#738 - #743 INSEXTS #8 - #13 by Marguerite Bennett and Ariela Kristantina (AfterShock Comics, October 2016 - September 2017) Synopsis:
Collecting all six issues of “The Dragon” storyarc! The lovers have barely survived their battle with the Hag, and must now flee to Paris to heal, recover, and restore their love. But beneath the City of Light is a world of darkness, a world pulsing with witchcraft, seduction, and utter, obscene monstrosity...
Just like the first volume, there were some confusing elements and unanswered questions but this new storyline showed more consistency in both plot and quality of art - - and serves as a nice bookend to this short-lived series (13 issues total).
The trio of Lady Bertram, personal attendant Mariah, and their shared son Will (born of the giant egg sac salvaged from Lady's husband in Volume One) set up residence in 1897 Paris, France. They hire a governess, Phoebe, who turns out to also have supernatural abilities.
There's a Gorgon-like goddess newly arrived in the area and turning men into statues. There is a society of male-only art gallery proprietors and collectors who entrap women and embed them within paintings. These two threats come to the attention of Lady Bertram and company and they set about correcting things in their body-horror fashion.
There's less body-horror and gore compared to the first volume and a bit less of lesbian romance as well (they seem to be too busy as saviors). Bennett makes her points about male dominance and subjugation of females into lesser roles but elaborates further than required with some preachy dialogue in places.
It all works out in the end, with the quartet now departing to set up residence in New York City.
The final scenes and epilogue were satisfactory but I would have liked for a little more clarification. I'm feeling a four-star rating would be a bit too generous. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#744 - #745 THE TIN CAN SOCIETY #1, #2 of 9 written by Peter Warren and Rick Remender with art by Francesco Mobili (Image Comics, September-October 2024) I enjoy super-hero stories best when they deviate from the standard template. TIN CAN SOCIETY does it, and does it very well. This is both a heart-warming and heart-breaking story. I also learned a new word, one I had not heard before, when reading this - - and that’s a bonus. Ableism is defined as discrimination in favor of able-bodied people.
One of the characters is severely disabled, born with spina bifida. Needing to walk with braces and crutches, Johnny, after moving with his foster parents, enters his first day at a new middle school “vulnerable” . . . “small” . . . and “scared.” His condition makes it difficult to swallow whole foods, but he wants to blend in and almost chokes to death in the cafeteria until four fellow students come to his rescue. A life-long friendship begins, dubbed “The Tin Can Society.”
Johnny’s condition made him both ambitious and angry. He excels at academics and grows up to invent a better leg brace that eliminates the crutches, founds a company dedicated to inventions that improve the lives of disabled persons, and finally builds an exoskeleton for himself that allows him to fly, fight crime, and right wrongs (reminding me of Tony Stark/Iron Man’s origin).
Issue #1 opens up with his brutal murder. The storyline involves one of his best friends, Kiki, and her efforts to find out who murdered him. All members of the Tin Can Society are suspects, and all appear to have a motive for the murder.
It’s the way in which this story unfolds that makes it special. Also, much of the story is told via the art with clues in the background, or facial expressions, etc. that contain more. The beginning of this reminds me of THE WATCHMEN (a murder of a costumed hero is the centerpiece),
TIN CAN SOCIETY is more compelling mystery and human drama than it his a superhero story, and the better for that. I believe this story could be told without the super-hero trappings, but that might have been a necessity in order to attract an audience to it. I’m impressed. FOUR STARS.
#746 MURDER KINGDOM #1 by Fred Van Lente and Chris Panda (Mad Cave Studios, October 2024)
Synopsis: You must be this tall...to DIE!
Once upon a time, in a strange land called Florida, a masked psycho starts murdering cast members of the Storybook Kingdom theme park in ways identical to the gory original Grimms' Fairy Tales. Princess-turned-detective Tanith is the only person who can unmask the killer before she and her friends are all Dying Unhappily Never After!
In an interview with Fred Van Lente in June 2016 prior to the release of WEIRD DETECTIVE I asked him what was the most important attribute for a writer to develop in any medium. His answer: empathy.
