Review: MAT Deploys in ULTRAMAN: THE MYSTERY OF ULTRASEVEN #4

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Ultraman: The Mystery of Ultraseven #4 introduces humanity’s new hope, the Monster Attack Team a.k.a. MAT. The team of highly trained Kaiju fighting individuals makes their first debut in Marvel Comics. This impressive entrance comes thanks to Kyle Higgins and Mat Groom (writing), Davide Tinto (art), Espen Grundetjern (color art), and VC’s Ariana Maher (lettering).

Summary

There’s a brand-new team on the scene who are sick of Ultra chaos endangering the people of Earth — and with the most advanced weapon on the planet, they’re ready to take both Ultraman and Ultraseven out of the equation permanently. Ultraman and Ultraseven are playing right into the hands of the puppet masters — and is there anything they can do to break free?

Writing

MAT, The Monster Attack Team were the human allies in the TV series Return of Ultraman. They helped Ultraman Jack to fight against monsters and save humans from danger. With their first appearance in comic form the characters succeed in displaying their skills and show they are a force to be reckoned with. This is achieved by getting right in the middle of the battle between Ultraman and Ultraseven with some intense battle scenes unfold as a result.

Kyle Higgins and Mat Groom are truly showing their love for the Ultraman franchise with this issue. Not only by finding a way to bring in MAT and a form of Ultraman Jack (which isn’t really a spoiler as the cover gives it away) but also by making sure to bring in the plot hinted at in the second issue of the mini-series. The storytelling feels natural as if this was where the series had been heading the entire time without a major curveball to tie everything together. All while making sure to have some incredible moments of intensity as Ultraman and the members of MAT work to subdue Ultraseven.

Artwork

Davide Tinto’s artwork delivers a lot of energy to the issue. The scenes of MAT rushing to their vehicles and launching into battle are reminiscent of shows like Voltron: Defender of the Universe and Mazinger Z. This mixed in with the attention to detail with the vehicles, humans, and giants all helps to keep the energy high for the entire installment.

The color work by Espen Grundetjern energizes the fight scenes. From the MAT team’s ship launching and the Ultra’s fighting against each other, the coloring adds a fabriant atmosphere to the panels. It also aids an intense weather effect with the rain and lightning pouring down on the battlefield.

The lettering work by VC’s Ariana Maher adds very needed audio quality and an additional layer of energy to the issue. You can feel the fiery spirit of the MAT as they launch into battle. At the same time the sound effects help with each blow as Ultraman and Ultraseven continue to reconnect in a very bad way.

Conclusion

Ultraseven: The Mystery Of Ultraseven #4 introduces a new element to the miniseries. It adds a great bit of energy and helps to ensure the mini-series doesn’t run out of steam while it makes its way to the final issue. If the series manages to wrap everything up on a similar level in the next installment, it will be an ending fans of Ultraman will not want to miss.

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Panel Breakdown: I HATE FAIRYLAND#1 Is The Ultimate Page-Turn

By

Matthew Sardo

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November 17, 2022

Panel Breakdown: I HATE FAIRYLAND#1 Is The Ultimate Page-Turn

I HATE FAIRYLAND#1 is out this week from Image Comics, and this book was a fun read because of the design elements involved with the page-turn. Also, the action sequences used your eyes and Jean-Francois Beaulieu’s colors to create movement. Check out the video for the full story.

About I HATE FAIRYLAND#1:
Eisner Awarding-winning writer SKOTTIE YOUNG and artist BRETT BEAN bring back the hit comic I HATE FAIRYLAND for an all-new ONGOING SERIES! Everyone’s favorite green-haired axe-wielding crazed maniac returns in this Deadpool meets Alice In Wonderland-style adventure! Gert is all grown up and living in the real world. Times are tough and the only job she’s qualified for has her trying to find her way back to the place she hates the most…Fairyland.

Nate Piekos handles letter work, logo & series design.

Did you pick up I HATE FAIRYLAND#1?

