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Review – Monstress Volume One

23rd June 2021

SUMMARY Monstress Volume One: Awakening, is the beginning of your new favourite horror fantasy series written by Marjorie Liu (comic book writer of Black Widow, Dark Wolverine and Astonishing X-Men) and illustrated by Sana Takeda (former designer for SEGA and illustrator for Ms. Marvel as well as X-23 alongside Liu). Game of Thrones meets Princess Mononoke meets Shadow of the Colossus meets Legend of Korra meets Dark Souls. All are limbs, mechanically Frankenstitched to a steampunk body to create something uniquely organic and memorable. In the aftermath of the war between the Cumaea, a council of power hungry humans and the magical hybrids known as the Arcanics, the Known World has become a wasteland for the inhumane with slavery and segregation at the helm. Maika Halfwolf, a half-breed girl and survivor of the war, hunts down the answers to her forgotten past and seeks to avenge her dead mother with a mysterious and gruesome entity by her side and a monstrous voice of reason in her mind. ART Firstly, Takeda has created the Western steampunk metropolis of Zamora, set against a gorgeous East Asian inspired backdrop. Think Legend of Korra but waaaaay darker! The artwork strikes a balance between supernatural levels of gritty realism– both in flesh and machine, and prophetic panels of menacing mythological minimalism. A masterclass in visualizing emotion on the surface in addition to the loose cogs of an industrial city. In contrast to the beautiful scenery and characters, this is a visceral and ugly story. I don’t know where Takeda gets her violent and horrifying inspiration from but it never ceased to contort and twist the nerves. As a well-seasoned veteran of bleak imagery myself, I appreciate the maturity especially when it is important and necessary…but good Goddess there is an abundance of darkness and terror here! WRITING It should be noted, with the comparisons to Game of Thrones and Tolkien’s Middle Earth in its ambitious worldbuilding, it is immediately daunting to intake yet another realm of characters, conflicts, races and rules. Thankfully however, much of the background history is explained through several lectures from the esteemed (and adorable) Professor Tam Tam. Review – Monstress Volume One continues below Truly, the worldbuilding as a whole is brilliantly executed, one line of dialogue in particular gave me chills with an inspiring and idealistic world view that I have never considered before. Perfectly descriptive of the history of this realm and how the current state of things has changed said history. All I’ll say is that it’s on page 96! Most importantly, with a generation changing rise in empowerment for our society, Monstress offers a heartwrenching journey that encapsulates the hardships and inner turmoil of all walks of life. Most notably in its overarching matriarchy and relatable diverse cast of characters as well as the bleak shadow of segregation. Additionally, its more subtle subtexts of mental health and the LGBT+ community offer a new chapter in the Hero’s Journey of inspiration to those battling their own monsters. Furthermore, there’s talking cats if you need a breather from the serious stuff. BALANCE! OVERALL To conclude, have you ever experienced something so visceral yet so versatile in its message that you are convinced you are in the presence of something monumental? That is the experience of reading Monstress Volume One: Awakening. This volume shoots high and breaks through the stratosphere of storytelling with a fiery sky of atmospheric artwork left in its trail. A masterpiece all on its own, that isn’t finished yet. Again, like The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings, this is a household treasure for fantasy fans that demands your annual immersion and guarantees itself to be a timeless classic. In a time of sharing the spotlight with ethnic minorities, empowering feminism and overall evolving as human beings, this comic is in a word, essential. [yasr_multiset setid=1] [yasr_visitor_multiset setid=1] Let us know in the comments your thoughts on our Review of Monstress Volume One the series as a whole with as little spoilers as possible please and if you’d like to see a TV or Film adaption of the series! Buy tickets for BGCP Comic Con in and around Glasgow Scotland – BUY TICKETS Check out all of our Comic, Movie, Television and Videogame Reviews HERE and our Podcasts/Interviews HERE If you want to be part of the BGCP community, Join us on Discord, Twitter, Instagram etc then click HERE

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Review – Hawkeye (2012)

