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.
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.
It’s been a long and enjoyable run with our adamantium-laced, grey-haired grump. Dead Man Logan #1 starts the final leg of his story. With the original Wolverine back in action, it was only a matter of time.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
Writer Ed Brisson picks up the story right where it left off in the conclusion of Old Man Logan. We begin with the aftermath of our hero’s fight with Maestro, both of them getting scraped off of the ground.
Once Logan gets his bearings, we’re given a twelve-month (and twelve-issue) timeline to work with before the old man bites the dust. It’s a blast to see him start to cross the last few things off of his bucket list. Hunting down Mysterio leads us to another confrontation with another handful of villains at the Bar With No Name. Artist Mike Henderson puts on a show in the action sequences.
Miss Sinister almost steals the show in a brutal showing of strength, taking out Tarantula even after he didn’t snitch. Her involvement in this story makes it all the more exciting.
Especially when Sinister meets up with Quentin Beck. Catching up with a retired and broken Mysterio gives us a brief glimpse at the post-supervillain life that we don’t see very often. Brisson has a great voice for Beck, who’s tired of getting beat by all times of web-slingers.
Brisson gives us another great Logan and Hawkeye team-up, calling back to the original duo’s time in the Mark Millar Old Man Logan that started it all. Their digs at each other are enjoyable, Logan’s being especially grumpy.
As the plot develops further, we’re treated to a delightful extraction of information out of another patient that saw what happened to Quentin. Brisson has a knack for these little time-outs where we take a breather and just have fun with these ridiculous characters meeting an unreasonable human.
Mike Henderson’s artwork is fantastic, there’s just one problem – the tone. We’ve grown accustomed to some great art in this era of Old Man Logan comics, and there was a certain tone of darkness throughout. Henderson’s work is beautiful, but it’s a tad light for the finale of such a character.
It may even just be a personal preference of my own, but the more youthful look to Logan in this issue doesn’t help sell that he’s preparing to close up shop. Even still, Henderson’s pencils and layouts are a joy to gaze at. It also helps that Logan has all his lingering battle damage to constantly remind us of the meat grinder he’s been through since joining our timeline.
Aside from Logan, every other character flourishes with Henderson’s art. His lighter, cartoon-ier edge lends a hand to the chaos and interactions. This art style elevates the supporting cast and masks the odd tone for our protagonist.
Dead Man Logan #1 has it’s tonal issues, but it’s a complete package otherwise. The cliffhanger ups the stakes for our heroes, and there’s even an obituary for the Logan family attached to the end. Forge discovering the Wasteland timeline that Logan comes from promises to be juicy (I bet Logan’s family is alive because comics).
Whether you’re ready to say goodbye to grumpy Logan yet or not, this final chapter of his story looks to be a satisfying and fitting end. Dead Man Logan respects the characters and stories that came before. Where the issues are with Logan in the art, there is strength to literally every other character.
IRONHEART #1 hits your local comic book store on November 28, and Eve L. Ewing comes out swinging with an emotional tale of purpose.
The first issue is a classic superhero tale where the hero defeats the villain, but it’s the plot points in between the action that become the brick and mortar of the book. Riri Williams is not a happy character, and the question of ‘Why am I a hero?’ is a great way to start off the series.
What is refreshing and enjoyable is the lack of gadgets and MacGuffins used by Ewing. Riri uses her problem-solving skills to get through the adventure, and the basic science makes sense. So, when you get to the last page, and you’ve been paying attention, the cliffhanger makes sense too.
SIDEBAR – Do not let astrophysicists explain comic books to you, they will crush your dreams.
Going back to Ewing’s writing, it was like reading early issues of Amazing Spider-Man. The pain that Riri feels is vaguely similar to Peter Parker’s. The lonely scientist is also a similar trait. Riri is perfect for a new set of readers, and when written well, this pain and loneliness is real and reading the book becomes cathartic.
Kevin Libranda and Luciano Vecchio’s art provides a solid match for Ewing’s words. Riri’s facial expressions lead the way, as the character goes through a spectrum of emotions and the art team delivers. The first issue has a ten-page sequence of a conversation that doesn’t get boring or glossed over; this is because Libranda and Vecchio give each panel the attention it deserves. The conversation had the same emotional intensity of Charlie Adlard’s work on The Walking Dead. The different shot angles used in each panel add to the intimacy of the conversation.
