Transformers #3 Review

 

Writer & Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson

Colorist: Mike Spicer

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer; Taurin Clarke; Orlando Arocena; Matias Bergara; Nick Dragotta

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: December 6, 2023

 

Starscream killed Sparky’s friend Davy. When Carly returns home, Sparky breaks the news. Then robots tear into Carly's home. Is this the end of Carly and Sparky? Let's leap into Transformers #3 and find out!

 

Story

Sparky Witwicky knows war. He's been a soldier. Now he's fighting on his home soil: not against human invaders, but Space Invaders! Clad in his old helmet and uniform, with the memory of a robot squeezing his friend with its giant metal fingers, Sparky ignores Carly's protests. Months of alcohol-induced haze over Jimmy's fiery demise spark the fog of interstellar war. So when Cliffjumper saves the humans from Laserbeak, Sparky doesn’t distinguish. All robots are foes!

 

At the Ark, Starscream grows impatient. Soundwave must repair Teletraan One and awaken his Decepticon army. While Starscream dreams of crushing the remaining Autobots, Sparky and Carly arrive at Danny's bar. Fellow regular Jerry has been busy. He saw the spaceship land, remember? Hearing the explosions, Jerry raised a band of brothers. The motley crew sports weapons you can't buy at your local gun shop.

 

Daniel Warren Johnson slots a full magazine of high-caliber story-ammo into Transformers #3. Optimus Prime's last memories were of Megatron attacking him. But Big M's not around, and Starscream attacks anyone who dares to utter Megatron's name. Is Starscream just desperate to impress his fellow Decepticons, or is more going on in the Decepticon's fragile mind?

 

As for the human adults, Skywarp utters the phrase that resonates. “They’re not just weak! They’re stupid!” It’s hard to argue with him. War veterans know that relationships can change quickly on the battlefield, with friends becoming foes and vice versa. Thankfully, the children—Spike and Carly—are more discerning. Sparky Witwicky’s inability to accept the evidence of his eyes—that some giant robots are trying to protect the humans—seems straight out of Man Of Steel. But then, Optimus Prime and Superman both wear red, white, and blue, don't they?

 

Throughout Transformers #3, Optimus Prime strives to protect the humans from the Decepticons. What Starscream gleefully did to Bumblebee parallels what Optimus inadvertently did to a deer. The Autobot leader bonded with Spike over the loss of family. The Decepticons shattered Cybertron. He won’t let them destroy Spike’s too!

 

 

Art

Harried humans hurry through panel-packed pages that trade in carnage and chaos. Transformers destroy homes and buildings as they battle each other. The local VFW seems a haven for veterans like Sparky Witwicky. While most characters show determination and excitement, Danny provokes a chuckle. The bartender's expression suggests he's heard too many alcohol-inflated tales. Still, even if he's a reluctant believer, he quietly straps on his gear when Jerry and his pals appear.

 

Mike Spicer's vibrant coloring accentuates Daniel Warren Johnson's art in Transformers #3. Autobots and Decepticons suplex opponents and employ other wrestling maneuvers. Optimus Prime pulls off a Fast And Furious attack worthy of a double-page spread. The way he summons a ball of fire that transforms into a glowing axe also impresses. The final beatdown isn’t something most Humans would do and evokes a tough-talking cliché. But then, Transformers are robots. Optimus can rebuild.

 

The Transformers italicized uppercase dialogue may stress the eyes, but Rus Wooton’s sound effects are among the most impressive examples of the letterer’s art you’ll see in comics. Thanks to Skybound and Image Comics for providing a copy for review and sewing double-page scenes together to convey pivotal scenes.

 

Final Thoughts

Fears of alien invasion blind small-town heroes to potential allies and endanger the innocent. While Cliffjumper gets no respect in Transformers #3, the diminutive Autobot’s humor and determination provide the sparkle Bumblebee might have ignited. Alas, poor Bumblebee.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Amazing Spider-Man #39 Review

 

Writer: Zeb Wells

Penciler: John Romita Jr.

