Napalm Lullaby #2 Review

 

Writer: Rick Remender

Artist: Bengal

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Bengal & Dave Guertin

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: April 10, 2024

 

A baby operating alien armor appears in a burst of light. Three soldiers also materialize and pursue him. After he kills his enemies, a Human couple finds the child and takes it home. Fifty years later, the Church Of Glokar rules our world. Sam and Sarah want to free Humanity from Glokar’s dominance. But can the teens accomplish such a monumental task? Let’s leap into Napalm Lullaby #2 and find out!

 

Story

Norfolk, Nebraska, is home to a brilliant Crystal Temple. An energy shield protects the skyscrapers surrounding the gleaming architectural beacon, while most of the population inhabits a multistory shantytown of old residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. People conform to Glokor’s religious rule in the hopes of bettering their social and economic status, while the poor feast on fried cricket stew for dinner.

 

Sam and Sarah's father once served in the temple. He escaped, but their mother remained behind. For a short time, the Crystal Temple will allow pilgrims to enter. Entrants hope to spend the rest of their lives inside. Their father doesn’t want to return, but Sam and Sarah wish to see their mother. They're also tired of the world they inhabit.

 

Napalm Lullaby #2 tackles the generation gap. Or should I say the generation chasm? Their father sends them out on missions to procure relics. He safeguards the treasures they find for future generations. Sam and Sarah see their home as a mausoleum, full of dead things that cannot make today better for anyone.

 

In Napalm Lullaby #2, Rick Remender asks: What if Kal-El used his superhuman abilities to transform Earth into his ideal society? We saw suggestions of this in Zach Snyder's Man Of Steel, where young Clark Kent read Plato’s Republic. But Glokor wasn't raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent, who urged young Clark to let Human society choose its path. Instead, Glokor came to Brenda and Paul, two protestors against anti-liberal causes.

 

Sam and Sarah’s childhood inside the temple granted them superhuman abilities. They’ve secured halos from murdered priests. They want to sneak into the Crystal Temple, find their mother, kill Glokor, and free the world from his religious oppression. Assuming they survive, what will Sarah and Sam do with their superhuman abilities then? Let their fellow Humans choose how they live? Or will they, as agents of change, forge a new and better society for everyone to inhabit?

 

 

Art

Bengal imbues Sam and Sarah with anime appeal in Napalm Lullaby #2. Sam and Sarah ride through narrow streets on an old motorcycle and sidecar. Children play in the dirt while workers stride past beggars and vendors manning stalls sheltered by awnings. An eyeball named Rufus greets Sam and Sarah from a panel beside their front door. After scanning their identities, the eyeball lets the brother and sister inside.

 

Art and relics clutter rooms and hallways. Space hardly seems at a premium in this makeshift future, or at least in Sam and Sarah’s home. Paintings and relics like the front of a classic car and a McDonald’s symbol adorn walls, while old TV sets, action figures, toys, and CDs fill shelves. A carved Greek statue shares a room with a bust of Marilyn Monroe and the upper half of C3PO, while books fill shelves and arise like Ghostbuster-arranged stacks from the floor. Their father awaits their return in an easy chair near a defunct arcade game stuffed with potted plants. Clad in a helmet adorned with aviator goggles and a shirt of chain mail festooned with medals, he reads an Ernest Hemingway novel by candlelight, surrounded by—yes, you guessed it—more books.

 

Reds, yellows, and browns dominate Napalm Lullaby #2, yet Bengal lavishes touches of others to suggest a spectrum of color. Bengal lavishes special care upon lighting, which streams into rooms dramatically. Sam’s powers also manifest as light. They hint at the clown mask he sometimes wears. The angrier Sam gets, the hotter the light grows. Note: don’t make this guy angry!

 

Rus Wooton fills white dialogue balloons with small uppercase black lettering. Inflection and raised voices enlarge and embolden the words. His sound effects help us hear Sam plunk his bag of stolen halos on the table and his anger erupting amid his father's lifework.

 

Thanks to Image Comics and Giant Generator for providing an issue for review.

