Robotech: Rick Hunter #1 Review

 

Writer: Brandon Easton

Artist: Simone Ragazzoni

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Deron Bennett

Cover Artists: Inhyuk Lee; Derrick Chew; Simone Ragazzoni; Josh Burcham; Nahuel Grego;

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: August 2, 2023

 

Five years after the destruction of the Super Dimensional Fortresses SDF-1 and SDF-2 by the Zentraedi warlord Khyron, the United Earth Government decides to explore deep space to learn more about the aliens and their Robotech Masters. In a stirring ceremony, Senator Moran promotes Captain Rick Hunter to the rank of Major General and assigns him to lead the expedition. Despite his daring exploits, Rick yearns to put the war behind him and devote his future to exploration. Will he achieve peaceful coexistence with Earth's neighbors? Let's fly into Robotech: Rick Hunter #1 and find out! 

 

 

 

Story

Soon after the ceremony, Zentraedi terrorists attack Japan. Rick wishes they could have intervened, but they are decommissioning their aging fleet faster than the next-generation prototypes roll off the assembly line. His friend Commander Stirling—stationed on the Robotech Factory Satellite—calls but gets interrupted by General Anatole Leonard of the Southern Cross. The rogue Zentraedi hiding in Australia possess the last remaining Hyperspace Fold Engines anywhere near Earth. Leonard tasks Rick with finding the stolen battleship and bringing the Hyperspace engines home. 

 

 

 

Robotech: Rick Hunter #1 throws a lot of information at you quickly. Along with the state of the Veritech development, there are also politics and personal agendas. The discovery of Rick’s lost journal further enriches the story as it reminds him of his late brother Roy. I enjoyed Rick’s childhood memories and the life lessons he took from them. Still, as I know little about the franchise, I wished Easton had concentrated on bringing me up to speed on What's Happening Now and saved the experiences that shaped Rick until later. 

 

 

 

Art

The first page of Robotech: Rick Hunter #1 shows scenes from the war that Humanity is still recovering from. Present Day scenes crackle with energy, whether they portray Zentraedi Battle Pods and Power Armor attacking Yokohama or Rick and Grant running through their base. Some page composition and camera views may demand concentration. Rick and Stirling’s youth contrasts with their lofty responsibilities, but they're appealing characters that young readers will like.  

 

 

 

Bryan Valenza’s appealing colors bring personality to characters and settings, although the tones lean more toward gray than I'd prefer. Thus, when Simone Ragazzoni packs pages with visuals, colors blend more than contrast. While fun and energetic, Deron Bennett’s sound effects could also contrast more. The uppercase black lettering in white dialogue balloons seems a little small. Older readers—or those who stare at computers all day or stress their eyes by not getting enough sleep—should schedule Robotech: Rick Hunter #1 for a morning briefing.

 

 

Final Thoughts

While we yearn to follow our dreams, we must first address everyday demands. Robotech: Rick Hunter #1 suggests we focus on our footsteps as we tread the rocky road toward our destination.

 

Rating 7.5/10

 

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

The Walking Dead Deluxe #68 Review

 

Writer: Robert Kirkman

Artists: Dave McCaig & Charlie Adlard

Letterer: Rus Wooten

Cover Artists: Dave McCaig & David Finch

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: August 2, 2023

 

Rick and Abraham notice a stranger spying on the caravan. His name is Aaron. He says he's from a fortified community that needs workers. Should they accept his invitation? Let's stumble into The Walking Dead Deluxe #68 and find out!

 

Story

Whether or not Rick and Abraham can trust Aaron, the decision isn't up to them. The travelers are tired and hungry and yearn for the security their community offers. How long can they survive roaming the countryside in their vehicles?

 

There's a battle that'll please fans of zombie stories. But the heart of The Walking Dead Deluxe #68 involves how people react to strangers and how the entrance of a newcomer can change a group's dynamics. It's interesting to see how people make decisions regarding their future. As a Walking Dead newbie, I bonded with the characters and got what the group was going through. I enjoyed the mix of action and drama. It's relatable, involving, and doesn't need excessive gore or profanity to hook readers.

 

Art

The characters are realistic and sympathetic. Facial expression and stance differentiate the living from the zombies. The panels have a pleasing, hand-drawn appearance. Heavy inking doesn't obscure details. The art conveys motion well.

 

Night scenes show subdued colors: mostly blues, greens, and mauve. Zombies bleed green or brown. Daylight reveals lighter shades of the same. Despite being on the simpler side, I found the overall result pleasing.

 

The Walking Dead Deluxe #68 gives you a fair amount to read, and it all comes your way in white dialogue balloons. Black, uppercase letters are large, and the uniform size never shrinks. Inflection makes words bold. Shock momentarily increases text size and changes its color. Sound effects are vibrant and expressive.