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Marvel Comics Exclusive Preview: DEADLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #2

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

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November 17, 2022

marvel comics exclusive preview deadly neighborhood spider-man

DEADLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #2 hits your local comic book store on November 23rd, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive five-page preview for you!

About the issue:
The creepiest Spider-Story in years continues! Beset and beleaguered by the wicked power of DEMON BEAR, Peter Parker is having nightmares whenever he falls asleep and sometimes even when he hasn’t! Worse still, it’s making his time as Spider-Man even MORE difficult! But there’s no rest for a weary spider, and the web-slinger will have no choice but to dig in and hang on – unless he wants to meet a grizzly end! (Hah. Grizzly!)

The issue is by writers Taboo & B. Earl and artist Juan Ferreyra, with letters by Travis Lanham. The main cover is by Rahzzah.

Check out the DEADLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #2 preview below:

Did you pick up the first issue of DEADLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN? Sound off in the comments!

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In Conversation with Curt Pires on IT’S ONLY TEENAGE WASTELAND

By

Justin Munday

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November 16, 2022

From Olympia and Wyrd writer Curt Pires comes a delightfully fun and surprisingly deep teen-humor/sci-fi romp with It’s Only Teenage Wasteland. Joined by artist Jacoby Salcedo, Pires crafts a teen comedy with some surprise genre twists to make a comic story that has just as much heart as it does irreverent humor.

I sat down with Pires to talk about his process, his influences, and what working with his collaborators is like.

-MFR: What were some of your biggest influences – in any medium – going into creating this teenage comedy/apocalypse story?

-Pires: I was inspired by the hilarity of classic comedy coming-of-age movies like Superbad and the early 2000s Judd Apatow comedies, and combining that comedy with a serious grounded mystery box narrative, something akin to Lost. The idea of mashing up these two genres that typically don’t get mashed up appealed to me.

-MFR: Something that makes Wasteland so enjoyable is that its characterizations feel so genuine, which is something that is so hard for some writers to do when it comes to writing from the perspective of modern teenagers. What is your approach to writing these types of characters, and what are some elements you keep in mind?

-Pires: I think my approach to writing these characters was to pull from people that are near and dear to me in real life—real-life hilarious conversations, real-life human tics—and instill each character with a real-life relatability. All good character writing is grounded in humanism ultimately.

-MFR: Jacoby Salcedo absolutely kills the visual storytelling in this comic with his stellar character animations. How did you two come to work together, and what has the experience been like?

-Pires: Jacoby and I had a very close collaboration on this. Lots of going back and forth and ideating and refining ideas. It’s one of the best collaborations I’ve had in a while and we’re already figuring out what we are going to do next.

-MFR: How did the folks at Dark Horse help you bring Wasteland to life?

-Pires: Keeping the trains running and providing key infrastructure, but also getting out of the way at times and giving Jacoby and I room to create.

-MFR: Film and television have always been the home of slice of life teen stories (apocalypse notwithstanding). What about the comics medium sets itself apart to be able to tell this sort of story in a unique way?

-Pires: I really feel like comics are a medium not a genre. You can tell any story you want here. That’s sort of the magic of it.

-MFR: Do you think the genre twist in Teenage Wasteland allows you to explore your cast as characters in unique ways a slice of life wouldn’t? Or is it more about just making the book more fun?

-Pires: Exactly. You get to put them through a crucible of sorts—while still having the comedy and teen drama stuff. They’re still processing their feelings and this overwhelming metamorphosis of being a teenager when they’re thrust into this bigger scarier world.

Be sure to grab It’s Only Teenage Wasteland #1 from your local comic shop when it hits shelves on December 7th!

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Panel Breakdown: THE NEW GOLDEN AGE – Does One Thing Film Can’t

By

Matthew Sardo

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November 12, 2022

Panel Breakdown: THE NEW GOLDEN AGE - Does One Thing Film Can't

THE NEW GOLDEN AGE one-shot from DC Comics jit your local comic book store this week, and the book does something unique with time and art that you can not pull off in a movie. Very impressive.

