I was hooked from the beginning. It's a mash-up of 'Toy Story' meets 'Pan's Labyrinth', with elements of Winnie the Pooh', 'Chronicles of Narnia','Indian in the Cupboard' and even 'Saving Private Ryan' mixed together. The result is an endearing tale of courage, love, betrayal, sacrifice, hope, doubt, and friendship enjoyed by the whole family. One of my top ten favorites.

Saga is an epic space opera written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Fiona Staples. The ongoing series was first published by Image Comics in March of 2012.

The series follows the story of Alana and Marko, two lovers from opposite sides of a long-standing intergalactic war between the planet Landfall and its moon Wreath. Alana is a former soldier from Landfall, while Marko is a former soldier from Wreath. Alana and Marko, decide to run away together with their newborn daughter, Hazel (who serves as the narrator of the series). They are pursued by various factions who want to capture or kill them due to the existence of their relationship and child. As they travel across the galaxy, they encounter a wide range of fantastic characters, including other refugees, bounty hunters, robots with emotions, and talking animals.  

Brian K. Vaughan has been praised for the story's humor, character development, emotional depth, and complex world-building. The series features characters of various races, species, genders, and sexual orientations, and it explores issues of identity, prejudice, and discrimination in a nuanced and thought-provoking way. Fiona Staples' artwork is regarded for its detail, vibrancy, and imaginative designs. The series has also become known for its bold and unapologetic approach to graphic depictions of violence and sexuality, which are integral to the story's themes and character development.

Many fans and critics have hailed Saga as an instant classic and an era-defining influence for modern comics. It has been credited with helping to expand the audience for the medium beyond its traditional demographic. Its influence can be seen in the many comics and graphic novels that have followed in its wake, and it has helped to push the boundaries of what is possible in the world of comics.

"I knew that this was going to be a book about family but it wasn't going to be quote unquote 'family friendly'. I really wanted to do something that sort of pulled no punches and was really an adult sophisticated take on war and life in our modern world." - Brian K. Vaughan

The series achieved some amazing milestones sweeping "Best Continuing Series" at both the Eisner and Harvey Awards for three years in a row between 2013-2015. In all, the series has received over thirty industry awards. 

Co-creator, Fiona Staples, did all the cover work, interior pencils, inks, and colors. She amassed a dozen industry awards for her work on Saga between 2013-2017. She became the first female to ever win the Eisner for "Best Cover Artist". Additionally, she is only the second female to win the Eisner for "Best Penciller" (her fellow Canadian and fellow Brian K. Vaughan collaborator, Pia Guerra, won the award for her work on Y: The Last Man).  

Saga has been plotted as a complete 108 issue story. The series took a hiatus after issue 54 in July of 2018 and did not return until January 2022. The two creators decided early on that they would never use fill-in artists and explained their extended hiatus:

"It took seven years to get the story to this point, and being under intense deadline pressure nearly the whole time was starting to wear me out....and Saga‘s increasingly heavy themes began to hit close to home! It felt necessary to take a step back and let the book and ourselves breathe for a bit." - Fiona Staples

I previously consumed this series piecemeal as the trades were released (up until their hiatus). I just went back for the first time and reread them in succession (one volume per night). The characters, setting, and themes had always stuck with me, but I genuinely forgot how amazingly well executed this series is rendered. Two masters at the top of their craft. Heartfelt character investment mixed with shock and awe in every issue. Because of the graphic nature of the content, its not necessarily for everybody...but it is definitely worth all the praise. 10/10     more

A fun fast read about learning to be grateful.
We heard about this book as part of the Comic Experience Graphic Novel Kids Club for the month of January 2023. The theme of the story was be grateful not just for what you have but the people in your life. At first, the main character (Dul) didn’t realize how hard her mom works for them. Dul traded away a game her mom gave her and later realized it might hurt her mom’s feelings so she tried to get it back. With the help of her friend ,Misa, they go on a crazy adventure to recover a terrible game that no one but her should have wanted.
Dul and MIsa work really hard to get the game back. My favorite scene is when she defeats a jerk named Betu at the local arcade in the game she really wanted, Encounter Champions 2. Her best friend, Misa, cheers her on. The jerk didn’t think a girl could beat him.

