Saturday, July 21, 2018

Brittania: Lost Eagles of Rome #1 Advance Review

Detectioner Comics

Written by: Peter Milligan
Art by: Robert Gill, José Villarrubia, Diego Rodriguez, and Dave Sharpe
Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 25, 2018

After binge-reading the first two volumes in Peter Milligan's Brittania series, I'm pretty excited to jump into this new story and see what our hero Antonius Axia is going to get into this time around. The first two trades were pretty dense, but everything came together to form some interesting stories of magic, gods, and the evils of Ancient Rome. So let's jump right into this third book and see where it goes.

Friday, July 20, 2018

Gideon Falls #5 Review

A Family Affair?

Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Andrea Sorrentino
Colors by Dave Stewart
Letters by Steve Wands
Publisher: Image Comics
Publication Date: 18 July 2018 


Gideon Falls has been an intriguing read to date. It draws out a mysterious story and has allowed us to become attached to each of its central characters gradually but very thoroughly. It has given readers a stake in the future of the characters. This issue begins to develop things further and poses a number of interesting questions. Let’s see how it went. 

Infidel #5 Review

A Sense of an E 

Written by: Pornsak Pichetshote
Art by: Aaron Campbell
Colors: Jose Villarrubia
Publisher: Image Comics
Publication Date: 18 July 2018


Infidel has been a notable series in a number of ways. I thought that the early issues were very clever in terms of how they dealt with issues such as race and culture.  I thought it played quite cleverly with character motivations. Likewise, I thought that the book had some truly frightening moments and a lot of terrifying artwork. Will this concluding installment round of the story nicely? Let’s see. 

Thursday, July 19, 2018

Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill ep. 99 - American Splendor #1 (1976)


This is America

Heya, fellow comics enthusiasts! In this episode, everymen Chris (@AceComics) and Reggie (@reggiereggie) do a little gazing at someone else's navel when they read Harvey Pekar's American Splendor #1 from 1976! After some biographical information, peppered with lots of quotes from the subject himself, our pair go through every story in this 52-page anthology, providing information on all of the contributing artists (including Robert Crumb) as they go. Then, after a break, our eavesdroppers discuss the details and impact of American Splendor, and wrap up the life of Harvey Pekar as well. It's an episode packed with the mundanity of life, you don't want to miss it!

DC Comics Best Covers of the Week: June 18, 2018

Mama's Serving Up the Comic Books, Yes, We Got 'Em For Sale

It was a pretty light New Comic Book Day for DC Comics this week, but for some reason there were lots of pretty good covers! I had to pare this list down from six total. Which one didn't make the cut? You'll never know! That's all part of the behind-the-scenes process, folks. Maybe for the Blu-Ray release, we'll show off the covers that didn't make the lists. But for now, let's look at this week's best of the best of the best!

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

The Brave and the Bold: Batman and Wonder Woman #6 Review


Writer: Liam Sharp
Artist: Liam Sharp
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: July 18, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99
Review by: Matches Balone

It's an epic battle for Tir Na Nóg in this finale, as King Elatha has opened its Causeways and both Fomorian and Dé Denann creatures are spilling into our own realm! Batman must go back to Gotham City to try to close the Causeways from the inside, while Wonder Woman will fight alongside King Elatha against his once-banished brother, Balor Evil Eye! Who will take the crown and rule Tir Na Nóg for eternity?

Injustice vs Masters of Universe #1 Review


"I Could Read This All Day"                      

               - Captain America


Writer: Tim Seeley
Art Team: Freddie E. Williams II, Jeremy Colwell,
Letterer: Wes Abbott
Release Date: July 18, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99


At this point in time if He-Man is forever doomed to live out his life in DC Comics crossovers I will happily keep signing up to buy them.  I may be in the minority of comic fans in that regard but I just find something fun about the 'back in the toy-box' feeling I get when DC Comics decides to go into the grab bag of properties at their disposal and pull one of these out for a mini-series.  So now that we know I'm a He-Man 'stan' lets get into the first issue of He-Man vs 'bad' Superman and see what comes out the other end.

