Alexander Cole Comic Reviews

Overall 2169 was a good prog. It’s a little disappointing that I’m going to be waiting a fortnight for the next entries in most of these stories but the writers have kept the tales engaging so I don’t mind too much as long as they maintain the high quality. I’d definitely recommend picking this prog up.

Overall this is a good prog. The stories are all straightforward and they’re clearly aimed at a younger audience than most 2000AD content but that’s not a bad thing. The comic industry as a whole needs to bring in a continuous stream of young readers and books like this weeks prog are great for that. Plus the fact that it’s an entire prog full of one-shot stories will make it a lot easier to re-read. I’d highly recommend this prog to anyone looking to get a child into the world of 2000AD or into comics in general.

This was a decent prog. The Dredd one-shot was a good start to the book and it’s nice seeing Skip Tracer back. It definitely felt like this prog was more about setting up material for future chapters in each series but it was entertaining enough to make up for that. Definitely worth a read.

In summary this was a solid prog. It was cool to see some new Sinister Dexter material and all the ongoing stories seem to be going fairly well. The Zaucer of Zilk and Feral & Foe are showing signs that they may be running out of ideas but hopefully that won’t be the case. It was a good read though, even if this prog wasn’t as filled with thrillpower as I’d have hoped.

This is a brilliant comic. It's not only a great nostalgia trip for fans of the show it's based on but it's a great Batman comic in general and it's accessible for new readers. The writing is well done. Dini and Burnett clearly have a great grasp of these characters and it shows throughout the comic. The story is a well-written action/mystery that makes good use of lettering and despite some inconsistencies with the background, the art is as close to the animated series as possible. A fantastic read.

This is a really good story that manages to progress the Jason storyline while still building up its villains. Deathstroke is written brilliantly as he tries to sow discord amongst the Bat-family and Robin's interactions with him are very well-done. Despite having to share the spotlight with another villain I can say that Clayface managed to stand out here too, partially due to his portrayal as a sadistic monster in this issue. The art looks just as great as it did last issue without the distraction of the ever-changing sky colour. Finally, the lettering is brilliantly done. It adds a lot to the Clayface segment of the issue and as I said in the main review, there's not many sound effects but when they appear they're used well and have a lot of impact.

An extremely fun issue that wraps up the Deathstroke story nicely and furthers important plot points for the rest of the series.

This was a fine story. A little darker than usual but in a good way. Dini and Burnett did a fine job of establishing Azrael as a character and he and Bruce had good chemistry throughout the issue. The villains were also handled well, especially the main villain who I won't spoil for you. The art was a little darker too but, much like past issues it was beautiful and kept in line with the cartoons. Lettering was another high point of this comic as I've talked about in the main review. A great comic that I'd recommend to new readers and fans following this series alike.

Kicking off with an exciting confrontation between the Joker and Jason Todd, this issue goes on to provide a solid new version of the Red Hood's origin. The writing is great and respectful to the original Jason Todd character. The art is lovely. It always looks like the TV show but the little subtle things like the brighter colouring during key moments really brings this comic to life. Lettering is decent throughout and the characters are well-developed. An extremely enjoyable introduction to Jason Todd as a character.

This continues to be a well-written re-telling of Jason Todd's origin. It's respectful to the original stories where he reappeared as the Red Hood but manages to stand on it's own at the same time. The writing of the characters, Alfred, Tim Drake, Dr Thompkins, Batman and Jason is all spot-on. The art has some imperfections but it's still great for the most part and the lettering is solid. Not as accessible as previous issues have been but still worth a read.

This is a good finale to the Dini and Burnett's introduction of Jason Todd into the DC animated universe. It's not as creative with the premise as I'd hoped and aside from the ending it's somewhat predictable but it's still a decent-quality story. The characters aren't poorly written by any means and there's some interesting moments but this is more of an action-focused issue. The art continues to look great and fans of the animated series will definitely feel some nostalgia from seeing it. The lettering is good but it's fairly standard and there's not really anything particularly inventive here. All in all, it's a good comic but not a great one.

