New arc starts here & the dream team is back

Thompson, Sherman, Bellaire and Carey are locked in again to bring us another amazing chapter of Absolute Wonder Woman! Diana is back in Gateway City, and she reunites with all her friends, Steve, Greta, Gia and Barbara. The flipside of that is we also see the return of one Veronica Cale and oh boy is she a treat or what? Ms. Cale is not just one name, or one some random face with a legacy name sprinkled in this world for some sense of familiarity. No, Ms. Cale is a force to be reckon with. She clearly has access, resources, influence and just good old power. Not the kind that defeats monsters and saves the day like the power wielded by Diana. Not even remotely close. Veronica Cale has the type of power wielded on this earth that causes problems for everyone caught in the crossfire. That's exactly what happens to the people of Gateway city. Just as stated by Diana, the people are still recovering from the monster invasion and the Tetracide attack that almost took their entire city, and here they are again submitted to even more trauma.

We also get a chance of paste with Diana's character. We see her, even for just a moment, be one with and enjoying nature. It is not lost on Diana the blessings that exist above ground, and that's the perspective of someone who grew up in very inhumane conditions. As far as a theme for this series, it works as a very powerful metaphor and character trait. Diana is not just gracious at all times, but she's grateful as well. Not just of others, because she's always saying thank you, but also grateful for pretty much anything she interacts with, animals and nature included.

There's a quite a new light on gateway city, you can see a more expanded color palette one the landscape, blue skies, green grass, etc. Quite the contrast versus the first arc where everything was in a shade of red to illustrate the danger they were in because of the invasion. These are the minute details that go over your head when reading and not paying attention. Coloring is also part of the crafting of the story, and I just wanted to credit Bellaire for her efforts in making this the best story possible.

Finally, we have the introduction of Doctor Poison, or Absolute Doctor Poison if you will. As far as the character design goes, I have a score of a 10/10. Not sure why or rather how he's working directly under the supervision, and I'm using the word supervision very loosely. But he's clearly a meta-type character and besides the obvious poison aspect that's just visually present, he's also some sort of tech genius. Quite the combination.

Very, very excited for this new arc and this series as a whole. Absolutely DC's best Absolute title. more

I'm kind of glad to know that even in the Absolute Universe, the Greek Pantheon is pretty much the same as in every other interpretation. They all hate each other, whether is subtle or not, all the gods keep conspiring against one another. Specifically, by playing the long game. Persephone had the foresight to acknowledge the potential in Diana, so she fed her the seeds that would allow her to exit the underworld, why? Because she was banking on Diana to challenge Hades. Why? Because that's how the Greek gods are, they are always playing games against each other for their amusement. Perhaps Persephone has some just reasoning, perhaps not. It doesn't really matter, in the end this conflict is the reason Diana walks free on earth, and this was just a cool way by Kelly Thompson to explain how Diana is not bound to the Wilde Isle in hell. Also, this was in part thanks to Hecate who invented the story of the 2 gates which inspired Hades to use it in the proceedings of the fights in his coliseum.

I know everyone loves Mattia De Lulis art, I do as well, it's just incredible. But I'm looking forward to seeing Herman & Bellaire's extremely detailed but yet chaotic work! more

I truly believe that Kelly Thompson has tapped into a source for inspiration we weren't ready for. Writing a Wonder Woman as a warrior and a Witch has expanded this character in so many ways. Not only we see a Warrior that uses witchcraft during fights, but also for preparation prior to a dangerous encounter, like with the Basilik for example. If you take inventory of everything Diana carries for battle, you could put her up there with likes of Batman and his utility belt. Specially since her magical pouch has "toon space". I find it so poetic that the Lasso of Nemesis passes judgement by granting pain equal to what the judged has caused on their victims. Especially since the Lasso was made from the blood of Prometheus, a god famous for the horrible punishment Zeus sentenced him to suffer for all of eternity. There's quite a legacy forged inside this lasso. The origin of Pegasus is just as interesting as everything else in this mythos. Very fitting too, that a barebones Pegasus came from hell. The characterization of Diana here is very particular and depends on who she is addressing. When she's with Prometheus, she's very polite, well-mannered and humble. As we have seen before. So far, she treated everyone with kindness, love and respect. Whether it was Steve, the general or even the harbingers that attacked Gateway City. But here, when speaking with Hades, Diana is snarky and witty. It clearly annoys Hades. But more importantly, it says a lot of how Diana feels about Hades.