The one-shot is written by Geoff Johns, with art by Diego Olortegui with JP Maher and Scott Hanna, Jerry Ordway, Steve Lieber, Todd Nauck, Scott Kollins, Viktor Bogdanovic, Brandon Peterson, and Gary Frank. The color work is by Nick Falardi, John Kalisz, Matt Herms, Jordan Boyd, and Brad Anderson. You will read Rob Leigh’s letter work.

About THE NEW GOLDEN AGE:
From the Justice Society of America to the Legion of Super-Heroes, The New Golden Age will unlock DC’s epic and secret-ridden history of heroism, launching a new group of titles set firmly in the DC Universe. From the 1940s to the 3040s, heroes take on the great evils of their time. But in the aftermath of Flashpoint Beyond, those heroes and villains will have their lives turned upside down. DC’s future…and its past…will never be the same again. But how are Mime and Marionette connected to this? Why are Rip Hunter and the Time Masters the most unlikable heroes in the DC Universe? And who or what is…Nostalgia? Don’t miss the start of the strangest mystery to have ever plagued the DC Universe.

Did you read THE NEW GOLDEN AGE?

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In Conversation With PLUSH Creators Doug Wagner and Daniel Hillyard

By

Justin Munday

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November 11, 2022

From Plastic and Vinyl creators writer Doug Wagner and artist Daniel Hillyard comes yet another blood-soaked and fetish-filled comics romp with Plush #1. Featuring colors from Rico Renzi and lettering by Ed Dukeshire.

I got so sit down once again with Wagner and Hillyard and talk about their influences, their process, and how Image handles the insanity they throw into their comics.

Thank you guys for sitting down to talk with me and congrats on yet another delightfully depraved creation.

MFR: For anyone who doesn’t know, your “Material” series at Image has taken us on a couple sprees of twisted and kinky blood-soaked murder. What made you two land on furry cannibalism this time around?

DOUG: To be honest, it’s all the fault of the muses, the universe, the sun god, the idea fairy… whomever or wherever you want to believe ideas come from. Daniel and I knew we wanted to do a third installment, but we had no idea what that was going to look like for what seemed like forever. I believe we were over halfway done with Vinyl when the idea struck. I was poking around the internet and bumped into a furry image that made me laugh, and felt that horror movie kind-of terrified all at the same time. The same week I was having a discussion with some friends and the topic of cannibalism came up…as it does…and it all just came together in one magical moment. I threw the idea at Daniel (mostly to make sure I wasn’t going too far), he said he loved it, and we took off from there.

DANIEL: I wonder if either one of us ever will have a story that goes too far? We always share our ideas with each other expecting that one of us might say it’s too crazy, bloody, or strange, but that’s never been the case…so far, at least.

MFR: Plastic and Vinyl both succeed by being a perfect mix of over-the-top gore and genuine heart. How do you maintain that formula, and is your approach any different when it comes to Plush?

DOUG: Well, thank you for saying that. We do our best, but it’s really just one big crazy experiment. You never really know if a story works or not until it comes out. Daniel and I do spend hours poring over every detail together, from the plot summary to the inks. We just hope and pray that if we like it, so will at least one other person.

DANIEL: Yes, thank you.

MFR: The mega-talented Rico Renzi is on board to provide colors in Plush. How has the creative process been with this new member of the Material team?

DOUG: Brilliant. I’ve known Rico for years and I always hoped we’d work together at some point. When Daniel and I started talking “neon horror,” we both immediately thought of Rico. Lucky for us, he was able to fit us into his schedule. He’s an absolute pro, so it’s been easy-peasy the whole way. His colors are always genius, he takes notes without even so much as a peep or sigh, and he’s always a blast to chat with.

DANIEL: I love Rico’s colors so much! It’s like Christmas morning every time I get to see a fresh batch of pages.

MFR: What were some of your biggest influences coming into Plush?

DOUG: This is always one of the toughest questions for me to answer, mostly because I want to say it’s every single comic, graphic novel, book, TV show, and movie I’ve ever consumed. I would have to admit each of the “Material” trilogy books were influenced by different aspects of all of those. With Plastic, I leaned more into horror and dark comedies. With Vinyl, it was horror and action films. With Plush, I’m going to say horror and romcoms. Yes, I said romcoms.

