.

This issue gives us tons of promises of this grand team up that’s coming down the pipeline. The problem is that it’s just that: promises. There isn’t much to the issue other than The Flash getting the message from Solovar and then going to Corto Maltese. It’s kind of disappointing as I was hoping to see a brawl in Gorilla City. Instead, we get more talking and running in place.

The good of the issue comes, surprisingly, in the exposition. It’s interesting, especially with tying the Gorillas of Gorilla City to the Sage Force. The description of what the Force Avatars duties also gets me excited for the future Flash team in the making. It, unfortunately, isn’t enough to save the issue, but it’s welcome.

Art:

The art of this issue is also a bit of a mixed bag regarding quality. There are some fantastic illustrations from Rafa Sandoval, especially in terms of scale. When The Flash arrived to get Solovar’s message, he learns it in this amphitheater of a lab with giant projections. It was moments like that which captured the feeling of grand adventure which Force Quest is aiming towards.

Despite this, the faces on our heroes and villains bring the issue down. While it isn’t every panel, our characters have the common problem of bizarre faces. It appears to come down to the colorwork and illustrations not meshing well. Hopefully, as the arc continues, the art will find its balance.

Conclusion:

I can honestly say this issue hyped me for the next one. That’s only because this issue’s greatest strength was exposition about the Force Avatars. The Flash needs to have more action than the past two issues, which is implied to come by the ending. As it stands, however, this issue left me disappointed.

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Review: DOCTOR WHO “The Witchfinders” – A Tale to Please Old Fans

By

Kieran Freemantle

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Following last week’s mediocre adventure where the Doctor primarily fights Amazon she returns with a much stronger historical episode.

The Doctor and her companions find themselves in 17th century England. What they discover is the landowner of a small Lancashire village has been trying women as witches, resulting in 35 deaths. The Doctor sets out to find what’s happening in the village with the activities of the landowner drawing the attention of the king.

The best episodes of the season so far have been the historical episodes. They have had the best stories, characterization and the most creative. “The Witchfinders” is the episode that felt most like a classic era story or a story during the Davies/Moffatt era. It’s a historical set story that has an extra-terrestrial threat.

The setting of the witch hunts was a logical one considering the Doctor’s new gender. Historically men were also tried as witches, but in popular culture, most people associate women as the victims. This is the first episode where The Doctor is marginalized for being a woman – she is dismissed from any role of leadership or being able to make any useful contribution. Due to the social climate, she is quickly seen as a witch. The Doctor points out that she would have been taken more seriously if she was still a man. She is also more accepting of her new gender, using more female pronouns to describe herself.

Due to the setting, anything alien would easily be seen as witchcraft. People of the era wouldn’t have understood concepts like aliens and advance technology and were superstitious. It’s surprising that the modern era of Doctor Who hasn’t used this setting before. The alien element played a much more important part of the story than in the other historical episodes in this season. The rural setting makes it plausible that the events in the village would be forgotten – it has been done before in episodes like “Human Nature”/”The Family of Blood.” I particularly liked how the alien threat was presented in the episode since there was not an invading force or disguising themselves as humans and control people from within. The aliens’ presence was due to an accident.

Alan Cumming is the biggest name guest star in this season. He plays King James I of England (or James VI of Scotland) and the fears of the trailer that he was going to be an outright villain who relished the chance to kill ‘witches. Fortunately, his characterization was more nuanced. The king was a product of his time – he was a pious man who feared the unknown. James, I was justifiably paranoid because he has seen those closest to him being killed and there have been attempts on his life. The Doctor is hostile to the king, but he does form a friendship with Ryan.

Doctor Who Series 11 – Picture Shows: PRE-TX
Becka (SIOBHAN FINNERAN) – (C) BBC / BBC Studios – Photographer: Sophie Mutevelian

Siobhan Finneran who played the main villain of the episode ran the witch hunt did it out of fear. While her acts are reprehensible, she wasn’t a sadistic monster who enjoyed the suffering of others. Her actions were based on the culture of her time.

The big issue with this episode was the acting. Cumming played James I as if he was a bit camp and he spoke with a posh English accent yet used Scottish terms. James, I was born and raised in Scotland, and he was the first king of England and Scotland so it would have been more logically for Cumming to use his natural accent. Finneran was the worst performance being so over-the-top – she acted like she was in a pantomime. Her performance was so forced, and it did not come across as fun or funny.

“The Witchfinders” is a classic style episode of Doctor Who. People who are unhappy with the new direction of the show should be happier with this offering.

