Killadelphia TP Vol. 5 Review

 

Writer: Rodney Barnes

Layouts & Inks: Jason Shawn Alexander

Penciller: Germán Erramouspe

Colorist: Lee Loughridge

Letterer: Marshall Dillon

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $16.99

Release Date: June 28, 2023

 

Ananzi, the trickster god, worries that the fighting on Earth is growing too fierce. He seeks an ally in Corson, but the demon says, “Let it rage!” Can Ananzi prevent Heaven from sending down angels and initiating Armageddon? Let's leap into Killadelphia TP Vol. 5 and find out!

 

Story

Vampires roam the streets, killing all they find. While some who die become vampires, others who return to life fight them. Thus, historical figures like George Washington and John Adams--former presidents of the United States of America--are reborn in Philadelphia, the city of America's birth.

 

Rodney Barnes doesn't just focus on the white leaders of America's Revolutionary War. He spotlights their wives and the slaves who served and sacrificed for them. He also brings in black leaders like Toussaint Louverture, who fought in Haitian Revolution against France in the same era.

 

The conversation gradually changes as Killadelphia TP Vol. 5 continues. Characters take the spotlight only to die amid the fighting. Ananzi seeks the aid of his fellow gods, realizing he owes his existence to Human believers. Resurrected fighters—who've lived through many eras and seen our nation endure the Covid-19 Pandemic and Black Lives Matter—ponder the relationship between law and ethics.

 

As each chapter—or issue—has a name, so does this volume: There's No Place Like Home. The final story focuses on two boys growing up in the inner city. While Seesaw knows the rules of the streets, Ray has his head in the clouds. Seesaw worries his friend is naïve and spends too much time reading books. Amid all the fighting with vampires and demons, it's a relatable story that speaks to the heart.

 

Unaided by an introduction, you may feel lost in Killadelphia TP Vol. 5. But even if you don't understand everything, it's hard not to love this trade. It also helps that this collection of the latest issues appears before the next ones hit the stands. I don’t want to throw out any spoilers, but the last issue hints that a significant Image character will join the action. This revelation leaves me excited and looking forward to forthcoming issues.

 

Art

As Corson spawls at a table in a restaurant he once frequented, hellfire burns in his eyes and mouth, horns twist above his head, and batlike wings splay out to either side. Fighting rages in the streets: blood sprays from severed limbs and heads. When a vampire dies, its body explodes. Toussaint Louverture wields two swords, and his cadre of fighters brings to mind Blade, Electra, Ninjak, and Ronin from Avengers End Game.

 

In her dressing room, TV meteorologist Octavia Morris transforms into the goddess Oya, radiant in her half-naked, tribal attire. Ananzi, often seen with spiders, visits Odin in the clouds. Reliving childhood memories, Seesaw shoots hoops with street predators while Ray sits nearby, listening to music through his headphones and reading I Am Legend by Richard Matheson.

 

Rough lines define characters, and heavy inks increase the drama in Killadelphia TP Vol. 5. Direction lines suggest action, indecision, or realization. Buildings appear adorned in architectural detail, while others are blank in places, with just the suggestion of their appearance. Crosshatching, stippling, and barely controlled inks impart a hand-drawn feel.

 

Limited color schemes change with scenes. Ananzi’s reflections while sitting in a tree and Seesaw's childhood memories glow with light. Interior scenes—such as when Seesaw's old flame reappears—wade through tans, browns, and purples. Yellows, oranges, and reds heighten the fighting. Clearly defined light sources provide highlights and shadows.

 

Black uppercase letters haunt white dialogue balloons in Killadelphia TP Vol. 5. A black or white line leads to the speaker. Red lettering and a red direction line accompany Corson's words. Memories and thoughts inhabit colored narrative boxes. Vibrant, energetic sound effects heighten the otherworldly action in the easy-to-read volume.

