Steven Merced's Comic Reviews

Reviewer For: Geeked Out Nation Reviews: 20
8.0Avg. Review Rating

8.9
A Voice In The Dark #1

Nov 23, 2013

All and all the story being told is interesting and intriguing. I could easily see this turning into a late sleeper hit of 2013. It came out of nowhere and the writerLarime Taylor seems to really give us a sense that there is more to this story than meets the eye. With the first issues being such a long read and the constant flashbacks of the incident feeling a bit misplaced I could see why it may draw some readers away. For those that do stick it out and really dive into the story it will surely pay off in the end. As a man that has not read a ton of new original material this year "A Voice in the Dark" stands alone at the top as one of my favorite stories of the year.

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9.2
A Voice In The Dark #2

Dec 18, 2013

With this issue Larime Taylor has cemented himself as one of my favorite writers of the year. I know that it's only based on two issues but the way he is able to mix the sense of a dark and grim reality is something that resonates with me long after I have read the issue. "A Voice In The Dark" is a must read for anyone who is looking for a story that helps you escape your reality and venture into a darker more interesting one.

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8.9
Alex + Ada #4

Feb 19, 2014

In the end Alex + Ada #4was a good issue that progresses the story even further. We learn more about Alex and Ada and what the possible consequences of his actions could be. For some the series may be going to slow and it could be looked at as extremely boring, but to me it's just phenomenal writing. Alex + Ada is a must read because it gives us a character we sympathize with, a situation that leaves us with thoughts of how we would handle it and a well structured world filled with amazing ideas.

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9.5
Alex + Ada #5

Mar 26, 2014

On top of the issue being an amazing read it is also still just beautiful to look at. It's simple yet detailed artwork that is to be respected. From a wrinkle in the bed sheets to the stubble on a man to even the way a tear runs down a cheek everything you want to be there is there with enough detail to help you get fully immersed in the series. The series leaves me wishing that I did not start reading until it was out in trade form. I know that may sound odd to some readers but just the fact that now I have to wait another 30 or so days to read the next issue makes me sad and eagerly excited to see what happens next.

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7.5
Alex + Ada #6

May 11, 2014

So as you can see the issue was very strait forward with no real climax at the end of it. Sure it was still a great read but as I stated above the whole thing feels like filler for something bigger. The one bit of dialogue that stuck with me and I feel could come into play is when Alex tells Ada she does not have to do what everyone tells her to do. This could turn into a very interesting situation especially with what happens on the very last page.

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8.8
Archie (2015) #1

Jul 8, 2015

All in all I think that Archie #1 was a solid good fresh start for the series. I feel that for the first issue Waid choose to play it safe which is OK because im sure the risk will come down the road. The real stand out to me in the issue was the art and every single amazing cover that was put out. Staples has made Archie feel modern without taking away each characters essence and what made them who they are. It's a modern take on a story that we haven't seen in a long time, the true teen romantic comedy TV series. I mention the characters up above from Boy Meets World, Saved by the Bell and The Wonder Years because to me reading this felt like a mix of all of those three shows set in Riverdale. That is nota compliment by any stretch of the imagination, it actually might be high praise depending on how you feel about those shows. And although the first issue is not perfect that last page and the potential for the book have me excited to keep reading.

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7.7
Chastity #1

Jul 9, 2014

For the most part Chastity was a good beginning with a few rough edges but an interesting story none the less. Bringing a character in the same vain as Buffy to a new generation of young female readers is a good approach. But don't let the cover art or the comparisons to Buffy fool you, this is not a bubble gum look into the world of vampires.

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8.3
Deadly Class #1

Jan 22, 2014

Deadly Class #1 might not be perfect but it does show that it has the potential to be something very special. Remender is making a real strong case for himself as one of the go to writers for unique and interesting stories. His writing here for the most part really paints a picture in your mind almost like watching a movie in your head. Sure at the beginning the story was a bit jumbled and hard to follow but once it picks up and Remender gets his footing it's something special. I highly recommend picking up Deadly Class #1 if anything I stated above seems to grab your interest.

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7.5
Deadly Class #2

Feb 26, 2014

So in the end Deadly Class #2 was a book that left me unfulfilled. I really enjoyed the introduction of the Marcus character in the first issue. The introduction of any character in this book was just not well fleshed out. My theory to this is that Remender wanted to introduce us to as many characters as possible which left little time for any of them to really shine. The story is still interesting and I hope that it picks up some momentum in next months issue.