MFR: What is your guys’ creative process like for Plush? How much of the story comes straight from Doug’s scripts, and how much does Daniel add in when he sits down to draw?

DOUG: Like I said before, Daniel and I work pretty closely during every step of the process, so I see us as true co-creators. We kick things back and forth until we settle on something we both like. Sometimes Daniel has me change things in the script, and sometimes I ask for changes in his designs or layouts. The wonderful thing about working with Daniel is he always puts his ego aside. Like me, he only cares about telling the best possible story we can.

DANIEL: It’s like a tennis rally where we smack the story back and forth [laughs]. Like Doug said, having a great comic at the end of it is our drive. The good ideas stick around while the bad ones fall away.

MFR: How has working with the folks at Image been, and have they shown any signs of wear from publishing the insane stuff you guys make?

DOUG: LOL. I adore working with the folks at Image, but now you’ve got me worried. They haven’t shown any signs yet of wanting to kick us to the curb, so I can only assume they are just as disturbed as we are or they’re hiding it from us pretty well. I mean, I’m not the best at picking up on subtlety, so they could totally have me fooled. Do you think they’d tell me if I asked?

DANIEL: They are a pretty cool group. And I imagine they wouldn’t say.

MINISERIES PREMIERE Serial killing cannibalistic furries! PLASTIC and VINYL creators DOUG WAGNER and DANIEL HILLYARD are back. This time they’ve recruited colorist extraordinaire RICO RENZI for their disturbing “neon-horror” spin on fursuit psychopaths and bizarre love. In PLUSH Devin Fulcher is coerced into attending his first furry convention. When he accidentally happens upon a group of furries devouring a human the insanity begins. Do they just want Devin for dinner… or something much more wicked?

Be sure to put Plush on your pull list before its release on November 30th!

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Review: Storming the DC Universe in WILDC.A.T.S #1

By

Hank Essman

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“Oh, good. Superheroes.” curses masked gunslinger Grifter near the close of WildC.A.Ts #1. It might not seem like he has much room to talk. After all, Jim Lee’s Wildstorm imprint made a name for itself in the ’90s by combining superheroes with super-spy corporate espionage. But while the early comics leaned heavier on the superhero side of things (the “Covert Action Team” featured a giant purple bruiser and a man with a green ponytail and knife hands), an influx of British creators like Bryan Hitch, Warren Ellis, and Alan Moore began to move the characters towards trench coats, armor, and high concept sci-fi. By the time Ellis was tapped to oversee a reboot of the universe, costumes were dropped almost entirely for greater focus on conspiracy and intrigue. That project died from a mixture of missed deadlines and abuse allegations. So here we are back in the DC universe proper, with writer Matthew Rosenberg, artist Stephen Segovia, colorist Elmer Santos, and letterer Ferran Delgado, set to introduce the WildC.A.T.s to a new generation of readers. Let’s see how well the team gets along with the capes and spandex crowd.

The first mission the WildC.A.T.s are sent on is fairly straightforward: infiltrate a H.I.V.E. laboratory and kidnap a scientist. But said scientist has been performing fatal experiments on apes, so Grifter decides to kill him on the spot. Team leader Marlowe is less than pleased. Doubly so when Grifter gets into a barfight and lands himself in jail. Fearing the team is in over their heads, Marlowe decides to introduce a new member: Fairchild. But she’ll have to shape up fast if she’s going to help the Crisis Aversion Team survive a surprise run-in with superheroes and a different, mysterious order.

Matthew Rosenberg follows up on his Batman: Urban Legends stories by keeping Grifter as the main point of view. The character may not like the title “Grifter,” but Rosenberg’s characterization leans into the moniker. He’s a man who loves spinning tall tales, from exaggerated stories of his adventures to attempts to convince his enemies their employers are secret aliens. However, all his bravado comes with the baggage of trying to live up to his late older brother. Said sibling is the source of the tattered remains of a mask he drapes over his face, along with his nickname. It’s a looser, more comedic take on the character, which helps give the entire team a more rough-and-tumble, barely-holding-together vibe.

