Review – Harley Quinn: The Animated Series – The Eat, Bang, Kill Tour #1. Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy end up on the run from Gordon and the GCPD!
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Review – Transformers: King Grimlock #1 Grimlock is transported to a world of swords and sorcery but how can he get back to Cybertron?
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Suicide Squad Get Joker! Issue #1 Writer: Brian Azzarello Artist: Alex Maleev Colours: Matt Hollingsworth Letters: Jared Fletcher Publisher: DC Black Label Release Date: 4th August 2021 Variant Cover Artist: Jorge Fornés The Joker Must DIE Tasked with ending the trail of broken, bloody bodies left in the Clown Prince of Crime’s wake, Amanda Waller’s Suicide Squad – now led by the Red Hood – must hunt down Batman’s greatest foe in the hopes of putting him six feet under. The former Boy Wonder and current Red Hood, Jason Todd, agrees to help track down the Joker out of both duty and a lust for revenge against the monster some think killed the second Robin. Now side by side with some of the world’s most ruthless villains – including Harley Quinn, Firefly and Wild Dog – the Red Hood must decide who he can trust and who’s really pulling the strings of the Squad once the Joker turns the tables on Task Force X. Writer: Brian Azzarello With the recent release of James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad” in cinema’s, DC Black Label has decided to add another layer of marketing in comic form with Suicide Squad: Get Joker! I’m a sucker for an anti-hero and Suicide Squad has always filled that niche nicely. It calls out to the deep, hidden caveman section of the old reward pathway. Now, pair that with what some would consider the most tragic of anti-heroes, Jason Todd and you can count me in. This issue sets the scene nicely, leaving the majority of the violence for the last quarter and opening with a 10-page monologue that helps fill in the gaps for new readers without overstaying its welcome. I’m under the impression that pacing can make or break a comic and even though this isn’t as action-packed as some might hope, every panel has a purpose and Azzarello is tying the strings to make the marionettes dance later down the line. The issue concludes with some good old DC Black Label ultraviolence, a foreboding cliffhanger and a rather strange realisation that the Clown Prince of Crime has the words to Milli Vanilli’s 1989 hit “Blame It On the Rain” memorised… weird. Art/Colour: Alex Maleev/Matt Hollingsworth Alex Maleev’s art in this book is very clean and easy to follow. Coupled with Hollingsworth’s colouring, it helps pull readers into Gotham City with the familiar cold and grimy aesthetic. There is one section in particular, with a neon-lit bar and a little mindless violence that shines through. The dreary backdrop of the city streets steps back, allowing vibrant colours and a more bombastic, stylised few panels that help portray the intensity of the situation the Squad find themselves in. All in all, this is a Gotham story. Darkness and shadows are key, but they can get a little depressive and monotonous. I had hoped for more flashy, colourful segments in future issues to keep the eyes entertained. In Conclusion… If you are looking for a book that will have you pondering life’s big questions, this may not be for you. Suicide Squad has always been about having fun with the characters and this seems no different. Although there is nothing out of the gate that has me wowed, it’s been absurd enough that I’m interested to see where Azzarello’s Squad end up and I’ll be picking up issue #2 when the time comes. [yasr_multiset setid=1] [yasr_visitor_multiset setid=1] Look out for this comic at your Local Comic Shop Buy tickets for BGCP Comic-Cons 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 – Amazing Fantasy #1. Captain America, Black Widow and Spider-Man awaken in a fantasy world but all is not as it seems…
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Review – Dune Blood of the Sardaukar #1 When the choice is vengeance or honour, which lies at the heart of Jopati Kolona, an elite Sardaukar?
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Review – Stray Dogs #1. Lady and the Tramp meet Silence of the Lambs. It’s scary being the new dog and Sophie can’t remember how she got there.
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Review – Dracula Motherf**ker Creators – Alex De Campi & Erica Henderson Publisher – Image Comics First Released – 14th Oct 2020 Intro Vienna, 1889: Dracula’s brides nail him to the bottom of his coffin. Los Angeles, 1974: an aging starlet decides to raise the stakes. Crime scene photographer Quincy Harker is the only man who knows it happened, but will anyone believe him before he gets his own chalk outline? And are Dracula’s three brides there to help him…or use him as bait? A pulpy, pulse-pounding graphic novel of California psych-horror from acclaimed creators ALEX DE CAMPI and ERICA HENDERSON. Writing It’s always interesting to see how writers can adapt a classic storyline into a modern day imagining. Or in this case, a 70’s thriller. Alex De Campi brings a Grindhouse feel to the book and given the subject matter, it was only fitting that the protagonist has the surname ‘Harker’. With how many times De Campi has been nominated for an Eisner award I was hopeful that this story would be a fitting sequel to Stoker’s masterful tale. But sadly, I felt more could have been done with character development and storyline and both were underdeveloped. Artwork The artwork certainly is eye catching and is thankfully a positive for this book. Erica Henderson has a fantastic colour palette which she utilises to great effect and I think she may have used every colour in the spectrum at some point. I have to mention her portrayal of the vampires in the book as this really captures the imagination. And had it not been for her artwork, I don’t think this book would have been as enjoyable. Overall Image Comics bring their own take on the Dracula mythos in the form of a 70’s thriller, with help from acclaimed creators Alex De Campi and Erica Henderson. I didn’t know what to expect reading this as I’m a massive fan of the original material from Bram Stoker. Could De Campi and Henderson bring a fresh outlook whilst remaining true to the source material? Unfortunately I was left disappointed by the storyline. It just felt like it didn’t have enough body to sink your teeth into (pun intended). But thankfully the artwork was a positive and I found Erica Henderson’s to be both, vibrant and enticing. If you enjoyed our review of Dracula Motherf**ker then leave a comment or rating below. [yasr_multiset setid=1] [yasr_visitor_multiset setid=1] Don’t forget to like us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Discord and join our official Facebook Group. Buy tickets for BGCP Comic Con in and around Glasgow Scotland – BUY TICKETS Check out all of our Comic, Movie, Television and Videogame Reviews and News from Glasgow, Scotland, UK and the US, HERE and our Podcasts/Interviews HERE www.bigglasgowcomicpage.com
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Review – Moon Knight #1. The mysterious Mr Knight has opened his Midnight Mission, protecting his people from the weird and horrible.