 

Final Thoughts

In a future where most of humanity lives in slums, dreams can become reality, and thought crimes can get you killed in Napalm Lullaby #2.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

TMNT Best Of Alopex #1 Review

 

Writers: Brian Lynch, Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz, Juni Ba, Erik Burnham & Sophie Campbell

Artists: Sophie Campbell, Juni Ba, Roi Mercado & Gavin Smith

Colorists: Sophie Campbell, Heather Nunnelly, Ronda Pattison & William Soares

Letterers: Chris Mowry, Shawn Lee & Jake M. Wood

Cover Artist: James Biggie

Publisher: IDW

Price: $6.99

Release Date: April 10, 2024

 

Once, she ran with her pack in the Alaskan wilderness. Now, the Mutant Arctic Fox dispatches her opponents not with her teeth but with her martial arts prowess. What is Alopex’s story? Let’s grab a pizza, leap into the four stories in TMNT Best Of Alopex #1, and find out!

 

 

 

TMNT: Villains Micro-Series #4: Alopex

Story

For Alopex, the mission is everything. She fights for the Foot Clan and follows Master Shredder's orders without question. One assignment awakens old memories. Alopex returns to the land of her birth. Walking through the Alaskan snow reminds her of life hunting prey and avoiding bears before the scientists mutated her. In this first story in TMNT Best Of Alopex #1, Brian Lynch forces Alopex to compare her old life with her new identity. She leaves with a less naive view of her ninja master.

 

Art

Sophie Campbell brings an Old School sensibility to TMNT: Villains Micro-Series #4: Alopex. The Mutant Arctic Fox crashes through windows, fights rival ninjas, and remembers battling the turtles. While reds and blues dominate, Sophie Campbell and Heather Nunnelly use other colors sparingly to highlight killing blows, the mutation drug, and the purple surrounding Alopex’s eyes.

 

 

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #66

Story

Alopex fled New York City for Alaska. She thought she could escape Kitsune’s grasp. But the witch who controls the Foot Clan refuses to let her go. Raphael and Angel pursue her in this second story in TMNT Best Of Alopex #1. The mutant reptile lacks Alopex’s fur. Yet he braves the cold to save her. He's conflicted about his feelings for her. Raphael uses two methods he learned from his fellow turtles to find her. But in Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz’s story, Alopex must discover how to win her freedom from Kitsune before returning with Raphael to New York City.

 

Art

Campbell's art lends a softer, feminine appeal to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #66. Raphael's love for Alopex knocks his confidence for a loop, leaving him open and hesitant before Angel. Ronda Pattison paints the Alaskan land and sky in gray and white, while red dominates Kitsune's scenes. Campbell's atmospheric art and Pattison's limited colors bathe Alopex’s battle with Kitsune in mysticism.

 

 

 

TMNT: The Armageddon Game: The Alliance #3

Story

Alopex’s life grows more confusing when the turtles ally with Shredder to combat the Rat King. She now blames Shredder for experimenting on her and ripping her away from her home and family. Although it hurts, she turns her back on Raphael and the turtles in this story in TMNT Best Of Alopex #1. She helps Angel take on Ravenwood’s Earth Protection Force squad and entertains an offer from Oroku Karai. Juni Ba and Eric Burnham address how our circle of friendships and our concept of family adapts to changes life throws in our path.

 

Art

Juni Ba's art in the first story in TMNT: The Armageddon Game: The Alliance #3 features sharp angles and fraught action. Ronda Pattison's limited coloring electrifies scenes where characters often revert to silhouettes or negative silhouettes, visualize Alopex's scent, and limbs resemble lightning bolts. Roi Mercado's characters approach photorealism in the backup story, while backgrounds often fade. Ronda Pattison fills null backgrounds with brilliant colors that evoke the aurora borealis from the land of Alopex’s birth.

 

 

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #140

Story

After the Rat King's defeat, everything is different. Leonardo tries to keep the group together, but the turtles can't even agree on whether patrolling the neighborhood is necessary. Raphael glimpses Alopex and texts her. But the Mutant Arctic Fox doesn't answer. Alopex has left the turtles behind. She leads the Claw Clan in this final story in TMNT Best Of Alopex #1. Despite her pack’s enthusiasm, Alopex strives to find a purpose in their activities. Sophie Campbell’s story places the turtles front and center, with Alopex limited to one scene. But a series of mutant murders and a cliffhanger featuring Raphael suggest the Arctic Fox's return.

 

Art

Gavin Smith packs this final story in TMNT Best Of Alopex #1 Review with breathtaking reality. The turtles and other mutants convincingly (if not always harmoniously) interact with their Human neighbors. Ronda Pattison enhances Smith’s inked shading and illuminates her characters under the city lights and a full moon. Pattison's loaded palette and nuanced coloring portray a community rocked by change. 

