comicconcierge Comic Reviews

Any fan of the Western genre should be giving Ain't No Grave a shot because it takes what this genre is known for and tries to tell a classic story in a new way. On a sheer aesthetic level, it is one of the most unique and best-looking books out today, and that fact helps me ignore my minor qualms with some of the character choices.

Ain't No Grave #4 is all about trust. Trust in the artists that they can tell a story without the use of words and barely any sound effects. Also, trust in the audience that they can piece together elements that may require some work. The trust pays off with an issue that demonstrates the many facets of the language of comics by removing a piece that is often the foundation of most issues. What you are left with is a feat in visual storytelling.

One challenge in analyzing this issue is that so far in the story we have mostly gotten a standard monster tale. Thats because what will make this story different will not begin until the next issue as the journey begins anew inside the monster. Much needed groundwork was established so that the idea could flourish but there are still a lot of unknowns. So far though despite some of the comic book inexperience on this creative team, theres plenty of reason to see those unknowns explored. If you are a fan of monster tales or kuji action Behemoth #1 gives you plenty of reasons to be excited.

For a first issue, it gives you plenty of story. If you are a heist fan theres a lot to like with this first issue. It feels familiar but not repetitive. The cast of characters has a lot of promise, and the supernatural element helps distinguish it from similar stories. So far that supernatural element has been a soft touch, which makes sense for an introductory issue. My hope is it will truly expand upon that as this story continues to make it a truly distinct story.

I found the construction of this issue rather fascinating. One that utilized film and photographic techniques in a way that is rare for this medium. It demonstrates the power of giving the audience the least amount of information possible. You have just enough to have an idea of what is happening but nowhere close enough to being certain. When you have that much room for interpretation it makes it that much more fascinating because of all the different avenues the story can travel. This all leads to one of the most unique first issues I read all year and I cannot wait to see how this all develops.

Ultimately, issue ten of Damn Them All is one of the best issues of one of the best series in comics today. While this series is reminiscent of comics of the past, it is telling a story that is very much of the now. Something that is made even clearer with this installment. With issue twelve set to be the ending of this arc (hopefully not the series in general) the $#!@ is about to hit the proverbial fan.

The way this plays with expectations has me so excited for what is next. Anything is possible.

The final third of this issue was quite exciting. Bucky shows the beast he is and the lengths he is willing to go to speak the truth. Overall issue two shifted the series into a brand new direction. Not being a fan of the choice but still highly enjoying the issue demonstrates how well it was executed.

I for one would be in favor of that because Deer Editor has given us a fresh take the crime genre desperately needs.If these creators have more stories they want to tell I would be there for it. For now, it is an unquestionably successful that takes us on a journey. This feels like it was made by people who love stories of vastly different ilks from The Third Man, to I Am Legend, to Blacksad. Further evidence that variety is the spice of not only life but comics as well.

I am amazed this comic exists. For those who think comics are nothing but stories involving heroes in tights, I give you Dust to Dust #1 from JG Jones, Phil Bram, and Jackie Marzan.

You feel their love for one another along with the fear that they share. If the other narrative pieces can be designed as well as their relationship this book will be in great shape.

Fishflies #3 is not in a hurry to push the story along which is why it works as well as it does. Lemire allows real people to have real conversations about real issues but injects just the right amount of the fantastical to make things interesting.

Overall Flash Gordon #5 is more of the same which is by no means a bad thing. Plot-wise it is not much more than your standard rescue misuse with some fun action while taking some time to further build up these characters. If you are looking for the classic serial adventure you would normally get with a Saturday Morning Cartoon just aged up a bit this will give you exactly what you are looking for.

Giant-Size Little Marvels #1 is a fun read but I also get the sense we have pushed this concept to its limit.

Will a younger generation get what I got out of Grommets #1? I could see doing for them what movies like Stand By Me that existed in a different time but told a story I wanted to be part of, because of the characters it created and the story it told. At the end of the day, a good story is a good story, and so far this is shaping up to be just that.

All this comes together for a comic that is unlike anything else being put out monthly by the major publishers. It is a book about people coming from a personal place that is full of humor, good times, and the occasional danger that occurs when chasing both. Only two issues in and this is quickly becoming one of my favorite books on the shelves.

Grommets is John Hughes for the comic book generation. Where Hughes gave the world Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club this is Broke in Demin and Skater Dorks Who Cant Get Out of Their Own Way. Comics are better with a book like this because you will look far and wide to find anything that tells a story like this in this way, and if you do find something I won't be nearly as good.

It can be serious without being melodramatic and brazenly funny in a way that does not make you feel ashamed to be a comic book fan. It is simply confident in its existence, even if that is an attribute none of its characters share. 

When it comes to a first issue the number one thing I look for is if it created intrigue, and as mentioned with the way this explores morality that was accomplished. The second part is if it has something that provokes a great deal of excitement and makes you want to read the second issue as quickly as possible. I cannot say this had that impact on me. Part of that may be by design as this is not trying to force in those big moments but rather be driven by character first. I could see that however when those big moments did happen I was left overwhelmed. Theres still enough here to bring me back for issue two as I hope the strengths are built upon as the narrative continues.

The stakes here are not world-endingthey are family-ending and that hurts even more. I still do not know if I understand the mindset behind some rather drastic character choices, but with one more issue to go, I hope that can be cleared up.