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Review: DEVIL WITHIN #2 Ramps Up The Scares

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

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Devil Within #2 is out now from Black Mask Studios, and it doubles down on the scares of the first issue.

The series is written by Stephanie Phillips, with art by Maan House, colors by Dee Cunniffe, and letters by Troy Peteri.

Issue 2 picks up in the aftermath of last month’s cliffhanger, with Samantha and Michelle confronting a priest about her possible possession. The holy man is, of course, skeptical, and the horrors just escalate from there.

And that’s what this issue does great: it escalates. The mystery deepens, and the scares get scarier.

Maan House just solidified himself as one of the best horror artists working in comics today. Everything that worked last issue is still here: his use of shadows, his emotional and powerful close-ups, etc. But this is a ghost story, so as it goes on, we’re introduced to more spectres, and House gets to show off more of his stuff. There is one scene in particular involving a young ghost that will stick with you long after you’ve finished reading, which is the sign of a truly great piece of horror.

Cunniffe also nails the colors, as usual, capturing the perfect tone for each scene. His use of blues and purples creates an otherworldly and mysterious sensation, and his use of yellow makes an already disturbing scene truly unsettling. Even Peteri’s letting has a raw edge to it, with more of a handwritten style. This art team clicks on every level.

But this series is about more than ghosts; it’s about relationships and insecurities. Phillips widens the schism between Sam and Michelle this issue, throwing some bombshells into the mix and preying on fears inherent in any relationship. You feel for these characters, not just because they’re going through hell, but also because you can see yourself in them so easily. Their dialogue and banter with one another rings true to anyone who’s been in a long term relationship.

Again, Phillips is escalating the story in more ways than one, and by the time the last page hits, you can’t wait to get your hands on the next issue. Sam and Michelle’s relationship is at the core of this series, and this is what makes Devil Within feel so real and relatable in spite of the ghosts.

If you’re the kind of person who binge watched The Haunting of Hill House and craved more, you need to be reading Devil Within. It’s got all the emotional complexity and spooky ghosts you need.

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Review: FANTASTIC FOUR #4 Brings Us Back Down to Earth

By

David DeCorte

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After their multiverse-spanning return, Fantastic Four #4 sees the team take a bit of a breather. This latest issue is much lighter fare, but that’s certainly not a complaint.

Ben, Johnny, and the Richards clan make their return to Earth, only to find they’ve been upstaged by knockoffs. What ensues is less of a cosmic adventure and more a comedy of errors as the heroes trip over one another to save the day. The result is a pretty endearing little story.

The Writing

Dan Slott’s run thus far has been marked by a tendency to rely more on sentiment than on heavier emotion. Here, the Richards family has been away from Earth for, in their timeline, roughly five years at this point. Despite that, they seem pretty nonchalant about their return. More than anything, they seem bemused by the superhero showdown they’re dropped into.

That said, the series has a definite sense of charm. I’ve especially enjoyed seeing Reed and Valeria work alongside one another as a veritable two-person brain trust and the lighthearted tone of the series are two of its strongest suits thus far. Both characteristics shine through on Fantastic Four #4.

As mentioned before, the series kicked off with a pretty epic introduction. I always find that dedicating an issue or two to a smaller story after a big, cosmic adventure is a good move. It gives readers some breathing room, while also taking a moment to explore the more human aspects of the characters. Fantastic Four #4 develops a couple of critical plot points, while also bringing the team back to basics.

The Artwork

While I enjoyed Sara Pichelli’s work on the first three issues, artists Stefano Caselli and Nico Leon offer solid work for Fantastic Four #4. The art has a slightly-cartoonish feel, with more rounded and less-detailed character designs. I miss the more intricate and illustrated look of the first three issues. However, the style here gels with the tone of the writing, so it’s easy to forgive.

Regarding layout, they do a pretty good job of capturing each beat within a distinct panel. That said, the extensively-overlaid panels can make the pages feel a bit chaotic and distracting.

Speaking of chaos, I’m a bit conflicted on the work from colorist Erick Arciniega here. On the one hand, I appreciate the level of detail throughout, with meticulous attention to backgrounds. However, there is such a wide range in contrasting colors on every page that it can be hard to focus on any one element.

Final Thoughts

Fantastic Four #4 is a nice breather after the last few action-packed issues. I have minor gripes, but it’s a good chapter overall, allowing us a bit of downtime with the newly-reunited family.

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