Usagi Yojimbo: Ice & Snow #5 Review

 

Writer, Artist & Letterer: Stan Sakai

Colorist: Hi-Fi Colour Design

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

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: February 14, 2024

 

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!

 

Story

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!

 

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!

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

 

Art

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

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.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

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

Cobra Commander #2 Review

 

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Andrea Milana

Colorist: Annalisa Leoni

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Andrea Milana & Annalisa Leoni; Ricardo López Ortiz; Chris Burnham & Brian Reber; Aco; Nick Dragotta & Patricio Delpeche

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: February 21, 2024

 

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!

 

Story

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!

 

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!

 

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?

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

Art

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.  

 

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

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

When a scientist and a soldier venture into the heart of darkness, a violent encounter separates them in Cobra Commander #2.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

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

Transformers #5 Review

 

Writer & Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson

Colorist: Mike Spicer

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer; James Stokoe; Orlando Arocena; Natacha Bustos; Karl Kerschl

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: February 14, 2024

 

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!

 

Story

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.

 

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?

 

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.”

 

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.

 

Art

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.

 

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. 

 

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.

 

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.

 

Final Thoughts

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.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

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

The Ministry Of Compliance #3 Review

 

Writer: John Ridley

Artist: Stefano Raffaele

Colorist: Brad Anderson

Letterer: Nathan Widick

Cover Artists: Stefano Raffaele and Brad Anderson; Ryan Sook; Tim Leong

Publisher: IDW

Price: $4.99

Release Date: February 14, 2024

 

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!

 

Story

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

Art

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

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.

 

Rating 8.8/10

 

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

Amazing Spider-Man #43 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; Ema Lupacchino & David Curiel; Justin Mason & Federico Blee; Lorenzo Pastrovicchio

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: February 14, 2024

 

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!

 

Story

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."

 

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?

 

 

 

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.  

 

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.

 

 

Art

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?

 

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.

 

 

 

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.  

 

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?

 

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

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

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.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

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

Savage Red Sonja #4 Review

 

Writer: Dan Panosian

Artist: Alessio Petillo

Colorists: Francesco Segala & Gloria Martinelli

Letterer: Dave Sharpe

Cover Artists: Dan Panosian, Frank Cho, Enrico Marini & Cosplay

Publisher: Dynamite

Price: $3.99

Release Date: February 14, 2024

 

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!

 

Story

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.

 

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!

 

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.

 

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!

 

 

 

Art

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!

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Thanks to our Hyrkanian heroes at Dynamite Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

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. 

 

Rating 9/10

 

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

Firefly: The Fall Guys #5 Review

 

Writer: Sam Humphries

Artist: Jordi Pérez

Colorist: Francesco Segala & Gloria Martinelli

Letterer: Jim Campbell

Cover Artists: Francesco Francavilla; Justine Florentino; Junggeun Yoon

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $4.99

Release Date: February 14, 2024

 

A crowd watches Malcolm Reynolds, Kaylee Frye, Leonard Chang-Benitez, Inara Serra, and Zoë Washburne on the gallows. “A noose never skips a meal when the Alliance is in town,” a girl remarks. Can anyone rescue Serenity's crew from Prime Minister Hamner, Marshall Gronk, and the troops holding the town of Beloved for ransom? Let's slip on our brown coats, leap into Firefly: The Fall Guys #5, and find out!

 

Story

Alert! River awakens from her vision just as Serenity bangs into debris. She and Simon hid in a spaceship graveyard to protect their ship and Zoë’s daughter from the Alliance fleet. But with all the wreckage rustling around like mangy cows in a herd, they're likely to get battered and bruised if they stay there. Plus, River thinks her vision is more than a dream. But how can they bypass the Alliance fleet and hightail it to the moon called Plymouth? Simon might have an idea worth pursuing!

 

Back in the one-horse doctor town of Beloved, Captain Kaylee and her crew hide and watch as Marshall Gronk torches the theater. Now, where will the ever-popular Can-Can Dancing Revue perform? The crew itches to prevent the Alliance tank from burning more buildings with its Naplasma cannon. In their graveyard shootout with the Archambeau gang, Kaylee tipped her hat to Malcolm as Master Tactician. But Mal left to track down Zoë, who went rogue and started speaking with her late brothers-in-arms. So how can the Serenity crew save Beloved?

 

While tackling weighty issues, Sam Humphries keeps the tone of Firefly: The Fall Guys #5 light and fun. His dialogue sparkles with humor. New crewmember Bernard Chang-Benitez endears, while the discombobulated Sheriff Persimmon helps the outlaws stay focused. Marshall Gronk rages at the locals for sheltering enemies of the state. Prime Minister Hamner recognizes the need to adapt to changing circumstances. Amber Archambeau illustrates Malcolm’s fear of wielding power over others for too long. He may be wearing a new hat, but Mal demonstrates his caring and leadership skills by helping Zoë see the error of her ways. The issue ends with Prime Minister Hamner fearing for the future of the Alliance, while the Serenity’s crew fear for hers.

 

Art

Things get a bit confusin' as Serenity navigates through rowdy rubble, but River's shock and fear are evident, and Simon looks determined to help. A translucent dome composed of hexagons shields the wooden buildings of Beloved, not letting the townspeople out to tend their fields or check their herds. Lines accompany rapid movement as Zoë tries to protect the theater and avoid the resultant firestorm. Malcolm and Captain Kaylee give the Alliance soldiers a few good licks. Faceoffs multiply like flies on a carcass as the tension rises. That is when people don't get guns pointed at them, sometimes from inches away. Jordi Pérez delivers a rollicking Sci-fi Western populated with appealing and appalling characters.