 

Curious about The Walking Dead? Read the first issue at the Image website. It's free!

 

Final Thoughts

The Walking Dead Deluxe #68 is an attractive and appealing comic that's easy to follow and leaves you wanting more.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

For more covers see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Read The Walking Dead #1 free at the Image website.

Conan The Barbarian #1 Review

 

Writer: Jim Zub

Artist: Roberto de la Torre

Colorist: José Villarrubia

Letterer: Richard Starkings

Cover Artists: Dan Panosian; Roberto de la Torre; Stanley ‘Artgerm’ Lau; Patch Zircher; Mike Mignola; E.M. Gist; Jae Lee; Colleen Doran; Chris Jones; Dave Wilkins; Mark Schultz; Junggeun Yoon; Ian Nicholls; Eric Ray; Jay Anacleto; Chris Ehnot;

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 26, 2023

 

After eight years of exploring the Hyborean world, Conan’s thoughts turn homeward. In the northern Aquilonian village of Hunter’s Roam, an incompetent mercenary leader raises Conan’s ire. Will the young freebooter return home? Or might his wanderlust lead him away from Cimmeria once again? Let's venture into Conan The Barbarian #1 and find out!

 

 

 

 

Story

After brawling with his captain, his fellow fighters ask Conan to lead them. But the young Cimmerian has no taste for command. He departs in good faith and drinks ale with a comely wench while he awaits his meal. When darkness banishes the sun, he steps outside the tavern. A Pict rides up and urges the villagers to flee for their lives. The approaching army will pound their settlement into dust.

 

Conan’s actions toward his captain show he doesn’t suffer fools gladly, especially when their decisions cost others their lives. His departure from Ravi reveals that he respects those who reward others based on merit. His weariness is understandable: most of those he grew up with—and survived the battle of Venarium—are likely married and raising children. Unlike them, Conan has no standing in society. What will more travel gain him? Should he play the game of so-called civilized society and capitalize on his experiences?

 

 

 

For over a third of his life, Conan’s wanderlust has led him from one battle to another and from one country to the next. Perhaps he can’t return home. Still, he knows what he’s left behind. 

 

Jim Zub delivers a hearty story in Conan The Barbarian #1. Sentences are short, and wordplay is reminiscent of Robert E. Howard. Like Roy Thomas, Grim Jim’s not afraid to thicken action with narrative or spice battles with dialogue. Anyone who suggests he hasn’t channeled the best traditions of Conan comics is a cowardly dog!

 

 

Front-And-Back Hyborian Age Map Cover

 

 

Art

Like Grim Jim Zub, Ravaging Rob De La Torre dishes out ample portions of brawls and battles. Conan shows little mirth, yet his conversations evoke interest even amid the Cimmerian's melancholy. While Hyborean men sometimes show consideration, their expressions often bespeak fear and rage. One voluptuous maiden looks like she belongs in a harem. Other women in Hunter's Roam look frayed and torn.

 

Conan stands apart from all others in Conan The Barbarian #1. His stance and actions tell us he's gained maturity and wisdom. He's no brute or bully. Bloodlust may not intoxicate him. Yet he’s not afraid of a fight. 

 

Movie Homage Cover

 

 

Ravaging Rob delivers panels aplenty. Yet double-page spreads are no stranger to him. Sometimes, Conan abandons panels and fights across a page. When Rob uses negative space to showcase foreground action, he consigns the background to the imagination.

 

Villainous José Villarrubia's coloring reminds us of those days of yore when Howard's most famous Hyborean hero invaded convenience store spinner racks. Characters strain against the chains of the four-color process in Conan The Barbarian #1. 

 

 

 

 

Leaving blank areas white seems bold, evoking white fields and snowfall before Ravaging Rob brings back dirt, grass, and trees. Gray and beige backgrounds may dull readers jaded by the varied shades and vivid hues conjured by modern sorcerors. Yet by Crom, Conan's sword cuts a red swath through the air and leaves opponents drenched in crimson! 

 

 

 

 

Riotous Richard Starkings conjures uppercase dialogue in balloons and stresses words with bold letters. The narrative cowers in colored boxes or sets up camp in Negative Space. Even the most isolated villager will find the print easy to read and the flow to track. Riotous Richard gives sound effects no quarter but changes balloon shapes--and text sizes and colors--to heighten events in Conan The Barbarian #1. 

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Caught at a crossroads, the Cimmerian freebooter partners with an unlikely ally against an apocalyptic army in Conan The Barbarian #1.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

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

A Righteous Thirst For Vengeance Deluxe Edition Hardcover Review

 

Writer: Rick Remender

Artist: André Lima Araújo

Colorist: Chris O’Halloran

Letterer: Rus Wooten

Publisher: Image

Price: $39.99

Release Date: July 19, 2023

 

Walking through Chinatown in the rain, Sonny Wen lets an older couple precede him onto a bus. While reading about a missing witness in a sex trafficking case, he maps out an address on his phone. Sonny disembarks only to bump into a man in the store and spill his purchases. He grows angry but quickly apologizes and helps the man repack his bag. Then he approaches the counter for more cigarettes. What's going on here? Is this just a day in the life of Sonny Wen, or something more? Let's delve into A Righteous Thirst For Vengeance Deluxe Edition Hardcover and find out!

