tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732037945400002412024-03-18T03:00:32.130-07:00The Dragon's CacheWhere the stories we treasure meet the reality we shareDragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.comBlogger1623125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-64569161760307602902024-03-18T03:00:00.000-07:002024-03-18T03:00:00.249-07:00Transformers #6 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirN2HghQLPlaJNORtSBCEiUQ2vgHJO7RnIOBk5Rxbc7KtgzrgPe4XvJcnnf5gjMdcWaeyTPmo_fAoa1de1BdgkPQmeC4o2zn_MyIdWlh9755t-zaueTd3uvDtDblpSvoKMeOBBUlffPkhNsnYUl6eD2Uv4P98kKGGvoklFRbY7NYxoOtRTlg-dwu2403Tg/s691/Transformers%206a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="450" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirN2HghQLPlaJNORtSBCEiUQ2vgHJO7RnIOBk5Rxbc7KtgzrgPe4XvJcnnf5gjMdcWaeyTPmo_fAoa1de1BdgkPQmeC4o2zn_MyIdWlh9755t-zaueTd3uvDtDblpSvoKMeOBBUlffPkhNsnYUl6eD2Uv4P98kKGGvoklFRbY7NYxoOtRTlg-dwu2403Tg/w416-h640/Transformers%206a.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer & Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: Mike Spicer</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Rus Wooton</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer;
Andre Lima Araujo; Orlando Arocena; Eric Canete; Joe Quinones</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Image</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $3.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: March 13, 2024 </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ratchet awakened Arcee and Jazz with power from Wheeljack
and Sparky’s water turbine. Optimus Prime killed Skywarp and Frenzy and injured
Starscream during the Decepticons’ attack on the dam. Believing the numbers
were in their favor, Optimus Prime ordered an assault on the Ark. Can the
Autobots retake control of their mothership? Let’s recharge our Energon
batteries, leap into Transformers #6, and follow Sparky's transformative
journey!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Starscream rules through deception and fervor. He sways the
Decepticons with his strength of personality. His lust for death and
destruction inspires his followers. Soundwave carries out Starscream’s orders
and dispassionately directs their forces while Starscream seeks out victims.
Soundwave’s latest creation is Starscream’s ideal weapon. Or, in Starscream’s
words, his new toy. Assembled from a freshly regenerated Constructicon army,
Devastator is a giant-size version of the Decepticons' fearful leader. He
destroys first and reasons later.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Confronted by Devastator’s might, Optimus Prime spurs his
people toward the Ark. Cliffjumper instantly follows, but Carly argues a
different strategy. Cliffjumper cares for the Human teenager but yearns to obey
his Autobot leader. Like Optimus Prime and Sparky, Cliffjumper and Carly have
much in common. And the Autobots do practice equality and inclusion.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In Transformers #6, Optimus Prime learns that size does
matter. But while powerful enemies can destroy the body, hope and sacrifice
renew the spirit. Starscream regards everything as disposable. Sparky knows
that Optimus Prime values life in its myriad forms. It’s why he serves the
giant Space Invader robot: because Optimus protects what he values.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnXvWbPjsEtKF47IiURDcKDO4e3bj7HoGAcnHQZjWaWjuUIAKK-OLbjIE19_DHy9_-E1F6IzDckG2JH5fX1MTk07JNgzwJ7dvPGqhKJkosnQlcFFTdGqrqeuzRbV73pf5ENTtaB3v41hdfEf4tbOIpsK1PgHOqYsaljqiEZUx2xHDstNYX59B3ljgW-xh/s1845/Transformers%206b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1845" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnXvWbPjsEtKF47IiURDcKDO4e3bj7HoGAcnHQZjWaWjuUIAKK-OLbjIE19_DHy9_-E1F6IzDckG2JH5fX1MTk07JNgzwJ7dvPGqhKJkosnQlcFFTdGqrqeuzRbV73pf5ENTtaB3v41hdfEf4tbOIpsK1PgHOqYsaljqiEZUx2xHDstNYX59B3ljgW-xh/w416-h640/Transformers%206b.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Standing before the Ark’s main hold, Optimus Prime and the
Autobots fight off Starscream’s Decepticons. The wide-eyed Human soldier
clutches a rocket launcher. He should be seeking a weak linkage between the Constructicons
as Devastator approaches. Yet all he sees is Jimmy and his son's NASA spaceship
exploding.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Daniel Warren Johnson employs varying camera angles to
convey the size differentials between Humans, Transformers, Devastator, and the
Ark. His direction lines and blurred characters convey rapid movement in
Transformers #6. The characters' expressions reveal their pain, shock, fright, jubilation,
and resolve. Johnson’s detailed drawings reveal that some of the Constructicons
making up Devastator struggle to maintain cohesion. Scenes of the behemoth
looking into the Ark and reaching for Autobots pay homage to the cinematic
classic “King Kong.”</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Johnson often inks to convey shading, leaving Mike Spicer
less to color. Green and purple Devastator wreaks havoc against the gray
ground, a bluish-gray Ark, and a purple sky. Carly's lavender sweater darkens
to grant her camouflage at night. Yet nothing shields the Autobots from view,
making it easy for Devastator to reach out and touch someone. "Puny
Autobot!" Spicer also spices up the night fight by accenting panels with
bright colors, suggesting the intensity of the battle. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer Rus Wooten infuses dark backgrounds with giant, bright,
colorful, and energizing sound effects. He fills white dialogue balloons with
large-size black italicized letters. Soundwave remains the sole holdout. The
Decepticon fills blue rectangular dialogue balloons with yellow lettering. His
dialogue never swells in size or changes color, as do Devastator and Ratchet’s.
Perhaps that makes him the strongest person in Transformers #6, as Soundwave
keeps a cool head, and his dedication to his cause never wavers.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Hasbro
for providing a copy for review.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A Human leads an Autobot, an ally makes the ultimate
sacrifice, and when heroes hold their enemies in their clutches, they refuse to
kill in Transformers #6. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9.5/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">For more cover art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/transformers-6-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-38799960265965459682024-03-17T03:00:00.000-07:002024-03-17T03:00:00.355-07:00Amazing Spider-Man #45 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuB8tE9_Q24DcZte_p2aSn3qFsRDT32N39JE-aL-ujmabJjpVCNfYHlN7uLOQxMg8oc8J1loMhb-PlWJzO6bI4hnBHO83ICzu3u1txBez8aWLARHLBjEcxvDs_nLUigZgBL9u4YU4yEMiQbnaIdLl_2uvKJ44viiE_iR6zAuhyphenhyphencGH8QvdNYqYyxQwlVBem/s2722/ASM%2045a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2722" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuB8tE9_Q24DcZte_p2aSn3qFsRDT32N39JE-aL-ujmabJjpVCNfYHlN7uLOQxMg8oc8J1loMhb-PlWJzO6bI4hnBHO83ICzu3u1txBez8aWLARHLBjEcxvDs_nLUigZgBL9u4YU4yEMiQbnaIdLl_2uvKJ44viiE_iR6zAuhyphenhyphencGH8QvdNYqYyxQwlVBem/w424-h640/ASM%2045a.jpg" width="424" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: Zeb Wells</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Artist: Carmen Carnero</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: Marcio Menyz</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Joe Caramagna</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hanna & Marcio
Menyz; Carmen Carnero & Alejandro Sánchez; Alex Maleev; Vitale Mangiatordi</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Marvel</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $4.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: March 13, 2024 </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Peter Parker brought a poorly decorated cake to Anna
Watson’s birthday party. Mary Jane’s enraged aunt attacked her niece, Peter’s aunt
May, and her other party guests. Mary Jane's quick thinking and Spider-Man's timely
thwipping landed Aunt Anna in New York’s Ravencroft Institute. Can Spider-Man
cure Anna Watson and help her return home? Let’s thwip into Amazing Spider-Man
#45 and find out!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Shay Marken wears a brave face as she carries out her
duties. Yet the inmates at Ravencroft Institute frighten her. Chief among those
is Anna Watson. Sure, the kindly senior citizen projects an air of sweetness
and gentleness. But when Anna’s Krakoan Derangement Syndrome manifested last
year, she hurled her party guests around like a supervillain. Anna unleashes a
torrent of abuse upon Shay as the young nurse arrives to feed her. It's a good
thing the Ravencroft staff keep Anna in a straitjacket. Were Anna to get Shay
in her clutches, there’s no telling the violence she could unleash.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Peter Parker feels sorry for Anna when he sneaks into her
cell. He promised Mary Jane he would carry her out of the Ravencroft Institute
after delivering the antidote, but Anna objects. The woman’s manipulative and
malicious ways vanish. She remembers hurting the people she cared about. In
Amazing Spider-Man #45, Anna Watson refuses to leave until the Ravencroft staff
releases her.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DccWTvqBQOPxjIa55RjZJ57eHZpGQOIteg2RXeKF-GOt8NBHSeHRXCjappYjgBcrj5YDjEmBjVelEv1CeIQmCcbriRKT72A4XWX-IWBywwli8l8BRZ0jE0XIBWrp_J0ANDGz67RW39KcTpOhLKBHePvI1fYXz20p74bUPC31Wpmf225ZukqQAjTI99W_/s2731/ASM%2045b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2731" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DccWTvqBQOPxjIa55RjZJ57eHZpGQOIteg2RXeKF-GOt8NBHSeHRXCjappYjgBcrj5YDjEmBjVelEv1CeIQmCcbriRKT72A4XWX-IWBywwli8l8BRZ0jE0XIBWrp_J0ANDGz67RW39KcTpOhLKBHePvI1fYXz20p74bUPC31Wpmf225ZukqQAjTI99W_/w422-h640/ASM%2045b.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Norman Osborn has led a troubled life. The businessman has
spent far more time as a villain than a hero. Peter hasn't seen Norman much
lately, as his boss sat out the Gang War to protect Oscorp. In their last
interaction, Peter fears how Norman will react to his latest proposal. It could
cost him his job and livelihood, but Peter believes it's the right thing to do.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Like leaving Aunt Anna in the Ravencroft Institute for the
Criminally Insane until the staff and the city of New York release her. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbohSSftQuuupgenO-gON4mOy6LBmIRJ1xfhRXxPex26KBEVdXaHIdpWZeZ_thyGuImtRHT0gMtbQl4pBxI-iPwNennmAIvLz-2UjFst0BsQIS4vSl5KLPy8HDcZyVFY85kd7XTe5DwN06qjKQj1e5Luq8a7jxiYhaoWDOtgxudsKMqtCd_Pb1khMcuFh7/s2765/ASM%2045e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2765" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbohSSftQuuupgenO-gON4mOy6LBmIRJ1xfhRXxPex26KBEVdXaHIdpWZeZ_thyGuImtRHT0gMtbQl4pBxI-iPwNennmAIvLz-2UjFst0BsQIS4vSl5KLPy8HDcZyVFY85kd7XTe5DwN06qjKQj1e5Luq8a7jxiYhaoWDOtgxudsKMqtCd_Pb1khMcuFh7/w416-h640/ASM%2045e.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Lights reflect off the transparent cell walls and floor,
leaving the hallway in Ravencroft’s residents’ wing awash in light. While the
blue in Spider-Man’s costume blends with the light blue ceiling, the red
webbing seems impossible for Nurse Marken to miss. Norman looks far more
interested in his food when Peter visits his office. Norman seems more remote
than before he freed Peter from the sins that turned Peter into Black
Spider-Goblin. Is it just business concerns that cloud Norman’s mind?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Marcio Menyz enhances Stormbreaker artist Carmen Carnero’s
institutional scenes with cool blues, beiges, and grays. Menyz imbues Carnero’s
realistic faces with warm skin tones. Foliage casts dappled shadows across
Spider-Man’s red and blue suit as he peers through the orange-and-yellow sky at
the Ravencroft Institute. Mary Jane’s vibrant hair and red, white, and black
Jackpot attire stand out amid the surrounding greenery as the two friends meet,
then turn away.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0lY1xMbiPKYW0GbgExklwYNyGbtFCES8CxVGDJXVZUrxG5uU3HaDRwanZ3NGY3KtxJMo5dHBfJ3nRa1YTliIMMEzIRDl8okbfK6tKRnXVHYT4aaWMUWFMjtL_Q5gWxTQwkH0ew0QGEQ9uXJ-yWPbZRLKAraSOy8VttsYH21b_VPkcCWJAlH6zb5yhm0Y/s2765/ASM%2045d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2765" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0lY1xMbiPKYW0GbgExklwYNyGbtFCES8CxVGDJXVZUrxG5uU3HaDRwanZ3NGY3KtxJMo5dHBfJ3nRa1YTliIMMEzIRDl8okbfK6tKRnXVHYT4aaWMUWFMjtL_Q5gWxTQwkH0ew0QGEQ9uXJ-yWPbZRLKAraSOy8VttsYH21b_VPkcCWJAlH6zb5yhm0Y/w416-h640/ASM%2045d.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase black lettering into white
dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. The font grows bold for inflection and
rarely shrinks. Enlarged colored letters and colored balloon borders enhance
sentences. Zeb Wells’ story doesn’t give Caramagna much license for sound
effects. Yet a crunch and resultant yowl could hint at future developments in
Amazing Spider-Man #45. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to Marvel for providing this essential chapter of Peter
Parker’s life for review.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1FOxcJj0q-Hm_MChJ-vI_8yAx1-xN5q9lbb541DkfqwBxc7OnXs7YvPnWz4OhqDD-rpd7oy9vny48nKUiFIORv9N8KnLpfGaLBX-Ti0tKvYaqzj-SC0NtIl7PKZkd4ibNXZZU_IHupi_Q2SGDaK1Z7rDBZFP5E7cF7RDuYeZICYzIo3GtnXc-l6_lkzpg/s2764/ASM%2045c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2764" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1FOxcJj0q-Hm_MChJ-vI_8yAx1-xN5q9lbb541DkfqwBxc7OnXs7YvPnWz4OhqDD-rpd7oy9vny48nKUiFIORv9N8KnLpfGaLBX-Ti0tKvYaqzj-SC0NtIl7PKZkd4ibNXZZU_IHupi_Q2SGDaK1Z7rDBZFP5E7cF7RDuYeZICYzIo3GtnXc-l6_lkzpg/w416-h640/ASM%2045c.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Former villains remind Spider-Man that no one is above the
law, Dr. Curtis Connors has something on his mind, and a new coalition threatens
to give Peter Parker nightmares in Amazing Spider-Man #45.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9.8/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/amazing-spider-man-45-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-71878881474145934012024-03-16T03:00:00.000-07:002024-03-16T03:00:00.159-07:00Red Sonja Vol. 2: Mother Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSztUYq8E0Ab_C4t3KHaFqWsi5unvvCE2RhbQFmfwZsX9Pz8Ae5Ys8kdU-XzuK1ZckxjOvFiN7YJpuiMwc59Z9KWO9SMs4mNASwCyfOOvGOI7UVp2hS2xileA9cSLPQq0D8BRELrog5mV2NO1t6EDnS7Uor_7NdC_yZ19zpCe5aQmEUCA2nrrKCK2-jhi6/s1801/Red%20Sonja%20Vol%202%20Mother.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1801" data-original-width="1157" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSztUYq8E0Ab_C4t3KHaFqWsi5unvvCE2RhbQFmfwZsX9Pz8Ae5Ys8kdU-XzuK1ZckxjOvFiN7YJpuiMwc59Z9KWO9SMs4mNASwCyfOOvGOI7UVp2hS2xileA9cSLPQq0D8BRELrog5mV2NO1t6EDnS7Uor_7NdC_yZ19zpCe5aQmEUCA2nrrKCK2-jhi6/w412-h640/Red%20Sonja%20Vol%202%20Mother.jpg" width="412" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writers: Mirka Andolfo & Luca Blengino </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Artists: Giuseppe Cafaro</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorists: Chiara Di Francia</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterers: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou & Jeff Eckleberry</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artist: Mirka Andolfo </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Dynamite</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $19.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: February 7, 2024</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Baroness Drang threw Red Sonja in her dungeon. A thief named
Kebra took Sitha under her wing. Will Kebra help Sitha rescue Red Sonja before
the Baroness executes her? Let's hack and slash into Red Sonja Vol 2: Mother
and find out! </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Baroness Drang holds her village—The Feud Of The Seven
Gallows—in a reign of terror. Her soldiers regularly arrest people for
unspecified crimes. No one survives more than seven days in her dungeon. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Kebra steals food for the children orphaned by Baroness
Drang’s cruelty. While planning the ultimate heist, Kebra chews grass and
leaves for sustenance. If Sitha helps her, Kebra promises to help Sitha rescue
Red Sonja. Can Sitha trust the thief to do as she’s promised?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The She-Devil has refused food or water for seven days in
Red Sonja Vol 2: Mother. Soldiers bring her to Baroness Drang’s Playroom. The
tyrant suggests Red Sonja accept death meekly. Yeah, like that’s going to
happen!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDs0FxDg1pviV_08a_iwzAzaGausY45X7nB-CadN_-ZaiVMfDt-RV9aVDs9xI6oyFEM54U4GCTaYaq2bggDzDo0r1cpDqgNc2zlnSyvzzbQA61fhVAzOUJeXr2cUbq40C3fG-dytuJe75KVVsv1Z0HY-jjunOdamyEA_2G6B07oQWotgSew0TEiu8jUeok/s1821/Red%20Sonja%20v2%208a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1821" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDs0FxDg1pviV_08a_iwzAzaGausY45X7nB-CadN_-ZaiVMfDt-RV9aVDs9xI6oyFEM54U4GCTaYaq2bggDzDo0r1cpDqgNc2zlnSyvzzbQA61fhVAzOUJeXr2cUbq40C3fG-dytuJe75KVVsv1Z0HY-jjunOdamyEA_2G6B07oQWotgSew0TEiu8jUeok/w422-h640/Red%20Sonja%20v2%208a.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In Red Sonja Vol 1: Mother, Setubai told Sonja and the
carpenter Samosh that the demigoddess Xamul lived inside Sitha. Fear and anger
allow Xamul to burn anyone nearby. Kebra demands Sitha use Xamul’s power to
break into Baroness Drang’s vault. But the more Sitha draws on Xamul’s power,
the more power the girl gives the god.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sitha hails from a mountain village in Kithai. No one’s
paying Red Sonja to bring Sitha home. The girl’s not asking Sonja to transport
her halfway around the world. Sitha would happily remain by the She-Devil’s
side. But Red Sonja knows what it’s like to lose a family. She won’t let Sitha
miss a chance to meet her kin.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In Red Sonja Vol 2: Mother, Sonja, and Sitha will board a
Shahpur freighter and sail across the Sea of Vilayet. Red Sonja allows Captain
Beylab to store her sword in his armory. But is Beylab more than a trader in
oil and textiles? Can Sonja and Sitha trust him to protect them on a sea where
the veil between worlds is as thin as silk?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivXA85KLXAkFqtFZDEVZLq5WbW5tkKGzxrFlz0NFtUQmJdlvozsg-QZmGz-DvrqdZC56fKXh4jyaicsjwLCzsH4N4IRbhH7SXKuutIK9b8mayI73W9bCKVc3bQ5ATim_1sCSd-nOZdhJVKFwGp1h7YqU42vUR3m2BAMIZ4YCwfCUYLxqzT8fSKEeT-nEY/s1821/Red%20Sonja%20v2%209a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1821" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivXA85KLXAkFqtFZDEVZLq5WbW5tkKGzxrFlz0NFtUQmJdlvozsg-QZmGz-DvrqdZC56fKXh4jyaicsjwLCzsH4N4IRbhH7SXKuutIK9b8mayI73W9bCKVc3bQ5ATim_1sCSd-nOZdhJVKFwGp1h7YqU42vUR3m2BAMIZ4YCwfCUYLxqzT8fSKEeT-nEY/w422-h640/Red%20Sonja%20v2%209a.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Throughout this series, Mirka Andolfo & Luca Blengino
have discussed the importance of family. While Red Sonja clings to the past,
Sitha looks forward. The girl decides who she can trust and assigns them
familial roles. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In Red Sonja Vol 2: Mother, the authors show how her father
shaped Baroness Drang’s character. Sitha declares Samosh is her father, and one
sailor becomes her uncle. After Sonja brings her home, Sitha insists that Sonja
remains her mother. Is family restricted to blood and marital relations, as
Sonja claims? Or is the term sufficiently malleable to include others? And if
so, how do we differentiate between family and friends?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgAaiyuD9VYpiH1ZpW2dgCH9UH5WHbje1i3twQHO6ESWCKTAlCE10FbbtqiwhCeKFNQHAsf5rpsMIGYGPPbg68DeTgWzWWWfBMZOMTXkZrfqdZx6W-VYT7zyc86Y5z4XEziVnvSmffrjc4wvc8p1lpImVrfzP7kYqam24ZvA4Z39I12OPo-ojD4_A6JP9y/s1821/Red%20Sonja%20v2%2010b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1821" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgAaiyuD9VYpiH1ZpW2dgCH9UH5WHbje1i3twQHO6ESWCKTAlCE10FbbtqiwhCeKFNQHAsf5rpsMIGYGPPbg68DeTgWzWWWfBMZOMTXkZrfqdZx6W-VYT7zyc86Y5z4XEziVnvSmffrjc4wvc8p1lpImVrfzP7kYqam24ZvA4Z39I12OPo-ojD4_A6JP9y/w422-h640/Red%20Sonja%20v2%2010b.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Giuseppe Cafaro’s carefree, fluid style captures the energy
of Red Sonja’s adventures. Scenes convey the natural beauty of the Hyborian
world, the mythical landscapes and creatures of the Vilayet Sea, and the
grandeur of a city perched on the slope of an active volcano. The drama never
suffers, thanks to a wealth of vibrant characters imbued with warmth and
charisma. While Red Sonja rarely lowers her guard, Sitha transforms in an
instant. Flames erupt around her, and Xamul’s personality burns in her eyes.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Chiara Di Francia fills panels with soft, appealing colors.