Deathbed #6 Review


It's A Tweest!



Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Riley Rossmo, Ivan Plascencia, and Deron Bennett
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 18, 2018

Well, it's been a hell of a ride. We've finally reached the final issue of Joshua Williamson's wacky, crazy adventure through the life of Antonio Luna. I have had some fun with the series for the most part, and I have absolutely no idea where this final issue is going to go from here. I'm excited to see how the story gets wrapped up, so let's jump in and give it a go.

Batwoman #17 Review and *SPOILERS*


Time To Get a Watch


Written By: Marguerite Bennett
Art By: Fernando Blanco, John Rauch
Letters By: Deron Bennett
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 18, 2018

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Normally I have to start these reviews by picking up from the previous issue and how it was beyond disappointing and how it is a blessing that the book is being cancelled. However, this month I get a bit of a reprieve. The reason for this is because the last issue was actually pretty good. It wasn’t perfect or anything but it gave us a satisfying end to a long series of events that we had been reading for over a year. Granted, most of that long series of events was contrived and pretty lame but, to each their own. Now, we are coming off of what is probably the best issue of this series and we have only two issue left before our series comes to an end. Lets see how the first of these last two issues will turn out by diving right in and seeing for ourselves.

New Challengers #3 Review

The Challenger Showdown


Writer: Scott Snyder, Aaron Gillespie
Art Team: Andy Kubert, V Ken Marion, Klaus Janson,
Sandu Florea, Brand Anderson, Dinei Ribeiro
Release Date: July 18, 2018
Cover Price: $2.99


Personally coming into this issue, having no prior knowledge of the Challengers throughout DC history, other than a reference to the team in Dark Nights: Metal, I can say I'm more open minded about the concept after having enjoyed issue two more than issue one. With that said I could see the formula this series has followed for the most part taking shape and wonder, if like the title Damage and other New Age books, I will just get bored quickly with the way things progress.  Only one way to find out right, lets jump in.

The Wild Storm #15 Review and Spoilers


Brouhaha In A Bar

Written by: Warren Ellis

Art by: Jon Davis-Hunt
Colors by: Steve Buccellato and John Kalisz
Letters by: Simon Bowland
Cover Price: $3.99

Another month, another slice of beautifully rendered elegantly presented sci-fi comic goodness. John Lynch's road trip across America and through the secret history of the Wild Storm universe continues as do the ramifications of the cold war between IO and Skywatch turning hot. Last month we saw Lynch meet Fairchild's mother. Who will it be this time around? Will Lucy Blaze's single-handed slaughter of two IO Razor CATs go unanswered?  And will Jack Hawksmoor finally work out who he is? There is only one way to find out…



Damage #7 Review

Damage #7


Storytellers: Robert Venditti, Diogenes Neves, Tom Derenick
Art Team: Trevor Scott, Sean Parsons, Larry Hama, & Tom Derenick
DC Comics
Release Date: July 18, 2018
Cover Price: $2.99

Damage Takes a Dive

I've held out from completely giving up on this title altogether because when I read the first few issues I really saw some potential and interest in this concept and character idea. Despite all my hopes and initial intrigue however this title, since the first three issues, has gone down a path of predictability and has the feel of something being dragged out to the point I no longer care.  So what was my breaking point? Donate a click and find out.

Harley Quinn #46 Review and **SPOILERS**


Gimme Back My Hammah, Gramma

Writer: Sam Humphries 
Artist: John Timms 
Colors: Gabe Eltaeb 
Letters: Dave Sharpe 
Cover: Guillem March and Tomeu Morey 
Variant Cover: Frank Cho 
Assistant Editor: Andrea Shea 
Editor: Alex Antone 
Group Editor: Brian Cunningham 
Cover Price: $2.99 
On Sale Date: July 18, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Harley Quinn on Apokolips! Who’da thunk it? Besides Dan Didio, I mean. I imagine Dan has pictured every possible combination between characters in the DCU and the whole Fourth World oeuvre. Sugar and Spike working for Desaad; Captain Carrot facing off against Steppenwolf. The mind reels! You don’t have to reel when it comes to Harley Quinn #46, however—my review is right here!

