Kierra Prince Comic Reviews

A.D.: After Death is looking like another stellar series for both Snyder and Lemire and I absolutely recommend picking this up. It's may be a little wordy for some people, but I guarantee the story is going to captivate you while the artwork keeps you glued to page after page while you try to take it all in.

If you're a Marvel fan this is still a must just to get some insight into the future of the Marvel universe and to see what strikes your fancy. Before I read this issue I assumed that I would be way more into the new Avengers arc than I would the Inhumans but after reading both I'm way more interested in keeping up withThe Uncanny Inhumans.

I couldn't be more excited for the continuation of the series and I can only assume that this is going to be a case of the first issue getting lost among characters and origins. Axe Cop is a series that can literally go in any direction and is limited only by imagination. Which, in the case of a now 10-year-old Malachai, is essentially limitless.

While the first issue got a little lost among characters and new plot points, issue #2 took what the first set up and blew away every expectation I had. They wasted no time in getting straight to the action and furthering the plot. As always though, the heart of Axe Cop are the completely ridiculous details and small twists that you won't find in any other comic. Axe Cop's van mural, a spy goat, and the final panel are among my highlights and I found myself laughing so hard I ended up crying multiple times. I really, really don't want to ruin a single part of this issue as the story gets taken to place of your wildest dreams. And your wildest dreams still probably aren't as wild as this issue. I'm actually laughing as I reminisce about this issueand I'm pretty sure I'm getting that van mural tattooed on my body. That image changed my life.

My only complaint with issue #2 is that it can't measure up to the greatness that was the first issue. Issue #1 ofBig Man Plans had so much going on and was so shocking that issue #2 seems slow in comparison. We had a wonderful look into Big Man's past that was almost overflowing with violence that the second issue seems almost tame. I understand that Powell and Wiesch needed to pull back a bit to actually give us a story but after an issue like the first, I found myself wishing for more.

Big Man Plans #3surprised me by becoming my favorite issue of this miniseries thus far and it's really become a rather brilliant piece of work that both Powell and Wiesch should be proud of. With one more issue to go, this series may easily become one of the best miniseries in recent memory to release and will probably make an outstanding trade to own when that inevitably releases. I'm going to be sad to see it end but I'm ready to see exactly what the Big Man planned on his road to redemption.

Big Man Plans #4 was the best of the series and I personally can't wait for the trade to come out as it's a must have. Don't miss this issue if you've been following this series, and pick this whole series up ASAP if you've been missing out.

Robert Wilson IV joins this issue as a guest artist and I barely noticed. Wilson's art is pretty close to the regular art of the series which means that it won't be too jarring between issues, which I personally find to be a good thing. Wilson does draw his stuff with a little more of a pop art influence and smoother lines and I actually found myself preferring it this way. The pop art influences seem to enhance some of the messages of the story, especially when its beauty ideals being discussed by a smiling figurehead acting like it's all for some sort of greater good. I hope Wilson comes back in some form (perhaps for other character issues) because his art was a perfect fit forBitch Planet.

Bitch Planet #5 might just be the best issue of the story arc thus far but the next issue is certain to be one hell of issue (and continues the idea of every third issue being devoted to a character's back story). Bitch Planet might not be for everyone but it certainly should be and this issue proves the fact that it can stand up on its storytelling just as much as any other title out there can.

To Black Dynamite fans though, the series is another great addition to the BD franchise and issue #3 is a fantastic place to jump in if you missed previous issues and don't feel like picking them up.

This is hands down the best Black Dynamite comic since the "Slave Island" one-shot and I think that this fourth issue even gives "Slave Island" a run for its money. "Slave Island" had shark punching,Black Dynamite #4 has a dude jumping over 3 pintos to catch an alley oop from Evel Knievel. I only wish I thought of some of this stuff first because it's absolutely golden. Ash and Lofamia have created a perfect issue and I better be getting more out of this creative team. This is supposedly the last of the Black Dynamite comics, but I feel like the success of this may lead to more. After all, Black Dynamite was only ever supposed to get a one-shot as a comic. And I feel like the popularity of the comics would've been better if they followed this formula instead of actually trying to be a sprawling, mystical comic.

