Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #5 Review

 

Writer: Danny Lore

Artist: Karen S. Darboe

Colorist: Cris Peter

Letterer: Joe Sabino

Cover Artists: Karen S. Darboe & Cris Peter

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 21, 2023

 

Deacon Frost wanted Blade's blood to empower his followers. When that didn't work, he let Brielle's mom escape, then sent his posse in pursuit. Will Saffron lead Deacon's vampires directly to Brielle? Let's Hack And Slash into Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #5 and find out!

 

Story

Jay and Rebecca realize Brielle's in trouble. So her friends stick by her side. Saffron finds them where Blade trained Brielle. With the high stakes, our pink-haired dhampir spills what she's been going through as Whitney and her clone daddy's vampires arrive.

 

Saffron doesn't want her daughter to fight. Rebecca knows better. With her help, Brielle subdues Whitney and hacks and slashes vampires. Now she's got to rescue Blade from Whitney's foster daddy before he succumbs to a bestial rage.

 

Sadly, I learned no more about vampire cloning in Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #5. Might another Frosty Clone appear in Marvel's upcoming Blade series? As a newbie, I wondered why Blade struggled to prevent transforming into The Incredible Dhampir. If there was an explanation in earlier issues, I missed it. My biggest question about the series regards Brielle's pink hair. In issue #3, black cornrows surround her head. Yet when she goes outside, she's got straight pink hair. When a vampire grabs her by the hair, she yells, "Yeow!" No wig flies off. Am I just clueless about wig attachments and quick-acting dyes?

 

Despite my insatiable curiosity Danny Lore fulfilled all the individual character arcs in Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #5. Now I don't need to rush to the vitamin cupboard for a handful of iron pills!

 

Art

In the first panel of the first page, Jay, Rebecca, and Brielle look like they've emulated the fan who wanted to look more like Red Skull. Later profile depictions reveal the characters didn't visit Dr. Schlotkin. Citizens of Druidia: relax. You're in no danger of losing your oxygen.

 

In the last panel of the first page—a profile shot of Brielle and her mother—Saffron looks angry at Brielle. She's probably just upset that Deacon endangered Blade and her daughter. Still, I thought, "'Don't tell Bri off! She's doing her best!"

 

There were a few other irritants in Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #5. Saffron's car looked like a sedan in one panel and a crossover SUV in others. (It's probably the tilted camera views). The Incredible Transforming Blade resembles a Claymation figure. But by and large, Karen S. Darboe's art depicts action well, and the characters' emotions shine like beacons in Deacon's mausoleum hideout. While she probably draws digitally, her signature splatter gives the comic a hand-inked look.

 

When Darboe's noseless panel made me stumble, Cris Peters’ coloring helped me keep my feet. The headlights from Saffron’s car/SUV reflect off the front edge of Jay's headphones and one lens of his glasses. The harsh lighting makes the trio's teeth glow and overexposes their faces. I like how she brushes pink shadows around Jay and Rebecca's eyes and across the trio's neck. A reflection slashes across the vehicle windscreen. A brush streaks purple above Saffron as she hugs her daughter. The moonlight plays across the fabric of Whitney's black Emma Peel catsuit, dapples Brielle's hair, and washes out the vampires' stark features. Need I go on about the coloring in Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #5?

 

Joe Sabino’s uppercase black lettering in white dialogue balloons is easy to read and follow. Sound effects were balanced and effective in style, spelling, and frequency. I wasn't sure the few times characters used small font merited lowered voices. Still, his efforts helped bring this series to a satisfying conclusion.

 

Final Thoughts

Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #5 sinks its claws into your heart and doesn't let go until the final page. Fueled by devotion to family and responsibility for others, readers depart enamored by Brielle and thirsting for more pint-sized dhampir adventures.

