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Tuesday, December 7, 2021
Big News From AfterShock: Pick Up MOTHER F. GOOSE Tomorrow!
PGHHEAD'S 2021 COMICS ODYSSEY, Part Thirty-Eight
In 2021 I’d like to cross over the 1,000 comics review barrier, meaning reviews that I (Mike Clarke a.k.a. pghhead) contribute to the blog. That’s what this odyssey is about, beginning January 01, 2021. Wish me luck. . . .
# GOAL FOR DECEMBER 10 . . . 945 comics documented
CURRENT COUNT . . . . . 928 comics documented
This is a completely different Bruce Banner, and I’m not sure yet if I like him. But he certainly has my attention. He’s no longer calm and collected, but mad and raging - even when he’s arguing with himself. Artist Ryan Ottley even draws him differently, more like a scheming villain.
The story opens with several pages of Hulk smashing and pounding while the captions pose a theory and ask some critical questions. (I’m guessing the unidentified narrator is Doctor Strange, who shows up later to tell the Avengers how dangerous the situation is.) It appears that the Hulk is trying to break into a cosmic-appearing monolithic structure, but maybe he is trying to break out?
Cates packs a ton into this first issue: the Smashtronaut. Starship Hulk. The Mind Palace. Commander Banner. A split psyche. An old Stark Tech armory housing the remains of Project A.R.K., which Banner intends to utilize to enter a pocket dimension. I would prefer that Cates keep Banner and Hulk within the Earth-bound Marvel Universe, hoping this doesn’t become a Hulk in Space/Time/Multiverse series. But I’m going to be checking out Issue #2 no matter what. FIVE STARS.
That comes near the end of Issue #1, right after a dogfight at a gas station. The investigating police officer is questioning the lone store employee and asks her (with much skepticism in his body language) “And then the ‘giant crazy dog assassins’ fought to the death?” To which she replies “I don’t know why y’all are acting so suspicious of me! You know anthropomorphic characters exist in this literary universe.” That made me chuckle.
You’ll need to be familiar with the John Wick films (Chapter 4 planned for 2022!) to fully appreciate GOOD BOY. Just think of it as an Elseworlds/What If? version of the film but in a comic book. What if John Wick didn’t lose his dog in that opening fight sequence, and that he was killed and the dog survived to exact revenge on the same crime gang?
This is indeed a homage to the films. You’ll recognize many of the same settings and images. Somehow in Wick’s dying moments his four-legged tiny dog (Flint) was transformed into an upright, walk on two legs, wear clothes, drive cars and handle guns and fists with great expertise. Why, how, you ask? I refer you to the gas station explanation.
This was fun. Why not call it John Woof? It will be interesting to see if that premise can sustain a full mini-series. I’m not sure I wait to see multiple issues of a dog going full-blown Punisher vigilante doggie-style. I’m still laughing, so who knows? THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
Also, like those horror series ET-ER is not just straightforward medical drama. This is science fiction with a bit of black comedy. ET-ER stands for ExtraTerrestrial Emergency Room.
There’s a special floor underneath Reading Hospital where emergency cases from all over the galaxy are transported for treatment. Issue #1 features two stories, with Jeff McComsey establishing the template for additional stories by other writers. (ET-ER is planned as an irregular special featuring different creative teams). I hope to see Dr. Mobray and new recruit Dr. Chen again in future issues, both interesting characters.
In the opening story “The Walk-Ins” a huge alien brought to the hospital is misidentified. When his true identity and nature is learned, a simple appendectomy has fatal consequences if not successful. The art by Javier Pulido is perfectly suited to this type of light-hearted story. His style is not for everybody but I like it, especially the inventive way he often depicts ordinary things. If you’re a fan of Michael Allred, you’ll want to check out Pulido’s work.
Talented illustrator Dan Panosian puts his pencils down and scripts the back-up feature “Hard Pill”. A surgeon is inserted into a capsule and dropped into the mouth of a giantic alien in order to operate internally. Complications arise, requiring him to exit via the back door. I don’t know why this story reminded me of FEAR AGENT, perhaps it’s the art style of Shawn Crystal. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
Let’s call them “BB” books: baffling beginnings. It’s a technique used by many comics writers (and in other forms of literature as well) and it succeeds with me more than it fails. I’ll often pick up Issue #2 simply because there were enough questions raised in Issue #1 that I want to know the answers to. So I buy the next issue hoping for a little more clarity.
That’s a long way round to stating that I’m going to pick up Issue #2 of WTFPFH in an effort to get a clearer picture of what’s being offered here.