This is a fantastic story of a villain trying to overcome his mental health issues and return to a normal life. The Ventriloquist is very relateable throughout the book and the portrayals of Batman, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy are all done very well. The art is lovely. This series has done well at emulating the style of the animated series but the little details like the Christmas attire on certain characters and the contrast between the bright holiday colours and the dark city of Gotham really make this book stand out. There's also some wonderful use of lettering that adds to the Christmas feel. I really enjoyed this book. I think it's the best Christmas comic I've read in years.

Overall it's a good book. This is only the first issue so it's mostly setup but it's still enjoyable. I see a lot of potential in Black Stars Above and I'll definitely be reading future issues. The suspenseful approach might put off some horror fans but it's done incredibly well. Just don't go into this expecting jump scares and you should enjoy it.

The first story here is pretty bad in terms of writing and presentation. None of it really made sense and it just felt like some generic action but without any good artwork to make the action appealing. The other two stories are pretty great overall which helps make up for it though.

This is a pretty good book. The story may be simple but it's entertaining enough. Willow is the only character for most of the book but she's written well and I found her to be quite enjoyable. The artwork is nice and vibrant but can also get more complex when the need arises and the use of lettering to separate the different types of thoughts Willow is having as well as to separate those thoughts from the dialogue is pretty impressive. I'd definitely recommend this issue.

This issue may not be as strong as its predecessor but it's still a great comic. Mariko Tamaki writes the character of Willow perfectly and she creates a really suspenseful, creepy issue here. The story of the issue might not seem particularly exciting and might even be considered a slight let-down after how the first issue ended but Tamaki does a great job using this as a setup issue for future issues and there's some nice little twists throughout the tale. The art and lettering continue to be great, even if this issue isn't as inventive as the first issue in these regards. Willow #2 was a good read and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.

This is a decent issue of Willow but it's kinda mediocre in terms of story and character. Willow starts to realise something is amiss in Abhainn, much like last issue and it does have a somewhat repetitive feel due to that. Tamaki portrays the town and its residents differently and makes them feel a bit creepier through a sudden change in attitude though. By the end of this book you get the feeling that the next issue will kick off some major events but as an individual book this issue falls flat at times. The artwork continues to be solid and the lettering throughout the issue was decent. A good issue but it does feel a bit like filler at times.

This issue was terrible. The only good thing it had going for it was the lettering which was solid but to be quite frank, I've seen better from this series. Tamaki regresses her character and phones in a filler issue where nothing really happens yet it somehow manages to make Willow look like a helpless, passive character instead of the one that was ready to take on a town of witches last issue. The issue also ends with her in the same position as she was at the end of last issue so it's a bit of a pointless book to read. Even Bustos' art which I usually praise felt weaker than usual here. This really does just feel like a hastily-made filler issue created because the story couldn't fill out the number of issues. Not worth reading.

Mariko Tamaki has done an awful job of finishing this Willow solo series.

Chained to the grave debuts with a well-written issue that does a good job of presenting its characters and their motivations while kicking off the story of the undead Roy Mason and his family fleeing from his murderer. Lettering throughout the issue is very well done. There's a lot of use of different fonts and speech bubbles between characters to highlight, especially with Roy. Sound effects are used effectively to suck the reader into the story too. The art is the real highlight though. The comic makes wonderful use of changing colours throughout each page in order to highlight certain objects and people. All in all, this was a solid although somewhat surreal comic that I'd recommend reading.

This was a heartbreaker for me. After the last few issues I expected a good ending to this series but it didn't happen. The art is still great but it's a slight step down from earlier issues due to lesser detail. The story is overly simplistic without much of a conclusion and you don't get as much personality from the characters as you did in previous issues.

A mediocre book that could've been really fun in the hands of better writers. The artwork is genuinely good and the lettering is done to a decent standard. Sadly, that can only do so much for an otherwise disappointing issue.

This is a great start to the new Deadpool series. It's well written, the characters are used well, the art is really nice and there's lots of plotlines set up that can be explored in future issues. This first issue is entertaining on its own but there's so much potential for future stories too. Well worth a read.

The artwork for the busier panels could be better and the humour wasn't to my taste but the story in this issue is interesting and the character work was on point. A decent issue overall.