 

Final Thoughts

While vampires and Humans make Philadelphia’s historic streets their battleground, Killadelphia TP Vol. 5 ponders how far America has come in two-and-a-half centuries. The volume asks if ethics evolve, explores the role of religion in our lives, and reverences the stories we value.

 

Rating 8.5/10

 

To view issue covers art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Ghost Rider #15 Review

 

Writer: Benjamin Percy

Pencilers: Cory Smith & Brent Peeples

Inkers: Oren Junior & Brent Peeples

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Travis Lanham

Cover Artists: Bjorn Barends; Juann Cabal & Jesus Aburtov; Kyle Hotz & Mike Spicer

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 28, 2023

 

Danny Ketch made a deal with the devilish Infernal Labs. Dr. Diyu promised to extricate Danny's Spirit, but the researcher had another plan. Years ago, a demon possessed her brother and dragged him down to Hell. Binding Danny’s Spirit to a suit of armor, she leaves him while she marches through a portal. Can Danny survive without his Ghost Rider? Can Dr. Diyu free her brother? And where are Johnny Blaze and former F.B.I. agent Talia Warroad amid all this? Let's hop on our motorcycles, roar into Ghost Rider #15, and find out!

 

Story

Johnny and Talia reach Infernal Labs as spirits explode from the building. Talia uses her powers to learn what happened from a dying man. She helps Danny start breathing. But with his Ghost Rider, Danny's body is just a shell.

 

Johnny calls on his Ghost Rider and rides through a burning portal, past skulls intertwined with thorny plants. Demons inhabit this realm, while the souls of the dead hang impaled on spears or fight not to drown in a Lake Of Fire.

 

Dr. Diyu locates her brother but struggles to control Danny's Spirit. Unwittingly, she's placed Johnny in the same position she was in many years ago. While Ghost Rider #15 unreels too quickly, I enjoyed the symmetry of two people risking their lives to save their brothers. I'm left wondering about the freed spirits that burst out of Infernal Labs in the explosion. What trouble might they cause in our world?

 

 

 

 

Art

Johnny’s ride through Hell is an exhilarating journey. The fallen bodies and heads on spikes are reminiscent of a battlefield. Dr. Diyu’s robotic body strides through the smoky air. Flames rise from the armored exoskeleton to sheath the ghostly skull that hovers above. Tactical readouts appear on her windshield. Then she stands on a precipice and gazes down upon a misty field punctuated with impaled bodies.

 

Danny's Spirit burns green against the red sky in Ghost Rider #15. It looks cold compared to Johnny's yellow and orange fire. But then, Johnny's angry at what's happened to his brother. He screams at black-and-gray bats that swarm around him. He spews fire at those who come too near. Yet when Johnny locates Danny's Spirit, it dwarfs his own. Does a fire that looks colder burn hotter? 

 

 

 

 

Black uppercase letters possess white dialogue balloons in Ghost Rider #15. Those living receive spherical ones, while the dead get an edgy font and cloudy balloons. Much of the story unfolds in narrative boxes as Talia relates what she learned from the dying researcher and Johnny monologues along the Highway Through Hell. Abrasive and inflammatory sound effects ensure readers make amends in this world to avoid eternal suffering.

 

Final Thoughts

Good intentions transform a mourning, obsessed woman into what she despises in Ghost Rider #15.

 

Rating 8.2/10

 

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

Amazing Spider-Man #28 Review

 

Writer: Zeb Wells

Penciler: Ed McGuinness

Inker: Mark Farmer

Colorist: Marcio Menyz

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Ed McGuinness & Marcio Menyz; Elena Casagrande & David Curiel; Olivier Coipel; Lucas Werneck

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 28, 2023

 

J. Jonah Jameson's got legs and he knows how to use them. Only they're not his legs: they used to belong to Doctor Octopus. But Doc Ock doesn't want them because they didn't kill Spider-Man. So he tried to destroy them. Doc Ock’s injured legs crawled off to J. Jonah Jameson's door. Can J.J.J. save Otto's old legs for Old Time's sake? Let’s thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #28 and find out!