15th June 2021

Review – Hawkeye (2012) Writer: Matt Fraction Primary Artist: David Aja Artists/Illustrators: Javier Pulido, Annie Wu, Alan Davis, Jesse Hamm, Steve Lieber, Francesco Francavilla Publisher: Marvel Comics Release Date: August 01, 2012 INTRODUCTION: Skilled archer, assassin, ninja, Avenger, all things that Clint Barton A.K.A. Hawkeye USED to be. After experiencing everything from the likes of leading his own Avengers branch in West Coast Avengers to death by Bendis in Avengers: Dissasembled, Barton has been through the ringer. But just because there’s a fresh new Hawkeye on the scene in Kate Bishop, that doesn’t mean good old Clint’s gonna get replaced…right!? Well… contrary to Barton’s track record with women, Clint Barton and Kate Bishop do make an excellent team as their archery skills are unmatched by anyone except for each other. Even though their lives aren’t exactly filled with all the glamor and pizzazz as your average Iron Man or Captain America, this duo of purple archers make a strangely perfect team. Yep! As for these heroes, their base of operations is none other than a busy city apartment building. Because nothing says teamwork like mysterious carpet stains and rooftop barbecues! In fact, due to a strange turn of events, Clint quickly finds himself in ownership of the building in order to keep rent from forcing the residents out into the streets. But things aren’t all sunshine and roses as Barton’s new trek into the world of being a landlord brings with it the attention of a particularly stubborn russian “tracksuit mafia.” And you know it’s gonna get crazy when a clown assassin knocks on that front door! STORY: This 22 issue story stars two purple-wearing personalities and their unique dynamic, but is in many ways about the community that revolves around the apartment they live in. Each resident of the apartment complex is a part of the building’s day to day life and provides meaningful relationships with Clint. A man seemingly stuck in-between the life of a superhero and the lives of the people, not being able to fully integrate into either group. Clint does however find himself a new friend in Lucky, the pizza-loving’ dog that he saves from the ever-persistent “bros” that make up the tracksuit mafia. Kate on the other hand is a hotshot newbie with everything to prove and nothing to do..except sit and bicker with Clint of course! So as she continues to show off her sharpshooting skills, she eventually decides to head out on her own and do some private eye detective work. Kate finds herself driving all the way across America to California with the heart and soul of the team, Lucky, at her side. Kate’s journey to California and her adventures, there are ones that both differentiates the character that she took her superhero name from as well as showing the importance and uniqueness of their relationship. Kate’s relationship with Hawkeye is in no way romantic and doesn’t follow the roles of a master and a pupil. But rather a dynamic that works off of each others best and worst aspects and they always know that at the end of the day they have each other as a shoulder to lean on. ART: David Aja primarily fills the role of artist throughout the series. But throughout the story, especially in Kate-centric issues, a variety of different authors take up the task. Aja does a great job at making his work unique and his art style is clearly a large part of what makes this book stand out. Aja is particularly excellent at visual storytelling and constantly finds unique ways to tell a story through his illustrations. In many ways, Aja’s work is the biggest treat of the entire book. His creative ideas translate perfectly to the characters. These noteworthy accomplishments include an issue seen entirely from the perspective of Lucky, using simplistic but instantly recognizable symbols that shifts the perspective of the story into the eyes of the fan-favorite dog. In the second half of the story, Fraction introduces a new element in the story for Barton’s character, leaving him temporarily deafened right after the introduction of his even more washed-up than him brother. This leads us to see how a current event relates to something in the Barton family past, and shows how much Clint has grown in that time. Aja uses this opportunity to show a completely unique type of storytelling, leaving out almost all dialogue in the entire issue except for the use of sign language throughout. Leaving the reader to try to understand the things that are being said purely through the gestures and portrayals within the art. All the other artists included also do a great job at contributing their own skills to the book. While I personally may be more keen to some art styles than others, each one shows a side of the characters in a unique way that usually depicts a brand new experience in a brand new landscape for Hawkeye and co. The changes to the artwork is mostly used when Kate Bishop is on her own adventures and really differentiates her story as a unique contribution to the overarching narrative. OVERALL: As a huge fan of the Hawkeye character, this series has been a real treat. Clint Barton specifically is a character that isn’t as prominent in the mainstream as many of his fellow Avengers. So when a series comes along starring the Avenging Archer, it’s gotta really stand out to reach the demographic it can reach when at it’s fullest potential. And this series has seemed to do just that. Hawkeye by Matt Fraction is a series that is hard for an avid Marvel comics reader to avoid considering how well received it truly has been. Ever since it’s release it has gained a large following and is known for being a modern classic among the Marvel fanbase. I believe that this praise is completely earned. And if anything is deserving enough to be considered a “character-defining run”, its Matt