Great art dragged down by a painfully slow story that doesn't have much happening in it. It isn't terrible but this feels like a lazy filler issue to begin with and the exposition made it even worse. This issue isn't one of the worst comics I've ever read or anything but I won't be going back to it anytime soon.

This is a great issue. I'm surprised to be able to say that after the last 2 but it is. The story in it isn't anything amazing but it doesn't have to be since it's just a big fight. The art is way better than it has been in the past issues and there's some great character work done with Wade and Kraven here. It's definitely worth picking this one up.

This was a really good book that goes out of its way to tackle some themes that I don't feel get enough attention in comics. The writing of the story, its characters, and dialogue as well as the way these themes are handled are all brilliantly done. The artwork is inventive and gorgeous to look at as well. This is also one of the few comics where the lettering actually stands out in a good way and adds to the comics. I think it would actually be a good issue for professionals to teach people about the use of lettering in comics. It really is a shining example of what a good letterer can contribute to a comic. I thoroughly enjoyed this comic and I'll definitely be following the rest of this volume.

It's more about building a foundation for things that'll happen in future issues. It manages to stay entertaining though and leaves you wondering what'll happen next so it definitely does its job. I feel like the characters themselves are more the focus here since we see a bit more of them and their respective personalities in this issue. Poppy and Lily were the standouts in my opinion. Louis and Faith get their fair share of development too though.

This latest issue of Faithless is another great entry in the series. It may not be as exciting as some readers might've expected it to be after the end of last issue but it still stands strong. This is due to a mixture of superb and suspenseful writing of the story and characters by Azzarello, unique, detailed and gorgeous yet occasionally creepy artwork on the part of Llovet and a creative use of lettering throughout the issue. It might not be hugely accessible to new readers at this point in the series but this was still a terrific read that fans of this story are bound to love.

This is a fantastic new issue of Faithless. The writing is well-done as Azzarello continues to develop his lead character and the paranormal events surrounding her. The art depicting the exhibition at the start and Italy itself is beautiful and the lettering is creative and handled extremely well. I really enjoyed this and I'd highly recommend this book and this series to any fan of supernatural comics.

This is a great little entry in Azzarello's series about a young girl being seduced by demonic beings. Faith is becoming more and more active as she realises things are wrong about her situation. Characters such as Poppy, Lily, the old woman and our protagonist are all developed and the art is to die for. Not to mention the fact that there's some really good and expressive use of lettering throughout the issue. Definitely worth a read.

This is a fun little horror story. It's heavy on exposition though and the mystery is as predictable as they come. It's well-written but just a bit mediocre. There wasn't a lot of character building. You get a little hint of the B.P.R.D. agent's personality but that's it. Hellboy, after the opening couple of pages is just there to punch stuff really. The art by Hughes looks great. None of the cheesecake style he built his career on and the colouring adds a gothic feel to the images. Lettering was good throughout too. Overall, a solid comic but nothing to write home about.

I really enjoyed this book. The art ranges from solid to great across the 3 shorts and the writing is spectacular aside from "The longest night" but even that one is simply generic rather than outright bad. The main characters in the first and third stories were brilliant too. It's really amazing how much a good writer can make you care about a character within a handful of pages. This book might even end up a contender for my best issue of 2020 at the end of the year.

It Eats What Feeds It is a fun little book if you're interested in the conventions of different media genres. It makes heavy use of horror cliches but the result is that the story and characters are a bit lacking in depth. Part of this may be down to the short length of the story itself though. The lettering is fairly mediocre. It does its job and there's some basic stuff that's done well but an over-reliance on speech bubbles makes a lot of the exposition dialogue feel forced and unnatural. The art is the best bit of the book. Lumazark has done a fantastic job presenting these characters as well as the setting. While I haven't come across Gabriel's work in other comics I'd have to say that reading this has left me hoping that I will see more of him. He's a very talented artist. The book is worth reading but I didn't find it particularly great or anything. Just good, creepy, cliched horror fun.

In summary, this was a great issue. None of these chapters are the start of new stories but they're easy enough to understand and use as a jumping on point. The artwork is beautiful, particularly in the Lawless and Devlin Waugh strips and the stories were all fairly interesting and entertaining. This months magazine is definitely worth the read.

