Calum Petrie's Comic Reviews

Reviewer For: Flickering Myth Reviews: 96
7.3Avg. Review Rating

Hellboy and the B.P.R.D 1957: Family Ties is an incredibly enjoyable story that I've been happy to read over a couple of times already in a single sitting.

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I cant say too much about the issue itself without spoiling much for the reader, so I will just advise everyone to give this series a real chance and open yourself up to an incredibly powerful story.

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I have loved this series, abd reading the entire arc over again has been wonderful, allowing appreciation and enjoyment for this latest Witcher tale.

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I look very much to continuing on with this series as it is fun, refreshing and enjoyable. The danger and violence is real in the issues, but hidden very well amongst the wonderful colours and art style. The characters are all wonderful in their own individual ways, while still managing to bounce off each other for some insightful moments.

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BRZRKR appears to be leading the reader somewhere interesting, and I am just going to wait patiently and see where this journey of bloody, guts and sad Keanu memes takes us from here.

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This series will play over in my head time and time again, that is a powerful thing for a series with only two issues released so far. The Many Deaths of Laila Starr is unlike anything else I am reading at the moment. Read this issue, and support the outstanding creativity and talent of the team of Ram V, Filipe Andrade and everyone else who has left their hearts of the pages for you to experience.

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The influence Critical Role has had on modern culture is proof that everyone on some level loves escapism, we love to delve into our imaginations and live out the heroic fantasy roles. Imagination is a wonderful thing that should be exercised by everyone everyday.

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Issue #2 is certainly an action packed adventure. Using a time period that most people are aware of as a framing device not only sets the struggle for our band of ragtag occult avengers, but also uses the depression and sense of overwhelming dread that Europe felt. The way in which we look at the period in history is a brilliant backdrop for more depression and struggle, and the writing team behind the Baltimore saga have done very well to bend it to their will and create a compelling story from it.

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Wherever this series progresses to, I will be patiently waiting for more outstanding artwork and a truly gripping tale of twisted folk lore. Until then, I shall get back to re-reading the entire series, just to admire the artwork and recap on the story as a whole.

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I know the story concept, the team behind the comic and the big names printed on the cover have all the potential to make this a cultural talking point, yet I struggle to see where this story is actually going. We have a character who cannot be killed, and while we know this there must be a challenge that requires him to do more than walk through death and come back alive. I may have found this issue beautiful to look at, but the story itself " while enjoyable " is also a little underwhelming.

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I loved this first issue. The story that Bartosz Sztybor has created and Jesus Hervas has drawn compliment each other, crafting a beautiful and dark tale. As the issues progress I am interested to see if this remains a murder/mystery-type story or if we are going down the John Wick route, but either way I am invested from issue #1.

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Young Hellboy: The Hidden Land #3 is shaping up to be a more classic tale of good vs evil than I originally considered it to be, which I am pleasantly surprised by. I am learning never to underestimate a Hellboy comic as they always turn around and impress me with a simple twist to the story. The climax definitely sets up the final issue in the series to be an action packed adventure of quick thinking and hopefully surprises. The team will have their work cut out for them, so lets await issue #4 patiently.

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Dark Fortress #1 is well worth a read for fans of the comic adventures, though if you are planning to use this as a jumping on point you might want to go back and read previous Dragon Age comics first or you may be left a tad confused as to who everyone is exactly. Overall though, this was a fun opener and I will be looking forward to where the party end up in the next issue.

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The Witcher: Fading Memories #4 deals with some incredible uncomfortable issues, which I mentioned earlier stayed with me long after I finished reading. The story that is told might not be remembered as one of the greats, yet the impact it will leave reminds me that comics and graphic novels are art; we need to spend more time to interpret and appreciate how comics blend written story with extremely talented artwork.

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The last pages of this issue certainly hijacked the type of story we started with, and it manages to swap genres from monster movie vibes to a more demonic showcase. The anticipation is now building for the next issue, and another glimpse into the minds of this fantastic creative team behind the comic.