 

Final Thoughts

From ferocious arctic fox to streetwise ninja leader, the mutant Alopex has endured the trials and hardships of modern life. She navigates a maze of twists and turns, pulling Raphael into her struggles before leaving the mutant turtle behind. TMNT Best Of Alopex #1 showcases her struggles with change and her unending search for a home.

 

Rating 9/10

 

To preview TMNT: Villains Micro-Series #4: Alopex, the first story in TMNT Best Of Alopex #1, see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

 

Review: Second Death by Jeff Kerr

 

 

Author: Jeff Kerr

Cover Artist: Cheynne Edmonston

Paperback: $9.99

ebook: $0.99

 

 

 

After serving his country in Afghanistan, Adam Cash wanted to join the police force in his hometown. Instead, he got blamed for the sheriff's murder. While clearing his name and finding the killer, Cash brought down a human trafficking ring. Will life get less dangerous for the new deputy in Pinyon, Texas? Let’s leap into Second Death by author Jeff Kerr and find out!

 

When an explosion rocks a gas station, Deputy Cash discovers a hidden tank in an incinerated truck. The driver, Ralph Spencer, was smoking while stealing diesel fuel. Cash finds a gold coin in his pocket. Learning that Ralph had a regular income but no job, Cash smells a mystery. Fellow deputy Keisha Hodge, another recent addition to the Pinyon Police force, is keen to help Cash investigate. But even after Ralph’s girlfriend Alissa goes missing, Sheriff Gabe Santos insists Ralph's death was due to Ralph's greed and carelessness, nothing more.

 

But then, Gabe Santos has a lot on his mind. After inheriting the job from his predecessor, a local rancher forced the county commissioners to hold a special election. Santos hates all the paperwork his new job brings. Still, he never wants to work for a corrupt sheriff again. So he asks Cash’s girlfriend, Edie James, to help run his campaign. But the rival candidate’s offer to purchase Edie’s services endangers Santos’ poorly funded campaign.

 

In his sequel to Blunt Force Trauma, Jeff Kerr throws many obstacles into Adam Cash’s path. He’ll battle a doubting boss, threats to his love life and family, and attempts on his life as he follows a trail of financial breadcrumbs across state lines to find Alissa and discover Ralph Spencer’s killer. Plus, there's also an alligator named Jeremiah. He's always hungry for his next meal!

 

Warning: Second Death contains racism, sex scenes, and religious themes.

 

Second Death is available at Amazon.com

Visit Jeff Kerr's website

Revisit Jeff's first Adam Cast novel with my review of Blunt Force Trauma 

 

 

Amazing Spider-Man #47 Review

 

Writer: Zeb Wells

Artist: Todd Nauck

Colorist: Sonia Oback

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hanna & Marcio Menyz; Greg Land & Frank D’Armata; Peach Momoko; Alessandro Pastrovicchio

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: April 10, 2024

 

Mary Jane’s Aunt Anna has been having the time of her life since Peter cured her of Krakoan Derangement Syndrome. Anna has been hanging with Hippo and sharing the greenhouse with Sandman. What is she doing at New York’s high-security Ravencroft Institute now? And how might it impact Peter Parker’s awkward social life? Let’s thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #47 and find out!

 

Story

As Peter hurries toward a restaurant, he chats with Mary Jane via cell phone. Mary Jane is settling down for an evening with Paul. She wonders why Ravencroft or her aunt didn’t contact her about this meeting. The penny drops for both as Peter reaches Shay Marken and sees the disappointment in the caregiver’s eyes. Peter may excel at thwipping villains, but as he readily admits, he often fails in social situations.

 

Shay may have ordered Peter to leave Ravencroft when he upset William Baker, but she warms over his unease during dinner. She's no longer tasked with protecting her troubled patients and knows what it’s like to feel out of her depth. Whether Shay finds Peter's penchant for suddenly abandoning dinners—and leaving her to pay the bill—remains to be seen.

 

 

 

Betty Brant stands by her man in Amazing Spider-Man #47. Mary Jane sought her aunt's release. Now, Betty refuses to rest until she clears her husband's name. She hunts for the Winkler Device that Roderick Kingsley used to brainwash Ned Leeds. But Hobgoblin doesn’t take kindly to people poking their noses into his business.