 

Story

Sonny gets to the address he mapped out after darkness has fallen. He trudges uphill through the woods to a lone house. Lights shine through the windows. He knocks on the door and rings the doorbell. He turns to leave. Then he tries the door handle. The door swings open. He calls out for Mary Sullivan. The house is silent. He slips inside.

 

 

 

He finds two bodies, bound and gagged. Sonny’s mind flashes back to the store. He connects items used to torture the couple with the shopper’s purchases.

 

Returning home, he recovers a thumb drive he’s hidden. He plugs it into a computer and uses it to access a website. He sees the Sullivans listed as a completed job. He finds another person listed: Neva Romero. After some soul-searching, he decides to try to save her. Sonny doesn't count on how difficult it will be for her to trust him. Nor does he realize she has a son. He can't foresee how this single decision—as courageous and selfless as it is—will change his life forever. 

 

 

 

A Righteous Thirst For Vengeance Deluxe Edition Hardcover largely unspools like a silent movie. While there's dialogue and sound effects, visual clues reveal telling aspects of the characters and plot, forcing you to pay attention. I didn't understand how a few plot elements connected. They're likely there, and I missed them during my first read-through. But that's okay. I absorbed enough to know I liked it, and it's a worthy read.

 

Art

The art is deceptively simple. Characters show nuance and expression. While Araújo portrays action adequately, he excels in the slow, everyday moments. Sonny soon grows on you. His love for his mother, his concern for others, and his selfless acts of courage make him a hero. His caring for Neva and her son Xavier reveals his heroism.

 

 

 

Coloring brings warmth to characters and depth and interest to interiors. Outdoor scenes convey nature's rich beauty, while cities reveal how humans radically transform the land in which they live. Violence and torture scenes show restraint. While action scenes are bracing, nothing pleases as much as the way Sonny’s eyes glow when Xavier smiles.

 

 

 

Black uppercase words inhabit white dialogue balloons. The larger physical size (8"x12") may compensate for the smaller font. No narrative boxes reveal thoughts. Sound effects are shocking, creative, and even whimsical. Despite the serious themes and thought-provoking story, the artistry makes A Righteous Thirst For Vengeance Deluxe Edition Hardcover a joy to read. Sixty pages of bonus materials will deepen your appreciation for this noteworthy tale.

 

Curious? Read the first issue on the Image website. It’s free!

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

While A Righteous Thirst For Vengeance Deluxe Edition Hardcover ponders the link between police corruption and crime, it shows how the pursuit of money and power separates you from what matters most and cannot bring lasting happiness.

 

Rating 9/10

 

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

 

Read the first issue free on the Image website.

Amazing Spider-Man #30 Review

 

Writer: Zeb Wells

Penciler: Ed McGuinness

Inker: Mark Farmer, Cliff Rathburn, & Ed McGuinness

Colorist: Marcio Menyz

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Ed McGuinness & Marcio Menyz; Nick Bradshaw & Rachelle Rosenberg; Betsy Cola; Mike Vosburg & Rachelle Rosenberg; Skottie Young

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 26, 2023

 

Peter Parker teams with Doctor Octopus' old mechanical arms to rescue Norman Osborn. But before he can reach his boss, Doc Ock injects Norman with goblin serum! Muscles constrict, and veins pulse as green serum courses through Norman’s bloodstream. Is this the end of the Gold Goblin? Let’s fwip into Amazing Spider-Man #30 and find out!

 

 

Story

Norman howls and beats his fists against a stone pillar. He shouts, “You don’t know what you’ve done, Otto!” But as he rages, laughter spills from his lips. Then, like Luke Skywalker tossing aside his lightsaber before Emperor Palpatine in Return Of The Jedi, he explains that neither Octavius nor his scientific concoction can control or influence him. He’s a hero because he chooses to be.

 

Spider-Man bursts into the secret lab. How did Spidey find it? The limbs told him where it was! Old Otto says, "You can't use my former limbs against me!" Then Peter reminds him that--back in the Superior Spider-Man days--his body was linked to the limbs. Thankfully each man's consciousness has returned to its rightful owner's body. Still, Peter shares a link with the limbs because Otto forged that link a decade ago. Can Peter resist the mechanical limbs' influence and their hunger for vengeance?

 

 

Art

Peter’s active life keeps him fit and trim. Doc’s old limbs look like they belong on him. They even appear to shoot webs as he flies between New York City skyscrapers. When he breaks down the door, Spidey’s new limbs carry him. They can’t wait to punch it out with ungrateful Otto and his new detachable attachments.