The art is a change of paste for sure. Mattia de Lulis is a master at this photorealistic style. There's a lot of depth and proportions here. Particularly when Diana is next to Prometeus or eveb the Basilik. And they were handled perfectly. I know people would love for Mattia to take over and be the series main artist, but this kind of work takes time to produce. Probably too much for a monthly series. Me personally, I like what Sherman & Bellaire are doing more. This was an excellent guest artist to give the main creators a break. more

"My mother was right" -Me every day as an adult

Kelly Thompson continues to put the theme of motherhood front and center. Diana the child, tried to do everything her own way. Not to minimize how successful this campaign had been to this point, because Gateway City and its people were still standing above ground. But Diana lost one arm and even after slicing the Tetracide, the treat is still very much alive. Diana found herself pondering what could she do after all her efforts looked to be voided by the Tetracide. What did she do? She remembered what her mother told her; she remembered the lessons from her mother. More specifically, a lesson where they butted heads. Circe had created a weapon of sorts for Diana. The Lasso of Sacrifice if you will. I don't know exactly how it works; I just looked up the definition of transmogrification and kept going. The point is, Diana & Circe saw the Lasso very differently. Diana felt it cruel and foreign to who she is at her core. Circe saw it as a last resort her daughter would (possibly) need. This might be a comic book story, but children doubt their parents all the time. When they don't know any better, when their ignorance limits their understanding, children's confidence on their parents can dissipate. Diana might be a warrior, a witch, the last Amazon, the freaking Wonder Woman, but she's a child, still Circe's daughter. Ultimately, Diana was wrong, and Circe was right. Just like me & my mom lol. It is not lost on me that Diana is the most gracious, humble and polite hero or person in general in this Absolute Universe. I couldn't help but notice she shows the same level of gratitude and patience to everyone. In the end she goes 1 by 1 to thank the goddesses. But to everyone present during this campaign, she would immediately thank no matter the size of their contribution. Hayden Sherman & Jordie Bellaire have perfectly crafted the most imperfect world with the visuals of Hell & Gateway City. While Supes is fighting oppression with superhuman abilities, Bats is fighting crime with brute force and genius engineering, Diana is fighting monsters with warrior skills and Magic. That's quite a distinction and the art pursue to bring that difference to life. With plenty of success in my opinion. more

Etta - "Heh. You have quite the way with words, you know" Diana - "Do I?" Etta - "Yes. You somehow make everything seem better than it is. Hopeful."

Goddammit Kelly Thompson! How do you breakdown a character into a few lines? I mean, that's it right there. Absolute Wonder Woman would not exist without hope. She is HOPE. Hecate HOPED that Circe would take care of Diana in order to raise the hero they need. Circe learned to HOPE for something other than herself when she learned love by raising Diana. Finally, Diana HOPES to be the hero she needs to be, to save everyone.

Circe's main theme of motherhood is so heavy and emotional. She was banished and punished by being forced to be responsible for a child not her own. But she realized her time in hell would've been lonely, isolated or depressing if she was all by herself. So, she changed her perspective on her situation and made the most of it. She put everything g she had in raising her daughter, raising a hero.

We are 4 issues in and Kelly Thompson has given everyone what they were missing from the main line Wonder Woman title, love, lore and a supporting cast with their own voices and purpose. Not to dig Tom King's work, it's just different. King's might have the aesthetic and the brand, but this Wonder Woman has heart.

Sherman & Bellaire don't cut corners, nor they take short cuts. Theres no empty backgrounds, lack of details of heavy blacks to finish quick or to make it easier on themselves. I dare you to count the lines on any panel. They are giving us our money's worth and then some. Especially when you compared to some other titles with the same price tag. more

If you thought Absolute Wonder Woman were a bad ass character, this just raised the bar. For a second there, I felt the plot was stalling with another issue fighting this invasion. But after finishing the read I realized this was necessary to continue the exposition of the character of Diana. I love how Kelly Thompson lays Diana as a savior for all and that includes the enemies she's currently facing. Also, once Diana learned who she is and where she comes from, she completely embraced the role. Hence the extreme lengths of her actions here. With the introduction of Barbara Minerva as expert on Amazons, I'm quite interested in what their relationship will be like.

Hayden Sherman is just superb with the linework, and amount of detail and effort put into everything. It's very fitting for me that not everything looks perfect or as aesthetically pleasing, because this is not a perfect world. Quite far from it. Jordie Bellaire is doing her upmost best work as well with the coloring. more

In Greek mythology, Pasithea was the goddess of relaxation, meditation, hallucinations, and other altered states of consciousness. She was one of the Charites, or Graces, and the wife of Hypnos, the god of sleep. Pasithea While not directly "patience" in the modern sense, her characteristics embody a sense of composure and serenity.

All this to say, of all the virtues displayed by Diana, Patience has to be the strongest one. I'm not sure if this was on purpose since Diana hasn't called to Pasithea (yet). But from time she was a baby, she had the patience to teach the animals from hell to behave. She also did it here again with Steve's Commander.

Also, Diana shows a lot of composure. Specially if you think about the fact that this is her first outing as a hero. She carries herself likes she's done this before. Not just the fighting but flying on Pegasus back. Using her bag of different weapons and magic enchantments. Talking to people on the ground. Even talking to the demons. Diana is quite the champion!