The She-Devil's eye-catching hair and the rivers of blood flowing through Red
Sonja Vol 2: Mother contrast with the backgrounds. Anger fills Sitha’s white
hair with red as yellow and orange surround her. Such vibrant colors energize
negative silhouettes, coloring the characters and direction lines but leaving
all else black. Blue and white speckles suggest the ethereal nature of the
Vilayet Sea.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTw0Xwn_chqEvSjHxK7NugUszD70GLDWo5bVKpKWT-yA-uiHnRZ0ITVHBcfE_4c5gNMFfdSxyM0WVMeBptt00QTEtqWI5H6mgc9I1zNbqfD__xWRj0ISThxhg7WpwEOLkd9vRan1sOFaJWYfstCvU3CV5k7Al607GRoC1XDmM7vYq_LEpuXd-o9u7pJ_RZ/s1821/Red%20Sonja%20v2%2011a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1821" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTw0Xwn_chqEvSjHxK7NugUszD70GLDWo5bVKpKWT-yA-uiHnRZ0ITVHBcfE_4c5gNMFfdSxyM0WVMeBptt00QTEtqWI5H6mgc9I1zNbqfD__xWRj0ISThxhg7WpwEOLkd9vRan1sOFaJWYfstCvU3CV5k7Al607GRoC1XDmM7vYq_LEpuXd-o9u7pJ_RZ/w422-h640/Red%20Sonja%20v2%2011a.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The large, uppercase black letters that inhabit white dialogue
balloons grow bold for inflection. Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou & Jeff
Eckleberry's energetic, colored sound effects enhance swordfights, bear
attacks, arrow strikes, falls into the deadly waters, and the awakening of an
ancient god. Yet what lingers is how Xamul’s dialogue balloons turn yellow,
orange, and red.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In addition to an extensive cover gallery in Red Sonja Vol
2: Mother, inked drawings introduce each issue in the collection. Stylized
borders and geometric imprints impart a historic feel, aided by the brown
coloring that evokes leather. Splashes of blue adorn the lower portion of each character,
while yellow lines near their heads suggest the elemental nature of Red Sonja
and Sitha’s power.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a copy for
review.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2Zs-drqONaux0IisKWiqzjJzei2gGQJnxLMYEdbZCwmT04kRUwI2XuzK_Hk1HmHRjt83xRjY3dflFedbnkXoUOxSYMeyTCyVO4orNDohnWXX2FoB87U8FkZbtpRkAGBF6ZDx89RYBES4OXTBJfuBxgek3zMX5EiS5GzgULSXDax8NkJ7Cmahku6Sk0vc/s1821/Red%20Sonja%20v2%2012b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1821" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2Zs-drqONaux0IisKWiqzjJzei2gGQJnxLMYEdbZCwmT04kRUwI2XuzK_Hk1HmHRjt83xRjY3dflFedbnkXoUOxSYMeyTCyVO4orNDohnWXX2FoB87U8FkZbtpRkAGBF6ZDx89RYBES4OXTBJfuBxgek3zMX5EiS5GzgULSXDax8NkJ7Cmahku6Sk0vc/w422-h640/Red%20Sonja%20v2%2012b.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As they battle mad magical monarchs, meet savage sailors,
get carried away by winged wonders, and discover a city of women, Red Sonja and
Sitha explore the boundaries of family and how it confuses, distorts, and
enriches us in Red Sonja Vol. 2. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9.2/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">For more cover art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/red-sonja-vol-2-mother-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1b1GFYWd_PNq55iGyMihwfUaZHEAHAIXFSoZmIV-EO2p5lmUABJW5ygrWtvYUC2nH-PQduI_lFZOZnoaHoXyhazv3vsOy9gVXtzqbkZ2_dS-qO3DyKGandZ0tY2EcQaGpmNY5rasXHIkG05tYzat04i8840joO7oDZmOh4ttrbQNMvRBpEZFfVArXe9Y_/s1821/Red%20Sonja%20v1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1821" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1b1GFYWd_PNq55iGyMihwfUaZHEAHAIXFSoZmIV-EO2p5lmUABJW5ygrWtvYUC2nH-PQduI_lFZOZnoaHoXyhazv3vsOy9gVXtzqbkZ2_dS-qO3DyKGandZ0tY2EcQaGpmNY5rasXHIkG05tYzat04i8840joO7oDZmOh4ttrbQNMvRBpEZFfVArXe9Y_/w422-h640/Red%20Sonja%20v1.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you missed my review of the first volume, or wish to refresh your memories of Sitha's early adventures with Red Sonja? Read <a href="http://dragoncache.blogspot.com/2023/08/red-sonja-vol-1-mother-review.html" target="_blank">my review of Red Sonja Vol. 1: Mother</a>.<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p><style><font size="4"><span style="font-family: arial;">@font-face
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-74526212807940889922024-03-15T03:00:00.000-07:002024-03-15T03:00:00.166-07:00Give Me Shelter Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMKPiKKZe6iRijmlHtyxa76ChC7epqNKZPYXnHJw8G1uCFYRWuBsIVx0Gf6JJUA4a4J3INlWaOU6QPwt2G3JhqMWrVud8PGlv_ty-ZSIemLrpvNAtGWXWiAX8qmHu5UW8DeIJdZwecbsq_0UeIBX43YjcR9wb6mkBJB9GRZZHL_H6kBiHeM6eFz9OJ48x/s1090/Screenshot%202024-03-13%20at%202.41.12%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1090" data-original-width="838" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMKPiKKZe6iRijmlHtyxa76ChC7epqNKZPYXnHJw8G1uCFYRWuBsIVx0Gf6JJUA4a4J3INlWaOU6QPwt2G3JhqMWrVud8PGlv_ty-ZSIemLrpvNAtGWXWiAX8qmHu5UW8DeIJdZwecbsq_0UeIBX43YjcR9wb6mkBJB9GRZZHL_H6kBiHeM6eFz9OJ48x/w308-h400/Screenshot%202024-03-13%20at%202.41.12%20PM.png" width="308" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: David B. Seaburn</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Black Rose Writing</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Paperback: $19.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Kindle Unlimited: Free </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: December 15, 2022</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In his novel Give Me Shelter, David B. Seaburn whisks
readers back to 1962. As air raid sirens rock Ellwood City, Pennsylvania,
eleven-year-old Willie cowers behind the couch, clutching his dog Smoochy.
Fears that the Cuban Missile Crisis will fan the flames of war incapacitate the
boy. Perhaps he wouldn't suffer panic attacks if his parents still lived or his
brother Denny hadn't gone to college. But then, Willie is hardly alone in his
fears of nuclear war. His neighbor, Robert Ashwood, has followed the advice in
government pamphlets and dug a pit in his backyard. Once his bomb shelter is
complete, Robert can fill it with his stockpiled supplies and wait for
radiation from any blasts to subside before returning to the surface. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Willie doesn’t remember how his parents died. His
grandfather Hal never speaks of it. After their death, Hal traded his job at
the car dealership for a custodial position at school to be closer to Willie
and his older brother. But now Denny is off at college, overcoming his shyness
around girls, leaving their house quiet in the evenings, as losing their
daughter brought his wife to an early death. Most nights after supper, Willie
does his homework, and Hal drinks beer while watching cartoons, the news, and his
favorite TV show, "The Twilight Zone."</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Everyone struggles to hide a secret pain in Give Me Shelter.
Willie's friend Lucy dreads the periods between her mother's jobs, believing
she's why Trish can never hold a job. Willie and Lucy's friend Preston looks
forward to his father returning from military service, not realizing how the
stresses of war afflict him. Robert Ashwood's painful upbringing led him to
overeat. At least Denny seems capable of coping with college life, even if he struggles
to leap the academic gulf. But then a girlfriend enters his life, and the
difficulties she faces each day soon complicate their relationship.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">David B. Seaburn marches his characters down a difficult
road. In doing so, he risks creating a meltdown into a soap opera. Yet, as
Seaburn gradually reveals aspects of the characters’ repressed past, their
intersecting lives help them to find a way forward and help each other heal.
Give Me Shelter reminds us of the dangers of giving into fear, the power of
uniqueness, and the importance of treating others—and ourselves—with dignity
and respect. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to Black Rose Writing for providing a copy for
review.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Give Me Shelter is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Give-Me-Shelter-David-Seaburn/dp/1685130844" target="_blank">available at Amazon.com</a> <br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-32603635791722925792024-03-14T03:00:00.000-07:002024-03-14T03:00:00.146-07:00The Spectacular Spider-Men #1 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAEPDRiD3i8SAKTmU7R_ZUj1g6WFQzGOYp_8c4hHXpueCvbzrwA5sOec60b12krG6Bnm4dsglxyIWnVB1G0KjDBydqHBblyyjVWSrNjeU03AgoiIvyxwIWnuZavj5QhmIIHmT1wAp5jYMfNLQ7FJUbH1F6UzB-hYIhcLVInYSKmuYp0P9ILGOCMb0_emd/s450/Spectacular%20SM%201a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAEPDRiD3i8SAKTmU7R_ZUj1g6WFQzGOYp_8c4hHXpueCvbzrwA5sOec60b12krG6Bnm4dsglxyIWnVB1G0KjDBydqHBblyyjVWSrNjeU03AgoiIvyxwIWnuZavj5QhmIIHmT1wAp5jYMfNLQ7FJUbH1F6UzB-hYIhcLVInYSKmuYp0P9ILGOCMb0_emd/w420-h640/Spectacular%20SM%201a.jpg" width="420" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: Greg Weisman</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Penciler: Humberto Ramos</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Inker: Victor Olazaba </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: Edgar Delgado</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Joe Caramagna</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: Sean Galloway; David Marquez & Romulo Jr.
[Foil]; David Nakayama; Todd Nauck & Rachelle Rosenberg [Homage]; Dike Ruan
& Marte Gracia</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Marvel</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $4.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: March 6, 2024 </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">New York’s Gang War brought the spectacular Spider-Men
together. Miles Morales signaled he’d like to spend quality time with Peter
Parker. What happens when Manhattan and Brooklyn’s webslingers gather for
coffee? Let’s grab our lattes, thwip into The Spectacular Spider-Men #1, and
find out!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miles Morales is in therapy. Queen Goblin and Kraven the
Hunter revealed Peter Parker’s anger, and the Jackal probed his fears. So when
times get tough, New York’s Spider-Men stick together! </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCHI81Lnhk17WRBRhiqLQWxnj6HUAIPAAA3kB2i7nbtPL-jLwiftDsmGm7e6_0pcRRlowIjeXL3iQ-NqmElHrQk-j9iwXI14G-UmcDWFxRc1UuLEpnJ4H_Rorroh6lRUY6kzMlnqVk6_0lTgRthYnZMZ6aAgLZ3vHaoqB4VbB0XDE8njEY1EpY3BVUynw4/s2126/Spectacular%20SM%201b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2126" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCHI81Lnhk17WRBRhiqLQWxnj6HUAIPAAA3kB2i7nbtPL-jLwiftDsmGm7e6_0pcRRlowIjeXL3iQ-NqmElHrQk-j9iwXI14G-UmcDWFxRc1UuLEpnJ4H_Rorroh6lRUY6kzMlnqVk6_0lTgRthYnZMZ6aAgLZ3vHaoqB4VbB0XDE8njEY1EpY3BVUynw4/w422-h640/Spectacular%20SM%201b.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In the Spectacular Spider-Men #1, a man risks Contempt Of Court
for refusing to tell the truth. Singers perform a heartrending opera. Two
people profess their love in Venice, unmenaced by a crazed Water Elemental. While
teasing us with these introductions, Greg Weisman gives us a hulked-out
smashfest. Or should I say, a Jackal-Hulk Smashfest?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Past and present alternate as Peter and Miles break the ice.
Laying the framework for a new relationship takes time, especially between two
men who have suffered as much trauma as Peter and Miles. The Spectacular
Spider-Men #1 gives the webslingers three months to do this. What links Peter
and Miles’ meetups at an Empire State University coffee shop with their
Jackal-Hulk battle is Dr. Seymour Krepps' discovery. The Jackal's brother,
Raymond Aaron Warren, stops by to help. And then there are the leaflets tacked
up across campus, offering money to beta testers. University students always
need pocket change. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlUka87fZi5LtmPke_i7dO9kU56aovOTjaYAIlyXPj73madEc5N6GK2Tur9BPZecf_6tawUkcaSgdbuBE-Sd7Qc6IEA6Rt672P4cKuwZTzpH7Zpf845lfRi4njs5YFolSQhBzXp8V9jVGLGPKLxHuIaFGtIIbuEALd3KhJmK5Tg-E-K3xoLLcVAaoH0oE/s2164/Spectacular%20SM%201c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2164" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlUka87fZi5LtmPke_i7dO9kU56aovOTjaYAIlyXPj73madEc5N6GK2Tur9BPZecf_6tawUkcaSgdbuBE-Sd7Qc6IEA6Rt672P4cKuwZTzpH7Zpf845lfRi4njs5YFolSQhBzXp8V9jVGLGPKLxHuIaFGtIIbuEALd3KhJmK5Tg-E-K3xoLLcVAaoH0oE/w414-h640/Spectacular%20SM%201c.jpg" width="414" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">After seeing Peter and Miles combat Crime Lords, A.I.M.
soldiers, Cape Killers, D-Listers, and Z-Listers, it's great to see the two webslingers
struggle to subdue such a wild and unrestrained monster. Spider-fans will enjoy
seeing Peter and Miles lower their guard and find common ground. Beyond the
teasers, relationship dynamics, and the rampaging Jackal-Hulk, the mystery
behind the Jackal-Hulk's creation and the discovery of a body in the laboratory
promises more Arachnobatic action in the next issue!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEswmncIKrFWwhksOWo9U_6-Qyv6zA40FIbDDFSvlWjnhwx1dtQ6HyVUZ4sCcSPhtS4audx04wWHh8ArrqUOHiIRNncLpCTIOHAJuBabgmhBssb9GeaQ8U5SZKeuPMCgSL5VerIOCkEoyDBa_ceFlcQKcJgesKkz2t4LV_oL0VRglB50kNqWYz2L-mPj1/s1574/Spectacular%20SM%201d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1574" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEswmncIKrFWwhksOWo9U_6-Qyv6zA40FIbDDFSvlWjnhwx1dtQ6HyVUZ4sCcSPhtS4audx04wWHh8ArrqUOHiIRNncLpCTIOHAJuBabgmhBssb9GeaQ8U5SZKeuPMCgSL5VerIOCkEoyDBa_ceFlcQKcJgesKkz2t4LV_oL0VRglB50kNqWYz2L-mPj1/w416-h640/Spectacular%20SM%201d.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Humberto Ramos and Victor Olazaba portray Peter and Miles
with Arachnobatic flair. The spectacular Spider-Men twist and turn with muscles
as strong, supple, and balanced as the opera singers' voices. The Jackal-Hulk
roars like a green King Kong as it claws and pounds the spider-men, smashes
signs, and crashes through walls. Panels stretch across pages, imbuing battles
with cinematic appeal, while Miles saves Peter from becoming Jackal-Hulk’s
plaything. Puny Spider-Men!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOeUxE-EMFQjmZTjLkqU_hXHbPHAXmE3Z6fCKpX77pqvXorrqaQ8A6dBMStRRzxOR7VcMbJqqkP6ybc1gJrcQEWVJl0cx13JMKB6gBr38rey12wwmWudeuCcE1-483ROEG5FQ83naUOyPdCjHM7OCUnUameHBVF5pOe32fn9_OBU0yWept1G1qbqmdYk3/s2218/Spectacular%20SM%201e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2218" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOeUxE-EMFQjmZTjLkqU_hXHbPHAXmE3Z6fCKpX77pqvXorrqaQ8A6dBMStRRzxOR7VcMbJqqkP6ybc1gJrcQEWVJl0cx13JMKB6gBr38rey12wwmWudeuCcE1-483ROEG5FQ83naUOyPdCjHM7OCUnUameHBVF5pOe32fn9_OBU0yWept1G1qbqmdYk3/w404-h640/Spectacular%20SM%201e.jpg" width="404" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Edgar Delgado lavishes a loaded palette on Ramos and
Olazaba’s whimsical coffee shop scenes. The light streaming through the coffee
shop windows highlights and shades Peter's interactions with Miles,
acquaintances, and laid-back, loveable Kenny. Crosshatching adds aging to
Delgado's brown courtroom walls, while the waxed floor resembles glass. Orange,
pink, and yellow fill the sky as a woman prepares to board a gondola in Venice.
Street lamps glow beneath dark gray clouds at E.S.U. Yet Peter, Miles, and the
Jackal-Hulk remain visible on this fraught night in The Spectacular Spider-Men
#1. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_kIpzHLrNXHH92aeCWrG3o_-vU0L2v3hDJ9tShAReCaeOv65z2FkEzVJXKkFH56s1zpKZRKkplD1BvpVMpOARDm-IOq7by7Tkrcpd6l97KFy_G76IFLr5gkDQupgKip-iqDtYrT820XFNb8m0b5ttfQZvSihC7CaiDXANCaw7I6GYYBCbpfLffoS_4Bgf/s450/Spectacular%201f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="294" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_kIpzHLrNXHH92aeCWrG3o_-vU0L2v3hDJ9tShAReCaeOv65z2FkEzVJXKkFH56s1zpKZRKkplD1BvpVMpOARDm-IOq7by7Tkrcpd6l97KFy_G76IFLr5gkDQupgKip-iqDtYrT820XFNb8m0b5ttfQZvSihC7CaiDXANCaw7I6GYYBCbpfLffoS_4Bgf/w418-h640/Spectacular%201f.jpg" width="418" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Joe Caramagna thwips black, uppercase letters into white
dialogue balloons with adequate spacing between lines of text. The appealing
font is Spiderifically sized and sufficiently Arachnobatic that shrinkage
proves rare. Large-size music notes accompany the lyrics floating across the
stage. Colorful roars escape Jackal-Hulk’s T-Rex teeth, permeating his tirades,
undaunted by the red, white, and blue Thwips produced by his spider-men
adversaries. While early enlarged red words reveal Peter’s frustration, later
ones reveal his joy.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiaL26KHuO8kGwEHxk93GlFb3mfVkZqh9BVTA8ldvzitr2orw4crMH_1qeKk0F2E7p9bgzL8K0wlPOaIlBpulvFZY9-MWW1TBZKjsvDU-w6UfYyOltphlkNgwNLV7YM9Teo6AhpbGhav4HQ2_05tfbC8KcmdCpzevuh1NJUja5vVBHPk5BoD_Y7prvMBFI/s450/Spectacular%201g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="292" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiaL26KHuO8kGwEHxk93GlFb3mfVkZqh9BVTA8ldvzitr2orw4crMH_1qeKk0F2E7p9bgzL8K0wlPOaIlBpulvFZY9-MWW1TBZKjsvDU-w6UfYyOltphlkNgwNLV7YM9Teo6AhpbGhav4HQ2_05tfbC8KcmdCpzevuh1NJUja5vVBHPk5BoD_Y7prvMBFI/w416-h640/Spectacular%201g.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Spectacular Spider-Men #1 honors webslinger history as Peter
Parker and Miles Morales explore the age gap, find common ground, discover
acquaintances old and new, and uncover the Jackal’s legacy at Empire State
University.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9.6/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/the-spectacular-spider-men-1-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-53776041561899788752024-03-13T03:00:00.000-07:002024-03-13T03:00:00.243-07:00The Last Mermaid #1 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4x3aMnf82689MPEU-30LZBg_AuGZPjMtKecb5Hr6HHtZhCP8ded4Xv8aSFt2MgXAeg5aKxyGkJLhb08Nx0NaB6SdKkD-QHzR-S2FAivTdEt0POF-WDycrModoww5NirG-0rhCRI1hsDbszErnab6we9aLNH5_EPdFjPviA3Kz3TqZgBSe3WkKlaNJZkAC/s1800/The%20Last%20Mermaid%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1564" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4x3aMnf82689MPEU-30LZBg_AuGZPjMtKecb5Hr6HHtZhCP8ded4Xv8aSFt2MgXAeg5aKxyGkJLhb08Nx0NaB6SdKkD-QHzR-S2FAivTdEt0POF-WDycrModoww5NirG-0rhCRI1hsDbszErnab6we9aLNH5_EPdFjPviA3Kz3TqZgBSe3WkKlaNJZkAC/w348-h400/The%20Last%20Mermaid%201.jpg" width="348" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer, Artist, Colorist, Letterer & Cover Artist: Derek
Kirk Kim </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Image</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $3.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: March 13, 2024</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The wind howls across the dunes, uncovering a vehicle in the
sand. Beyond rises the ruins of the Golden Gate Bridge. Inside the car’s glass
dome, a young woman lays curled up on her side. Bubbles escape her mouth. What
is her story? Let’s dive into The Last Mermaid #1 and find out! </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Amber light colors the cloudy skies. Dunes cover the
straight that once connected San Francisco Bay with the Pacific Ocean. Yet
water fills the vehicle’s transparent cockpit. Wherever the woman hails from,
it’s not here.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A salamander named Lottie awakens her. An instrument
indicates rising water toxicity. After sleeping through the sandstorm, the
woman struggles to get her bearings in The Last Mermaid #1. She knows she must change
the water in the cockpit soon. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">She revs the engine. The wheels spin. Still, the dune holds the
vehicle fast. So she rises in the cockpit, and the rover follows suit. It
stands on its legs and sprouts its arms. Now, in her walker, she can leap clear
of the dune. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In The Last Mermaid #1, Derek Kirk Kim introduces us to an
explorer. She travels to an abandoned or sparsely settled land. The outside
environment is toxic to her. Yet her rover cannot sustain life much longer.