Inker: Scott Hanna

Colorist: Marcio Menyz

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hanna & Marcio Menyz; Patrick Gleason & Richard Isanove; Lee Garbett & Yen Nitro; Joel Mandish; Vitale Mangiatordi; Ryan Stegman, J.P. Mayer & Marcio Menyz

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $5.99

Release Date: December 6, 2023

 

Ringmaster is raising an army to tackle Crime-Master. His opponent contracted with A.I.M. to defend his territory. Can untrained and hypnotized citizens overcome the criminal organization of scientist-soldiers? And where is Spider-Man while all this goes down in Manhattan’s Upper East Side? Let’s thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #39 and find out!

 

Story

Like Star-Lord in Avengers-Infinity War, Peter learns the difference between assembling and leading a team. Miles Morales and Jessica Drew take more notice of Peter's orders than She-Hulk and Electra. Still, when the battle's over and Luke Cage tells Spidey that other districts need help, only Shulkie remains. That's good. Peter will need her help to take on a monster uprising.

 

 

 

 

The big news in Amazing Spider-Man #39 is Tombstone's return. While Robbie Robertson sat by his comatose frenemy's bedside in Amazing Spider-Man: Gang War First Strike #1, now he sits beside his sleeping son. Robbie lacks an A.I.M.’s Imagin-Ray rifle, so he lashes out with his acid tongue. Tombstone protests that he’d gladly protect Randy from harm, but the Daily Bugle stalwart blames his lifelong adversary for Randy’s predicament and the chaos overtaking New York City.

 

This issue sparkles with intriguing and disturbing character moments. Electra shows how her past shaped her, Luke Cage defies a law he can't overturn, and Madame Masque has plans for Hammerhead. Zeb Wells lightens monumental battles with humorous exchanges between Spider-Man and She-Hulk that evoke memorable moments from Peter Jackson’s Lord Of The Rings movies. Yet the drama between Janice and her father looms largest in Amazing Spider-Man #39. Tombstone wants to save his daughter from a life of crime. But Janice—the Beetle—is embracing it.

 

 

 

 

Art

John Romita Jr. and Scott Hanna give the opening scenes two double-page spreads: one for Spidey and friends observing the battle and another as Crime-Master and A.I.M. clash with Ringmaster’s hypnotized recruits. The Amazing Artists divide the remaining pages between fighting scenes and character clashes. Spider-Man carries a bat as the night wears on. Did his web shooters run dry? And Madame Masque drags a whimpering and bleeding Hammerhead around, unconcerned about what his injured head might bash into next.

 

 

 

 

Marcio Menyz breathes life and individuality into scenes, differentiating each with an ample range of colors. Spider-Man and his team stand out amid a furious night battle. Lavender, pink, and green dominate the Beetle's battle with Mariah, while green and blue chill Robbie's glare. An overhead lamp bathes Janice and her lieutenants in yellow as she briefs them on her battle plans. If only the monsters had been more vibrant in Amazing Spider-Man #39!

 

 

 

 

Huge colored dialogue and vibrant sound effects amplify the opening battle and differentiate between Ringmaster’s rifles and A.I.M.’s Imagin-Ray guns. While Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase black letters into white balloons, most of Tombstone’s utterances are tiny. Strangely, that makes the tired crimelord even more compelling.

 

Thanks to Marvel for providing this essential chapter of the Gang War saga for review.

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

While Peter acts as unofficial lieutenant to Mayor Luke Cage in Amazing Spider-Man #39, Tombstone’s uneasy reunion with his daughter steals the spotlight. Despite all the love in the world, youth must have its day.

 

Rating 8.8/10

 

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

Amazing Spider-Man: Gang War First Strike #1 Review

 

Writer: Zeb Wells

Artists: Joey Vazquez & Julian Shaw

Colorists: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hanna & Marcio Menyz; Sweeney Boo; Nick Bradshaw & Rachelle Rosenberg; Joey Vasquez

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $5.99

Release Date: November 29, 2023

 

Hammerhead has thrown the criminal families of New York City into chaos. With her father in the hospital and her fiancé Randy Roberson publicly arguing that Wilson Fisk's antivigilante law benefits Big Crime, Janice Lincoln's ready to throw in the towel, invest in her supervillain status, and protect Tombstone's turf. Can Spider-Man take down Hammerhead and reunite the lovebirds? Let’s thwip into Amazing Spider-Man: Gang War First Strike #1 and find out!