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This issue genuinely left me sad come the final page, as the story was incredibly engrossing while managing to throw in some comic relief. The tension now mounts as the race for the Grail is in motion. I am keeping an eye out very closely for the next issue and this series has now become my latest obsession.

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Lady Baltimore is a dark and beautiful comic that mixes technology of the era with the mysterious air of magic in a very complimentary fashion. The world is not hard to imagine at all, as there is no end to the point of references we have in film, books and pop culture the era in which the story is set. The artwork from Bridget Connell is extremely intricate in a lot of panels delivering a wonderful attention to detail, while never pulling focus away from the main focus.

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Overall I very much enjoyed this story. While the length of the issue is not going to compete with Tolkien, the complete story is enjoyable and coherent. I would recommend this to people who are possibly looking for something a little different to break up the normality of their day to day reads.

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BRZRKR #1 is not the most original or ground-breaking comic you are ever going to read. It is almost like reading a John Wick comic where his has taken Captain America's Super Soldier serum. I will say it was an enjoyable read, for people hoping this was going to be the next stage in comics, I am sorry. It is very enjoyable though, I look forward to where we go next and what other ways we can see enemies be decimated by an unstoppable juggernaut.

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This is a fantastic issue and believe that this arc is hands down a thousand times better than the previous Beowulf arc, with a story much more compelling.

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Compared to the one-shots, this allows the reader more time to bask in such a vibrant and wonderful comic – an issue that left me with a smile on my face and optimistic about the upcoming issues of Hellboy in his youth.

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At the time of typing this I have still not watched Stranger Things season 3 (my bad I know), but I feel finishing this story arc is the kick in the backside I need. Maybe sometime soon, I can clear a little bit of my schedule to start watching it. Though I digress from the subject: the story here ends with a twist, a turn and a satisfying conclusion. It has reached a logical closure point where the baton has been passed and friendships are stronger than ever before.

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This issue does lead us to an interesting conclusion where we find the team about to roll for initiative" sorry I mean getting ready for a fight. The team might have found a way to make some quick money, but I am very much under the impression that it is not going to be easy and that further trouble lies just around the next page.

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I wait patiently for the next issue of Fading Memories. The Witcher is a compelling character to follow and the world he inhabits is believable and already well established. I am extremely happy to follow this character to the end of time. This story is a dark and twisted tale of lies, sickness and the journey to the truth.

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Overall this is a strong issue, one of my favourites possibly as we start to understand the motivations of characters more. Even a simple act from Duncan stepping up to Bridgette was a fantastic piece of development. The direction this story is going will make for some great cliff-hangers, unexpected changes and lots more Arthurian legends to be told.

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This is a strange situation indeed, I feel like I enjoyed yet didn't love the ending to this tale, and that more story was given to us, just to be cast into the wind before we fully comprehend the larger meaning and ramifications of what was going to happen.

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We are greeted in this first issue with some funny, bold and striking moments. The plot is nowhere near clear, but as it is the first issue I am willing to let that slide. I do know at this point that I am going to be coming back for issue #2, if only to get a better idea why our Superman-type character is sharing a house with Jesus in the closing pages of issue #1.

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Cyberpunk 2077: Trauma Team still remains a fantastic combination or story and art, and it is a shame we have to say goodbye to these characters before we truly got to know everything about them" or have we?

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It would not be fair to finish this review without also going deeper into the beautiful artwork in this series. The characters are drawn in an extremely charming style, while the attention to detail in the backgrounds is incredible. It is easy to be so focused on a certain point in a panel that you do not realise the rest of the setting around them. Danny Luckert has crafted these locations in a wonderful and understated manner, creating a fully inhabited world beyond the main story.