Empathy is what makes MURDER KINGDOM work so well, since the killings don’t begin until the final pages. Van Lente uses the pages and space preceding that to give us all reasons to love, worry about, and yes - empathize - with main character Tanith Leigh (is this a homage to the late British science fiction and fantasy writer Tanith Lee?)
The theme park ( a copycat version of Disneyland) as imagined by Van Lente and visualized by Chris Panda is amazing and engaging. I’d buy an admission ticket if it really existed. The exchanges between Tanith and her new boss (she gets promoted from ride attendant to the role of Briar Rose when the former actress has a meltdown) and her costumed boyfriend are equally appealing and humorous while they reveal the decisive character traits. This is one to watch. THREE AND ONE-QUARTER STARS.
#747 CALAVERA P.I. #1 by Marco Finnegan (Oni Press, November 2024) Calavera is a resurrected former private investigator in 1930 Los Angeles, a skeleton in a trench coat and wearing a hat.
The debut issue details the former life of Juan Calavera - - a handsome, confident p.i., athletic and clever with a sharp tongue. The story opens with Calavera exposing and assisting local police in arresting a wealthy criminal involved with a Mexican crook in human trafficking, specifically supplying ladies for extravagant parties. He befriends a female crime reporter for the local newspaper, who witnesses his eventual demise while trying to break up a suicide attempt. She is blackmailed into performing the ritual that allows him to rise from the grave.
This is atmospheric, evoking memories of Raymond Chandler’s 1920’s-1930’s Hollywood as observed by his detective Phillip Marlowe. Colors, shading, and images all work together to create the mood. It’s a one person show - - written, illustrated and colored by Marco Finnegan.
I need a second issue to see the skeleton detective in action before deciding to follow this. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#748 ROME ETERNAL #1 by Homero Rios and Diego Yapur (Magma Comix / Ruptura Comics, November 2024) This fast-paced debut issue opens with a Roman legion assembling behind their shields to avoid a barrage of arrows from the Greek rebels trying to storm the palace entrance. Historical fiction this is not, as a legionnaire aims a decidedly high-tech gun and on the following pages the hovercraft chariots of the Praetorian javelins decimate the rebel forces. The beheading of the Greek leader is eye-witnessed by his young son. Flash forward fifteen years and his memories are being probed by tubes and wires emerging from a cybernetic navigator.
This is a future world where the Roman Empire still exists, with all the familiar trappings plus technological wonders. However, this could be foreshadowing the fall of the empire. The memory probe reveals the existence of the Mithra Mysteries, a group of diverse individuals plotting the assassination of the Emperor.
Fascinating characters, a complex plot, and intricately detailed and explosive art. I’m excited to see where this is going, and I’m in for the rebellion. FOUR STARS.
#749 ARCBOUND #1of 12 by Tom Hardy, Scott Snyder, Frank Tieri with art by Ryan Smallman, colors by Frank William (Dark Horse Comics, November 2024) Yet another notable action movie actor, Tom Hardy (Venom, Dark Knight, Mad Max), dips his hand into comics. And, just like Keanu Reeves with BRZRKR, Hardy is assisted by a talented creative team to do the heavy lifting for him. At least he doesn’t try to hog the stage - - the credits pages lists Scot Snyder and Frank Tieri as writers with character development by Tom Hardy.
Like BRZRKR, ARCBOUND is ultra-violent and bloody. An intergalactic mining corporation ruthlessly conquers human-inhabited worlds for mineral resources, displacing and eliminating innocent lives. Main character Kai, who looks like a bearded Tom Hardy, has been employed as a Mediator (armed soldier) for too long, and grows weary of the seemingly unnecessary capture of surplus resources. His partner is a young recruit who still takes pleasure in war and killing. Kai questions the ethics of Zynitec Corporation and his role for them. Things take a bad turn for him before the issue ends, and he’s only a shell of himself.
The “ARC” of the title refers to deceased bodies having their consciousness permanently placed within synthetic bodies. I’m sure it’s an acronym for the process or purpose but that hasn’t been explained yet.