Haunted by the urgency of her situation, we watch rapt as the unnamed woman
searches for fresh water. We wonder where she comes from, why she is here, and
hope that despite the odds against her, she will survive.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Aside from the broken and tilted bridge, no sign of human civilization
rises above the dunes. The woman’s innocent features mirror her pet’s childlike
expression. Dark hair frames her face, and her lower body sports a tail. As her
eyes open, close, and reopen, the digital water toxicity readout rises from 86%
to 87%. As she sits up, her dark hair wafts off her shoulders. Bubbles rise
from the gills in her neck.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Light pierces the thick tangerine sky and bathes objects in
yellow. Rust turns the brown metal and concrete bridge red. The cockpit’s
interior ranges from light to dark green. The yellow light illuminates the
woman, tinting her skin light blue. In the immersive and compelling reality of
The Last Mermaid #1, scenes reveal character and convey grandeur.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Uppercase black letters float in white dialogue balloons. An
alarm scatters Beeps across panels. Lottie nibbles our explorer's face. Big
letters rise, crest, and fall as the engine roars and the wheels spin. A white
oval and a large Bump suggest the salamander's hunger to travel.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A mermaid and her pet roam a world that once belonged to us
in The Last Mermaid #1. As they hunt for the water they need to survive, a
cloaked figure without a face follows their progress in this mesmerizing and
atmospheric debut.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 8.6/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/the-last-mermaid-1-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-10910404764857550962024-03-12T03:00:00.000-07:002024-03-12T03:00:00.142-07:00Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #11 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFvP25LI1m2dXjtxJRTPRWMl0l20mX5kq1aWHaJzWCGPl3c-d1pcbqzcYojLkgpNz8dj9g50xmYRC7M3U-MEqxpmY3XCs8XMuRG-QYp9j7MsnOixWnxCFwejiAguJXWgUub2qxs_82-opLhEXNBlVO_tWcQDU4k5MHFVoKT7U_8oIyJeTQf7d_nd51bpD/s1800/TMNT%20SMA%2011a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1186" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFvP25LI1m2dXjtxJRTPRWMl0l20mX5kq1aWHaJzWCGPl3c-d1pcbqzcYojLkgpNz8dj9g50xmYRC7M3U-MEqxpmY3XCs8XMuRG-QYp9j7MsnOixWnxCFwejiAguJXWgUub2qxs_82-opLhEXNBlVO_tWcQDU4k5MHFVoKT7U_8oIyJeTQf7d_nd51bpD/w422-h640/TMNT%20SMA%2011a.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: Erik Burnham</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Artist: Dan Schoening</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: Luis Antonio Delgado</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Ed Dukeshire</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: Dan Schoening & Luis Antonio Delgado; Jack
Lawrence & Gigi Dutreix</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: IDW</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $3.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: March 6, 2024 </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When Leonardo shattered the replica of the Forever Blade, he
and Shredder landed in feudal Japan. Shredder used Eddiku Yuri’s original sword
to travel Back To The Future. Time-traveling Renet helped Donatello open a
dimensional portal to get Leonardo home. Can Donatello use the replica’s fragments
to track the energy signature of Shredder’s original? Let's order a pizza, tune
into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #11, and find
out!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The artist Kai Eddiku used alien ore to forge his replica
sword. Donatello tracks the ore in Eddiku Yuri's original sword and determines
Shredder’s general vicinity. But until Shredder opens another dimensional
portal, Donatello can't pinpoint his location. Thankfully for Donatello,
Shredder opens a doozy to bring a new Technodrome from Dimension X. How will
the turtles reach him before Shredder uses the battle fortress to unleash
destruction on Earth? Say, might Michelangelo have the answer?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The final story in The Two Swords Meet trilogy brings the
turtles to Long Island. It’s a gobstopper of a read, flavored with furious
action and witty banter as the turtles battle to prevent Armageddon. Better
yet, Erik Burnham gives each character a significant task that propels the plot
to its epic conclusion. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures
#11, Raphael is our viewpoint character, translating Donatello's technobabble
and encouraging out-of-the-box thinking. Hard work and determination bring the
turtles to the fight. From there, they've got to work together to prevent
Shredder from accomplishing his plans. Michelangelo's wacky brilliance
demonstrates the pluses and perils of playing with power irresponsibly, and
Leonardo reminds us why he's the leader of the “Heroes in a Half Shell.”</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Renet’s role in the trilogy approximates that of the White
Guardian in the Doctor Who series The Key to Time. Expect a few cameos,
including one from another popular IDW franchise. But don’t be like Bebop and
Rocksteady. Bring snacks as you ponder the paradoxes in Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #11!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb7mUJEAbFHUloKKc9K3iZsDNabihP3zjSgsomGU2qzNJ3MNcNeGErKJl4y_RLTYrFwHnTTtKKGXZ2Nvtd5-ZKaybKBaUfTFT-gUb97RX20aw2U-7K2N9-1ZUpA1rUUkBk3zaoCkyrcvJ-6EiGTHKtpL79yzLISkkpXxdiaGqJn6FOvIkp37223VIHeF0X/s1800/TMNT%20SMA%2011b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1186" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb7mUJEAbFHUloKKc9K3iZsDNabihP3zjSgsomGU2qzNJ3MNcNeGErKJl4y_RLTYrFwHnTTtKKGXZ2Nvtd5-ZKaybKBaUfTFT-gUb97RX20aw2U-7K2N9-1ZUpA1rUUkBk3zaoCkyrcvJ-6EiGTHKtpL79yzLISkkpXxdiaGqJn6FOvIkp37223VIHeF0X/w422-h640/TMNT%20SMA%2011b.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dan Schoening welcomes readers into Donatello’s underground
laboratory with perplexed turtles and a sad emoji. Krang’s classic lowrider
adds a touch of class to a barren plot in Long Island. As Shredder raises his
sword and opens a transdimensional portal, his cape lifts to embrace the
spherical Technodrome. Bebop and Rocksteady's mouths gape while Krang smiles as
his long-desired Battle Fortress emerges from the angry void that slowly
devours the sky.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Luis Antonio Delgado contrasts Shredder’s blue portal with
Leonardo’s yellow one. Fern green bushes, brown dirt, and an aqua sky form the
backdrop for Eric Burnham's "The Two Swords Meet" story. Shredder
slashes the Forever Blade and fills Long Island with colorful Foot Soldiers and
white robots. Delgado colors Shoening’s Deathstar-like Technodrome in shades of
purple. Its centerpiece—a glowing red eye—evokes a villain from another popular
film series.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ed Dukeshire’s uppercase black letters in white dialogue
balloons are a sight for sore mutant-lovers' eyes. Energetic and colorful sound
effects help us hear Donatello's devices, Raphael skewer Foot Soldiers, and
Leonardo delivers his master stroke. Immense silver letters herald the entry of
Renet’s Little Weirdness. Let’s hope the surprise guests stick around longer
than she estimates, at least until the next issue!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to my compadres at IDW for providing a copy of this cowabunga
issue for review.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Turtles must use all their strengths to prevent the
Technodrome from striking back in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday
Morning Adventures #11.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9.8/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-saturday-morning-adventures-11-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-61115660463606687742024-03-11T03:00:00.000-07:002024-03-11T03:00:00.248-07:00Miles Morales: Spider-Man #17 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiW0HOxmgVTgmb1bR5utxiabsfr6wGFvsVUQ5jm8S87Io4QidXK7dM6joAUaprErlJy60FeyXwGtPThZlO3Zy9MxkrcHVgsU8tNee_cKDyy_IOzKDl4m687bv8XG6RLx4yzo1R-ChLj9c2p0oogpAQIzp7-bWemqLeAZVgTH-ZTfgNuDV2qbqxzJXU1dMe/s1800/Miles%20Morales%20SM%2017a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1185" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiW0HOxmgVTgmb1bR5utxiabsfr6wGFvsVUQ5jm8S87Io4QidXK7dM6joAUaprErlJy60FeyXwGtPThZlO3Zy9MxkrcHVgsU8tNee_cKDyy_IOzKDl4m687bv8XG6RLx4yzo1R-ChLj9c2p0oogpAQIzp7-bWemqLeAZVgTH-ZTfgNuDV2qbqxzJXU1dMe/w422-h640/Miles%20Morales%20SM%2017a.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: Cody Ziglar</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Artists: Partha Pratim & Federico Vicentini </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: Bryan Valenza</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Cory Petit</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Richard Isanove; Ario
Anindito; Mateus Manhanini</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Marvel</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $3.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: February 28, 2023</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Despite Hobgoblin’s help, Rabble still struggles to talk to
machines. She scavenged technology from A.I.M. and Beyond but can't repair what
Spider-Man broke. Can the talented weapon designer find the key to restoring
her powers?<span> </span>Let's ignite our
venom-sabers, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #17, and find out!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rabble invades her next target: Roxxon Tech Depot #32-B.
Searching the company’s records alerts Security to her presence, and they send
guards to apprehend her. If only Rabble's ability to talk to tech wasn't so
wonky! </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Shift and Ms Marvel help Miles fight the new D-Lister Zip
Zephyr. The Olympian revels in his ability to channel wind. Unlike Gust, Zip
has yet to comprehend the consequences of his actions. The Gang War prompted
New York citizens to overturn Fisk's Anti-Vigilante Law. Don't expect the
blowhard baddie to repay the city by joining Agent Gao’s Cape Killers.<span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Benjamin Rabin killed Miles’ friend, Ms. Marvel. Rabble destroyed
Miles' home and threatened his family. After two Body-Shaming remarks about
Shift in two issues, Miles and Ms Marvel work to boost Shift's ego. Helping
others with their mental health reminds Miles he's late for his therapy
session. So it's time to thwip the friendly skies in Miles Morales: Spider-Man
#17.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Gang War cost Agent Gao her job. The voters spoke, and
superhero Mayor Cage can do what he wants. Agent Gao knows that for every
superpowered individual who tries to help others, a dozen like Zip Zephyr revel
in their power and seek to better their own lives at the expense of others. She
deployed superpowered people in a supervised and responsible manner with her
Cape Killers crew. Don't expect Agent Gao to accept being seconded to Vice
quietly in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #17.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The biggest story in this issue is Miles' ongoing battle
with stress. Trauma affects our psyche in countless ways, and Dr Kwan reminds
Miles that there are no cures for mental health. At least this time Miles
patrols the city while sharing his concerns instead of hiding in Misty's
headquarters. Managing his stress and priorities gives Miles an idea. His plan
may be unrealistic, as Starling points out. Still, Miles is an optimist. If he
can help another soul in torment, Miles is going to try!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ar2eMI7SE3FdtHSKgMxVoDyg73WZmzg_Uq6BqVbqm50R9nbZOiiv6qqqsboXyCyv5OJdLU0OUkeRYvxJLni_55yetxBh_mjFPfES_aHoUOTtidsH1Da_tz9Mkb_G8qtoyMLgJ-sMvlD0P-aMJ7l3Mmtgt4UHMt_UlF1hNOopUnO_6tVAOB3U_X-OW5vz/s450/Miles%20Morales%20SM%2017b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="294" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ar2eMI7SE3FdtHSKgMxVoDyg73WZmzg_Uq6BqVbqm50R9nbZOiiv6qqqsboXyCyv5OJdLU0OUkeRYvxJLni_55yetxBh_mjFPfES_aHoUOTtidsH1Da_tz9Mkb_G8qtoyMLgJ-sMvlD0P-aMJ7l3Mmtgt4UHMt_UlF1hNOopUnO_6tVAOB3U_X-OW5vz/w418-h640/Miles%20Morales%20SM%2017b.jpg" width="418" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Electricity crackles around masked Rabble as she swoops
through the Roxxon Tech Depot on her glider. Bullet casings fly as fire
blossoms from rifles. Energy swords slash. Blood sprays. Lights glow from the
silhouette of her weaponized exoskeleton. Clouds frame Rabble's return to the
sky, her drones in close pursuit.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Partha Pratim & Federico Vicentini’s loosely drawn
double-page spreads feature sharp angles and convey movement. Zip Zephyr's windy
backpack hurls a car into the air. Miles thwips webs at the Olympian that evoke
throwing stars. Shift may not ace Ms Marvel's exercises. Still, her joy shows
as her enormous fist raps against that of Miles’ clone in Miles Morales:
Spider-Man #17. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bright foregrounds dazzle while backgrounds fade. The sky
outside compliments the shoulders of Agent Gao’s white jacket, shirt, and
slacks. The distant light-yellow skyscrapers compliment Luke Cage's shirt, a
reminder of who rules this city. Dr Kwan’s blue and yellow clothes suggest
that, like Luke Cage, she’s more concerned with effectiveness than adhering
rigidly to a rulebook. Curiously, Brian Valenza casts Miles’ memory of Rabble
in yellow. To what extent did Fisk’s law propel Raneem Rashad down her dark path?
</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cory Petit thwips uppercase black letters into white
dialogue balloons in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #17. The large, thin font grows
bold for inflection and turns lavender during Rabble’s tetchy Tech Talks.
Miles' thoughts appear as white letters in red narrative boxes. Roaring rifles
and swishing swords accompany Rabble’s ruckus in Roxxon. Displaced air and
brutal takedowns remind upstart Olympians that New York City is not their
playground. Shift and Ms Marvel's fist bump likely pumps up Miles. Isn’t it great
when your friends get along?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7v3CBdkJANJD3IuO6aj80z-x8-t9AYd7luD-2MyWvfMZwmljP8UqDFM3MJvTDNVSOlA_hHOf-ooq-u6lIp4t_O-iO5iZ2agOwhVU2BD8slDoacQJa1LR2QgyCcmbphuJOcISJYMmOV35k5sfRJGuPcwjDAVUsVfeY0cPzHokpTpWUron40u-mm7JWzfoB/s1800/Miles%20Morales%2017c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1171" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7v3CBdkJANJD3IuO6aj80z-x8-t9AYd7luD-2MyWvfMZwmljP8UqDFM3MJvTDNVSOlA_hHOf-ooq-u6lIp4t_O-iO5iZ2agOwhVU2BD8slDoacQJa1LR2QgyCcmbphuJOcISJYMmOV35k5sfRJGuPcwjDAVUsVfeY0cPzHokpTpWUron40u-mm7JWzfoB/w416-h640/Miles%20Morales%2017c.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Heroes decide to convert a supervillain, and a public
servant decides the ends justify the means in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #17.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9.2/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/miles-morales-spider-man-17-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
<p><style><font size="4"><span style="font-family: arial;">@font-face
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-49830916750318096072024-03-10T03:00:00.000-07:002024-03-10T03:00:00.249-07:00Space Usagi: Death And Honor #3 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMUZrPuWqnpFOANlfSzY8MVWlUzhm5RdPtE-NM6iK7UlCq_XHUtgOqqto5SUf18dmkCujeu6a3rMHSnKwEkNKmOuVegYgD90LQ3Sk2xRmdt6lSynRyBcTPNvro4h3uLBN5HNYubGBjYT2cxYtjnSML8NsCVoUieH0wguVGgc0UW-7UFEJ5mh0kKPqHQNEH/s1800/Space%20Usagi%203a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1171" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMUZrPuWqnpFOANlfSzY8MVWlUzhm5RdPtE-NM6iK7UlCq_XHUtgOqqto5SUf18dmkCujeu6a3rMHSnKwEkNKmOuVegYgD90LQ3Sk2xRmdt6lSynRyBcTPNvro4h3uLBN5HNYubGBjYT2cxYtjnSML8NsCVoUieH0wguVGgc0UW-7UFEJ5mh0kKPqHQNEH/w416-h640/Space%20Usagi%203a.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer, Artist & Letterer: Stan Sakai</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: Emi Fujii</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: Sweeny Boo & Jennifer L. Meyer</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Dark Horse Comics</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $4.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: February 21, 2023</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Alert! Lord Matabe’s dreadnaught, the Kameyama, has arrived!
How will the lord who betrayed the Shirohoshi Clan to the Kajitori Empire treat
Commander Usagi, Prince Kiyoshi, Princess Masayo, Minister Hodo, and Masayo’s
servant Katsuko? Let's grab our katanas, leap into Space Usagi: Death And Honor
#3, and find out!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A shuttle leaves the dreadnaught. The smaller craft releases
something. Could a bomb penetrate the camp's forcefields? “It’s a person!”
Minister Hodo shouts. The quintet runs toward the falling body. Prince Kiyoshi
cradles Jiro in his arms. With his dying breaths, his father's servant tells
Kiyoshi that Lord Hideaki is dead. But he must beware: Lord Matabe knows
Kiyoshi holds the keys to Shirohoshi Clan’s power.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Prince Kiyoshi despairs. Admiral Niiro of the Kajitori
Empire holds Shirohoshi Castle. His father and Jiro are dead. Shirohoshi Clan
is no more! In Space Usagi: Death & Honor #3, the young prince faces a
difficult decision. His father negotiated a political marriage to cement an
alliance between the Shirohoshi Clan and the Mino Clan. Princess Masayo is much
older than him. Should Kiyoshi honor his father's wishes or follow his heart?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Lord Matabe arrives in his shuttle. He brings sufficient
samurai to capture Prince Kiyoshi. But Lord Hideaki committed suicide after
Matabe captured him, and Prince Kiyoshi can only provide access to the clan's
treasury and strategic battle information if he's alive. Matabe’s plan should
cement his place of honor within the Kajitori Empire. But Usagi’s success
rankles. To regain Admiral Niiro’s esteem and ensure his future, Matabe must
control his jealousy and rage.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Commander Usagi dislikes Lord Matabe’s offer. Even if he
could trust Matabe to leave them unharmed if he wins their duel, Usagi fights
at a disadvantage. He brought ceremonial armor, while Lord Matabe wore superior
battle armor. Yet what choice does he have? Usagi promised Lord Hideaki he
would serve Prince Kiyoshi all his life. But if Usagi wins this duel and helps
Kiyoshi become the lord of Shirohoshi Clan, Usagi will watch Princess Masayo—the
woman he is attracted to—marry the prince.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In Space Usagi: Death & Honor #3, Prince Kiyoshi, Lord
Matabe, and Commander Usagi will be tested. Princess Masayo and her servant
Katsuko will demonstrate their wisdom. Subterfuge and fate will also play their
hands in deciding the future of Shirohoshi Clan.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Commander Usagi runs toward the Mino Clan shuttle when the
giant turtle appears in the sky. A tokage, one of the small dinosaurs that
Prince Kiyoshi adores, runs alongside. Princess Masayo welcomes him with a
blaster. But she pulls it back and smiles for Usagi. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When Minister Hodo blames Usagi for the Kameyama finding
them, Princess Masayo frowns. Usagi quietly raises a hand, but Masayo gets in
Hodo's face. Prince Kiyoshi helps the servant Katsuko from the shuttle, his
gaze on her, his back to the orbiting dreadnaught in Space Usagi: Death &
Honor #3. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When the shuttle lands, Lord Matabe disembarks with a scowl.
Neither he nor Lady Ryoko smile. After Usagi departs to prepare for the duel,
Admiral Niiro’s Psytech looks cold and impersonal while Matabe glares at her.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Emi Fujii brings vibrant coloring to Stan Sakai’s mix of
closeups, group dynamics, epic confrontations, and fierce action. The red on
Commander Usagi’s ceremonial armor looks good beside Princess Masayo’s pink
dress and mauve cape. A coiled dragon atop Lord Matabe’s helmet matches his
green-and-black armor. Blood spurts and flows black and red.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Large uppercase lettering adorns white dialogue balloons in Space
Usagi: Death And Honor #3. Bold letters suggest intonation. Larger or colored
words indicate increased volume. Lord Matabe’s shuttle lands noisily, while
subdued sound effects make us strain to hear the door open. Matabe’s weapons clunk
against his armor as he greets Usagi. Yet no one will miss the giant red
letters that fill the air as the opponents grab their katanas and attack each
other. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to Dark Horse Comics for providing a copy for review.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Commander Usagi faces a duel to the death, the Mino fleet
engages Lord Matabe’s dreadnaught, and the women turn the tables on the men in
Space Usagi: Death And Honor #3.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9.6/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">For another beautiful cover see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/space-usagi-death-and-honor-3-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-91151747116708424102024-03-09T03:00:00.000-08:002024-03-09T03:00:00.270-08:00Savage Sword Of Conan #1 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4XmENkuDlxn6sXPKQ8zbt6xfDsgA4n8rBdDRpz5FsL7uWVeKuNw7z2WrU1au1rhknLqmx32XeBR3WjC6_rbs4vyXUd3K9N2mvcZMmS7d7NeYEqqZAfvucww42ONxGRMBh4jjbXSdhctg8CBcrhwdFtEz0BPizA2ZNSr_D693f_a_Hr584_lbP4CabwNc/s3260/Savage%20Sword%201a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3260" data-original-width="2433" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4XmENkuDlxn6sXPKQ8zbt6xfDsgA4n8rBdDRpz5FsL7uWVeKuNw7z2WrU1au1rhknLqmx32XeBR3WjC6_rbs4vyXUd3K9N2mvcZMmS7d7NeYEqqZAfvucww42ONxGRMBh4jjbXSdhctg8CBcrhwdFtEz0BPizA2ZNSr_D693f_a_Hr584_lbP4CabwNc/w299-h400/Savage%20Sword%201a.jpg" width="299" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: John Arcudi, Jim Zub, Patch Zircher</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Artist: Max von Fafner, Joe Jusko, Patch Zircher</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterers: Richard Starkings & Jimmy Betancourt</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: Joe Jusko, Gerardo Zaffino, Max Von Fafner, </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Titan</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $6.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: February 28, 2024 </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Legendary Hyborian scribe Roy Thomas opens Savage Sword Of
Conan #1 with an essay on how Stan Lee’s experimental foray into mature titles
with Savage Tales evolved into the legendary Black & White magazine. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Conan And The Dragon Horde </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Prince Zaahid raises an army to retake the city that exiled
him. Conan is his general, and Ineah builds and maintains his war engines.
Despite Zaahid’s orders not to consort with Ineah, Conan develops a
relationship with her. The prince keeps his plans close to his chest, revealing
his wisdom only after danger threatens. His secrecy costs Conan's soldiers
their lives. Angered by these unnecessary losses, Conan refrains from engaging
Prince Zaahid’s guards, Sussein and Saham. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Despite Zaahid’s lack of concern for his men, his
preparations propel the army across the Hyrkanian steeps. But after they lay
siege to Ul-Dalkhana and Ineah’s engines of war mercilessly pound the city, the
army begins to drift away. After several months, Conan's remaining forces
number less than sixty. When Conan reports the desertions and requests leave to
recruit replacements, Zaahid assures him that their numbers are adequate and
his home city will soon fall. At this point, Conan decides to defy the Zaahid’s
wishes and discover what the prince is hiding.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">An air of mystery pervades Conan And The Dragon Horde.
Unlike Prince Zaahid, you never know what to expect next. John Arcudi doesn’t
lace his dialogue with traditional Conanisms, such as dog, cur, and wench. Conan’s
relationship with Ineah proves an equal partnership, as each respects the
other’s abilities and outlook. Those seeking the otherworldly dangers that
threaten Robert E. Howard's Hyborian world will enjoy John Arcudi’s contribution
to Savage Sword Of Conan #1. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sacrifice in the Sand</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In his short prose story Sacrifice in the Sand, Conan The
Barbarian chronicler Jim Zub introduces readers to a young woman adorned with
fine linen and sparkling jewelry. Captain Nkosi and his guards escort Khepri to
her date with Destiny. Even more than the women who served Thulsa Doom's snake
cult in John Milius' Conan movie, Khepri's sacrifice will honor her people and
enhance Set's power. Yet on this dark (and stormy) night, a man will threaten
to devalue her sacrifice and risk her family's security. Jim Zub’s contribution
to Savage Sword Of Conan #1 portrays our Hyborian hero as a patient man who
chooses his battles and recognizes that beliefs often serve temporal
authorities more than the divine.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Master Of The Hunt Part One </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As the rain falls in sheets, Patch Zircher welcomes us
inside the Ox Knuckle Inn. Inside this Welsh pub in the Vale of Glamorgan, the aging
patron, Gruffud, reminds us that this is All Hallows Eve. Yet before
Christianity redubbed the holiday, locals called it Samhain. The barrier
between our world and the Tylwyth Teg, or fair folk, thins on this sacred pagan
holiday.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In Master Of The Hunt Part One, Gruffud regales us with a
tale of Solomon Kane. The righter of wrongs has ridden from Devonshire on his
steed Nicodemus. Solomon follows the tracks of a giant beast to a farm, where
he meets Gwenllyan Maddocks and her son Roland. Gwenllyan tells him that an
animal attacked her flock. While her husband Edmund tracks the beast, Soloman
helps her hired hand Wilkin shear and butcher the dead sheep. But the following
morning, Roland disappears, and Wilkin never returns from the Ox Knuckle Inn. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Patch Zircher portrays Solomon Kane as an even-tempered,
approachable figure in Savage Sword Of Conan #1. Solomon seems akin to
Tolkien's Aragorn, wise in the ways of the temporal and spiritual world, not
judgmental or quick to anger. Wily old Gruffud inserts himself and a dissenting
patron into this intoxicating brew of pagan beliefs, Welsh mythology, and a
humble, brave hero who lives by a strict—but not cruel--moral code.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Men Shall Die For This: Robert E. Howard And The Vengeance
Of Solomon Kane</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jeffrey Shanks' essay covers Solomon Kane's origin as
Howard's earliest recurring hero. Soloman Kane began as a manifestation of righteous
justice. As Howard matured as a person and a writer, Solomon Kane's worldview
grew more complex. Shanks compares Howard's Solomon Kane stories with tales by
Alexandre Dumas, Edgard Rice Burroughs, H. P. Lovecraft, and H. Rider Haggard.