I can relate to Dul because we both really like video games and have to do things we don’t want to do. I really like how the author made a bunch of features in the book like a video game. In one page, it’s say’s “talk to the salesman.”

I think this book was influenced by the Scott Pilgrim adventures because they have a lot of similar video game stuff.

In conclusion:
I think I’d give the book a 10 out of 10, because on one page Dul falls onto the ground and everything turns black except there’s a big light shining on Dul and it says “game over.” She chooses to continue and keep going. She tells her mom the truth and everything is OK. more

"It's gonna be a slobber knocker!"
Honestly, this book wasn't really on my radar until Chris at ComicTropes picked it as his #1 comic of 2022. If you are familiar with our site, most know I am a huge fan of ComicTropes. Chris's research, production quality, and knowledge are top notch. 
Death, loss, perseverance, necromancy, and wrestling?!? Loved everything about this book. A fun, quirky, crazy, heart-wrenching original story. Worth every penny.
The series came to a close with issue #7 in December 2022. The collected trade paperback was just released earlier this month (March 2023). Its too early in the year for the award season but the series has received great reviews from both critics and readers (4.7 on Amazon, 4.6 on Goodreads, and a 9.3 Critic Meta-Rating on ComicBook Round Up). The trade paperback carries a hefty $24.99 price-point but I appreciate the gloss accents that really "pop" on the matte cover. The book also has a variant cover gallery in the back. 
I discovered Daniel Warren Johnson last year when he was nominated for three Eisner awards. His five issue mini-series Beta Ray Bill: Argent Star was nominated for "Best Limited Series". His masterful 8-page "Generations" story in Superman: Red & Blue #5 was nominated for "Best Short Story". Lastly, he was also nominated for "Best Writer/Artist". Johnson has a distinctive art style combining bold linework and expressive character designs. In Do a Powerbomb!, Johnson utilizes dynamic action sequences to capture the energy and excitement of professional wrestling. The book is filled with vivid, over-the-top characters and larger-than-life moments that will appeal to fans of the genre.
Overall, Do A Powerbomb! is a compelling and thoroughly entertaining read. Regardless of if you are a fan of the sport, Do a Powerbomb! is a fun and engaging read definitely worth your money. 10/10
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Overall, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands is an insightful, thought-provoking, and deeply personal story wonderfully rendered and intimately satisfying. 9.5/10


For the full review:
https://www.comicsappreciationproject.com/ducks-review/

Our Take: Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow adds to the wealth of quality projects put out by Tom King that are worthy of a prominent place on your ever-limited shelf space. This story is an instant classic that helps Supergirl step out from the shadow of her famous cousin to reveal the depth and complexity of a truly ‘bad ass’ character capable of epitomizing truth, justice, and a better tomorrow. 9/10

Go here for the full review:
https://www.comicsappreciationproject.com/supergirl-woman-of-tomorrow-review/ more

Our Take: 5x Hugo Award-Winning writer, N.K. Jemisin’s complex Sci-Fi epic “Far Sector” deserves praise for its world building and beautifully-rendered art by Jamal Campbell. The setting was fascinatingly layered but unfortunately the murder mystery and political intrigue failed to fully captivate. Interestingly, Jemisin also introduced a new green lantern ring that (while not quite as powerful) did not require a battery but slowly recharged itself. However, this unique limitation did not really come into play. The series was enjoyable but did not meet the high expectations that preceded it. 8/10

For the full review:
https://www.comicsappreciationproject.com/far-sector-review/ more

"Twelve days. That's all I get to find who murdered me. And I just spent today fighting, drinking, screwing, and killing."

I'll make sure to avoid any real spoilers but man.

