Cruel Universe Vol 2 #1 Cover Preview

 

COVER A BY LEE BERMEJO

This is a super debut, with three new stories and an old EC reprint. The stories speak to our need for compassion, and our yearning to connect with others. The art is beautiful, with vibrant colors, and easy-to-read print. If you're a science fiction fan, check this issue out this coming Wednesday!

Here's all the info from Oni Press:

CRUEL UNIVERSE 2 #1 (OF 12)

WRITTEN BY J. HOLTHAM, ANN NOCENTI & GREG PAK ART BY CHARLIE ADLARD, KANO & DAVID RUBÍN COVER A BY LEE BERMEJO COVER B BY TOM FOWLER GOLD FOIL VARIANT ($8.99) BY LEE BERMEJO COVER D BLANK SKETCH VARIANT EC HOMAGE VARIANT (1:10) BY ALBERT MONTEYS B&W ARTIST EDITION VARIANT (1:20) BY TOM FOWLER ARCHIVE EDITION (1:50) BY MALACHI WARD SQUA TRONT VARIANT (1:100) BY LIAM SHARP WITH TOM FOWLER AT THE STAR-LINED EDGES OF INFINITY, EC COMICS’ SCI-FI SMASH HIT RETURNS TO DRAW MORE WORLDS INTO THE MAW OF ITS GRAVITATIONAL VORTEX WITH AN ALL-NEW AND UNRELENTING 12-ISSUE MAXI-SERIES! Whether future or past, Earth or a distant world, no man can outrun the infinite singularity within us all: FEAR! Join this doomed expedition into the cold, unforgiving galaxies beyond our own as nihilistic navigators Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead), J. Holtham (EC’s Epitaphs from the Abyss), Kano (Immortal Iron Fist), Ann Nocenti (Daredevil), David Rubín (Sherlock Frankenstein), and Greg Pak (Planet Hulk) smash the laws of science . . . and splice the immortal EC Comics genome into a new bred of parasitic extraterrestrial tales with an endless appetite for pain! Plus, as an added bonus: A nerve-rending science-fiction classic from the EC vaults, painstakingly remastered and newly restored to its original coloring! BEYOND SPACE, BEYOND OBLIVION... There is something vast, unsympathetic, and envious that yearns to consume us all in this CRUEL UNIVERSE! Let’s make it work for it, shall we? ON SALE AUGUST 6th 2025 | $4.99 | 40 PGS. | FC

Here are more cover options:

 

COVER B BY TOM FOWLER

 

GOLD FOIL VARIANT ($8.99) BY LEE BERMEJO

 

COVER D BLANK SKETCH VARIANT

EC HOMAGE VARIANT (1:10) BY ALBERT MONTEYS

 

B&W ARTIST EDITION VARIANT (1:20) BY TOM FOWLER

 

ARCHIVE EDITION (1:50) BY MALACHI WARD

 

SQUA TRONT VARIANT (1:100) BY LIAM SHARP WITH TOM FOWLER

Thanks to Oni Press for sharing this hugely enjoyable issue and cover preview with us.

 

Mech Cadets #2 Review

 

Writer: Greg Pak

Artist: Takeshi Miyazawa

Colorist: Ian Herring

Letterer: Simon Bowland

Cover Artists: Takeshi Miyazawa & Ian Herring; Inhyuk Lee; Qistina Khalidah; Rámon K. Pérez

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $4.99

Release Date: September 13, 2023

 

General Park hurries across the tarmac toward his spaceship. General Felix's outrage rings in his ears. Once again, his daughter has disobeyed a direct order. Is he traveling to assist or arrest her? Let’s fly into Mech Cadets #2 and see what happens!

 

Story

Despite Felix’s orders to observe and report on the missing team, newly instated Captain Maya Sanchez couldn’t stop fellow cadet Olivia Park and her Supra-Robo Hero Force Two from rescuing Francis’ cousin Franklin. Or did Franklin free them from the Sharg? Neither, as it happens.