 

Story

Triple J doesn’t have time to waste. He charges past the secretary at Oscorp looking for Peter Parker. But Peter’s with his boss Norman Osborn, and J. Jonah doesn't want Osborn's help. Likewise, Norman doesn't want to mess with Doctor Octopus. But Jameson pleads for help, and Peter realizes they need Norman's help to reassemble Doc Ock’s old legs. Besides, the legs have a mind of their own. They defied their builder and saved Peter’s life!

 

 

Amazing Spider-Man #28 continues this series' ruminations on second chances. It features a cameo of Kraven The Hunter and shows the capabilities of Doc Ock’s new, improved replacements. The issue reveals the vulnerability that hides beneath Jameson's bluster and unveils the ultimate aim of Doc Ock’s plan.

 

Zeb Wells often kickstarts new stories by drawing on the past. While I've been walking alongside this series for twenty issues, the history of Otto's old legs runs back further. Thankfully, a write-up on the credits page brings us up to date and helps us appreciate the resumption of these leg-endary events.

 

 

Art

J. Jonah Jameson looks as broken as Doc Ock’s old legs. Peter looks concerned, Kraven The Hunter’s suspicious and angry, while Doc Ock has never seemed more malicious. But his new legs steel the show in Amazing Spider-Man #28. Composed of individual units, each with a mind of its own, the metal components with green gooey insides swarm around Doc Ock like armored Adipose babies. But don't let their appearance fool you. The metal baby legs will adopt your cell phones and laptops and start emailing your old boy- and girlfriends the first chance they get!

 

Vibrant coloring provides texture and contrast, allowing panels packed with passion and punch to pop. Expressive dialogue grabs leg fanciers' hearts from white balloons, and colorful sound effects help you hear the sounds Doc Ocks’ new legs make. Like Oscorp’s lobby secretary, Amazing Spider-Man #28 may make you shriek. But that’ll only be because you’re having so much fun.

 

 

Final Thoughts

A hard-bitten journalist’s surprising vulnerability and the deadliness of endearing creatures allow readers to ponder the worth of first impressions in Amazing Spider-Man #28.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

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

Space Job #4 Review

 

Writer: David A. Goodman

Artist: Alvaro Sarraseca

Colorist: Jordi Escuin Llorach

Letterer: Mauro Mantella

Cover Artist: Alvaro Sarraseca

Publisher: Dark Horse

Price: 3.99

Release Date: June 28, 2023

 

Operations Officer Travis Biggins wants to quietly resign his commission and depart aboard the space truck after it delivers Captain Olivier's desk. But the S.S. George H.W. Bush's new First Officer—former ensign Francine Masht—insists he organizes a funeral for her predecessor. Will Travis convince Captain Olivier to deliver a eulogy and swap the space service for a better-paying job? Let's warp into Space Job #4 and find out!

 

Story

Despite her rapid promotion, Masht seems centered and capable. She wants to honor her predecessor by respecting the rank he briefly held. Unlike Travis, she overlooks her Captain’s faults because she believes in the importance of the space service.

 

By comparison, Travis blamed Danny's leapfrog advancement on race discrimination. He'll only remain on board the S.S. George H.W. Bush if he can break up the Medical Officer's marriage. To paraphrase Yoda, he's always looking to the future, to the horizon, but never to where he is.

 

Travis’ inability to focus on the present, and the importance of what he’s doing, extends to how much the (still unnamed) Medical Officer wants to make her marriage work. Sadly, the man she loves no longer exists. Possessed by an alien, Helm Officer Rick MacIntyre carries out his duties while observing the human onboard.

 

David A. Goodman ties up several story threads but leaves others dangling in Space Job #4. Like the science fiction TV shows he emulates, this final issue ends on a cliffhanger. Thankfully, character development allows us to savor the humor while identifying and empathizing with them.

