By comparison, the art in the Hangman backup feature is more along the lines of what I'd like to see. Tom Derenick isn't the star of the show, but rather inker Bill Sienkiewicz. Sienkiewicz lends a nice gritty veneer to what might otherwise have been a very standard visual presentation. In terms of the script, Hangman still proves the most underwhelming of all four Red Circle heroes. His struggle continues to feel far removed from the other three characters, and nothing besides Sienkiewicz's work does anything to sell the character. Read Full Review
I think that JMS as managed to catch me in his "web" with this book. While I still think that the other two Red Circle titles deserve the scores I gave them, this book hits the mark. I really opened this one up not expecting much, but I was pleasantly surprised. I thought long and hard about the score for this title, and after much deliberation, have decided to go for a 3.5 out of 5 Stars. It is a little late coming, but it is worth it. Read Full Review
However, it's anyone's guess how the next issue might connect the circle back to the Civil War with Robert Dickering becoming The All-New Hangman. Anyway, here is what Straczynski said when he was asked if the four-issue Red Circle series tells one large story:Each issue tells the origin of that character, then sets the stage for the next character, which tees off what happens in the book that precedes it. In other words, in the first issue, we are introduced to the Hangman. We track his origins from the Civil War to the present, and in the last part of the book, something happens that ties directly into the origin of Inferno. Further adding to this, the last page of each book is drawn by the artist of the next book in the cycle, helping to reinforce both the transition, and the sense of connection. Theres a loose sense of almost karmic linkages that future writers can explore or not as they see fit.That "future writers can explore as they see fit"? That doesn't sound as if there is a Read Full Review
When you slap a big name like J. Michael Straczynski on a project, readers expect something special. These Red Circles issues have been far from special; for the most part, they've been dull, silly and unoriginal. I hope his next outing for the company will be more in line with what we all expect from such a talent. Read Full Review
Happily, Roger Robinson's pencils look strong here. They remind me a bit of Scott McDaniel's work (and whom ironically pencils the last page as a lead-in to "The Red Circle: The Shield"), with a slightly blocky, iconic look to the visuals. Robinson's best when it comes to perspective and architecture; the look into the Web's lair comes across as a more interesting first glance than it other might have been, and even something as simple as a kitchen looks attractive and inviting. He's good with characters and action too, don't get me wrong, but it's the attention to details that other artists that might have forgotten that make Robinson's art stand out. If anything, Robinson's art is the high point of the issue (although I do love the beautiful Jesus Saiz cover), and the fact that he's also illustrating the monthly series gives me some hope as well. Here's to "The Red Circle" characters breaking out of the standard molds they've been cast in. Read Full Review
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