Mark Buckeldee Comic Reviews

All in all, this is the issue where the shit starts to hit the fan. That it does so without action and with a very real building sense of dread is a testament to Greg Rucka's deliberate pacing and Nicola Scott's sublime art.

Blackbird #3 is a great exploration of magic and emotions. If you are looking for a new urban fantasy with a strong main character who doesn't feel like a stereotype then give this book a try.

Blackbird #4 may have many familiar urban fantasy tropes but it's main character and her emotional journey help it to stand out. A great looking book with an intriguing world and an ending that makes you want more.

Farmhand #6 is a well paced, well written issue that continues to build up the tension. Guillory's art really sells the more human aspects of the story as the Jenkins family start to realise the horrors of the true status quo.

A funny story about confronting your true feelings.

Giant Days Holiday Special 20118 is a fun fish out of water comedy full of the gentle and surreal humor and relatable characters that Giant Days is known for. It was brave to focus almost solely on one character but Allison uses his writing and art skills to create a really good holiday special.

Global Wrestling Alliance: Ultimate Championship edition tells a delightful story about characters beating their self-doubt with metaphorical steel chairs. It's a mix of silly fun with gentle introspection. Wrestling fans will get a superkick out of this.

Go-Bots #2 is a clever re-imaging of the Go-Bots franchise, looking at humanity's relationship with technology and labour. A good book although the artwork may be polarising due to it's distinctive style and look.

Issue #9 of Head Lopper is a great start to the third arc. It sets the stage while giving you a lot to think about in the three month wait for the next issue. All aspects of the art are so fluid and yet everything always has the same identity and feeling that makes Head Lopper feel like a throwback comic at times. It doesn't care about looking consistent or accurate, it wants to tell an exciting and interesting story. That's something that this issue achieves in spades.

Isola #6 is a very pretty book with a writing team who knows when to let the art do the talking. This is a charming fantasy story told with great visual flair whose only weakness may be the lack of story progression and a slightly sedate pace.

The Blessed Earth is a good western story with interesting takes on robot rights and real world immigration issues.

Lucifer #3 is a moody and atmospheric story with literary references, philosophical musings, mystery and revelations. The two stories touch on similar themes while being distinct visually. A gorgeous book that makes you want to see what happens next.

Lucifer #4 is a well told and satisfying tale full of revelations and machinations. Many of the mysteries start to unfurl amongst a backdrop of unreliable narrators and intertwining stories, told with aplomb thanks to Max and Sebastian Fiumara's grimly beautiful and macabre art. This series is highly recommended for fans of comics that are stylishly dark and smart.

In many ways this issue is like Jack's initial act of trickery, a piece of brilliance that is overshadowed -- although in this case the shadow is cast by what came before.

Monstress #19 is another visit to the beautifully brutal life of Maika Halfwolf and her companion Kippa. This introduces some new questions and sets up some new challenges, but this issue does feel more like a stepping stone for future great issues rather than a great issue in itself.

Vaughan and Chiang manage to capture the emotions and enthusiasm of the girls in a chapter that is more of the same Paper Girls charm.

Sasquatch Detective is a gentle, funny book with a unique heroine. Like most comedies your enjoyment will come from how well the jokes fit your sense of humor. A good first attempt at comics from Stilwell.

Science Comics: The Brain is an informative, easy-to-understand and cleverly done comic. It covers every aspect of the brain that you would hope it to, without coming across as too dry. The illustrations really help in making this a great choice for helping kids learn more about the brain.

Issue 1 of The Umbrella Academy: Hotel Oblivion serves up a series of amuse-bouches, small glimpses of the cast and other events that give us a tantalizing taste of what's to come. While it doesn't go too far in any one direction, it definitely leaves you wanting more of both the story and the fascinating world of the Umbrella Academy.

Umbrella Academy: Hotel Oblivion #2 provides great insight into the mindset and the misery of The Rumor and it fills us in on the life of The Seance. We get a lot of intrigue and some great artwork but the structure makes it feel like we're not making any progress.

The Umbrella Academy: Hotel Oblivion #3 really feels like the story is gaining momentum, with stories coming together against a backdrop of a great action sequence. This issue adds a feeling of progress that was a little lacking in issue 2.

Issue 39 of WicDiv may not have the flashiness or the violence of earlier issues from this arc, but it is a crucial read. The way that our hopes are constantly raised and dashed, mixed with the subtle nuances of the storytelling makes this an issue that shows how good the creative team are. This is a very mature performance from a team at the top of their game.

Go For The Gold is an action packed, character focused one shot with heart. The simplicity of the story is balanced with good character work and a vibrant and energetic art style perfect for newer Transformers comics readers. A great first comic for newer Transformers fans.

Alex Milne returns to art duties as too many bots and not enough space leads to humor, hi-jinks and drama. It would just be nice if we weren't jetting off somewhere else next issue and leaving us on a cliffhanger.

This issue starts to answer some of the oldest questions in Lost Light as all the plot lines now seem to be slowly coming together. This issue does it with the series trademark humour and pathos, as we get to enjoy the Scavengers once again. My main negative is that the last page feels like the start of a bait and switch which seems to be ruined by the solicitations for the next issue.

A great conclusion to the mutiny story and great character work spotlighting Rodimus and Getaway. The series speeds towards it's conclusion, with the issue containing answers, questions and obscure references.

If you read Lost Light then this is probably one of the best and most important issues in the series. Despite that, I think I'm looking forward to the next issue even more.

Transformers: Lost Light #23 is Roberts gleefully pulling back the curtain and revealing many of the hints that he has planted throughout his run in the IDW Transformers comics. Despite focusing so much on past events everyone does a great job of preventing the book from feeling slowly or clunky. My only criticisms are that it's slightly, yet understandably, rushed. Not that I care too much about that, I just want to see what Roberts has up his sleeve next.

Lost Light issue 24 delivers a lot of feels and emotions, many of which have been building for years. It generates both happiness and sadness as the Lost Light crew face one last big challenge before we get to say goodbye. It may not have been the best issue, but it's sure as hell good enough.

Transformers: Lost Light 25 is a perfect way to end MTMTE/LL. This issue has everything that made the series special: It has the humour, the character development, the cheeky nods & clever references, the layers, and the emotional connection. In many ways it is both an ending, a celebration and a reminder that life is not about the ending but about the journey and the moments and relationships that are made on that journey.

All in all, Wyrd doesn't do much that we haven't seen before. We've seen modern superheroes, realistic settings and anti-heroes. What it does do is tell an engrossing, interesting and stylish story that both makes you want to keep reading and tells a self contained story.