Rachel Bellwoar's Comic Reviews

Reviewer For: COMICON, That's Not Current, We Got This Covered, Flickering Myth Reviews: 64
8.1Avg. Review Rating

5.6
I, Holmes #1

Sep 4, 2016

I, Holmes's Sherlock Holmes roots hinder, rather than help, the series in its action-packed first outing (I Rose is the famous detective's fifth generation great granddaughter).

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6
Abbott: 1973 #1

Jan 20, 2021

Will 1973 be a better year for Elena Abbott than 1972 was?

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6
Dead Dog's Bite #1

Mar 1, 2021

Few comics have more atmosphere to burn than Tyler Boss' Dead Dogs Bite.

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6
Justice League (2016) #14

Feb 1, 2017

The topics discussed during "Regroup" may not warrant an entire issue, but Bryan Hitch's art and Alex Sinclair's colors provide an energy that the story misses.

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6
Legacy of Mandrake the Magician #1

Oct 26, 2020

In Snow White, the Evil Queen used her magic mirror to find out who's the fairest in the land. Mandy is learning magic from hers. What could go wrong?

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6
Romulus #1

Sep 21, 2016

Whether or not you might wish thebackstorycovered was less expansive, it does get alot of the grunt explanation out of the way, leaving the second half of the first issue entirely devoted to an interesting present day. With Ashlar's new goal being revenge on Romulus (a page depicting the methods they employed to destroy the Wolvesensuringyou understand why), will her continued use of their same methods of murder allow her to find the vengeance she seeks?

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6
The Queens Favorite Witch: The Wheel of Fortune #1

Nov 16, 2021

The Queen's Favorite Witch isn't trying to be non-fiction, but those hoping for more historical fiction on the lines of Discovery of Witches might have better luck with the sequel.

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5
Sabrina: Something Wicked #3

Sep 23, 2020

Sabrina has been struggling to find time for her friends lately (and her love life is extremely complicated), but should that really be such a concern when there's a serial killer on the loose?

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7
Sabrina: Something Wicked #4

Nov 25, 2020

While Sabrina continues to look for a spell that will stop Ren and Radka from turning into a wendigo, can Ren be trusted with her secret?

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8
Sabrina: Something Wicked #5

Feb 17, 2021

Will Sabrina be a match for head witch, Della, inSabrina the Teenage Witch: Something Wicked #5 finale?

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7
Bullseye (2017) #1

Feb 1, 2017

Bullseye #1 is prepared for readers having the attention span of the titular character, and in the end, it pays off.

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7
Curtiss Hill OGN

Mar 15, 2021

Usually graphic novels are self-contained, but Curtiss Hill leaves a lot of storylines unresolved. If there is a sequel in the works, it would've been nice if the cover indicated that, so readers could go in not expecting an ending, but if there isn't going to be one, the ending is fairly disappointing. Readers are cheated out of a confrontation while the character of Dino is completely shorted from getting a voice.

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7
Deathstroke (2016) #12

Feb 8, 2017

Deathstroke #12 lands the big prison exit but falters with a character entrance.

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7
Delicates OGN

Mar 26, 2021

Delicates isn't easy and if you're not up to sadness, it might not be the right choice right now but there's a weight to this sequel and fans of Sheets shouldn't skip it.

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7
Evil Dead 2: Revenge of Dracula (One Shot) #1

Oct 16, 2016

Pitting Dracula against a demon is surprising but not without drawbacks in Evil Dead 2: Revenge of Dracula.

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7
Fearscape #1

Aug 29, 2018

While Fearscape is accessible to all readers, English majors (guilty) might feel slightly bigheaded, recognizing all the references, and the prospect of more historical storylines, opened by meeting one of the storytellers who came before Henry, threatens to steal the issue away from him. A comic that's worth a read to see how it's constructed, as much as to see what it's about,Fearscape #1goes on saleSeptember 26thfromVault Comics.

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7
Kill A Man OGN

Nov 30, 2020

After another fighter outs him at a press conference, James' career takes a hit. Will this comeback story respond with readers?

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7
Loot #1

Jan 18, 2021

Loot isn't National Treasure but it scratches a similar itch, as Emily tries to figure out where Diana Jensen's treasure map leads.

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7
Marjorie Finnegan: Temporal Criminal #1

Apr 5, 2021

There's enough fun to be had in this issue that it doesn't matter yet, but can Ennis and Suduka sustain a time travel series where the risks have been eliminated?