The artlooks exactly like the show so there won't be much surprise there. It's still wonderfully drawn and with the action shifting to panels, you can see how much detail is put into things like facial expressions. Tina's story is again the best. The art style becomes more fantasy like when the magical horse stuff comes into play and it does a really good job at helping to show that the events are the creative ideas of Tina. All of the art is bright and colorful and it really is a delight to look at.

Skip this issue by all means.I consider myself a huge fan of the show and loved previousBob's Burgers comics but even I can't recommend this issue to people. It's boring, bland, and contains nothing that made me fall in love with the series in the first place.

This is one of the issues that I consider a must if you're a fan of the show. It's a fun, light read with plenty of laughs that will almost certainly have you running out to pick up the rest of the issues or even the trade. If you're not a fan of the show, feel free to skip it. They aren't trying to win over new fans but it strengthens the series for those who just can't get enough of this wacky burger family.

The art in here is beautiful and fits the story thematically as well. The artists have used low lighting throughout the comic to really nail the feel of this seedy criminal underground. There's also a ton of attention given to facial expressions and close-ups and it helps make the environment tense as alliances get called out and tempers flare up. The artists have also given Selina Kyle a nice business suit with a deep v-neck jacket that instantly reminds us of the unzipped Catwoman suit we've had over the last few appearances of Catwoman in various media. It's a nice touch that also serves to show us that Selina Kyle may be leading Gotham's most profound group of criminals but she isn't letting people forget who she is/was.

I really wish I could discuss more ofCreepy Scarlett but there are so many incredible things that get revealed that it'd really be a disservice to anyone interested in picking this up. Scarlett's history is shown just enough that we understand her desire for vengeance but her origin is still a mystery. One of the villains is given a bit of a sidekick role but you can't shake the feeling that there's more to him, and flashbacks and dialogue hint that he may become a major player later on. There's mysterious hooded figures that attempt to keep Scarlett at task but also seem concerned that she may let hate take over. The amount of artifacts and their mysterious powers are barely touched. Book One was a near perfect collection of issues that gave you just enough information to suck you in and keep you turning pages.Add in some hilarious and well placed humor (there's a great carousel gag in issue 3 that had me cracking up) andCreepy Scarlett itself is a near perfect comic that I'd tell any

Rounding out the issue is a tease forThe Strain which has recently grown in popularity due to the TV show. Basically all you really need to know about the series is that it's about vampires. They luckily give us an action packed few pages to showcase the series and it also introduces readers to one of the villains. All in all it's a great story with some great art and the selection may be enough to get people into the series, especially if they've been watching the show. We previously reviewed Volume 1 of the series which will gives readers a good place to start if they are interested in picking it up.

Unfortunately, the future ofDead for Hire seems to be up in the air. With a failed Kickstarter campaignthere hasn't been any news on whether or not the series plans to go ahead and continue anyways or if issue #1 was the most we'll get to see of Ike. I'm desperately hoping we get to see more, asDead for Hire has the potential to be a really great supernatural comic series. And I really, really want to know more about all these ghost rules.

The pacing is great and the story is definitely progressing but it's allowing the characters time to grow before really kicking into anything crazy. There's a ton of fun to be found within this entire series and there's some nice jokes for the avid comic/comic universe fan. Without giving away too much, let me just say that there's a very nice placed joke involving Hugh Jackman's career.

And of course, the cover. All of the Future's End one-shots have the extra fancy lenticular cover and Detective Comics has one that features Batman standing on a rooftop alone, with the Riddler popping into view next to him when we hit that sweet spot while moving the cover. Altogether it was one of the better covers this week for DC's Future's End stuff.

This is one of the best issues you'll pick up during this year's Free Comic Book Day event and issues are sure to go quickly considering the content that DC has chosen to give us. I couldn't be more excited about the future of DC as it looks to be dark, violent, and even more soul-crushing than it already has been.

The best thing about this comic is the art, however. Esteve Polls is probablythe best artist in the Western/Cowboy genre and his artwork remains some of the best in the industry in general. Everything is drawn with the familiar sepia tones we associate with Westerns and his backgrounds are full of details that make them seem like fully realized places. I'm so happy that Polls was chosen for this project and his art of Django feels so natural that I almost can't believe that Django himself wasn't started in the pages of a Polls' comic.

