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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

22nd December 2025

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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Review – Invincible: Eight is Enough

23rd June 2021

Review – Invincible: Eight is Enough Written by: Robert Kirkman Pencils by: Cory Walker, Ryan Ottley, Matt Roberts, Mark Englert, Dave Johnson, Cliff Rathburn Inks by: Cory Walker, Ryan Ottley, Tony Moore, Erik Larsen, Dave Johnson, Cliff Rathburn Letters by: Robert Kirkman Colors by: Bill Crabtree Release Date: December 12, 2006 Check out our review of Invincible Vol 1 Family Matters here. Introduction If this is your first foray into Invincible, I do recommend going back and reading the first six issues found in Family Matters. It’s a solid origin story that lays the groundwork for the rest of the series. Invincible is a 144 issue long superhero comic series created by Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker, published by Image Comics. Amazon Prime has licensed the comic for an animated series adaptation. Kirkman does a really good job, with Invincible, of writing comics in a way that works not only as stand alone issues, smaller trade paperback chunks, but also as the story overall. He might be the very best at balancing consistent, long form storytelling in the comics medium. Volume 2, Eight is Enough continues the story of our titular hero, as the son of renowned superhero Omni-Man. While continuing with those characters, Eight is Enough begins to broaden the world with more characters and a broader scope. This volume introduces us to Allen the Alien and the Guardians of the Globe, both of which are important going forward. We’re also shown that the book exists in the larger Image Comics universe, with appearances from the likes of Super Patriot and Savage Dragon. Story This second volume is where you really start to see what makes Invincible special. The pacing is still a little slow and it doesn’t feel like a lot happens, just some big things. Even in the first issue though, you start with what seems like a standard slugfest until the characters start asking questions. These subversions of comic book tropes are a hallmark of the book. It ends up being painfully clever and I can’t not appreciate how much care went into writing these moments. Kirkman also starts to show off his skills at sprinkling in little moments that he plans on paying off later. There’s a grounded nature to the series, either in how they handle relationships or small things like not ignoring that a high school kid has homework. The conversations Mark has with his friends feel genuine for kids their age, where they’ll just have a rant about something like shortening names. Much like how in The Walking Dead Kirkman could sell you a zombie comic where you didn’t see zombies for multiple issues, I could read issues with these characters not throwing a single punch. Thankfully they don’t let up on the action that much though. The Guardians of the Globe are a great parody piece. The small little snippets we get into their lives are pretty entertaining and feel like just the right amount. The twist at the end of Chapter Three gives the book a serious dose of spice and gives the reader endless questions. It’s not that dissimilar from the twist Kirkman delivers in early Walking Dead and defines the book similarly. This is followed up by a lesser cliffhanger at the end of Chapter Four that’s still exciting enough to keep you wondering. Review – Invincible: Eight is Enough continues below Art If you read the intro in the book, Erik Larsen tells us that Cory Walker was having trouble keeping up with the pace of a monthly book. This leads to some friends coming in to do some guest spots on issue 3. After that Ryan Ottley comes on to do issue 4. So the book gets a decent variety of art to compare. We’re introduced to a lot of fabulous new character designs in this book, from the Guardians, to Allen, to Science Dog, and that’s one of the strongest aspects of the Invincible series, in my opinion. These designs carry into the rest of the series and they help define the world. Review – Invincible: Eight is Enough continues below The guest spots are primarily for The Guardians of the Globe slots and they’re pretty fun. It’s a nice change of pace and gives each of the characters a little extra personality. Cory’s work in the book is better here than in volume 1, particularly when it comes to facial detail. The fight with Allen is really pretty with the space contrast behind them. The design for the attacker from the college campus is inspired and creepy. There’s consistent elements throughout the book, but it’s all kind of average. Ultimately I think you can tell that the pace wasn’t working. The splash pages are great but the smaller panels and quieter moments in the first couple issues do struggle sometimes. All that said, when Ryan joins the book for Chapter Four, it clicks. The book takes on a personality that he will carry forward into the rest of the series. Cory’s designs are crucial for the start of this saga but Ryan’s art fits the book so well and looks so smooth. I think a lot of this goes back to Cory Walker’s comfort level with a monthly title. Ryan Ottley’s work on four comes across like more traditional superhero art. That style works so well for the universe Kirkman and Walker built. Overall Eight is Enough is another solid chunk of story in the Invincible universe. It’s an improvement on the first volume and better in many ways. It’s only four issues, though, and in that it does feel like it does less overall than the first version. It does meander a bit, especially as it stops to introduce us to the Guardians of the Globe. I would have preferred a bit more story in the volume, as far as progress, but the moments we do get are big enough to carry the volume forward. Out of the 144 issue run, Eight