Of those listed, it’s worth noting that Haggard's hero, Allan Quartermain,
first appears in King Solomon's Mines. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh24ZE0IQsymusaELv64BXzV-cVHffFbdKEDlnMHA_5qWStuVXhJanuKhFfFRKB_dpXvtoTebRK7dsS6hdj4v_J4d16a0PI8qi3BPQGVM1792aKGriqCtezAHQ1e8ZpNJgInu62PsuUUD6FvdkkpXP4MJxgKviSkxIS7Yn0JFe8KqNih8mDebPzGvLQE-XN/s3260/Savage%20Sword%20Of%20Conan%201b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3260" data-original-width="2433" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh24ZE0IQsymusaELv64BXzV-cVHffFbdKEDlnMHA_5qWStuVXhJanuKhFfFRKB_dpXvtoTebRK7dsS6hdj4v_J4d16a0PI8qi3BPQGVM1792aKGriqCtezAHQ1e8ZpNJgInu62PsuUUD6FvdkkpXP4MJxgKviSkxIS7Yn0JFe8KqNih8mDebPzGvLQE-XN/w299-h400/Savage%20Sword%20Of%20Conan%201b.jpg" width="299" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Max von Fafner’s art in Conan And The Dragon Horde honors
the best traditions of the fabled magazine. His photorealistic art conveys the
majestic sight of cavalry, infantry, and wheeled engines that hurl boulders and
explosives at a walled city. Zaahid looks stately, Conan determined, Ineah
self-assured. Sussein and Saham’s glee in dispatching anyone who disobeys their
leader suggests they know more than they're telling. Fafner's detailed panels
convey mood, drama, and action while not skimping on small details, such as
tall grasses or stony ground. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Patch Zircher’s art in Master Of The Hunt Part One has an
elegant and historic appeal. While Soloman Kane wears the hat and cloak of a
Puritan, the penciling evokes Prince Valiant. Detailed sketches of people and
settings convey a lighter, less masculine tone than Fafner’s. Zircher's Black
& White images show a varied use of gray for shading akin to ink wash in
Savage Sword Of Conan #1. Yet scenes of the beast appearing at night, Solomon
Kane entering a pub unbidden or reaching for his sword utilize heavy inking.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Richard Starkings and Jimmy Betancourt lay siege to panels
with uppercase and lowercase words in dialogue balloons and narrative boxes.
Word size ranges through entertaining stories and informative essays. Thanks to
Titan Comics for providing a copy of this sword and sorcery magazine for
review.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6A4s3JeqFaSdBy0CRs3VJ1LFe_75mShcMgHyreGG3s-XRcwrAPm6EvCpb6RbGiTxAyfdy7uE596YpbKdBpkjxkqg6QntM0bWkgwwUqXVcnq8oycup3SGPxHBpp6p7ns-giK-fcwIno-AJmbvd9LQvwT4nkspCERa1w6NmwSs0ctfFsIFQw1h7MxEmiftt/s3260/Savage%20Sword%20Of%20Conan%201c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3260" data-original-width="2433" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6A4s3JeqFaSdBy0CRs3VJ1LFe_75mShcMgHyreGG3s-XRcwrAPm6EvCpb6RbGiTxAyfdy7uE596YpbKdBpkjxkqg6QntM0bWkgwwUqXVcnq8oycup3SGPxHBpp6p7ns-giK-fcwIno-AJmbvd9LQvwT4nkspCERa1w6NmwSs0ctfFsIFQw1h7MxEmiftt/w299-h400/Savage%20Sword%20Of%20Conan%201c.jpg" width="299" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">After Conan battles monsters, lays siege to a doomed city,
and pursues a woman promised to Set, Soloman Kane tracks a creature terrorizing
a remote Welsh community in Savage Sword Of Conan #1. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9.8/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/savage-sword-of-conan-1-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
<p><style><font size="4"><span style="font-family: arial;">@font-face
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-19490401387533657632024-03-08T03:00:00.000-08:002024-03-08T03:00:00.131-08:00The Darcy Secret: A Pride & Prejudice Variation Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUPW0V_iTRr0G2710MzMcliqPFeTGZ4Osm7xxWa7FKB6BEZOpAmUIOzi873EigU80bT8-Dm_jByq9ccN34YGDTVJrXz3Cn2W_l2gqfzwmZ0CJDAHs61Zl-OkLpjppXLcI7dsfb2UROywvYYjmAmqM-NOwtAQVPQFVCwV-HYxXuQ6xn77ObekEP8NYAenC/s1220/Screenshot%202024-03-06%20at%205.35.04%20PM.png" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1220" data-original-width="842" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUPW0V_iTRr0G2710MzMcliqPFeTGZ4Osm7xxWa7FKB6BEZOpAmUIOzi873EigU80bT8-Dm_jByq9ccN34YGDTVJrXz3Cn2W_l2gqfzwmZ0CJDAHs61Zl-OkLpjppXLcI7dsfb2UROywvYYjmAmqM-NOwtAQVPQFVCwV-HYxXuQ6xn77ObekEP8NYAenC/w442-h640/Screenshot%202024-03-06%20at%205.35.04%20PM.png" width="442" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Author: Kelly Miller</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artist: Janet Taylor</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Audiobook: $17.46</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Paperback: $10.95</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">ebook: $4.99 (free on Kindle Unlimited)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: May 26, 2023</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Kelly Miller’s novel The Darcy Secret begins where Pride And
Prejudice ends, with Darcy proposing marriage to Elizabeth Bennet at the Longbourn
family estate. After Fitzwilliam Darcy leaves Elizabeth Bennett’s company, he
realizes she never told him she loves him. Does she return his affections? Or
did Elizabeth agree to marry him out of gratitude? After all, he saved her
family’s reputation by arranging her sister Lydia’s marriage to George Wickham.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">After Elizabeth assures Darcy of her love, past
indiscretions return to haunt him. A chance meeting with Lady Marchand in
Vauxhall Gardens reminds Elizabeth that societal expectations of acceptable
conduct differ between men and women. She wonders how many former lovers might
return to sway his affections. Can Elizabeth be assured of his steadfastness?
Or might Darcy follow the conventions of the age and take lovers when his
infatuation fades?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">While battling the doubts and fears that afflict any engaged
couple, Darcy’s family questions Elizabeth’s motives. Lady Catherine might have
declared Elizabeth’s unsuitability, yet a far more agreeable relative questions
Elizabeth's motives. After all, their courtship—if one can use that
term—occurred after the Gardeners brought Elizabeth to his impressive Pemberley
estate. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Darcy’s sister Georgiana is reluctant to accept Elizabeth.
But Elizabeth soon wins her over, and after Elizabeth and Darcy marry, the two
women regard each other as sisters. Zounds! The Gardeners receive a disturbing
report about Georgiana from a former teacher. Her aunt and uncle send Elizabeth
the letter that implicates Georgiana in another student’s death. While the
couple ponders Georgiana's involvement, the report awakens an earlier concern. A
final letter from Darcy’s late father claimed a streak of madness afflicted
women in his family. Did Georgiana kill her schoolmate? And if madness runs
through their family, what evils might their children perpetrate upon an
unsuspecting world?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Kelly Miller’s novel The Darcy Secret: A Pride &
Prejudice Variation tackles alcoholism and drug use in Regency England, the
perils of ignoring the class structure, attitudes toward sport, and the rise of
modern psychiatry. While faithful to the characters and spirit of Jane Austen’s
beloved classic, events force Elizabeth and Darcy to investigate a tragic
event. Having listened to the audiobook version, I confess that Scott Fleming's
female voices initially made me titter with laughter. Yet I felt his deep voice
lent gravity and authenticity to Kelly Miller's family drama during my second
listen.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As I bid goodbye to The Darcy Secret: A Pride &
Prejudice Variation, I ponder one final mystery. Elizabeth declares that
Collies are the most beautiful breed, but Cocker Spaniels are the cutest
puppies. A question plagues me. What kind of dog does Kelly Miller own? </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Zounds! Why does this bother me? Might a streak of madness run
through my family tree?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Darcy Secret: A Pride &
Prejudice Variation is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Darcy-Secret-Pride-Prejudice-Variation-ebook/dp/B0C6H2B896" target="_blank">available at Amazon.com</a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Discover the latest news on <a href="https://kellymiller.merytonpress.com/" target="_blank">Kelly Miller's books at Meryton Press</a>. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to author Kelly Miller for providing her audiobook for review.<br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-79273287424423300272024-03-07T03:00:00.000-08:002024-03-07T03:00:00.144-08:00Red Sonja #8 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRZSVJtI-mbSN_uteu6HTasCn28zrWV5thLHagUIumSfqwOnCL5wVJGGDihBvtAontR-FUDJXCJXmd3fIF3pPs3AFy_QpqIK7YGbCF56Co29HI9iG9UebB_yax2WTZnULD4t1CHQRVRvwj82ntqhm6wmpncUWwOqzqGJpUQPo8jTh9vA0i-lm9Vs_L1T-/s1801/Red%20Sonja%208a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1801" data-original-width="1187" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRZSVJtI-mbSN_uteu6HTasCn28zrWV5thLHagUIumSfqwOnCL5wVJGGDihBvtAontR-FUDJXCJXmd3fIF3pPs3AFy_QpqIK7YGbCF56Co29HI9iG9UebB_yax2WTZnULD4t1CHQRVRvwj82ntqhm6wmpncUWwOqzqGJpUQPo8jTh9vA0i-lm9Vs_L1T-/w422-h640/Red%20Sonja%208a.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: Torunn Gronbekk</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Artist: Walter Geovani</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: Omi Remalante Jr.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: Lucio Parrillo, Bjorn Barends, Joseph Michael
Linsner, Francesco Francavilla, Jenny Frison, Frank Thorne & Cosplay</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Dynamite Comics</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $3.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: February 28, 2024 </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Recently, Dorian Runebinder sensed a shift in the cosmos. The
frightened sorcerer left Nordal Fortress to consult his friend and mentor.
Frostwind confirmed Dorian's fears: Kulan Gath had returned from the dead. How
will the evil sorcerer menace the lives of Dorian and Sonja? Let's don our
armor, ride into Red Sonja #8, and find out!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Red Sonja helped Grace free her little sister from the altar
within the stone circle. The Tsjoko attacked, slaying the priest who would have
killed the girl. The creatures also slew Alarn, a fellow villager who believed
the child’s sacrifice would protect Ludlow from the continuing otherworldly
attacks. The forest creatures pursued the three survivors. But when Red Sonja,
Grace, and her sister left the Blotring, the Tsjoko vanished.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In Red Sonja #8, Sonja escorts the sisters to their aunt’s
cottage. They rein in their horses when a singing woman stands in their path.
While Grace lowers her guard, Sonja senses the woman is not all she appears.
The She-Devil's defiance angers the woman. Her cloak of beauty falls, and the
crone commands spectral beings to attack. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Torunn Gronbekk populates her story with mythological
creatures that haunt sacred places and protect nature from the ravages of
humanity. Yet ancient beings like Tsjoko and Hulder seem like minor menaces
compared with the return of Kulan Gath. Red Sonja’s pity for Thord Varg’s
followers tore the veil between the Hyborian world and the astral plane. The
evil sorcerer slipped through the barrier and returned to life. But if one
astral being can visit Earth, why not more?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Yet the gods favor the She-Devil in Red Sonja #8. The god
trapped by Lady Alaberta’s black diamond carried Sonja to the Brythunian
convent. Fate, or perhaps the goddess Scathach, directed Red Sonja to Ludlow at
just the right time to meet Grace and thence to rescue her sister. When they
arrive at the home of the sisters' aunt, Red Sonja learns the woman is one of
three sorcerers who guard this land, along with Dorian Runebender and his
mentor Frostwind. Yet how can Dorian and Red Sonja protect the inhabitants of Brythunia
when its magical protectors fear the return of a death-defying sorcerer and an
invasion of the gods? </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1KI3HyVtUak2MBJey4o0wS1s4q0_kFrkez6G6d3XjU3xJsAWNL8Cz5aaDtym09pQiw5Y0Nx0QmO-ob5HOhORHwrFv7olbkhCWOIFRSPSoEgZZLfkMzCiwj1Pb9dmeWW-WU6fLk42t-x_y4Hp23RX7QPoJyFXyS5TJz28KWm5SaNIN3BNaYMA_ooACT-8-/s1801/Red%20Sonja%208g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1801" data-original-width="1187" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1KI3HyVtUak2MBJey4o0wS1s4q0_kFrkez6G6d3XjU3xJsAWNL8Cz5aaDtym09pQiw5Y0Nx0QmO-ob5HOhORHwrFv7olbkhCWOIFRSPSoEgZZLfkMzCiwj1Pb9dmeWW-WU6fLk42t-x_y4Hp23RX7QPoJyFXyS5TJz28KWm5SaNIN3BNaYMA_ooACT-8-/w422-h640/Red%20Sonja%208g.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dorian Runebinder regards the gathering storm from the
parapet of Nordal Fortress. His wide eyes and gaping mouth reveal his fright as
he packs a sack in his candlelit chamber. He lugs the bag through the rain to
Frostwind’s cottage. Frostwind sits in his rocking chair and gazes at the
burning logs in his fireplace. The aging sorcerer tells his former student of
Kulan Gath’s evil ways.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Grace looks worried as she rides beside Sonja. The woman clutches
her sister, who sits before her. The girl holds a lamb named Goose. When Red
Sonja hears the Hulder’s song, she draws her sword and bares her teeth. The
forest creature changes from a voluptuous blonde to a hag with sharp teeth and
pupil-less eyes. Silhouettes emerge from the fog. Red Sonja leaps off her
fleeing horse to attack the flying cloaked skeletons with claws and glowing
eyes. Say, we're not in the woods near Hogwarts, are we?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In Red Sonja #8, Omi Remalante Jr. enhances Walter Geovani’s
storybook art with vibrant color. Sonja's scarlet cape and hair evoke another
fairy tale heroine. Rich skin tones help people and faces stand out as a
multicolored fog fills the forest. Yet the skin of Grace's aunt suggests
faintness or poor health, and the Hulder’s transformation reveals green skin.
The rich coloring often seems in flux, suggesting the sunlight struggles to
reach the forest floor. Even when the wraith and Red Sonja appear as silhouettes,
streaks of blue and white represent the chilling mist and the speed of the
chase. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jeff Eckleberry shares Torunn Gronbekk’s narration on beige
parchment and dialogue in white balloons. Stressed words grow bold, and raised
voices swell the large-size uppercase words. Enormous black letters threaten to
burst their balloons when Dorian Runebinder confronts his nemesis, while the
clicking that lopes through one panel hints that even forest spirits feel fear.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to Dynamite Comics for providing a copy for review.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMF9jukCw9BGIyh2cn_fa20DvCMeizVGG3UgtlTGnWAFUfXlcmmqgnQKHdDOZGK_vnrjZcTrHuObbPkyporUa-iwKamc_Gl1i6ovDe7ftGXK4YHxTidc6O4wglbA84U3NmxnSCnOaZrOYJ8YGJtUhxlE_eej25oXDIo7ZrBK0Sv8vmSa41DO5b1ygLPLj/s1801/Red%20Sonja%208f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1801" data-original-width="1187" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMF9jukCw9BGIyh2cn_fa20DvCMeizVGG3UgtlTGnWAFUfXlcmmqgnQKHdDOZGK_vnrjZcTrHuObbPkyporUa-iwKamc_Gl1i6ovDe7ftGXK4YHxTidc6O4wglbA84U3NmxnSCnOaZrOYJ8YGJtUhxlE_eej25oXDIo7ZrBK0Sv8vmSa41DO5b1ygLPLj/w422-h640/Red%20Sonja%208f.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">While Kulan Gath steals another sorcerer's memories, Red
Sonja finds a partner and a god whose children once menaced another Hyborian
hero makes the world his killing field in Red Sonja #8.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9.2/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">For a peek inside and more covers see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/red-sonja-8-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-49649127166030392762024-03-06T03:00:00.000-08:002024-03-06T03:00:00.134-08:00Grim: Pen & Ink #1 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9iZuvh4C4k0EHnWtXADvaXYBVYdWGOPf00GDiTIpGTGAMKJIwoaU2AcgxqsyR42kSakJf16Z83DKGN6MXz5nwxwNzjRSERD-3PgJwUoJFcm2LKn8wr3pNN5KpJRV_hoqzfYGOUgZJ15M0Q0Uf-yYmKj-9fqTHwhgrMarw9uBjfx-QEbafMaoE87twbNn0/s3057/Grim%20Pen%20Ink%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3057" data-original-width="1988" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9iZuvh4C4k0EHnWtXADvaXYBVYdWGOPf00GDiTIpGTGAMKJIwoaU2AcgxqsyR42kSakJf16Z83DKGN6MXz5nwxwNzjRSERD-3PgJwUoJFcm2LKn8wr3pNN5KpJRV_hoqzfYGOUgZJ15M0Q0Uf-yYmKj-9fqTHwhgrMarw9uBjfx-QEbafMaoE87twbNn0/w416-h640/Grim%20Pen%20Ink%201.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: Stephanie Phillips</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Illustrator: Flaviano</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Tom Napolitano</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: Flaviano, Andrew K. Currey, Johnoy Lindsay,
Jenny Frison & Derrick Chew</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Boom! Studios</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $6.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: February 28, 2024</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bryan awakens in darkness. He rises from the ground and sees
his car crumpled against a tree. Music from his car radio pours through the
hole in the shattered windscreen, filling the woods with the haunting rhythms
of Blue Oyster Cult. When he climbs the rise toward the broken metal guardrail,
a young woman with a scythe awaits. Will Bryan go quietly into the great
beyond? Or will he fight for another shot at life? Let's grab our Get Out Of
Hell Free passes, leap into Grim: Pen & Ink #1, and find out!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bryan didn't intend to get drunk. He only went to the bar
because he heard his ex was there. He realized he was wrong and wanted to
repair his relationship with Abigail. Jessica may sympathize, but she's not
Bryan's counselor. She will transport Bryan—or his soul—to the next phase of
existence and nothing more.<span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In Grim: Pen & Ink #1, Bryan boards a small, wooden rowboat
moored to a jetty. Jessica propels it through the icy water with her scythe. Bryan
is confused by what he sees and hears. He’s desperate to understand his surroundings
and learn about his destination. Before abandoning the accident scene, Bryan
glimpsed his corpse near his crumpled car. Severed from the familiar, he seeks
common ground with Jessica.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jessica shrugs off cultural and religious explanations for
the afterlife. Death has many names. What seems fantastic to Bryan is her reality.
If her realm ever fascinated her, it no longer does. She takes pity on him by
clearing up one cultural misunderstanding, however. Jessica is not like Death
in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. She doesn’t need to train an apprentice to
replace her before taking a holiday. Jessica is one of many reapers tasked with
delivering souls to judgment. She will not determine how Bryan spends eternity.
</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">While helping us empathize with Bryan in Grim: Pen & Ink
#1, Stephanie Phillips also lets us peek behind Jessica's indifference. While
used to her role, Jessica feels incomplete. She shares Bryan's confusion and
responds to his pleas. Sadly, the soft-hearted grim reaper learns that
desperate people will grasp any weakness to regain what they lost.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Flaviano’s detailed panels portray the steering wheel and
dash with photorealistic detail. The shattered remains of the windscreen look
more like intricate cobwebs than glass. Tread marks in the dirt appear where
Bryan's car pierced the metal band, leaving the ends of the severed guardrail
twisted and curled. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bryan looks slim and stylish as he climbs the rise.
Jessica's twisted scythe crackles with energy. The fashionable reaper reclines
against the guardrail. White lines fracture the lake’s surface, reminiscent of
the shattered windshield. As Jessica pulls the blade through the frozen
surface, Bryan glimpses tormented souls reaching toward the surface. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Without Rico Renzi’s coloring, Flaviano’s black borders and
detailed inking in Grim: Pen & Ink #1 exude luminosity. Trees, people, and
even the ground seem to glow. Perhaps it's the full moon, which in this realm
defies its Roche Limit and orbits closer to Earth. Or maybe it’s how Flaviano
represents the supernatural ether with lines and dots. But even when Jessica
escorts Bryan to the waiting area, which evokes Heaven in Bill And Ted Go To
Hell restyled as an airport terminal, the uncolored interior suggests a realm
of light.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tom Napolitano's uppercase black letters inhabit white
dialogue balloons. The font appears easy to read in the shrunken panels. While
the same size as the dialogue, Flaviano’s commentary at the bottom of each page
is white, lowercase print on black. Perhaps the most mesmerizing aspects of
Napolitano's craft in Grim: Pen & Ink #1 are the abrasive font that helps
us hear Jessica break the ice and the white lyrics of Blue Oyster Cult that
slither across the opening panels. "Come on, baby. Don't fear the reaper."</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to Boom! Studios for providing a copy for review.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When a desperate man grasps for another chance at life,
Death’s servant shares the secret that haunts her afterlife in Grim: Pen &
Ink #1. The artist’s commentary enhances this debut issue as Flaviano discusses
the author/artist relationship, sources of inspiration, and the differences
between working in animation and comics.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 10/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This review first appeared on <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/grim-pen-ink-1-review/" target="_blank">Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-18977657982818622312024-03-05T03:00:00.000-08:002024-03-05T03:00:00.136-08:00Amazing Spider-Man #44 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Y8PI8I0aI8yZV9CnXYKIbGJSTli1QXHw3lWkG1z8SG44q8_vGuzObBbTqJy9wH-F3ylXvqwuaBzQA-po-R-V_7JexrIa2aby0Mwzc9n92W1izfgTFr9H7OyZEPKFrHGpMZPcrPdURe2Dwyoss_LpUCxAHgAb92grR09sUN6MhfvQZe65z8ADbkD5AJZG/s1800/ASM%2044a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1194" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Y8PI8I0aI8yZV9CnXYKIbGJSTli1QXHw3lWkG1z8SG44q8_vGuzObBbTqJy9wH-F3ylXvqwuaBzQA-po-R-V_7JexrIa2aby0Mwzc9n92W1izfgTFr9H7OyZEPKFrHGpMZPcrPdURe2Dwyoss_LpUCxAHgAb92grR09sUN6MhfvQZe65z8ADbkD5AJZG/w424-h640/ASM%2044a.jpg" width="424" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: Zeb Wells</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Penciler: John Romita Jr.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Inker: Scott Hanna</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: Marcio Menyz</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Joe Caramagna</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hanna & Marcio
Menyz; Carlos Gómez & Rachelle Rosenberg; Tadam Gyadu & Romulo Fajardo
Jr.; Marcos Martin</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Marvel</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $4.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: February 28, 2024 </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Peter Parker teamed with Tombstone to fight the Gang War.
