Jonathan Edwards 10/13/17 Jonathan Edwards 10/13/17

Review: God Complex #1

By Jonathan Edwards

God Complex is an answer to the question “what if Greek gods existed in a cyberpunk future,” and I kind of have to wonder how much of a coincidence it is that this is coming out on the heels of Blade Runner 2049’s release (but, I digress). I was initially a little on the fence about checking this one out, because, while I’m a sucker for mythology, I’m a lot less enthusiastic about cyberpunk and, really, sci-fi in general. I obviously decided to go for it anyway, and though I’m still not quite sold on the series, God Complex #1 offers solid enough characterization, world-building, and intrigue to be a decent read.

Jonathan Edwards 10/11/17 Jonathan Edwards 10/11/17

Review: Justice League of America #16

By Jonathan Edwards

Wow, another whole issue completely dedicated to a flashback for this fucking story arc. At least this time we get some resolution for the how and why of Aron Aut’s betrayal. However, I’d like to reiterate that that’s a cliffhanger we were left with two issues ago, and there’s no good reason both flashbacks couldn’t be contained in a single dedicated issue. The lion’s share of Palmer’s was made up of redundancies, and Aut’s goes to bizarrely extreme length to ensure his characterization is nothing more than a one-dimensional, unrepentant supervillain, even going as far as giving him a whole different costume and the moniker “The Null.” If all of that fat was stripped away, they probably could’ve had a pretty strong and streamlined backstory issue that, dare I say, could’ve even gotten us excited to see the conclusion of “Panic in the Microverse” (side note: while the covers to every issue in this arc have consistently called it “Panic in the Microverse,” I’m fairly certain the internal credits of the first two or three issue referred to it as the “Crisis in the Microverse” instead).

Jonathan Edwards 10/11/17 Jonathan Edwards 10/11/17

Review: Retcon #2

By Jonathan Edwards

I don’t understand this book. I was hoping this second issue would help it more closely resemble Image’s summary for the series, but it didn’t. Instead, it just doubles down on the half-baked conspiracy premise, and it tries hard to show just how edgy and satirical it is. Except, rather than actually being either of those things, it’s just assholes being assholes to one another for twenty-some pages, and we’re left with little to no character development or plot progression.

Jonathan Edwards 9/27/17 Jonathan Edwards 9/27/17

Review: Justice League of America #15

By Jonathan Edwards

Are you kidding me with this one, DC? What an utterly worthless issue. Orlando finally realizes that it might be a good idea to show us something happening instead of just burying it in his trash exposition, but then he somehow thinks it makes sense to spend the ENTIRE ISSUE having Ray Palmer learn shit we already learned with the JLA. And to top it all off, we don't even get a payoff to the cliffhanger ending of the last issue, which, by the way, is also how this issue starts. How do you fuck that up so badly?! Furthermore, he apparently can't through a flashback without retconning the capabilities of a character he introduced a couple issues ago, nor was he able to keep that retcon consistent when it came up again only two pages later.

Jonathan Edwards 9/27/17 Jonathan Edwards 9/27/17

Review: Fu Jitsu #1

By Jonathan Edwards

I spied a preview of Fu Jitsu in the closing pages of Dark Ark #1. Martial arts stories have never really grabbed me simply by virtue of them being about martial arts, especially outside of the film world. And knowing nothing else about this book, I only skimmed those sample pages at first. That is, until I saw the eponymous Fu Jitsu transitioning between several well established animal-style poses. That by itself wasn’t particularly interesting, nor were the classical elements associated with each stance. What did catch my eye was the inclusion of tarot suits and periodic table elements as well. And then to top it off, the next page (which also happened to be the last one included in the preview) has him refer to his “Sub-Atomic Kung Fu.” That promise of high concept shenanigans is what finally hooked me enough to check this one out, and the full first issue did not disappoint.

