Joel Harley Comic Reviews

No slow burn, this, Bunn throws Shaw - and his readers - into the thick of it almost immediately, wasting little time in getting down to the brutality and trauma. A must-read for fans of writer and artist alike, and a nightmarish meeting of minds.

This is a strong opening, giving little away while infusing the opening with a good taste of the horrors to come. An unsettlingly vivid work of body - and insect - horror, this first issue will get under the skin, ensuring that those who aren't completely revolted will keep coming back for more.

This is a startling and exciting debut issue, giving little away, but heaping on enough intrigue and foreshadowing to ensure that readers will be back for more, even as Ma and her team jump headfirst from the frying pan into the fire - or should that be the other way around?

A lot of ground is covered in this first issue, which wastes refreshingly little time in throwing its heroes into the thick of it. At four issues, that leaves plenty of scope for all the gory shopping mall action (plus social commentary slash nostalgia bating) that the book's concept promises.

Harrower #1 emerges out of the gate strong, making a quick impact. Strong writing and illustration should keep readers coming back for more... and that's well before the gory action and startling cliffhanger all but ensures as much.

Like much Millarworld of late, Night Club feels like it was written with one eye on the TV/movie adaptation (Millarworld owners Netflix even get a name-drop in the credits), which does make it feel like a cynical exercise in Content Creation. It's a slick, quick and fun read, but a surprisingly toothless one. 

Specs #1 opens a classic Goosebumps / Twilight Zone scenario, modernised with a fresh new dynamic at its heart, and a blood-tinted vision of 80s' Americana. 

Opening with distinct characters and a compelling hook - there are enough airport staff and citizens that carnage should ensue once the nature of Haun and Hurley's threat becomes evident - this is a breezy first issue, which leaves readers with plenty of questions and a need for more. Can The Approach stick the landing (sigh)? On the basis of this smooth and confident take-off (sigh) one would think so, although poor Mac and Abigail are certainly in for a turbulent (sigh) time of it.

While the fantasy world Scott and Ponce have created isn't especially original, their approach is a new one, ripe with possibilities, and with an impressive dedication when it comes to sticking to the concept.

To those who already own the book's individual issues, this trade paperback also includes exclusive artwork and draft pages of Snyder's script - a whopping fifty plus pages of them. An essential collection for fans of heavy metal schlock.