Chelsea Stanford Comic Reviews

I nearly didnt review this annual, because I couldnt find the words to urge you to read it yourselves without giving too much away. Poignant, emotional and gripping, its a story that speaks to many levels of humanity. Its well worth the read, and I suggest it to all. Dont let this one slip by — life is too short not to fill it with the things you could love, a lesson Selina herself would tell you.

There's so much black, red and white that it seems that the color scheme would get repetitive. Instead, it beautifully inserts you into the mood of a living nightmare. Hollingsworth manipulates the reader's emotions with his work, ensuring that we feel the panels exactly as Murphy intended them to be felt. The two make quite a team, and I'm excited to follow this run until it's death. Hopefully that'll be a very long time, if the first issue is anything to judge by.

I won't lie and say I wasn't excited to see a story that had a woman is such a traditionally male role, the leader of an secessionists community. Grace Briggs is portrayed as smart, capable and empathetic to her people, which may be exactly why her incarcerated husband would love nothing more than to see her dead. It looks like the Briggs clan is in for a rough ride ahead, and you should join them, because there's nothing more dangerous than a broken family.

DARK FANG promises to be a fun story, M for Mature, that will take its reader on a compelling ride. A perplexed, ancient, beautiful vampire trying to make her way in the modern world stumbling upon cam life really speaks for itself. With a cliffhanger that'll have you counting down for the second issues release (Dec. 20th, 2017), join Valla in her bloody lifestyle alongside Toby, her headless minion.

Death Be Damned is a roller-coaster ride, and one you won't want to get off. The ties of family and friendship are strong, but this explores the possibility that anger and pain are even stronger. Settle into your saddle, it's gonna be a helluva ride.

My problem with EMPOWERED and SSHSH is simply the amount of cliche. Everything I loved about it aside, it's another story about mean white girls popped out of the same mode who choose vanity over everything and treat minorities like scum because of their skin and their looks.

Overall, FENCE is a good drama, and I plan to give the series a try. I've got hopes that it'll deter from the looming cliched YA story line, and insert more character into the work, but if it doesn't, Pacat and Johanna will still have a fun, easy to read story that teens and light-hearted adults should enjoy.

It was such a relief to see a character that brought in something new to the table, without letting it become the elephant in the room. Kamala's faith just simply is. There's no flaunting of it, and no hiding of it, in her character design. She is even the one who offers up the idea of promoting feminism in a new light to Carol at a staff meeting: just because you're a woman, it does not mean you have to give up make up, or give up your career. You can have both. You can BE both beautiful and successful. You can be anything, and still be a Miss Marvel. I can't go in to too much, for fear of giving it all away, but this is a story that I think is going to be beneficial to a lot of young women as it progresses, and I cannot wait to see it grow.

I don't suggest passing this one up. GOD COMPLEX promises to be a riveting story, with plot twists that will take you on a wild ride that you'd be insane to pass up. There's a moment of religious ridicule, but that seems to be embedded within Seneca with good reason, so if you can look pass that, you're golden.

As usual, Harley Quinn did not disappoint. Whether her character has staying power as a standalone story is a whole other debate, but for now, the fun, bubbly and viciously murderous bad girl has a place in my heart, and should have one in your pull list, too.

IMAGINARY FIENDS will come out monthly, so there's no excuse to miss out on this literary masterpiece. Keep in mind the imagery can be strong, there's death galore and some bloody moments. The entire sentiment behind the main IMP is an insatiable hunger for fear and adoration born from it, so it's not suitable for younger kids. However, if you're not easily frightened and prone to fits of fainting, I cannot recommend IMAGINARY FIENDS highly enough.

THE STORYTELLER is a delightful read, and one that holds a solid promise that the next three installments of the comic will be just as enjoyable. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in magic, mythology or just adventure stories.

I definitely recommend Judas to anyone. Even those with no interest in the actual story of the betrayer will find themselves intrigued by this telling, and eager to find out what happens next. When you sell the life of the Messiah, can there be forgiveness? And is forgiveness worth the cost you might be forced to pay?

Join Jughead on his dark path, and find out what comes next for our friend. There's chains and mysterious cousins that can kick your butt; who wants to miss out on that?!

Overall, I found KID SHERLOCK to be a fun adventure that I plan to continue on with my own kids. The childish take on intrigue and hidden truths made the comic a must-read for some light enjoyment. And even better? Phillips tops it off with six pages of bonus material! The very end of the story is followed up with a page of fan art, a maze to sleuth your way out of and a word search containing simple words from the story. There's even a few pages filled with tips on coloring and learning to draw characters and scenery. Do yourself a favor and snatch this up.

LUKE CAGE was an excellent read, despite lacking some artistic zing for me personally. Action-packed, emotional and just real enough with its troubles to be worrisome, I highly recommend picking up the first issue and getting lost in the fight for justice with a hero for hire.

MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR is a playful story about a girl and her friend, and a hero and her sidekick. There's a slightly sad undertone to the story line, as Lunella truly does miss her prehistoric buddy, and feels regret about her decision. But other than that, it's filled with banter and humor, a must-read appropriate for all ages!

Mystik U comes out Nov. 29, 2017. If you don't snatch this 48-page masterpiece up, you can hand in your DC fanboy/girl cards now. Mystik U promises to be a showstopping tale, and you'd be greatly remiss if you missed the opening act.

That aside, this was a wonderful read, and I'm glad I gave it a chance. There's no dull moment, and there's a solid story with enough meat on it to entertain you throughout the entire read.

To wrap up, RUGRATS is a fun and silly story that revolves around real world issues, namely our obsession with our gizmos and gadgets (guilty look at my computer and cell phone) and our inability to step back and see the world without a screen. It was a friendly reminder that sometimes it's healthy to power down and get back to the basics, even if that means a few toys get broken and some flower pots turned over. According to Grandpa, electric doo-hickey's are the reason for a lack of human decency. So, power this device down and read a comic, instead.

The Book of Ballads is an amazing collection of short ballads, filled with love and adventure and sorrows, that would be a welcome addition to any reader's library. If it isn't carried by your local comic shop, Amazon has it reasonably priced on their site. It's almost Christmas - treat yourself with tradition and art.

This six-issue mini series holds supreme promise. With Etrigan so prevalent and Blood hating that fact, this isn't a run you want to miss out on. The first issue was released in November, with the second coming out December 27th. Take the Christmas money you were given in lieu of a present, and go buy a copy or two for you and a friend.

With enough nostalgia to appeal to any reader familiar with the old show, it's mixed with a new twist and character updates that gives the family a fresh new look and feel that'll keep both old and new readers coming back for more.

There's a lot to be learned about sex and power and pain and literature and identity, and TSLGG is handcrafted to teach the lessons that many women wish they'd learned about years ago. Don't be fooled by the romantic content; this anthology is about life and love and learning how to accept who you are, the way you are, and not wasting your time on the people who think that isn't enough.

I have never been a big fan of the X-Files, but Tipton and Menton3 are a strong team that offers up a riveting story. With intrigue, otherwordly themes and a bit of murderous history, JKF DISCLOSURES is a new take on an old topic for America. It's relevance adds to the excitement, and in my opinion, it's easy to forget what X-Files is famous for as you get swept up in the drama of the past, leaving the end of the issue wide open to blow your mind.

Robinson just does a really good job at making the characters speak in a way that tells of their past, their current situation and sets the tone for the rest of the arc to unfold in the appropriate manner. Coupled with Carlo Pagulayan's amazingly detailed work, I have high hopes for CotG to continue on in the same vein as the recent Wonder Woman stories have: to be completely and irrevocably in beast-mode.