 

Art

Alvaro Sarraseca portrays the command crew and medical officer in a life-like and appealing manner. Strangely unaware of how her predecessor died, First Officer Masht has transformed from a lackluster yeoman into a calm, focused officer. I'm sorry we never saw more of the crew. It'd be great to learn how many people serve aboard the S.S. Bush and all the duties they carry out.

 

Jordi Escuin Llorach imbues characters with warmth. Uniforms differentiate crew by their ranks and positions. As they surround Danny's coffin, overhead lights make the coffin gleam. The minnow-like Bush seems less nuanced than before. Space scenes may not make your jaw drop this time around. Still, the lighting and full-spectrum color make you wish you could serve aboard the Bush, especially as Masht seems poised to steer the ship on a more even keel.

 

Mauro Mantella gives black uppercase letters ample spacing, making white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes a joy to read. Colorful and energetic sound effects enliven humorous and poignant moments. Large white letters identify characters breaking the fourth wall and announce the time and space transitions. Greater and Lesser Than symbols remind readers when Travis speaks to the man delivering Olivier’s prized desk in Spanish.

 

Final Thoughts

Humor, character growth, and immersing art propel the wacky but loveable crew of the S.S. George H.W. Bush toward a cliffhanger in Space Job #4. Chart your course for adventure and your mind on a bittersweet cosmic romance.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

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

W0rldtr33 #3 Review

 

Writer: James Tynion IV

Artist: Fernando Blanco

Colorist: Jordie Bellaire

Letterer: Aditya Bidikar

Cover Artists: Fernando Blanco; Marcos Martin; Aaron Campbell; Ariel Diaz; & Martin Simmonds

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 28, 2023

 

Ellison climbs into his lawyer’s car. Silk and Nicky don’t want to release him, but the FBI agents can't arrest him for his brother's murders. As Ellison realizes no one else is in the car, it drives away from the police station, and a man’s voice pours through the speakers. What happens next? Let's climb into W0rldtr33 #3 and learn more!

 

 

Story

The voice pouring through the speakers calls himself Gabriel. He explains he's back at the police station, stealing his late brother's laptop and cell phone from the evidence room. The car stops behind the police station, and the wealthy technologist climbs inside. As the FBI agents guess they've made a fatal error, an explosion rocks the car. Ellison looks out the window. The police station is in flames. What has he gotten into?

 

Fausta—Ellison’s podcast producer, and perhaps more—had searched his late brother Gibson's house while the FBI agents detained him. She found an internet address and password on his desktop computer. Although he killed sixty people, she can't resist seeing what the Undernet revealed. Now she's mesmerized. 

 

 

Darren and Amanda—two members of Gabriel’s team that discovered the Undernet—intended to torch Gibson's house. Now they attempt to rescue Fausta, unaware that PH34R—the naked, tattooed woman--has ignited their fire.

 

What kind of person is Gabriel? Who gives Silk and Nicky their marching orders? Can Darren and Amanda rescue Fausta and escape? While some things get murkier in W0rldtr33 #3, others grow clearer. Ellison has entered a nightmare he may never leave.

 

 

Art

Fernando Blanco spoils us with 196 panels across 24 pages, ensuring we never miss a moment. He draws buildings, vehicles, and characters with precision and attention to perspective. It's easy to care about Ellison. It's harder to read Gabriel and his cohorts. One minute they appear heartless, and the next approachable. If Silk and Nicky look cold and uncaring, their boss is a block of ice. Yet no one compares to PH34R. The naked, tattooed blonde strides through the suburbs in W0rldtr33 #3, serene, stately, and unabashed. If she smiles at you, run away as fast as you can!