Issue #1 introduces the conflict, develops the drama, and plays out in enough battle scenes (vividly illustrated, if a bit cartoonish) to satisfy action fans. If you want to immerse within a science-fiction maxi-series this could be a good choice. I’m sure Synder and Tieri are holding back and plan to insert much more of the course of the series. THREE AND ONE-QUARTER STARS.
#750 ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #1 by Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval (DC Comics, January 2025) “Last Dust Of Krypton, Part One: Down In The Dirt” I read this, but I couldn’t tell you where Jason Aaron intends to go with Superman. This first issue is more about the backstory of his parents than it is about Ka-El/Superman, about whom very little is revealed except that he needs a haircut to keep his bangs out of his eyes.
The Krypton of the Absolute Universe is a very structured caste system and an authoritarian government. Superman’s parents Jor-El and Lara, both talented scientists, are relegated to the Labor Class because of elementary school term papers that questioned government positions. Krypton’s environment is due for a cataclysmic crash, and nobody is paying attention to the signs that Jor-El is pointing out.
The adult Superman on Earth is in much the same role, acting as a worker at a mining colony and railing against its’ shadowy owners - the Lazarus Corporation and their armed Peacemakers. There’s an artificial intelligence in his costume (named Sol) that consults with him. He’s appears very lonely and very alone. Lois Lane is not his friend by any measure. There’s a brief glimpse of the Kent farmstead that is rather desolate, indicating that something nasty in the past may have occurred.
I admit that it’s kind of neat that DC is allowing these creators to have free reign within the Absolute Universe and make some changes. I hate to be a downer, but I just don’t care. My track record for Superman titles is pretty much indifferent, with the rare book that please me (Dan Jurgens mini-series, Red Son, etc.) THREE STARS.
#751 LITTLE BATMAN #1 by Morgan Evans and Jon Mikel (DC Comics, January 2025) Morgan Evans was the screenwriter for the MERRY LITTLE BATMAN holiday movie, which I stopped watching on Amazon Prime after about 15 minutes. I don’t remember why I decided not to finish - maybe it was the noise. I know it wasn’t boring or too childish. After reading the funny and entertaining debut issue, I’m planning to go back and watch the movie all the way through.
The Little Batman of the title is Damian Wayne, who wears a child-size version of the Bat-costume instead of the Robin outfit. Events begin just after the movie, and Damian yearns for more adventure with his dad, getting bored rescuing cats from trees and other mundane tasks.
He’s got to behave himself at a dress-up dinner function at Wayne Manor, and there is some heart-warming parental dialogue about learning how to conduct oneself in such circumstances, as Damian has other ideas. The dinner is interrupted by the Scarecrow and his minions. Rather than reveal himself (against Damian’s intentions) Bruce Wayne allows himself to be taken hostage (sparing his dinner guests from harm). THREE AND ONE-QUARTER STARS.
#752 - #753 HELLO DARKNESS #4 by various creators (Boom! Studios, October 2024) The best entry this time around in terms of story, art, and colors is “Dying For Quiet” by Shawn Patrick Boyd, Elijah Henry and Jason Wordie. A young female executive assistant can’t stop saying “no” to anyone (work, family, friends) and burns out. She finally signs up for a country retreat with a verdant garden where her emotions can release.
There’s a preview of the upcoming series “In Bloom” by Michael W. Conrad and John J. Pearson that teases the story. While it’s a creepy and engaging tale, I’m not happy about its’ inclusion here and hope it’s not the start of a trend.
I prefer standalone stories in an anthology, even over continuing stories like “The War, Part Four” by Garth Ennis and Becky Cloonan. Things heat up for our quartet of characters, accidents, separation, injury, even death and some hard decisions.
“All Eyes On Me” by Chloe Brailsford is an eerie tale of cosmic monster worship/love (with tentacles). Some creative black-and-white art that will keep your eyes riveted.
An uneven issue for me, but still enjoying this title. THREE AND ONE- QUARTER STARS.