I had been waiting to read this run as a collection but had to gobble them up digitally after it received a 2022 Eisner nomination for “Best New Series”. Greg Smallwood’s artwork is absolutely beautiful (so clean). Tom King was already controversial in comic circles before this book. Whether you hate him or love him, either way he evokes strong feelings from fans. He seemed to upset a lot of people with this Human Target story. I didn’t particularly care for his Batman stuff or Omega Men. On the other hand, I for one enjoy most of his Black Label DC character deconstructing projects like Strange Adventures and I’ll stand by Mister Miracle as one of the best projects I’ve ever read (definitely worthy of its nine Eisner nominations). So where does that leave The Human Target? It’s a deep, character-driven, slow burn that we’re only halfway through. The first six issues were excellently conceived and executed. I have high hopes that King and Smallwood stick the landing with the second half of this series because issue #6 really packed a punch.

"All I need...is one punch." more

Obviously Iron Man on the Guardians of the Galaxy got my attention (Bendis too). This series came out in February 2012. They paired Bendis with big name artists like McNiven and Pichelli. Pichelli was super popular at the time based on her other collaboration with Bendis on Ultimate Comics Spider-Man with Miles Morales. There is also an interesting 7-page short story included that pairs Bendis with his long-time Powers collaborator, Michael Avon Oeming. I didn't read Dan Abnett's 2008 run on Guardians of the Galaxy but I was curious as to if this series had any influence on the hit MCU movie franchise that released in August 2014. They have similar takes on Starlord and the lineup (excluding Iron Man). Given all its potential, it was just okay and forgettable. I went back to look at it and realized why it was so forgettable, its essentially only 100 pages of story. Officially, the TPB is 144 pages; however, the included GOTG: Tomorrow's Avengers #1 is 35 pages of mostly short-story filler followed by 8 pages of pinups and adds. Marvel was doing this kind of stuff a lot at the time and $19.99 is too high in my opinion (especially since Image has been doing their introductory $9.99 on most of their trades since before 2012). This volume received a 4.4 on Amazon, 3.71 on Goodreads, and an 8.0 Critic Rating on Comic Book Round Up. I give it a 7/10. more

Afterlife with Archie took the comic community by storm in 2013/2014 and was the top selling graphic novel of 2014. According to Comichron, the last time Archie hit #1 on a comic sales chart was in 1969. The ten-issue series ran from 2013-2016 and was nominated for four Harvey Awards (Best New Series, Best Continuing Series, Best Cover Artist, and Best Letterer) and two Eisner Awards (Best Cover Artist and Best Letterer).

One of my friends turned me on to this series pretty early. Interestingly, the series premise started from a variant cover to issue #23 of "Life with Archie" from 2012 drawn by Francesco Francavilla in which he spoofed the title with "Afterlife with Archie" and drew a zombie Jughead lurking toward Archie in a graveyard. It was a surprisingly good twist on an old staple that worked. However, the series seemed to lose momentum as it suffered delays through the second arc. They also incorporate Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Josey & the Pussycats into the storyline.
I haven't watched the CW Riverdale series that ends with season 7 in 2023. I know fans have clamored for them to do an "Afterlife with Archie" storyline. more

This was actually not a hard sell. Its somewhat of an American version of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen set in 1898 with all larger than life historical folk heroes. I could see this being a role-playing game. I wasn't that familiar with writer Adam Glass or artist Pat Oliffe but they both had a large body of work and collaborated on this series for 17 issues between 2016-2018. It was a smart story with good covers and visuals. I found it enjoyable but not near as definitive as Moore and O'Neil's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (which in turn got its influence from PJ Farmer's Wold Newton Universe). 8.5/10

This volume got a 4.3 on Amazon, 3.78 on Goodreads, and a 8.6 Critic Rating on Comic Book Round Up. more

For comic fans that haven't tried Archie, I highly recommend taking a stroll with the kids of Riverdale. While humorous, I think the comics are better defined as being light-hearted and surprisingly entertaining. At the time of this release, the CW Riverdale series wouldn't come out for another year. The premise of Betty & Veronica #1 is the kids of Riverdale have to save Pop's store from being bought out by a big coffee franchise. Adam Hughes artwork is exceptionally beautiful but his writing is a little "off-beat". I'm unfamiliar if Archie's dog (Hot Dog) is commonly used as a narrator but Hughes opens with him, closes with him, and we get a brief intermission because he had eaten pages 19 and 20. It was silly aside with excessive word balloons and an excuse to draw Betty and Veronica in swimwear. As expected, Adam Hughes did some strong enjoyable work n this one. more