 

Golden Norman may have a full-time job running Oscorp, but his hard-chiseled muscles flex as he joins the fight. Even without his suit or gadgets, he can land a knockout punch. Yet his expression reveals the wisdom that comes with experience and reformation. Like Peter, he feels sad for Otto. For all his power, green-goggled Otto only sees his losses. 

 

 

 

Bold, vibrant colors contrast with panel backgrounds. Even though Electro's not around, sparks fly, and electricity arcs through the air. Page layouts and background colors paint an attractive mix of beautifully crafted panels.

 

Characters may gasp and whisper with tiny letters, but for the most part, the dialogue is easy to read and follow. Changes to balloon shape and size—and letter color—are expressive and provide intensity.

 

Amazing Spider-Man #30 is a master class in writing and art. Either my judgment’s abandoned me for the tunnels beneath Doc Ock’s lab, or Zeb Wells, Ed McGuinness, Mark Farmer, Cliff Rathburn, Marcio Menyz, and Joe Caramagna have crafted the perfect comic. Congrats, Spider-Lads!

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

As Amazing Spider-Man #30 pulses with a fast and furious fight, it examines the link between outlook and actions and reflects on what we leave behind.

 

Rating 10/10

 

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

Scorched #20 Review

 

Writers: Sean Lewis & Todd McFarlane

Artist: Stephen Segovia

Colorist: Ulises Arreola

Letterer: Andworld Design

Cover Artists: J. H. Williams III; Von Randal

Publisher: Image

Price: 2.99

Release Date: July 26, 2023

 

Monolith saw She-Spawn as a Red Shirt: valued for her contributions but ultimately expendable. Enraged, Spawn wrests leadership of the group from his grasp. Yet the Planet-Eaters Monolith fears command supernatural forces, and one wields influence over the masses. Can Spawn and his team defeat these alien invaders living among us? Let's burn into Scorched #20 and find out!

 

Story

Senator Terminus tells the disenfranchised that they matter. He argues the government wants to keep them ignorant, and they must retake their nation. His followers gather outside a New Mexico military base, demanding secrets about alien visitations. Is the Roswell Incident on their minds as they toss their placards and climb the fences? Did they not watch Doctor Who: Dreamland?

 

Disguised, Senator Terminus walks among them. As the crowd assaults the guards, grabs weapons, and fires on their protectors, Terminus enters the base. Like Satan, he’s mixed truth with lies. The government’s hidden the truth about aliens from its citizens, but the aliens didn’t arrive in 1947. They’ve lived among us for hundreds, even thousands of years.

 

While Indiana Jones sought the Spear of Destiny, and the B.P.R.D. briefly possessed it, superheroes have long sought the lance that pierced Jesus’ side. Mantra wielded it in the 90s before Magdalena made it her own. Did Professor Broom give it to the Men In Black, who placed it under the military's protection? If so, Agents J and K chose unwisely. For Terminus knows it's there. His forebear, Saint Longinus--just one more emissary of the Planet-Eaters that humans persecuted, tortured, and killed--used the spear to ease Christ's suffering. Now, as the Planet-Eaters' judgment falls, Terminus reclaims the holy relic as he brings his plans to fruition.

 

Art

Perhaps fewer protestors storm the New Mexico base than filled Arrowhead Stadium in the previous issue. Still, a panel showing the crowd extends across two pages of Scorched #20. Hefting rifles, the armored soldiers look capable of defending Earth in Johnny Rico’s mobile infantry. Senator Terminus exudes power as he stalks through the fighting, dressed in a sleeveless shirt and hooded cape. He crushes a fascist-looking guard with one hand. But watch closely: that’s not all he can do with his hands!

 

The Scorched convey power as they leap into the base. Their eyes blaze with yellow-and-green fire as they descend upon the melee. Redeemer reigns down fire, enveloping a tank in a roiling orange and yellow cloud. Yet Medieval stuns with concussive force, hurling waves of yellow fire in all directions when he lands.

 

Transparent letters, outlined in white and black, help us feel his knockout blast. Yellow words inside a brown narrative box accompany the arc of fire hurled Spawn’s way. Such narrative guides us through Scorched #20, while black uppercase font conveys Human speech, Spawns get stylized dialogue balloons, and sentient blood speaks with white letters in black fields. Words heap fire on this red-hot series, and like Terminus' followers, we devour our twenty pages and howl for more!

 

Curious about Scorched? Read the first issue free at the Image website!

 

Final Thoughts

While Scorched #20 explores what drives populist uprisings, it strips away centuries of history to reveal the truth underlying the pillars of Human civilization and our relationship with otherworldly beings.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

To preview other covers see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

 

Read Scorched #1 free at the Image website.