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The art doesn't delve into the fantasy elements too greatly in this issue, and is instead used to recap previous events while displaying conflict and uncertainty going forward. I am interested to see where we go next – will there be another time jump between issues or will we find out more between seasons one and two?

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This is one of the strongest first issues I have come across for a series and I will be waiting patiently for part two.

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Song of Glory is still in early days, and where it progresses from here is anyone's guess. The characters themselves have been a tad unlikeable so far, from a purely comic book side of things. The violence first approach is very out of line from the early days of Altar Ibn-LaAhad and his long drawn out monologues with his victims. The current line up have definitely taken a step away from the Assassins of early days, and it will be interesting to see these characters make the transformation.

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Once & Future continues to be one of my favourite current series, where the artwork is bold and beautiful. The second arc might have been a bit dull in my opinion, but the art has never faltered and I enjoy the care and attention in the details of the images as much as the story.

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While The Seven Wives Club is short, I do not hesitate to recommend this brilliant story to anyone who might be looking for something different. Alternatively, for someone seeking an introduction into Hellboy comics without having to invest too much time and money, this would make a fantastic place to start.

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I feel horrible talking about a new comic series like this, but I hope the rest of Origins picks up. This is not a great start and feels like they have tried to leave the story on a cliffhanger. Unfortunately, the issue ends before anything of real interest managed to get too much of my attention. I will follow this series as this is only the first chapter of six, and I feel with art this beautiful, Origins may still be one to watch out for.

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The art direction in this issue is utterly flawless; the backgrounds flickering constantly to help you separate different conversations that take place in different times. A fractured and twisted mess that not only made sense, but delivered to reinforce the moral choices presented when dealing with the impossible situations that find themselves in.

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I look forward to more of this bizarre mix of intellectual properties; the concept sounds insane and yet I very much enjoyed the story presented so far. Roll on the next issue"

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The issue ties up with a familiar mysterious character returning to wreak more havoc on Daisy's life. As the readers are getting more pulled into the engrossing story we will have to just wait with baited breath for issue #9.

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The character design of the issue is a typical American high school; we have all seens shows or films and can imagine the layout of the campus and the social interactions. The imagination is not needed greatly to lend to the world building, yet the group of The Ravens" I wonder about them. The "alternative" styling of the group might help to emphasise the group as outcasts or potentially come with more character driven backstory. We shall find out in issue #2.

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Overall the series is captivating, intriguing and dare I use the term unique? I would say unique, as it is very different from anything else I am seeing at the moment, and I am genuinely waiting with anticipation for the next issue to find out what our intrepid band of misfits does to get out of this sticky wicket.

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Once & Future #11 is very much a mixed bag and I was left disappointed when the issue came to a predictable cliffhanger. However, as a whole, the series still continues to be one of the best things I am reading at the moment; the glimpses into the ethereal other world and peaking in on Arthur behind the curtain makes the overarching story much more interesting.

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I might be slight biased, but I loved this issue from start to finish, and the very distinct art style only enforces what hype I had built up for the game. The comic is almost the stop gap between the original Cyberpunk 2020 Tabletop Role Playing Game and upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 video game. This is definitely going to be an emotional journey of blood, neon and bullets.

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The issue speeds to a cliffhanger close, setting up nicely for some confrontation in the next issue, where our characters will hopefully be once step closer to defeating a foe from classic literature, confronting Duncan's m0ther, and finding out what Merlin is up to and what strings he pulls from behind the curtain.

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I do feel terrible because the issue itself is great for fans, but the lack of set-up and not giving newcomers the full backstory could well be daunting and put people off. If they were hoping people might delve into the back catalogue of podcasts to catch up then that is a few hours commitment which newcomers may not be prepared to invest at this stage.

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We hope that now the weekly releases have started rolling out again that the world of comics and pop culture in general can start to see some return to normality. Until then please be safe, and look after yourselves.

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I find this actually very funny to read as an older reader, and I am sure I can link the characters back to at least a few people from my teen years. Alienated is genuinely a great read and I am very much invested in where this story goes next.