I first became aware of this series when Brian Hibbs did an interview with Mark Waid for the Comix Experience "Masterpiece Selection" of Kingdom Come. I thought Waid gave a really good interview. I was familiar with most of Waid's commercially successful runs at the time but asked what was a lesser known body of work he had done that he felt particularly proud of and enjoyed:

"Archie...I so dug writing those characters. And I so enjoyed being in that rare place in comics where you can write comedy and drama...I wish more people knew about the Archie stuff because it was some of the best stuff that I have ever written." - Mark Waid (2020)

At the time it came out in 2016, Waid was just coming off his celebrated run on Daredevil. He would go on to do 32 issues between 2015-2018. The first six issues paired him with superstar artist, Fiona Staples (4x Eisner Winner, 6x Harvey Winner, and 3x Ringo Winner). Issues 7-10 were drawn by Veronica Fish and 11-12 were drawn by Thomas Pitilli. Fish was a good clean transition from Staples but I don't Pitilli's style incorporates rough linework that seemed a little off for Archie. However, it doesn't really take away from the story but is a huge contrast to the backup Betty & Veronica issue drawn by the amazing Adam Hughes.

I was only somewhat familiar with the Archie characters. I quickly came to understand what Waid had hinted at (albeit from a reader's perspective). This series was a welcome light-hearted deviation from my normal reading material. Rather than burn through the series, I actually rationed it out an issue each night and really looked forward to it. I don't quite know how to describe it in the sense that while humorous, I think it is more defined by being light-hearted and surprisingly entertaining. I highly recommend taking a stroll with the kids of Riverdale (the TV series didn't come out until 2017). I picked up the first few volumes of this run and even grabbed some of the Afterlife with Archie. more

I first became aware of this book when Brian Hibbs did an interview with Mark Waid for the Comix Experience "Masterpiece Selection" of Kingdom Come. I thought Waid gave a really good interview. I was familiar with most of Waid's commercially successful runs at the time but asked what was a body of work that he had done that he felt particular proud of and enjoyed that may have been a lesser known work.

"Archie...I so dug writing those characters. And I so enjoyed being in that rare place in comics where you can write comedy and drama...I wish more people knew about the Archie stuff because it was some of the best stuff that I have ever written." - Mark Waid (2020)

At the time it came out in 2016, Waid was just coming off his celebrated run on Daredevil. I was shocked to discover that he got paired with superstar artist at the time, Fiona Staples (4x Eisner Winner, 6x Harvey Winner, and 3x Ringo Winner). Unfortunately, she would only get to stick around for the first volume. I'm sure she would admit it doesn't hold up to her work on Saga but still not too shabby.

I was only somewhat familiar with the Archie characters. I quickly came to understand what Waid had hinted at (albeit from a reader's perspective). This series was a welcome light-hearted deviation from my normal reading material. Rather than burn through the series, I actually rationed it out an issue each night and really looked forward to it. I don't quite know how to describe it in the sense that while humorous, I think it is more defined by being light-hearted and surprisingly entertaining. I highly recommend taking a stroll with the kids of Riverdale (the TV series didn't come out until 2017). I picked up the first few volumes of this run and even grabbed some of the Afterlife with Archie. more

So I enjoy most of Tom King's Black Label stuff (Mister Miracle, Strange Adventures, Human Target, Super Girl) and I'm reading Rorscharch now...however, I kinda' had to struggle through this one. Even though I am also a fan of Kyle, I just had a hard time getting into the characters and really behind their struggle. In regards to giant space epics, I prefer King's deconstructing character works. The art by Bagenda was complimentary.

Omega Men enjoys pretty good reviews (8.5 on Comic Book Round Up, 4.4 on Amazon, and a 4.06 on Goodreads) but it isn't something I'd like pick back up off my bookcase.

