Rik Mertens's Comic Reviews

Reviewer For: Comic Watch Reviews: 24
8.4Avg. Review Rating

Dynamite has produced a lot of Red Sonja titles over the years. They have a very solid hit with Invincible Red Sonja. Everyone's taking notice. As of August 19, Dynamite commented that this series has been expanded to ten issues!!

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For a bridging, fill-in issue, this one is really good. You have to buy it just to prepare for Conan the Barbarian #25 (Marvel's Conan #300 and an extra-special anniversary issue).

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This is pure comic book perfection. You won't read a better series finale this year (maybe this decade).

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I Need More Red SonjaRequired listening for any Red Sonja comic is the Red Sonja movie soundtrack. Find it on YouTube.In September a new Red Sonja #1 launches. Check out the Red Sonja #1 Sneek Peak on Comic Watch.Tabitha Lyons Instagram for more Red Sonja cosplayBuy this issue. Proelium Finalis reminds me of a story Robert E. Howard himself might have written. Edible and Listen Close both have nice story twists.

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Buy it. Savage Hearts #2 was just as good as issue #1. Fo and Pheaux steal every scene they are in. Bronwyn breaks things.

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Stranger ThingsThe Walking DeadThe Hills Have EyesI Need MoreBOOM! Chat has a video introduction of Basilisk on YouTube. It's a good behind the scenes look at the series.Check out Jonas Scharf on Art Station or InstagramBushwhacked, Episode 3 of Firefly, deals with similar themes of spiritual corruption.I'm hooked. Basilisk is a tale of revenge mixed with a little sci-fi and horror. It has strong characters and a quickly moving plot. The backstory of the Chimera, both their attack on Kingsly and before emerging from the mountains, is a constant cliffhanger.

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I Need MoreBefore opening this issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, launch your Spotify app and search for Buffy soundtrack (or visit this link for a Buffy Playlist.)Season 4 Episode 12: A New Man will remind you how devious Ethan is.Season 5 Episode 11: Triangle for insight into Anya's past.Valentina Pinti's Instagram for more Buffy imagesIt feels like the moment in the TV series where all the pieces come together, and we can move into the action. All of the reveals this issue fixed much of my confusion. This was a great issue of Buffy, and I'm eagerly waiting for next month.

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I was a little shocked by the artist change in mid-story, but Phil Hester draws a good looking League and an entire encyclopedia of DC characters. Justice League Dark wraps up the current threads and prepares us for the next chapter.

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I need moreCheck out Dustin Nguyen Instagram for lots of Ascender artwork Before Ascender #1, Image Comics provided a character map and timeline. It's a great refresher of what's happened before. There's only one issue of Ascender left. Ascender has been just as good as Descender. It will be a long thirty days as we wait for the series finale.

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I need MoreCheck out the preview pages on idwpublishing.comComic Watch's Sneak Peek of Bermuda #1Nick Bradshaw's Instagram has spoiler art and BERMUDA Shorts, one page Bermuda strips about TrangleWhen you have art legends Arthur Adams and Dan Panosian drawing alternate covers, you know this comic is going to be something special. Bermuda #1 gives us a strong introduction to the Isle of Trangle. If the rest of the four issue series is this good, it will be over too soon.

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Never underestimate a good cliffhanger, and this issue we get three! The last page of the Justice League Dark section is so good it could be a poster. The team is assembled, and next issue we'll see how they fair against Merlin.

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I Need MoreIf you haven't read the other four parts of Land of the Lotus, start this adventure with issue #19. Comic Watch has a Sneak Peek at issue 21 and issue 22.Jump on YouTube. A quick search for “Conan The Barbarian (1982)” or “Basil Poledouris” will have the soundtrack you need.LibriVox has some of the original Robert E. Howard Conan tales available as audio book downloads. The Hour of the Dragon might fit as a follow-up quest.I jumped into "Land of the Lotus" with the last chapter of the story and had no trouble getting caught up on what problems Conan had gotten himself into this time. It felt like I was reading a classic Robert E. Howard Conan story.

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Savage Hearts #1 may be the perfect mid-Summer comic book. Spend an afternoon with a funny book. You won't be disappointed.

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The new artist on Buffy the Vampire Slayer #27, Carmelo Zagaria, energizes this issue with a style that combines the best of photo-real and American-comic-standard style. We get a look at the new big-bad, and I can't wait to see how the Buffy, Kendra, and Faith figure out how to deal with him.

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Doctor Fate Vol. 2: Prisoners of War for Khalid NassourDay of Vengeance for Ragman and several members of Justice League Dark (or Shadow Pact)Ragman (2017-2018)The Demon by Jack KirbyJustice League #64 is a good starting point for anyone looking to get into the book. It's got something for everyone. I especially liked the Cover B by Jason Howard (@theJasonHoward) with our warriors -- Hawkgirl, Aquaman and Hippolyta -- looking mighty. Batman's involvement in Justice League Dark was a really nice restart to the ongoing Merlin story. I could have read an entire issue devoted to Justice League Dark.

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Fans of both classic and more recent stories will be able to get into it. The what-if-alternate universe nature of the story provides some absolutely creepy Giles. Plus it will pull on your heart-strings and give you a nostalgia-rush. You couldn't ask for more in a Buffy comic.

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This issue pulled hard at the heart strings. I've been waiting for it for 16 issues and when it happens, the story doesn't disappoint. Amazing work.

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I'm hooked. Whenever the big bad is spooked by our hero, you know big things are going to happen.

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Unless you are a Naomi fan, buy this issue for the Justice League Dark story only. Next issue we start a new arc in the regular League story, and it can't come soon enough.

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I liked it so much, I immediately bought The Perhapanauts: First Blood direct from Scout Comics and the BEDLAM Cryptid Field Guide from the perhapanauts.com website shop. The characters have a strong family vibe. The adventures bring in just the right amount of 1950s UFO goodness. I'm looking forward to more.

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I picked up this comic on a whim, and I am so glad I did. Two issues into the limited series, and I'm enchanted with the characters and the impossible adventure they are on. Zombies. Androids. Flooded climate. A wrecked world. It's every sci-fi fans favorite things. And the cliff hanger will leave you wanting more.

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The mix of characters and the momentum from the last story arc push this issue forward. We learn just enough about what's coming to keep our interest. Any time Ethan Rayne shows up, you know we're in for an interesting adventure.

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We could have used more explanation about what's happening to Naomi, Superman and Black Adam? The introduction of Queen Hippolyta is inspired. The Justice League Dark has fun in a library. It's good from cover to cover.

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As with all good things, I wanted more. Ascender #15 is heavy on the telling (and could have used a little more showing) and serves as a bridge to the next arc of this epic sci-fi tale.

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