Madame Masque and the Beetle staged a battle in Central Park to determine who
would control the New York underworld. Team Spidey and Tombstone wanted to
protect the Beetle and defeat Madame Masque. Instead, Tombstone retook control
of his criminal empire. Can Tombstone’s forces and Team Spidey defeat Madame
Masque’s militia? Let’s thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #44 and find out!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Gang War has taken its toll. One brutal battle after another
has left New York City in flames. Citizens feared for their families as
villains fought for dominance. But now, with the Allied Spidey Tombstone forces
presenting a united front, it's all over but the shouting. At least, that's
what Spider-Man hopes.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Yet team dynamics are problematic among heroes. In Amazing
Spider-Man #44, Tombstone knows Team Spidey will defeat Madame Masque. The
crime lord remembers how he came out the loser when he helped Spidey take down
the Rose. After reclaiming his organization, Tombstone has little reason to
stick around.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Zeb Wells' story gives lesser characters a chance to shine. The
expert chemist Trapstr uses her glue cannons to trap She-Hulk in a sticky
situation. Shotgun, the undercover government operative, exerts revenge on
Madame Masque. Elektra and Spider-Woman discover common ground, and Spider-Boy
enjoys working with Ms. Jackpot. (Sorry, Bailey. Mary Jane says it's just
Jackpot). </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4kOPKQA73lUPqHTNf6kuRRJeFq0DlnJR5o41Mc5S2vOZ5gTUhJYUWlKD5kzvyUFIjiveze35N28QPKXSo1aqaUqhC4pvXHiaF6x4c_OPfcT-P1KiSUliL1SQs0HfFcoZX72woUZpwE0JT7wPa2eO4fjei0_aLIhXCAhGc65xL3sZCzvJX5QnwIjxoeHS/s1800/ASM%2044b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1201" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4kOPKQA73lUPqHTNf6kuRRJeFq0DlnJR5o41Mc5S2vOZ5gTUhJYUWlKD5kzvyUFIjiveze35N28QPKXSo1aqaUqhC4pvXHiaF6x4c_OPfcT-P1KiSUliL1SQs0HfFcoZX72woUZpwE0JT7wPa2eO4fjei0_aLIhXCAhGc65xL3sZCzvJX5QnwIjxoeHS/w428-h640/ASM%2044b.jpg" width="428" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Amazing Spider-Man #44 also leaves us wondering what we
haven’t seen. Chang Shi and Danny Rand mention one battle. Luke Cage also
mentions something nonpowered New Yorkers have accomplished. It implies changes
in his mayoral leadership post-Gang War. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Peter Parker’s not interested in those stories, though.
Right now, he’s upset that his city is in flames and his best friend is lying
at death's door. Madame Masque makes a convenient target for Spidey's rage. Yet
she only manipulated the gang lords after she learned that her father had
ordered her death. Madame Masque never wanted Hammerhead to hurt Randy. She
bludgeoned the gang lord's head immediately afterward. Tombstone wanted his
daughter to live happily ever after with Randy. Yet after Shotgun shot up her father,
Janice fought with her betrothed and usurped her father's criminal empire.
Tombstone let Janice wield his organization while he and Team Spidey took on Madame
Masque. But when Shotgun admitted that the government had ordered a hit on
Janice, Tombstone ripped off the Beetle’s wings and sent his little girl
packing.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Amazing Spider-Man #44 leaves us wondering if the federal
government wanted New York City in chaos. Janice Lincoln played a pivotal role
in the Gang War. Yet, like Wilson Fisk's son, the Beetle played no part in its
conclusion. Zeb Wells’ story also makes us wonder how the dynamics between
Tombstone, Mayor Cage, and Spider-Man will change. Despite Spidey and Madame
Masque’s separate claims, Gang War wasn't about Spidey obsessing over morality
or Madame Masque's selfishness. Sure, there were opportunists. Perhaps Janice
even fell into that category. Yet Gang War was about people trying to preserve
themselves and those they value. The story's ending satisfies, with two friends
reuniting as a new kingpin arises. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcNCDUxtLTNeG9koU1V3Ie93zXALy4u-b11z_ElMi7FFDqtT1f10LzaAOB2gU0Eb4XZ8ev-sonYuKmhQUhLJreNNlDW6phrzT-JPiwsSOsnfNrYhNzqzIl9siBVVY7aGGjTl0iSqgIsM1czNK6w4tKGQG5-Vc0MzIs7mK493u7hgcn_0TCUh2s_kViLv7/s1800/ASM%2044c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1171" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcNCDUxtLTNeG9koU1V3Ie93zXALy4u-b11z_ElMi7FFDqtT1f10LzaAOB2gU0Eb4XZ8ev-sonYuKmhQUhLJreNNlDW6phrzT-JPiwsSOsnfNrYhNzqzIl9siBVVY7aGGjTl0iSqgIsM1czNK6w4tKGQG5-Vc0MzIs7mK493u7hgcn_0TCUh2s_kViLv7/w416-h640/ASM%2044c.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Spider-Man punches out Madame Masque. Miles Morales takes on
Rabble. Count Nefaria blasts Elektra and Spider-Woman with the power of the
sun. Electro shoots She-Hulk. And all that’s on the first page! As Team Spidey
takes on Madame Masque’s forces across two pages, smaller panels show Tombstone
ordering the Rabbit to fall back. He may be a hardened crime lord, but emotions
play over Tombstone’s face, creating an opening scene as dramatic as when his
longtime rival Robbie Robertson grasped his son's arm and cupped his head in
his hand in the previous issue.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">John Romita Jr. and Scott Hanna pack pages with action and
drama. Both aspects build off each other, creating a high-octane mix that fuels
every scene. Particularly noteworthy are smaller panels, such as when Miles and
Spider-Boy take on Rabble in the background while Madame Masque battles Spider-Man
in the foreground. The artists pair Spidey's assertion--that she’s responsible
for the violence, and it’s not down to chance--with a closeup of three matching
diamond symbols on Jackpot's armbands. Affiliated heroes stand side by side:
Miles and Spider-Boy, Elektra and Spider-Woman, Luke Cage and She-Hulk. Yet
Amazing Spider-Man #44 ends with sunlight warming the city and emotions
flooding Peter's expressionless face.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxG8q27nTAfrlK9uRqGvhrHw_dwiMoLE5oZ3lhu_XrBmF5NayMt-npJebly026IK0QatZBGluhuoZbjpvCjy8rjXzcDoSHNn7zAQkEZNLBtgXbCN1V_jwaYgo1p3YvV6j6scDoGGVoUJ80eu_pTURDjSMd_9KFjkfGGxaz4PDQ0W_XzTDgmvSJ_gasXQYg/s1800/ASM%2044d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1171" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxG8q27nTAfrlK9uRqGvhrHw_dwiMoLE5oZ3lhu_XrBmF5NayMt-npJebly026IK0QatZBGluhuoZbjpvCjy8rjXzcDoSHNn7zAQkEZNLBtgXbCN1V_jwaYgo1p3YvV6j6scDoGGVoUJ80eu_pTURDjSMd_9KFjkfGGxaz4PDQ0W_XzTDgmvSJ_gasXQYg/w416-h640/ASM%2044d.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Marcio Menyz brings multi-hued majesty to the Central Park
rivalry. Rabble's gauntlets fill the air with pink and lavender. Electro's suit
matches She-Hulk's skin as they battle. Count Nefaria’s eyes and sigil glow as
he unleashes yellow energy beams. Below Miles' venom sword, yellow dominates
Madame Masque's militia as her A.I.M. army takes on the predominantly red Team
Spidey. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Joe Caramagna wades into the vibrantly colored, highly
populated panels with uppercase black lettering in white dialogue balloons and
narrative boxes. Spider-Boy and Jackpot's conversation dances in syncopation as
each learns to work with the other. Amid the noisy battle, a satisfying thwak
and ka-boom follow a relatively quiet thwip. Spider-Man may still use his
fists. But his web shooters pack the knockout punch in Amazing Spider-Man #44. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to Marvel for providing this essential chapter of the
Gang War saga for review.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYU2SfAcztYFL3hZc9aMlbYFnoauwkJPy6V8icyZN_JhHz3juMQuqp9gTz_hWRxhsG48GsUT6rGpKAz4BEIHkn_gskHcdjqt76Cwbu2f5TG7ROkKkI9j4_-2wkvNTt6fifjmpundB3hQnSQ45xq1HYsmnVs-X9yF59jzSTpXV5dIMcsNe-JgEg-_PYFM_o/s1800/ASM%2044e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1185" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYU2SfAcztYFL3hZc9aMlbYFnoauwkJPy6V8icyZN_JhHz3juMQuqp9gTz_hWRxhsG48GsUT6rGpKAz4BEIHkn_gskHcdjqt76Cwbu2f5TG7ROkKkI9j4_-2wkvNTt6fifjmpundB3hQnSQ45xq1HYsmnVs-X9yF59jzSTpXV5dIMcsNe-JgEg-_PYFM_o/w422-h640/ASM%2044e.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Amazing Spider-Man #44 crackles with energy and drama,
leaving much to ponder as Spider-Man achieves a moral victory, empowers a
villain, and helps inspire the citizens of New York City to achieve the
impossible.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9.4/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/amazing-spider-man-44-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-6479791161440771162024-03-04T03:00:00.000-08:002024-03-04T03:00:00.143-08:00The Lost Carnival TP Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5DF5b1J8RCGlOeETCvKxLpcxEQTd0MNo9F67OL4snC7jKHopYnKTl4tQlxN5LP9N7IYGLBBTLtQbJPR-qID5MO5dsBp07XH8lTc-BlT9-PykfAdPOgxq5M1-d6oJbw9Zcr-BaPw1Oh5bOEcTQ0Gf8ua4BKaaqA0LAaBS8mR0T-AwDga9ifCWERs5Jqrqm/s1800/The%20Lost%20Carnival.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1189" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5DF5b1J8RCGlOeETCvKxLpcxEQTd0MNo9F67OL4snC7jKHopYnKTl4tQlxN5LP9N7IYGLBBTLtQbJPR-qID5MO5dsBp07XH8lTc-BlT9-PykfAdPOgxq5M1-d6oJbw9Zcr-BaPw1Oh5bOEcTQ0Gf8ua4BKaaqA0LAaBS8mR0T-AwDga9ifCWERs5Jqrqm/w422-h640/The%20Lost%20Carnival.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: Michael Moreci</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Artist: Sas Milledge with Phil Hester</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: David Calderon</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Steve Wands</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: DC</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $16.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: May 20, 2020</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Have you heard? Haly’s circus set up their tents outside
Cheyenne, Wyoming! The clowns are selling balloons! I can’t wait to see the
lions! We can watch Lotz and his niece Willow perform magic. Wait! First, let’s
see the starring attraction: The Flying Graysons! I wonder what it’s like to
grow up in a traveling circus. Do you think Dick Grayson enjoys his life as an
acrobat? Let's leap and somersault into The Lost Carnival TP and find out!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">High up in the big top, Dick and his parents swing through
the air. Far below, the audience cheers as they watch the family defy gravity.
Yet after the show, Haly chews Dick out. How dare he change their established
routine with some impromptu moves? The crowd wants to be awed, not
horror-struck by an unnecessary death!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Like any teen, Dick looks to the future. He wonders what
possibilities life might offer him. Despite his abilities, circus life doesn't
satisfy him. He doesn't know what he wants, but he needs something more.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When Dick talks his friend Willow into attending a party, a
chance encounter provides the excitement he hungers for. The townies make fun
of a burned Carnie. Luciana, the girl who accompanied him, pulls Quinn away,
but the bullies won’t let them leave. When the guys push down Luciana, Dick helps
Quinn fight off their attackers. Then Luciana gestures and the bullies start
talking funny and fight each other instead of Dick and Quinn. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In The Lost Carnival TP, Haly’s Circus faces stiff
competition. The performers depend on ticket sales for their livelihood. Yet,
soon after they arrive outside Cheyenne, Wyoming, a carnival sets up camp a
short walk away. After performing to a sparse crowd, Dick investigates. He
discovers exciting new acts and amusement park rides. Dick watches their star
attraction, the magician Caliban, performs strange, otherworldly magic. Yet
Caliban is not invincible. One of the creatures he summons escapes his spell.
Caliban calls on his niece Luciana to help him. Dick uses his acrobatic skills
to help Luciana capture them. And so begins the most exciting summer of Dick
Grayson’s life.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Lost Carnival TP follows Dick's growing attraction to
Luciana. The girl returns his affection. While Dick yearns to leave his old
life behind, Luciana remains loyal to her friends. Dick's friendship with
Luciana pits him against the crew who support the circus. As he spends more
time with Luciana, his friend Willow falls under a strange spell. In Michael
Moreci’s story, competition and magic endanger Dick’s heritage and friends. Despite
the odds against them, Dick refuses to give up on Luciana. He wants her in his
future. Can she ever leave The Lost Carnival?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sas Milledge and Phil Hester imbue The Lost Carnival TP with
old-world appeal. Their imagery evokes the illustrations in children's series
from half a century ago. Milledge and Hester transport us back to an era when
trapeze artists performed without a safety net, and elephants were circus
staples. Yet the carnival performers’ attire harkens back decades earlier.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Milledge and Hester capture the energy that fuels Dick's
incredible abilities. He climbs and leaps about a Ferris wheel like a child at
home on the monkey bars of his local park. Dick and Luciana’s mutual attraction
is evident. The sky imparts majesty to this enchanting tale, as clouds stream
across the sky during the day, and the stars glow at night. Yet, as the dangers
to Dick’s friend and heritage mount, he’ll journey to an otherworldly realm,
where people walk on ribbons, and the burn that covers half of Quinn’s face
seems a minor blemish.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">David Calderon tones the first chapter of The Lost Carnival
TP in blues. Luciana’s magic grows evident when yellow and orange surround her
hand. The latter enliven carnival life, and the night Dick and Luciana sneak
off for some time alone. Blue occasionally intrudes into yellow and orange
scenes, or vice versa. Calderon enhances Dick's otherworldly adventure with
green and purple. His limited coloring approach enhances this classic-era
adventure's energy, emotions, and storybook appeal.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Steve Wands conjures small, lowercase black lettering in
white dialogue balloons. Words grow bold for inflection and enlarge as voices
rise. Large, colored type provides locations in time and space. Sound effects
help us hear Dick drive Willow off to the local's party, an erupting fire, and
a bullet blasting through a spinning metal target. Despite their rarity, the
sound effects are colorful, vibrant, and energetic.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to DC Comics for providing a copy of The Lost
Carnival TP for review.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As young circus acrobat Dick Grayson looks toward the
future, a mysterious girl and a magical carnival endanger his family and
friends in The Lost Carnival TP.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 8.8/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/the-lost-carnival-a-dick-grayson-graphic-novel-tp-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-55900879783047889432024-03-03T03:00:00.000-08:002024-03-03T03:00:00.272-08:00Miles Morales: Spider-Man #16 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXbRJ5l6yFLwzgeiLHQN1V5T3x3vCmXEnMF-rcjRBkrg-JNxxAMOvkDr9HuEfyC4HUBHfp7yWHeIZexqy4yZl4cCAVqz9SJm_ZsMTEaER_m7ipDZh0NpPMDlMq7Td8cHg_MWCuhnjo-aqiRrQvEN4mpiPInurBKxOR4rihKG6iYd_WK3TiclpssCcHqaZ/s1800/Miles%20Morales%20SM%2016a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1185" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXbRJ5l6yFLwzgeiLHQN1V5T3x3vCmXEnMF-rcjRBkrg-JNxxAMOvkDr9HuEfyC4HUBHfp7yWHeIZexqy4yZl4cCAVqz9SJm_ZsMTEaER_m7ipDZh0NpPMDlMq7Td8cHg_MWCuhnjo-aqiRrQvEN4mpiPInurBKxOR4rihKG6iYd_WK3TiclpssCcHqaZ/w422-h640/Miles%20Morales%20SM%2016a.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: Cody Ziglar</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Artists: Federico Vicentini & Federica Mancin</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: Bryan Valenza</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Cory Petit</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Richard Isanove; David
Baldeón & Jesus Aburtov; Taurin Clarke; Nic Klien</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Marvel</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $3.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: February 14, 2023</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Brooklyn’s Team Spidey crashed Rabble and Hobgoblin’s party
in the old Beyond building. While Scorpion, Shift, and Starling tackled Hob’s
hired hands outside, the Pumpkin-Meister and Techno-master gave Miles Morales,
Kamala Khan, and Gust an explosive welcome. Can Miles' clone Shift, his
girlfriend Tiana, and reluctant Team Spidey member Mac Gargan take on
Ricadonna, Mr. Fish, Man-Bull, Goldbug, and Shocker? Can Brooklyn's Spider-Man,
Ms. Marvel, and Agent Gao's young wind machine take on Hobgoblin and the Tech
Whisperer? Let's ignite our venom-sabers, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man
#16, and find out!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miles had a mini meltdown when he realized Rabble had teamed
with Hobgoblin. But Kamala and Tiana helped him reclaim his mojo. Rabble still
blames Miles for not getting into Brooklyn Visions Academy. In Miles Morales:
Spider-Man #16, he uses Rabble’s grudge to bait her, hoping to distract her
battle-focus. After all, Rabble's also prone to meltdowns, but hers are more
maxi than mini.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Kamala Khan bolsters Miles by reminding him that she died.
Now, she has returned to life and fights by his side. Despite his wavering
spider sense, this bolsters Miles' mojo too. After all, she gave her life
fighting beside the other Spider-Man. He doesn't want to make it two for two
with the latest X-Men recruit.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Spider-Man weakened Rabble’s ability to talk to technology.
Hobgoblin helped Rabble recapture some of what she lost. In return, she helped
Hobgoblin track Queen Goblin's movements. She wants a rematch with the young
punk who stole her future. Hobgoblin tried to use Aaron Davis to rub out Spider-Man.
Miles’ uncle may have flaked out on him, but Rabble helped upgrade Hobgoblin’s
tech. Hobgoblin's ultimate prize may be Queen Goblin. Still, he's ready for
another battle with Brooklyn's Spider-Man. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZRUYxMrAj5giYdN_oNJ3m3bbeekHbpD9lgRLBcbk1MPLZEBsRko9XkN_edh3VbuXWj55G6yu0eTI45xXuFTQA-pZZD5g6jm_OJZS7qNs0X8vJTAaZ-bYaXwskc7sNJHsEFiIP-xXPk18g7UCBVvZ9ACHU7ZsAmJu5wcjQkqGTIR6jFP1gdNiekDq6zFj/s450/Miles%20Morales%20SM%2016b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="290" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZRUYxMrAj5giYdN_oNJ3m3bbeekHbpD9lgRLBcbk1MPLZEBsRko9XkN_edh3VbuXWj55G6yu0eTI45xXuFTQA-pZZD5g6jm_OJZS7qNs0X8vJTAaZ-bYaXwskc7sNJHsEFiIP-xXPk18g7UCBVvZ9ACHU7ZsAmJu5wcjQkqGTIR6jFP1gdNiekDq6zFj/w412-h640/Miles%20Morales%20SM%2016b.jpg" width="412" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cody Ziglar’s story features a no-holds-barred battle
between Miles, Ms. Marvel, and Gust versus Hobgoblin and Rabble. Outside the
abandoned Beyond building, Starling, Scorpion, and Miles' clone Shift take on
Ricadonna, Mr. Fish, Man-Bull, Goldbug, and Shocker. Scorpion denigrated
Hobgoblin’s security staff by claiming they were Z-Listers. Yet Team Spidey
Outdoors struggles to put down these Killer Zs. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Like his outdoor squad, Miles' indoor team faces stiff
competition. Something's needed to break the stalemate. That's bad for the
other Spider-Man, as Peter Parker is counting on Miles’ help at the Battle Of
Central Park in Amazing Spider-Man #43. Even if Peter lets Miles down, Miles
doesn't want to repay the favor. More importantly, he can't let Hobgoblin and
Rabble use what they've built here to aid Madame Masque. Someone needs to think
outside the box in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #16. Who do you think it'll be?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrrem-_nswh328cBueX2Qk3mI_sPJXvPezWObIMY7XF-IHbSx-L5OXmDM33oH0ivI5tS27eJqlIZ_w2O5_l45dwLyzcrnhG9tGV8DrugqIXde3XXNVCb_qnRd-i5lxCcvnbE5DEIjLnbi1lZLvDxy_mcMkFjy7G3ZfKM9FEXqmX-i_-c1Cz3r5uvDXchZ9/s1800/Miles%20Morales%20SM%2016c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1299" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrrem-_nswh328cBueX2Qk3mI_sPJXvPezWObIMY7XF-IHbSx-L5OXmDM33oH0ivI5tS27eJqlIZ_w2O5_l45dwLyzcrnhG9tGV8DrugqIXde3XXNVCb_qnRd-i5lxCcvnbE5DEIjLnbi1lZLvDxy_mcMkFjy7G3ZfKM9FEXqmX-i_-c1Cz3r5uvDXchZ9/w462-h640/Miles%20Morales%20SM%2016c.jpg" width="462" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As the smoke clears, Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, and Gust behold
Hobgoblin and Rabble hovering on their gliders. Close-ups of Rabble and
Spider-Man reveal their hunger for a rematch. Gust’s swirling air currents
knock Rabble off her perch while Ms. Marvel's arm stretches and her hand enlarges
to grasp the Tech Whisperer. Miles emulates the Cape Killer's latest recruit by
thwipping a swirling web at Hobgoblin. Rabble shows she prepped for Miles'
venom saber by summoning an energy blade in each hand. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Federico Vicentini & Federica Mancin keep everything in
constant movement outside. Scorpion lashes his tail, Shocker's vibro-smashers
arc and stream, and Lady Stilt-Man crashes the party to flail her long limbs in
a panel or two. Ricadonna’s foot blurs as she kicks away Shift. But then, Ricadonna’s
got an axe to grind in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #16. Who dares call her a
Z-Lister?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bryan Valenza lavishes a loaded palette on Vicentini and
Mancin’s dynamic art. Colors vary from subdued to bold, while costume color
fades with movement and distance. Background colors often change panel by panel
and portray energy and lighting sources. Highlights and shadows ground the
characters, while translucent smoke keeps characters visible.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmf1cpNtoJwog8JO_r7oQ3l5GjuHHFOaqmhLAd-KzymKA-htsPL6wf3KxEoKkSCOT8qVNbT_WSlTvbehTyzOMFIjd5pZ8vTHHpMRzPdiB7e2Gyi7UxLEdXBYC6OWcZIM-QQSdOOtRPXt6c8CIxJSGFlNRkDJiEMDge3NpR_ohMjfkks-WWlF-MlwiaXdf/s450/Miles%20Morales%20SM%2016e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="318" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmf1cpNtoJwog8JO_r7oQ3l5GjuHHFOaqmhLAd-KzymKA-htsPL6wf3KxEoKkSCOT8qVNbT_WSlTvbehTyzOMFIjd5pZ8vTHHpMRzPdiB7e2Gyi7UxLEdXBYC6OWcZIM-QQSdOOtRPXt6c8CIxJSGFlNRkDJiEMDge3NpR_ohMjfkks-WWlF-MlwiaXdf/w452-h640/Miles%20Morales%20SM%2016e.jpg" width="452" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cory Petit thwips uppercase black letters into white
dialogue balloons in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #16. The large, thin font grows
bold for inflection and shrinks for lowered voices. Rabble's dialogue fades to
lavender when she does one of her Tech Talks, and Hobgoblin's dialogue
occasionally turns the same color, indicating he's learned from her example.