The open face design of Ironheart on the Amy Reeder cover works really well; it was a bit sad to see the Iron Man look in the inside of the book. With that said, the first two pages of the book just float with grace as the art and words blend. This is where Clayton Cowles is a professional. His lettering is just enough; he understands you need to experience the words and art as one. Also, there is a panel with CLASH that is insanely good. Matt Milla’s colors are spot on, and the expression of pain on the guard’s face is so violent.
Overall, Ironheart #1 is a perfect jumping on point for the character. Marvel also goes the extra mile providing a reading timeline if you want to catch up on Riri’s adventures.
Aaron, Jesus, and Daryl are out looking for missing Eugene, and they have no idea what danger is hunting them in the mid-season finale of The Walking Dead.
Upon their arrival at Hilltop with the newcomers, Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Siddiq (Avi Nash) aren’t exactly met with open arms. There’s obvious tension between Michonne and Tara (Alanna Masterson), and Michonne’s conversation with visiting Carol (Melissa McBride) was awkward. We’re still left in the dark as to what happened between the communities that has caused this turmoil.
Callan McAuliffe as Alden, Matt Lintz as Henry – The Walking Dead – Season 9, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC
Henry (Matt Lintz) has taken up residence at Hilltop to apprentice with blacksmith Earl (John Finn) and immediately acts like a college freshman away from home for the first time. He meets some new friends who are a bad influence, gets wasted, and ends up in jail. Way to go, kid.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan – The Walking Dead – Season 9, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC
In another bonehead move, Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) drops the ball in a big way. He’s been trying to peel away the layers of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), in hopes of getting to the root of his evil, but he hasn’t had any breakthroughs. His mind is elsewhere as Rosita (Christian Serratos) is recovering at Hilltop, and he forgets to lock Negan’s jail cell door. Now, Negan is out, no one knows it, and no one knows what he’ll do with his unauthorized freedom.
With the help of “Dog,” Aaron (Ross Marquand), Jesus (Tom Payne), and Daryl (Norman Reedus) find hiding Eugene (Josh McDermitt) with relative ease, and he tells his rescuers about this herd of walkers being different than any they’ve ever encountered. He knows he was being hunted, and he knows that they’re coming back for him. He believes that the walkers are evolving, becoming able to talk. It’s not far-fetched, as Jesus even seems to agree with him. The walkers still have brains, even if they are mush, so an envolved walker could be as possible as the undead walking among them.
In an attempt to escape the herd, Aaron, Jesus, and Eugene end up in a foggy graveyard after dark with a storm approaching. They’re overrun and are forced to fight, despite the numbers. Aaron’s cyborg arm and Jesus’ Matrix-style sword-fighting command the fight, then Michonne, Magna (Nadia Hilker), and Yumiko (Eleanor Matsuura) come to their aid. As Jesus is wielding his sword, the walker ducks, and he is stabbed from behind. The walker whispers in his ear, “You are where you don’t belong” before Jesus drops to the ground.
The Walking Dead – Season 9, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC
Michonne is shocked to find fresh blood on her katana, and Daryl calls her over. He discovers that the “walker” that he killed wasn’t a zombie at all, but a normal human wearing the skin of a walker, sewn in the back of the head. What type of sick person would don such a disguise?
The final segment of the show was very eerie, which is a new kind of horror. It’s completely different from the explosions and huge special effects that we’re used to. It was unsettling and creepy. A little cliche, but so damn good.
It’s not uncommon for a leading character to die in a mid-season finale, and Jesus’ death will obviously change the dynamics of Hilltop’s leadership. This hiatus has come just when things were getting interesting.
The Walking Dead returns on Sunday, February 10, 2019.
Are you happy with the show’s direction under new showrunner Angela Kang? Let us know in the comment section below.
In my previous review of Can You Ever Forgive Me?,I mentioned it’s the time of the year where biopics run amuck, but after seeing Melissa McCarthy proving she can be a great dramatic actress, there was the need still lurking inside me to try and find a different kind of biopic. There were many different options available, yet the one which stuck out the most was the 1997 biopic-comedy Private Parts, the Howard Stern movie.