Cave Carson Has an Interstellar Eye #5 Review and **SPOILERS**


No Hard Feelings About Leaving Me For Dead

Writer: Jon Rivera 
Cover & Interior Artist: Michael Avon Oeming 
Colorist: Nick Filardi 
Back-Up Artist: Paul Maybury 
Letterer: Clem Robins 
Editor: Molly Mahan 
Executive Editor: Mark Doyle 
DC’s Young Animal Curated By: Gerard Way 
Cover Price: $3.99 
On Sale Date: July 18, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

It is here, the penultimate issue of Cave Carson Has an Interstellar Eye. I enjoyed the first volume of this book, when his eye was merely cybernetic, but I dare say I am enjoying this one more, and I’ll be sad to see it go. But nothing can stop the unending fanfic adventures the team has in my head! For now, let’s deal with the corporeal and check out my review of Cave Carson Has an Interstellar Eye #5, commencing now!

Green Lanterns #51 Review



Dome-ward Bound: The Boring Journey


Written By: Dan Jurgens
Art By: Mike Perkins, Hi-Fi, Dave Sharpe
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: July 18, 2018


Let's jump back into Dan Jurgens' Green Lanterns, where in the previous issue we saw that he's now using this Green Lanterns title as a way to showoff Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz, but also as a replacement to Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps book for when that ends........ and I'm a big fan of that approach, but this background story that spends a bunch of time on Mogo where our heroes just battle a storm and heavy winds...... Well, that's a bit boring.  Hopefully we get more about Eon and his space armada that we saw kick the shit out of John Stewart in the previous issue because right now, that's the most interesting aspect of of story.  Let's check it out.

Justice League #4 Review


Doom!


Written By: Scott Snyder
Art By: Jorge Jimenez, Alejandro Sanchez, Tom Napolitano
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 18, 2018


The Invisible Spectrum is consuming Earth, the Still Force is out and about and the heart of the Source Wall, The Totality has landed on Earth and it's up to the Justice League to figure out what it all means.  Too bad that Lex Luthor is about twenty steps ahead of them and seems to have everything on lock down as everything our heroes do seems to be exactly what he wants to bring entropy to the world.  Let's jump into this issue and see if the Justice League can start getting the upper hand......... or hell, just know what's going on around them.  Let's check it out.

Batman #51 Review


I Hold This Issue In Contempt


Written By: Tom King
Art By: Lee Weeks, Elizabeth Breitweiser, Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 18, 2018


The Wedding is off and Bane's plan to break the Bat.......... or some such nonsense has been fulfilled.  Now that nobody got what they wanted from the previous issue, let's jump into the exciting world of jury duty, where Bruce Wayne will have to decide whether or not Mr. Freeze is guilty of a crime......... Even though Bruce has a personal connection with both Batman and Mr. Freeze that is known by the public and would never be selected for jury duty.  Let's check it out.

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Justice League of America Giant #1 Review


Wonder Woman: The Conversion

Written by: Tim Seeley
Art by: Nick Leonardi, Steve Buccellato, and Travis Lanham
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: July 1, 2018

Also Includes:

Justice League - Origin Part 1
The Flash - Move Forward Part 1
Aquaman - The Trench Part 1

In a country torn apart by conflict, Wonder Woman comes face to face with Ares, God of War - who sees her as a promising new recruit!

Batman Giant #1 Review


One More Chance Part 1 of 2

Written by: Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by: Patch Zircher, John Kalisz and Tom Napolitano
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: July 1, 2018

Also Includes:
Batman - Hush Part One: The Ransom
Nightwing - Welcome to Gotham
Harley Quinn - Hot in the City

I am a big fan of a bargain and these Giant 100-page issues are just that.  Three back issues and a brand new story for $4.99? Count me in!  These, of course, are exclusive to Wal-Mart and while the opinion of whether that is a good or bad thing has hit the Twitterverse, I am here to review the original stories in each of these Giants.  So, here we go with Jimmy Palmiotti and Patch Zircher's Once More Chance...