Jonathan Edwards 9/21/17 Jonathan Edwards 9/21/17

Review: Go Go Power Rangers #3

By Jonathan Edwards

With Go Go Power Rangers, Ryan Parrott and Dan Mora have given us a damn entertaining read full of grounded, human, and very likable characters. This third installment continues that trend with the best issue so far, as well as finally convincing me that the existing canon will not inhibit the quality and development of this book. Really, one of the best things about the story is its structure. Rather than go the familiar route of focusing on one or two characters for an A plot, a different one or two for a B plot, and then jumping back and forth with more time dedicated to the former, Parrott utilizes vignettes to focus on pretty much all of the characters in equal measure. Everyone has their own story and character arc going on, each of which we only experience glimpses of at a time. However, what really makes it work is that when a given character isn't being focused on, they'll still more than likely show up as a secondary or support character in someone else's vignette. It goes a long way in making the whole world and story feel that much more cohesive and engaging.

Jonathan Edwards 9/20/17 Jonathan Edwards 9/20/17

Review: Mighty Mouse #4

By Jonathan Edwards

Okay, maybe I need to stop letting morbid curiosity get the better of me after already deciding I don't like a book. Because, I may have hated last issue for its boring, surface level nonsense, but this one pissed me off almost immediately. The crux of the story is meant to be the juxtaposition between the cartoon world and the "real" world, but here the latter relies at least as much on clichés and plot convenience as the former does, so the only real distinction between the two is the difference in art style. And really, given the current political climate, how tone deaf do you have to be to have a character describe an cartoon alien cat invasion as "the worst terrorist incident in years"?

Jonathan Edwards 9/13/17 Jonathan Edwards 9/13/17

Review: Justice League of America #14

By Jonathan Edwards

Of course, Lobo isn't dead. I mean, there was absolutely no chance that DC would okay him being killed off in a random issue of JLA. Furthermore, it's clear from all of the cookie cutter conversations that he and Batman have had that Orlando is fully intent on having Lobo stick around for whatever "big" thing the Caped Crusader keeps insisting is on the horizon. So then why even have him be struck be "atomic lightning" in the first place? All it does is create inconsistencies within the story.

Jonathan Edwards 9/13/17 Jonathan Edwards 9/13/17

Review: Retcon #1

By Jonathan Edwards

From the official synopsis of it as "the reboot of a comic book miniseries that has never existed," Retcon #1 sounded like the kind of high concept and metatextual affair you'd expect from someone like Grant Morrison. In practice, it actually reminds me quite substantially of Si Spurrier's Cry Havoc from last year. Except, where that book had a thorough understanding and deep respect for the legends and folklore that it referenced, this one merely grabs a couple low-hanging fruits, develops them very slightly, and then tries to cobble together something meaningful out of it. But, the biggest problem here is that it just isn't what it says on the tin.

Jonathan Edwards 9/6/17 Jonathan Edwards 9/6/17

Review: InferNoct #1

By Jonathan Edwards

I literally had no idea what this was going in. I'd never heard of it, nor had I even read a synopsis. Really, the title just kind of jumped out at me from the spreadsheet. I figured InferNoct was probably a portmanteau of the words "inferno" and "nocturnal," which was at least as intriguing as it was vague. And after a quick glance at the art, I figured I might as well commit whole hog. So, I did. And after finishing this first installment, I can't really say whether or not my prediction of the title's meaning was accurate. But, I can say that it was a decent issue if ultimately flawed.

Jonathan Edwards 9/6/17 Jonathan Edwards 9/6/17

Review: Motor Crush #6

By Jonathan Edwards

I read the first story arc of Motor Crush and liked it well enough. It wasn't anything ground breaking, but it was fun, stylish, and had a decent enough dose of intrigue. Plus, it left off on a pretty big cliff hanger. So let me say up front, this issue does not resolve that. In fact, it does the opposite. Motor Crush #6 is a prequel issue focusing on Sully while Domino's still a child. It also happens to touch on how Sully lost his leg and the rise of Crush in Nova Honda. All in all, it feels more like a standalone story than the beginning of a new arc. And though it does do a pretty good job of showcasing Sully's character, it does feel somewhat at the cost of Domino losing some of her own agency.