 

When another wave of the giant crustaceans that captured Franklin’s team arrives, the cadets and their robots fight them off in Mech Cadets #2. But in the process, Maya Sanchez saves Franklin's alien friend. General Felix believes they can't trust Franklin, as the alien helped him escape the Sharg prison barge. If General Felix is correct, she’s compromised too!

 

Is anyone surprised when Maya agrees with Olivia’s plan to rescue Franklin’s team from the Sharg Prison Barge? I think not!

 

Characters discuss what they discover, how that changes their perceptions, and what they'll do next. Conversations reveal the pilots' unity despite their differences, while General Felix remains disapproving and snaps at those assisting her. Greg Pak’s dialogue informs the action without lessening interest or tension in Mech Cadets #2.

 

Mech Cadet Yu Vol. 1 available at Amazon

 

 

Art

Takeshi Miyazawa gives the pilots close-fitting spacesuits and helmets that reveal their expressions. General Felix watches each pilot on individual monitors in the crowded control room. She also follows the action thanks to a midair projection of the tiny robots converse on a hologram gameboard-style surface. Amid the pilots' conference on an asteroid, the chest of Olivia's robot opens cube-by-cube to reveal a previously unknown feature. The way Miyazawa skips scene transitions may confuse readers. But they’ll love the battles and character interactions.

 

Each robot sports a unique design and color. Helmets illumine each pilot’s face the same color as their robot. A yellow glow suffuses the robots’ feet as they fly through mauve-colored space, leaving white direction lines in their paths. Amid the drama and fighting, Ian Herring’s limited palette of pastels makes Mech Cadets #2 fun and inviting.

 

Simon Bowland's black uppercase text with sufficient spacing between rows won’t strain your eyes. Bold words suggest inflection. Colored dialogue balloons tell you which giant pilot is speaking, while Franklin's alien utters symbols, and robot growls and grunts inhabit rectangular balloons. Sound effects help us feel rapid movement and hear laser fire. Offscreen dialogue eases readers from one scene to the next.

 

Final Thoughts

Packed with revelations about the alien race that built the giant robots, the surprising powers of Olivia Park’s Earth-built robot, and reflections on world history, Mech Cadets #2 mixes the search for the truth with fear of the unknown to deliver an action-packed robots-versus-aliens space opera.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

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

 

 

Mech Cadets #1 Review

 

Writer: Greg Pak

Artist: Takeshi Miyazawa

Colorist: Ian Herring

Letterer: Simon Bowland

Cover Artists: Takeshi Miyazawa & Ian Herring; Sonny Liew; Junggeun Yoon; Livio Ramondelli; Alan Quah; Aaron Bartling; John Giang

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 9, 2023

 

One year ago, the dreaded Sharg infiltrated and destroyed Sky Corps Academy. Mech Cadet Olivia Park and her team of robot pilots stopped the alien incursion. As they grace a ceremony celebrating the Academy’s reopening, one wonders: Will things go smoothly from now on, or will Earth face more alien threats? Let’s fly into Mech Cadets #1 and see what happens!

 

Story

Like Maverick in Top Gun, Olivia likes to make an impression. Her father points out that her hard, fast landing risked damaging the new concrete. The team learns the leaders aren't just penny-pinching while fixing the nearby dam. All looked rosy at the rebuilt Academy, but damaged businesses and homes

still need attention. Flooding from the leaky dam has only made a bad situation worse.

 

The generals then send the team off-world to find another robot team. Their orders: observe and report, but don't intervene. Earth can't risk losing another

giant robot team!

 

With their resources stretched, the Sky Corps generals regard all aliens as threats. They're also worried about the robots: built by humans but based on alien designs. Like Joshua Joyce, the CEO of the KSI Corporation in Transformers: Age Of Extinction, the generals wonder if they can control their robots. And if not, might the robots subvert their pilots?

