Ghost Machine #1 Review

 

Creators: Jason Fabok, Gary Frank, Bryan Hitch, Geoff Johns, Lamont Magee, Francis Manapul, Brad Meltzer, Ivan Reis, Peter Snejbjerg, Peter J. Tomasi & Maytal Zchut

Inker: Danny Miki

Colorists: Brad Anderson & Bjarne Hansen

Letterer: Rob Leigh

Cover Artists: Gary Frank & Brad Anderson; Bryan Hitch & Brad Anderson; Francis Manapul; Jason Fabok & Brad Anderson; Peter Snejbjerg; Ivan Reis & Brad Anderson; Ivan Reis & Steve Blackwell

Publisher: Image

Price: $4.99

Release Date: January 24, 2024

 

A radioactive man traverses an apocalyptic wasteland. Wardens in an abandoned terraformed world wear helmets to control animals. Novelty store items wield unexpected power. A family travels back through the centuries to live among us amid a contest between Heaven and Hell. What do all these stories have in common? Let’s leap into Ghost Machine #1 and find out!

 

Stories

Geiger

Creators: Geoff Johns & Gary Frank; Colors by Brad Anderson

Geiger wanders post-apocalyptic America. He burns with radiation. Beside him trots a two-headed wolf. Many come to him for help. One, the nuclear knight, begs to assist him. But all that interests Geiger is another immortal named Redcoat.

 

Redcoat

Creators: Geoff Johns & Bryan Hitch; Colors by Brad Anderson

Redcoat was born in 1749. Colonists killed him in 1776. He awoke on the battlefield and has since fought in many wars. He’s met many historical figures, including Einstein and Annie Oakley. Every time Redcoat dies, his mind returns to a painful childhood memory. Then Redcoat awakens to fight another day.

 

In Ghost Machine #1, Geiger and Redcoat introduce several antiheroes who fight wars across time. As these stories interweave, so are the acts of these immortal warriors. A chart provides the timeline for each soldier's origin across a tapestry called The Unnamed, while biographies reveal insights into their histories and characters.

 

Rook: Exodus

Creators: Geoff Johns & Jason Fabok; Colors by Brad Anderson

Rook failed at farming. Now he’s a Warden. His helmet helps him command crows, ravens, and rooks. With Swine’s help, Rook searches for parts to repair a rocket and leave the planet. Swine isn’t sure he wants to leave Exodus with Rook. Dire Wolf argues they should build a new community among those who have not abandoned the terraformed world. Yet someone else hunts the three wardens long after the corporation that settled the planet fled. As with the Unnamed characters, short biographies provide insights into their histories and characters.

 

 

The Rocketfellers

Creators: Peter J. Tomasi & Francis Manapul

A 25^th-century family travels back to 2024. Neither his father, wife, or children are inclined to sacrifice their likes and interests. Still, Roland’s determined to forge them into a loving, supportive family. While doing this for personal reasons, Roland worries that Vertex will discover them.

 

In Ghost Machine #1, The Rocketfellers participate in the Time Zone Protection program. Perhaps the family protects our future. In any case, Roland must help them disregard traditions and perspectives that originate in their society and adapt to our less-advanced ways.

 

Hornsby & Halo

Creators: Peter J. Tomasi & Peter Snejbjerb; Colors by Bjarne Hansen

Zachary Halo and Rose Hornsby live in Warwick, New York. Zach is the child of angels who now lives with demons. Rose is a demon maturing among angels. While Rose's parents are loving, Zach struggles to please his adoptive mother and father. As the eleven-year-olds compete against each other, they reveal supernatural abilities.

 

In Ghost Machine #1, Heaven and Hell wonder whether nature or nurture will triumph. How the contest relates to peace between both realms is yet to become apparent. And how will mortals react when they notice Zachary and Rose’s superhuman abilities?

 

The Rocketfellers and Hornsby & Halo shelter under the Family Odysseys umbrella. Fact sheets provide the lowdown on each character. Even Rex--the Rocketfellers' family dog--gets a paragraph!

