Alex K Comic Reviews

Birthright is still young, and can probably be forgiven for some of its stumbling points. However, at two issues in I still haven't seen anything besides Bressan's art that makes it worth sticking around for.

Just like every issue before it, the last page is sure to get you excited about next month's installment. For someone whose interest in the story was faltering, this issue was the kick in the shorts I needed to get back on track.

Instead of simply following the next step in the story, Vaughn and Staples slowed down to remind us the scale of the entire story. This issue acts to decompress what we've been reading for months and get us excited for what's to come next. You could easily describe it as "another issue of Saga" and know full well that you're getting one hell of a book.

On the art side, Mike Allred kills it with his signature style. He really seems to be the perfect match for this cosmic type of storytelling, and his drawings pop off the page with vibrant coloring and deep inks. I spent more than a few minutes staring at the beautiful final page. I would have a hard time dropping any book as gorgeous as this. Overall, while I fear the series may lose its narrative to cheap trope play, I still recommend this book. Its weakest issue still provides a fun read, but hopefully Slott can work towards building a more solid ongoing plot.

I was glad to see Daniel Acuna return on art. Last month's fill-in did a good job, but his entire series feels like its been most impacted by Acuna's dark scenery and style. In a mutant internment camp and with a large cast of heroes and villains, Acuna paints a disgustingly beautiful scene and a truly terrifying last-page reveal. While it may seem to slow in some issues, Uncanny Avengers 25 reminds me why I'm still invested in the story of the Unity Squad and sets the state for an exciting event.

If Wolf Moon #1 is guilty of anything negative, it's that the story seems somewhat derivative. Given time, I think the ship can be righted and we can see what has made Bunn such a prominent rising storyteller. For those who love werewolf stories, this is a simple decision to pick up. For everyone else, it is an interesting series to keep an eye on.

These two working on a horror book is truly a match made heaven (or hell). I don't read many horror comics, but a story like this reminds me of this subgenre and why its one of the most popular genres today. If you're looking for something to get you in that Halloween spirit, this is the book for you.