Del Mundo's artwork is by far the high point of the series. I really hope that the story pans out to compliment it. It's absolutely gorgeous and the somewhat more abstract approach is nice to see in a series about a deadly assassin, where one would expect dark and gritty art. It also does wonders in giving Elektra a little bit more of a character as some of her more painful expressions suddenly become a lot more tender. Add this to the aforementioned beginning panels and Elektra is getting a lot more fleshed out as a character, which is wonderful to see.

Ultimately I have a hard time recommending this to people who have already played the game. If you haven't played the game though, this is an absolute must buy as the story and cast are great. However, I find it hard to recommend if you're familiar with it all, especially as you could pick the game up again and play through the entire story well before this comic wraps up. It's still a wonderful story, it's just one you've already heard.

Fight Club 2 is still definitely a series that wants to sucker punch you into oblivion and leave you spitting up blood on the sidewalk, but it's also interested in picking you up and patching up those wounds that never healed. Don't miss it.

If anyFight Clubfans have yet to get into the series over fears that this sequel can't do the original justice, this third issue is enough for me to say that literally every single fear can be buried. It's still violent, it still has something to say, and Tyler Durden is still creating deranged plots. It's just that this time around we know enough to understand that life has enough mayhem on its own without threatening strangers with murder if they don't graduate college. Even Alex finally grew up inA Clockwork Orange. It's time for Sebastian/Tyler to do the same or die trying.

There's a whole lot going on in this comic to stop and consider and think about and that's ultimately why it's so gripping as a first issue and ultimately makes you look forward to the entire series. Genius is sure to hit home in a variety of ways for a variety of people and its ultimately nice to see a comic tackle the issue of poverty and the effects of a broken system for children as well as the fact that this same system may be somewhat responsible for gangs and gang warfare. It's a deep read and once the fighting starts, it grips you in an entirely different way as you begin to understand just how far Destiny and her crew will go to win this war.

Afua Richardson's art style is still going to be a love it or hate it thing but I personally love it. It's very reminiscent of graffiti art and the backgrounds are full of tongue-in-cheek references to real brands. I am, however, beginning to notice a definite divide between certain artistic choices between Destiny and the gangs and the police force. While Destiny and the gangs tend to be drawn with colorful outlines and plenty of color, police and people in power are almost entirely down in shades of gray, black, and blue. And a large number of the police forced are lacking the thick outlines. It creates a nice visual divide between the two factions.

Afua Richardson's art still hasn't made any major grounds and will still be a thing that polarizes people. I would've potentially liked to see more of an exaggerated graffiti look to certain pieces, especially as Destiny discusses sacrifice. Richardson does draw quite a few pages in issue #5 with a dark palette of mostly blues and blacks and I feel like that was a great artistic choice when it came to hammering home how bleak of an issue it was. Again though, if you didn't like the art before you won't like it now and if you did like it, you'll still enjoy it.

Arthur Adams' pinup works are pretty nice in here and theyrun through just about everything from sci-fi to mythology to fantasy. I absolutely loved his Medusa one and his mermaid one was adorable as well. These are placed throughout the collection as breaks between stories and it makes for a nice shift between stories.

Godshaper #1is an excellent first issue that makes me eager to visit the rest of the series as both the writing and artwork are stellar. If you want an original title then look no further.Godshaper #1 is here.

And to be honest, Guera's art is such a perfect fit here. There's a ton of small details in panels that were by no means necessary but by all means enhance the story and the spookiness. Tree branches twist into fences, footprints on fresh snow tell us enough of a story to make our own guesses, and shadows are dark and foreboding. As far as his handling of gore goes, let's just say that the opening set of pages will delight anyone who was looking for a grindhouse comic to go all the way and fully submit to its grindhouse aesthetic. Guera also uses a mostly blue palette for this comic which does great at evoking both night and that glow of freshly fallen snow. It's beautiful to look at which makes the splashes of blood, gore, and overall horror even more hard hitting.