Hayden Sherman, Jordie Bellaire & Becca Carey allow for the reading experience to carry a wide range of emotions. Strength, kindness, intensity, curiosity, fear and other I'm sure have missed. This team, along with Kelly Thompson, manages to sneak subtle details that tell a story by itself. Notice how Circe moves her head when trying to get Diana to speak what's on her mind about Trevor's sudden arrival. People speak with their mouths, of course, but they also do with their bodies. That's so important in a visual medium like comics. What do you think Circe said with her gesture? (Panel below)

Kelly Thompson is drawing a line in the sand as a writer so to speak. That line is starting split her from everyone else in the industry. That is just my opinion. more

How beautiful is motherhood!

Circe and Diana begin with nothing, just each other's estrange company. But, together with love and a little magic, turned a punishment and island-prison in the middle of nowhere in Hell into a home. Page by page, panel by panel we see them literally turn a dusty and dark cave into a warm place filled with life and joy. Such a powerful message to all parents (especially mothers), even in the direst of conditions, parenthood with all of its challenges and hardships, it's worth the struggle.

I wanted to get out of the way because it's clearly THE theme of this Wonder Woman by Kelly Thompson. At least in this first issue. You could say, the basic elements of what makes the character of Wonder Woman are still here, but they have been shuffled around enough to achieve something new and different while giving a nod to what's considered the classic elements of Diana. I mean, making Circe her adopted mother? Quite brilliant!

I had researched Hayden Sherman's art prior to the previews being released, just to get a feel of what this book's look could've been. Only out of curiosity because I wasn't familiar with Sherman's work. (Hayden Sherman's Art Discussion) Absolute Wonder Woman no.1 met my expectations and then some. The crazy panel work by Sherman it's quite unmatched. The way the story contours the pages and not the other way around it's hard to explain. You understand only when you can lay your eyes on these crazy and unpredictable page structures.

Jordie Bellaire did not skip a beat, as per usual her talent is on full display. The vibe of this brand-new world is set by Bellaire's color palette. Becca Carey was not outshined in these pages either. I absolutely loved that she opted for a "YEET" in the scene where baby Diana launched the snake away. Modern day onomatopoeia, the peak of the artform by Becca Carey.

I want to invite everyone to try this issue if they haven't. Not much to add than to say read it. more

This is a strong contender for best issue of the series, at least so far. Maybe not in the action department or the cool factor that Absolute Batman pours over the pages with Gragotta's art. But this issue and this arc for that matter, incorporate multiple themes in the art and the story that cannot be overlooked.

The Absolute Zero arc is a horror-based story, everything about Mr. Freeze is designed to inspired fear, disgust or even revulsion. When you think of Mister Freeze you don't think fear, not necessarily. So, the choice was an interesting one, but the execution and commitment to this interpretation is what make it compelling.

Speaking of compelling, this issue takes us back to that meeting Bruce had with his friends. Turns out, it was a vigil for Matches Malone. Waylon Jones had one hell of an argument that turned physical at one point. But it be like that sometimes, friends have to teel each other what they don't want to hear. And Bruce most definitely needed to hear what Waylon had to say. The tragedy that the Wayne's suffer on that fated day at the Zoo, changed their lives, of course. But that was also true for everyone else in different degrees. Thomas Wayne was a hero to Bruce's friends, I'm sure he knew that already. But Waylon had to explain the reason Thomas was a hero was not because of how he died, more so how he lived.

Living, surviving or just being above ground is a victory in itself every single day. Especially in this world, in this universe where the odds are completely stacked against the little guys. Bruce, just like Matches spend their lives being reckless, because they felt guilty. Bruce felt guilty for winning the trip to the Zoo, which we already knew, but Matches felt guilty because Thomas Wayne went back out to rescue him and that resulted in his demise. Pretty hard for children to grow up with that level of burden, but that's what clouded their perspectives and inform their life decisions. Waylon offered a different take, surviving. He grinded into Bruce's mind that being reckless and operating with a death-wish is not the way. Powerful stuff here people.

Not sure how much this will change the way the Batman operates, but the one thing we know for sure is that nothing will be the same. Especially after what happened to Waylon in the ending here. more

Here we go with the second arch of this series. From the first page, the thing that stands the most is the coloring. Munsta Vicente, the colorist of this issue, made a bold decision by giving Victor Fries Jr. a pastel color palette. I noticed the pastel colors in the first scene, then throughout the scenery of Gotham, especifically because of the way the characters were mostly black shades. But no matter the live colors, this issues reads as a horror book. Everything is very ominous, the city is on curfew. There's a snow storm out of nowhere. Bruce meets up with his friends, the batcrew if you will, to mourn their childhood friend Matches Malone.