 

Whether in Gabriel's car, the police records room, inside Gibson's former home, or anywhere else our characters travel, you feel like you're there too. Many creators would waste an entire page—or devote a double-page spread--to the explosion Gabriel unleashes. Blanco gives it nearly half a page, along with seven small panels. If any other creators out there average eight panels per page of art so detailed and representative, I want to read their comic!

 

 

 

Ellison looks gray against the car's gray interior. Gabriel searches the gray police evidence room wearing a gray pinstriped suit. When he opens the back door and slides in beside Ellison, orange twilight is fading to gray. The cars on the highway reflect the fading orange light as they speed across gray asphalt. Guess what color Gabriel's hair is? I'll give you a clue. It's not orange.

 

While Jordie Bellaire seems fixated upon gray, orange, green, and blue in W0rldtr33 #3, she delivers nuanced and contrasting colors that deepen the mood, intensifies the drama, and heighten the reality. Yet all pales before the howling kaleidoscopic void that opens when the Undernet invades our world.

 

 

 

Aditya Bidikar helps us hear dialogue with (mostly) uppercase black letters in white balloons. The font makes for easy reading, but I wouldn't mind it slightly larger. The Underworld's ZIZZ grows unintelligible as it assaults Fausta. A WUFF overwrites Gabriel's face as he turns off all lights in the police station. The white letters baDEEP, outlined in green, hover over the bomb. The yellow, orange, and red KRAKOOM reveal the intensity of the explosion.

 

Final Thoughts

W0rldtr33 #3 overturns our preconceptions and ponders how readily we may advance objectives detrimental to our well-being.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

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

Indigo Children #4 Review

 

Writers: Curt Pires & Rockwell White

Artist: Alex Diotto

Colorist: Dee Cunniffe

Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Cover Artists: Alex Diotto & Dee Cunniffe

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 28, 2023

 

Aided by Nikki and Donovan, Alexei, Fred, and Rose fly to Afghanistan. Finding the last member of their quartet before the American pullout could prove tricky. Can they find Ahmed in terror-wracked Kabul? Let's fly into Indigo Children #4 and find out!

 

Story

Before they land, Donovan shares his background and what propelled him to find the Indigo Children. Upon arrival in Kabul, they question American troops and locals. From the latter, they hear about the ghost of Kabul. The stories surrounding him suggest the man is Ahmed. If only they had more than three days to find him!

 

Indigo Children #4 is an immersive and satisfying read. You'll discover how Donovan's backstory intersects with Alexei's. The issue filled in blank spaces and overturned assumptions based on the facts provided. Still, it left me wanting to learn more.

 

You won't learn more about Rand and his organization, the quartet's previous life on Mars, or Indigo Prime's origin story. But you'll discover exactly when the series takes place, enjoy a rousing, action-packed final act, and learn what drives Rand's assassin.

 

After three largely self-contained issues, Curt Pires and Rockwell White deliver a search-and-rescue mission. I look forward to discovering whether the next issue continues the Afghanistan story or skips ahead to another location. 

 

Art

Alex Diotto packs 26 pages with panels, works page-by-page rather than across pages, and respects panel boundaries. He showcases the rich culture of this troubled country as our heroes spend evenings in the American quarter before exploring impoverished communities. While roughly sketched, characters look good and move convincingly. The ending sequence of Indigo Children #4 reminded me of scenes from Bloodshot and Blackhawk Down.

 

Dee Cunniffe’s palette looks limited in some panels and fully loaded in others. Sunset spills color into the sky and splashes it liberally across buildings. Ahmed's transitory appearance merits his legendary status, while a brown cat plays a pivotal role in this issue. I particularly like the map the group uses to plan their days, the carpet and produce shops in the open-air market, the ornamental decoration adorning a mosque, and the helicopters flying through the pink and lavender sky.

 

 

While characters occasionally use smaller, lowercase words, black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons or narrative boxes dominate Indigo Children #4. Alexei's psychic communication appears in semitransparent indigo balloons, but the uppercase white letters stand apart from the backgrounds. Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou’s semitransparent orange sound effects help us hear gunfire pierce Kabul’s hubbub, and large indigo letters showcase Rose's extraordinary vocal abilities.