Miles' thoughts stand out as white letters in red narrative boxes. Sound
effects enhance the fighting inside and out. Occasionally, they release so much
energy that they shove all art from a panel, at least the art not showcased within
the giant letters. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy of this Gang War
chapter for review.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">While Rabble and Hobgoblin use the Beyond Corporation’s tech
to upgrade their powers, Brooklyn’s Team Spidey fights to prevent them from
enhancing Madame Masque’s forces with a fleet of killer drones. Yet hovering
over Miles Morales: Spider-Man #16 on an invisible glider is the fate of Miles’
uncle Aaron Davis. What happened to the Prowler? Was the Hornet’s faith in him
misplaced?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/miles-morales-spider-man-16-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-49410167088927684122024-03-02T03:00:00.000-08:002024-03-02T03:00:00.149-08:00Spider-Boy #4 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeH3vOKWXttuxC2oltWYza438Gv2iXxg5ij11Jkhyphenhyphenv8IRvS1eJrNZRhwq9ITKwSAi2rqYoGChvBce8UcNG7MsvJ7hT5hbxQP9qxOqGEYoig-k1xxtsM-1jMRC-sPmf586VqGO5HNHbJZh2aLDRIv_C2KCX-XajcR_DD_CO_g3PUWxG71pMWy2_zHAcPV9/s1800/Spider-Boy%204a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1175" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeH3vOKWXttuxC2oltWYza438Gv2iXxg5ij11Jkhyphenhyphenv8IRvS1eJrNZRhwq9ITKwSAi2rqYoGChvBce8UcNG7MsvJ7hT5hbxQP9qxOqGEYoig-k1xxtsM-1jMRC-sPmf586VqGO5HNHbJZh2aLDRIv_C2KCX-XajcR_DD_CO_g3PUWxG71pMWy2_zHAcPV9/w418-h640/Spider-Boy%204a.jpg" width="418" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writers: Dan Slott</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Artists: Paco Medina; Ty Templeton</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: Erick Arciniega; Dee Cunniffe</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Joe Caramagna</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: Humberto Ramos & Edgar Delgado; Nicoletta
Baldari; Philip Tan & Rachelle Rosenberg; Martín Cóccolo & Jesus
Aburtov; Ethan Young & John Kalisz</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Marvel</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $4.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: February 21, 2023 </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bailey Briggs risked his reputation to aid Thor. Yet winning
the Asgardian's approval meant revealing his monstrous side. Can people trust
Bailey, or is he more of a monster than a boy?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Let's thwip into
Spider-Boy #4 and find out!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Nightmare Scenario”</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Aunt Mae hosts a movie night at the F.E.A.S.T. center.
Tonight's viewing is her nephew Peter's favorite movie, Fast Car Family Five.
But Fast Car Family X is playing at the theater down the street. If only Bailey
had money, he could watch the latest movie instead of an installment from
Ancientville.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">His friend Christina reminds Bailey that he's got a lifetime
pass at Lucky Lane's Bowling Alley. Yeah, he's someone there! Christina cheers
him on, even if he doesn't throw all strikes. If only he had accuracy as a
superpower, maybe Spider-Man would trust him with web shooters.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkaZvjjxtOU85sfgpVue92-VHqWMUNkehfFnvgRjdLuAjWW2yBRMaS-cPSD7MlJmt1nbeENvQ9HDNycb1mgfuLtmRk4BYquaz0EQImxpUwRMG4nDAu53rp7gtLvpkaCrML0UC4r7efk4lCEKqXLp23_n23y88P9nfh_WMfhgn7loFxCXBOtXiqLtF9poT/s1800/Spider-Boy%204b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1179" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkaZvjjxtOU85sfgpVue92-VHqWMUNkehfFnvgRjdLuAjWW2yBRMaS-cPSD7MlJmt1nbeENvQ9HDNycb1mgfuLtmRk4BYquaz0EQImxpUwRMG4nDAu53rp7gtLvpkaCrML0UC4r7efk4lCEKqXLp23_n23y88P9nfh_WMfhgn7loFxCXBOtXiqLtF9poT/w420-h640/Spider-Boy%204b.jpg" width="420" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In his Spider-Boy #4 story “Nightmare Scenario,” Dan Slott
reveals Bailey's frustration. Like us, he yearns to be recognized and at the
forefront of everything current. Bailey doesn't try to gain insights into his
mentor by watching Peter's favorite movie. Nor does he appreciate how
Christina’s family cares for him. He may get free bowling, but when Lucky
Lane’s generosity doesn’t extend to free nachos, Bailey abandons Christina to
find fun by patrolling the neighborhood</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Blessed with power beyond his years, Bailey grows frustrated
when older spidey folks like Peter and Miles don't accept him. Worse, no one
remembers him, which isolates him from friends and family. Yet Bailey excels in
"Nightmare Scenario" because he finds non-combative solutions to
problems. He relies on reason instead of super strength in Spider-Boy #4.
Bailey risks losing his friends by using his unpopular abilities to protect
someone who feels similarly isolated and disdained. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7lcJWdf3CvyJpYo09VkpDGhAkqWYZP3cLw48vGrD6SAxj887IxEujMH-BAbBfzmDiAjJYnmKof3HELlKy8pPyXxZf92fgSM2EhNpZoUExS3o26agO5O8CGUbVpM9YaY5ygTMtUG1HGbJEqgtadLJ8nhAhcTsbYvM7dsphsAvhyiy-ALB5_I7Y6fSziSd/s2165/Spider-Boy%204c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2165" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7lcJWdf3CvyJpYo09VkpDGhAkqWYZP3cLw48vGrD6SAxj887IxEujMH-BAbBfzmDiAjJYnmKof3HELlKy8pPyXxZf92fgSM2EhNpZoUExS3o26agO5O8CGUbVpM9YaY5ygTMtUG1HGbJEqgtadLJ8nhAhcTsbYvM7dsphsAvhyiy-ALB5_I7Y6fSziSd/w414-h640/Spider-Boy%204c.jpg" width="414" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Aunt May shows no hesitation in greeting the homeless
residents at the F.E.A.S.T. center. Bailey’s fellow residents look like
ordinary people. Christina cheers Spider-Boy as he hurls a ball down the lane,
but the worker pumping cheese onto a serving of nachos lacks enthusiasm. Bailey
bounds over water towers and buildings with eye-catching architectural
features. He perches atop a pinnacle as the Spider-Men tackling the winged
Vulturians steal the foreground.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Erick Arciniega lavishes brilliant foreground color on Paco
Medina's art in Spider-Boy #4. Background colors are soft, varied, and luminous,
making night in the city that never sleeps appealing. Yet the color drains away
when a sinister-looking intruder breaks into the bowling alley after it closes.
A limited palette enhances thrilling car chases on the big screen. Despite how
much money they paid, patrons flee a viewing of Fast Car Family X.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebEpKfxe31uwx1Hsc4_QD8J8mzBV2rUpAhHjS5P3q5iO_ODaEAaaUUjVDyx5cHytxDE89fXt-HmtnMcDWpCZ3AccTq2ZQle7gwfS6Gr66LOi6Qf3OOCwl-8fKUUViGmMbYcP8Aj4QCFziLKa4oaRSI9vePv2ZvVEn6ew8c1YQAbgrid8ku0IbYIpvbOmF/s2125/Spider-Boy%204d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2125" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebEpKfxe31uwx1Hsc4_QD8J8mzBV2rUpAhHjS5P3q5iO_ODaEAaaUUjVDyx5cHytxDE89fXt-HmtnMcDWpCZ3AccTq2ZQle7gwfS6Gr66LOi6Qf3OOCwl-8fKUUViGmMbYcP8Aj4QCFziLKa4oaRSI9vePv2ZvVEn6ew8c1YQAbgrid8ku0IbYIpvbOmF/w422-h640/Spider-Boy%204d.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Missing Pieces”</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dan Slott’s second story in Spider-Boy #4 takes you inside
Madame Monstrosity’s lab. After learning that she turned Bailey into
Spider-Boy, she searched her records for how she created him. Using the results
of her earlier experiment, she births a new entry to the Spider-Verse. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Missing Pieces” is a prequel to "Nightmare
Scenario" and enhances our understanding of Bailey's actions in the first
story. Madame Monstrosity's actions sow doubt in Spider-Men and Christina's
minds, severing Bailey's link with his friends. Whether Bailey can rebuild
those relationships and regain their trust remains to be seen.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZVuRel4DvGVFbixLqpgOPOh0HPlhlgDIU7j-TZmuT4XASMJKBWy6_9ICpJe2RymsE7VPxydB3bok9r4y2r5KNJbmHn15sCOwea03p6W65d3d3mWYIDo-s9w1mhfIgQPVCTno90rOT2vhDa2Vd_12oFNrLkGn9bpobIGgKDWn7fkdBBMl8XYGH6EEh9X_/s2125/Spider-Boy%204e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2125" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZVuRel4DvGVFbixLqpgOPOh0HPlhlgDIU7j-TZmuT4XASMJKBWy6_9ICpJe2RymsE7VPxydB3bok9r4y2r5KNJbmHn15sCOwea03p6W65d3d3mWYIDo-s9w1mhfIgQPVCTno90rOT2vhDa2Vd_12oFNrLkGn9bpobIGgKDWn7fkdBBMl8XYGH6EEh9X_/w422-h640/Spider-Boy%204e.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ty Templeton’s fanciful art reveals a grand villain,
seemingly “forgotten” since the earliest era of Spider-Man. Templeton welcomes
us into a lab filled with giant monitors, steam rising from vats, and
bubble-filled birthing pods. Humanimal servants carry out their duties and
monitor experiments. Madame Monstrosity's eyes widen, and she throws out her
arms as her latest creation crawls from a nutrient tank in Spider-Boy #4. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dee Cunniffe steeps the lab in green. Purple, pink, orange,
and brown fill backgrounds when Madame Monstrosity takes her Humanimals on tour.
Yellow lightning divides panels into scenes from Bailey's life as Madame
Monstrosity's latest creation gazes upon the city in wonder. Behind him, a
black and white billboard reveals the city's ambiguity with their latest hero.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Joe Caramagna thwips black uppercase dialogue into white
balloons in “Nightmare Scenario” and “Missing Pieces."<span> </span>Word size shrinks for
lowered voices, grows bold for intonation, and enlarges and changes color for
shouts. Bailey's monster speech makes another appearance, while an attractive
title-style font proclaims the name of Madame Monstrosity's latest creation in
Spider-Boy #4.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a copy for review.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTMV5kt4OOWPVlZTLA7Olu5nDQOFNdKZ1QG7270ml1WQbnB6EjGY7zwXjo_Qouyr8F6xrlJ6BXzvgEguUFt1_9i06l_Bk3ENsGD4TgRS0vzAHszDoMviNvvVAGVXyDQC7Dq9ib28XZSMCswQEiSEkNyac-31lXZLHlyaijHkHz58zWWit1by3s1cqhQx1/s2143/Spider-Boy%204f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2143" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTMV5kt4OOWPVlZTLA7Olu5nDQOFNdKZ1QG7270ml1WQbnB6EjGY7zwXjo_Qouyr8F6xrlJ6BXzvgEguUFt1_9i06l_Bk3ENsGD4TgRS0vzAHszDoMviNvvVAGVXyDQC7Dq9ib28XZSMCswQEiSEkNyac-31lXZLHlyaijHkHz58zWWit1by3s1cqhQx1/w418-h640/Spider-Boy%204f.jpg" width="418" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bailey stops trying to gain Spider-Man's respect and
embraces his inner monster, while Madame Monstrosity reveals the identity of
his mother in Spider-Boy #4.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9.6/10</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/spider-boy-4-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>.<br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-82114412980957929712024-03-01T12:18:00.000-08:002024-03-01T12:18:29.487-08:00Umbrate Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGubKb_WWxUiNh6RhOM-xnEg75w1Y3nZcGzDx7qgIBD5NrU8JvczY3p7vtqKLU4IpnKLhEaLSblunXImDDmQ0dzt5zs3MgZPtnTOQnHg_uuFQpOKQzJ9a8PZ888-18x0kW_ZUCW4Zsw9pIn_TeThvyoEykydUoJH4ll0RshMunWyonfmyEJteYiK_yIwLi/s1640/Screenshot%202024-01-25%20at%207.58.16%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="1030" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGubKb_WWxUiNh6RhOM-xnEg75w1Y3nZcGzDx7qgIBD5NrU8JvczY3p7vtqKLU4IpnKLhEaLSblunXImDDmQ0dzt5zs3MgZPtnTOQnHg_uuFQpOKQzJ9a8PZ888-18x0kW_ZUCW4Zsw9pIn_TeThvyoEykydUoJH4ll0RshMunWyonfmyEJteYiK_yIwLi/w402-h640/Screenshot%202024-01-25%20at%207.58.16%20PM.png" width="402" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: A. D. Jones </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $10.99 paperback, $3.80 Kindle, Free with Kindle
Unlimited</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: October 13, 2023</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Vanic Bradley didn't have an early childhood. His mother
died in a bus accident when he was six. Five years later, desegregation
policies forced him to attend a new school. A dome covered the school buildings
to shield the Umbral children from daylight. But who would protect Vanic from
the larger and stronger Umbral bullies?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Despite his difficult upbringing—or perhaps because of
it—Vanic chose a life of public service. His dedication to protecting the
citizens of his community cost him his marriage to Sarah. But he gets to spend
time with his son Noah on his days off and evenings with his new girlfriend,
Roma. Vanic relies on his longtime friend Josh for support. But while Roma
fears for his safety, Josh worries about Vanic’s distrust of other species.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Vanic finds dwarves without beards unsettling. Cylanorr, the
upbeat Elven forensic pathologist, gets on his nerves. As for Visp, the naturally
superior Umbral officer wears hazmat gear with a mirror face mask anytime he
goes outside. Visp may take on risky assignments like bomb disposal, but he’s
no hero! Whenever danger threatens, Visp can take off his mask. Then the
sunlight will touch his obsidian skin, and like any Umbral, Visp will disappear
and reappear unharmed after sunset. But then, Vanic tends to freeze up around
Umbral, and those he apprehends arrive at the precinct worse for wear.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCGKctDfJA_IaVnM3PfwaUR6d83BwM7LAjSGSFqSZs_qBucXVxSZVri1g8MCSvzpW1jMC50TsXfODUPvqZ3e3eORupa0Og5Lpw2WOHdoPigV9BMTuYPETag7rygDpFTEhKkpaEpGnwejzyBj0a6fuU_Y8qYGnIwBvQOI29a2xPWGG2NeU9DEPuFToAx5E/s1920/Umbrate%201.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCGKctDfJA_IaVnM3PfwaUR6d83BwM7LAjSGSFqSZs_qBucXVxSZVri1g8MCSvzpW1jMC50TsXfODUPvqZ3e3eORupa0Og5Lpw2WOHdoPigV9BMTuYPETag7rygDpFTEhKkpaEpGnwejzyBj0a6fuU_Y8qYGnIwBvQOI29a2xPWGG2NeU9DEPuFToAx5E/w400-h225/Umbrate%201.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In Umbrate, A.D. Jones introduces readers to a contemporary
world shared by Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and Umbral. While Dragons no longer
haunt the skies, the panther-like Vilgore amazes zoo attendees with its
batwings and insectile features. Prejudice and intolerance still trouble Vanic
Bradley's society, but the police officer tries to accord everyone respect,
regardless of species. Still, Vanic must reevaluate his feelings and opinions when
circumstances force him to protect his son--and nearly two hundred civilians--from
homicidal Umbral that don't care how many people they kill, provided they hurt
Vanic Bradley. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to A. D. Jones, Black Phoenix Book Tours, and Henry Roi PR for providing a copy
for review.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Umbrate is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Umbrate-D-Jones/dp/B0CK3X93R4" target="_blank">available at Amazon.com</a> <br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-d1a23750-7fff-5b53-ea81-c1935944f324" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About the Author</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A.D Jones lives in the North of England; where he spends his time favouring books over people and can be found writing or devouring said books to review online. He loves Cola, Twin Peaks, cult movies and all things horror. He dislikes the movie ‘The Karate Kid’ with a passion that burns brighter than the sun. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can find him on Instagram - the_evergrowing_library</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/the_evergrowing_library" style="font-family: arial; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.instagram.com/the_evergrowing_library</span></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-83532252763273829972024-03-01T03:00:00.000-08:002024-03-01T03:00:00.145-08:00James Bond 007 #2 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06KDqDYDis_NlsOemdnF0O9-l7BcDfSfRjXPuTbti6YkbGVSBzEUAcdC19d8vOocazQX-7ZUxdA7EbbHiHcViy9WIDMQxCd4B9Ge53oy6RHkyXfc-6zRN0ehqnNhkpVwUpxhyphenhyphenlcC5GKT76BGK-gVh3tC4RR14bSwSRRuAuH1YtjQaYfW-u97W91YGODZm/s1801/James%20Bond%20007%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1801" data-original-width="1201" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06KDqDYDis_NlsOemdnF0O9-l7BcDfSfRjXPuTbti6YkbGVSBzEUAcdC19d8vOocazQX-7ZUxdA7EbbHiHcViy9WIDMQxCd4B9Ge53oy6RHkyXfc-6zRN0ehqnNhkpVwUpxhyphenhyphenlcC5GKT76BGK-gVh3tC4RR14bSwSRRuAuH1YtjQaYfW-u97W91YGODZm/w426-h640/James%20Bond%20007%202.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: Garth Ennis</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Artist: Rapha Lobosco</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: Jorge Sutil</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Rob Steen</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artist: Dave Johnson</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Dynamite</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $4.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: February 21, 2024 </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">James Bond dispatched the Costanza cartel before they could
kill him. He blew up the kill team in Bournemouth before they got off a shot.
But Stalvoda—the weapons project stolen from the Ministry Of Defense laboratory
in Porton Downs—is still missing. Can Bond recover it before the thieves deploy
a weapon so secret that not even the last three Prime Ministers knew about it?
Let’s grab our Walther PPKs (not your Berettas, please), leap into James Bond
007 #2, and find out! </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to a rail strike, James Bond has become a man of the
people. He takes a bus back to London with noisy, uncouth fellow passengers.
Moneypenny laughs at his irritation. Yet he’s all business. Bond tells her that
former 00 agent Archibald Tryon resigned because of Stalvoda. He stole the
weaponized water project from Russian scientists. Tryon’s triumph redeemed
M.I.6 after years of government officials spilling secrets and defecting to
Russia. Still, Tryon hated that Britain pursued a project begun in Hitler's
concentration camps. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">After sorting through the bodies on the beach and the long
bus ride home, Bond wants a bath. He tells Moneypenny he’ll freshen up and
return to the office. As Bond walks home from the bus depot, Felix Leiter
calls. As with Tryon, the Americans are glad that M.I.6 assigned a capable
agent to capture Stalvoda. Yet Bond’s not as unaware of his surroundings as he
appears. Bond tells his C.I.A. friend he’s putting him on speaker. Let those
tracking him follow Felix’s voice. Forced to blow up his car and take a bus
home, Bond's ready for a rematch.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In James Bond 007 #2, our favorite M.I.6 agent dances with
death. Moneypenny and Q view him as immature. M believes Bond causes as many
problems as he solves. Had Bond dispatched Sebastian Constanza more carefully,
the family wouldn't have targeted him for death. Now Bond's riding public
transportation instead of renting a car. Why not just paint a target on your
back and be done with it?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">James Bond doesn’t know who attacked him in Bournemouth.
Their bodies and weapons—or at least what remained—told no tales. Garth Ennis'
story suggests that the Russian S.V.R. ordered the beach hit. But Tryon
couldn’t tell Bond who stole Stalvoda from M.I.6 labs. And if the thieves wanted
to scrub Tryon, shouldn't M.I.6 put the retired 00 agent in protective custody
instead of letting him return home to live with his sister? Did Pablo
Constanza, the head of the Constanza drug empire, hire an organization to assassinate
Bond should he and his family fail? Or am I<span>
</span>flaunting logic like Bond flaunts danger in James Bond 007 #2?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rapha Lobosco interposes Bond on the bus with Moneypenny in
her office. The rain dissipates, and he walks alongside the columned porticos
fronting London's historic homes. Lobosco shows a Christmas tree air freshener
dangling in silhouette from a rear-view mirror as someone watches Bond walk. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Scaffolding rises inside the lobby of an abandoned hotel.