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7.6
The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari #1

Feb 22, 2017

While I hold out for a prequel series, Olmos' comic adaptation of The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari offers new ways of looking at a classic horror film.

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7.6
The Dark #2

Nov 1, 2016

The Dark #2: The Howl is a study in how a cover can lead you astray. I won't make the mistake of overlooking this series again.

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7.6
Uncanny Valley High #1

Mar 8, 2017

Uncanny Valley High is a familiar but clever issue that's part of Space Goat Publishing's great new line of Backpack Editions (graphic novels made to fit bags).

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8
The Forgotten Queen #2

Apr 9, 2019

Ulises Arreola's colors keeps the two worlds separate. You're always aware that you're in an enclosed space on board the ship, because of the way the artificial lights bounce off the walls and tile. The desert scenes, meanwhile, are full of clear skies and scorching sun, while a new setting, where Vexana goes to look for a witch, includes the rare sighting of plant life. As the two time lines grow more in sync, Vexana continues to be an amazing case study. You won't be forgetting this 'forgotten queen' anytime soon.

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7
The Forgotten Queen #3

Apr 24, 2019

I'm not sure what an end to this series looks like but if it's anything like the beginning and middle it's going to leave a mark.

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8
The Forgotten Queen #4

Jun 3, 2019

For all of the fighting, The Forgotten Queen is a personal story and that's thanks to Amilcar Pinna's focus on Vexana's face. Every emotion is laid bare, and it's why accepting this series could be over is such a bummer. Vexana can never be done but will we hear the rest of her story?

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8
Doctor Who: Missy #1

Apr 16, 2021

So far writer, Jody Houser, is keeping Missy's plan under wraps, but the conditions by which she meets the Master are quite unusual.

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8
Odyssey of the Amazons #1

Jan 25, 2017

The early confidence that Odyssey of the Amazons #1 has to leave the Amazon in such dire straits has me excited to see how Grevioux will write them out in issue #2.

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8
Quilte Halloween Comicfest #1

Oct 31, 2016

There's a beauty to the containment of the one shot but it also means there are a few cases of stories being cut off rightwhen they're about to get rolling, which could be for lack of timeor lack of answers. We never get to learnthe meaning behindAmanda or Adam's dreams,andAmanda disappears from the narrative entirely. We miss her, which is no small potatoes, and the ending doesn't try to square everything up happily.Quilte does a lot right but feels like it's settling or holding backfrom being great.

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8
Scarlett Hart: Monster Hunter #1

Apr 2, 2018

Scarlett Hart: Monster Hunter packs on the monsters for some very entertaining showdowns.

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8
Squire OGN

Mar 8, 2022

Fresh characterizations give new life to a story about a young girl's journey to become a knight.

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9
No Angel #1

Nov 30, 2016

No Angel #1 could've remained an effective small town whodunit. Instead it takes two Biblical twists that have me very excited to see where this comic is going.

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7.6
No Angel #2

Jan 27, 2017

No Angel #2 brings some smart characterizations but weighs too much action for the ending, leaving a scarcer middle section.

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9
Heavenly Blues #1

Mar 23, 2017

Heavenly Blues is a theater where what you think you know about Hell gets averted.

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8
Heavenly Blues #2

Aug 2, 2017

Heavenly Blues might have its sights towards heaven in issue three but readers won't be in any rush to leave hell.

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8.6
Cloudia & Rex #1

Jul 7, 2017

Gods have been having a mini resurgence in pop culture this year, but Cloudia & Rex is the first of the recent crop (American Gods, Wonder Woman) where I haven't felt like an outlier to the enthusiasm.

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8.6
Colossi #1

Apr 5, 2017

Pam Grier movie meets The Incredible Shrinking Man is Vault Comics' Colossi #1.

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8.6
Haddon Hall: When David Invented Bowie #1

Feb 14, 2017

Artistic ingenuity by Njib brings David Bowie's career launching stay at Haddon Hall to life.

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8.6
Kaijumax #1

Jan 31, 2017

Kaijumax imagines what it would be like if humans created an island prison for kaiju movie monsters.

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8.6
The Black Suit of Death: The Ides of March #1

Aug 22, 2016

Rising to the challenge of establishing a world, "Ides of March" sets up numerous story possibilities for when issue one gets released this fall.

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9.6
Masked #1

Nov 23, 2016

Meticulous interiors, expansive cityscapes, and one incredible opening flashback mark the beginning of Masked: Anomalies.

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8.6
Masked #2

Dec 24, 2016

Issue two develops nicely off of issue one but leaves our point of view character in a precarious position.