 

Rating 8.3/10

 

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

Hellboy And The B.P.R.D.: Fearful Symmetry #1 Review

 

Writers: Mike Mignola & Chris Roberson

Artist: Alison Sampson

Colorist: Lee Loughridge

Letterer: Clem Robins

Cover Artists: Laurence Campbell with Dave Stewart

Publisher: Dark Horse

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 28, 2023

 

To quote Hellboy, the last time he helped a friend of Professor Bruttenholm’s, "it didn't go so well." Still, when anthropologist Dr. Narendra Jaiswall calls, Hellboy travels to the University of Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, India. Will things go any better this time? Let’s load our four-round revolvers, leap into Hellboy And The B.P.R.D.: Fearful Symmetry #1, and find out!

 

Story

Meet Virginia Payne, a doctoral student intrigued by recent animal attacks. After getting her Bachelor's degree at Harvard, she’s doing a doctoral thesis on the folk beliefs of tribal groups in rural India. The authorities see nothing suspicious in the rash of wild tiger attacks. But according to the villagers she questioned, the attackers walked on two legs, not four.

 

Virginia and Hellboy tracked down a monster seven years ago. She knew him as a boy who read comics. Now she sees him as a man. Hellboy And The B.P.R.D.: Fearful Symmetry #1 isn’t Hellboy In Love, but "Ginny" opens up to her former friend and seems to treat him as an equal. That proves a good thing when a villager ventures outside his hut, only to fall into the embrace of a striped, furry attacker.

 

Virginia and Hellboy make an effective team. They don't waste time arguing or playing games with each other. Instead, they get right down to business and investigate the attacks. When thrown a curve ball, they adjust their strategy and press on. The ending satisfies yet hints that all is not quite as it seems.

 

Art

Virginia's eyes glow with affection and intelligence in Hellboy And The B.P.R.D.: Fearful Symmetry #1. While Hellboy’s demeanor shows his indifference to the mysterious, she seems amazed by all the possibilities life will throw her way. His too-wide mouth, bull neck, and clunky-looking arm make Hellboy look like a human-sized Iron Giant Hells Angel. The way Alison Sampson draws Virginia sideways in a panel takes some getting used to, as does Hellboy’s one-page turntable-style tiger takedown. More fluid transitions between panels and consistently detailed backgrounds would have helped me feel more grounded. Still, the scenes of the two driving through farmland and remote villages transport me to India, and the images accompanying their conversations emphasize the richness of Indian culture.

 

 

Lee Loughridge utilizes a limited color palette in Hellboy And The B.P.R.D.: Fearful Symmetry #1. Interiors draw on reds and pinks, while outsides trend toward greens and browns. Harsh sunlight threatens to turn everything yellow, while lavenders and grays inhabit evenings. Virginia may look bleached in direct sunlight and green in shadow, but Hellboy always burns red. While Sampson and Loughridge’s imagery reminds me of Elizabeth Shaw's dreams in Prometheus, the disconcerting evening scenes suggest Film Noir.

 

Clem Robins helps us hear dialogue with easy-to-read black letters in appealing white balloons and boxes. The tigers' growls confirm Hellboy’s suspicions and sound effects hit you as powerfully as his demon hand.

 

Final Thoughts

Appealing characters, intriguing art, and an involving story make Hellboy And The B.P.R.D.: Fearful Symmetry #1 an oddly satisfying read, regardless of whether you've read earlier Hellboy stories or William Blake's famous poem.

 

Rating 8.4/10

 

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

Gospel Trade Paperback Review

 

Writer, Artist, Colorist & Letterer: Will Morris

Cover Artist: Ver

Publisher: Image

Price: $14.99

Release Date: June 21, 2023

 

Henry VIII wanted to remarry, but the Pope said, "No." Royal advisor Thomas Cromwell wanted to reform the English Church. Henry VIII said, "Go for it." Latin gave way to English. Literacy reduced priestly authority. People plundered churches and destroyed religious art. Monasteries that governed surrounding lands disappeared. How did such radical change affect people in Devon, England? Let's set aside our Books Of Common Prayer, pick up the Gospel Trade Paperback, and find out!