 

Story

Peter Parker’s doing a team-up. That’s right, the Spider-Men are in the house! This time, they're taking down Slyde. After his recent partnership with Blade and Bloodline, Miles Morales delivers the decisive blow to the sleek-streak. But then Miles slays Peter with guilt. Yikes!

 

Can you ghost someone when drowning and barely keeping your head above water? Miles thinks so. Still, Miles has also been drowning lately. Sometimes friends can’t be there for you, no matter how much they want to be.

 

Janice and Randy lived a lie. It was a beautiful self-deception. With the crime families drooling over Harlem, she won’t let them carve up Tombstone’s legacy. Randy's calling for a crackdown on crime, so Janice has to choose. Hammerhead says: If you're eighty-sixing Randy, prove it!

 

Grooving up old grievances has made the crime lords come together. They look to old Flat Top for leadership. Amazing Spider-Man: Gang War First Strike #1 reunites the axis of evil from ASM #31 with a few intriguing differences. Zeb Wells has built his deck of cards into a skyscraper. This issue asks: How might it become a towering inferno?

 

 

 

 

Art

Joey Vazquez and Julian Shaw use motion lines, dots, and haze to show air friction and speed. Their inked lines suggest shadows. Camera angles sustain interest. Even if some features look exaggerated, body language conveys poise and power. The tag team fuels Amazing Spider-Man: Gang War First Strike #1 with anger, energy, and power.

 

Bryan Valenza lavishes a vast spectrum of color on Wells’ drama- and action-packed story. Whether the action occurs in the boardroom, the hospital, or the streets, colors heighten the fury. The Beetle contrasts wonderfully with Randy, as does Spidey with Luke Cage. Combinations only simplify to ratchet up a panel's effectiveness.

 

Zeb Wells dishes out the dialogue in Amazing Spider-Man: Gang War First Strike #1, and Joe Caramagna delivers it with black letters in white balloons and boxes. Despite minor skirmishes of tiny text, normal Spidey-size rules these ASM streets. Most of the color, size, and style text changes involve Randy. When a player sweeps another off the game board, Caramagna’s sound effects ensure we notice.

 

Thanks to Marvel for providing this issue for review.

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Criminals learn that no one is essential, and heroes forget their friends have difficulties to overcome in Amazing Spider-Man: Gang War First Strike #1. This crucial chapter of the Gang War saga is about love, loyalty, and responsibility, with the odd double-cross thrown in for good measure.

 

Rating: 9.6/10

 

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

The Brittle Sky Review

 

 

In The Brittle Sky, Book 3 in Tom Kane's Brittle Saga Trilogy, Richard Blackmore returns home to discover it no longer exists. While aiding the British Navy during World War I, he had learned that Magda, her daughter Ava, and her ward Kim were living nearby and awaiting his return. Better yet, Maggie—Magda's kind and loving personality—had asserted control. Now he learns his house has burned down, and Maggie, Ava, and Kim have fled without revealing their destination.

 

Magda's brother Peter struggles to make a new life in Germany. The 1918 Flu Pandemic took Peter’s wife and in-laws. Peter brings his son Eric to Munich, where he reunites with a soldier he fought alongside during WWI. His friend Adolf helps him find a job and a new purpose in the social movement he’s forming.

 

Maggie and the girls have settled in Oklahoma. The economic recession following WWI left many unemployed. Maggie and the girls establish a camp on their farm where they house and feed needy families. Jackson Hale--a pilot and former barnstormer--brings his son to live with them. While only 11 years old, Jake's full of ideas. Yearning to become a pilot like his father, he suggests Maggie and Jackson establish a crop-dusting business.

 

Matthew Turner III sold Magda's cannery in Alaska and bought a grand home in Fort Worth, Texas. He travels east to visit his henchman, William Harker, in Hell's Kitchen. In his prime, Harker was a prime example of why the New York City neighborhood needed a crime fighter like Marvel's Daredevil. Now, Harker shows little interest in carrying out Turner’s revenge upon Magda. Still, Turner leaves hopeful. He's discovered something intriguing about Harker's children, Fenella and Phillip.