As soon as that is out of the way, the crew wants to confront Bruce about his Batman alter ego and he refuses to even discuss it with them. They all realized how much Bruce leaned on them to prepare himself for his caped crusade, Not only they're concerned for his well being, they refuse to sit idly by while their friend is risking his life for the people of Gotham, which includes them also. But again, with the ominous, Bruce refused to let them in and actively pushed them away from his crusade. He doesn't want anyone involved. Especially after what happened to Matches. I will spoil that because is quite the highlight of this book, and I kinda of have to talk about it.

Matches was helping Bruce infiltrate a new construction site on a small island off the coast of Gotham. A new detention facility of sorts was being built there named Ark M, while every other project had been put on hold. Maches managed to infiltrate before passing on any info to Bruce and this is what cost him his life, probably. The was Matches died, quite literally turned the up notch on the horror. The image of this man dying in horrible pain while his skin looked like it was being eaten from the inside was not on my bingo card for DC Comics this week.

Finally, Bruce finds a connection between Matches and one Victor Fries so he decided to visit his office on Gotham. That's when we circle back to the scenes from the first page and we get the complete twist for the Mr. Freeze character in the Absolute Universe. It turns out, the Fries building was drawing massive amounts of power because it was keeping this huge block of ice refrigerated. Basically, a bunch of extinct animals were being kept frozen, animals found and collected by Dr. Fries and his wife, who are also frozen. The man running this building was Victor Fries Jr., and he went into explaining the why his parents are frozen like that. Long story short, he used to explore and search for fossils and other kind of things in the ice.

They believed the ice kept thing intact until someone could restored them, and in that same way the created this V-Core technology to freeze people who were terminally ill with the hopes that whenever technology and medicine found a way to cure their illness, they would be thawed out from the ice and be cured free to resume their lives. This wasn't necessarily the fantasies of some fringe wealthy people who wanted to live forever. This methodology was tried and true already, with Victor Jr. being the one patient to survive the ice and live to tell the tale. But there lies the problem, just as foretold by Victor Fries Sr., the ice kept more life inside than a rain forest, they had no idea what they were bringing back to life from the ice age. more

The Zoo reaches a conclusion with this 6th issue. The ending of issue 5 was exactly what I thought it was, Sionis was propping gun and mask cashes all over the city to incite an armed anarchy in Gotham. So yeah, Martha and Jim's life were hanging on by a thread. Basically, the last thread of dignity the desperate people of Gotham have. Those masks were connected to the Party Animal's Network and was offering cash rewards for every crime and murder the user committed. Martha and Jim were in the belly of the beast; the city of Gotham was about to descend into chaos and the Batman had gone into hiding liking his wounds.

This issue takes the time to highlight more Bruce's childhood post the incident at the zoo. Clearly a child suffering from PTSD, having nightmares and such. But one thing that I appreciated was the fact that Martha pointed out to Bruce that her held on to hope. That Thomas Wayne was also a hopeful person, and Bruce kind of inherited that spirit from his father. Even without knowing it, the gesture of asking Jim Gordon to make the Zoo into something that people looked as shiny, bright, hopeful. That sentiment is what informs Bruce's mindset. When you think about it, he could have given in to Sionis deal and let Gotham burn itself to the ground. But the hope Bruce has in the people and in the city, kept him from giving in and giving up on Gotham. People like his own mother, Jim Gordon and his childhood friends, basically the people who are fighting back against the bad that happens in Gotham.

Finally, Batman, after fighting for his life against the party animals, and barely escaping away with his life, Bruce does something unexpected. He reached out to others for help. As you can imagine, the little gang of rascals he grew up with, were also the people he turned to in his most dire moment. With their help, Bruce is nursed back to health. Or at least some healthier condition where he could go back out and fight again. I'm just assuming because we don't actually see that. But yeah, Bruce goes out there and puts a beating on the Party Animals that borders on child abuse. Included and not limited to Sionis himself. Not going to lie, it was quite gratifying to see the Batman get his licks back on these gang members. Sionis was shown to be a capable fighter before, so don't anticipate him taking this beating so easily. He does fight back and falls short against the ingenuity of the Absolute Batman.

Absolute Alfred is seen going out of his way to help Julia, his daughter. Although his presence just like his help was not welcomed. In the end, he does go back to help Bruce once again. Even though he gave him a scolding for not taking Sionis deal and was sure to leave Gotham to be taken by the madness. Alfred wanted no part no part, of any of it. Must've had a change of heart after seeing his daughter, who's to say?