Tilted camera angles show masked soldiers fanning out and taking defensive
positions. Bond grabs an assassin and uses his opponent’s body as a shield. A
dance with death plays out across the floors of this multistory building. James
Bond 007 #2 becomes as choreographed as a Hollywood musical and as violent as
Douglas Quaid's efforts to reclaim his memory in Paul Verhoeven's movie Total
Recall.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jorge Sutil shades Bond's face with purple in the bus, while
textured blue suggests rain outside the darkened interior. Moneypenny's milk
chocolate skin glows as she stares at her monitor. Bond remembers searching the
broken bodies on the beach through a beige haze tinged with green. The same
color pervades the hotel interior. As soldiers pursue Bond in their armor and
green fatigues, yellow and orange erupt from guns, red plumes from injuries,
and orange pervades panels. Yet the threat of Stalvoda, also called steel water
or ice napalm, reveals victims frozen in cold, cold blue.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rob Steen’s large, uppercase black letters in white dialogue
balloons are easy to read. Balloons sprout spikes as sharp as flash-frozen
water to signal Moneypenny, M, and Felix’s voices. Words grow bold, enlarge,
and threaten to escape their balloons as the action heightens in James Bond 007
#2. In this issue devoid of sound effects, the cries of soldiers riddled by
gunfire inform Bond that they're still alive.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Don't worry. James Bond will rectify that.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to Dynamite Comics for providing a copy for review.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bond lures assassins into a trap, learns the history of
Steel Water, and goes where few have gone before in James Bond 007 #2.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/james-bond-007-2-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-31311867388463027922024-02-29T03:00:00.000-08:002024-02-29T03:00:00.138-08:00Usagi Yojimbo: Ice & Snow #5 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXcbiUoWTd9Z3hlHr4NApQH7skuAuVKPYG-BoDdeOf5KT9KiMYkSk-T9UdiFxoiYjC3_Nk2NaG1UYvAjb19sCmCk0oVbzG_PLxQU2MohrERqZafbhbi0VYGdt63hqp7u-3LwzOgYJKyQgZWrSkHKLG1z8ZJHGfvYvFsmkJ1uJMwdK6NU-1a2J5ujwl5zt/s1800/Usagi%20Ice%20Snow%205a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1171" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXcbiUoWTd9Z3hlHr4NApQH7skuAuVKPYG-BoDdeOf5KT9KiMYkSk-T9UdiFxoiYjC3_Nk2NaG1UYvAjb19sCmCk0oVbzG_PLxQU2MohrERqZafbhbi0VYGdt63hqp7u-3LwzOgYJKyQgZWrSkHKLG1z8ZJHGfvYvFsmkJ1uJMwdK6NU-1a2J5ujwl5zt/w416-h640/Usagi%20Ice%20Snow%205a.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer, Artist & Letterer: Stan Sakai</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: Hi-Fi Colour Design</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: Stan Sakai & Emi Fujii; Jared Cullum;
David Petersen</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Dark Horse Comics</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $4.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: February 14, 2024</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jei and the bandits attacked Usagi and Yokichi while
crossing a frozen river. Usagi and his cousin survived weakened and frozen.
Trekking through the snow, they stumble upon a village. Will they find friends
or adversaries there? Let's grab our katanas, charge into Usagi Yojimbo: Ice
& Snow #5 and find out!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The farmers planted their crops, but the rains came late.
Heavy snowfall killed much of what grew. In their hut, a couple kneels before
the cookfire, grumbling that their diet is limited to barley gruel and whatever
starving tokage they can find. If only the lizards tasted better than the
disgusting gruel. Sorry farmers! You can't always get what you want!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Karma throws them a curveball when two samurai arrive on
their doorstep. "Gimme Shelter," Usagi cries while Yokichi asks for
food. “We have some delicious gruel,” the farmer replies. Stan Sakai opens
Usagi Yojimbo: Ice And Snow #5 like he began the first chapter of this story
arc. Usagi and his cousin arrive hungry, tired, and cold, hoping to spend the
night in a stranger's hut. They have another encounter with the bandits they
fought in the first and fourth issues. As Sakai closes his Ice And Snow story
arc, these sword-wielding rolling stones discover more supernatural beings in
the cold, remote mountains. But then, you’ve got to have sympathy for the
devils! After all, Yokai must live somewhere!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Usagi and his cousin are kindhearted and share many
similarities. Yet Usagi showed more concern for the woodcutter couple in the
first issue. In Usagi Yojimbo: Ice and Snow #5, Usagi is more willing to
believe that criminals can reform than Yokichi. Stan Sakai's story also
addresses radical changes in behavior. Doctors, psychiatrists, and scientists
explain and treat behaviors that people like Usagi and Yokichi once ascribed to
supernatural phenomena like Yokai. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This issue lacks the weird charm of Keiko playing her flute,
unaffected by the violence around her. I missed the way Jei tilted his head and
smiled in a Joker-esque way as he dispatched opponents with delight. This issue
feels more like a tragedy as the travelers discover the village's terrible
secret. The ending suggests that Usagi and Yokichi’s paths may diverge soon. If
so, I’ll miss Usagi’s younger cousin. But then, Usagi is a ronin, fated to live
his life as a wanderer. And while a hero may walk in the company of others from
time to time, their journeys are often more solitary than not.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2RWTgl9FueLXg2tamCZkq4kBqXlwsXp3hav6nY7_hrkuU601HxKoGgK2MCvDE5wiG8mlMq2yc5Ll0rVVglbH2yEM1dZ4cM4OOB8I-lNoPi0igIguQoTwUQA-st_dJkvmrg4_hVQpSkk43bPm-lmFNhTmwGKFiqT5BN5RHwpeAdjgoS3ASeLduvlpN2Ot/s1800/Usagi%20Ice%20Snow%205b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1171" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2RWTgl9FueLXg2tamCZkq4kBqXlwsXp3hav6nY7_hrkuU601HxKoGgK2MCvDE5wiG8mlMq2yc5Ll0rVVglbH2yEM1dZ4cM4OOB8I-lNoPi0igIguQoTwUQA-st_dJkvmrg4_hVQpSkk43bPm-lmFNhTmwGKFiqT5BN5RHwpeAdjgoS3ASeLduvlpN2Ot/w416-h640/Usagi%20Ice%20Snow%205b.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The farmers look old and infirm. Their expressions are
pained, and the husband walks with care, his head tilted to the side as he
approaches the door. Usagi and Yokichi look worse. They hunch, eyes barely
open, like scouts using their last ounce of strength to report an invading army
to their leaders. Elder Hatatake clutches a staff in both hands as he walks.
Yet he leaps back when Usagi demonstrates that a samurai is always at
readiness, even when asleep.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Stan Sakai reveals the bandits’ mean streak when alone. But
their eyes widen, and they nearly drop their bowls of gruel when Usagi and
Yokichi appear. Their actions seem sedate compared with the farmers after the
moon rises over the nearby mountains. The farmers grunt and growl. Their
infirmities melt away as they bare their teeth and extend their claws. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hi-Fi Colour Design's vibrant colors give Usagi Yojimbo: Ice
& Snow #5 a modern appeal. The shading and highlights have a soft, smoky look
akin to airbrushing. People and objects in shadow often look gray, while the
snow ebbs between white and blue. Yet when night falls, the air surrounding the
farmers burns yellow and orange and glows neon pink and purple.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Stan Sakai fills balloons with large, black, uppercase
dialogue that grows bold or swells but never shrinks. He often reveals emotions
with symbols like questions or exclamation marks. Skulls in cloudy balloons
proclaim that A Murder Is Announced. In this village where everyone knows your
name, and no one (not even the postman) knocks once, let alone twice, a
creaking door announces the entry of a friend, neighbor, or elder.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyROB6cUmPm9QNPOUxoOG_5-ORltjINhrKc2r7K-yIomamleBJfGQgQprIfOe_aH1Mu1Kl7Fb8AYP8xqj-xJWoYAPIGtwlkpTfoiWuLnAEmBmFju-IiLEtQXmS8T9rTKqt8bI3uYBAT7zsy6PCMuN18cE-DIJG8LjwdDb37O57sohMsTfRMezIakUeWyXQ/s1800/Usagi%20Ice%20Snow%205c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1171" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyROB6cUmPm9QNPOUxoOG_5-ORltjINhrKc2r7K-yIomamleBJfGQgQprIfOe_aH1Mu1Kl7Fb8AYP8xqj-xJWoYAPIGtwlkpTfoiWuLnAEmBmFju-IiLEtQXmS8T9rTKqt8bI3uYBAT7zsy6PCMuN18cE-DIJG8LjwdDb37O57sohMsTfRMezIakUeWyXQ/w416-h640/Usagi%20Ice%20Snow%205c.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Weakened and near death, Usagi and Yokichi place their lives
in the care of a village with a terrible secret that evokes Ted Nugent's
signature song in Usagi Yojimbo: Ice & Snow #5.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9.4/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/usagi-yojimbo-ice-snow-5-review/" target="_blank">my review on Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-29394274581451414582024-02-28T03:00:00.000-08:002024-02-28T03:00:00.358-08:00Cobra Commander #2 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeC9PqZU-Gq1o_pZFNJXwfkPXilr-ly-kHdJZLy5uBDvZ1GbUxidqEPiouyyv28Xu6W9NVoVPhG12aG75K64eAWO7LCdPj005oV_9qlCv25yLDiI74rJS_RwptoJkft8YbL22uEtWpJumezXDf1lUQziTbsHlhNNLNfOJllHyXuzalMp3Wgr0jL_DWsPZt/s1800/Cobra%20Commander%202a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1171" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeC9PqZU-Gq1o_pZFNJXwfkPXilr-ly-kHdJZLy5uBDvZ1GbUxidqEPiouyyv28Xu6W9NVoVPhG12aG75K64eAWO7LCdPj005oV_9qlCv25yLDiI74rJS_RwptoJkft8YbL22uEtWpJumezXDf1lUQziTbsHlhNNLNfOJllHyXuzalMp3Wgr0jL_DWsPZt/w416-h640/Cobra%20Commander%202a.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: Joshua Williamson</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Artist: Andrea Milana</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: Annalisa Leoni</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Rus Wooton</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: Andrea Milana & Annalisa Leoni; Ricardo
López Ortiz; Chris Burnham & Brian Reber; Aco; Nick Dragotta & Patricio
Delpeche</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Image Comics</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $3.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: February 21, 2024 </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Isolated from the world, the futuristic city of Cobra-La
lacks resources. After torturing Megatron to learn the secrets of the
Transformers, Cobra Commander left his adoptive home. His masters sent Duke
along to keep him focused. Will the man help or hinder Cobra Commander in his
quest? Let’s leap into Cobra Commander #2 and find out!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cobra Commander and Duke traveled from the snowy wastes to
the sultry Everglades. In this humid jungle, man lives in barely controlled
chaos. Powerboats roar along thin strips of water. Children hunger to see
alligators kill and eat. Thankfully, the signal leads Cobra Commander away from
the crowds. He ventures into the wild swamps of Florida, where a Park Ranger
orders the men to stop. So far, Cobra Commander has regarded his companion as
more of a distraction than an aide. Perhaps the man can finally prove valuable!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">More dangers inhabit these swamps than Park Rangers. The
Dreadnoks rule this region with an iron hand. Ripper favors his knife. Buzzer
cherishes his chainsaw. They roam the dirt and mud roads and lavish their abrasive
love on those who enter their territory without paying a toll. But there are
regions where they are forbidden to go, areas deemed too dangerous to enter.
Guess where the Energon signal leads!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In Cobra Commander #2, Duke and our protagonist search for
an extraterrestrial resource of priceless value. Lord Globulus charged the Duke
with protecting his agent. Yet Pythona did something to Duke. Did she enhance
his ability to defend Cobra Commander? Or is he a ticking timebomb, programmed
to act against Cobra Commander under prescribed circumstances? What is
Pythona’s plan, and where do her loyalties lie? </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Joshua Williamson paints his titular antihero as a tortured
soul. The disordered nature of the outside world frustrates Cobra Commander.
Duke’s company irritates him further. The need to hide his features attracts
attention and throws obstacles in his path. While hardly admirable, his
dedication to his mission demands respect. Still, don’t request the privilege
to peer behind Cobra Commander's mask. He doesn't take kindly to such appeals.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bj5W3Z3b68BqGEyTWLNKBfBOGxITmWcEaYm1oKhFOvTn1EvXq4isXKWwF2i0UOJO3W4T7tc506Rv_Zq-5bGxrMN58NLImwAVvCaky5ds5pAvtSU5fCa3Kgpj5TvuVaw0b2vwt0rdQr5Ed-sUlT77M2LIDBfTVZQ9OQmmknnpWtlSLKGmXGIM-Ekeaicz/s1845/Cobra%20Commander%202b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1845" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bj5W3Z3b68BqGEyTWLNKBfBOGxITmWcEaYm1oKhFOvTn1EvXq4isXKWwF2i0UOJO3W4T7tc506Rv_Zq-5bGxrMN58NLImwAVvCaky5ds5pAvtSU5fCa3Kgpj5TvuVaw0b2vwt0rdQr5Ed-sUlT77M2LIDBfTVZQ9OQmmknnpWtlSLKGmXGIM-Ekeaicz/w416-h640/Cobra%20Commander%202b.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Andrea Milana arrays guns atop the lid of an opened wooden crate
in Cobra Commander #2. A glove and tools reside on a metal tray, spotted with
blood. Two men sit tied to chairs amid a workshop filled with tools. When they
prove reluctant to answer questions, a hand picks up a chainsaw. Buzzer and
Ripper smile as blood sprays. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The outlaws' customized Thunder Machine roars across a
double-page spread. Propeller boats skip across the waterway beyond a park
filled with tourists. A boy following Cobra Commander sticks his tongue out.
Clad in his wide-brimmed hand and trench coat, the stranger turns and extends
his fingers toward the boy’s face. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Annalisa Leoni saturates Andrea Milana’s compelling art with
vibrant color in Cobra Commander #2. The protected waterways live and breathe
with the throbbing energy of nature. Cobra Commander stands out in his blue
clothes and silver mask. Yet he seems to belong in this region ruled by ticket
takers, Park Rangers, and gangs. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Black lines obscure a barely recalled memory. They
dissipate, revealing violent Pythona. Her white face echoes her attendants’
surgical garb. Yet yellow teeth protrude from the red creature she clutches.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Uppercase words inhabit white dialogue balloons. The words
grow bold for inflection and enlarged for shouts. Sound effects enhance the
buzzing chainsaw, the Thunder Machine’s roaring, and the creature struggling to
escape Pythona’s clutches. Duke’s encounter with the Ranger proves explosive.
Yet a creaking door makes you wonder what chaos will welcome the man who values
order above all else. <span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Hasbro
for providing a copy for review.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PM8SmsA_FSZzJjxkvJaftKdZBDi0HzpzWycE9fzQGqXu19CAuV5fFgmoKoF0_uNr4u0TPhIByzu2UjCgG2SZVEfKPQ9bI5_D3exnXwV84MzjZROWs3ykx5FO9lBiys9xyb_pKvmn4PAR0yjGJAJ-IFBcnjEx1ICOnS7W36uSbQIDx1ctOlFH4IIc9pZe/s1845/Cobra%20Commander%202c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1845" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PM8SmsA_FSZzJjxkvJaftKdZBDi0HzpzWycE9fzQGqXu19CAuV5fFgmoKoF0_uNr4u0TPhIByzu2UjCgG2SZVEfKPQ9bI5_D3exnXwV84MzjZROWs3ykx5FO9lBiys9xyb_pKvmn4PAR0yjGJAJ-IFBcnjEx1ICOnS7W36uSbQIDx1ctOlFH4IIc9pZe/w416-h640/Cobra%20Commander%202c.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When a scientist and a soldier venture into the heart of
darkness, a violent encounter separates them in Cobra Commander #2.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9.4/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art and more covers see <a href="https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/DEC230460" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. </span></span></p>
<p><style><font size="4"><span style="font-family: arial;">@font-face
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-50671887925602205352024-02-27T03:00:00.000-08:002024-02-27T03:00:00.135-08:00Transformers #5 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQetWF7mY6Lj3zLPB9A3aUbyh7dgjWEJ2aDNN0GmT0v5r50vJtbASElg_bW08U0tSzmLJct9XHXAh7ffmJHs2HlWzezimNqRXLFUrXiBqYUY64EB4KroVtIv_B4VCp8g3XyUqm6EyG_EqTWZXnVxkGYNacRi15jTOZ8wNzeb4TTll0Xll8CrU_lfumOJ3/s1800/Transformers%205a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1171" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQetWF7mY6Lj3zLPB9A3aUbyh7dgjWEJ2aDNN0GmT0v5r50vJtbASElg_bW08U0tSzmLJct9XHXAh7ffmJHs2HlWzezimNqRXLFUrXiBqYUY64EB4KroVtIv_B4VCp8g3XyUqm6EyG_EqTWZXnVxkGYNacRi15jTOZ8wNzeb4TTll0Xll8CrU_lfumOJ3/w416-h640/Transformers%205a.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer & Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: Mike Spicer</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Rus Wooton</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer; James
Stokoe; Orlando Arocena; Natacha Bustos; Karl Kerschl </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Image</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $3.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: February 14, 2024 </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sparky Witwicky felt the call of duty. Like many veterans,
he returned from the battlefield a haunted man. He lost his oldest son in a
NASA shuttle accident. Then, the Transformers brought their war to him. The
giant robots killed his best friend, put his surviving son Spike in the
hospital, and left his hometown in flames. Where does Sparky go from here? To
whom can he look for support during this traumatic time? Let’s recharge our
Energon batteries, leap into Transformers #5, and follow Sparky's transformative
journey!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sparky and Optimus Prime relive the horror of battle. One
tour broke Sparky while Optimus' war rages on. Sparky doesn’t care about the
issues that divided the Autobots and the Decepticons. All Sparky knows is that
he tried to kill Optimus Prime, and the Autobot leader risked his life to save
his son. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Starscream is all about sacrifice. He'll readily sacrifice
anyone who fails him for an advantage that will help him succeed. After Optimus
prevailed over Skywarp, Starscream sacrificed Skywarp’s Energon to power
Teletraan 1. His lieutenant Soundwave then used the Ark’s computer system to revive
other Decepticons. Hopefully, ones that won’t fail Starscream like Skywarp.
Just one stipulation: they’d better be big! Bigger bots get you more bang for
the buck on the battlefield, right? </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Brains prove as potent as brawn in Transformers #5.
Starscream attacked the energy plant where Sparky worked, but he didn’t channel
the power at its source. Nor did he play nice with the squishy Humans and
harness their ingenuity. Genius inventor Wheeljack recognizes Sparky's
brilliance by partnering with him to revive the Autobots. So, Optimus Prime
wins again because he sees more opportunities in accepting others than in
squashing dissent and obliterating those who disagree with him. But don't
expect that to dissuade Starscream from hosting another “Murder party.”</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Daniel Warren Johnson contrasts the heart of the Autobots
with the shrieking void inside Starscream. It’s not just Optimus Prime who
thinks their fragile new friends are special. The Humans repeatedly tried to
kill Cliffjumper, yet the smaller bot kept trying to help them. Another Autobot
demonstrates an even greater instinct to save their new allies in Transformers
#5. All the Autobots seek to include and protect Sparky and Spike's friend
Carly as their clashes with the Decepticons rage on. Even if the Humans are
smaller and weaker, the Autobots discover they have far more in common with
them than the Decepticons.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Daniel Warren Johnson interposes and compares Sparky and
Optimus Prime’s memories of battle and loss as Transformers #5 begins. Yet
Sparky sits before the computer systems in the Power Station. With his hands
clasped, he stares at his toolbox. With his back to the Human, the Autobot
leader gazes through the control room’s cathedral-like windows. When the two
return to the dam, Sparky and Wheeljack apply the finishing touches to their
joint creation. Like Hoover Dam in the 2007 Transformers movie, the hold of the
Ark resembles the C17 Globemaster III that transported a broken and beaten
Optimus Prime in Revenge Of The Fallen. Only Starscream bestows rebirth upon
his fellow Decepticons in the Ark instead of the desert.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sparky and Wheeljack’s invention spins at frantic velocity
as it powers up. Just as Dr. Frankenstein relied on electricity to reinvigorate
the dead, lightning surges around the Autobot that Optimus hopes to revive.
Clashes between the Autobots and Decepticons remain as brutal as ever. The
Decepticons hurtle through the air in a blur, disintegrate before energy
blasts, or maul and crush the Autobots in their surprise attacks. Yet
Cliffjumper and Carly stand together, their expressions equally concerned and determined.<span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Mike Spicer's vibrant coloring breathes drama into Optimus
and Sparky’s Power Room scene. Sparky and Wheeljack’s creation unleashes a
tornado of blue. Explosions and fire bathe the dam in yellow, orange, and red.
The Autobot that Optimus revives shares body color with Carly's pullover. Yet,
panels that spotlight a leader's defining action replace backgrounds with white
in Transformers #5.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Italicized uppercase dialogue dominates white and colored
balloons and boxes. Rus Wooton emboldens the delicate font for intonation. Large-scale
colored dialogue communicates shouts, concern, and outrage. Sound effects conquer
backgrounds, conveying blows, cannon fire, and Michael Bay levels of
destruction. Yet the red letters that fill the Ark's interior remind us of
Skywarp’s unwilling sacrifice and how Starscream values the Decepticons in his
care. Thanks to Skybound and Image Comics for providing a copy for review. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As Optimus Prime and Starscream race to revive their armies,
Transformers #5 asks if war is an inevitable outcome of sentience and reminds
us that good things come in all shapes and sizes. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9.4/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/transformers-5-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-7599255261700707642024-02-26T03:00:00.000-08:002024-02-26T03:00:00.138-08:00The Ministry Of Compliance #3 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KY6k0yd0a_tvJp98DIzBKt_NwcQB3n_txYqDbh1pchyphenhyphenKN4_83_AFtqOwDOHZkbmJHGFYK1u0fMpeLrp0OW7CxKboo88We-0GOUaJ8DeDh-_UzAhpbxeOCsSQquR18klrHxwxro1_Al1TbgsFPcVMbgAmxfiYgRRQguMPK5b_EPP-3pSjSz_6JqxKrq08/s1800/Ministry%20Of%20Compliance%203a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1186" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KY6k0yd0a_tvJp98DIzBKt_NwcQB3n_txYqDbh1pchyphenhyphenKN4_83_AFtqOwDOHZkbmJHGFYK1u0fMpeLrp0OW7CxKboo88We-0GOUaJ8DeDh-_UzAhpbxeOCsSQquR18klrHxwxro1_Al1TbgsFPcVMbgAmxfiYgRRQguMPK5b_EPP-3pSjSz_6JqxKrq08/w422-h640/Ministry%20Of%20Compliance%203a.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: John Ridley</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Artist: Stefano Raffaele</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: Brad Anderson</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Nathan Widick</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: Stefano Raffaele and Brad Anderson; Ryan
Sook; Tim Leong</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: IDW</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $4.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: February 14, 2024</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Kingsley sits across from Yuzo in the noodle shop. Over
their meal, she repeats what the Human assassin told Avigail after he killed
Blake, the Minister Of Transportation. “Death to the fascist insect that preys
upon the life of the people!” The captive Kingsley questioned in London
confessed to working with an ALA cell in Tokyo. Yuzo has written online about
aliens secretly manipulating events on Earth. Now, he claims his articles were
clickbait, and she was a fool to take them seriously. Will Avigail, the
impersonal, uncompromising Minister Of Compliance, forgive Kingsley if she returns
empty-handed? Let's leap into The Ministry Of Compliance #3 and find out!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">For thirty-nine years, the Ministers of the Devolution
guided Humanity toward Absorption. Yet, on the eve of their success, the Prime
Minister was deposed, and the Shadow Cabinet took over Homeworld. After agents
of the Antibiosis Liberation League (ALA) killed the Minister Of Transport in
London, the alien ministers lacked the codes to find the hidden spaceships that
could return them to Homeworld or any other member world of the Devolution. As
Minister Of Compliance, it’s Avigail’s job to maintain their organization and
its surreptitious control over Earth. Yet the ALA has marked her for death.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">With her mixed parentage, Kingsley belongs neither on Earth
nor on Homeworld. She's learned to hide her Biracial status to survive. But the
Ministries rarely admit Biracials. To maintain her value to the alien
organization, Kingsley meets with her fellow Biracial Israel in a Pachinko
House. Israel tells her about an ALA cell in the Ueno District. But Kingsley
must pretend the information came from Yuzo and convince Avigail to investigate
personally.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One question swirling through The Ministry Of Compliance #3
is who’s calling the shots. After the Shadow Cabinet isolated Earth from the
Devolution, Mathías told the other Ministers at the annual meeting in Vietnam
that Avigail was in charge. Since then, she’s pursued the launch codes, and
he’s consolidated the Ministry Of Finance with Nihid’s Ministry Of Work And
Pensions. Human Resources Director Vance looks to Mathías for funding. When
Kingsley reports the ALA cell in the Veno District to Avigail, the women must
convince Mathías to let them pursue the lead instead of the Ministry Of
Defense. Yet before the Shadow Cabinet took over, Mathías’ desire to return
home threatened his commitment to serving the Devolution.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Mathías may have usurped control over the Devolution on
Earth, but Kingsley is more concerned about her relationship with Avigail.