The other characters aren’t as established yet, which admittedly isn’t surprising for the first issue of a team book with such a large cast. But all the Grifter focus does take away from chances for the team to interact. Part of the fun of big team books is getting to see personalities bounce off one another. The first half of the issue gets some fun dynamics in, especially when Marlowe tries the shout down the relatively cool-headed Zealot and Deathblow. But the second half is mostly confined to radio chatter between Maxine and Grifter while the rest of the team quietly carries out their duties. The banter between the two got quite a bit of play during Batman: Urban Legends, so it’s hard not to wish we saw more of how other teammates felt about one another. Though again, this is a first issue. These aren’t insurmountable problems.

It was Wildstorm’s book The Authority that helped usher in the “Widescreen Comics” movement back in 1999, and Stephen Segovia’s art keeps the tradition alive with a focus on sweeping spectacle and long, vertically-stacked panels. It’s a slick-looking book, favoring a slightly thicker, black outline around key characters to help them pop out against the backdrop. It’s especially helpful since chaotic action is the name of the game here, the art’s cool, confident approach lending some nice contrast to the hectic bloodshed.

Adding to the vibe are Elmer Santos’ colors, which favor cool blues, purples, and pinks. Lamps and Streetlights all create blurry lens flares, cigarette smoke against the pink glow of the morning sky. It’s a look that feels somewhat inspired by the modern wave of neon-soaked action movies like John Wick or Drive, if not as exaggerated, which is a nice fit for the WildC.A.T.s brand of stylish action.

Ferran Delgado’s letters have a pricklier, more hand-drawn feel to the house style more typically used by the big two. Sometimes the word balloons get in on the act too, shouts get balloons with thick, scratchy outlines. Sound effects run the gamut from precise and blocky to rounded bubble letters to uneven brush strokes. Delgado has a chance to try out a lot of different styles here, and they help bring out the mayhem of the final fight.

VERDICT

WildC.A.T.s #1 is a promising start towards planting the C.A.T.s back in the DC universe. Hopefully, the characters will all get time to shine as the series continues, but Grifter’s strong presence, along with the fun action makes the book more than worth picking up. WildC.A.T.s #1 is out right now from DC comics, so give it a shot.

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Marvel Comics Exclusive Preview: WAKANDA #2 — M’Baku and the History of the Black Panthers

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

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November 10, 2022

marvel comics exclusive preview wakanda black panther

WAKANDA #2 hits your local comic book store on November 16th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!

About the issue:
M’Baku proves his worth! While T’Challa has been handling situations on Earth, M’Baku has acted as regent over the Intergalactic Empire. And when a foe from Wakanda’s past threatens to destroy its future, M’Baku will prove why the cosmos were entrusted to him. Plus, Evan Narcisse and Natacha Bustos’s definitive History Of The Black Panthers continues!

The issue features two stories: “Reverberations” is by writers Evan Narcisse & Adam Serwer and artist Ibraim Roberson, with colors by Andrew Dalhouse; “History of the Black Panthers” continues from WAKANDA #1, and is also written by Narcisse, with art by Natacha Bustos, and colors by Jordie Bellaire. Joe Sabino letters both stories, and the main cover is by Mateus Manhanini.

Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters this weekend on November 11th.

Check out the WAKANDA #2 preview below:

Are you seeing Black Panther: Wakanda Forever this weekend? Sound off in the comments!

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Review: IT’S LONELY AT THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH – Being Zoe Thorogood

By

Justin Munday

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From rising comics talent Zoe Thorogood (The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott, Rain) comes her deeply personal and impossibly creative autobiographical graphic novel creation in It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth. Running the gamut of human emotion with her narrative and reflecting upon Thorogood’s life via hyper-imaginative visuals, Center of the Earth feels like something we shouldn’t be allowed to read – but will come away thankful that we can.

“Cartoonist ZOE THOROGOOD records six months of her own life as it falls apart in a desperate attempt to put it back together again in the only way she knows how. IT’S LONELY AT THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH is an intimate metanarrative that looks into the life of a selfish artist who must create for her own survival.”