I’m not sure enough to say I like this book yet, but I’m certainly curious.
Even though a post-apocalyptic society is used in copious amounts of comics as the setting, I’m not tired of it yet as long as the story merits my attention.
In WTFPFH the majority of survivors are young and impressionable, separated into different communes, where the few surviving adults are forbidden, following an apparently pre-arranged set of rules to live by (the neighborhood pact).
New arrivals (babies) get dropped off usually in the dead of night by strange weird ghosty matrons (the Strangers). The story follows the life of The Academy, a ragtag group of nine youth (and one forbidden adult), who reside within what appears to be a former record store/warehouse. They seem to make decisions about their roles in the community based on what music they prefer. There are plenty of references to various musicians and groups and images scattered throughout the story. There’s a confrontation with a rival group who all wear pig masks. The conflict arises when one of their members, the pregnant Sid, goes missing.
There’s an informative text piece in the back of the book that explains the role of music in the storyline, although it’s only scratched the surface of the vinyl in Issue #1. There’s also a 7” single for those who want some curated music to read the book by, and hints that there may be a longer soundtrack yet to come.
This is a bit more cryptic than previous works I’ve read from Matthew Rosenberg. I’m just not a fan of the art of Tyler Boss, although I appreciate the way he helps tell the story. It’s going to be the story (and not the art) that keeps me going, once I make that decision. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
Some more world-building here from Brian Michael Bendis, who apparently has switched his creator-owned properties (old and new) to Dark Horse Comics. Body-guard (I am guessing that is her role) Joy works within the futuristic Jonado Trust (a city community)
Bendis plays with the language a bit, referring to “verses” and leaving it to readers to discern the meaning. Joy is an “envoi” to the Queen of Jonado, Kathryn Menteuse (who we don’t hear from but get glimpses of - she looks arrogant and commanding). The Queen also employs/utilizes a “Gerxhart” for security, kind of a floating Dungeons & Dragons orb with elongation properties similar to The Blob (from movies, not X-Men).
Aside from an interesting confrontation with the Gerxhart (with neat art from Stephan Byrne), Joy spends much of this debut issue standing on rooftops and having conversations with herself. Until, a new inner voice invades her consciousness and asks her assistance in a new assignment counter to her mission. Summary: a head-scratcher, for sure. THREE STARS.
This just shows how little I know about the Eternals. I have only read a smattering of their titles, a couple of Kirby ETERNALS too long ago to remember and the Marvel Max ETERNALS series. I don’t recognize half the characters here, although I assume that writer Kieron Gillen has added to the mythos. BTW the art by Dustin Weaver is very cool, especially the double-page battle scene.
However, that is the only action in this story and it’s a quick flashback scene. There isn’t any conflict going on here except for a conflict of words.
This is a very wordy story that even includes several text pages of dialogue.
It does detail the limitations of being an Eternal (you can’t have children) and establishes the role of the planet Titan and Thanos’ connection to the Eternals. (A neat subject for debate)
If you are a die-hard Eternals or Thanos fan you may appreciate this more than I did. Also, Thanos’ biggest appearance in this issue is on the cover. I wanted to explore Gillen’s take on the Eternals, but now I’m having second thoughts.TWO AND ONE-HALF STARS.
The subject matter is murder/torture on the dark web for “fun and profit”, and depicts such acts in the storyline. That FCBD preview seemed like pure exploitation to me, and I wondered why both Piskor and Fantagraphic Books (who I consider a respected showcase for important indie works and art that would not find an audience with more commercial publishers) would go there. Surely, there had to be more substance to this.
So, I’m glad I risked potential criticism and kept going. There is a solid storyline here with interesting (but depraved) characters and Piskor has some points to make about how the dark internet and untraceable crypto-currency have created an environment for some to thrive and profit without fear of detection by authorities. In the afterword Piskor states that he doesn’t know if Red Rooms actually exist, but he knows that the pieces for them to work are there, which created enough compulsive thoughts for him to explore the idea in a comics format.
Make no mistake. This is a hardcore comic and not for everybody, including some fans of horror comics.
In Issue #1 a clerk in the judicial system has a secret sordid life. His exploits garner the attention of one of the companies featuring murder/torture on the dark web. They offer him a new job as The Decimator, and the bitcoin monies roll in. This particular company is a family, always masked to protect their identities, and their business is profitable enough to secure their underground breeding grounds. It’s a complete in one issue story with a believe-it-or-not happy ending (only for some characters, of course). Piskor intends to explore a different story (although in the same setting) each issue as well as different story-telling techniques. FOUR STARS.