 

Story

Rumpstead seems like an idyllic Tudor village in Devon, England. But look closer, and you'll find trouble brewing. Pitt, the apprentice chronicler of the parish, differentiates truth from fiction. His friend Matilda, the town protector, aggrandizes stories for the people's benefit. Their benefactor, Father Thomas, seeks to preserve the influence of the Catholic Church. Lady Tyrwitt, head of the local stainers guild, believes the aristocracy should control all aspects of British life. These indomitable personalities collide when Satan destroys the church on Olnick Tor.

 

 

The Gospel Trade Paperback also introduces us to present-day characters. Mr. Fisher stuffed his home with knickknacks. Ms. Gita Karan wonders if he should be in a senior facility. While readers experience Pitt and Matilda's quest for a saint's hammer to defeat the devil, Mr. Fisher tells the social worker about the plucky orphans' trek across Devon and Cornwall. She desires facts to complete forms relating to Section 7 of the 1983 Order Of Mental Health Act. While Pitt and Matilda fight to preserve their religious traditions, Mr. Fisher fights to remain in his home. 

 

Pitt and Matilda brave the dangers of the road, fight humans, and confront a giant. Yet their greatest battles are over what separates and unites them. Both must discover the truth within themselves. At stake is not just their town but their future.

 

The British monastic system—a legal and social network that governed all aspects of Tudor society—gave way to less structured, secular governance: virtually overnight. I wasn't always sure how story events gelled with real-world dates when Image published the individual issues. I had trouble believing that Devon villagers would respect a young woman’s elevated social status—let alone one who dyed her hair green. (And then there's the question of how her hair might smell, considering how they made dyes back then). 

 

 

Reading all five issues at once, I understand he's tackling events that took place over periods and may have differed by region. Mr. Fisher's story also grows clearer in the Gospel Trade Paperback and seems like the lens through which we should view the overall story. But then, the charming, mischievous Mr. Fisher is an unreliable narrator, so take everything I said with a grain of salt.

 

On second thought, save the salt. You'll need it to preserve your meat and fish during the lean winter and spring months.

 

 

Art

Will Morris’ art depicts life in a Tudor village. It highlights how well-meaning reformers defaced statues, stole traditional religious art, and destroyed churches and monasteries. It shows how people lived outside towns as farmers, tradespeople, and hired laborers. He takes us on a tour through forests and along England's windswept southwest coast. He also emulates historical styles such as woodblock art.

 

While Morris portrays people and animals well, he often leaves distant faces blank. He crams panels into pages like Matilda loads coins from Pitt's pub yarns into her travel sack. The tiny imagery can require readers to intuit what exactly is taking place. Yet what happens is never in doubt, and the panel-packed pages make the Gospel Trade Paperback a substantial read.

 

 

While letter font and size make for easy reading, Will Morris’ coloring may take a little getting used to. He loads his palette, avoids gray, and favors purples, greens, and oranges. Scenes emerge soft or jarring, homey or energizing, but usually appeal.

 

Final Thoughts

The Gospel Trade Paperback covers a period of sweeping change in English history. Will Morris builds his story on regional folk history with echoes of writers Charles Kingsley, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Michael Bond. This lovingly crafted tale celebrates sexual and racial equality and how stories can be more important than facts.

 

9.5/10

 

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

 

All Eight Eyes #3 Review

 

Writer: Steve Fox

Artist: Piotr Kowalski

Colorist: Brad Simpson

Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Cover Artists: Piotr Kowalski and Brad Simpson; David Romero

Publisher: Dark Horse

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 21, 2023

 

Play with spiders long enough, and you’re bound to get bitten. At least that’s what Dani Dominguez tells Vin when he awakens in the abandoned school. Meanwhile, Reynolds is fighting a giant spider and needs his help yesterday. What happens next? Grab an elvish dagger from a troll’s horde—or at least a baseball bat—as we brave a look inside All Eight Eyes #3 and find out!

 

Story

The previous issue ended with Reynolds and a giant spider playing tug-of-war, using Vin as a rope. Dani slaps Vin to banish his grogginess. The New York Parks & Recreation officer tells him they need to leave pronto. Reynolds also tells him to flee. But Vin's not having any of that. He's a man with a plan to get them out of a jam, and with Reynolds' help, he succeeds.