 

Final Thoughts

Indigo Children #4 helps us understand our heroes better as they search for the last member of their otherworldly quartet. A ticking clock and overwhelming odds deliver a tense read, an explosive final act, and a cliffhanger ending.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

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

Scorched #19 Review

 

Scorched #19 Review

Writers: Sean Lewis & Todd McFarlane

Artist: Stephen Segovia

Colorist: Ulises Arreola

Letterer: Andworld Design

Cover Artists: Chris Stevens; Kevin Keane

Publisher: Image

Price: 2.99

Release Date: June 28, 2023

 

She-Spawn lies dead. Spawn blames Monolith for her death. Once again, the teammates are at each other’s throats. Can they rally to defeat Gaia’s attempt to extinguish all life on Earth? Let's descend into The Scorched #19 and find out!

 

Story

She-Spawn’s death hits hard. In many ways, she was the heart of this team. She was also at its genesis. Some members—such as Gunslinger—have already departed. Even with Spawn’s leadership, can the Scorched continue without her?

 

Monolith claimed the Planet Eaters were on their way. Scorched #19 asks: what if they're already here and can take human form? What if they tread the corridors of power? They may not awe like Mandarin Spawn or invoke fear like Urizen. How might such sleeper agents help bring about the apocalypse?

 

After the slaughter, devastation, and world-shaking events of previous issues, Sean Lewis & Todd McFarlane introduce a new villain. Senator Terminus wields power and charisma and channels blood magic more effectively than the Sycorax. Can the Scorched defend us as ably as the tenth Doctor and Prime Minister Harriet Jones? Those who've survived the plagues, wars, and ravaging zombie hordes in recent issues can only hope.

 

 

Art

The stately Senator contrasts with his cowering minions while Spawn rages at Jessica's (She-Spawn's) death. Medieval gazes upon Spawn as a knight regards his squire. Where is the dragon he flew to this cabin in the woods? Jessica's daughter glimpsed the confrontation outside. Yet her eyes glow at her grandmother's call, and she hurries to join her before the television. Why would these two innocents yearn to watch Senator Terminus' speech when they could gaze out at nature's beauty?

 

Beyond their glowing eyes, skulls, and chains, bold reds unite Spawn and Medieval in Scorched #19. Orange-red Monolith and gold-and-blue Redeemer contrast with the greens and purples of the forest. Jessica's mother and daughter clothe and adorn their home in soft pinks and lavenders. Thankfully, the ninth Doctor isn't watching, or he'd shout, "Mauve Alert!"

 

Terminus dominates shadowy rooms. Blood—as rich and red as Spawn's attire—assumes a life of its own. In unguarded moments the Senator's eyes glow red, revealing something ominous. When he steps onto the stage, lights shine upon his face and body, and streaks of light shine past him. Those standing nearest him look purple in the shadows. The thousands seated around the stadium sparkle like reflecting glass on a shingle beach.

 

As we grapple with She-Spawn’s death, Andworld Design soothes with big uppercase letters in Scorched #19. Monolith is new to the group. Do his sketchy balloon outlines, and huddling italicized letters, suggest he also mourns? The lightning bolt arrows of Spawn’s balloons make his feelings clear. The blood that pumps through our veins—that sustains and energizes us—also speaks. Its white words, surrounded by a white outline in a dark balloon, remind us how it rules—rather than serves—us. Can anyone live without blood?

 

Final Thoughts

Human or alien, living or spawn, Scorched #19 reminds us that mourning and loss are traits we all share. Meditations on those drawn to power, and Terry Pratchett's definition of evil, highlight this pause amid the raging apocalypse.

 

Rating 9/10

 

To see another cover--both trade dress and virgin options--see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.