If I didn’t check the credits page for VENOM #1, I’d think the story was written by Donny Cates. That’s how seamless it was. New writers Al Ewing and Ram V pick up the threads left by Cates and start weaving a new sweater. Add some delicious art by Bryan Hitch and this one is hard to resist. I just have to wear it and see how comfortable it is.
After the fallout from the defeat of the King In Black, young Dylan Brock is host to the symbiote that once inhabited his father. Meanwhile, father Eddie Brock has become the new King In Black, ruler of all symbiotes, and is traveling the cosmos using his abilities to both communicate and transfer his conscious to any symbiote as the protector of the universe and guardian of peace. (Nice touch by Eddie to name the four host-less symbiotes that team up with him as John, Paul, George and Ringo.)
Before he can adjust to that role he finds a new evil presence that threatens both his status and his son’s future as well. Eddie just has enough time to contact Dylan and arrange for a meeting when a nasty skirmish separates them once again. Now, Dylan and the symbiote Venom plus weird cat Sleeper are on the run. And Eddie’s consciousness is in a new and strange place at the Garden with Meridius, who may not be as nice as he purports to be.
Fast paced, with enough action to satisfy. Plenty of soul-searching and regrets by Eddie and Dylan. Strange red eyes. A new mentor for Dylan, an old friend of his father.
I noticed the absence of Al Ewing from the credits for Issue #2, with Ram V listed as the only writer. Not sure if that’s a concern just yet. However, I know what I’m getting with Ewing on script, not so much Ram V. We’ll see. FOUR STARS.
The death of a superhero is no longer an original concept, but still it presents the possibility for a good storyline. I want to note here that I believe there is a “first occasion” that occurs in this series, but I don’t want to state it because others may have not read this issue yet or may be thinking of reading the series. Guess I’ll wait until February or later to say something about it. If you are curious and see me before then, I’ll gladly tell you in private.
It should be noted now that the title of this series is misleading. Magneto has yet to be summoned to a court by a jury of his peers. With one issue to go, I’m not sure if it’s going to happen. An actual trial could have made for an interesting issue or two.
In the final pages, someone in a position to know says that they know who the murderer is and will spill the beans next issue. TWO AND ONE-HALF STARS.
This is a continuation of the story from 2019’s B.P.R.D.: THE DEVIL YOU KNOW, which I didn’t read and put me at a little bit of a disadvantage here.
However, the real reason I grabbed this one on impulse from the comic shop shelves is the return of Mike Mignola to both writing and illustrating within his Hellboy Universe. I loved the art here, and Mignola’s twisted imagery plus great effective coloring by Dave Stewart. A nice return. I can’t say the story wowed me, but again this isn’t really a stand-alone and I don’t know the background.
Sir Edward Grey, the mysterious Witch Hunter, is just a shell of himself and resembles a hooded denizen of Hell more than a human. He returns to Hell to complete a mission to save the world in the absence of Hellboy (a deadly fight with Rasputin is referred to). There he confronts the demon Eligos where ensues a conversation, a trip down memory lane for both of them. Plenty of references to Greek mythology are dropped in, and I frantically searched my memory for their connections within the Hellboy universe. Is it just me, or are these Hellboy Universe stories getting more confusing?
The story ends with Acheron (a.k.a. Grey) meeting the physical representations of the rivers of Hell with an invite to check out the new landscape. Then, Acheron remembers “there’s just one thing I have to do first.” To be continued in KOSHCHEI: THE DEATHLESS IN HELL. Arrrgghhh!
Note to buyers: New Rules - - - “one-shot” does not mean “stand-alone story”. This rating was elevated by the art. THREE STARS.
The Kennedy assassination is a rat's nest of conspiracy theories: mafia involvement, the second gunman, government cover-up... but the most important chapter of this sordid tale may just be the theory that the body buried at Oswald's Rose Hill gravesite is not actually Lee Harvey himself.
Meet the ragtag group of "useful idiots" who are unwittingly brought together to clean up the crime of the century - a wannabe cowboy from Wisconsin, a Buddy Holly-idolizing (former) car thief, a world-weary Civil Rights activist ready for revolution, and a failed G-Man who still acts the part - and specifically, regarding the matter of Oswald's body.”
A very intriguing first issue, similar in some ways to DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH but less complex, and I’m also thinking, much shorter in story length. I’m wondering where this is going, and thinking I’ll probably defer from picking up the monthly issues and wait for the trade paperback.