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The Dark Knight Review: Why It Is A 2008 Masterpiece

28th February 2026

Searching for a definitive The Dark Knight review to see if Christopher Nolan’s epic still holds the crown? Since its release in 2008, this film hasn’t just remained a fan favorite—it has become the gold standard for the entire genre. While modern hits like The Batman have tried to capture its grit, our The Dark Knight review explores why this crime epic remains untouchable in 2026. The Plot: An Intense Dark Knight Review of Gotham The story follows Batman (Christian Bale), Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) as they form an alliance to dismantle organized crime in Gotham. However, their efforts are sabotaged by a chaotic new criminal mastermind known as The Joker (Heath Ledger). As we dive deeper into this The Dark Knight review, it’s clear the film is a high-stakes crime thriller. The opening bank heist sets a tone of realism that was unheard of for comic book movies at the time. The Joker doesn’t want money; he wants to prove that under pressure, everyone is as “ugly” as he is. Heath Ledger: The Performance That Changed Everything In any The Dark Knight review, Heath Ledger is the undisputed center of gravity. His Oscar-winning portrayal of the Joker wasn’t just “good acting”—it was a seismic shift in pop culture. Ledger famously isolated himself for weeks to develop the character’s unique, high-pitched “glass-shredding” voice and manic tics. From the “pencil trick” to his chillingly calm interrogation by Batman, Ledger transformed the Joker from a “clown” into a philosophical force of nature. Even in 2026, his performance remains the benchmark that no other villain has quite reached. Christian Bale: From Cult Star to Global Icon While Ledger stole the headlines, we have to look at how Christian Bale used this film to become a global superstar. Before 2008, Bale was respected for cult hits like American Psycho, but The Dark Knight proved he could carry the biggest movie in the world. Bale’s Bruce Wayne provided the emotional weight that allowed Ledger’s Joker to shine. His physical dedication—rebuilding his body after The Machinist—became the blueprint for the modern “superhero transformation.” After this film smashed the $1 billion mark, Bale wasn’t just an actor; he was a box-office titan. The Long Halloween Review Gear Up: Must-Have Gear After Our Dark Knight Review If our The Dark Knight review has you ready to return to Gotham, check out these top-rated items on Amazon: Final Verdict: Wrapping Up Our Dark Knight Review To wrap up this The Dark Knight review, Christopher Nolan didn’t just make a Batman movie; he made a cinematic masterpiece that transcends the genre. It is a haunting exploration of order vs. chaos that remains as relevant today as it was in 2008. Final Score: 10/10

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Review – New Avengers: Breakout