 

To the victors belong the spoils. At least Reynolds spoils the party with a temper tantrum. It shocks Vin into breaking up their dynamic duo. But can he resume everyday life, knowing the dangers that threaten New York? Dani certainly can’t. Her coworker Ernie found a spider corpse in the last issue, but their boss Mr. Godino ordered them to suppress the discovery. Maybe she could live with that then, but not anymore.

 

Sadly, All Eight Eyes #3 stumbles as it scurries across our New Comic Book Day haul. Dani says Vin got bit, but we never saw it happen. You can argue the final panel of issue #2 showed it, but if so, where's the result? Vin leaps into action to save Reynolds. Why isn't he treating his injury or suffering ill effects? An ordinary spider bite can be debilitating. Shouldn't a giant spider bite hospitalize Vin or kill him? Also, why does Dani call in sick, then sneak into work anyway? Her boss may be a jerk, but does he dominate every second of her working day? Hopefully, we'll learn the reason for her deception in the next issue.

 

 

Art

I never had to flip back and forth in All Eight Eyes #3 because I wondered, "What just happened?" Whether depicting moments like Dani's slap, Vin throwing a brick, or a giant spider meeting its demise, Piotr Kowalski sets up action scenes well and follows through.

 

He shows emotions equally well. Vin dances with exultation. Dani's frown--and her raised hand as she turns away--conveys her feelings. Amy's expressions, hug, the steaming mug she brings him, and even her bunny slippers help Vin accept her concerned disbelief.

 

Vin's face didn't convey his uniqueness in the first few pages. But long before Reynolds finally shared what propelled him on his crusade against the Eight Legs, Vin recaptured his individuality.

 

In the first issue, Brad Simpson colored the spiders with wild abandon. By All Eight Eyes #3, he's settled down. He sells dark battle scenes in the abandoned school, Vin's dream, and Reynolds' recollections without obscuring the art. His shadows and highlights imbue scenes with the rich tapestry of life in the city that never sleeps. Likewise, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou fills white dialogue balloons with easy-to-read lettering. Font size and the shapes of the linking arrows convey tonality and emotion. His sound effects help us hear impacts and the skittering of the arachnids who lurk in the darkness awaiting the opportunity to strike.

 

Final Thoughts

The past hangs heavy over Vin and Reynolds as another Human joins the fight against the spider menace. All Eight Eyes #3 asks: When can you give yourself a pass and give up on a cause you believe in? 

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

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

Amazing Spider-Man #27 Review

 

Writer: Zeb Wells

Penciler: Ed McGuinness

Inker: Mark Farmer

Colorist: Marcio Menyz

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Ed McGuinness & Marcio Menyz; Lee Garbett; Claudio Sciarrone; Lucas Werneck

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 14, 2023

 

Spider-Man and Black Cat pursue the Shocker. As they hurtle above the streets, Black Cat wants him to relax and enjoy the chase, but Peter treats it like an obligation. Mary Jane—the woman he imagined spending his life with—has given her heart to someone else. Ms. Marvel died protecting them from the Emissary, the mad math man whose actions tore them apart. Can Peter recapture the lighthearted joy he once felt protecting his fellow New Yorkers? Let's thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #27 and find out!

 

 

Story

Peter may be hurting, but he knows his love of crime fighting will return. Meanwhile, Norman Osborn struggles with how being a hero means reexamining your decisions and living with your actions. Doctor Octopus also embarks on a new odyssey: to vanquish equipment that developed a mind of its own. Even the indomitable J. Jonah Jameson comes into play when an unexpected guest darkens his door. 

 

 

 

 

After Dark Web and the Emissary Epic, Zeb Wells resets the board in Amazing Spider-Man #27. Some readers will claim it's just another game. Yet Peter, Black Cat, Norman Osborn, and Black Cat remain relevant. As their journeys continue, we watch, rapt, as they take the hits life deals them and move on.