The opening grabs your attention right away, with the October 1981 exhumation of whatever body happens to be in Oswald’s grave. Then the rest of the issue cuts to November 1963 and events prior to JFK’s assassination.
I’m enjoying the depiction of these characters by writer Christopher Cantwell, especially the account of sad sack want-to-be bank robber/cowboy Shep. The scene where he holds up a small-town bank and gets talked down by a grandmotherly bank teller with a meager haul of eighty-one dollars is clever and amusing. FOUR STARS.
Saturday, December 4, 2021
AFTERSHOCK HAPPY HOUR: Interview With Writer PAUL TOBIN
EDITOR'S NOTE: Watch me talk about working with AfterShock Comics, but more importantly, stick around for a great interview with writer Paul Tobin (Bunny Mask, My Date With Monsters) . . . . .
Photo at right, Paul Tobin (not me)
AfterShock Happy Hour 12/02/21
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
PGHHEAD'S 2021 COMICS ODYSSEY, Part 37
In 2021 I’d like to cross over the 1,000 comics review barrier, meaning reviews that I (Mike Clarke a.k.a. pghhead) contribute to the blog. That’s what this odyssey is about, beginning January 01, 2021. Wish me luck. . . .
CURRENT COUNT . . . . . 916 comics documented
#888 - #889 HARBINGER #16, #18 (Valiant, 2013)
You don’t see as many titles from Valiant these days (not necessarily a bad thing, or an indication of bad things - - just an observation) but in 2013 they were producing a good amount of titles, and all premium quality.
Joshua Dysart’s ground-breaking run on HARBINGER is one of my favorites. I’d recommend starting with the very first trade paperback - that’s a classic.
These two issues cover the events following the Harbinger Wars event in Las Vegas, with the team of renegade psiots on vacation at Venice Beach and then a surreal excursion through Torquehalla, Torque’s own physically fabricated version of heaven. But is it real or just a construct?
If you spotted Toyo Harada in the background, then you know the answer. FOUR STARS.
“She sold her soul for rock and roll . . . time to pay up.” Potty-mouthed punk rocker Cherry continues her pursuit of seven demon escapees from Hell, pushing a deadline as her 27th birthday quickly approaches.
Cherry dispatches three more baddies across these two issues and kills them before she can learn enough about her next foe, as her quickly-expanding killer rage doesn’t allow for Q & A time. This time it was bi-sexual Miss Cocaine, drug dealer Mr. October and drug kingpin Lo (who looks like Modok crossed with Evil Ernie and planted on mechanical spider legs). I lost count, but I think there are two baddies left.
Lots of foul language, sexual references, fights, and nudity (somehow Cherry always gets naked for the fights). I was enjoying this title more when there were some interesting side plots and character development. The novelty is starting to wear off. Here’s hoping the final issue has some surprises and a return to form.
THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#892 - #894 LIVEWIRE #1, #2, #3 (Valiant, December 2018- February 2019)
This was intense, and a lot of story by Vita Ayala. Raul Allen’s small panel style of illustration was perfect for helping accomplish that.
This follows the events after Livewire (Amada McGee) in trying to prevent the elimination of budding young psiots by government troops, shuts down all power in the United States using her teletechnopathic abilities. That makes her Public Enemy #1, and even her former team doesn’t want to work with her.
Mercenaries capture her and implant a device in Livewire’s brain to disable her superpowers. But she’s too smart for them. However, an even greater threat is waiting in the wings. FOUR STARS.
#895 - #897 QUANTUM AND WOODY #4, #5, #7 (Valiant, 2013-2014)
Outlandish situations. Funny scenes. Witty dialogue. James Asmus does a good job scripting the adventures of these unlikely super-heroes.
Foster brothers Eric (Quantum) and Woody (Woody) Henderson are trying to prevent Thomas J. Edison’s mysterious splinter group (Edison’s Radical Acquisitions) from getting their hands on Dr. Henderson’s research. Woody is captured for experimentation by a mad-science army. Q & W accidentally kill the leader (the ancient Crone), blow up their island base, and escape with a mysteriously powerful goat and a teenage Crone-clone that Woody has a crush on.
Eric has a part-time job with Magnum Security, Inc., whose boss Mr. Magnum sends on a superhero suicide mission to infiltrate the heavily fortified separatist town of Stronghold, Montana where a dirty bomb has supposedly been constructed. It’s a ploy to use Eric to spark a separatist uprising so Magnum can earn fat government contract. While the exchange of banter between black Eric and white supremacist
Strongholders is funny, it’s also a frightful reminder of how some folks in the real world take this stuff seriously no matter how ridiculous it is. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
Continuing my limited, sporadic exploration of manga . . . Story and art by Motofumi Kobayashi (black & white, with some occasional color pages) and translation by Clifton Lloyd Miles Jr.