This is a really good book. If you're a horror fan in particular then this issue has some Resident Evil-style stuff that you'll love. There's a couple of characters that could've done with a drop more time and a new reader might still find it hard to get into despite the flashback but I really heavily recommend this issue and the series as a whole.

This issue has definitely been designed to serve as an intermission before the climax of the witching war storyline but it has good art, good writing and I have no complaints after reading it. It's a solid issue.

This is a really forgettable issue that manages to take some great ideas and make them seem irrelevant through lack of attention. It's worth reading if you've been enjoying the series so far and want to read the whole thing but otherwise don't bother. The art is the best thing about this issue.

This is a decent issue that shows a fair bit of promise for this creative team. It's not a masterpiece or anything but it has solid writing, the artwork is good, it sets up the arc nicely and there's plenty of material to explore with future storylines. A good read.

This is a solid issue. The art here is fantastic, especially the horror elements. There isn't a great deal of character work aside from the Constantine and Zatanna interactions. What is there is good though and the story was pretty decent and left me curious to see what happens next. Definitely an improvement over the first chapter of this story. It was worth the read.

This is a decent issue. The art is gorgeous, especially in the dream world segments and the inventive use of lettering alongside that really really just adds even more brilliance to those pages. There isn't a great deal of character work though. Dr Fate, Constantine and Abigail Arcane are the only characters that really get much attention in this issue. What we see of them is interesting, especially Fate as he debates the avatars but it's not mind-blowing or anything. The story itself isn't great either but it does its job of setting up the next issue so it's serviceable. A decent issue.

This is a great ending to this storyline. It wraps up most plot points and sets up the next arc of this run and the character work is well-done, particularly with John Constantine. While I prefer Martinez' artwork I still enjoy Kyle Hotz' work on this issue. He does a good job with the only flaw being a few characters faces. The issue is also a tour-de-force in lettering. There's a variety of lettering techniques used throughout the issue that do nothing but add to the quality of the issue. Justice League Dark #23 was a great issue and well worth the read.

This issue was just stunning. The way the story is handled with Zatanna trying to bring back her father and Detective Chimp trying to reunite the league is just great. You get a good sense of what's going on in terms of storyline and personality with virtually every character in the cast. Each member of the team is written so well here. The artwork is breathtaking with so many incredible aspects to it. I listed some in the main review but you really need to see it yourself to appreciate what Amancay has done here. The lettering is well-done too. There's so many nice little techniques that just add extra layers to an already great comic. I was extremely impressed by this and I can't wait for the next issue.

This is a solid continuation of Justice League Dark's latest and possibly final storyline. We get to see more of Zatanna's relationship with her father as well as a lot of insight into the character of Swamp Thing. There's some gorgeous art throughout, not only in the action scenes but in more emotional moments that I don't want to spoil for anyone. The story itself also manages to be entertaining while planting seeds for future issues. The lettering also continues to be of a great standard. I enjoyed this comic and it's well worth giving it a read.

This is a great new issue of Justice League Dark. The story itself is fantastic as it continues to build the concept of magic as well as the threat of the Upside-Down Man. It has some nice character moments but I wouldn't say it's the focus of the issue. That's probably the one weak point here. The art is absolutely breath-taking and the lettering is not only brilliant but incredibly varied. An extremely strong issue. Hopefully, the series continues to be this strong as it comes closer to its end.

An action-packed issue that's so good that it feels like the finale.

A fantastic finale for this series of Justice League Dark. The story Ram V has written for this issue serves a great way to wrap up the tale of the Upside-Down man that James Tynion started at the beginning of the series as well as dealing with Zatanna's guilt over her father's death. The characters are all well-written, especially Zatanna and Detective Chimp who are highlights of the issue. The art by Nahuelpan isn't as creative as past issues but it's still a beautiful sight and does a terrific job of illustrating the story. The lettering is good too with a nice variety of speech bubbles being used to different effects that add to the overall presentation of the story. A brilliant ending for a brilliant series.