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Review – Invincible: Family Matters

18th May 2021

Review – Invincible: Family Matters Written by: Robert Kirkman Art by: Cory Walker Lettered by: Robert Kirkman Colors by: Bill Crabtree Release Date: December 12, 2006 Introduction Soon to be adapted into an animated series by Amazon Prime, Invincible was an ongoing superhero comic from Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker, published by Image Comics. Kirkman, more known for Walking Dead, actually started Invincible shortly before Walking Dead in 2003. The series ended its 144 issue run in 2017, wrapping up most of the main stories. The series follows our hero, Mark Grayson, the son of the powerful Omni-Man. When we meet Mark he’s an average teen, except his dad’s a superhero and he’s waiting on powers of his own. Family Matters is the first 6 issues of the run. Like many Image books, Invincible has been collected in smaller paperbacks, larger hardcovers, or the giant compendiums. The series is particularly well suited for the 6 issue format though because each volume feels like an episode of a great serialized story. I’ve read the entire story, multiple times, but we’re only looking at the first 6 issues collected in Family Matters. Still, Future Kenny will pop in to give a small review in the context of the larger run, because it’s a run worth reading. Story Family Matters lays the groundwork for the universe as we are introduced to the Grayson family and their supporting cast. From the start, it’s good superhero fodder. There’s dashes of sci-fi, a lived-in-world where superpowers are normalized, and an origin story that is unique while still feeling familiar. Our creators do a great job at making super-heroics and comic book tropes feel normal in this world. Even as Omni-Man dashes back to the dinner table after being kidnapped to an alternate dimension, there’s no hysterics about how crazy that may seem. The book is about the ordinary lives of super people. The characters are the best part of these issues. The Graysons are a lovable family. Omni-Man is a solid combination of Superman and a tv dad. Mark feels like a pretty average teenager and his origin feels organic and fun. He’s a less overwhelmed Peter Parker. Deborah is written as a mom that worries and cares about her family but has lived in a world of super heroics for years and isn’t shaken by it. Most of the supporting characters in friends or other teammates stand out as memorable when another writer might have used shells to move the plot along. The cast feels so varied and authentic, that they just inherently make the world feel more interesting. All that said, this first run just feels like pretty standard super hero fare. It’s a solid pilot. There’s a few small villains, taken down with minor struggles. It’s even an above average superhero book. There’s a few moments that stand out, like the folks from another dimension, but the book sort of tells its slice-of-life story and leaves. The world is interesting and the characters are charming, but nothing particularly bombastic or remarkable happens. It shares that in common with another Kirkman project, where the Walking Dead lulls you into false security before taking off. However, it is the pilot for a larger series so it works in that regard. Art The art in these issues is colorful, with an almost pastel or watercolor feature about it. It also feels anime inspired, at times, with some of the simpler designs and the less-than-realistic take on faces in some panels. These first issues of Invincible thread a needle between anime and traditional cartoon, so it adds to the excitement that it’s being adapted into a cartoon now. Cory Walker’s work here feels like a style that will lend itself well to animation. Through the book the character designs are clever and really stand out as unique. When I say the designs feel very Image-y, it’s a compliment. The action feels real and the layouts are easy to follow. Cory is able to take the more pedestrian moments and lay them out in clever ways to just feel normal. The use of repeat panels or similar panels says almost as much as the dialogue at times. It makes the lives of these characters feel more normal, as they sit around the table like us non-super folks. Review – Invincible: Family Matters continues below Overall In itself, Invincible Volume 1 is a fun read. It’s a new world of characters that are satisfying to explore and learn about. Kirkman hints at a broader universe throughout the book, but it’s a great origin story for a newly developed teenage superhero. The future seems bright for our teen lead and his family. It’s hard to judge by itself though, when even its creator knew it was the start of something much bigger. While the book is better as a jumping off point for an incredible series, you could read this on its own and still be satisfied with the read. In the overall context of the 144 issue run, Family Matters is perhaps the least exciting. This is true of a lot of pilots, of course. It’s slower in pacing and smaller in scope than the future of the series by far. This is likely by design, as a slow build to lure you in. You may finish these issues feeling like you’ve read another solid Image superhero book, not realizing the groundwork that has been laid. If you’ve ever seen art from the future of the series, you might even be surprised at how tame the story seems. Kirkman is good at surprises, and giving you unique twists you didn’t know you wanted. Future Kenny says it would be a mistake for you to stop reading this series here. If you enjoyed our review of Invincible: Family Matters then leave a comment or leave your own rating below. 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Review: Earth-One: Wonder Woman Vol 3