The art is the best thing here, although it’s not enough to save the sparse storyline. There’s just not enough definition/explanation of the story and almost zero characterization (except for a couple of bossy generals on both sides). This just lacks clarity. Sometimes you can’t even discern which side is being featured.
The year is 1995, and things kick off when a formation of battle-choppers cross the airspace into West Germany. Then it’s Russia versus U.S.A. with German troops in the middle of it all. Mostly air battles and tank activity with very little skirmishes between foot soldiers. No nukes, although the possibility comes up in Issue #3, just before a truce is negotiated.
I know that Kobayashi’s CAT SHIT ONE series has generated some buzz, but based on this disappointing experience I won’t be picking it up. TWO STARS, only because of the art.
This limited series continues the story from X-FACTOR where Scarlet Witch is apparently murdered during the Hellfire Gala celebration on Krakoa. Obviously, Magneto is Suspect #1, as bits of evidence uncovered by X-Factor’s forensics work and X-Force’s scalpel-free sensory autopsy.
The first part of this story didn’t feel right to me. It seemed a very clinical approach to a tragedy. I realize that not every Marvel character likes Scarlet Witch based on past indiscretions (Avengers Disassembled, House of M, “No More Mutants”, etc) but I was looking for somebody to be mourning her passing. However, grief and sorrow does enter the picture later in this over-sized debut issue, and is expressed in several different ways that are admirably detailed with discretion and without exaggeration.
Of course, Magneto reacts just like a guilty person (as you might have expected). We’ll see if he’s really involved. I suspect more to this, and is Scarlet Witch still hanging on in the astral plane or something else?
FOUR STARS.
Something is happening to Wanda’s body (floating in an unknown dimension/astral plane), just in time for the Avengers arrival (Captain America, Iron Man, Wasp, Vision). They’ve come for the body, of course. Professor X and Hope attempt a joint mind-probe on Magneto. It’s not very successful. Magneto gets some odd instructions from Hope, ends up confronting the Avengers and then confessing (forced?) Wanda shows up, but doesn’t seem to up to date on current events. Has some memory lapses, leading some to suspect that this isn’t really Wanda. Guess who nobody saw spying on them at this exact moment? Mystique. Okay, eliminate her from the possibilities.
Northstar is a really protective hubby. Kyle should feel smothered. Just in time for three kaiju monsters with self-healing abilities to keep both X-Men and Avengers busy. Meanwhile, Wanda in the clouds feels a little loss. Has part of her departed and landed on Krakoa? Is that why the memory loss? Wanda finds out who the mysterious figure in the white cloak is. You’ll never guess. Quite a twist. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
This was one of the Batman stories that I thought I didn’t need to read. Then I picked this up on a whim. I’m glad I did.
In Jeff Lemire’s thoughtful story, featuring evocative art and colors by Dustin Nguyen, young Dick Grayson is in early training to be Batman’s assistant Robin. His too-slow for Dick, too-fast for Bruce development is trying the patience of both (and Alfred). Any parent who’s tried to teach their child how to drive a car experiences similar emotions. Lemire handles it beautifully and reveals how both teacher and student experience similar frustrations and begin to question their own abilities.
I believe I’m going to enjoy where this is going. FOUR STARS.
Another book I passed on. However, after seeing it still hanging around the shelves in several comic shops I decided to buy a copy.
A taut, fast-paced story with a badass anti-hero (Johanna Tan) that reminds me of the best of the Modesty Blaise series, although Johanna is on no one’s side but her own. Along with her fighting skills, she’s the best at what she does: getting her clients the weapons they need, where and when the need it. (She smuggled a taser into the Vatican, for example).
Right after turning down a lucrative government contract, Joanna decides to handle the next job herself, since “it does make it easier when the target deserves it.” Things don’t go according to plan and this one ends on a cliffhanger. FOUR STARS.
Another promising debut issue from the Black Caravan imprint. The art team on this one is really impressive. There’s a lot of intricate detail in the illustrations by Theo Prasidis to appreciate; and the color work by Ruth Redmond is very expressive and appropriate.
J. M. Brandt’s script has several storylines occurring which I anticipate will come together in a future issue. The montage on the cover features a little preview of them all.