I’ll confess, I didn’t know who Howard Stern was for the longest time, unlike many 90s kids, he was just some guy who was on Sirius Satellite Radio pamphlets, all I knew he was someone famous, but couldn’t tell you why. Having said that, I knew what “Baba Booey” was, but didn’t make the connection.
Stern and his assembled Wack Pack.
Anyway, as time passed (and went to college) I figured out who he was, and the thing which got me interested in him was his praise of Norm MacDonald, whose Weekend Update work was admirable for the sheer audacity of it. Oddly enough, I consider Norm, to be the link between my study of SNL to being interested into Late Night/Show with David Letterman. Yet, I’m not here to talk Norm MacDonald; I’m here to talk about Howard Stern.
Anyway, on a trip back from a convention in Raleigh, NC, I saw a YouTube video which randomly showed up, which featured Stern talking about the Late-Night Wars in 2010 for five hours, I was intrigued, having loved The War for Late Night by Bill Carter, I took a chance and listened to the video for all five hours; despite sometimes it dragged on a bit, it was great stuff to listen to and was amazed how many plot-points he called in advance before The War for Late Night was ever published. At that moment, I became a semi-believer.
Make your own Letterman vs Leno joke here.
With all this backdrop, I was still kind of intrigued, plus Siskel and Ebert gave it positive reviews, and both haven’t steered me wrong (yet), so I’m there. So, as they say, roll ‘em.
The film begins with Stern (as himself) receiving an MTV VMA from John Stamos, but Stern comes out as his superhero “Fartman” descending from wires, which seems to set a tone which says, “I might not be the supposed audience for this.” Thankfully, this doesn’t sit for long, because Stern’s narration kicks in, nobody likes his work, and like most geniuses, he’ll always be misunderstood.
Each individual section of the biopic has a unique color tone, which is an interesting directorial choice.
He then gets on an airplane and meets a beautiful woman, whom he proceeds to tell his life story, or at least up till 1985.
I’m not going to spoil it, because, with my introductions, I don’t want these articles to be 20 pages long and take up a week of time just writing the damn things. However, as a film critic, let’s get into structure because it’s always interesting. (No, it really isn’t.)
Howard meeting the first of his big two radio partners in the film; his friend, Fred Norris.
One of the big problems this film has to deal with happen almost immediately, the film’s a biopic about someone who is still alive and stars someone who is not an actor. Let’s talk about the first problem, most biopics are made after their subject dies, there are many reasons for this, but one of the most significant issues is the stipulation of creative control, nobody wants to look bad in their biopic, and it makes sense. You (as a studio) don’t want to be sued, so unless the source material is relatively sordid, most biopics can feel relatively generic, to people who’ve seen too many movies (like me). Private Parts side steps most of this, yes, the biopic part, does feel rather generic, but still has enough bizarre touches to make it interesting. Two examples come to mind, with Stern at a Detroit radio station, and one of their regular callers being a dominatrix, apparently, it was the same person, as had happened in Stern’s real-life show. You have to admit, this is impressive, they went to such length for the sake of accuracy, and still made it interesting. The other example also occurred, at the Detroit radio station, when Stern left the station, on air, and never returned, normally it would have been left out or described in a voice-over, but here, it’s shown. It does take incredible storytelling courage, to do so.
The other big problem is something I’ll dub the “Non-Actor Factor.” Normally, when there are vehicles for non-actors, the results tend to be very haphazard. For every A Hard Day’s Night, or even King Creole, you get a Glitter, an Under the Cherry Moon, or From Justin to Kelly. So most of these films try to play to the non-actor’s strengths, IE, don’t give them a lot of dialogue, fill it with music, and hope you get one of Elvis’ movies, it’s at the average end of the spectrum. On the positive end of the spectrum, these films can work, if you have a director who can force a non-actor out of their comfort zone and get them to act. If the “Non-Actor,” has the want to be a good actor, and the film is written solidly enough around the subject, you get something, again, A Hard Day’s Night or a Purple Rain.