Snyder closed out this chapter with a lot of grit from all the character involved. Martha Wayne talking some sense to the desperate people of Gotham. Jim Gordon standing his ground, well knowing he could've been a goner. Waylon & Ozzie coming through for Bruce, even against their own judgement. Alfred returning to Gotham not because he had hopes that the city would prevail, but because he had hope on Batman. Dragotta and Martin are insanely aggressive in this issue. The action, the pacing and the panel structure, all of it felt like the 3rd act of a superhero film. A good one at that. more

So... Bruce's whole life as a child was basically one big foreshadow scene after another. Yet again, we get a scene with a familiar name in Dr. Thompkins, where Bruce's bat future is painted for him in a sense. I mean how was that kid not going to be obsessed with Bats? I had no doubts that Bruce was going to turn down Roman's deal. But I had to see what the outcome of that choice would be. Not only Bruce wasn't prepared to take on the Party Animals alone, they practically tortured him. Almost killed him even. Yes he got a few good licks in there, but there were just to many of them. I appreciate how cynical and practical Absolute Alfred is. He was even happy that Bruce was making a deal with Roman. Surrender the city to the Party Animals to maybe take on against someone else while looking the other way. The fact he quit helping Bruce after the deal went south is a testament to how pragmatic he can be. Also, Alfred's experience with this sort of scenarios is clearly vaster than Bruce's. While Bruce is young, hungry and idealistic, Alfred knows turning down Roman will only make things worse. He will make his exit now while he still can before the city descends into chaos. Theres something to be said on how little Roman cared about being exposed. The parallels of how our elected officials behave in the same way in today's political climate is Uncanny. Roman believed the truth wasn't enough for the people of Gotham to rise against him. In fact, he doubled down by basically arming them. Just like in real life, instead of using that truth to arm themselves and fight against those in power, they just picked up those weapons and fight each other. Dragotta & Martin are back on this issue and that's great. For as much as I love this art style, I think there was too many small panels jammed into those pages. Talking specifically about the fight scenes. Maybe ask DC for a page or two from the ads and use it to better spread the story(?). Just a nick pick on my part, it still looks great. more

Despite the swapped artist complaints I saw online, I thoroughly enjoyed this issue. Walta's style was a great choice to contrast because it's a flashback of raw memories of this origin story.

Young Bruce had talent for engineering but more so, he was very creative and knowledgeable on Bats. Is no wonder Thomas Wayne was so proud. Speaking of, we got his back story which covers why he was a teacher. Pretty heartfelt stuff.

There's a lot of figuring out here by Bruce, growing up into the Batman essentially. But the main thing he had to process was his trauma. Because by the end of the issue he's shown to change his mind about the perpetrator of the crime that changed his life. Yes, Bruce changed his stand on Joe Chill. Maybe even tried to get to know the man. So, he could understand the systems that produced Joe Chill. more

I love how much Snyder wants to emphasize that the world is broken. Broken families, Martha/Bruce & Penny/Alfred, broken police department, Commissioner Harvey Bullock taking bribes from Roman and instantly betraying Jim Gordon for some hardware. Al, the AI robot along with Edward tried convincing Bruce to let go and don't pursue the party animals. That's when we get exposition on how big is the structure, that is not just Gotham, they are world wide. We're not sure what Bruce saw that changed his mind, supposedly. But it has to be something incredible, and I can't wait for Snyder to reveal it. Although, I'm not 100% convinced Bruce will take Roman's deal, after all he finally shows up to his mother's home to ask if she could lie low...

What can I say about Dragotta's art here, really? I can't remember if I read anything prior to this with Dragotta's work, but I'm certain this will not be my last. This serie's aesthetic is quite unique. It's a dreaded world and that comes across through the story. But specifically more so from the art and the coloring by Martin. Also, last but not least, Clayton Cowles always puts the sounds in my head, letterers don't get enough love when people talk comics. A perfectly places and timed onomatopoeia will take you to another level when reading comics. more

Batman AF!

Snyder you clever devil. Nice word play. This was all about the brute force, at least the memorable parts of this episode. What do we actually learn about anyone? Well, let's see... Harvey works a city Hall, Ozwalt has some "atypical" business and Eddie is a tech wiz. I'm not entirely clear if they're in the know as far as Bruce being Batman.

Martha Wayne and Bruce Wayne drifted apart after Thomas Wayne was murdered. It's Joe Chill who murdered Thoman, and Bruce costs him in jail. That's quite a dynamic for Bruce.

Again, love the Mercenary Pennyworth archetype. But more than that, love that he's the narrator. He gets to expose the myth of the Batman to the readers from the POV of a highly trained and skilled militant. He's keen eye can pick up on the subtleties of Bruce's MO and dissect it for us.

The Absolute Bat-Tank is quite fitting, very interesting brand for the Big Boi Bat. Dragotta and Martin are going crazy with the art. more

The hype was well granted for this book. Everything about this series feels well thought out and planned. When it comes to the supporting characters, everyone has been shuffled around. I don't think is going to be as simple as the bad guys are now the good guys either, but I'm very invested in seeing how this new world altered by Darkseid molded their lives.