 

Francesco Segala and Gloria Martinelli lavish a limited palette on Jordi Pérez’s art in Firefly: The Fall Guys #5. They paint River’s vision in wood tones, akin to intarsia compositions. Space fills with purple, blue, and pink as River and Simon bang into debris and worry about their friends. The raging fire invades the pink air under the forcefield with a gout of angry yellow. The yellow reflects off the soldiers' green and purple uniforms. The rising sun dispels the darkness in Hamner’s control center as she and Gronk argue. The bright morning sun streams through the energy shield, giving life and radiance to all in its path and leaving everything else in the brown or purple shade.

 

Jim Campbell shoots black, uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes. Words swell with pride when voices rise. Bernard sweetly croons in lowercase. Bullets ricochet off buildings, and explosions dispel the flagging darkness as the sun rises in this penultimate periodical. Thanks to the rootin'-tootin' folks at Boom! Studios for providing a copy of Firefly: The Fall Guys #5 for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Marshall Gronk is burning down the house, Prime Minister Hamner finally sees the light, and the beleaguered inhabitants of Beloved differentiate between criminals and outlaws in The Fall Guys #5.

 

Rating 8.8/10

 

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

Traveling To Mars #10 Review

 

Writer: Mark Russell

Artist: Roberto Meli

Colorist: Chiara Di Francia

Letterer: Mattia Gentili

Cover Artists: Roberto Meli; Romina Moranelli; Fernando Proietti; Brent McKee

Publisher: Ablaze

Price: $3.99

Release Date: February 7, 2023

 

Vera's reports of natural gas deposits on Mars bolstered a society teetering on the brink of collapse. The Easy Beef Corporation funded a mission to send a human to Mars. There was only one problem: they couldn't send the resources to keep the astronaut alive indefinitely. So they sent Roy, a man with an imminent expiration date, to stake their claim. Unfortunately for Earth, Vera lied. Somehow, the rover attained sentience and craved communication with others. So, the Easy Beef Corporation will fund the infrastructure for natural gas extraction and an intrasolar delivery system. Human society will still collapse when it consumes its remaining natural resources.

 

Cancer won’t kill Roy. Nor will he live to see the Easy Beef Corporation land on Mars and watch other companies and nations battle over its nonexistent resources. He’ll consume his remaining oxygen today and die. How will Roy spend his last day on Mars? Let's put on our spacesuits, take a giant leap into Traveling To Mars #10, and find out!

 

Story

What would you eat for your last meal? How about steak? Sounds great, right? Thick, juicy, and imitation meat. Still, it tastes great, so who cares?

 

How about afterward? One final moment of entertainment? Roy watches the Kangaroo Kid movie again. Leopold and Albert sit beside Roy. Their optical sensors glow while watching. The robots rock on their wheels at the movie’s climax. So, the man who devoted his life to animals made his robot companions happy one final time, thanks to Hollywood's CGI magicians.

 

Now it's time for one last walk. Roy likens hiking around Mars to tramping through Arizona in a beekeeping outfit, but it's what he came here for, right? Isn't that the grand dream: exploring an alien planet? Yet Roy's thoughts remain tethered to Earth.

 

In earlier issues, we glimpsed Roy's courtship with Candace. We saw them marry and survive the storm that destroyed their town. In Traveling To Mars #10, Mark Russell returns us to Eufaula, Alabama, in the year of our Lord, 2024.

 

Roy and Candace live in a FEMA trailer. Thanks to his job at the pet store, he's filled their trailer with animals. Candace wants to start their family. Roy wants to wait to have children. Hey, aren't animals family? The choices he makes define their relationship. Candace argues that life will try to curtail your potential, but he can't embrace bigger dreams. Ultimately, Roy achieves his career goal, but at too great a cost.

 

Mark Russell forges a link between Roy and Vera in Traveling To Mars #10. Life consigned the rover to the scrap heap, just as it threw Roy's marriage onto the rocks. Both seek meaning and purpose in their lives. Like Roy, Vera cared for others and became a leader. As with Candace, the rover's journey will continue, while Roy's will end.

  

Art

Roberto Meli begins and ends Traveling To Mars #10 with Roy confronting Vera and the other surviving rovers. He divides the remainder of the tale between life on Earth and Roy's final morning in the shuttle. Roy looks charmingly ridiculous in his cowboy hat as he sits at a table and eats his fake steak with one hand. Meli portrays the purposelessness of his mission and life in one glimpse of the town Roy left behind. He also shows us a final sketch from Roy's notebook, as the lone Human on Mars commits his thoughts on the meaning of life to paper.

 

Under the glowing starfield, Roy sleeps in his illuminated shuttle. Sunrise fills the sky with red. Light streams through the shuttle windows. Like Leopold and Albert, Chiara Di Francia paints the shuttle interior in blue and orange. Highlights and shadows convey individuality to wall tiles and interior furnishings. I don't know its origin, as I've not followed this series since its inception, but a child's handprint-turkey drawing on yellow paper sparks the most vibrant color in Roy's present.

 

Mattia Gentili relates Roy's reminiscences with uppercase black letters in white dialogue balloons. The yellow/orange narrative boxes—which match the faded color schemes of life back on Earth—feature small lowercase handprinted font. Gentili fills tan paper strips with tiny lowercase handprinted font in Traveling To Mars #10. The coloring of the tiny lettering seems faded, closer to brown than black. A solitary sound effect announces something unexpected that brings a sense of completeness to Roy's final day.

 

Thanks to Ablaze Publishing and Arancia Studio for providing this copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Bittersweet and satisfying, Traveling To Mars #10 delivers a poignant reminder to live our lives to the fullest, cherish those closest to us, and nourish others' beliefs and values.

 

Rating 9/10

 

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