 

Some may fixate on the return of a seemingly vanquished villain. What hits me hardest is Peter's concern for Norman. Even though he's hurting, Peter comforts and supports him. Like the 12^th Doctor and Missy, Peter serves as a guide while Norman seeks to make amends and become a force for good. They may never be friends, nor may Peter ever trust the man. But he understands what the former Green Goblin’s trying to do and seeks to aid him on his new journey.

 

 

 

 

Art

While Peter and Black Cat emerge as powerful superheroes in Amazing Spider-Man #27, their faces reveal their emotions. Perhaps their features look soft, but Norman's almost seem too sharp. Shadows and light play across every wrinkle and contour. At times his face verges on caricature. Doc Ock resembles a villain in an Old Time melodrama. What if he tied his disloyal appendages to the train tracks? Would he cackle with glee? 

 

As for the returning villain, she bursts toward you like a force of nature, intent on taking back all she’s lost. Perhaps it's good that Ed McGuinness and Mark Farmer aren't drawing a 3D comic: they might bring on heart attacks!

 

 

 

 

Marcio Menyz delivers bright, bold, and beautiful colors in Amazing Spider-Man #27. Light sources are apparent, and shadows deepen the drama. Proportions and scale walk together down the aisle toward creating a beautiful new comic, their union guided by invigorating composition. 

 

Black uppercase letters accompany the participants in white dialogue balloons and narrative fields. Extreme emotion swells words, turning the letters red, and dynamic sound effects accentuate each exciting, dramatic moment. From Spider-Man and Black Cat's battle with the Shocker to Norman's memories of death-dealing and Doc Ock's vicious revenge, Joe Caramagna ensures you don't miss a step as we embark on this new phase of Peter Parker's epic journey.

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

As characters struggle to accept their pasts, reinvent themselves, and control their destinies in Amazing Spider-Man #27, a vicious villain returns to crush their hopes and upset their plans.

 

Rating 8/10

 

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

Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #2 Review

 

Writer: Mike Mignola

Artist & Colorist: Jesse Lonergan

Letterer: Clem Robins

Cover Artists: Jesse Lonergan; Christine Larsen

Publisher: Dark Horse

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 14, 2023

 

The year is 1883. The place is London, England. Mrs. Lamb knocks on her door. Miss Truesdale desires neither food nor drink. Five days have passed, yet the dream of Tefnut Trionus, the Queen of the Heliotropic Brotherhood, still dominates her thoughts. What strange ordeal must Miss Truesdale undergo? What battle must she fight? Let's venture into Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #2 and find out!

 

Story

Issue #1 ended with the revelation that Tefnut’s earliest incarnation was the Hyperborean servant, while Miss Truesdale was the warrior Anum Yassa. After the servant’s warning, the gladiator did not drink the poisoned wine. Instead, her owners locked her in her quarters. When they released her, she wandered through the complex. When she reached the temple where her captors once planned to sacrifice her, Anum Yassa saw the servant girl again. Sadly, it wasn't a happy reunion.

 

The intent behind the remainder of Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #2 is unclear. The priest invokes the goddess and disappears. Anum Yassa beholds her wonder and majesty but escapes the temple unharmed. She seeks out the priest and battles people from her past. Did the priest want to sacrifice her? Did he intend for her to die outside the temple? Or did he use her to summon his goddess to draw on her supernatural strength?

 

Secondly, Tefnut shared this dream five days ago. Flashbacks show that Miss Truesdale shared the vision. After returning from Paris, Miss Truesdale sought Anum Ra's guidance. Once again, she peered into prehistoric times. Is she repeating the dream over five days? Did Tefnut see the latter portion?

 

Lastly, Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #2 leaves me uncertain about crucial names. As the hyperborean warrior fights her former foes, she names them. Yet we never learn the name of the servant girl, the priest, or his goddess. Perhaps I missed them? The crowd chanted "Anum Yassa” while she fought. The first angel of Heaven is named Anum. Miss Truesdale prays to a saint or prophet named Anum Ra. Am I correct about the warrior's name? If so, that's a trilogy of Anums.