As far as the Batman goes, wow! This is different, in a good way. This Dark knight is a force. His quite strong, tactical, precise and prepared. As for Bruce, he's young but he's quite dedicated to this life. Snyder came out swinging for the fences with this series and I can't wait to see more.

The art is a perfect fit for what Snyder wants to do. Nick Dragotta understood the assignment given to him by Snyder and Frank Martin provides the aesthetics to define this new Gotham. Their creativity and boldness combined screams at you in every page, this is a new world, you may recognize it, but you don't know it yet.

I'm excited the absolute universe. more

Shoutout to Deniz Camp for having me look up a bunch of words that I didn't know like for example synecdoche which means "a figure of speech using a term to denote one thing to refer to a related thing." I say all of this to explain that this version of the Martan Manhunter is not a real Martian from Mars, he's still alien though. He's just using a synecdoche to explain where he's from. Who ever said you can't learn things, real vocabulary from comics.

Issue #2 is just as creepy, trippy and weird as issue #1. I couldn't' help but noticed there's a big Madame Xanadu sign in the back. Good to know the fortune teller is alive in this world. Maybe that's a string to pull later on, who knows? The gist of this issue is mostly the Martian trying to convince John that he's not losing his mind, trying to walk him through the new abilities he has access to and guiding him through all these new color bleedings in reality.

The genius of Javier Rodriguez' art here is not limited just to the melting colors, the montages in negative space, and the paneling to work out the mental state of a character or making the character Trigger Taylor a giant in the neighborhood, to illustrate how an active shooter feels by other in the vicinity, you know? Just this immense giant threat. If you've been in any sort of danger, you'd understand that feeling of being overwhelmed by a situation. At least that's my interpretation, as someone who's been in a couple of close calls in real life, I thought this was pretty genius.

My mind is opened; this Martian has captivated my attention entirely. more

Let me start by saying what immolated means:

"Kill or offer as a sacrifice, especially by burning"
"The term "immolated" is the past simple and past participle of "immolate," which means to kill oneself or someone else, or to destroy something, usually by burning."
This series is about a lot of things both in the literal parts of the story and the abstract concepts displayed writing and the art. Deniz Camp along with Javier Rodriguez are creating a noir crime thriller tale. While exploring the psychology of victims and perpetrators of violent offenses through visual metaphors. These are the colored smoke shapes that carry the thoughts, the feelings and emotions of the people of this unfortunate world. As if this wasn't already rich and complicated, Camp & Rodriguez throw another wrinkle by including the White Martian as a terrorist.

Do not get it twisted, the actions taken by this unknown but incredibly powerful alien are the definition of terrorism. Using calculated violence to create a general climate of fear in a population with a particular objective. What's the objective you may ask? The destruction of the concept-stellation of home as stated by the Martian. The White Martian is actively attacking what humans see as Home, Safety, Shelter. In other words, we can say the White Martian wants humans to lose all sense of security and aby other feelings we attached to our homes both as an idea but also in the literal sense. The emancipation of the immolated refers to all the burning victims being sacrificed by the White Martian for this undetectable crusade his declared on the people from this world.

We see people's different homes being burned down. The hotel shelter, houses, kid's playgrounds and even the open space under a bridge where Big Al slept. If you've found, had or created a third space you can grasp the idea of home as a welcoming place that isn't necessary a house or a shelter. For example, at a different point of my life my home would've been a basketball court or a boxing gym. There where I felt free, welcomed or safe. That was home. That's exactly what the Martian is destroying for the people of Middleton.

Camp & Rodriguez are undertaking on developing a yarn that will have its strings pulled for generations in search for meaning and interpretation. more

I'm so glad I picked this up! I been trying to follow Magik since her One-Shot during Blood Hunt and this definitely did not disappoint.

The concept of Magic wielding mutants is somewhat foreign to me. But it's even more appealing when you add demons from hell. I'm pretty invested on learning more X Lore, and Magik is one my focuses at this time.

The art in this issue was insanely good! If I was to imagine a comic with magic, mutants and demons it wouldn't look as good as this one does! more

The first 3 or 4 pages were killing me. I don't know why the art was not working for me. But once we get out of that Cafe an into the concert in that venue, it really turned around.

I am new to Magik and this intersection of the Marvel universe where mutants, magic and demons connect. For some reason, learning that those demons used to be mutants made me sad. Like think about it, all mutants suffer in their lifetimes. Just to be used by demons in the afterlife? Come on, that's sad.

Illyana dropped a tough bar in the end when she said: "Just because a child can persevere doesn't make it right". Referring to the fact that both her and Cal were thrown into hardship at a young age. Look at it this way, just because you were bullied and you trend out "okay" that doesn't make it right. Just the facts people. Not trying to start anew argument here.