"What good is a story you only want to read once?" - Bill Willingham more

"Best Comics & Graphic Novels for Adults: 2022" Selection by Bookshop.org
"The Best Comic Book Series or Graphic Novel of 2022" Selection by IGN
"The Best Comics of 2022" Selection by Comic Book Herald
"The Best Comic Books & Graphic Novels of 2022" Selection by Thrillist

For starters, I'm a big fan of Remender's sci-fi stuff. I heard the buzz on this book and always enjoy the Image introductory price point ($9.99). I noticed the second volume seems to get higher reviews. The story seems like something out of a Guy Ritchie movie. I know people rave about the pacing but I felt like I was missing a few pages setting up the direction of our protagonist in this world. I do love strong execution of silent panels in comics. However, it may have been a case of "hard to meet high expectations" but I was just mildly interested and entertained. I did find it consistent with some of Brubaker's work. The series concluded with issue #11 in September 2022. The second TPB was released in November 2022 with a deluxe hardcover not coming until August 2023. (note: Amazon misrepresents the second TPB as collecting issues 6-10 but Image Comics clarifies on their website #6-11). From what I can tell, it looks like they stick the landing and it will be worth sticking with it through its conclusion. I'll come back and write a review for the entire limited series once I've read volume 2. more

Ethan at Heroes & Villains (Warner Robins, GA) referred this book to me. The book had a good creative team but had both a bizarre and intriguing premise. The comic was well received on Amazon with a 4.8 but only garnered a 3.94 on Goodreads and an 8.5 Critic Rating on Comic Book Round Up.

Batman: The Three Jokers is another DC Black Label imprint project. At one time, the DC Black Label was the company’s imprint “dedicated to giving premier writers and artists the chance to expand on DC’s unrivaled characters with unique, standalone stories set outside DC continuity”; however, the company has since retroactively added classic collections, under the Black Label imprint. As a result, DC has created a book-by-book ambiguity has to if the story is part of regular continuity or canon.

Based on some of the following comments by the creators, it is still a little ambiguous if the story is canon or not:

“Three Jokers is an in-continuity story. It really focuses on Bruce, Barbara and Jason and the pain that the Joker's inflicted on them as individuals. It's a mystery about the three Jokers operating at the same time and what that means. It's an exploration on healing and pain and healing right versus healing wrong…It's going to change their relationship with the Joker and how you see the Joker forever." -Geoff Johns (2018)

“It's in continuity like Killing Joke is. You can take it, or leave it. We are going to introduce some pretty gutsy stuff in Jokers that's never been done before. So the fans can react to it and they can decide if they want it part of main continuity or not, like Killing Joke.” -Jason Fabok (2019)

“That's a complicated answer…and I think it's up to the readers and the bigger universe if there's things in this that play out elsewhere." Geoff John’s (2020)

Three Jokers was bizarre but enjoyable. I appreciate the homage and integration as a companion piece to both the Killing Joke and a Death in the Family storylines. However, I think the one thing that undermined the virmisiltude of the story for me was an exploration of the limitation of the medium (I covered a similar concept with the recent TMNT: The Last Ronin). As a reader, we can’t tell the difference between the jokers as they are drawn/depicted, but it’s bewildering as to why the actual characters would suffer from the same limitation. Arkham videos/interviews/recordings or their own first-hand experiences should have been enough for our crime fighting detectives (e.g. facial recognition). Apparently writer Geoff Johns flatly discounted that they were never meant to be confused as alternate universe variants. The result is just a little bizarre, but hey, I can suspend disbelief as well as the next person, but I prefer my comics to tap into the strengths of the medium, not rely on hooks based on the limitations of the medium.
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I first took notice of this book after it was nominated for two Eisners back in 2021 ("Best New Series" and "Best Cover Artist"). I was somewhat cautious with this series because I seem to be one of the few people that didn't particularly care for Ewing's "Immortal Hulk" run. The art was very appealing. I read the First two volumes through Comixology Unlimited. It was a fast, enjoyable, and engaging read. When I set it down, I felt I had read something special. Ewing's use of time and flashbacks was very poignant. If you liked this book, you would probably enjoy Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini's "Low" (Image). more

One of the best runs in the past decade


Rightfully, the most critically acclaimed Marvel run in the past decade. This series was nominated for a Marvel record twenty-two (22) combined Eisner and Harvey awards. It also received the Goodreads Choice Award for “Best Graphic Novel” in 2013.