22nd December 2025

Review – New Avengers: Breakout Publisher: Marvel Comics Writer: Brian Michael Bendis Penciller: David Finch Inker: Danny Miki Colourist: Frank D’Armata Letterer: Albert Deschesne Release Date: August 17th 2005 When I was asked to go back and write a review for New Avengers: Breakout, I was initially excited by the prospect of getting to revisit this book. When I first read the TPB, I really enjoyed what Brian Michael Bendis did with the story and appreciated the way that he gave the Avengers comics a much-needed soft reboot. Seven years down the line from when I first read it, it unfortunately has not aged particularly well. Upon reading it for the first time, my favourite part of the story was the titular breakout sequence that takes place across the first two issues included in the book. This is still the case today upon re-reading the TBP. Whilst it is a fairly contrived situation, with the obvious foreshadowing of Foggy Nelson worrying about a breakout coming across as painfully obvious foreshadowing, the breakout sequence is fun. The action that takes place in this segment of the book is well-written and the rap-sheet style character briefs that are shown alongside the appearance of each major villain are cool. It is also a fascinating situation to see Matt Murdoch to be caught in, as a prison is a very bad place for a prosecuting lawyer to be during a prison break. Unfortunately, this is the only part of the book that I enjoyed re-reading for a second time. After the prison break takes place, the pace of the story grinds to a halt and then crawls very slowly to the end of the sixth issue. It felt so aimless and meandering whilst reading through it and I was constantly checking how much longer I still had to go before the book was done. This is never a good sign for a comic book story. The plot following the straightforward breakout sequence is also far more unnecessarily convoluted than it ever had to be. This is even referenced in the dialogue, when Spiderman quips at one point that he has “no idea what is going on, more so than usual!” Pointing out how overly confusing and messy your story is doesn’t make up for writing a convoluted mess of a plot Bendis. There is also an unfortunate section of the book where the male members of the team gawk at Spider-Woman after she suits up for the first time. It is fairly brief, but in a post me-too era, the panels haven’t aged particularly well at all. The lingering panel on Spider-Woman’s detailed physique in her skin-tight costume feels particularly off-putting and sleazy. In terms of the book’s artwork, I enjoyed David Finch’s pencils for the most part. I thought that the way that Jigsaw was drawn looked awesome, there was a particularly striking splash page of Carnage appearing behind foggy during the breakout sequence that I enjoyed and I thought that the Quinjet looked really cool in this book. That being said, there were certain panels where I was not a huge fan of how Steve Rodgers’ face was drawn. Some of his expressions looked somewhat goofy and even when he wasn’t being overly expressive, I wasn’t into the way that his features were drawn. Some of his poses also bend the laws of what is biologically possible. I also felt that there were some questionable colour choices on Frank D’Armata’s part. I usually enjoy D’Armata’s work, but not so much in this book. There was one page in particular that showed Daredevil in his full red costume standing in front of a red sky that was a very similar shade of red to The Man Without Fear’s costume. This meant that the character didn’t really stand out on the page, as the background colour was so similar to the costume’s colour. Overall, I was fairly disappointed upon revisiting New Avengers: Breakout for review. I wish that this wasn’t the case, but unfortunately this book simply did not stand up to the test of time in my eyes. It felt very dated at points and confusing and boring in others. This is probably my least favourite Brain Michael Bendis story that I’ve revisited recently for review.

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Bram Stoker’s Dracula

22nd December 2025

SUMMARY Bram Stoker’s Dracula is the graphic novelization of the virtuosic Francis Ford Coppola film adaption by the same name. A tale as old as time of transcendental terror and tragic temptation, resurrected by legendary comic titan, Roy Thomas, and reimagined through the eyes of the Hellboy visionary, Mike Mignola. For those unfamiliar with the story, it’s like Bridget Jones’ Diary but with vampires. Yeah, I said it. Who is Mina gonna hook up with in the end? ART First and foremost, and I cannot stress this enough, Mike Mignola was born to adapt Bram Stoker’s Dracula, especially the Coppola film. When rewatching the film in preparation for the graphic novelization, it was as if I was experiencing an inverse adaption. As if Coppola had brought Mignola’s artwork to life on the big screen in an alternate but believable reality. This was before I had even opened the novel. Much of the beauty and brilliance of the film stems from the paranormal performance from Gary Oldman as Count Dracula. While the art ironically mirrors his likeness – as well as the other members of the cast, the subtleties and tension of his scenes are lost when confined to the stoic panels of a comic book. Nyberg and Chiarello’s use of colour and shadows differs from Coppola’s film slightly but takes the setting to surprisingly familiar places. Where the film is dynamic and subtle in its use of lighting and colour, the graphic novel goes all out with bright and vibrant colours – especially the prime colours of blue, red and yellow, mixed with enclosing shrouds of darkness. Harkening back to the classic Hammer House of Horror films. WRITING It goes without saying that with a graphic novelisation of a film, the story will be drastically condensed so to balance the adaption with consistency and engagement, and rightly so; quality over quantity. That being said, with this adaption there are both pros and cons to that structure. Some notable quotables have been omitted from the dialogue like the fan favourite line “bloody wolves chasing me through some blue inferno!”. This however, is for good reason. Worse than Keanu’s delivery is the blue inferno effect itself so it makes sense to extinguish that flame. Conversely on the other hand, several alterations have been made to iconic lines. Most notably, “I never drink…wine.” has been replaced with the original novel’s “I do not sup.”. Kudos are in order for subverting the expectation while maintaining integrity, but it just doesn’t have the same finesse. Narratively, the passage of time is noticeably thinner than the film. A maddening month in Castle Dracula in this case feels more like a weekend whirlwind that is over before it even starts. Some more time building tension between Harker & Dracula would serve the retelling well as it is the unbeating heart of the bloodsucker bible. OVERALL The graphic novel is the obedient familiar Renfield to the masterful Dracula film adaption. A truly inspired and faithful work of art. Any issues I have with the novel are more nitpicky than damning critiques and said nitpicks come off as artistic choices as opposed to objective mistakes. You can see the seeds of this adaption in Mignola’s Hellboy: Blood & Iron, an animated film featuring the real-life Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory. I half expected Hellboy to show up here and I wouldn’t be disappointed. Unquestionably, a treasured piece of fiction for fans of the Coppola film as well as the artwork and writing of Mike Mignola and Roy Thomas that is sure to quench a thirsty bloodlust!