I'm definitely coming back for issue 3. more

It's hard to believe this is Magik's only second solo run. I know is not news but with such a cool and versatile character you would think more writers would've taken on the challenge of writing more stories for her. I guess is on par with Marvel not pushing their magical/mythical characters.

I like the first half on this issue quite a lot. Been waiting for Magik to cut lose and swing her sword, cast some spells, etc. We do get some of that, but the rest of the issue is a lot of exposition for Liminal. Which is okay, he's been the main antagonist behind this entire series, so he was due his screen time lol. Ashley Allen isn't afraid to recall Ilyana's origins in almost every issue, and I'm like okay; I think we got it. Ilyana was kidnapped and kept in Limbo for a long time. I want to know more about now. How is he going to overcome the threat of Liminal. How is Cal going to help.

The art on this issue did not miss. Every single page and panel were on point. In comparison with the previous work from the creators of course. more

This is easily the strongest issue from the run so far, or at least as my memory serves me. The team-up of Dani Moonstar and Magik makes me want to read the OG New Mutants just to see how their relationship began. The stakes continue to rise in this series, and Magik stubbornness was at its peak here. Ilyana kept telling Dani that she didn't need help with this Liminal mess until she actually, absolutely, undeniably did in fact need help. Magik's own magic it's flimsy at best; she can't trust her magic discs or her spells. The only thing working right now is her sword. Dani on the other hand is a badass, and I believe she got an upgrade to her mutant powers based on what they state on this issue. I honestly wouldn't know if because I've never read any other Dani Moonstar comic book before. I'm a casual X-Men fan, but here I am, trying to read more and I feel I just uncovered a whole nother world since picking up in the From the Ashes launch. more

and that's the first arc folks!

I was anticipating that that maybe Ashley Allen was going to split Illyana and Darkchild for good by the end of this story. Then, I thought "no way. that's literally what makes her who she is". So, my guess was that she was going to keep it or at least hold the status quo. In the end, Allen still managed to surprise me by having Magil and Darkchild reconcile voluntarily. That was pretty cool and the visuals by Peralta and Hesli made this even more fun and enjoyable that it would've sounded on writing alone.

I hope people see that Liminal ended up being a cautionary tale for people who follow the powerful in a blindly matter. These mages like the Fire Demon and Gravity ended up being sacrificial lambs for the leader they were serving. There's no loyalty nor consideration trickling from the top on down. The thing is they didn't necessarily fail all the way; they fell short at the finish line. And what was their rewards for all they did? They got to be part of the sacrificial ritual for their boss. BY part I mean they were also sacrificed. Beautiful metaphor there, I hope I don't go over people's head.

I'm looking forward to the next arc on this seeries. more

RIP Gabi Lopez. Daughter, niece, child, Hurricane Woman.

It's not so much how bad things got, it's more about the loses everyone took. There was never going to be a happy ending to this arc. There was no victory or triumph. No celebration or enjoyment of the spoils of war. Charlotte Cutter did accomplish what she set out to do which can only be described as mayhem. The resolution of this conflict was pretty intense. Tynion kept adding more elements to the fold like Cecilia extending an olive branch and admitting she was wrong. The duplicitype looking like Erica and learning how to TALK!!! The poison dipped arrows always felt like a bad a idea. But to go so sideways, to such extent? I was not ready for that. Where do you go from here, Erica Slaughter? more

Charlotte Cutter is a whole mess and a half. If the House of Slaughter resembles anything close to Charlotte's practices, I understand why Erica wanted to leave in the first place. Cutter is cold, cruel and blood thirsty. She's just as much as monster as the one she hunts. I understand because how much is implied that Charlotte is a problem, but they're willing to let her be a problem, because she gets results. I don't think that orange is worth the squeeze. On that note, Erica's is proven to be right about the Order more and more by each volume. These folks number one priority is killing monsters, not saving people. Charlotte Cutter is the walking proving embodiment of this. On another note, fuck duplicitypes. James Tynion IV must have the worst nightmares. I don't have any evidence of this to be a fact, I know just know is true. more

RIP Big Gary Slaughter that was one hell of a loss. Especially after we learned about him and from him in the last volume. The Dragon bringing in a black as from a different house raises the question how much the House of Slaughter has neglected their own black masks. I understand the black mask are lone hunters but as of right now their peak was just 3 masks, 4 if you count the older lady. Why has this house failed to raise or growth black masks? All the others seem to have numbers... more

I read this entire volume in one sitting while waiting for my car to be serviced. A lot of questions I had about the Order of St. George were answered in this chapter. I like the structure and the make up of the House of Slaughter. As a military service member, lots of things resonate with me. The color schemes, the history of the order, the different units, the specialties by house and all of the symbolism is pretty well thought out. Also, the backstreet of Erica is quite epic. Tynion couldn't have made a more "from rags to glory" narrative than this here. The Black Room is filled with underdogs, quite the hook for the readers. Who doesn't love and underdog? At this stage is pretty clear the Black Bandanas are destined to failed. What I didn't know was that they set up to fail as a family since their specialty is to hunt alone. Can't build a big house with loners, can you? I'm interesting in seeing if Erica changes that for the Black Room. more