 

Hyde Street

Creators: Geoff Johns, Lamont Magee & Ivan Reis

Inks: Danny Miki

Colors: Brad Anderson

A boy blows a whistle to punish a rude man. A woman who has tried everything makes another attempt to lose weight. The items look like mass-produced gimmicks. How do these powerful objects influence the user, and what happens when wielded for evil purposes? Could using these artifacts hasten the apocalypse?

 

Ghost Machine #1 introduces all these stories arriving in comic shops in the upcoming months. Among this tempting array of appetizers, The Rocketfellers and Hornsby & Halo best resemble entrees. But all these appealing starters will tempt the palettes of readers hungering to discover a promising new storytelling universe.

 

Art

An elder sits on a rock, telling stories of Geiger, the Nuclear Knight, and Redcoat to children gathered around a campfire. They clutch cloaks or blankets over their antiradiation suits and gaze at each other through the visors of their helmets. Geiger doesn’t need a radiation suit. He strides through the wasteland, carrying two sticks across his back like ninja swords. He glows with green fire when angered.

 

American colonists surround Redcoat on a hill. Their rifles encircle his head. Redcoat smiles congenially, offering to change sides. Yet he awakens moments later amid the Revolutionary War as scavengers try to pinch his boots. A lifetime later, Redcoat awakens when people try to bury him. The Unnamed features appealing realism with vibrant colors.

 

Rook: Exodus catches Rook and Swine on the run. The Wardens charge through trees and fall off a cliff, pursued by a beast they cannot control. Water streams down their features and flies into their faces as they struggle through a stream. Grays and browns saturate this failed terraformed project. Yet Rook and Swine shine, thanks to nuanced coloring and detailed penciling.

 

Lavish penciling inscribes The Rocketfellers into our hearts in Ghost Machine #1. The limited color palettes shift by scene, while other panels offer full-spectrum coloring. Many images evoke paintings. Grandma appears via hologram. The art conveys rapid movement as the family leaves their clapboard home, boards their VW bus, and races to escape pursuit. A 25th-century blaster—stored in the dash—provides their only protection.

 

 

 

The soft tones of the limited palette imbue Hornsby & Halo with All Ages appeal. The art suits these young heroes as they compete against each other on the baseball diamond. While outshining their peers, they endure parents who view the world from a different paradigm.

 

Three sections comprise Hyde Street in Ghost Machine #1. Pages advertising novelty items evoke Bronze Age Comic advertisements for items children could purchase via mail. These give way to paintings of realistic art in which characters exude warmth and settings radiate vitality. Moments of action strike powerfully while danger menaces throughout.

 

Rob Leigh populates Ghost Machine #1 with a wide range of lettering. Sizes ranged from large to small, and styles from simple block font to italicized. Vibrant sound effects enliven every story, and Easter Eggs hint at linkages to others.

 

Thanks to Image Comics for providing a copy of this sixty-six-page issue for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Popular and promising creators introduce a lavish sampler of exciting stories in Ghost Machine #1. The oversized one-shot fires a salvo across the bows of local comic shops, warning readers to take heed and other storytelling universes to remain on High Alert.

 

Rating 10/10

 

For more covers see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

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.

King Spawn #27 Review

 

Writer: Todd McFarlane

Artists: Javi Fernandez & Kevin Keane

Colorist: Ivan Nunes

Letterer: Andworld Design

Cover Artists: Dan Panosian; Don Aguillo

Publisher: Image

Price: $2.99

Release Date: November 1, 2023

 

Spawn doesn’t want Cogliostro on Hell’s Throne. So he asked the Visage to send him there. She did so after warning that he could never return. What battles will Spawn wage in his new home? Let's leap into King Spawn #27 and find out!

 

Story

Al’s past flashes before his eyes as he falls. Powerless to halt his descent, doubts assault him. Questions probe his memory. Why did Hell choose him? What made Al Simmons worthy of returning from the dead?

 

Rage formed him. He tried to ignore what his father taught him. Ultimately, he became what he hated. The military valued his rage. Jason Wynn wished he could find more killers like Al. But Wanda paid for his talent. Al couldn't protect her from himself.

 

In King Spawn #27, Spawn travels to an area forbidden to symbiotes. Before he can accomplish his goal, he must endure testing. Is he just another lost soul striving to protect others? Or does Al Simmons belong in Hell?