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I am totally invested in this world and will annoyingly wait patiently for the next issue, because there is not much else we can do right now. Take care everyone and be safe.

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I am loving the art style of this series, with its very dark imagery and realistic art styling to show off the beautiful city landscape that this series takes place within. The pacing of the story can be a tad on the slow side, yet I feel that all the elements of this story are going to end up playing vital roles as we head further down the rabbit hole.

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Issue #5 of 6 is a wonderful penultimate entry into the Series 2 of Vox Machina Origins, while setting up the ritual and possible fight in the final issue of this series. The excitement translates over to the comic very well from the Critical Role audio/visual storytelling medium, while allowing us the character origins we never got in the first series of Critical Role.

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Through the six issues of Once & Future, I have been extremely immersed in the lore of Arthurian Legend. A deeper delve into the dark and disturbing history of King Arthur and the legend that follows him and his knights is never a bad thing. The series has done an amazing job at visualising and adapting the story to fit a modern setting, while delivering an outstanding visual medium to display this story on. Once & Future has been fantastic and hopefully with the teaser delivered at the end of the issue, we shall get a continuation on this outstanding series.

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The fact that there has been a slow build up of story line rather than issue #1 being saturated with too much information is interesting, while frustrating at the same time. While issue #2 is not releasing too much information about The Red Mother herself, I very much look forward to seeing where this series goes next with its horror/supernatural tones and outstanding artwork.

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The issue was an absolute delight, so much so that I re-read it straight away to start admiring the artwork and background details I may have glossed over on first reading. The biggest disappointment now is waiting weeks until the next issue hits shelves.

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The Illuminati Ball was not exactly to my liking, but I can appreciate the story that is being told. I would never hate on anyone for having more ability than I have to tell such an interesting tale. The story falls far away from the intriguing title that originally pulled me in, and left me feeling disappointed, a little confused, and not entirely sure about the overall message the book is trying to deliver. Though a protest about animal rights is clear as day through the story's subtext, the book goes more for a shock factor to scare.

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Strange Skies Over East Berlin is a wonderful tale of Cold War deception and close encounters of the first and fourth kind. The issues plays its part excellently and then ends on a cliffhanger that will leave you wanting more.

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I very much look forward to finding out where this story goes and what is in store for this odd couple of hunters.

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This issue has certainly lived up to the creative writing and plot twists that made the original video game so compelling, and I am interested and hyped to see how this story ends.

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The showdown against the series' big bad is a relatively shortaffair but does not take away much from the characters' personalities and development. The issue ends on a relatively positive note while not wrapping everything up in a neat little bow. This is not the final adventure for this duo, but hopefully it's the last time they recycle a villain, as on this occasion it had a relatively anti-climactic outing.

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Overall, I did enjoy the issue, but I just think I was expecting more when I heard about the 20/20 event.

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The return of faces, locations and memories are as strong for fans of the game. The issue reflects a timeline that many did not dare to chose for the story, yet this is shaping up to be the chapter we needed to find out " the "what if" story line that should never have been.

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This bizarre tale certainly kicks up a few gears in the latter half of the issue, where the main character Leo is hardly even present. Though with some extremely sinister figures emerging from the background it is going to be hard to predict where and what the hell actually happens next. With the insane new cast of characters, it's not even worth trying to imagine what is going to go down in issue #4, yet I am compelled to find out what happens next.

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I may have got a little preachy in that last sentence, though the issue has been nothing short of thought provoking. I very much look forward to where the story goes next.

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The fantasy genre is so easy to overlook due to over saturation, but the world building and characters contained within this issue alone meansElric: The Ruby Throne is certainly a story worthy of a fantasy lover's attention.