This book will remind you why you love comics and raise your expectations for what both the industry and medium are able to provide readers. more

This is a wonderful fresh take on a familiar character
In 2011, the blind vigilante got a bold relaunch by industry legend Mark Waid paired with a talented stable of award-winning artists (including previous collaborator, Marcos Martin, the father-and-son team of Paolo and Joe Rivera, and future fan favorite, Chris Samnee). The three-year run deviated from some of the previous series themes and sought to take the character in a brighter direction. The resulting work produced the most critically acclaimed Marvel books in the modern era by receiving twenty-one (21) award nominations (a feat only rivaled by Fraction and Aja’s 2012-2015 Hawkeye run which adopted a similar feel and approach.

Hugely Influential


Unlike all the other brilliant runs (Miller, Smith, Bendis, Brubaker, and even Zadarsky), Waid’s Daredevil steps into the light and leaves an even more endearing take on Matt Murdock.

Fans forget prior to Brian K. Vaughn’s Saga, Waid’s Daredevil was the industry darling that redefined the recipe for success. The art was so pure, clean, and consistent. 10/10 more

TMNT: The Last Ronin (2022) by Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, Tom Waltz, Esau, and Isaac Escorza

This book is smoking hot. It came out in 2021 and wrapped up in 2022 with the collected edition coming out in July 2022. It currently sits in Amazon’s #1 Best Seller in Science Fiction Graphic Novels. The series has an impressive 4.9 customer review rating on Amazon, 4.34 on Goodreads, and an 8.8 Critic Rating on Comic Book Round Up.

It’s great to see fans clamoring for a worthwhile TMNT project…but (truthfully speaking) we all bought into the gimmick and the hype…not much substance to be had here.

While the premise of the last surviving turtle story is compelling, Eastman & Laird joined Waltz in a pretty uninspired except for the gimmick. For me, Tom Waltz is that “kid next door that plays with his toys wrong”. I picked up his stuff back in 2015 leading up to the death of Donatello stunt and hung around for a year waiting to see anything special unfold. That storyline went nowhere and was mediocre at best. I think the team learned from their marketing mistakes back in 2015 and overcompensated with nearly 200 variant covers for the series and an appalling $8.99 cover price on the individual issues.

Without giving any spoilers away, we know from the premise that only one turtle remains. Everyone wanted to join in to see who it was, but (I’m sorry to say) it doesn’t matter who is left. The turtle that remains is written in a way he could be any of the four, it literally doesn’t matter which one. He never takes on any of his individual characteristics throughout all five issues. The character’s essence that we knew never comes into play in the story.

I also had a problem with the premise as it was conceptualized because I felt it exploited a limitation of the medium. We spent an entire issue following our beloved character, seeing him, hearing him speak, reading his thoughts, but we can’t tell him apart from his brothers until it is revealed to us when someone speaks to him by name. Does that make sense to you when you stop to think about it? This approach would have been cumbersome on screen and I don’t think we should give them a pass on the page. At one point it’s later explained that he’s mutated more over the years and obviously weathered but I’m not prepared to give them a pass If they wanted to withhold the reveal in the first issue until the end, they could have skillfully used a silent gimmick throughout the first issue rather than just operate as though they’re indistinguishable for each other. While Eastman & Laird early stuff portrayed them as indistinguishable, Waltz books portray them differently.

Rather than just gripe, how satisfying would it have been as a fan, if we would have gotten a pitch where “what if each turtle was the last surviving turtle?” In other words, what if each of the four turtles got a Last Ronin five issue series. What if you had multiple parallel scenes throughout the story and we got to see each of their four unique personalities affect the outcome? What if there were converging and diverging arcs throughout the five issues. I think that would have made me

In 2017 we already saw a superior grim three episode Nickelodeon cartoon story called “Raphael: The Mutant Apocalypse” set fifty years in the future that was intended to be the original cartoon series finale. The story was released as part of season five and relabeled the Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Final Chapters. There is a wealth more character and payoff in that series than what Eastman, Laird, and Waltz are able to throw together. more

Wynd vol. 2: The Secret of the Wings (2022) by James Tynion IV & Michael Dialynas (BOOM!)