 

While The Brittle Land covered the entirety of WWI, Tom Kane’s vision expands in this third volume. The Brittle Sky covers an astounding 27 years, from 1918 to 1945. Richard Blackmore’s search for his lost love will prove longer than the miles that separate them. As the years pass, Maggie will struggle to repress Magda from asserting control.

 

New characters arise and mature to make The Brittle Sky a generational saga. Fenella will flee her abusive and bullying father for the safety of Matthew Turner. Peter’s government service makes him an unwilling party in the Holocaust, while Adolf Hitler helps his son Eric pursue an interest in rocketry. Prohibition disrupts lives in the United States. Aircraft development and an oil boom in Oklahoma open up travel opportunities. And all the while, Matthew Turner burns with an unreasoning hatred for the wife who left him.

 

Love blooms, people pursue their dreams, soldiers defend their countries as war once again sweeps across our world, and the vengeful strive to settle old scores in The Brittle Sky, the third volume in Tom Kane’s epic saga. 

 

Thanks to author Tom Kane for providing a copy for review.

Related Links

The Brittle Sky is available at Amazon.com and other fine internet sellers. 

Read my review of The Brittle Sea.

Read my review of The Brittle Land.

Explore the entire trilogy, novels, travelogues, and science fiction stories at Tom Kane's website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kaya TP Book 1 Review

 

Writer & Artist: Wes Craig

Colorist: Jason Wordie

Letterer: Tom Napolitano

Cover Artist: Wes Craig

Publisher: Image

Price: $9.99

Release Date: March 22, 2023

 

Jin is a child of prophesy. He tells people he will overthrow the Atrians and make the Humans great again. One day, the robots came for him. His uncle Kova met them at the city gates. The robot commander claimed they only wanted to re-educate him, but Kova knew better. His uncle refused to hand Jin over to the robots. Now, Kova is dead, and Jin’s home lies in ruins. Alone and defenseless, who will protect Humanity’s last hope? Let’s leap into Kaya TP Book 1 and find out!

 

Story

Before he died, Kova entrusted Jin to his niece. Now, Kaya and Jin travel toward Monk Island. They believe the monks will protect Jin and teach him to fulfill the prophecy. Born to a king, Jin lacks practical skills. Kova raised his half-sister, Kaya. She tries to teach him how to hunt, but he’s better at praying and quoting from scrolls. Birth ordained him their leader, but she knows best how to keep them alive.

 

Jin may complain about the rough life of a traveler, but his fiercest look couldn't match Kaya's glare. While electricity sizzles through her mechanical arm, the fire burns in her eyes. After she nearly died, Kova won the arm that saved her life. Now, Kaya drags her defenseless half-brother across their world. In Kaya TP Book 1, the youngsters search for a new home they've only heard about. 

 

 

 

Lizard Riders inform them that the Atrian Empire has constructed a great wall. How will Kaya and Jin get past that? The Lizard Rider Seth suggests an opportunity. If Kaya helps them hunt a Magron harassing a border kingdom, her share of the proceeds could fund their journey past the Great Wall. But first, they must kill one of the deadliest creatures in the land.

 

We don’t learn much about Jin’s upbringing or the community he grew up in. The boy never mentions his parents. Nor does Wes Craig spell out Kova’s relationship with the king. Perhaps the biggest question the trade paperback leaves unanswered is what Kaya wants. The robots took her life away from her. What might she pursue after fulfilling her uncle's wishes?

 

Thankfully, you don’t think about those questions as you read Kaya TP Book 1. Craig's story whisks you along on a grand adventure. The trade paperback introduces us to peoples and cultures, and we explore Kia and Kaya's world as they see and experience things for the first time. It's not a metal arm that makes Craig’s story magical, but the way the children embrace their journey and learn about each other.

 

 

 

Art

Black dreadlocks tumble to her shoulders. A black stripe aligns with her eyes. An Iron Man arm fits over the stump of her upper right arm. Wearing her perpetual frown, Kaya leaps into battle. Whether we see her attacking a crab-like Atrian or glimpse her tiny silhouette chasing dinner across the desert, Kaya always impresses.