This is a well-made compilation of Swamp Thing tales. The characters are mostly well-written and easy to understand despite the brevity of each story. The art from each creator looks fantastic throughout the book and the lettering is solid. The stories themselves are good too, although some of them could've done with a few more pages. They each get their point across to the reader well though so I can't complain. Not a scary book like the title would imply but one that's definitely worth having.

This issue has a great story to it. The portrayal of the Vietnam War in the flashbacks and the setting up of the Juarez trip in the modern day is fantastic. The characters are well-written and layered. Even in this one issue, we see a lot of depth in Burke and Kowalski. The art is stunning. It's incredibly realistic, the trauma of war is shown in a creative manner and the work done on the action scenes is beautiful. There isn't much in terms of lettering there's the standard stuff. Bold letters to signify emotion and draw attention. It's very simple though and I've spoken about the effect the lack of lettering in the action scenes has in the main review. In summary, this is a fantastic comic and a great introduction to this new series.

This is another great issue of Lost Soldiers. It's not as action-oriented as the first but it does a fine job at developing the main characters and the conflict between them while continuing the story of these old soldiers taking a mission in Mexico. The art continues to be not only beautiful but inventive as I've gone into detail on in the main review. The lettering is solid throughout as well. Overall, another great book in the series and I highly recommend it.

This is another terrific issue about these Vietnam veterans suffering from PTSD as they age. The story is simple but effective. The characters of Kowalski and Hawkins are written brilliantly in the second half of the story after the silent half concludes. The art is astounding throughout the book. The only weak point is the lettering but that's mainly because the book is silent for so long. Definitely grab a copy of this issue if you've been following "Lost Soldiers" and if you haven't been following it then you should. It's that good.

This is an incredibly action-packed instalment of Lost Soldiers. After seeing Kowalski and his collection of weaponry at the end of last issue we now get to see him pursue his revenge. The story itself is fairly simple. A man interfering with drug cartel business in order to pressure them into giving him what he wants. The writing of the characters is terrific. Kowalski shows so much of his trauma not only through flashbacks but his narration and body language in the modern day moments. Burke doesn't say much but you can tell so much about him just from his facial expressions and the few sentences he speaks. The art was splendid, particularly the use of colour throughout the issue. I loved this and I think copies of these comics belong in any mature reader's collection.

Luna's first issue serves up a good enough story to get readers interested in seeing more but the characters it introduces are lacking in depth. The lettering is strong throughout and the narrative boxes are visual treats. Speaking of visuals, the art in the book is utterly gorgeous. It's similar to Maria Llovet's past work so if you're a fan of this then you'll be pleased with Luna. I'd say the art is by far the strong point of the issue but it's a good comic overall.

This is a good comic held back by the fact that the story doesn't really match the marketing. The pink ranger of the Drakkon universe is mostly an observer rather than a main character. Still, the story is solid, the characters are very well-written and I enjoyed the art. Mora's work fits this darker take on the rangers very well, his villains look amazing and his characters are well-drawn and expressive. The lettering throughout the book is incredible. You can really tell that a lot of effort was put into this issue. This is a great follow-up for fans of the "Shattered Grid" Power Rangers story.

This book isn't amazing and it's not a great jumping on point for newbies but if you're experienced with Power rangers you'll likely enjoy it. This book does the TV show justice.

This is a shockingly good comic, especially considering how odd the pairing in this crossover might seem. The story is very basic but it's handled decently enough and there's some good humour here. The characters all seem faithful to the original material and they're consistently entertaining throughout. The art is lovely. It blends the styles of the 80's Transformers and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic shows with more of a slant towards the ponies but it all looks great and would no doubt appeal to fans of either series. Lettering is well-done throughout the issue. I've gone into it more in the main review but there's a solid use of sound effects and the lettering used for telling the reader where events are taking place is quite a nice touch for a crossover like this. I really enjoyed this issue and I'm looking forward to the next.

This is another great issue in the Transformers/My Little Pony crossover. The stories are simple but well-written. The characters feel accurate to their appearances in the cartoons this comic is based on and the art also reflects those cartoons well. There's also some great and creative lettering throughout the issue that add a lot to the stories and help get the reader invested. I can't recommend it enough.