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Review – Haunt of Horror: Lovecraft #1-3

22nd December 2025

Review – Haunt of Horror: Lovecraft #1-3 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Richard Corben Artist: Richard Corben Letters: Jeff Eckleberry Release Date: November 5 2008 Master illustrator and comic book artist Richard Corben’s Haunt of Horror: Lovecraft is a respectful take on Howard Philips Lovecraft’s unsettling poems and short stories. Corben, who passed away just last December, lends his signature style to Lovecraft’s oeurve while retaining the original tone of ethereal weirdness. Story Corben maintains the simple language Lovecraft favored, and things are only changed if the new format necessitates it. For example, in ‘Dagon’, the fish-men materialize and conduct a ritual whereas they were originally described through the pictograms seen on the ‘Cyclopean monolith’. ‘The Canal’ features two black homosexual men, in effect updating Lovecraft, who is infamous for his racist sentiments, for the 21stcentury. The original poems and stories are tacked at the end of each adaptation, which is incredibly useful for realising the restraint in the changes masterfully applied by Corben. It is an accepted axiom that approaching anything Lovecraftian with conventional expectations of story and plot might lead you down the very same kind of madness you’re reading about. Just kidding, however you will be terribly disappointed though. To read HoH:L is to wander down dark streets which inevitably lead to turns into even darker corners. Eventually, something is revealed, but not enough to give you a full picture. It’s almost as if we mere human beings just can’t fathom the full breadth of the what we’re supposed to be paying witness to… and then the story ends. Lack of resolution on this scale repeated at the frequency that only a collection of Lovecraft tales could rouse leads to hefty feelings of disorientation and unease. Suffice it to say that Corben does a wonderful job converting the short stories and poems into the graphic novel format. Art It is no easy feat illustrating stories and poems that seldom extend beyond a single page, but Corben had some prior experience, having done Haunt of Horror: Edgar Allan Poe in 2006. Black and white with gray tones is the name of the game here, with Corben managing to expand the oft-sparse and abstract ideas presented by Lovecraft in his poems into something that threatens to jump off the page and into the real world of the reader. Given the notoriously difficult relations that Lovecraft and cosmic horror in general has to the big screen, Corben’s mono style lends a noir-ish cinematic feel to the Lovecraft yarns that is at once eerie and dreamlike, with many frames recall the nocturnal and creepy works of Junji Ito. Overall, Richard Corben honors the Lovecraft style whilst allowing his own distinct voice to be felt, both in the writing and the illustrations, which is a triumph. Additionally, the extension of the source text into something at once visually unique and confounding make this collection of three short stories and six poems stand out amidst the plethora of Lovecraft adaptations. If you enjoyed our Review of Haunt of Horror: Lovecraft #1-3 then leave a comment below or leave your own rating if you’ve already read it.

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Review – Justice League (2017)

