Madison Butler's Comic Reviews

Reviewer For: Graphic Policy Reviews: 37
9.0Avg. Review Rating

Long Lost #1 and #2 took time to establish layers of emotion and plot, giving readers complicated characters to root for and a story that unfurls in unexpected ways each issue. Every issue asks more questions than it answers, but it also creates momentum, but the third advances the plot in a way that adds motion as well as depth. Long Lost #3 is another compelling issue in a series full of emotion and mystery.

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The first two issues are compelling in their establishment of the tense relationship between Piper and Frances, the girls mysterious past, and their even more mysterious future. The emotional and atmospheric tone of the comic helps to create a haunting, intriguing story that leave me hungry and excited for the moment when the plot comes crashing together.

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Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys could have easily been a grim and dark reboot of an older property, but the art and colors keep it from ever approaching the Too Gritty mark. The series is an entertaining read, with plenty of nods to the source material that are fun Easter eggs for familiar readers.

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The first issue of the comic wasnt perfect, but showed a lot of promise. Mystery fans, fans of the original series, and fans of Hope Larson and Brittney Williamss Goldie Vance will likely enjoy Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys for its vintage charm, amped-up drama, and superb art.

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The colors emphasize the detail and set the mood. Monstress is often serious in tone and deals with dark themes, but the comic itself is rarely visually dark. Dynamic, layered colors build up and add to the magic of the series. The amount of thought put into the colors and detail make Monstress an especially gorgeous fantasy epic that will stand the test of time.

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Theteam's enthusiasm for the book is obvious, and the plot and characters are written, drawn, and colored with great care. The second arc has perhaps started better than the first, and while we don't yet know where the story will go, it is guaranteed that it will be fun and full of surprises.

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With elements that work so well together, Elasticator will be dearly missed after it ends with the next issue.

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Jolle Jones's art is the star of the story. The characters are expressive and messy, beautiful and occasionally sleazy. Lady Killer featured ink splattered pages, and while Lady Killer 2 #1 featured the same ink-splotched pages, the overall art and style suggests that Josie is fully in control and more organized than she's ever been. Joness use of heavy inks and Michelle Madsens poppy colors create an amazing contrast between tone and action: The art is brightest when Josie's narrative is dark, just as the inverse is true and the tone of the story upbeat when Josie is brutally stabbing victims. The overall effect is a story that's as delightful to look at as it is to read.

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Goldie Vance is the perfect series for all readers. Readers of all ages will likely enjoy Goldie's tenacity, stubborn curiosity, and determination to do the right thing, and the puzzling and at times otherworldly whodunit is a sure attention-grabber.

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Together, these elements form a well-constructed comic well worth reading for its story, humor, and art.

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Elasticator is the perfect comic for geeks interested in, well, geeky things and politics. While this issue focuses less on the politics than its predecessors, no hero would be complete without an origin story and Elasticator, as usual, delivers.

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With a fantastic creative team and a smart, diverse group of characters, Goldie Vance is a comic appropriate for all ages and one that, luckily for readers, will be around for a while.

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he Fix #3 ends with something of a cliffhanger that suggests Roy and Mac may be in over their heads, and while this isn't a new concept, it also suggests that their problems might be bigger than expected. Spencer and Lieber are a talented team (as indicated by the comic going into second and third reprintings) and The Fix continues to earn its spot as a regular read.

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Overall, this is another well done issue from a fantastic creative team. It is both thought-provoking and entertaining, and will make readers glad its publishing break is over.

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The Elasticator team has created a book with depth, great characters, and themes that get more compelling with each chapter. As the intrigue heightens, Elasticator is a comic that deserves its spot on your pull list.

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The story is an incredibly huge undertaking, and Liu and Takeda keep readers guessing as to where it will go next. If it hasn'talreadyclaimed a spot on your pull list,Monstress is absolutely deserving of it.

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Overall, this issue was a well-crafted end to a wonderful series, and leaves only one question: Will there be a deluxe trade available for preorder?

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Overall, the second issue is just as solid as the first. With any luck, the series will be extended, because Goldie is a character youll want to read about for a long time.

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The Fix hasn't lost any of its hilarity as it delves deeper into the story, and is absolutely worth a pull list spot. If you didn't get a chance last month, both issues #1 and #2 are worth checking out–and the #1 second printing variant now features none other than the heroic Pretzels.