There are so many storytelling choices made within the art that I find fascinating as well. Specifically how the pages are designed to slowly convey key information that is easy to overlook. You need to pay attention as something that seems trivial at first means much more a few pages later.

Local Man: Bad Girls #1 builds upon the Local Man universe by focusing on characters that have not gotten much time within the main series. This issue simultaneously develops those characters as well as the foundation of this series. A foundation that revisits the world of nineties comics to highlight what worked and fill in what was missing.

Namor #1 was clearly designed to set the stage. Giving us a broken Namor that needs to be rebuilt and the conflict that will do just that. Because of that, it does come off as a big tease to something much bigger. But Aarons style fits the voice of Namor quite well, and as cliffhangers go theres plenty of promise. Finally a new story for Marvels oldest character.

Ultimately the goal of a first issue is to create enough intrigue to make you want to come back for issue number two. No question that goal was accomplished. The goal now for issue two is to find something deeper to connect to beyond that initial intrigue.

Breadcrumbs are being dropped but that may not be enough for everyone. The audience is being kept at a distance and there are a lot of unknowns. Despite being two issues into the series the characters are still mostly blank slates. I appreciate the faith in the audience to put the pieces together, but I would also value having more to invest in beyond generalities. As a fan of this creative team, I have faith my investment will grow as the story develops but this may end up being a comic that is best experienced in trade for others.

Despite everything that works with this book I do struggle to find an emotional connection with it. I appreciate its message regarding the dangers of conformity and being unwilling to be uncomfortable. What I struggle with is finding an attachment to the events that are taking place and the characters we have been given to follow.

Issue fifteen of Newburn works because of everything that came before. Seems like that should go unsaid but at first this did not appear to be a book that was telling one unified tale.

Any person with an ounce of empathy can feel for his plight, but not much is known about who or what he is to have any true emotional connection. Rather looking forward to see this story further balance out in upcoming issues.

Now it does not overtly detract from the otherwise positive experience of reading this series. It is simply not a strength, but it is also only issue two so it could develop into one before things end. For now, I am rather intrigued regarding what is being built here, just not fully invested yet.

At the end of the day, I enjoy being with these characters and learning more about who and what they are. In most noirs, the case is usually just an avenue we go down to learn more about the protagonist and that does appear to be what is happening here.Considering how this has put slight twists on common tropes it makes me wonder if there is more happening than we can realize at this point. Either way, I am enjoying the discovery.

When everything about this comic changed in a flash. Its not often a comic that can surprise me to the level this issue did. Do you know the best / worst part? We wont know what happens until the next issue. The wait is going to hurt, but I have faith it will be well worth it.

Profane #1 is two industry veterans trying to do something new with the noir genre by exposing what is old. It felt like Momemto by way of Stranger than Fiction, and I have the sense that it is only going to get stranger from here.

What is great about this book is despite it being a reprint it is as relevant as ever with its connections to properties like Star Wars. It is this ultimate celebration of genre storytelling.

Perhaps I was expecting something a bit cleaner than what they wanted to give me. It could also be my inability to see something that is clearly there. I do get the sense this is a type of issue that gets better the more times you read it. Still, that was my experience, but the beauty of art is that we can experience it differently.

We at least know the characters at that is a big part of what makes a story work. On top of that it is one great book to look at.So as a first issue, it clearly accomplished the goal of making me come back for more. I just hope we did not just get the best part of the story already.

The science fiction and time travel elements have not mustered as much as interest mostly due to how much mystery still surrounds them. There is potential there but an equal amount of unknowns. On the bright side thus far they took a story that could have been confusing or overtly complex and made it as easy as pie or in this case cake to follow. Making it character first will no doubt pay off in the long run.

Uncanny Valley continues to be a celebration of the power of imagination and the creative spirit. Somehow it can evoke elements of nostalgia yet being completely based on original concepts. Sure the influences to other properties are there but most importantly it captures that freedom of storytelling of both the genre of animation and comic books. If you are a fan of either you would be doing yourself a disservice if you miss out on this series.

Overall Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime #1 is a love letter done right. Longtime fans may find the direction of the story not to their liking but even they would need to admit this was done with a lot of respect for what came before. For new fans, this may inspire you to check out one of the most important but underappreciated pieces of comic book history.

Overall Usagi Yojimbo: The Crow #1 was a satisfying warm-up to a new Usagi Yojimbo adventure. A new threat emerges that promises to be a challenge for Usagi like we have not seen in some time. Forty years strong and Stan Sakai shows no signs of slowing down.

Overall this was the part of the story dedicated to getting the pieces together for the overall arc. You see the small characters being introduced that will no doubt play a larger role as the story continues. Usagi spends most of this issue just eating with his old pals. Those scenes did work as a nice comedic counterbalance to what was happening with Yukich. So the list of things that happen in this issue is small, but the benefit is you get to be with these characters and their silly antics. Its like stretching before a major run. It may not be the most exciting but its benefits will pay off later.

Overall X-Factor #1 offers something a bit different for the X-Men line. This is a book that has the sense of humor you would expect for this creative team but it is not all laughs. If you prefer your X-Men to have something to say you will get that here. What might be unexpected is when that commentary is pointed hits very close to home.