22nd December 2025

Review – Justice League (2017) Directed by: Zack Snyder (but really Joss Whedon) Produced by: Charles Roven & Deborah Snyder Written by: Zack Snyder, Joss Whedon and Chris Terrio Starring: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Ray Fisher, and Ezra Miller Release Date: November 17th 2017 (UK) Last Friday, a movie dropped that most comic book fans have been hotly anticipating for the last few decades; Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Regardless of what you may think of the Snydercut, it is hard to deny that the fact that it was actually made and put out is a significant turn of events within the movie industry. A lot has already been said about the precedent that it sets for the sway that fan campaigns could have over movies going forward, but that is a whole other conversation for another time. Instead, in this review for Justice League, I want to look at the theatrical cut of the film. Finished off by Joss Whedon after Zack Snyder had to abandon the project due to a personal family tragedy and put out into the world in 2017, the original cut of this film took somewhat of a beating upon release. I remember seeing it at the time and being unimpressed, but also not finding it offensively bad either. I re-watched it recently for this review to help discern the major differences between this cut and the Snydercut and it there is no denying that it is certainly a very different movie. This movie had a lot going against it going in; to start with, there was the previously mentioned replacement of its director mid-production. There was a large amount of pressure put on the film by fans to be as good as Whedon’s other major superhero team up movie; The Avengers. It also acted as the follow up to the critical disappointment that was Dawn of Justice, with the studio scrambling to claw back some of the goodwill from fans and critics through weird marketing choices, in the hope that at the very least, Justice League could at least be a commercial success. Lastly, there is also the fact that comic book fans had been waiting for decades to see the Justice League appear on the big screen, so that alone brings a fair amount of pressure with it. All of this combined meant that Justice League had a lot to live up to. With all of this said, even after seeing the far superior Snydercut of the movie, Justice League is still just an okay movie. It is by no means a great piece of cinema, but its fine. It is certainly not the worst film in the DCEU; I’m not sure whether that says more about Justice League 2017 or the DCEU as a whole, but I’ll leave that for you to ponder. The first half of the 2017 cut is extremely choppy and unfocused and feels more like a grab bag of scenes cut together to resemble a story rather than any sort of coherent story. Then the last half of the movie plays it incredibly safe and plays out exactly how you would predict. There are no surprises or twists and then the credits roll and half heartedly set up a potential sequel, which is fairly laughable knowing what we know now about the utter failure that was Warner Brothers attempting to force the DCEU into becoming a significant part of superhero pop-culture. In terms of reviewing Justice League 2017, there isn’t really much to talk about; which is disappointing. Although Batman V Superman left a great deal to be desired as far as being a decent comic book movie, it at least gave all of us plenty to talk about. The cast are alright, I enjoyed seeing Affleck as Batman as I always do and I love his chemistry with Alfred in both cuts of this movie. Cavill puts in a decent Superman performance if you can get by that extremely dodgy CGI upper lip. Gal Gadot is great as Wonder Woman, Ray Fisher does fine in his greatly reduced role as Cyborg and Jason Momoa’s Aquaman is pretty one-dimensional, because the DCEU’s Aquaman is written to be remarkably one-dimensional in every film he appears in. Ezra Miller is annoying but clearly supposed to be the comic relief in the film. JK Simmons is wasted as Jim Gordon, but it’s nice to see Amy Adams in a reduced role here. I don’t hate Amy Adams, but I have never been a fan of her portrayal as Lois Lane and surprisingly, she actually serves a purpose in this film, as opposed to pondering about with a camera looking surprised. The SFX varies greatly, with some really impressive visual effects and some that look like absolute garbage and could have been handled better. Something else that could have been handled far better was the resurrection of Superman. As a long time comic book fan and knowing the significance of this plot point in the comics, it feels extremely rushed and half-hearted by comparison in this film. Overall, it’s not the worst movie in the world; it’s not even the worst movie in this universe, but really it should have been far better than it is. The Justice League movie should have been so much better than, ‘just okay,’ It’s crazy to think that this film released just a month after Thor: Ragnarok, and managed to be significantly worse than the third sequel to one of the least popular Avengers’ solo films. Justice League should have blown a Thor movie out of the water, both commercially and critically, yet here we are.

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Review – Hellboy vs Lobster Johnson: The Ring of Death