 

Wes Craig’s uniqueness of design holds for the other characters. A black circle surrounds Jin’s right eye, his ears end at a point, and a red frill adorns his head. Seth has dirty-blonde hair and a rounded dinosaur-like face. Fellow Lizard Rider Zothan has a spiky, crocodilian skull. Many of the people in Goro Bay have an amphibian appearance. I’ll let you discover what a Magron looks like when you read Kaya TP Book 1. 

 

 

 

Scenes evoke Bronze Age comics. Not only does Wes Craig's art style lend it this historic appeal, but Jason Wordie’s vibrant color looks like something you’d pull from a 1970s or ‘80s spinner rack. His colors provide contrast, reveal highlights and shadows, and avoid overuse of gray. The colors shine all the brighter as Craig leaves white space between each panel. Wordie's colors enliven Utah-like deserts, verdant grasslands, and thick forests. And then there’s a touching night scene when Jin prays to his gods beneath a blue and purple sky.

 

Tom Napolitano makes Kaya TP Book 1 easy to read, thanks to large-size, uppercase black dialogue in white and colored balloons. Sound effects help you hear arrows striking targets, characters laughing around the campfire, electricity coursing through Kaya's armored arm, and a crying animal that senses danger and yearns to flee.

 

Thanks to Image Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

In Kaya TP Book 1, characters have big dreams. They also face obstacles that seem insurmountable. Seth loves Kaya, but his Queen pledged him to another. In addition to fulfilling his destiny, Jin yearns to earn Kaya's respect despite their differing backgrounds and outlooks. Lizard Rider Zothan desires to overthrow his Queen, but is he up to the task? As Wes Craig takes readers on an adventure, his characters' greatest battles will be with themselves.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

Preview interior art and see more covers at my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Local Man #7 Review

 

Writer: Tim Seeley & Tony Fleecs

Artist: Tim Seeley & Tony Fleecs

Colorist: Brad Simpson & Felipe Sobreiro

Cover Artists: Tim Seeley, Tony Fleecs, Norm Rapmund & Brian Reber

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 22, 2023

 

Jack (“Don’t call me Crossjack”) Xaver has a new mission. Farmington Police Chief Brian Bucholz asked him to investigate a mysterious drowning death. What will Jack learn when he visits the Star Tribe commune? Let's leap into Local Man #7 and find out!

 

Story

The police found Mackenzie Cheng on dry land. Yet she had water in her lungs. The 16-year-old was one of Farmington’s future stars. The Star Tribe camped in Black River State Park. It's the nearest source of water. The hippies won't talk to the police. But before Bucholz sends Jack in, he warns: ask about Mackenzie and nothing else!

 

As Jack walks along the river, a voice calls out. He falls into the water. Spotting two men, he throws billiard balls at them. A man named Coochie Coo awakens him. In the yurt called the House Of Hearts, Coochie suggests Jack’s superpower isn’t his aim but his inner voice. Jack takes the hippie’s advice. Disregarding Bucholz’s orders, Jack visits Craig Massen, another youth on the poster in Inga's bakery café. Perhaps Craig can give him some clues regarding Mackenzie’s mysterious death.

 

In Local Man #3, Jack met with Stacy Wohl. She no longer used the name Frightside, but she mourned Hodag’s death. The villain-turned-author invoked a demon to question it about her former teammate’s murder, but someone killed her during the ceremony, allowing the demon to enter our world. Will Jack discover Stacy’s demon in Local Man #7? Where else might his investigations lead? After the sham of his Superhero career, Tim Seeley & Tony Fleecs’ ordinary hero embarks on a mind-bending and unsanctioned investigation.

 

 

 

Art

As Jack walks along the river, ghostly hands embrace him. Water arcs around him as he falls, suggesting a time vortex or the Twilight Zone. The hands clutch his neck, while circles and worms evoke bubbles and currents. Then the hearts tattooed on dreadlocked Coochie’s chest mimic the hearts adorning the interior and exterior walls of the commune’s love shack. While hippies dance outside by campfires, Coochie's eyes glaze as he puffs his smoking joint. Yet when Jack and his dog Pepper leave, the campfires blaze unattended.