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The writing is maintaining a brisk pace while still letting readers keep up to date with everything that is going on in the story; as all the characters have been introduced, this issue focused more on setting up some kind of end game. My biggest gripe is with myself " I came into this series with no previous knowledge of the series and feel I am missing key elements that might take away some of the emotional impact.

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The conclusion to thistale is not just the missing link in The Raid 2's story, but it is a beautifully crafted combination of story and art. The story is not a happy tale, yet in the larger scheme of The Raid series, it fits in nicely and becomes more than just a stand alone story-within-a-story.

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The issue is a must for anyone who experienced the original Life is Strange story. The artwork is not overtly adult, while not exactly being childish either; it instead hits that middle ground much like the characters who are not adults and not children either. I very much look forward to following the story to its conclusion, just as I'm also sitting patiently waiting for the next episode of Life is Strange 2.

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The story did not peak past the issue #1 cliffhanger, but the setting up of the future plot has saved the issue from dropping any score.

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The fight scenes in this issue are played out beautifully and you tend to move through the fighting rapidly like it was playing out in front out you, and the artwork in general is outdoing itself in this series. The original source material made for an extremely enjoyable viewing experience and this comic adaptation is doing just the same; it is just a shame the issues are over before you know it. Anticipation builds up to a climactic boiling point, and I am very much look forward to finding out what happens next.

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The issue ends with a proper cliff hanger, which would certainly have left me invested if I had not already converted by that point. A very enjoyable read, and I'm anticipating the next issue's release.

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I very much enjoyed this graphic novel, more than I thought I would with the subject matter. The original-eraPlanet of the Apes films transfer much more easily to print media where the limitations of CGI and costumes/make-up are not present. When this book ends with the story being totally wrapped up, there is a sense of finality where I knew the story wouldn't have to be extended; it's a stand-alone tale that tells a brilliant story and ends on a powerful note.

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The issue wraps with a typical cliffhanger to draw you into the next chapter, which I will very much be looking forward to as issue #1 was certainly a page turner.

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The first issue of this series flew through quickly; this could be because I found the story to be very interesting, or perhaps I just enjoyed the change of genre. All I really do know is that this is a series I am looking forward to finding out more about when the next issue drops.

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I will give the story credit for moving away from the now normal superhero origin story where the powers are gained by an accident. I look forward to seeing where our over inflated ego of a hero goes to next and what the next issue has for us.

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The issue boasts more beautiful artwork, sticking to a very bland and boring colour scheme. The art style and colour choices mimic the dank and dark world that these beings are used to living in, creating a setting which readers can associate with.

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Overall Memento Mori delivers a lovely stylised telling of a new Crow story. The David tale was very basic in terms of story and took a few pages of religious literature to get into, though it was an opening issue and so it has many places to go from here.

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The story here is intriguing enough, and it will be interesting to see what happens in the subsequent issues.

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This is one for those who have dived into Assassin's Creed: Origins, enjoyed the story of the character's progression and want to delve deeper into these compelling characters.

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This story is a strange creature " it is released many, many years after the first Gears of War, and brings us back to character who only made a proper appearance as a story-driven figure in one game. Now I am not saying RAAM is not a villain to behold in the series, but it all just seems a bit odd that after no mention of the character in years, we now see a resurgence of him here, as the series lays out the backstory that we never knew about the character.

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The art style within the issue lends itself very nicely to the dank and dreary back drop of Dunwall, and delivers it in an extremely stylish manner. Violence and gore are expected within the Dishonored stories, and though there is never a "tasteful" way to deliver gore, the artists certainly did not leave much to the imagination of the reader in this issue.

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With the number of TV show adaptations to comic stories that are around today, it could be forgiven to write this comic off as a cash in on a big budget TV show. However, it earns its place on the shelf with the TV series, and delivers a profound and unique looks into the origins of a mystery that has brought three seasonsof TV to the small screen.Not quite a must read, but it is probably of most interest to people who are fans of Penny Dreadful;it complimentsthe TV series and shouldn't be thought of as a stand alone tale within the universe of the show.