Here's the actual conclusion to the first arc. No cliffhanger, no unresolved crisis or anything. What I find refreshing about this series so far, is the structure of the storytelling is designed for speedy reads. The stretching of panels across 2-page spreads is made to burn through pages rather quick. Also, a big chunk of the storytelling is made to be absorbed through the art and not the dialogue. I would recommend this series to anyone, nut in collected issue only. That's how I intend to read it myself. So far, after 15 issues, there's a few elements of this world that have been brought into the light, story wise I mean. There are monsters that kill children, these monsters come from children's imagination. There's a secret organization of people that works in secrecy to combat these monsters. They're called the Order of St. George. The Order is composed of different Houses. As of issue #15 we have only seen 2 of the houses and they are represented by the bandanas worn by the members i.e. the House of Slaughter wear the Black Bandanas. Like Erica Slaughter the leading character. Who by the way, ended up deserting the Order because different of opinions on what should be the priorities. Because the truth is, The Order are not good guys in any meaning of the word. more

21 months since issue #1 came out. That is a lot of time. In July 2024 I spoke to the colorist David Baron about the unfortunate delays. Mr. Baron gave me hope, he said they were still working on this series and that Issue #2 was coming out by the end of 2024 more or less. Specifically, he said the scrip and pencils were done, he was waiting for the inks so he could start coloring the issue. Well, that took even longer than they said. All this to say, comics is an artform. I appreciate the fact that DC did not rush the creators to put this out. They got all the time they needed instead of just cancelling the series which is what I expected to happen. (Remarks Complete)

This issue was pretty fucking amazing, pardon my French! Superman refused to give up on Lex and that took him to lengths beyond even the first issue. I'm talking about the Future to the Legionaries. Wonder Woman in Themyscira. Atlantis, but not to Aquaman. No! No! No! That would've been too easy, this is Mark Waid who we're talking about after all. The DC Comics Scholar, Mark Waid, took us to Tritonis, the home of one Loris Lemaris. A descendant of the people of Atlantis that would evolve into the people of Tritonis, a sect of undersea humans that adapted to have fish-like tail. Yes, that meme'd mermaid Ex-Girlfriend of Superman. Jokes aside, that's some the type of lore nuggets I love reading from my writers.

Everywhere Superman took Luthor, the answers were the same. They didn't know how to cure Lex, nor they knew what was causing his illness. Except Brainiac 5 and the Legionnaires, they knew what happened to Lex, but they refused to disclose the truth. Because, according to Brainiac 5, this would've crushed Superman. My favorite interaction from this issue came from the exchange between Diana and Lex. Leave it to Diana to call out a man's bullshit and projection to his face.

Despite, that weird looking page, where Diana looked like she breaks her neck while she is punching Superman, the art in this issue is superb. There's emotion, action and a variety of scenery. more

Imagine that. Batman isn't the only hero with a no-kill rule. Hitch, Nowlan & Baron did an amazing job in this issue. I confess, I read this when it first came out but that was so long ago... I had given up on this series. I happened to have a couple extra dollars on Superman Day and decided to pick issue #2. So, no shit here I am, reading #1 again to refresh my memory of it. This was longer, and better than I remembered. Just as Lex Luthor states in his speech to Superman, the Man of Steel won't let anyone die. Not even Lex Luthor. Pretty interesting way by Mark Waid to corner Superman into helping save Lex Luthor's life while simultaneously earning the hatred and disappointment from the entire world. If this was the real world, Superman would have been crucified all over the internet, why? Because people tend to think they know what gods should and shouldn't do, who they should and shouldn't save. Everyone has an opinion, and they have to be right... When Superman takes Lex to the fortress of solitude there is a couple of things that caught my attention; one being the incredible depiction of the Fortress by Hitch & company. And two, the callous demeanor of Lex didn't change even after realizing the lengths that Superman was willing to go to help him. Especially after broadcasting his decision when he didn't need to force his hand. Lex is written as someone who is beyond redemption, even the scientist from Kandor see it that way. While Superman agrees with this assessment, that Luthor is without absolution for his transgressions, Superman is not without hope. And that is what the Boy Scout should always be about, hope. The end scene with barn on fire was such a gripping cliffhanger. Not because I though Lex was going to burn alive, clearly, he wasn't. He lived to be the Lex Luthor we know. It was a great cliffhanger because Clark as a child was trying to save his "friend" without revealing his secret. Also, screaming I'm sorry? Yeah I needed more. more