 

Aside from Peter's awkward dinner date with Shay, the big talking point in Zeb Wells' story involves Chasm and Hallow's Eve. The lovebirds may never win an award for New York City's Most Balanced Couple, but both demonstrate that life apart hasn't aligned their mental wheels. Intriguingly, they partner with someone who exhibited remorse over a previous contretemps with Spider-Man. But that's why they're supervillains. Because they hold grudges and channel negativity.

 

 

Art

Todd Nauck pairs dark and gritty settings with violence in Amazing Spider-Man #47. Whether it's a machete-wielding thug or gunmen kicking down doors, these encounters hum with intensity. Spider-Man's thwip yanks a villain through a window. Then he leaps into the room between the man's still feet and whips another man to the floor.

 

Nauck readily transitions between violent encounters and heartwarming moments. Hallows Eve's transformations from menacing monsters to her familiar costume reveal Janine's youth and vulnerability. Nauck also imbues panels with a timeless quality, grounding scenes in abandoned warehouses and historic architecture. Peter wears an old jacket over his Oscorp polo shirt. Shay wears a pendant over her turtleneck sweater and skirt. Neither wears the latest fashions. Peter and Shay seem open with each other and share a refreshing optimism at the wonders of everyday life.

 

 

Sonia Oback steeps backgrounds in shades of gray and brown. Aside from Mary Jane's hair and Shay's blouse, few colors emerge from their surroundings. These links with the red of Spider-Man's costume remind us of Peter's past and hint at another potential love interest. Even the red in Spider-Man's costume seems subdued. The red reflects light and darkens in shade. Yet Chasm and Hallows Eve's costumes blaze like beacons at night, suggesting the power they'll unleash to take Spider-Man down.

 

Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase black lettering into white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes in Amazing Spider-Man #47. The font grows bold for inflection and occasionally shrinks or gets italicized. Sound effects help us hear Peter’s cellphone alerts, a window shattering as Spider-Man swings into action, and a “dog” with glowing eyes snarling in a dark room. And no, no one named this “dog” Indy.

 

Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Amazing Spider-Man #47 reveals an intriguing link between the living brain in Oscorp and New York City restaurants and hints at who arranged Peter's date with Tombstone's lawyer. After his great fall, Chasm finds a new champion. But can anyone put Ben Reilly together again?

 

Rating 9/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Transformers #7 Review

 

Writer: Daniel Warren Johnson

Artist: Jorge Corona

Colorist: Mike Spicer

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer; Jorge Corona & Mike Spicer; Karen S. Darboe; Caspar Wijngaard; Taurin Clarke; Mike Del Mundo; John Giang; Tiago Da Silva; Alex Milne; Redcode; Jonboy Meyers; John Gallagher; Livio Ramondelli; Adam Gorham

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: April 10, 2024

 

Optimus Prime’s advance on the Ark succeeded. Yet defeating Devastator and sending the Decepticons packing came at a terrible price. Can Optimus parlay his victory into an Autobot conquest? Let’s recharge our Energon batteries, leap into Transformers #7, and follow Sparky's transformative journey!

 

Story

While Daniel Warren Johnson opens with a rescue mission on Cybertron and the mobilization of the U.S. Navy, the spark that kickstarts his story is Soundwave's challenge. The quiet and composed Decepticon has had enough. Starscream treated his troops like pawns and rewarded the survivors with the ignominy of defeat. Now, it's time to reassess their strategy. Perhaps a change of leadership is called for?

 

While the Decepticons resolve dissent through confrontation, the Autobots seek to heal their wounds in Transformers #7. Cliffjumper had Starscream in his sites, yet couldn’t kill the Decepticon that murdered Carly's father. Sparky gave his life to heal Optimus Prime, yet Spike can barely look at Optimus. Optimus Prime feels guilty over the whole affair. Still, Spike would be dead if not for Optimus' sacrifice in the hospital. Relationships can get complicated at the best of times. It's hard to forgive and forget when people are in the trenches and hungry for justice. Or should I say revenge?

 

Daniel Warren Johnson packs this issue with talking points. Thankfully, he doesn't stint on the action. In some ways, Transformers #7 resembles the second issue. Only this time out, Cliffjumper, Carly, Spike, and Optimus are all hurting. Although he puts a brave face on it, Optimus knows he—and his people—must get their act together. He may not know what’s happening with the Decepticons, but his brief exchange with Soundwave helped him realize what readers likely suspect: that the quiet and composed Decepticon is the real threat to the Autobot cause.