Harrow County #1 ends with an interesting one-page story about a baptism gone wrong and I can't help but wonder if this is going to be a standard feature of the comic or if it is only going to be an occasional thing. This little short is drawn by Owen Gieni but the art is so close to Crook's that it seamlessly blends into the rest of the issue and doesn't feel distracting. The short focuses on a completely different set of characters but seems to imply that the horrors of Harrow County aren't confined to Emmy. It's an interesting idea that has a lot of potential and the story presented in this one page was great.

Altogether I can see myself picking up at least one more issue just to see where the story is going and if there's bigger things that Bunn has planned. But I also couldn't be more disappointed in this second issue. I thoughtHarrow County was going to be my gothic horror comic dream come true but this second issue left me feeling like I'm going to have continue to wait for that dream to become a reality.

The art has a ton of great details, as was common in cult magazines, and its really nice to see collections of authentic cult comics that don't shy away from some of the more gruesome depictions. The art is bright, there's a great attention to facial expressions, and the most macabre panels are usually the ones receiving the most amount of detail. "Murderers' Row" was probably my favorite story artistically as the creepy museum is a host to a wide variety of horrors and has some final panels that are particularly gruesome in the best way possible.

Klarion #1 was a remarkable first issue that does a really great job at setting the stage for future issues and does a fantastic job at introducing the character of Klarion to people who most likely don't know who he is. Only time will tell if Klarion has enough going for it to really be a breakaway comic but this first issue gives us more to anticipate than some comics have given us after 5 issues. If you enjoy dark, character driven stories than this is a definite pick up. I'm rooting for this Witch Boy.

Unless you're super excited for the Holidays and want to get into that Christmas spirit,Klaus and the Witch of Winter can probably be skipped unless you're big into art.

 This collection serves as a pretty great look into some of Kodansha's titles and I have to say that I certainly became interested in more than one featured here.Attack on Titan fans have more than their fare share of material to preview and there is definitely something here for everyone else. It's an absolute must for manga fans.

My only complaint is that there's a ton of information missing that really prevents it from taking off, and I sincerely hope that Jones and Jamie S. Rich tackle some of these things in later issues. For example, while it's a fun idea to take a housewife and make her this killer for hire, I couldn't help but wonderwhy. Josie's husband doesn't know about her hits so she can't necessarily spend the money, and he presumably is making enough to take care of the whole family. Which made me wonder why in the world Josie was doing these things when it was seemingly leading to more problems that it seemed worth.

The Mantle is an odd comic that is sure to turn some people away due to how common and generic the plot sounds. Boy gets powers, boy has to learn powers, boy fights rival foe. And to be honest, the first half of the comic entirely subscribes to that idea (while simultaneously making fun of it). However, the last quarter of the comic completely sells it and makes me curious for the future of the series considering the fact that Brisson and Level simply do not care about your feelings, your expectations, or giving you a simple story. They're here to shake things up and wreck everything you thought you knew about superhero comics.

Oddly enough, this issue probably had the least amount of overall action and was mostly made up of dialogue and internal thoughts. Chris Ryall does an absolutely fantastic job at expressing these things though and I am constantly amazed at how well he continues to write children. Clare is remarkably grown-up, which is expected given the circumstances, but he still manages to add in that childlike innocence to her dialogue and inner monologues that cements the fact that she's still a child which makes everything even more sad than it already was. Sam Kieth's art fits right along side this. His artwork is reminiscent of a child's drawings, with certain panels drawn as if Clare herself was illustrating her story, and I fall in love with it more and more as the series progresses. It's a far cry from the culty, campy image we have of Mars Attacks but it gets us closer to Clare and fits the overall plot of the story extremely well.

If you already ownMercythere's not that much of a draw to explore it again under this new publisher, especially over 20 years after its original release. However,Mercy is a fine graphic novel for those who missed its initial release, are just getting into comics, or want to expand their taste in graphic novels.

Robert Gill's artwork is definitely the high point here. The characters are detailed and varied. The voodoo aspects are drawn in conjunction to the rest of panel and blend in seamlessly. In all honesty, Gill's art is probably the onlygood thing about the story being so stereotyped because he gets to go wild with the punk motifs and it's very visually appealing in that aspect. The dingy clubs, the studded jackets, and the liberty spikes are all present throughout and are all wonderfully drawn.