This is another great entry in this crossover between the citizens of Equestria and the inhabitants of Cybertron. The characters are well-written and entertaining and the stories are solid. Exactly what you'd expect from the cartoons themselves. Simple tales with a nice moral message in each one. Lettering is used to nice effect throughout both tales and the bright, cartoonish artworks perfectly for both brands. A really fun comic that I highly recommend buying.

This was by far the weakest entry in this entire crossover series. The opening story with Applejack was bland and the big finale was an utter mess. Characters weren't given time to shine and the art was inconsistent and messy through that final chapter. Lettering was the only real good thing about this issue and it was average at best. The first three issues were great but this one is only worth getting if you've been following the series and have the completionist mentality.

This is a hard book to rate given the number of creators working on it but it's a decent book. The art is of good quality in each short and the writing does the job, even if some of the stories are cliched. It's worth reading.

This was a fantastic, quick comic. Plenty of action with great artwork from Jonathan Lau. The characters aren't particularly deep here but that's fine since it's just a fun little crossover and the story is simple but it does the job and sets up future issues without bogging the reader down with exposition. I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to the next issue.

This is clearly meant to be a dumb fun series but this issue is bogged down by constant and lazy exposition that just kills the experience. The brief moments of action and humour we get are decent enough and the artwork is outstanding but it's not enough to make up for the tedious writing and minimal character work in this issue.

This is a solid book. It might be a bit too long for little kids but it has good art for this style of comic, the characters are all handled well . Sometimes the dialogue can feel a bit too much like adults talking instead of kids and the parody is overdone. Despite that it's still a fun, nostalgic read.

Spider-man & Venom: Double trouble #1 is a hilarious start to what I have no doubt will be a great mini-series for all ages. The portrayal of the characters might not appeal to some purists and the cliches might be a bit too much for some but it's a great book if you can get past that.

This is such an amazing issue. Much like its predecessor the artwork is amazing. The characters are handled well despite the silly concept of the story and the writing of that story is very enjoyable. I highly recommend it.

All in all, a really good book.

This is a decent issue. A lot of its flaws come from being a transitional piece between the start and finish of a story and it falls into some Superman cliches. It's good though and the artwork is brilliant just like the last issue. A solid read.

I wish more comics were as good as this issue. The artwork is absolutely amazing, the story and the characters within it are well-written with a great amount of depth to them and despite tackling the dark subject of racism in a mature manner it still manages to make you feel optimistic. I think this series, in general, is going to go down as one of the best Superman stories ever created.

This book isn't great. The artwork does its job but isn't really that remarkable outside of the lead character's design. The story is a basic revenge plot and the characters don't really have any depth to them. I'd recommend giving this one a miss unless you're a hardcore fan.

This is a really great comic. The art is stunning throughout and you can tell a lot of effort was put in to make sure each page of art and its colours fit the events taking place. The lettering is solid with a few nice touches that help things like the opening bible quote stand out. The characters are all written well and it's easy to get invested in them quite quickly which is vital for a short series like this. The story is a bit predictable but it covers some topics you don't really see in comics often and I'm excited for the release of the next issue. I just wish this series was suitable for younger audiences as I said in the review. That's my only complaint.

This is another fantastic issue of James Aaron's "The Goddammed: The Virgin brides". Aaron writes a fantastic issue that not only builds on the world of this comic but develops most of his characters. The art is stunningly realistic with gorgeous colours throughout and the lettering is used well to highlight important aspects of the issue. Overall, a great comic.

This is a great issue continuing the saga of Jael and Sharri. Their characters are developed well throughout the issue and the story itself is fairly solid. The art isn't as interesting as in past issues but it continues to be a good chunk of the appeal in this series and the lettering is solid. Worth a read if you're a fan but if you're new then it'd be best to start from the first issue.

This issue had some great character work, especially in revealing the types of personalities belonging to the religious fanatics. The art was stunning and particularly varied throughout the issue. Pages that take advantage of shadows, pages that look like happy events to contrast what's actually happening and there's good lettering throughout the issue. The story is pretty basic but it does the job and the ending does a great job of getting you excited for the fifth and final issue. Definitely a good comic.