I first took notice of this book prominently displayed at a Coliseum of Comics in Orlando, FL. It later went on to be nominated for a 2022 Eisner award for “Best Publication for Teens”. Tynion has been red hot sweeping the Eisner and Ringo awards for “Best Writer” in both 2021 and 2022. I checked my collection and actually had a couple of Dialynas’ TMNT stuff. However, I missed their previous collaboration on the 2017 “the Woods” series (also by BOOM!). I regularly try to emphasize continuing creator collaborations.

Initially, I gave the first volume four stars, however, the story really stuck with me. Over the next couple of days I found that it simmered as one of the most enjoyable books I had read in a while. I went back and gave the first volume five stars and began recommending the book to friends. The second volume is consistent with the first and has received a 4.3 on Goodreads, 4.8 on Amazon, and a 8.2 Critic Rating on Comic Round Up.

The series was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award as it depicts the struggle of a boy with both his sexuality and his mystic heritage. Tynion is an open member of the LGTBQ community and does a strong job of capturing our protagonist’s internal conflict and place in the world. I found the story appropriate for both the category it was nominated for Teens (ages 13-17) and even the ages 9-12 category.
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Something Is Killing the Children vol. 2 (2020) by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera (Boom!Studios)

Something Is Killing the Children hits hard and was very well received by both critics and fans. Volume #3 received a 4.25 on Goodreads, 4.8 on Amazon, and a 8.9 Critic Rating on Comic Book Round Up. It has been nominated for ten major industry awards (winning seven). In 2020 the series was nominated for the Eisner, Harvey, and Ringo awards. The following year, James Tynion IV would win both the Eisner and Ringo awards for “Best Writer” for his body of work in 2021. In 2022, the series won the Eisner for “Best Continuing Series”, the Ringo for “Best Series”, the Ringo for “Best Single Issue”, and Tynion won both the Eisner and Ringo for again for “Best Writer”.

I tend to shy away from horror comics but a friend introduced me to this book and I absolutely loved it. A brief summation is “a mash-up of Buffy meets Stranger Things”. The art, story, characters, and feel are all superb. I found I tend to really enjoy Tynion’s non-superhero based stories (The Department of Truth and The Nice House on the Lake). I didn’t care much for his Batman run. However, I can not praise this book enough. more

Something Is Killing the Children vol. 3 (2021) by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera (Boom!Studios)

Something Is Killing the Children hits hard and was very well received by both critics and fans. Volume 3 received a 4.3 on Goodreads, 4.9 on Amazon, and a 9.0 Critic Rating on Comic Book Round Up. It has been nominated for ten major industry awards (winning seven). In 2020 the series was nominated for the Eisner, Harvey, and Ringo awards. The following year, James Tynion IV would win both the Eisner and Ringo awards for “Best Writer” for his body of work in 2021. In 2022, the series won the Eisner for “Best Continuing Series”, the Ringo for “Best Series”, the Ringo for “Best Single Issue”, and Tynion won both the Eisner and Ringo for again for “Best Writer”.

I tend to shy away from horror comics but a friend introduced me to this book and I absolutely loved it. A brief summation is “a mash-up of Buffy meets Stranger Things”. The art, story, characters, and feel are all superb. I found I tend to really enjoy Tynion’s non-superhero based stories (The Department of Truth and The Nice House on the Lake). I didn’t care much for his Batman run. However, I can not praise this book enough. more

Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 #39 (May 2002) by J Michael Straczynski and John Romita Jr (Marvel)