The Thorogood Method

So, normally I structure reviews by discussing the writing and visual elements of a comic separately and on their own merits, and how they interact with one another. That approach doesn’t work with It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth. Thorogood’s writing is so intertwined with her visual approach that the two are completely inseparable.

It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth is a tough book to talk about in terms of its storytelling approach because it doesn’t really have a structure. Thorogood covers this six-month span of her life while spinning into hyper-imaginative asides and flashbacks that give context to her thought process. This graphic novel’s intimate account of very personal experiences is another thing that makes the story tough to critique because it’s so, well, personal. Thorogood allows readers a first-hand look at her depression, past traumas, and intimate life interactions. There’s an inescapable feeling while reading Centre of the Earth that we shouldn’t be seeing this – like we’re opening Thorogood’s sock drawer and reading her diary. Similar to Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis, Thorogood illustrates her lowest moments alongside her greatest feats with seemingly no fear. This work’s greatest strength is how it balances levity and absurdity alongside the doldrums of normalcy – and the trenches of crippling depression. Thorogood’s choice to anthropomorphize the people she encounters in her life is very clever, and adds whimsy to some of the comic’s more delightful scenes. The humor – which always hits – feels that much better coming out of the bird-version of Thorogood’s best friend. One of my favorite scenes involves a convention and a little frog guy cackling like a goblin after Zoe draws him a picture. Most surprising though is just how much emotion she is able to wring out of these anthropomorphized figures. In true Bojack Horseman fashion, a boy with a cat’s head breaking off any possibility of romance somehow manages to be emotionally difficult to watch.

All of this is really just scratching the surface of what this graphic novel accomplishes – and just how deeply it delves into Thorogood’s personal life. Centre of the Earth is not a light read. As funny as this book often is, it’s matched by a very real bleakness due to Thorogood’s exploration of her own depression. For every belly laugh, there’s a heartbreak. While this is a warning about what readers will be getting into, it’s also an enthusiastic endorsement of how she discusses these complex issues. Her dialogue sensibilities and timing are stellar, feeling naturalistic while fitting into her dreamlike visualizations. Thorogood interweaves interaction and thought with her page structure to craft a reading experience that is both smooth and enrapturing. Her weakest moments are presented with a feeling of cold isolation, with dull grey colors and typically a plainer sequential style that slows down the reading pace. When Zoe dives deep into her own head is where the book – and her visual style – get immensely more creative. Any sort of panel and sequential structure is eschewed in favor of sheer imaginative depth. Thorogood blends so many artistic styles together – from her typical style to hyperrealism to simplified pencil sketches – to create something that is so uniquely hers. There are a couple moments where she actually incorporates photos into the book. This could easily be seen as overkill bordering on pretentiousness from other creators, but with this graphic novel’s tone and thematic feel, it’s a move that really works. Thorogood’s work here is the best example of a creation of something that is so wholly comics this year.

Zoe Thorogood’s It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth is a wondrous achievement as both an autobiographical discussion and as a piece of the comics medium. The skill and ingenuity of her visual storytelling approach is staggering and awe-inspiring. Thorogood’s courageous honesty is supported by her hilarious deadpan humor and then tied all together by her absolutely insane artistic vision. Centre of the Earth is an important work as a discussion of trauma, depression, and the hope that can keep one moving forward. This is an absolute must-read, and without a doubt one of the best comic creations of recent years.

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Exclusive Five-Page Preview: HIGHBALL #3

By

Matthew Sardo

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November 9, 2022

HIGHBALL #3 hits your local comic book store on November 16, but thanks to AHOY Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive five-page preview for our readers. The book is written by Stuart Moore, with art by Fred Harper, Lee Loughridge drops the colors, and you will read Rob Steen’s letter work.

About the book:
It’s a “Battle in the F***ing Trees” when Highball tries to return the remains of a dead bird-warrior to her home planet. Featuring more action, more angst, more alcohol, and more very, very bad decisions!

Enjoy the preview below.

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