 

At least, until Mega--

 

Oops! Sorry, Starscream! What was I thinking?

 

 

 

Art

Fire burns amid a maze of raised metal panels on Cybertron. Huffer, Elita, Kup, and Warpath shoot at their pursuers as they advance through a firestorm toward their objective. Overwhelming odds exact an explosive toll, and victory yields less than Elita hoped.

 

While fighters streak overhead, the Captain of an aircraft carrier receives a phone call on the bridge. He returns the receiver to the cradle on a packed control bank. A handswidth away sits a framed photograph of his family.

 

A new artist often brings a bold new vision to a series. While readers will spot minor differences in Transformers #7, Jorge Corona puts the fans first with his seamless takeover. Corona captures Soundwave’s determination, Starscream’s paper-thin bravery, Carly’s simmering anger, and Arcee’s hesitation to intrude on the girl’s trauma. Corona blurs characters less than Johnson while conveying the speed, violence, and fury of battle. While portraying the size differentials between the Autobots and their squishy Human companions, compositions reinforce their unity of need and purpose.

 

Mike Spicer paints Cybertron with bright pastels that fade to blue, green, and gray indoors. He colors the mountains orange and the smoke-choked air gray to enliven Soundwave’s meeting in an active volcano. The pink of Arcee’s armor and Carly’s sweater underline similarities in their tragic pasts. A vision in pink and blue sends Optimus careening offroad.

 

Rus Wooten portrays Human speech with large-size black letters in white dialogue balloons. Transformers use italicized black letters in rectangular balloons with lightning bolt arrows. Vibrant and abrasive sound effects infuse a taut contest for leadership, while immense red chants surround the victor in Transformers #7.

 

Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

While war rages on Cybertron, the Decepticon and Autobot battles escalate their conflict on Earth even as both sides struggle to rebuild in Transformers #7.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For six more covers see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Red Sonja: Empire Of The Damned #1 Review

 

Writer: Steve Niles

Artist: Alessandro Amoruso

Colorist: Salvatore Aiala

Letterer: Dave Sharpe

Cover Artists: Joshua Middleton, Joseph Michael Linsner, John Tyler Christopher, Philip Tan & Cosplay

Publisher: Dynamite

Price: $4.99

Release Date: Wednesday, April 3, 2024

 

Skeletons litter a valley in Hyrkania. A legend tells of a battle fought long ago. Might tales of sorcerers and treasure draw Red Sonja there? Let’s grab our broadswords, leap into Red Sonja: Empire Of The Damned #1, and find out!

 

Story

Red Sonja quenches her thirst in Nemedia. When a patron buys her a drink, the She-Devil tips the ale onto the floor. The man’s ire fades as soldiers burst into the tavern. The other customers flee, but Red Sonja and her admirer fight for the right to continue drinking. Both hold their own for a time. But numbers are not on their side, and the soldiers don’t fight fair.

 

Adjoining cells in Blackworm Prison affords the man a second opportunity. He can't offer her a drink this time, but she entertains his proposal. The adventurer tells a variation of the tragic tale revealed in the opening pages. Might Red Sonja consider a partnership? Perhaps. But first, they must escape.

 

Red Sonja: Empire Of The Damned #1 is a quick, bracing read. Steve Niles doesn't explain why the warrior sought Red Sonja’s aid. Still, the adventurer reveals how much finding the hidden valley in Hyrkania means to him in the final pages.   

 

 

 

Art

A wizard hovers overhead as armies clash. Energy surges from one hand while runes encircle the other. The wizard becomes the fulcrum of explosive energy that sweeps across the valley. When the clouds part, a skull on the ground testifies to the devastation he unleashed.

 

Red Sonja sits back, clutching a glass as she watches people drink, fight, and do the Unskinny Bop. Soldiers burst in with spears and grim expressions. One holds an order bearing a wax seal. Red Sonja’s fist slams into his nose, splattering the reader in blood. Her admirer stands with her against a squad of angry soldiers. Their weapons cleave spears, armor, and flesh, leaving a whirl of air to mark their passage.

 

Red Sonja: Empire Of The Damned #1 reveals the nasty, brutish, and short nature of life in the Hyborian world. Alessandro Amoruso doesn’t flinch from revealing missing teeth and eyes. Scars mar the adventurer’s features. Among her fellow death dealers, only Red Sonja looks untouched by violence. But then, her bargain with the red goddess Scathach grants her strength, prowess, and vitality.