This is a better issue than the first. The art was good already but it's slightly improved here and there's more focus on the characters. I think the fact that the exposition is out of the way has really helped since it's allowed Cantwell to really write a proper story. I'm enjoying this series so far and issue 2 has been one of the best comics I've pulled this month.

I felt like this issue was a massive let-down compared to the previous two. The art is still as good as before but the quality of the writing takes a dive in this issue and the political parody was poorly handled. I'm honestly wondering why Dark horse didn't just make this a 3-part miniseries with a slightly longer finale given how little this issue contributed to the series.

This is a good read. Great artwork and solid writing. The character work was on point and the dialogue was entertaining. I'm glad I got a copy.

This is a good issue. We get a good sense of the personalities of Usagi and Katsuichi as well as how their relationship changes between chapters. The stories are very simple but they're handled extremely well and some great lettering and lovely artwork makes them even better. I really enjoyed this book.

This line of comics has scored the hat trick. Three great issues in a row. This one has two fantastic but very different stories that are backed up by some great looking art and solid lettering. The writing of the characters here is the best of the series so far which is a big compliment given how good the quality has been in previous issues. I'm legitimately counting the days until the next issue comes out because of how invested Sakai has gotten me into this story and these characters. A brilliant book.

This is another great entry in the Usagi Yojimbo Color Classics line. The story gets more serious but it's still incredibly well-written and gives you a great sense of the personalities of the new characters it brings into play such as Mifune and the now adult Mariko. The artwork is beautiful, especially when it comes to facial expressions and the little details on things like the samurai armour. The lettering may be basic but it does a great job and adds to the stories in this issue. A very well-made book.

This is another great issue of Usagi Yojimbo Color Classics. The finale to Usagi's origin and the standalone "Kappa" story are both extremely well-written. The writing of Usagi, Gunichi and Mifune is solid throughout both chapters. The first chapter is a finale so most of the character development is done and we're into the action but they're still entertaining. The artwork by Sakai is still brilliant. He's an incredible artist and these cartoonish animals are so expressive and relatable. It's impossible not to be taken in with them and this beautiful recreation of Edo era Japan that Stan has created. Then we have the lettering. Aside from the small issue I mentioned in the main review it was solid throughout. The use of bold letters throughout each chapter helped give weight and emotion where it's needed and the sound effects add a lot to the fights in this issue. In summary, this was fantastic.

These two stories make up another brilliant issue of the Usagi Yojimbo Color Classics. The art is phenomenal as usual. The expressive yet cartoonish characters, the realistic battles and amazing levels of detail in both issues all adds up to one big visual treat. The lettering is solid and very inventive at times with its use of sound effects, fonts and colours. The characters, specifically Ino and Usagi show a lot of their personalities and they're both very relatable and believable with clear motivations for their actions throughout the book.

Usagi Yojimbo Color Classics comes to an end in amazing fashion with "Lone Rabbit and Child". This fantastic mix of well-drawn action and excellent character development just blew me away, especially given how much earlier it was released compared to every other story that's been in previous issues of this series. The development of Noriyuki is fantastic with Tomoe and Hikiji getting some moments to shine in terms of character development too. The art may not be as good as other stories in this series but it's still Sakai and he still does a phenomenal job. The lettering is terrific and a number of different techniques are used throughout the story to get the readers into the tale. It's just a great read and it's accessible, even if you've never read Usagi before. I highly recommend grabbing this if you can. It's a terrific comic.

While Usagi is more of a side character in this story, the focus on Gen makes for an extremely fun read. The rhino has appeared in earlier stories but "The Teacup" finally starts giving readers more insight into the character. Sakai's artwork in combination with Pattinson's colours makes for a cartoonish visual treat that's bound to please fans of the samurai. Meanwhile, the lettering shows more experimentation yet none of it fails to add to the story. Definitely worth reading whether you're a fan of Usagi or just comics in general.

This is an enjoyable book. Like most specials it's not going to blow anyones mind but the characters are handled well, the story is decent for this kind of book and the art fits the comedic tone very well. A solid read.