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7.9
Deadly Class #3

Mar 27, 2014

The issue was a good read but, no new characters are introduced and besides the call backs to Willies childhood there is not much else there that would be remembered. The ending of the issue although surprising felt like it came out of nowhere and i'm still hazy on what exactly happen. It comes quick and not much room for explanation is given. I expect the next issue to start off right where this one left off which could help me appreciate this issue more.

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7.9
Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #2

Jun 5, 2014

I just really think that to assure reader satisfaction you have to give them a little more bang for their buck. Instead of having three major situations at once cut it down to two and allow for those two stories to flourish. Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man is still a must read for comic book readers that love the Ultimate universe and if you are still on the fence about the character of Miles I highly recommend checking out his run on the Ultimate Spider-Man series and grabbing a hold of this series when you are all caught up.

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6.5
Punisher (2014) #2

Feb 22, 2014

Like I stated before I respect those who enjoy this interpretation of the Punisher, I just can't seem to get behind it. After being thrown into the Thunderbolts and now this new series, Frank Castle is starting to make his way quickly down my list of superhero characters.

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6.9
Spider-Man 2099 (2014) #1

Jul 10, 2014

Although my final score may come off as a bit low, it is just because of the fact that the pace and the potential to reintroduced a character to a new audience was not fully taken advantage of. That being said I'm really excited to read the next issue and see if we are able to learn a lot more about both Spider-Man 2099 and Miguel O'Hara. He is very different from the Spider-Man that we are use to and the less humors tone is something that could give us a very unique sense of what Spider-Man can be. I feel the series is dripping with potential and that if writer Peter David slows down for a few issues and allows us to fall in love with the character first, introducing the action later will be much more of a payoff.

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7.8
The Last Fall #1

Jul 17, 2014

The Last Fall #1 was a pleasant surprise that I was not expecting to enjoy. It was only by mere chance that I picked up the book and I gotta say that I'm happy about it. Sure not original or ground breaking, but it's something that I can pick up and read and just have a good time transported to this world with a protagonist that I am interested in. It brings an intriguing enough premise centered on a holy war to get any Sci-Fi fan interested. If anything I have said at all interest you I recommend checking out The Last Fall #1.

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8.3
The Squidder #1

Jul 19, 2014

So all things considered The Squidder #1 is a good start to a brand new series that transports us into a great Sci-Fi world with a protagonist that fits the role of anti-hero well. It is a story that appears to be filled with great characters, an interesting concept and tremendous possibilities.

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7.5
The Woods #1

May 7, 2014

I respect the story the writer is attempting to tell and I can see a lot of potential in the future of the series, but I just feel that it would have been better to use the first issue to build up the characters a bit more before disappearance. It would have allowed us to feel some emotion when characters are killed off. I think that "The Woods #1" is a good read with a lot of intrigue. It brings a cool twist on a familiar story, but the characters we are supposed to care about all do seem a bit clichd to start. Think of it like "The Breakfast Club" meets Prometheus, A group of kids looking to explore an unfamiliar planet with dangers lurking in the distance. If that at all sounds interesting to you then I would recommend checking out this series, it did what it was supposed to do, intrigue me enough to read the next issue.

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7.3
The Woods #2

Jun 4, 2014

Again this is not a bad read but it's one that I am still not sure about. I recommend checking it out if you're willing to not think too much about the essentials. It still needs a few issues to find its footing and if you don't want to read something that takes a while to get a better understanding of what it is trying to be than you might want to stay away. If you could get around the negatives that I have stated above you could find something worth your time. It is an interesting premise and its ideas are all there. It just needs to get a little bit more minor touch ups and character development to make it a must read.

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9.5
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (2011) #200

Apr 3, 2014

So as you can see I really don't have a negative thing to say about this issue. I feel it was one of the best situations that Bendis could have created. It paid its respects to Peter, but still gave hints of what's to come in the near future for Miles and the rest of Ultimate Universe. If you are an Ultimate Spider-Man fan or even just a Spider-Man fan I highly recommend you check out issue #200. It's one of the best superhero reads I have had in awhile and it will not disappoint.

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6
Wolverine (2014) #1

Feb 7, 2014

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7.2
Wraith: Welcome To Christmasland #1

Nov 16, 2013

The best thing I can say about the book is that I'm sure many will enjoy it and really love the character of Manx. I just don't seem to really like the person he is and what he stands for.So that puts me in the situation of how do you grade a book that does everything it wanted to do and is well written, but just does not appeal to me? I put it like this, it's a great book if you like the style it's going for and an average read if you don't. The book is never dull it just does not have the hooks you want it to have.

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