 

Purple, orange, and blue spin like pinwheels and flow like currents through the evening sky as Jack's inner voice guides him. Brad Simpson's bright colors enhance scenes of Jack grabbing white dialogue balloons and bumping into wiggling panel borders. Softer colors adorn memories of Chief Brian Bucholz’s chat with Jack in Local Man #7. Greens, purples, and browns dominate Inga's kitchen. As she texts Jack and tells him that Brian's not home, the darker shades reveal highlights and shadows and suggest that Inga has the lights set low.

 

The explicit texts on Jack and Inga’s phones feature smaller lettering. Dialogue balloons feature a mix of small lowercase and larger-size uppercase black text. Sound effects attend Jack's dip in the river and when he follows in Mackenzie's footsteps. Yet my favorite panel is when the balloons--like the river splash--circle our small-town hero.

 

 

 

A short second story in Local Man #7, with art by Tim Seeley and colors from Felipe Sobreiro, provides a '90s-style look back on Jack's superhero adventures. Cartoon or Children’s Book-style illustrations featuring mono-shading follow Inga’s attempts to help Farmington shine.

 

Thanks to Image Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Seeking to atone for the mistakes that cost him his glamorous superhero career, Jack investigates a mysterious drowning. Yet the sham Jack perpetuated to further his career seems slight compared to the compromises his former girlfriend Inga has made to save her struggling town. Local Man #7 asks how much one should sacrifice to help others and protect ideals when others no longer care.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

Preview interior art on my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Savage Red Sonja #2 Review

 

Writer: Dan Panosian

Artist: Alessio Petillo

Colorists: Francesco Segala & Gloria Martinelli

Letterer: Dave Sharpe

Cover Artists: Dan Panosian, Frank Cho, Joseph Michael Linsner & Cosplay

Publisher: Dynamite

Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 29, 2023

 

A raging horde chases Red Sonja, Prince Lucian, and Celia. The trio races toward the castle and rides across the drawbridge. Will they find safety behind its stone walls? Let’s leap into Savage Red Sonja #2 and find out!

 

Story

Rather than attempt to awaken the abandoned castle’s machinery, the beleaguered travelers attack the rotting drawbridge. As the wood cracks beneath their boots, Celia falls through breaking boards. Sonja grabs her arm, but an arrow pierces Sonja’s muscles and ligaments. Lucian grasps Sonja's waist, but Celia's arm slips through Sonja's fingers. Celia’s scream rings out as she plummets.

 

Her beloved leaps across the chasm and battles the frenzied pursuers. Another arrow pierces Sonja's back. She closes the gate after seeing Lucian fall. Weakened, Sonja grabs a torch and explores the castle the prince sought to inherit. Eventually, she finds a bedchamber, yanks the arrows from her back and arm, and gives way to sleep. She wakes from dreams of failing Celia and Lucian to discover her nightmare has only begun.

 

 

 

In Savage Red Sonja #2, Dan Panosian's hypnotic tale evokes his early 20^th-century forebears Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard. My mind also drifted back to a Sherlock Holmes mystery as I read. But then, Arthur Conan Doyle cut his teeth on horror and fantasy before finding success with his famous detective. Lovecraft and Howard likely read Doyle's stories. Perhaps all three authors inspired Panosian's tale of terror.

 

This series began with the She-Devil lamenting her life path. Now, Panosian lays Celia and Lucian's deaths upon Sonja’s soul. After a frenzy, the issue pauses for Sonja to catch her breath before hurtling toward a haunting finale. I wonder how much of the second half of Savage Red Sonja #2 occurred and if any arose from her injuries, fatigue, and sorrow.

 

 

 

Art

Stark imagery enhances this brutal tale of terror. Alessio Petillo constantly shifts perspective, imbuing pages with a dream-like quality. Sonja looks more fragile than glamorous, worn down by the demands of her solitary life. Tilted camera angles accompany Sonja’s search of the castle. King Gresh’s throne room suggests an aging church or temple awaiting repair. Amid the straight and broken lines that define Panosian’s weird tale, familiar tenacles arise.