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SUMMARY The Bureau of Paranormal Research & Defence are brought into a publicity stunt of a case for a supposedly haunted mansion in Long Island, owned by a big shot entrepreneur with ties to the BPRD’s budget. Upon arrival, the parlour tricks turn to paranormal warnings. Ghosts and ghouls haunt this house but as victims of a far greater horror, an Eastern European blood countess known as Erzsebet Ondrushko. ART Just to get the negative out of the way, the animation can be choppy at times, especially during action sequences. It doesn’t ruin the flow of the film but it is noticeable unfortunately. Okay now to the endless praise, when not in full motion, the animation and artistry is gorgeous. Whoever said you can’t replicate a beloved comic book art style in an animated adaptation needs to watch this. The film is dripping with Mignola’s grim and gothic atmosphere and art style with very few additions that do indeed add to the style. As an animated film, the sky is the limit with what you can bring to life visually. Where this film really shines is in it’s visual restraint. Scenes of pure horror are left to the imagination with an orchestra made up of horrifying sections; instead of strings we have the sounds tearing flesh, percussion is replaced with the sounds of crunching bones and it’s all accompanied by a choir of echoing screams. The only horror we see is on the faces of those who narrowly escaped a nightmare. WRITING There’s a satisfying full circle to this film wherein Mignola adapted Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula into a graphic novel in his own image. Now Mignola gets to make his own classic Stokeresque vampire story with Blood & Iron into a film. The psychological and emotional horror of Stoker’s Dracula mixed with the dark and witty action of Hellboy blends seamlessly as a story. The Del Toro adaptation gang is all here; Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones and the late John Hurt all reprising their roles and gifting the film with their synonymous voice talents. Not to mention the additional stellar voicecast of Jim Cummings, Rob Paulsen, Peri Gilpin and James Arnold Taylor. Stand out performances are given by Kath Soucie as Erzsebet Ondrushko and Cree Summer as Hecate, Goddess of Magic & Witchcraft. OVERALL In conclusion, Hellboy Animated: Blood & Iron is a gripping animated feature length film with a full package of humour, action, horror and emotional weight with an all star voice cast and uncanny art style replication. Why this particular piece of Hellboy media didn’t spawn a long running animated TV Show is beyond me, a true missed opportunity to provide something dark, action-packed and educational! [yasr_multiset setid=4] [yasr_visitor_multiset setid=4] Let us know your thoughts on Hellboy Animated: Blood & Iron and be sure to check out our reviews for Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms & Hellboy & The BPRD! 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 – Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms SUMMARY Hellboy takes a tour of Japan unlike any other when the deities of Thunder and Lightning possess a renowned professor of Japanese fables. With his red right hand and the sword of storms in his left, Hellboy looks to right the wrongs of an ancient mythological tale of romance, betrayal and horror, cutting down all the folklore in his way. Don’t trust the umbrella! ART With it’s roots in Japanese mythology, there’s more than enough synergy and variety between the primary animation style and traditional Japanese kaiga artwork throughout the film. Making for a magnificent balancing act between beautiful scenery that’s eerie and terrifying characters which are elegant. Speaking of variety, there are so many different characters and creatures spread across this story and they’re all likeable, even the ones that are truly horrifying to look at; like if Scooby Doo merged with Little Nightmares. WRITING Playing out more like the labours of Hercules in a Japanese setting, this animated film stands out with it’s deep and creepy Japanese history, fables and folklore such as Raijin and Fujin; the Gods of Thunder and Lightning, disembodied flying heads known as Nukeubi and the Spider Woman, Jorōgumo. All of which are given time to be bad ass and haunting in their own ways. See? Education CAN be fun! While not the main genre of the film, it deserves to be noted that this film is hilarious. Every little quip, joke, dig and comic relief lands perfectly, very seldom does it disrupt the flow of the overall serious tone and instead adds character and an air of pleasant fantasy amongst the horror and drama. OVERALL In conclusion, Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms is a fantastical animated film crawling with ambience and action. The beloved cast and crew do an incredible job to make this an impassioned love letter to Japanese folklore and Mike Mignola. My only complaint is that there aren’t more of these films or at least a TV Show! [yasr_multiset setid=4] [yasr_visitor_multiset setid=4] Let us know in the comments your thoughts on Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms, your favourite animated adaptation of a comic and be sure to check out our review for Hellboy & The BPRD! 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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