16th June 2021

Review: Earth-One: Wonder Woman Vol 3 Story: Grant Morrison Att: Yanick Paquette Colours: Nathan Fairbairn Covers: Yanick Paquette, Nathan Fairbairn Released: March 2021 Introduction This concludes the critically acclaimed story arc unique writer Grant Morrison (Doom Patrol, Animal man etc..) crazily brought to Wonder Woman. Gloriously proud, fantastically feminine and here to take down the boring patriocracy with Girl (or should I say Woman power!) After the death of Hippolyta at the hand of Paula Von Gunther, Diane must lead her people against the forces of men both today and a thousand years in the future. So let’s grab our tiara and lasso of truth, put on our knee-high red boots and start the review of Wonder Woman Earth-One’s triumphant final Volume! Jumping between the future and current timelines we find the world is a Paradise, all war eradicated and all genders and sexualities proudly working for the greater good of the world. But watch out! Let’s cut to the past and the evil Maxwell Lord who wants to bring the war to the Amazons using his A.R.E.S. mark 1 suits (corny but subtle clue Mr Morrison!) These mecha-men won’t stand for this and have had enough of women protesting and complaining about harassment. Can Steve break out of prison? Can Diana unite the tribes of Amazon women? Will there be death by Snu-Snu? Why is the queen’s heart still burning? And will I stop asking questions and get on with this review..? All the answers are in this issue….and a few you didn’t even think of If you are going to end on a high why not have Diana riding a giant kangaroo while an army of cold unfeeling menbots descends on the Amazons to stop their very way of life? Story/Writing As with the previous two volumes, Grant’s vision of Earth One’s Diana is stunning with the story jumping from the pages into your imagination. You find yourself flicking back a few pages in case you missed a text bubble or two. This finally is Diana triumphant, ruling her people and bringing peace, love and equality to the world whether men want it or not! Men have not bargained on her using the ultimate threat! All women will withhold sex if men do not succumb… Death by no Snu-Snu? I can imagine Grant smiling as he finished this novel and then dedicated it to his sister Leigh. If you are going to write a bonkers battle of the sexes, this is how you do it! I doff my cap to Mr Morrison! Art/Visuals Yanick’s art style is perfect for this we move from fairy wings and female empowerment motifs to the stern, cold world of men where Maxwell Lord sits on a symbolic throne watching and directing the action. The fight sequences are great, sometimes a little confusing with the armies of Amazons and Robots hard to distinguish key characters. But if that is my only complaint it is a small one and I’ve already read it twice now from cover to cover!Some of the images such as the cover are a homage to great works of art depicting strong women and anything that can get kids excited about art is worth it! Overall thoughts This could drift have drifted into a lecture on female empowerment. Instead, Grant and Yanick skillfully handle the current drive to strengthen female characters beyond the bosoms and bodices that the industry is far too guilty of. From me the father of a strong, proud daughter and husband to an even stronger wife there needs to be more of this type of book. My only slight criticism of this is that there still seems to be a small amount of Body Dysmorphia represented here with traditional tight revealing outfits and standard gravity-defying huge chests on most females. So let’s finish this review of Wonder Woman triumphant legacy and allow you to grab your significant other! Buy a copy at your Local Comic Book Shop, brew a tea and cuddle up to the joyous conclusion to one of the freshest titles to come from the Earth-One universe. If you enjoyed our Review of Earth-One: Wonder Woman Vol 3 then comment below or leave your own rating below. Join us on Discord, Instagram, Twitter etc – linktr.ee/BGCPComicCon [yasr_multiset setid=1] [yasr_visitor_multiset setid=1] 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

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