Initially, the Minister Of Compliance viewed her as a discardable asset. Yet
recently, Avigail’s placed more trust in Kingsley. Avigail even gives Kingsley
a weapon in The Ministry Of Compliance #3. It's not in the same league as
Avigail's sword, Greymatter, but the gift betrays Avigail’s growing trust and
concern for her young charge. Although she knows she shouldn’t, Kingsley also
feels a growing closeness with Avigail. Yet in John Ridley's story, the alien
and the Biracial discover an all-too-human quality that detracts from their agendas
and compromises their missions.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyKYmJqrqxtRGkoF4e46iRnvcCsQs5geWsuhXfRxOg9NZLWexmRYk8ooK9lOcft9YGY5KszOCYT_cx8GjVj50aFyHyNunPycvI5qbSGNj-2KqytafQwEmMLWfXG_SQkih-SPlTS79PdJz5qQUZopLi1TtudpUoUSb7bwNIP5kjOxaa24ERpQyHi1Jh8J8/s1800/Ministry%20Of%20Compliance%203b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1186" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyKYmJqrqxtRGkoF4e46iRnvcCsQs5geWsuhXfRxOg9NZLWexmRYk8ooK9lOcft9YGY5KszOCYT_cx8GjVj50aFyHyNunPycvI5qbSGNj-2KqytafQwEmMLWfXG_SQkih-SPlTS79PdJz5qQUZopLi1TtudpUoUSb7bwNIP5kjOxaa24ERpQyHi1Jh8J8/w422-h640/Ministry%20Of%20Compliance%203b.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Kingsley sits in the empty noodle shop across from Yuzo. She
covers her shoulder-length hair with a hoodie. After they dine over their
bowls, she walks along a crowded sidewalk with her face tilted forward. Money
grants her a handful of tiny metal balls. Kingsley sits before a machine beside
another hooded figure. The design of the machines has an organic, biological appearance
that reinforces the throbbing life and energy of the Pachinko House.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By comparison, the spartan meeting room in the Tokyo
highrise features no more than basic chairs and a conference table. After
Avigail and her assistant Quinn depart, closeups show Mathías and Kingsley
before the busy city beyond the floor-to-ceiling plate glass windows.
Attendants hold trays for Kingsley's inspection in an armory that evokes a
high-end retail shop. Surrounded by handguns and rifles, Kingsley chooses a
weapon. Her mouth drops open, and her hair flutters as she activates it.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Brad Anderson’s limited palette highlights characters and
compliments Stefano Raffaele's highly detailed artwork in The Ministry of
Compliance #3. The dominant orange and brown of the noodle shop contrast with
the vivid yellow, orange, pink, and purple of the Pachinko House. Kingsley's
grey and black outfit compliments those of Avigail and Quinn and blends in with
the gray armory. The handle of her weapon is gray like Avigail’s sword,
Greymatter. Yet Mathías, their presumptive leader, wears a blue suit that
compliments the dark blue night sky outside the office windows.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Nathan Widick places black, uppercase letters in white
dialogue balloons. His font is thinner than Ariana Maher's and shrinks, grows
bold, or enlarges for inflection and volume. Sound effects enliven Avigail,
Quinn, and Kingsley’s battle with chimp-faced guerillas outside an abandoned
house. Thanks to IDW for providing a copy of this sword-wielding saga for
review.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0DG5M4BbQqbv_NOtxI3jWrMEUvMOcnuB6BuqzrGp5kJylZasH9R1ybZLScFJK3wOfZ5IqDW4RToc9rdeaSEP7wnvfvWFH7S8wPLRqxTBfGG84qylntv_phyphenhyphenHL9V4b8q2In_1QI2BYxrlsvjV0sKBNhkRyTpT8_EvCqOa9BP9bQlXEbjfB6OujjmR2jY1/s1800/Ministry%20Of%20Compliance%203c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1186" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0DG5M4BbQqbv_NOtxI3jWrMEUvMOcnuB6BuqzrGp5kJylZasH9R1ybZLScFJK3wOfZ5IqDW4RToc9rdeaSEP7wnvfvWFH7S8wPLRqxTBfGG84qylntv_phyphenhyphenHL9V4b8q2In_1QI2BYxrlsvjV0sKBNhkRyTpT8_EvCqOa9BP9bQlXEbjfB6OujjmR2jY1/w422-h640/Ministry%20Of%20Compliance%203c.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As Avigail seeks the means to escape Earth, Humans,
Biracials, and aliens question their loyalties and where they belong in The
Ministry Of Compliance #3.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 8.8/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/the-ministry-of-compliance-3-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-71333659885359573442024-02-25T03:30:00.000-08:002024-02-25T03:30:00.126-08:00Amazing Spider-Man #43 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftrlcVxKVjkRicDcU5UzK539vlk8tpynxpvtmlvDpfh4zqPP67WG8ny7yPvqbV3yCTEaSFT-7P6q0gSxjdhnnfSx3CHFCAge4xGYWk9XqeLwz_TBt-8Z83Be4K5bVEwSsP2tmVE-79ITYymUQO3rYbULZ9wKD7a1xnQWib5wkpjXATbBA-Uq-QWAj_uh9/s1800/ASM%2043a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1185" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftrlcVxKVjkRicDcU5UzK539vlk8tpynxpvtmlvDpfh4zqPP67WG8ny7yPvqbV3yCTEaSFT-7P6q0gSxjdhnnfSx3CHFCAge4xGYWk9XqeLwz_TBt-8Z83Be4K5bVEwSsP2tmVE-79ITYymUQO3rYbULZ9wKD7a1xnQWib5wkpjXATbBA-Uq-QWAj_uh9/w422-h640/ASM%2043a.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: Zeb Wells</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Penciler: John Romita Jr.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Inker: Scott Hanna</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorist: Marcio Menyz</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Joe Caramagna</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hanna & Marcio
Menyz; Ema Lupacchino & David Curiel; Justin Mason & Federico Blee;
Lorenzo Pastrovicchio</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Marvel</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $4.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: February 14, 2024 </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Madame Masque’s minions confront the Beetle’s battalion in
Central Park. Spider-Man, She-Hulk, Daredevil, Miles Morales, and Spider-Woman
want to stop the Gang War. Who will win the battle for New York? Let’s thwip
into Amazing Spider-Man #43 and find out!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Robbie Robinson finds Spider-Man in the hospital. The Daily
Bugle stalwart sat by the bedside of his longtime rival, Lonnie Lincoln. Now,
Robbie rarely leaves his son's room. He understands and shares Spider-Man’s sorrow
and anxiety over Randy’s fate. But as a reporter who spent his life covering
all aspects of life in New York City, Robbie wants the chaos to end. So, just
like when Randy arrived in the hospital, Robbie tells Peter Parker, "Get
out there."</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Gang War saw the rise of two women anxious to usurp
Kingpin’s crown. Wilson Fisk may have abdicated the throne, but Madame Masque
used guile and treachery to remove his successor. Of the two women, she's the
most powerful. Madame Masque leads a band of conscripts and mercenaries. She
commands no loyalty. By comparison, Janice Lincoln's lieutenants are also her
friends. They attended the party before her aborted wedding. Her fiercest
supporters love her. But does the Beetle have what it takes to maintain a criminal
empire?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Arr18-1GYiBcc-y3jZNR27VS6w4zgIGnZUhTjlLqK98Dg-ngyLv2yjzl8e-vMvna0YQh00OdPB5MHq8UM48Azi1X4wJVQAK49hL9OzuSRGrlN6OISjhpcaby26eO95qQX8cGKhU2lc0eWgP8HduxseH7ab3brVq2IkMlD0CSJUnaLhk5J_VQFL-IFhX8/s2158/ASM%2043b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2158" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Arr18-1GYiBcc-y3jZNR27VS6w4zgIGnZUhTjlLqK98Dg-ngyLv2yjzl8e-vMvna0YQh00OdPB5MHq8UM48Azi1X4wJVQAK49hL9OzuSRGrlN6OISjhpcaby26eO95qQX8cGKhU2lc0eWgP8HduxseH7ab3brVq2IkMlD0CSJUnaLhk5J_VQFL-IFhX8/w416-h640/ASM%2043b.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But enough about the past. The gangs are fighting, and Team
Spidey wades into the fray. Peter Parker’s got his mojo back. He’s no longer so
intimidated that he’s reaching for clubs. He’s comfortable that webbing his
opponents will get the job done. His teammates see his renewed confidence and respond
to his example. Unlike in previous issues, Spider-Man commands the spotlight in
Amazing Spider-Man #43. He no longer needs to cozy up to villains. It may be an
epic battle, but he’s got this. <span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Amid all the fighting, Gang War remains a story about
families. Zeb Wells planted the seeds when Shotgun destroyed Randy Robinson and
Janice Lincoln’s wedding and put Lonnie Lincoln in the hospital. The story grew
as Hammerhead sent Randy to keep his would-be father-in-law company. Now, while
Robbie sits by his son’s hospital bed, Tombstone fights to end the Gang War and
protect his daughter. Despite his tough exterior and Janice's quibbles about
his parenting skills, he cares about her more than she realizes.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_vMHezBOly1EItzUzhWVdVvvuo3jLu6mZYHkztmnZTvNipRDEsxWaCqWqGu9LYhYkmn1oFT5FuQbo-F1fiUXk4My6JJ6qFEsXAYuhyrFCGMQ_TU9JbrTA72kvS01u9XI07mdUqLMezLl5f2XiEwecOJUa70B7iAj1fkLHbDXE9EQNG_wXOif_UF1c762/s1800/ASM%2043d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1172" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_vMHezBOly1EItzUzhWVdVvvuo3jLu6mZYHkztmnZTvNipRDEsxWaCqWqGu9LYhYkmn1oFT5FuQbo-F1fiUXk4My6JJ6qFEsXAYuhyrFCGMQ_TU9JbrTA72kvS01u9XI07mdUqLMezLl5f2XiEwecOJUa70B7iAj1fkLHbDXE9EQNG_wXOif_UF1c762/w416-h640/ASM%2043d.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">John Romita Jr. and Scott Hanna show Robbie’s stilted
actions and expressionless mask when he spies Peter in Spidey attire. Yet after
Randy's friend leaves, the hardened reporter slumps and buries his face in his
hands. The artists convey an equally significant moment in Amazing Spider-Man
#43 by showing Spider-Man climbing the wall outside the hospital while Team
Spidey gazes down at him from the roof. Unlike when Gang War ignited and
Spider-Man told his peeps to stand by him, Peter's posture conveys humility.
“You weren’t ready to follow me before,” it suggests. “Will you allow me to
lead you now?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The battle in Central Park plays out like a seasoned Daily
Bugle reporter might cover it. Each page conveys confrontations between
longtime rivals and breathtaking action while showcasing drama. She-Hulk plows
through A.I.M. soldiers like a tractor harvesting corn. Madame Masque blazes
away at Janice with blasters like those she smuggled into Hell’s Kitchen.
Rabble weighs her weapons against Miles’ Venom Saber. Shotgun makes Tombstone
eat more lead. Madame Masque started this Game of Thrones by manipulating
Shotgun. Spider-Man leaps and thwips and makes clear he won’t quit until
Endgame.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4ezm88kGTk3IffBvBgkJjQlF_cUZX5xMHH_FXewEyiR4FB4QZr81npXeDNv8yq4jHJuv2_EBdR0dfziDY72dMgdcLVcoASNIM43Q5C129LmD6NtJnE5OBQVY9Dn6PrO8dbqrSJyf4oLgedmWhY2Xn8F4jGIklCG_cSLeqr1bzqJaLfzpEGHu8SQOm6C-/s1800/ASM%2043c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1172" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4ezm88kGTk3IffBvBgkJjQlF_cUZX5xMHH_FXewEyiR4FB4QZr81npXeDNv8yq4jHJuv2_EBdR0dfziDY72dMgdcLVcoASNIM43Q5C129LmD6NtJnE5OBQVY9Dn6PrO8dbqrSJyf4oLgedmWhY2Xn8F4jGIklCG_cSLeqr1bzqJaLfzpEGHu8SQOm6C-/w416-h640/ASM%2043c.jpg" width="416" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Marcio Menyz delivers bright and bold colors to Amazing
Spider-Man #43. The loaded palette unleashes eye-catching contrasts as the
action takes place surrounded by lush greenery while skyscrapers touch tufts of
white in an azure sky. The furious action and appealing colors almost make you
forget that this Gang War has its roots in Randy and Janice's wedding, which
took place (or tried to take place) under a similarly pastoral setting in New
York's Marcus Garvey Park. <span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase black letters into white balloons.
Words grow bold for inflection. Enlarged and colored letters celebrate shouts,
grunts, and wails. Tombstone’s tiny lettering suggests he’s the strong, silent
type. Amid a feast of sound effects, the thud that the aging crime lord meets
out suggests he’s not as past it as many dared to think. Perhaps it even
surprises him? </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to Marvel for providing this essential chapter of the
Gang War saga for review.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uoIZ0Q_PcsSGAvethCjObhINfoY3Jv4UmErmp6dZotmWj0PARWd0X2SG552hFM6SwZyeoXafRBiZRr1SInhFWLZh121XjO76qWCUgsVESVc-4bgI5ele7Y0jAxcTQYBq7QhPLMZxvmzDWWnmB70-uORXOchIZfGbmS5oim67p2_sw64eLi8MyFPbC7Dm/s1800/ASM%2043e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1189" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uoIZ0Q_PcsSGAvethCjObhINfoY3Jv4UmErmp6dZotmWj0PARWd0X2SG552hFM6SwZyeoXafRBiZRr1SInhFWLZh121XjO76qWCUgsVESVc-4bgI5ele7Y0jAxcTQYBq7QhPLMZxvmzDWWnmB70-uORXOchIZfGbmS5oim67p2_sw64eLi8MyFPbC7Dm/w422-h640/ASM%2043e.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Amid a raging battle filled with epic confrontations,
Amazing Spider-Man #43 celebrates the importance of friendship, family, and the
need to recognize who we are. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9.8/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/amazing-spider-man-43-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773203794540000241.post-32360394212774563442024-02-24T03:00:00.000-08:002024-02-24T03:00:00.128-08:00Savage Red Sonja #4 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTj6sj-ke1k9mAgc8wkc-aTuf6M5vz6Lfi3L97NxV3Mgz_AGD5rrW3rzdJaxm69ySuv5p2Qu0Gpf5p7D4c21nQY6xtG75mKWCDUo1_j1GBdM-UWk2UK7QoYBxbcrhDOmgM5-6cWAcRH-4r8_lIbpFWFV-8MIU36Cvgn9csXXRXPpND1GSa4UJnS5oLTNk/s1801/Savage%20Red%20Sonja%204a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1801" data-original-width="1187" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTj6sj-ke1k9mAgc8wkc-aTuf6M5vz6Lfi3L97NxV3Mgz_AGD5rrW3rzdJaxm69ySuv5p2Qu0Gpf5p7D4c21nQY6xtG75mKWCDUo1_j1GBdM-UWk2UK7QoYBxbcrhDOmgM5-6cWAcRH-4r8_lIbpFWFV-8MIU36Cvgn9csXXRXPpND1GSa4UJnS5oLTNk/w422-h640/Savage%20Red%20Sonja%204a.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Writer: Dan Panosian</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Artist: Alessio Petillo</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Colorists: Francesco Segala & Gloria Martinelli</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Letterer: Dave Sharpe</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover Artists: Dan Panosian, Frank Cho, Enrico Marini &
Cosplay</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publisher: Dynamite</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Price: $3.99</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Release Date: February 14, 2024</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Markus sold Red Sonja a map to King Gresh’s castle. When she
returned, he offered to buy the blood ruby from her. Better yet, if Red Sonja
retrieved the royal scepter from Mayor Sem, he could reunite it with the blood
ruby and free her from her oath to the goddess Scathach. Can Markus do as he
claims? Might Red Sonja give up her wandering, warrior ways? Let’s grab our
swords, leap into Savage Red Sonja #4, and find out!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">After exploring the village and conversing with Castille,
Red Sonja puts two and two together. Markus’ knowledge of the gem suggests that
he stole King Gresh’s scepter. Somehow, the blood ruby got dislodged on his
journey back. His wife didn’t believe he lost it in the wasteland. She figured Markus
was greedy and didn’t want to share with her. So she cast a spell that robbed
Markus of his youth and went off to join a coven, battle Kulan Gath, or seek
healing in a Hyborian home for women with cheating and manipulative husbands. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In Savage Red Sonja #4, the She-Devil With A Sword is displeased
that Markus conned her into slaying the beast in the desert and battling the
hissing hordes guarding the haunted castle. Perhaps he wasn't responsible for
Lucian and Celia's deaths. But if Markus had retrieved the blood ruby, Red
Sonja wouldn't have watched her friends die. Now, he wants Gresh’s scepter. Can
she trust Markus once he has both? Besides, his wife is the witch, not him!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Mayor Sem sends his Slayers Of Shadizar for Red Sonja. The
She-Devil surrenders her sword and accompanies his guards. Sadly, the Mayor
isn’t in a giving mood. Still, he’ll gladly take the blood ruby off her hands. Red
Sonja may have Markus’ number, but the mystery of how Mayor Sem got the scepter
remains. Then there’s Castille. His earlier conversation with Mayor Sem and his
actions in Savage Red Sonja #4 put an interesting spin on his meeting with Red
Sonja at Choiros Hall. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Finally, the She-Devil must peer into her own heart. An
emptiness gnaws at her soul in Dan Panosian’s tale of weirdness and woe.
Despite her protestations, might Red Sonja opt to settle down and raise a
family? The scepter--fused with the blood ruby--could give her that power. Our
flame-haired heroine has much to sort out in Savage Red Sonja #4. That is,
assuming Mayor Sem, Castille, and the Slayers Of Shadizar don’t kill her first!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3r4za8kCLNc-5U9MqNOvMk_upN41P4z87vIvd_LnNyccyK4f2HM1-uSCjszpNaTYZbUXTSC_rA3QFsO9QoCRN8cW4n40fXybllMtWnzVO4fZMLQX6fXhKEvt6sWeuoO7chSFA-sJFNdamZlTiZd0NEm0d6hI08imccEw4MxRR6VOhNbj3c37Mf6eEh5pL/s1801/Savage%20Red%20Sonja%204b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1801" data-original-width="1187" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3r4za8kCLNc-5U9MqNOvMk_upN41P4z87vIvd_LnNyccyK4f2HM1-uSCjszpNaTYZbUXTSC_rA3QFsO9QoCRN8cW4n40fXybllMtWnzVO4fZMLQX6fXhKEvt6sWeuoO7chSFA-sJFNdamZlTiZd0NEm0d6hI08imccEw4MxRR6VOhNbj3c37Mf6eEh5pL/w422-h640/Savage%20Red%20Sonja%204b.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Art</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Alessio Petillo keeps the camera moving as Red Sonja
confronts Markus in the tavern. We look down from above, up from the table, and
view the characters from a tilted perspective. Closeups help us gauge the
intensity of their discussion and how much Markus is hiding. Red Sonja’s
intrusion into Mayor Sem’s stronghold is more restrained, as Petillo confines
their conversation to a single page. But don’t be lulled into sleep because
pages of glorious action follow!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Shadizar Slayers’ lampshade helmets and armor in Savage
Red Sonja #4 evoke ancient Chinese paper-and-cloth armor. The eye-catching
design helps them move and react quickly. The Shadizar Slayers prove a match
for Red Sonja in a memorable evening chase across the rooftops of this hive of
scum and villainy.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Francesco Segala & Gloria Martinelli wield a limited
palette of bright and bold colors to cast powerful spells in Savage Red Sonja #4.
Fern green, tanned leather, and skin tones cluster inside the bar. The
moonlight shining into Mayor Sem's office reveals soft pastels. The Slayers'
bright red and yellow armor glows beneath the textured blue sky. Dots enhance
Segala and Martinelli's shading. Perhaps most intriguing: Sonja's eyes change
from gray in the Drunken Dryad to blue in Mayor Sem's office, lavender in the
moonlight, and finally brown when the sun rises. But then, magic flows through
Red Sonja’s veins, thanks to her sacred oath to the goddess Scathach.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Medium-sized uppercase black letters fill white dialogue
balloons and colored narrative boxes. Dave Sharpe emboldens for intonation,
while louder words are enlarged and colored. The chapter titles in Savage Red
Sonja #4 are particularly striking. Sound effects help us hear Sonja’s race
across ceramic roof tiles and tell us all we need to know about her encounter
with thieves. The way Red Sonja shatters Mayor Sem's sense of security in one
panel is an elegant fusion of writing, art, coloring, and lettering. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to our Hyrkanian heroes at Dynamite Comics for
providing a copy for review.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Final Thoughts</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The She-Devil With A Sword investigates the secrets and lies
that bind a village while battling thieves and hired killers in Savage Red
Sonja #4.<span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rating 9/10</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To preview interior art see <a href="https://comicbookdispatch.com/savage-red-sonja-4-review/" target="_blank">my review at Comic Book Dispatch</a>. <br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></p>Dragon Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086520095836955243noreply@blogger.com0