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Cry Havoc is still a fun and engaging read four issues in, with solid pacing that reveals enough to both move the story forward and to keep readers feeling like theyre not waiting forever. That said, the endgame largely remains a mystery, as does the fates of many of the characters.

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Overall, the issue is one of the strongest of the series so far. This issue introduces some new characters to the mix, gives the story a clear direction, and is an absolute must-read as part of the series.

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As usual, Monstress utilizes every bit of space on its pages to weave an increasingly complex narrative. As usual, though, the story is absolutely worth reading and deserving of the time it takes to understand the narrative.

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Once again, writer Joe Keatinge leaves readers with no clue as to where the story will go next. It is clear that a conflict with Prospero is drawing closer, but the back of issue #20 teases “the final three” in reference to the last of thesiblings Kate doesn't know. Other characters like Cassius and Chris Kristopher Sr. have been noticeably absent from the narrative, building a sense of intrigue regarding their whereabouts. Despite all the answersShutter has given, it largely remains a mystery.

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Elasticators second issue was another strong effort. The narrative does get a little confusing when navigating time in the story, but the story builds intrigue throughout the issue. Its well worth reading for the fast-paced dialogue and action.

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So far, its unclear what Mikeys powers are. The brief moment in which Mikey gets in a fight isnt him dressed as a superhero, even though hes been beaten quite badly by the time hes arrested. The story is pretty well-paced, mostly focused on exhibition but with enough forward progress that it sets the gears in motion for the larger story.

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While people looking to read Nowhere Men purely for science will be disappointed, the comic continues to be an enjoyable read for its art and themes of humanity. Stephenson builds tension in the waiting, leaving much room to wonder what the endgame will be.

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Spurriers inclusion of writers notes in the backmatter is both interesting and educational. They contain little hints about future events, but largely provide information about turns of phrase and situational history that are relevant, but wouldnt necessarily have a place in the story. Overall, the complexly woven narrative, use of color, and inclusion of mythology continue to make Cry Havoc an interesting read.

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Sebela and Roe are a strong team, andWe(l)come Back continues to amass intrigue. It does, however, leave Tessa and Mali with backs against the wall at all turns, begging the question of what could possibly come next.

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Overall, Lumberjanes #24 brought this arc to a satisfying close just in time for the series two-year anniversary. The Lumberjanes will return next month with an oversized Lumberjanes #25 to celebrate two years of camp friendships and shenanigans.

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Both visually and story-wise, Monstress continues to be one of Images most unique publications. The next two issues will be released monthly, after the short break between Monstress #3 and #4.

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Shutter‘s art is wonderfully consistent, and del Duca is a talented artist and a credit to the comic industry. The story is regaining momentum, but there's no clear hint as to where it will go, something that Keating has done–and continues to do–well.

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All in all, the team on this book works extremely well in terms of art and writing. The idea of a threefold narrative colored by different people is a concept that could come off as gimmicky if done poorly, but this comic is not done poorly. Its engaging and fresh in both its writing and structure, and its definitely worth a read.

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If the last issue of Nowhere Men felt like the calm before the storm, #8 seemed to ripple the waters a bit, and the comic continues to excite.

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This issue largely functions for clarification of the narrative, but its very much enjoyable. Between the art, Anitas wry narration and development as a character, and the banter between the characters, the story doesn't feel like it's at a standstill in Wolf #6. It is certainly heading in a new direction, and though its only slowly becoming clearer what that direction is, Wolf will surely keep readers guessing.

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It's hard to tell where this arc will fall in terms of the collected editions. The adventures of the Lumberjanes and Seafarin Karen have already covered three issues, but the delay in trade release means that the collected storymay not be released until next year. Despite this, the individual issues continue to be worth picking up for their awesome art, adventure, and wit.

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Because the necessary exposition is out of the way, Welcome Back #5 stands much better on its own than its predecessors. Since it was originally meant to be a limited series, it will be interesting to see where and who the story and characters of Welcome Back will be next.

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Cormack does a great job of bringing every vicious detail of the story into reality. Oxymoron himself is creepy and sinister, with a terrifying and omnipresent grin that may take clown phobias to a new level. Cormacks dynamic illustrations will haunt readers indefinitely–or at least until the comic returns with a new and equally twisted arc.

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