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Overall I am not disappointed with the issue, but I found a lot of the character introduction fast paced and throwing too much information at the reader in such a short space of time. I feel like possibly these opening issues could possibly being 1.5 times the size of a standard issue to make sure they take the time to get all the character building to a reasonable pacing.Hopefully the next issue builds a good solid foundation for the rest of the series to move forward on.

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This four part arc(#6 " #9)has taken a different approach but still had no major payoff, the time spent invested in the arcseries now felt very underwhelming. The hope is that the next part of this series will be more interesting is high, though I'm not too optimistic.

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The final chapter was a more enjoyable experience with less novelty factor and more drive to round off a four-part series in a satisfying manner.

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The art style does take a lot of maturity out of the story and leaves the story feeling more light hearted even when confrontation is on the page. The story might of had more of an impact if the art style was similar to that of the "Black Cross" series, where the art style lends itself to the darker nature of those Assassin's Creed stories.

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The cliff-hanger of Black Cross being wounded and the fate of Bolden in the Animus facility do actually make for an intriguing point plot to end on. For once it has left the reader curious and wanting more, the way a good cliff-hanger should be.

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The final issue of the series dealt with the duo investigations of the story in mirror but sometime opposite approaches. The delivery of the tale was very well crafted and delivered in an exciting manner than never left me bored and just wanting to finish. My heart would sink at the end of each issue and now it is livid that the cliffhanger ending has just slapped me in the face!The art style in the series was vibrant and added layers of depth to the story. I could almost just read through the series again with the original games soundtrack and believe I was immersed even further into the story.

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I do not hate the story; I am just a little disappointed that we are getting a rehash of another tale about pieces of Eden.

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This issue was actually refreshing, as the story was not bogged down with the inner working of the Templar order and a drawn out speech. Instead the short bursts of conversation were filled by new characters, and the present day sections of the story were far more entertaining than the Animus adventure. I look forward very much to finding out where the adventures of Bolden, Graff and Black Cross end up once they reach the shores of Libya.

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The overall art style used within the issue was a more child-like representation of the world compared the more mature art style used within the Black Cross series. The adventure of the issue had pace, with a nice twist on the present day story, but the dispute between the Assassins and the Templars has not provided anything new fromthe stale motivation for the gaming series.

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With the conclusion of Templars, the set up for another series featuring Black Cross is announced and willbe released later this year. With the intentions of the characters now clear, Black Cross looks to be the focus of a Templar man hunt.

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The issue is an extremely enjoyable read and the story arc growth of Officer Cottings is a welcome oneas a lighter mirror to Corvo's dark and twisted world.

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For the fans without a doubt, but can be an interesting introduction to newcomers who are looking forward to the anticipated sequel.

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With one issue left in the series it will be interesting to see how the story comes to a close, also if all the loose ends are tied away nicely.

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This issue ends like most Deus Ex story lines, with one man talking to a group of screens. The Illuminati always win, though Adam Jensen is getting ever closer to them. To find out where the journey takes Adam next, you will have to buy Deus Ex: Mankind Divided to see what happens next for Task Force 29.

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It is hard to tell is this issue felt shorter because it was split into to obvious halves, all I am aware of was it did fell short. I want to know more about the story which to some degree tells me I am not invested in the story and wish to know the outcome of what happens with the intertwined fates of Black Cross and Darius Gift.

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I am sure that new comers to the modern adaptations of Sherlock may enjoy this if they have not watched the BBC's unique interpretation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary sleuth. As for fans of the TV show, I would recommend giving this issue a miss as it will not give you any new insight to the characters.

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There is not a lot to be said about character development within the issue unless you count a humorous comment Adam makes and places him very out of character. Though the issue leaves a set up for the final instalment of the series it did not leave me fulfilled like previous issues, but rather more interested to see where the story progresses to in#5.

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