Basically, if you're going to like Punks you've probably already decided to pick it up and if you hated the previous two issues then there's nothing here to change your mind. However, I will say that if there's anyone still on the fence, this is the issue to pick up simply for the Remender interview alone.

Tessa Stone has great colorful art and its, as always, a delight. She's also worked on the other Regular Show comics as well as the Adventure Time comics and her body of work proves that she's one of the better cartoon artists out there right now. Colors are bright and cheerful, there's a great attention to detail, and fight scenes are amazingly done. In fact, Stone's artwork in here is almost exactly like the show's only more colorful and brighter as the show tends to be a little muted in that regard. Stone also does a really great job with 8-bit artwork during the few video game panels we see and classic gaming fans will certainly appreciate the nice jokes about old games that Connor and Stone pull of hilariously (lava levels is all I'm going to say).

What's more worrisome for the series, however, is that there doesn't seem to be anything that really sets this story apart from the dozens of other dystopias we find in media. Rain isn't particularly interesting, there's already implications of very ordinary plot devices (such as the aforementioned romance), and pretty much every character you're introduced to seemingly has one role in the entire story. There's nothing to hook you outside of the implications of Rain's past and that isn't even introduced until the issue is essentially over.

David F. Walker has written this issue beautifully and this is a side of Shaft that I'm glad we get to see. While the films exemplified his his super cool, sex machine status; Walker is giving us a man who probably suffers from PTSD and wants nothing more than to do the right thing and stay out of trouble. And I'm for one down with this characterization of Shaft that turns him into a more realistic person instead of a funky cool man of legend.

The art style is my only criticism and I know that a lot of people will be divided on it. On one hand I really enjoy the fact that Tristan Jones has gone with a really messy, almost unfinished design. It uses a done of rough line work, details often aren't filled in all the way, and certain fills often look like scribbles. While I feel like it does help highlight the horror and the idea that stuff in Silent Hill is a physical manifestation of people's inner thoughts, I would've liked to see it polished a little bit more. It seems like the style would make certain things scarier but this issue's main enemy (that directly has to deal with something from Anna's past) is almost too obscured by these rough lines. Silent Hill's enemies and boss monsters are one of the series' high points and it was a shame to see that so much of it was obscured.

Sons of the Devil#1wasn't necessarily bad but there are a few complaints that keep it from being an absolutely gripping title. Will I pick up the next issue? Probably. The promised story is too good to pass up. However, I can definitely see myself forgoing issues until a trade is available if I'm going to have to rely on the occasional tired plot device, a bland main character, and a slow set up to get to the good stuff.

Southern Bastards has ended both of its first arcs with a bang and I couldn't be more eager to see how everything ends up. The first arc had me desperately rooting for revenge while this second arc leaves me with an uneasy feeling. Regardless of what happens, Southern Bastards and Craw County have left a huge impression on the world of comics. There's a very good reason why this comic has been a fan favorite and issue #8 is an issue that encompasses any and all praise this entire series has received. Don't miss it.

Hitcock's art is glorious and a perfect fit for the story. The entire book is done with pencils, only using shading for color. With the entire novel done in black and white, it helps give the already dark story some more despair and it feels right at home among the steampunk elements. My only complaint with the visuals is that some of the cursive text (namely at the beginning) is rather hard to read. Personally speaking (and I know I'm not alone) I find that cursive text as a whole is hard to read in comics regardless of the overall art style so I wish that it had been done in perhaps a more stylized print instead. Other than that, the visuals are great and I especially love how the various dark tendrils that spread across panels and pages are drawn.

Pepe Larraz is a great fit for the series and his art really shines during battle sequences. Larraz also devotes a ton of time to background and environments which was a pleasure all on its own. I found myself spending extra time on each and every panel just because there was so much to see. People get blasted in the background, smokes settles on the horizon, and troops guard over the camp. There's so much to look at that the world itself takes on a life of its own, which is wonderful to see in aStar Wars comic since the world has already been established so vividly across media for decades.

I'm also so happy that VictorIbaez is back. Scott Hepburn's art in #3 was by no means bad, but the change in art was definitely noticeable andIbaez is really, really great at drawing facial expressions. In fact, I doubt that the opening panels would have been as strong ifIbaez wasn't back to draw them and the raw emotion (as well as constraint of emotion) is thrust onto the pages in spectacular ways.