PREVIEW: Wild Storm #15


Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Jon Davis-Hunt
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: July 18, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99

Marc Slayton took his show on the road, as the thing inside him he called the Carer told him to.  But whom is he hunting, and for what purpose? John Lynch is crisscrossing America to warn the other Thunderbook test subjects that IO might have discovered them, but IO might not be the only threat to their lives. The uneasy peace between IO and Skywatch has become a cold war-and there are plans for a hot war.

PREVIEW: The Brave and the Bold: Batman and Wonder Woman #6


Writer: Liam Sharp
Artist: Liam Sharp
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: July 18, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99

It's an epic battle for Tir Na Nóg in this finale, as King Elatha has opened its Causeways and both Fomorian and Dé Denann creatures are spilling into our own realm! Batman must go back to Gotham City to try to close the Causeways from the inside, while Wonder Woman will fight alongside King Elatha against his once-banished brother, Balor Evil Eye! Who will take the crown and rule Tir Na Nóg for eternity?

PREVIEW: New Challengers #3


Writer: Scott Snyder, Aaron Gillespie
Artist: Andy Kubert and V Ken Marion
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: July 18, 2018
Cover Price: $2.99

It's the New Challengers versus the Old Challengers! The original Challengers infiltrate Challengers Mountain to uncover the identity of the professor who's been manipulating both teams! As dark matter leaks from the Dark Multiverse, the New Challengers travel to the prehistoric underworld of Skartaris, stomping grounds of Travis Morgan, the Warlord!

PREVIEW: Injustice Vs. Masters of the Universe #1


Writer: Tim Seeley
Artist: Freddie Williams II
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: July 18, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99

Believing He-man and the Masters of the Universe defeated, a robotic impostor has seized control of Eternia-but not for long! After freeing his kingdom from this strongman's rule, Prince Adam learns not everyone is pleased to see the pretender deposed-but Adam knows the value of freedom. So when heroes from another dimension ask his aid in deposing a super-hero turned dictator, he agrees. Teaming up with Batman against the Superman of the Injustice Universe, He-man and his new allies face dangerous and familiar enemies in a battle where no world is safe! 

PREVIEW: Damage #7


Writer: Robert Venditti
Artist: Diogenes Neves, Trevor Scott
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: July 18, 2018
Cover Price: $2.99

Ethan Avery is Damage, the monstrous brute with unlimited strength for an hour. That’s the (semi) good news. The bad…? Ethan’s on the run from the army that transformed him. Mr. Leash’s metahuman tactical squad is hot on Avery’s trail—what could go wrong when a bunch of bloodthirsty super-soldiers take on a rampaging monstrosity called Damage? PLUS: What is Colonel Jonas’ gut-wrenching reason for running the top-secret superhuman chop shop? Secrets are revealed in part one of the new story “Scuttled.”

PREVIEW: Batwoman #17


Writer: Marguerite Bennett
Artist: Fernando Blanco
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: July 18, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99

Kate Kane's latest assignment is leaving her cold-it's a cold case that forces her to team up with GCPD Detective Renee Montoya, and which, as usual, has Gotham City running out of time. Is this the start of a beautiful crime-fighting partnership? No spoilers, but expect sparks and punches to fly!

PREVIEW: Justice League #4




Written By: Scott Snyder
Art By: Jorge Jimenez, Alejandro Sanchez, Tom Napolitano
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 18, 2018

What is hidden in the darkest depths of the ocean and farthest reaches of space doesn’t even compare to the insidious secrets buried in the pasts of Flash, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter! While the rest of the League battles to save their friends before all of reality unravels, the citizens of Earth make a startling decision…to join the Legion of Doom!