 

Art

Spawn falls through a white abyss. Javi Fernandez & Kevin Keane spin memories like shards of glass, revealing childhood abuse, schoolyard fights, death on the battlefield, and meeting Wanda. Tentacles greet Al's entrance to Hell. A face filled with eyes and teeth looms. Scorpions, spiders, and other insects infest this Valley Of The Shadow. If Al Simmons fears Death in King Spawn #27, he doesn’t show it.

 

Spawn's crimson suit and cape paint a trail of pink like a brush across a virgin canvas. At the heart of the green fires, white stars burn in his eyes. Ivan Nunes uses red to amplify a limited palette for Al's memories. He enhances characters, objects, and backgrounds with highlighting, shading, and texturing. Gray smoke surrounds Spawn in the darkness. Yet the fractured floor reflects light, and the tentacled creature glows with unwelcome vitality.

 

Yellow uppercase letters glow within brown narrative boxes as Todd McFarlane retells Al’s origins in King Spawn #27. Andworld Design helps us hear the impact as Spawn hits Hell’s stone floor. The tentacled monster speaks white letters into cloudy black balloons. Spawn responds with his signature-styled balloons. His words are big, black, and beautiful. Yet the color of a stressed word reminds us of his eyes. Does Spawn’s final utterance suggest a link with Gaia? Or is it just the anger that drives him?

 

Thanks to Image Comics and Todd McFarlane Productions for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Who are we? Where do we belong? Spawn must wrestle with such questions and accept his destiny in King Spawn #27.

 

Rating 9/10

 

For another cover see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

King Spawn #26 Review

 

Writer: Todd McFarlane

Artist: Javi Fernandez

Colorist: Ivan Nunes

Letterer: Andworld Design

Cover Artists: Mike Deodato, Jr.; Kael Ngu

Publisher: Image

Price: $2.99

Release Date: October 4, 2023

 

While he argued they joined forces to take down Cogliostro, Clown killed Spawn’s friend Yoko. Now Spawn’s fed up. So, he’s gearing up. Spawn won't be a pawn in Heaven and Hell's game. Who is he going after? Let's leap into King Spawn #26 and find out!

 

Story

Knives. Guns. Modern assault armor. Spawn straps it all on, then flies through the night. He searches for a woman. One who can aid him: the Visage.

 

Al Simmons will never join forces with his wife’s murderer. But Clown was right about one thing. Whoever sits on Hell’s throne can harm Earth. Spawn reigns harm upon his enemies to prevent this. He flies through the shadows of our world like a bat out of Hell. All the while, he seeks a kindly old lady.

 

News personalities muse upon the relationship between caped crusaders and global warming. Do costumed superheroes proliferate alongside extreme weather events? Spawn may not be responsible for the latest heatwave in King Spawn #26. Still, is he willing to expose his secrets and risk all to prevent villains like Cogliostro and Clown from controlling Hell?

 

Clown action figure available at Amazon.com

 

 

Art

Gloved fingers grab grenades, load guns, and wreath Spawn’s chest with bands of bullets. Moonlight casts his shadow upon buildings, thanks to artist Javi Fernandez. Lights gleam in the night from New York City skyscrapers as Spawn perches upon a denuded tree in King Spawn #26. His cape carries him like batwings as the symbiote soldier Al Simmons swoops down upon his enemies.

 

Spawn’s crimson cape gives way before the red neon nightclub sign as Al Simmons enters. Red ceiling lights threaten to turn the splattered blood brown. Al's teeth gleam and his eyes glow green as Ivan Nunes imbues King Spawn #26 with colored film noir appeal.

 

Yellow uppercase letters glow within brown narrative boxes as Todd McFarlane relates Spawn's actions. Giant red sound effects punctuate Spawn's Breaking And Entering. Uppercase black letters inhabit white dialogue balloons as Spawn questions his victims and begs his favor. Andworld Design delivers a fast-paced horror adventure that’s Heaven on the eyes in King Spawn #26

 

Final Thoughts

Do the ends ever justify the means? To prevent a greater evil, Al Simmons lays aside his principles and engages in aggressive negotiations with the blood-soaked King Spawn #26.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

For another cover see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.