4th February 2026

Review – Hellboy vs Lobster Johnson: The Ring of Death Written by Mike Mignola & Chris Roberson Art by Mike Norton & Paul Grist Published by Dark Horse Comics Released in May, 2019 SUMMARY Hellboy vs Lobster Johnson: The Ring of Death is written by Mike Mignola. Hellboy and fellow B.P.R.D. agent Victor Koestler decide to kick back from their usual paranormal investigations to watch some late-night TV on the couch. What should air but Hellboy himself facing off against Mexico’s Lobster Johnson in an old-fashioned superhero flick. Despite sharing a screen with a supposed idol, Hellboy has mixed feelings and is reluctant to watch it for some reason… ART The black and white film’s presentation is undoubtedly paying homage to the late great Luchador El Santo and his films of the 60s and 70s. Mike Norton’s tweener artwork is a fitting accompaniment to Mignola’s fun but gritty story, creating an overall blissful package. Hellboy, a literal spawn from Hell, dressed up in a Problem Child-like Devil costume is both hilarious and truly wholesome. As if the boyhood dream of engaging his idol has come true. WRITING While not deep in its number of pages, the lore of the comic is actually a major part of the Mignolaverse with some kayfabe elements surrounding it. The Ring of Death is but one of many faux Lobster Johnson films with a Mexican actor portraying the titular character. Guillermo del Toro himself was rumoured to direct a remake of this film…in the Mignolaverse, as in a fictional del Toro! It’s a headache inducing character to research but a welcome one to be sure. The Ring of Death is revealed in the post credit-like comic, Down Mexico Way, to be a drunken Hellboy escapade during his time in Mexico which explains his reluctance to relive the events. The beauty and real story is in the minor details. Dialogue is over the top and hoaky just as it should be for this storyline, Scorsese couldn’t have written better dialogue than this. OVERALL In conclusion, this is a neat little tongue in cheek comic to own, its only reason for existing seems to be to pay homage to the luchador El Santo. More so, it just has fun with beloved characters. Who wouldn’t wanna chill with Hellboy while watching some TV? Presented as a joke that everyone is in on, it’s simply harmless and inclusive collectable. While I enjoyed the comic, I wouldn’t go out of my way to purchase it. It’s best as a Free Comic Book Day offering to diehard fans of Hellboy and Mike Mignola. Drop a rating below on our Review of Hellboy vs Lobster Johnson: The Ring of Death.

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Review – Marvel’s Alien #1

22nd December 2025

Review – Marvel’s Alien #1 Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson Art by Salvador Larroca & Guru-eFX Published by Marvel Released – March, 2021 SUMMARY Marvel’s Alien #1 is the debut of a brand-new comic series written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and brought to you by Marvel (thanks to Disney). The year is 2200. Weyland-Yutani employee, Gabriel Cruz, is sent home after a lifetime of servitude to the controversial company so he can reunite with his family. All the while, he battles a recurring nightmare of his haunted past with help from a counselling Bishop android. Back on Earth, he finds that home life comes with its own haunted past. ART The hyper focused art style and dynamic colour palettes of modern Marvel comics lends itself beautifully to the Alien franchise. With Larocca nailing the crucial queues of fear that arise in the presence of a Xenomorph and Guru-eFX showcasing a different kind of virtuosic darkness in their varied blends of colour and shading, the artwork in this comic will be embedded in the minds of all who dare to take a peek. Despite being a mostly dormant R rated comic to begin with – focussing more on the tense setup of Alien as opposed to the guns-a-blazing Aliens, we do see droplets of the crimson rain in a few panels that is sure to pour as the series continues. In the mean-time, there is more than enough dripping horror squeezed out of this one comic. WRITING First and foremost, the opening monologue immediately reminds you that this is not for the faint of heart. This isn’t just a thrilling comic, this is a flashback to your first paralyzing experience of Xenomorphobia. You’ll be reluctantly turning pages with a sweated palm over your eyes. The dialogue throughout comes off naturally with great readability and emotion, especially between main characters. I believe every word and relate to every breath. Without revealing too much, Johnson has set up a twisted twisty plot with characters you are actually going to care about which is a welcome inclusion. Personally, I love all the characters in the franchise, Covenant is my favourite of the films! With the potential for emotional attachment, there is sure to be added tension when stakes are raised. OVERALL Don’t let the combination of Alien and Disney sour your appetite just yet, this series is shaping up to be an absolutely dramatic and traumatic addition to the Alien franchise. From parasitic corporate politics to pseudo-sexual scenes of symbolism, the themes of the franchise are all on show in Marvel’s Alien #1. Finally, and most importantly, we have a new cat mascot in the Alien lore! His name is Stubs and his fur is black so witches will adore him and I would die for Stubs. I need a Stubs & Jonesy spin-off series on Disney+ ASAP! While you’re at it, add the Alien Queen to the list of princesses. She’s earned it! [yasr_multiset setid=1]

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Review – Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice

23rd June 2021

Review – Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice Directed by: Zack Snyder Produced by: Charles Roven & Deborah Snyder Written by: David S. Goyer & Chris Terrio Starring: Ben Affleck & Henry Cavill Release Date: March 25th 2016 A lot has happened since this movie first released half a decade ago. We have lived through the explosive fan backlash to the original cut, had an ultimate cut blu-ray release that fixed some of the theatrical cut’s problems, suffered through a watered down, colour-graded sequel from Joss “Brunch,” Whedon, finally surviving a worldwide pandemic and witnessing a monumental online campaign to get to see Zack Snyder’s untainted vision of an epic superhero team-up blockbuster that is mostly free from studio meddling. So really what is left to say? Well in the wake of the Snydercut being released, I revisited the theatrical cut of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice for review and realised that I do still have a lot to say about the film. First off, let me give you some context regarding the complex relationship that I have with this movie. For the last eight years I have been reading and collecting comics to an obsessive level and it is actually predominately because of this movie. I have always been a superhero fan (especially Batman,) and I had read some comics in my youth, but when this movie was announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2013, (8 years ago!!) I was so hyped that I decided that I had to read the comic that this film was taking inspiration from. So I went to my local A1 Comics and bought The Dark Knight Returns, which underwhelmed me but that’s another story. Since then I have become a huge comic book fan due to this movie. So clearly I have a personal attachment to the film. Which means I went in seriously wanting to love it and what was not to love here? It would have been so difficult to get this wrong. It is Batman fighting Superman on the big screen, how amazing is it that this actually happened? And yet somehow they still managed to royally screw it up… Do you read? You will. And then realise how superior the comic that this film is based on is to the actual movie itself, (and I’m not even a massive fan of the source material.) I revisited 10 Cloverfield Lane this week for review and while that movie isn’t perfect, what makes that film great is exactly what makes BvS subpar. 10CL had a small team of people working on a restrictive budget, so every aspect of the movie was scrutinised and perfected to make up the end product and that attention to detail really paid off. BvS had a huge budget and a massive team of people working on it and I think that is what gives the movie it’s unfocused and sloppy feel. The script is a mess, there are clearly scenes cut, the editing is jarring, not all of the performances were up to scratch and while the imagery and visuals are incredible, the best way to describe this movie is all style and no substance. I like Zack Snyder, I love his Watchmen movie, I like 300 and I enjoyed Man of Steel, but I can’t help but feel that this was his fault. His decision to make years of comic book stories into one two and a half hour movie honestly baffles me. The events of this movie should have taken place over at least three movies. This movie really is all over the place and the pace and tone are random at best. Let’s talk about the best part of the movie, which is quite easily Ben Affleck’s Batman and Jeremy Irons’ Alfred. Seeing the two characters and their chemistry are worth the ticket price of the film alone. This is probably the most faithful to the source material Batman that we have had on the big screen to date, except for one pretty major change. Batman in DoJ is pretty much Punisher in a cowl. During the Batmobile chase he questionably kills some goons. I mean, some of them could have survived… If they had Wolverine’s healing powers I guess? But then there is that badass warehouse scene that we all remember fondly during which, he near enough shoots some guys himself. If you can get over this and see this as an alternate version of Batman you should be able to appreciate Affleck’s performance though, which by the way is amazing, he knocks it out of the park. I would have liked some kind of reference to it, even a scene where he discusses breaking his code with Alfred, just a few lines would have made me get on board with this version of the character a lot quicker. Critics have been calling Henry Cavill’s Superman performance wooden for years now, but I have always felt that is too harsh. He was perfectly serviceable in this movie but he was never going to be praised for his memorable performance either. Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman is a standout, my only complaint is that she isn’t in the movie enough as Wonder Woman. Jesse Eisenberg is the stand out worst performance in the movie. It isn’t necessarily a bad performance, it just does not fit that character at all. He was truly miscast here, if they had cast him as Riddler in the Batman solo movie and he put in this performance I would be praising him like mad. Lex Luthor shouldn’t be crazy on a surface level, he should be a respectable businessman and an intellectual force to be reckoned with and he will go out of his way to ensure that this is what everyone sees him as. It should only ever be the people closest to him that that he allows to see him crack. He certainly shouldn’t be making strange noises and gestures like someone with Tourette’s

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