When Howard Met Robin, so to speak. (The second big radio collaborator)
In Private Parts, we have three “Non-Actor” leads, Stern, his news anchor Robin Quivers, and his partner Fred Norris, all play themselves, in an inspired bit of casting. Say what you want, about him, he and his two partners do give good performances, but it does lead to this feeling, while watching the film, with all three of them in one scene, it feels like a documentary, and there’s this narrative film around it, a kind of matrushka doll effect, bizarrely enough. The real-life acting works here, because these are the actual people, and it lends a kind of verisimilitude to the proceedings. Stern and Quivers are surprisingly good, though there is something to be said to acting on the radio, but still…
The film is split distinctly into two different halves: The first is Howard’s evolution on the radio, as we see Howard evolve a geeky nerd, to someone brimming with a decent amount of confidence about the crazy crap he does, but still has these neuroses (what the Woody Allen inspired narration is for). Yet the film also takes inspiration from Warren Beatty’s Reds, and D.A. Pennebaker’s Don’t Look Now (the Bob Dylan documentary, especially regarding the Subterranean Homesick Blues sequence with the giant cue cards.) The Reds inspiration comes from various interviews spliced in from all these people, disputing Stern’s view of events. Unlike Reds, it doesn’t drag down the story, because at 110 minutes, it can’t afford to drag, unlike a 4-hour epic. The Pennebaker inspiration, comes from when some of Stern’s Wack Pack, hold up cardboard signs reading the location of where Stern goes next, it’s bizarre, but considering the rest of the movie, it’s not out of place.
It’s a bizarre choice to reference a film featuring Bob Dylan, but here, it fits within the confines of the film.
The second half is the relationship between Stern and his first wife played by Mary McCormick. As I said it’s surprisingly sweet, and is reminiscent of a Woody Allen film, without the horrifying undertones. Stern (in the movie) honestly is in love with his wife, and those scenes feel like a split between a romantic comedy and a dramedy, and yet it doesn’t feel schizophrenic.
How do these two things which seeming do not mesh together work? Rock solid writing, of course. One of the writers of the film is Len Blum, who wrote Meatballs and Stripes, and with Stripes, he blended comedy with a sweet love story, in a film could work, so there was a precedent.
The core of the film is a strong focus on the love story, between Stern and his first wife. Not surprisingly it works.
Private Parts is one of those movies which succeeds despite everything against it, it’s a comedy, with romantic elements (and not a romantic comedy), and a biopic thrown in, but it’s unique enough to work, which you could say the same thing about the man as well.
Justice League Odyssey #3 hits your local comic book store on November 28, but thanks to DC Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive five-page preview for you.
About the issue: Another day, another planet…another alien race trying to sacrifice you! Life on the final frontier of the universe heats up for Cyborg, Starfire, Azrael, and Green Lantern Jessica Cruz as the team continues their search for the elusive Darkseid and their own connection to the ancient prophecy linking each new planet they explore. But the more the heroes delve into the legends of the Ghost Sector, the more they discover that Darkseid might not be the most dangerous threat to their new home!
Justice League Odyssey #3 is written by Joshua Williamson, with art by Philippe Briones, Jeromy Cox worked on colors, with letters by Deron Bennet. The main cover is by Stjepan Sejic, with the variant cover by Rachel Dodson and Terry Dodson.
Check out the preview below:
Do you have Justice League Odyssey on your pull list? Comment below with your thoughts.
Coming in 2019, another unique entry into the AfterShock Comics library, via the creative duo of Phil Hester and Ryan Kelly, which will challenge the notion of true love, titled, Stronghold.
The book includes deities with hidden identities, a secret society tasked with keeping ancient secrets and the possible annihilation of Earth! That’s a lot to shoulder. The story follows Claire, a college student with a part-time job as a delivery driver, who falls in love with Michael, a down-and-out insurance adjuster. She belongs to a society called The Stronghold, which is centuries-old. The secret society believes that Michael may be an amnesiac immortal elder god, whose eventual awakening could spark a universal Armageddon. Claire, struggling with her strict faith, reveals herself to Michael and the results may potentially destroy, not only her society, but the world as well. Ultimately, if their love is to be born, the Earth must die. So, sounds like they have an extremely important decision to make!