I recently reviewed Step by Bloody Step (Image) and decided to re-read all the other silent issues over the years (including some of Marvel's "Nuff Said" theme of twenty-four books from early 2002). I remember this book was supposed to be released in Feb/March but was delayed as a result of the 9/11 special. In regards to the use of the silent gimmick in the "Nuff Said" books, I think this script really worked as we follow the three similar arcs among Mary Jane, Aunt May, and Peter. I think Stracynski cheated a bit with the various use of words to assist with Aunt May's arc. I particularly liked the comparison between Mary Jane and Peter and thought the whole issue could have been just about them. Even though I deat up JRJ a little bit in my review of his Hulk #35 "Nuff Said" issue, I thought he did a good job here. The Straczynski run is marred by the later Gewn Stacy storyline, but this was during the first year in his nearly six year run. They were putting out some pretty good stuff. more

Peter Parker Spectacular Spider-Man #38 (Feb. 2002) by Paul Jenkins and Mark Buckingham (Marvel)

Ha! I forgot about this one. I recently reviewed Step by Bloody Step (Image) and decided to re-read all the other silent issues over the years (including some of Marvel's "Nuff Said" theme of twenty-four books from early 2002). I remember Humberto Ramos doing the covers but I forgot they got Eisner winner Mark Buckingham to do the interiors. Paul Jenkins was recently coming off his Eisner win for Inhumans in 1999. I appreciate they included the first six pages of the Jenkins script. Silent books can be tough to pull off. In regards to the use of the silent gimmick in the "Nuff Said" books, I think it really worked with the use of the Murderous Mimes. I could have done without the panel where Spider-man moons the villains. This book isn't great, but it is funny. more

Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #35 (Feb. 2002) by Bruce Jones and John Romita Jr. (Marvel)

I remember enjoying the Bruce Jones run on Hulk. I was recently reviewing Step by Bloody Step (Image) and decided to re-read all the other silent issues over the years including Marvel's "Nuff Said" theme of twenty-four books from early 2002. I appreciate they included all of the Bruce Jones script in the back of the book. His style just reads like a story utilizing the classic "Marvel Method" for comic writing (there are no breakdowns by page or panel). I like JRJ, however, after reading the script, I feel like the artist missed the essence of what the writer was really trying to capture behind the silent gimmick. So much of what Jones wrote was meant to be captured by the young autistic girl. Silent books are tough to pull off. I feel like the story was a good use of the silent gimmick, however, it wasn't fully realized in the finished work. Let me know what you think. more

Daredevil vol. 2 #28 (Feb, 2002) by Brian Michael Bendis & Alex Maleev (Marvel)

I really enjoyed the Bendis/Maleev work on Daredevil. I was reviewing Step by Bloody Step (Image) and decided to re-read all the other silent issues over the years including Marvel's 'Nuff Said theme of books from early 2002. I noticed this was one of the five covers (out of the twenty-four titles) that didn't promote the "Nuff Said" theme on the cover I appreciate the first 9 pages of the script are included in the back of the issue. The script references a broken sword Matt finds on the ground left over from Elektra #6 (which was also written by Bendis and was also part of the 'Nuff Said theme). I still feel its strange Daredevil can feel a red laser dot. Like with most silent issues, its a fast "read". This book is enjoyable but specifically in regards to the use of the silent gimmick, the story did not seem particularly enhanced by the use of the silent gimmick and as a result was one of the less memorable books. This book was okay, but I would not recommend seeking it out based on the gimmick alone. more

Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 1: Bunraku and Other Stories (2019) by Stan Sakai (IDW)

I was disappointed to see Stan Sakai recently announce he was moving the series back to Dark Horse, especially after his recent success with IDW. His beloved series took garnered much attention by taking home the 2021 Eisner Awards for “Best Continuing Series” and “Best Lettering”. He also won the 2021 Ringo Awards for “Best Cartoonist” and “Best Series”. Even with all that success, the exodus from IDW follows the loss of several other major properties and it appears Sakai will be publishing with Dark Horse through his own new imprint (Dogu Publishing).

Vol. 1 of the current IDW series received a 4.9 on Amazon, 4.4 on Goodreads, and a 9.5 Critic Rating on Comic Book Round Up.

This series was a lot of fun and I was even able to enjoy it with my 8 year old. We also watched the new Netflix series. I am happy for the success of Sakai and his character. more