Zac Kandell Comic Reviews

It's a good thing that Dark Horse is republishing this book. It was originally independently published in 2009, but now has the possibility to reach a much larger audience. I likely would never had read this if they didn't, but now it's out there for many more people to read, and is definitely worth checking out.

As a first issue, this comic does its job perfectly. Yes, I have a few problems with the story, but it makes me really want to come back and read the next issue, which is everything the first issue really needs to do.

The story ends on a slightly disappointing cliffhanger, but that's nowhere near as important as everything the comic does right. I come out of it looking forward to the next issue and where this story might go next.

Together, all of this makes quite a fun book to read. I'm definitely interested in picking up the next issue of it, since I'm really intrigued at what they could be doing with it next.

Given all of that, I think this is definitely worth a look. It's not one of the greatest comics being published right now, but it is more than worth paying attention to.

I loved this comic. It's not concerned with being good, but instead making the most ridiculous and over-the-top thing they can think of. It does exactly what it set out to do really well, and that's always commendable. It also is a limited series, so they only have a limited time they need to keep up this energy for, which I'm really looking forward to now.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this comic, despite the flaws in it. It's worth looking at, and I'm interested to know where it's going in the future, which is all that I can ask for from a first issue.

Overall, I liked this first issue. I'm not a Transformers fan, but there are still things to enjoy in here. It's not a high priority to read the next issue, but I'll probably check that out when it comes out, and that's really what a first issue needs to be.

Without knowing the prior series, I liked this issue a lot. I'm not only looking forward to the next issue, I'm also looking forward to reading the first Wild's End series while waiting for the next issue. In that, it is completely successful as a first issue of a series.

This issue was fun to read, but also not the most substantial comic you'll find. It feels just like Adventure Time to me with its whimsical sense of fun, but there's not a lot other than that. I don't know how people more familiar with the show would take it, and it was admittedly somewhat slight, but I enjoyed it a lot for what it is.

I'm torn on this issue. I really like Joe's story, but I don't see what the point of the rest really is. If I come back to the next issue, it's because of that, not because of the other stories. Due to having the same inconsistency I found in Johnny Red earlier this week, I'm giving much the same verdict: what's good is really good, but the rest makes it feel muddled overall.

My question with a first issue is always if it makes me want to read the next one. There were elements of The Steam Man that I didn't like, mostly the reliance on narration, but there were enough of the other elements that I did like to make me interested in the next one. On that scale, it's a definite success.

I really just don't know what to think about this series. I keep reading it, even though I can point out more annoying things than I can outstanding things, but it keeps drawing me in. These creators collaborated in Catalyst Comix, and their part of the story (Amazing Grace) started off slow and boring but became my favorite part, so there's always room for improvement, and they have a proven track record with me. So, even though I'm not really sure why, I'm going to keep reading.

There was a lot of good in this book, even though there were some bumps along the way. If it interests you, go back to the first issue and start there, but it is definitely worth a look.

I'm not sure that this is a comic that I would recommend, but there are some good things going for it. Despite a mostly forgettable story, the art does a lot to help redeem it.

I really don't think I'm coming back this time. There was just enough in the last issue to make me think it would be worth coming back to this issue, but there's not enough left to bring me to future issues. It's a shame to have to abandon this art, but it's hard to care about it when the story falls completely flat.

This particular issue was not all that great, and it could have likely been summed up by the inside cover paragraph and have the series start there. Still, while this was disappointing, I love the premise so much that I want to see what comes up in the next issue, once the story really gets going.

No, the story in this issue hasn't been the most original, but it's still off to a good start. It has some characters that I really want to see more of, and some other elements that really appeal to me, so I know I'll be back to read the next issue.

Overall, there was just not much in this issue. There was too much spent on trying to set things up for later, and it will probably read better as a trade than as single issues. Honestly, I don't think I'll likely read the next one. Horror is something that Dark Horse can do really well, but this one was just not that interesting.

The problem with trying to put out a verdict on this issue is that there are two different pieces that feel very different. The World War II story is interesting and makes me want to read the next issue. The rest of it, setting up that story, is such a bumpy road that the issue overall just isn't all that good. So, I have to come down on it pretty split; it's not an issue that's all that good, but where it ends leads to me wanting to read more and see where it's going in the next few issues.

The whole premise and crazy logic of the story is also an issue that I have. It's not about the concept itself or it being bad science, but it's not even an interesting use of it. Small scale disaster in the tiny world of string theory turns into a huge disaster in our world, but not in a logical or otherwise compelling way; instead, it plays out like kind of a typical big disaster, which is not what I was hoping for here. If you like any of the things I mentioned, you might be interested in this comic, but I doubt that I'll check out any future issues myself.

Characters were being thrown in, introduced by just their name and assuming that you already knew them, and I was starting to lose track completely of who was doing what or even what was happening in the first place. It quickly went from something that would stand on its own to just a side story in the main series that you need to be familiar with to understand what's happening. If you know the Transformers, your opinion of this might be different, I'm sure that it'll read differently, and you will probably like it. If not, there is an interesting first half, but the whole thing is just not worth it.

All things considered, The Rook was not what I wanted it to be. It might pick up in the future, but what's here doesn't give me the most confidence in how this series will be going forward. As a #1, it fails to make me want to read the next issue, which is the most important thing it needs to do.

The best thing a #1 issue can do is make you want to read more, and this book accomplishes that. I'm looking forward to the next issue, and if you don't want to wait, there's already more out there. I will definitely be looking for it.

As a single issue, there's not really anything to keep me reading into the next issue. This will likely read much better as a trade, where the end of this issue is more of a chapter break than the last thing you'll see in this series for a month, so if you're really interested in it, wait for the trade to come out, but even then I have my doubts.

This is the first of a four-part miniseries, and there will definitely be a trade paperback when all is said and done. It feels like this will read best in that form, since the breaks are mostly gone and the story can form one larger piece, rather than making it into single issues so they can sell those too. If this interests you, wait for the trade, there's really nothing to get out of the single issues.

This is definitely a video game tie-in comic, with all the bad baggage that comes with that category. I wanted it to be better, and where it leaves off could turn into an interesting story, but I don't have much hope based on what I see.

This is the latest issue in a series that is hostile to newcomers, so while I liked this issue, I do not recommend anyone try to jump in here. If what I talked about here strikes you as interesting in any way, I recommend getting the first trade. If you like the characters and are willing to go along with a plot that can and will go absolutely anywhere, you'll be in for a bizarre treat with this series.

Overall, I just don't know what to think about We Stand on Guard. It's not bad, but it's not yet made a strong argument for being great or even good. I'm still giving it a bit more, but it's nearing the end of the slack I've given it so far.