“What makes Stephen King‘s work scary isn’t the big, bad monster, as much as how effectively he contrasts it with the reality of everyday life. The most-frightening parts of The War of the Worlds radio broadcast or the original Night of the Living Dead film, are hearing and seeing the mundane media reports struggling to grasp the bizarre events,” said Hester. “To maintain that contrast, I sort of have to keep a bright line in my mind between the down-to-Earth details of falling in love and the vast cosmic cataclysm yawning underneath everyone’s feet. If a reader can feel the authenticity of the relationship, they’ll feel like they have a stake in its success or failure in the face of these otherworldly forces.”
Look for Stronghold #1 to land on shelves on Feb. 20, 2019. In the meantime, click HERE for an exclusive look at Cover A and Cover B for the first issue, via Previews World, and HERE for the original report, including a sneak peek at some interior pages, by The Hollywood Reporter, which broke the story.
What do you think, is true love more valuable than the fate of the planet? Are you excited to get your hands on this book? Let us know in the comments section below.
The upcoming AfterShock series will serve as a different take on the Shakespearean play as a supernatural folk adventure. The story will follow Lord Oberon, the King of Fairies, who has been deceived by Queen Titania, who proceeds in exiling him to planet Earth. He then casts his sights on Bonnie Blair, a 10-year-old ‘Chosen One’, who is destined to one day conquer an ancient evil, to make her his new weapon in an attempt to recapture his throne.
“I grew up on classic fantasy and fairy tales so I’ve always been on the lookout for a story that could subvert some of the standard settings and characters — and more accurately mirror our modern world — where heroes and villains are sometimes interchangeable,” Parrott stated. “If you look at some hallmarks of popular fantasy — it’s traditional for a guide to lead naive characters (and the audience) through new magical worlds, explain the rules and give insight. I personally love villains. I can’t get enough of characters that are gleefully self-serving, so I thought — what if the guide that was leading you was completely unreliable and serving their own devious motives? How would you even know? That’s the black little heart at the center of Oberon.”
See below for a sneak peek at Cover A and Cover B and keep an eye out for Oberon #1, which lands on shelves on Feb. 6, 2019, from AfterShock Comics.
Click HERE for an exclusive look at a preview for the first issue, as revealed by SyFy Wire.
What do you think, are you excited for a new fantasy comics series? What other past famous plays or poems would you like to see get the comic book touch? Let us know in the comments section below.
The Dark Knight may have just turned one of his most powerful allies into a powerful enemy in Batman #59.
Riding high on the desire for revenge, Bruce launches a one-man assault on Arkham based on intel from The Penguin. But has he turned Gordon and the GCPD against him once-and-for-all in the process?
The Writing
Batman #59 features the tight, tense writing we’ve come to expect of Tom King. Following up on Penguin’s information, Bruce Wayne decides to interrogate the man he believes orchestrated attempts on the lives of Dick Grayson and Alfred.
King does an excellent job at forcing readers to second-guess themselves. Going into it, we’re confident Batman has the culprit pinned dead-to-rights. However, the interrogation is so brutal and uncompromising that the reader starts to lose confidence with each page. It’s not until the very last panel of the issue that we learn who’s truly masterminding the situation.
Another strong point for Batman #59 is the level of pathos dedicated to The Penguin. While a classic member of Batman’s rogues gallery, we don’t often get to see Penguin in such an earnest, genuinely somber light. You get the impression that Oswald Cobblepot fully understands the ramifications of his actions here. He’s embraced that he is effectively signing his own death warrant, and he’s happy to make that sacrifice to reunite with the mysterious “Penny.”
The Artwork
The artwork provided by Mikel Janin in Batman #59 is strong throughout. Right from the first panel, we can soak in the detail in the gates of Arkham Asylum, and the imposing structure behind them. Janin has contributed to about a third of all the Batman issues since Rebirth, and he clearly has a mastery of the character’s aesthetic at this point.
Much of the book shifts bewteen the present in Arkham and a flashback sequence of Wayne’s conversation with The Penguin. Each sequence is defined by a different mood owing largely to Jordie Bellaire’s excellent choice of colors. Bright, high-contrast yellows, greens, and oranges dominate the Arkham sequence, while the Penguin and Batman sequences are veiled in a palette of somber blues. The effect brilliantly highlights the tension in the former, while conveying the heavier emotional tone of the latter.
Final Thoughts
Batman #59 is an excellent new chapter in King’s ongoing run. If you’re not already reading this, you really should be.