 

This issue could be called Red Sonja: Red, Brown, And Gray. And yet, Salvatore Aiala lends a wealth of color and nuance to Red Sonja: Empire Of The Damned #1. Buildings reveal texture, and shading breathes reality into this Sword And Sorcery adventure. After all the spurting and splattering crimson, Red Sonja kneels in the forest, her body covered in shadows cast by light streaming through nearby trees.

 

Dave Sharpe fires uppercase black letters into colored narrative boxes and white dialogue balloons in this action-packed story. His sound effects enliven the brawl in the bar, the pummeling in the prison, and the fury filling the skies in the fraught finale.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Red Sonja: Empire Of The Damned #1 is a blood-splattered story filled with fighting and death. Fueled by an adventurer’s ambition and Red Sonja's lust for life, the fast-paced story leaves you breathless to discover the truth behind a haunting legend.

 

Rating 8.6/10

 

For more cover art and a short preview see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Rook Exodus #1 Review

 

Creators: Geoff Johns & Jason Fabok

Colorist: Brad Anderson

Letterer: Rob Leigh

Cover Artist: Jason Fabok & Brad Anderson; Ivan Reis, Danny Miki & Brad Anderson

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: April 3, 2024

 

When Rook needed a fresh start, the Better-World company delivered. Now Rook inhabits a planet all but abandoned by Humans. The warden races against the clock to build a rocket and launch it into space before all technology fails. But is he already too late? Let's put on our helmets, leap into Rook Exodus #1, and find out!

 

Story

Out-of-control population growth and global warming strained Earth’s ecosystem to the breaking point. Humans endured earthquakes, floods, wildfires, and pandemics until their trust in society broke. Rioting, insurrection, and war followed.

 

Better-World purchased Planet F in the Kepler system. They rebranded the planet Exodus, brought in their world engine, and began colonizing it six years later. Advertisements showed scenes of pristine nature. Imported animals inhabited verdant fields, explored forests, and sated their thirst in clean rivers and streams.

 

Perhaps Better World should have left the planet's name as F because the company royally f---ed up. Eleven years after they radically changed the planet’s ecosystem, their terraforming world engine coughed and died. But Exodus seems apt in hindsight, as the colonists couldn’t abandon their hastily remodeled planet fast enough. After assisting with their flight from Exodus, the company's porcine management left employees like Rook and his friend Swine behind. Better-World promised to provide transportation for them, but two years later, Rook, Swine, and the other wardens are still waiting.

 

In Rook Exodus #1, Rook watches a rocket launch into the atmosphere. Like most jury-rigged transports, a system failure brings it crashing down. Rook evokes Mad Max as he spots the burning wreck and races over in his armored dune buggy. Without Swine’s help, Rook doubts he can find the remaining components he needs before everything becomes slag. When Rook spies a man dying in the wreckage, all hope dies.

 

Losing his father was a hard blow. The way Better-World treated him made Rook cynical. The company's Weathermen looked down on wardens like him and Swine. He should hate them. After all, their failure to maintain the world engine led to this catastrophe. Yet Rook abandons his scavenging to ease the man’s final moments.

 

Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok’s story demonstrates the fallacy of quick fixes. Building anything worthwhile that lasts takes time. The issue also shows how people react to failure. Some leaders struggle to continue or give up. Others shrug, say, "So what," and make new plans. Sadly, some always seek advantage in tragedy. They don’t try to fix what’s broken. Instead, they become hunters and view everyone else as prey.

 

 

 

Art

A spaceship perches on its launch pad, surrounded by industrial infrastructure, in Rook Exodus #1. The fire from its thrusters produces smoke that startles birds in the surrounding forest. Then, the thruster explodes, and the vessel descends into a scenic valley like Yosemite National Park. Rook spies this distant tragedy through computer-enhanced binoculars. His metal helmet evokes a demonic bird. Spikes adorn shoulder plates and forearm armor. Clad in a shredded trench coat, chest armor, and military-like fatigues, Rook carries equipment and guns as he strides through the forest.

 

Birds surround Rook as he walks. They circle his buggy as he races through the forest. They survey the burning wreckage. They’re not as large as Swine’s boars. Yet, we sense Rook's fears over his dwindling control. Once severed, will they reenact the brutal ferocity of Hitchcock's classic "The Birds"?