 

Art

The surrounding desert and hills suggest Sky Corps Academy resides in the American Southwest. The sentient giant robots show individuality. Each pilot's face appears in a balloon, with a linking arrow to the cadet's robot. Important characters--such as Olivia's father, Cadet Stanford's mother, and even the aliens--impress. Crowd scenes give panels scope. Yet each robot's height--compared with its surroundings--seemed inconsistent. One panel showed a towering robot in the background, with a tiny one in the foreground. Still, the endearing pilots made me root for the team and their mighty mechanical marvels.

 

Mech Cadets #1 features a limited palette of pastels. Background colors in closeups clash with colors in wider shots. Subtle blending breathed life into settings. The white balls beneath the large metal feet—surrounded by white sparkles—leave little doubt about how the robots fly.

 

Black uppercase text with sufficient spacing between rows fills white dialogue balloons. Bold words suggest inflection. Colored dialogue balloons tell you which giant robot pilot is speaking. Sound effects help us feel rapid movement and hear laser fire. Narrative boxes might help transition the reader better from one scene to the next.

 

After twenty-two pages of story in Mech Cadets #1, character sketches, concept art, and creator interviews provide insight into the comics and the Netflix animated series.

 

Final Thoughts

With identifiable characters, giant robots, family dynamics, giant robots, leaders who fear outsiders and the unknown, giant robots, and young adults faced with thorny ethical choices, Mech Cadets #1 propels the reader breathlessly from a troubled Earth to a spectacular space battle. Oh, and did I mention THIS COMIC HAS GIANT FREAKING ROBOTS?

 

8.2/10

 

Enjoy more covers at my review on Comic Book Dispatch.

 

Star Wars: Darth Vader #32 Review

 

Writer: Greg Pak

Artist: Ibraim Roberson

Colorist: Federico Blee

Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Rahzzah; Pepe Larraz; Peach Momoko; Chris Sprouse, Karl Story & Neeraj Menon;

Publisher: Marvel

Price: 3.99

Release Date: March 22, 2023

 

Dormé, Rabé, Saché and Eirtaé once served Queen Padmé on Naboo. Now they help Darth Vader rescue Sabé from rebel leader Jul Tambor. They watch aghast as she once again looks to Darth Vader for leadership. Can these former royal handmaidens free their friend from Vader's corrupting influence? Let's activate our lightsabers, dive into Star Wars: Darth Vader #32, and find out!

 

 

 

Story

Vader argues that Jul Tambor will continue to attack civilian targets. The only way the former handmaidens can stop him is with his help. Dormé knows Sabé’s heart is in the right place but refuses to let her friend decide to serve the Empire. She grabs Sabé and attempts to escape with her friends. But Sabé refuses to be rescued! She's chosen her priorities. Her immediate goal? She must bring down rebel leader Jul Tambor.

 

Greg Pak compares Sabé with Padmé in Revenge Of The Sith and Dormé with Luke in The Empire Strikes Back. He reminds us we must respect others’ decisions, no matter how wrong they seem. Like Luke in A New Hope, Dormé must accept Sabé’s decision. To paraphrase Princess Leia: “She must choose her own path. No one can choose it for her.” I especially like how Dormé, Jul Tambor, and Darth Vader each view power differently. It reminds me why Anakin ultimately embraced the power of the Dark Side in Revenge Of The Sith: to correct the inequities of the Old Republic and protect those he loved.

 

 

 

Art

Padmé's former handmaidens leap off the page and fly toward me with their gravity boots. Jul Tambor exhibits more personality than his grandfather in Revenge Of The Sith (although, admittedly, he didn't have a big part in the film). It's hard to imagine Darth Vader looking more powerful and expressive in a comic than he ever did in the movies. Yet somehow, Ibraim Roberson manages it in Star Wars: Darth Vader #32.

 

Federico Blee gives the handmaidens realistic skin colors and tones. He makes all the other human and alien characters equally believable. Spaceship interiors show the results of the stresses of spaceflight when they're not displaying battle damage or gaping holes from sizzling lightsabers. The planet Brentaal IV reminds me of Utah’s Arches National Park after the spring rain, while the brief glimpse of Skako Minor recalls nearby Canyonlands National Park. Blee suffuses flashbacks of Padmé on Mustafar with orange and red and Luke on Bespin with a white haze. Beneath his mask, did Anakin's eyes fill with moisture when Luke rejected him? In Star Wars: Darth Vader #32, Federico Blee makes me wonder.