 

 

Art

Jesse Lonergan's easy-going style suggests the exhilaration of creation. Hyperborean characters look rounded and lumpy, while the priest sports sharp angles. Victorian characters look thin like the priest but have pointy chins. The warrior's chainmail and clothing remind me of Red Sonja, but the nightmarish temple scene, and her battle against her foes, recall Robert E. Howard’s Conan stories. But then, Howard also wrote about Hyperborean times.

 

The goddess may resemble a cupid, yet she holds a head in one hand, a steaming bowl in the other, and wears a sash adorned with skulls. A snake rests on her arms. The eyes behind a mask reminiscent of Kali burn with heavenly fire.

 

Much is gray in Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #2. Yet the patina of Jesse Lonergan's limited palette suggests weathered copper, water-damaged painted wood, or lichen on rocks. What seems simple is quite nuanced.

 

Clem Robins’ uppercase black letters range from small to large. Words are easy to read, and the white dialogue balloons are easy to follow. Colorful sound effects hack through panels like Anum Yassa’s favorite weapon. The RRAAAAA in two panels reminds me of a furiously beeping E.K.G. Might it relate to the second half of the name of Miss Truesdale's patron saint?

 

Final Thoughts

Men ruled Hyperborea and Victorian England. Both countries practiced imperialism. Today England is a beacon of Western civilization. It's granted self-rule to former dominions and champions the rights of women. I don't know whether imperialism and women's rights are inexplicably linked, but I suspect contemporary England represents the better world Tefnut worked to create.

 

Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #2 glow with heroes and action, shine with Mignolaverse lore and sparkle with Tefnut’s hopes of building a better world. Whether you read the issue or not, I hope you’re working to transform her dreams into reality.

 

Rating 8.8/10

 

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

Immortal Sergeant #6 Review

 

Writer: Joe Kelly

Artist & Cover Artist: Ken Niimura

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 14, 2023

 

Thirty-five years ago, a judge let Aaron "Crusher" Birdsall walk after he killed a child. At least James Sergeant believes he murdered the girl. He’s kept her file and tiny shoe in his glovebox ever since. Now, on the eve of his retirement and with his son Michael at his side, he's tracking Crusher’s brother outside his jurisdiction. Is what he’s doing even legal? Let’s investigate Immortal Sergeant #6 and find out!

 

Story

Instead of attending his retirement dinner, James and Michael followed a bus into Mexico. Now they’re at another bus stop. James learns the bus will stop next in Atlanta. Michael worries James won’t stop until he kills Crusher. Michael's use of the F word in the Men's room provokes a tapping foot from the man in the next stall. His father suggests that he inherited his gay inclinations from his mother, who left him for a woman. In frustration, Michael grabs his car keys and runs to let Harold escape.

 

After last time's family drama involving Michael's mother and wife, Immortal Sergeant #6 focuses on James and Michael’s complicated relationship. Ensconced in his jurisdiction, James surrounded himself with others who understood and accepted his faults. Now he stands on Michael's turf. People see James from Michael's perspective. It’s an epic confrontation, and the tension doesn’t relent until Michael learns why James always made his birthdays a misery.

 

Art

Ken Niimura injects drama, trauma, and action in this thirty-seven-page Black-and-White Politically Incorrect cartoon. Dinosaurs tower over the unnamed bus stop. Michael’s billowy hair stands tall when he’s shocked. Like Mr. Fantastic, his face swells, and his arms lengthen when he strikes his father and runs. Movement lines accompany the action. Yet a stream of white gushes from Michael's bent silhouette to show he’s not as fit as he claims.

 

Uppercase words inhabit spherical and spiked dialogue balloons. Except for the lowest voices, the words are easy to read. Sound effects help us feel Michael slam into his father, hear James step in his son’s vomit, and shock us when Harold's bus roars away.

 

Final Thoughts

Immortal Sergeant #6 reminds us of the toll fighting crime places on families. It helps us understand why police stand by each other when their actions bend the rules or break the law. What wrongs might we do if we saw villains harm the innocent daily but couldn't intervene because of laws and regulations?

 

Rating 7/10

 

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