 

Bathed in the moon’s reflected light, a red glow from the dry moat bathes Celia as she slips. It threatens to devour all other colors as Sonja and Lucian strive to save her. Within the castle, an orange flower blossoms from Sonja's torch. The moonlight streaming through windows reveals gray, purple, blue, and white rooms. As in the dry moat, red bleeds within the castle. Sometimes subtle, at others garish, Francesco Segala & Gloria Martinelli amplify the gothic chills of Savage Red Sonja #2. 

 

 

 

Dave Sharpe’s uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons and yellow narrative boxes vary in size and color. Some text looks as weakened the She-Devil. The sound Sonja often hears in the castle evokes an early Sherlock Holmes adventure. I wonder if fans can guess which?

 

Thanks to Dynamite Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

The She-Devil's sword cannot save someone she sought to protect in Savage Red Sonja #2. Nor can it defend her against the horrors that await her in King Gresh’s haunted castle.

 

Rating 8.2/10 

 

For interior art and more covers see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #7 Review

 

Writer: Erik Burnham

Artist: Sarah Myer

Colorist: Luis Antonio Delgado

Letterer: Ed Dukeshire

Cover Artists: Jack Lawrence & Raúl Angulo; Sarah Myer; Jon Lankry; Paulina Ganucheau

Publisher: IDW

Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 29, 2023

 

What? City Hall canceled this year's St. Nick-Con? How will revelers party it up if the NYPD arrests anyone dressed as Santa Claus? Let's order a pizza, tune into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #7, and find out!

 

Story

Eddiku Yuri once crafted a magical sword from meteorite ore. Shredder has secured more ore and wants Kai Eddiku to make another. The famed artisan is intrigued by Shedder’s proposition. If only his ancestor had passed down his secret methods of recreating the Tsuba, or hand guard!

 

Luckily for Shredder, an authentic hand guard will be displayed at the Mid-Manhattan Museum of Asian Art next week. Too bad the City Council banned St. Nick-Con! Holiday hooligans in Santa attire would have kept the police force busy! 

 

 

At least Krang still has his duplication beam. Like Rudy Russo in Used Cars, Shredder takes over the airwaves. City Hall can outlaw Santa suits, but they haven't banned other costumes! Forget St. Nick-Con. Shreddercon will be even better!

 

Leonardo suspects Shredder is planning something. But they can't arrest Rocksteady and Bebop for giving away costumes, even if the fabric is itchy and scratchy. (No wonder Shredder is always so irritable!) So, the turtles need to observe the festivities and try to spot the real Shredder amid so many imitations. And no, Mikey, you can't wear the helmet!

 

Erik Burnham’s story shows how easily holiday fun can get out of hand. It reminds us that the turtles may be superheroes, but they're weaker in some ways than humans. As for Krang and Shredder, both villains share the same goal in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #7 but choose different ways to accomplish it.  

 

 

Art

Sarah Myer opens Burnham's story in the greenhouse of a rooftop garden. Shredder may be a villain, but it's easier to identify with the lithe, good-looking villain than brainy Krang inside his avian cybernetic suit. Dressed like the hoodlums who get their clothes stolen by the Terminator, Rocksteady and Bebop's fear is palpable when facing their master's wrath. Yet their glee shows when they don their costumes and execute his wishes. Backgrounds may vanish in closeups, but Sarah Myer delivers action and people-packed panels in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #7.

 

While gray and purple invade pages, Luis Antonio Delgado’s vibrant colors prevent a hostile takeover. Contrasting color combinations may lessen readers’ ability to observe and report turtle identities, but our heroes in a half shell stand out amid the surging Shredder Sea. Even if Bebop, Rocksteady, and the Shredder lookalikes can't match the artistry of Miles Morales, Delgado gives their efforts potency in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #7. (Don’t look at your back, Mikey!)

 

 

 

Uppercase italicized black lettering fills white dialogue balloons. Words darken for emphasis and occasionally shrink for lowered voices. Ed Dukeshire’s appealing sound effects help us hear water spraying, swords swishing through slushies, and the annoying honking of air horns. Give those a rest, Shredder Clones, please!

 

Thanks to IDW for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

While returning readers to the era of rabbit-ear TVs, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #7 reminds us that everyone celebrates the holidays differently, benefactors may use and discard you, and artistry is better encouraged than demanded.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

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