 

Brad Anderson breathes life into a world of fading beauty in Rook: Exodus #1. We gain glimpses of the paradise this word seemed, even though yellow and brown now choke the skies. Windblown dirt coats the fantastic cities that have fallen into disrepair. Rook inhabits a realm of perpetual twilight, a noir dreamscape filled with few people and abandoned cities. Anderson’s pleasing color tones enhance the lifelike art, even if the tones cluster for comfort amid the shattering finale of this mesmerizing 46-page story.

 

Small upper-case letters fill dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Rob Leigh provides contrast and interest through eye-catching lettering colors, fonts, and balloon shapes. His sound effects strengthen every moment of action and drama in Rook: Exodus #1. Thanks to Image Comics and all the creators at Ghost Machine for providing a copy of this issue for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Haunted by his past, Rook fears his friends will turn against him. Abandoned by his fellow humans, he works frantically to escape his adopted planet before it descends into savagery in Rook Exodus #1.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Usagi Yojimbo: The Crow #1 Review

 

Writer, Artist & Letterer: Stan Sakai

Colorist: Hi-Fi Colour Design

Cover Artists: Stan Sakai & Emi Fujii; Jared Cullum; David Petersen

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: April 3, 2024

 

Usagi and Yokichi have left the mountains. They survived their battles with freezing temperatures and supernatural monsters. What terrors might they face next? Let's grab our katanas, charge into Usagi Yojimbo: The Crow #1 and find out!

 

Story

Lowland warmth rejuvenates Usagi and Yokichi. The travelers gladly exchange their boots for sandals. They luxuriate on the grass, soaking in the sun's rays. A stranger rides along the dirt road and pauses to warn them not to stick around before riding away. Unsettled, Usagi and his cousin resume their journey.

 

Yokichi notices a crow circling. He hears metal striking metal. When he and Usagi enter a stand of trees, they see four people attacking someone. Like Conan, Usagi and Yokichi throw caution to the wind and aid the underdog. The crow also intervenes with its beak and claws. The crow attacks from above, and samurai strikes from the rear prove too much for the fiends, and they hurry away.

 

The warrior they save thanks them and introduces his pet as Yatagarasu. Trained crows are rare, and Usagi and Yokichi are impressed. The traveler thanks them for their assistance and directs them toward the nearest village as he heads in the opposite direction. Yet when Usagi and Yokichi reach this hub of civilization, the people they pass in the street make the wanderers uneasy.

 

Usagi and Yokichi enter a restaurant to discover the four who attacked their friend in the woods. Yokichi’s lack of prudence puts him and Usagi at a disadvantage. Still, as they replenish their bodies and learn why the town is crowded, Usagi and Yokichi discover an intriguing link between the rescuee and an ancient Japanese emperor.

 

In Usagi Yojimbo: The Crow #1, the first installment in Stan Sakai's new five-issue miniseries, Usagi and Yokichi’s good deed could return to haunt them.

 

 

 

Art

Usagi and Yokichi sit on a stone wall as someone arrives on a horse. Flies buzz around the stranger as he warns the travelers not to stick around. Yokichi holds his hand over his eyes when he spies the crow. Usagi grabs his sword when he hears metal striking metal. Stan Sakai fills panels with up to four people fighting in these intense action scenes. The traveler smiles as his pet alights on his shoulder. He smiles and bows to the rabbit warriors as they part.

 

Usagi and Yokichi arrive in a town filled with two-story structures. People in the streets frown. Others sit on the ground or recline on the upper-story balcony. Many of them grasp sake jars. Flies circle one swordsman who walks with a tilted head. A panel in the restaurant captures a tense moment as the attackers from the woods rise from their table to meet Usagi and Yokichi.

 

Hi-Fi Colour Design brings bright colors to Usagi Yojimbo: The Crow #1. A full palette of pleasing colors reveals highlights and shadows. The overall effect welcomes readers into this intriguing new story.

 

Stan Sakai fills white dialogue balloons with generously sized letters, colored question marks, and exclamation marks. He captures the crow’s utterances in blue balloons. A few sound effects enliven the swordfight as the dialogue captures the combatants' emotions.

 

Thanks to Dark Horse for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Usagi Yojimbo: The Crow #1 ponders the dangers of helping strangers without knowing all the facts, shows how the necessities of life drive people into moral gray areas, and introduces a character linked with a revered historical personage.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.