 

While other characters speak with black words in white dialogue balloons, we see Darth Vader's white words in black dialogue balloons. Letters frequently darken or enlarge to reveal how expressive each character is. Padmé and Luke's words of rejection appear in ivory or pale rose-tinted dialogue balloons. The way the letters wrestle and swell as Luke's scream "Noooo!" rings through his mind must rip Vader's heart out. And then there's the sound effects: BRRRZZZZZAM for blaster fire, VNNNNNN for Vader's lightsaber, and the heartbreaking CLICK when Sabé takes off the device that frees her from Dormé’s grasp. While piloting the tie fighter through the narrow canyons of the Death Star, Darth Vader once commented, "The Force is strong with this one." Those words come back to me when considering Joe Caramagna's lettering in this issue. 

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Amid action-packed scenes of triumph and betrayal, characters make complex and heartbreaking choices in Star Wars: Darth Vader #32. Heroes seem a little less heroic, and villains a little less villainous, as each strives to protect those they care about and make the galaxy a safer, more equitable, and better place. Place a box of tissues close by when you read this issue. Don't risk water damage with a comic this good!

 

Rating: 10/10

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

A Day Devoted to Comic Books

Yesterday, I had a day devoted to comic books. See, I've been reading a series lately, "Skaar Son of Hulk," and I needed a particular issue. I knew a store that had it, but it was a good drive away. My wife and I had originally planned other things, but she's seen I've been enjoying it, so she suggested that we drive to the store and buy it. So now I'm the proud owner of Skaar #8, and look forward to reading the entire four-issue story arc involving Skaar and the Silver Surfer on the wonderful world of Sakaar (the planet in which the mammoth "Planet Hulk" is set).

While there, the gentleman behind the counter noticed that I had picked up a couple older issues, and mentioned that they had a greater collection at another store. He said that it was located just a few blocks away. I had no idea that this company had another store, and so I thanked him, and we drove over there. You know how the guys in "The Big Bang Theory" are always perusing the $1 comic books whenever they visit a comic book shop? Well, this shop had lots of older $1 comics, and as I had brought my list with me (I keep a list of all the comics I have and need in all the series I collect), my wife and I had fun perusing the boxes. We were delighted to find several comics that finished off series we had been collecting, such as "The Micronauts," "Outcasts," and "Vision and the Scarlet Witch," as well as some other titles we wanted or were curious about. All in all, a fun day was had, and now we look forward to the many fun evenings of reading that lay ahead.

While we did our searching, I overheard a lady behind the counter talking with another customer. They were talking about several TV series they both enjoyed, and their mutual passion was obvious as they enthused about the various story arcs and characters--the things that worked for them, as well as those that didn't. While I haven't seen the shows they were discussing, it was nice to hear their passion and affection for these programs. It inspired me to carry on with my own writing, in the hopes that someday some readers might feel the same way about my work. I suppose, in a way, that's the reason I'm collecting comics now. Some of these issues I may never get around to reading (although I hope to), but they intrigue me. Some I collect because I like the overall series, or the characters involved, even if the individual issues or some of the story arcs aren't everything I wish they were. And then there are some series that really sneak up on you and surprise you, such as  "Skaar Son of Hulk." It's complicated, it's visual, and it challenges me. Yes, really: a comic book that challenges me. There's a lot there that I'm sure I'm not getting, but I look forward to rereading Greg Pak's stories, and know I'll probably get more out of them then than I'm getting on my first read-through. (The artwork is also impressive). 

Anyway, I had a great day, in which my passion for one story led me to others, and I got to hear some folks enthusing about the stories that got inside them, and became part of their lives. What a great way to spend a Saturday!

Dragon Dave