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8
Masked #3

Jan 25, 2017

The figures from Masked: Anomalies' covers make their debut in issue three.

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9
Corktown #1

Sep 7, 2016

Part Buffy, part Law and Order, and part its own gritty animal, to use a corny pun, this issue brings bite to two genres that have been done numerous times before.

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8.6
Corktown #2

Nov 16, 2016

Corktown #2 slows down the pace for some spectacular representations of grief.

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9
6 Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton #1

Jun 18, 2021

All the behind-the-scenes Hollywood drama you could want smushed into one issue " that's The Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton #1 in a nutshell.

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9
Copra #1

Oct 28, 2019

A second printing of the first issue comes out October 30th. The second issue comes out November 6th.

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9
Long Lost #1

Sep 6, 2017

Issue one stirs up tension from deceptively mundane activities and very little dialogue. Writer, Matthew Erman, lulls readers into thinking the comic isn't complicated because the scenes are very normal. Piper takes her dog out to poop. Piper feeds her dog. Piper checks her text messages while sitting on the toilet (and that one's the best, because how many comics take the time to acknowledge people go to the bathroom, too?) but you get to the end and realize you have to go back.

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9
The Magic Fish OGN

Sep 25, 2020

Tin and his mom speak different languages. Can their mutual love of fairy tales help them find their voices?

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9.2
Cold War (2018) #1

Feb 16, 2018

Cold War #1 is a successful first issue that reminds readers to question anything that sounds too good to be true (also, that Gatorade-colored cover rocks).

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9
Angel City #4

Jan 11, 2017

Angel City #4 has Dolores and Co. ignoring past warnings to land themselves in bigger trouble than before.

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9.6
Angel City #5

Feb 8, 2017

If you're ever set up for murder, Dolores is the person you want to emulate, in a dialogue crackling penultimate issue to Angel City.

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9.6
Scrimshaw #1

Oct 10, 2016

Scrimshaw #1 quickly strikes its own path with distinctive characters and a desire to consider big issues like the environment and immigration. Unexpected elements of fantasy keep you on your toes. As a fan of overseas adventures, this comic endeavors to provide that and more.

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8.6
Scrimshaw #2

Dec 16, 2016

Overall, Scrimshaw #2 is a piece mover but has some stand out material for antagonist, Mr. Song.

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9.6
Scrimshaw #3

Feb 9, 2017

The thought of the Runaway Horse team dispersing so quickly after coming together was disappointing in issue two, but in execution, with more of Mims' beautiful ocean shots, Scrimshaw has made the difference inconsequential. One storyline doesn't triumph over the other and there is no shortage of bad guys to go around.

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9.4
Amazing Age #1

May 5, 2017

Amazing Ages #1 is nostalgic catnip, right up there with Stand By Me and Stranger Things in the 80's, friendship department.

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9.6
Mr Crypt #1

Aug 30, 2016

Created and written by Troy Vevasis, with art by Aleksandar Jovic, Mr. Crypt #1 is the perfect pick-me-up for a lousy day.

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9.6
Mr Crypt #2

Oct 12, 2016

With a star turn by Baron Rat and monocle fashion statements, Mr. Crypt and the Vampire Menace is the kind of treat I wish people handed out on Halloween instead of candy.

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9.6
Mr Crypt #3

Feb 2, 2017

Mr. Crypt's sure come a long way in his final, and craziest, adventure yet.

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9.6
There's Nothing There #1

Dec 6, 2017

For a playful series that serious about how we treat people in the public eye,There's Nothing Theregets the highest marks.

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10
Lucy In The Sky OGN

Jul 6, 2021

‘Lucy in the Sky' is more than the Beatles, but if they're the reason you pick this book up, that'sterrific.

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10
Nick Cave: Mercy On Me #1

Oct 2, 2017

Until now I've been a fan of Nick Cave's without really knowing anything about him. Reinhard Kleist's graphic novel, Nick Cave: Mercy On Me, is an almighty achievement.

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10
Shipwreck #3

Jan 31, 2017

Shipwreck #3 may be my least favorite issue of Shipwreck so far but that means nothing in a series this good.

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10
They Fell From The Sky #1

Feb 1, 2021

Space Journeyis Tommy and his friends' favorite show, but does that make them prepared for an actual alien encounter? 

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10
Turtle In Paradise: The Graphic Novel Reviewed #1

Jun 30, 2021

When going to live with someone you've never met before, it helps if the person knows you are coming. Turtle finds this out the hard way in Turtle in Paradise: The Graphic Novel.

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