With constantly shifting art and a narrative that hasn't been the strongest,Storm has been a series that I've enjoyed but have seen a ton of fault with as well. As someone who loves Storm and enjoys heavy character interaction, I haven't minded previous issues too much but could fully understand people's frustration with a series that kept drawing out an actual plot. And the fact that it took about 7 issues to actually get somewhere is frustrating.

In fact, the only major complaint I had with this issue is that Johnny's womanizing takes up a large amount of the comic. I understand that that's what his character does and everything. Let's be honest, that's the number one thing Johnny is known for. But the first woman he hits on has to deal with it for a ridiculous amount of pages and panels and I actually found myself desperately hoping that the evil robot would come just to end the situation that was getting progressively more creepy and less funny. And considering Johnny Bravo had an episode in which he gets turned into a woman and learns that the persistent cat-calling women face is a huge annoyance, I wouldn't say that expecting his behavior to not go on so agonizingly long is a silly wish.

Overall, I'm happy to see a comic that offers up something very different and will appeal to an entirely different demographic. These are two greatly funny comics with humor that stands out from the crowd in the best ways possible and it left me wanting more.

Unfortunately, that's also a small complaint I have with the comic.Tanoor and her world are all sharp edges and grit while Lila and her world is big-eyed and vibrant. It's not necessarily bad, it's just very alarming having this huge difference play out between panels. One minute you're looking at Tanoor's scarred and bandaged body and the next you have a close-up of Lila's great big Disney eyes.

The only thing I can't complain about is Ivan Rodriguez' stellar art. It works remarkably well with The Shadow as a character and the panels that invoke Lovecraft are full of macabre creatures and details like the overpowering dense fog. His art does a better job at branching the story ideas together than Marz' writing.

Thanatos Diver is so good that it could sell this issue alone. I recommend it for that reason alone as I was hooked on Samantha and the journey the series promises.The Stuff of Legend also wasn't bad and has an interesting enough premise that I could see myself checking it out but I truly wish that they had shown us a different selection rather than one that leaves new readers completely confused. This is, however, one of the more graphically pleasing issues that I can recommend for art fans alone. Both titles have unique and interesting art that are completely different from each other that it makes for a nicely varied issue.

There's some interesting dialogue and a few odd details that hint at mystery but ultimately it feels a little bit tired as it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Even with the hag making dark threats and showing off some mysterious powers, they're still resorting to comments about her gross naked appearance. And although the succubus does some great seducing this issue, she more or less still exists to be a little whisper of "Hey Geralt, you're a notorious womanizer, sleep with me" which has gotten more than boring by the 4th issue and is a bit creepy considering Geralt's constant moaning about how much he can't be swayed. Even adding in the various important plot points, I still feel like I was essentially rereading the previous issues with a bit of a twist on the dialogue.

I'm still ultimately extremely interested in the overall series and what's going to happen. Perhaps the best thing issue #7 did was make you eager to finish the series due to its brief interlocking of arcs. You know there's something happening but you aren't sure what. I just wish that Straczynski had managed to keep that feeling throughout the whole issue instead of offering tiny glimpses.

Fans of Maybury's work are probably the only people I can 100% recommend this to just because he has a great opportunity to really make some really great stuff within this title. I wish I could say the writing was as strong as the art because there's a very interesting idea here that so far fails to be as cool as it should be. It almost feels like Casey isn't sure what he wants this comic to be and that's where a lot of the mediocrity comes in. On one side it's a story about warrior gods partying nonstop. On the other it's trying to set itself up to be a deep story about something very big. This first issue seems stuck between the two and because of that it doesn't really do either part justice.

Jock's art continues to be stellar and this issue gives him a wonderful opportunity toshowcase some great spooky designs. What really seals this issue, however, is the sharp contrast between scenes in the present and the flashback scenes. As Charlie searches for Sailor, we get nothing but darkness, with backgrounds that shift between black, brown, and a deep dark red. When we flashback, the scenes are bright and almost cheery. It's a great aesthetic choicethat helps break up the scenes and keep them from feeling monotonous.

Perhaps it can work out its problems one day and become worth reading. But I have zero hope fora series where even its own heroines don't want to fight.