In 1865 a a trio of confederate soldiers are retreating (from what?) in the Louisiana swamp when they are surrounded by a horde of either zombies or former slaves (can’t tell, only shown from the back as they advance).
Cut to present day Baton Rouge where a rock band performs at a apparently Halloween house party, with a prophetic message in their song that will probably be important to this story. A provocative girl-on-girl romance begins. A homeless man (burglar?) takes a short cut through an old graveyard and makes a dangerous misstep which arouses something he probably wished would stay dead. FOUR STARS.
I can appreciate what’s being offered here, although I am definitely not the target audience. If you like NINJA HIGH SCHOOL by Ben Dunn you’ll feel comfortable with this one. It has a similar look, very eye-appealing anime-style art and situations. If fact, the storyline would probably do well as an anime feature on Cartoon Network’s late night Saturday line-up.
The beginning is a bit grim as the narrator, a mystic of sorts, speaks about the problem of rivalry within human existence and then mentions that his granddaughter may be partially responsible for the end of the world. (What?)
When Yuki was just a youngster, her grandpa took her to a zoo park where you can walk right up to the animal cages. (Seems quite different from American zoos, where there are barriers and separation). So, Yuki gets too close to a cute baby panda with her ice cream. When the panda steals her treat, Yuki reaches into the cage to punch and pound the panda and bite his ear.
Ten years later Yuki is training to be a martial arts expert while the grown panda has escaped from the zoo, bearing a grudge and looking for Yuki. In the third chapter/issue, Yuki is now a college student. The panda, walking around disguised as a human in a robe and a hat is closing in on the prey. He’s also got some serious fighting skills. Who knew? TWO AND ONE-HALF STARS.
Commander Abigal Brand is Director of the Sentient World Observation and Response Department (S.W.O.R.D.), which monitors potential alien threats to Earth. But nothing runs smoothly, and now twisted Dark Avengers member and U.S. leader Norman Osborn has appointed Henry Gyrich (with nefarious plans of his own) as co-director of S.W.O.R.D.
Pivotal character Lockheed is one of my favorites from the cast, separated from his beloved Kitty Pryde and drowning his sorrows in bottle after bottle.
Abigal’s step-brother, the green-furred upright goat Lothi, seeks sanctuary and may be hiding an artifact wanted by contract hunter Death’s Head (from Marvel U.K.) Beast, Abigal’s boyfriend from the X-Men with new elongated snout, is on hand to furnish wry commentary and sexual innuendo. Unit, a ghostly humanoid robot with a data encyclopedia of a brain, is dangerous enough to be kept in maximum security and only consulted when there’s a situation that needs some computer-quick number/data crunching.
Writer Kieron Gillen and Penciller Steven Sanders spin an amusing and compelling yarn. A sleeper find in the bargain bins. FOUR STARS.
Returning to S.W.O.R.D. HQ Brand learns that Gyrich, to ensure the planet’s safety from extraterrestrial threat, has ordered that all aliens be deported from Earth immediately.
Since Issue #1, a contingent of Drenx pirates have been patiently waiting in a conference room to avert a war by way of negotiation, and Brand keeps pushing off the meeting by having subordinates serve tea and conversation. Lockheed avoids capture by hiding in the massive air ducts of the orbiting station; and Unit shows his devious side. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
Help comes from several unexpected sources in a double-page spread that displays the dynamism of artist Sanders. Brand has a non-violent but satisfying reckoning with Gyrich. THREE STARS.
The latter issues weren’t quite as amusing as there was less time for clever banter during all the action. But overall, a good read and THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
Will Conrad’s art is perfect for this story. He knows how to use the setting to create the atmosphere of impending doom and the expressions of fear and anxiety are picture-perfect. He has a photo-realistic style similar to Steve Epting and Mike Deodato Jr. that I really appreciate.
Write Rob Williams builds the suspense perfectly in Issue #1 which ends on a cliffhanger. Issue #2 picks up immediately from that last page and depicts the threat facing the guinea-pig prisoners of war and its bloody consequences.
There’s a diverse cast of characters among the prisoners, a good assortment of types for readers to empathize with (or despise). Realizing that many of them will not be here for the final issue helps build the dread. One of the characters that I thought would be indispensable to the plot doesn’t make it too far into Issue #2. Native American code-talker Nocona is a favorite. Hope he makes it.
Of course, this creature is the Nazi’s last ditch efforts to defeat the Allies. They arrogantly feel they can control it and put several safeguards in place. We’ll see about that. FOUR STARS.