Jonathan Edwards 8/30/17 Jonathan Edwards 8/30/17

Review: Justice League of America #13

By Jonathan Edwards

Let's hit the ground running with this review; after finally straightening itself out so that its greatest sin was just being boring last issue, Justice League of America immediately missteps right back into the world of excessive, clunky exposition and underdeveloped concepts. I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm really not. I figure me not being surprised by that is itself not that surprising to anyone who's read at least one or two of my prior JLA reviews. But come on, no shit that wasn't Ray Palmer at the end of the previous issue, and now you're going to start off with multiple pages of exposition, completely forced and contrived conflict between Ryan, Lobo, and Killer Frost, and then you're going to cut away back to Black Canary and Ray fighting Afterthought? Well, at least that last bit was the only cutaway in the whole issue, and it's actually managing to build a slight amount of intrigue. However, the fact remains that it takes until a third of the way into this issue for the main plot to actually start progressing again. But even once it does, more exposition bogs it down, and then the issue is over without much else happening.

Jonathan Edwards 8/30/17 Jonathan Edwards 8/30/17

Review: Go Go Power Rangers #2

By Jonathan Edwards

Despite having reviewed a smattering of Power Rangers-related comics, and continuing to do so with this one, I still wouldn't really call myself a fan of the franchise. As a kid I did watch several of the series, and I really liked the toys, but I don't think I ever specifically cared about the characters or the circumstances they found themselves in. I liked the Red Ranger because he was red, and red was my favorite color, not because of who was under the mask. And honestly, I think that probably just carried over into my adult life. I like the core concept, but I have no attachment to any given Rangers, villains, story arcs, or what have you. If there was an exception it'd be Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie and maybe, just maybe, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie too. But even then, those spots were nowhere near soft enough to make me care for a second about the reboot Power Rangers film that came out earlier this year. I've heard good things from a friend or two of mine, but I see nothing other than one big boring CG-fest. Also, the new suits suck, but I digress. If at this point you're wondering why then I'm reviewing this book, I have an answer for you: Dan Mora. If you happened to have read my review for Klaus and the Witch of Winter and/or the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2017 Annual, you know what that means. If you didn't, put simply, I love his artwork. Like, a lot. So when this series was announced with Mora on art duties, I immediately planned to pick it up. And after reading and quite enjoying the first issue, here I am to review the second.

Jonathan Edwards 8/25/17 Jonathan Edwards 8/25/17

Review: Generation Gone #2

By Jonathan Edwards

At first I didn't want to review this one. However, it probably wasn't for the reason you'd initially think. I liked the first issue of Generation Gone well enough that I kind of wanted to keep my reading of the book casual. That way, I could take my time with each issue and not have to immediately jump into the critical thinking. Of course, that would've also likely meant I'd quickly fall behind in my reading of it (I'm already behind on a number of books I'm already reading casually). And since there really wasn't all that much else coming out this week that I felt the desire to review, I decided I might as well just go ahead and do Generation Gone #2. And, you know what? I'm glad I did. Because, now I'm interested in talking about this one.

Jonathan Edwards 8/23/17 Jonathan Edwards 8/23/17

Review: Plastic #5

By Jonathan Edwards

Y'know as much as I've loved every issue of Plastic, I'm glad it's ending here at #5. A big part of what makes this book so damn engrossing is the uniquely skewed perspectives of Edwyn and the narrative itself. As such, one of the biggest problems we could encounter as readers would be getting used to those perspectives. So, ending it before that has a chance to happen is the way to go. That being said, is the ending actually any good? Is it a predictable conclusion? Or, does it do something unexpected yet inevitable? Well to be honest, the answer to all three of those questions is "yes." At first, I was almost a little disappointed in how quickly and even perhaps uneventfully things seemed to be wrapping up. And then, right before the end, something happened. It's simultaneously the type of thing I never expected for a second that this book would do and the final defining reinforcement of who Edwyn really is. But, that's all I'm going to say about it. Because, there's no way I'm going to even come close to spoiling that moment.

Jonathan Edwards 8/10/17 Jonathan Edwards 8/10/17

Review: Justice League of America #12

By Jonathan Edwards

Y'know, there actually is a reason I keep coming back to review this book despite my nigh constant condemnation of it. Actually, if anything, it's because I'm so vocal about how bad Justice League of America is that I want to be among the first to recognize it if I ever end up being wrong and this series does eventually get better. Now, is that the case here? Eh, kind of I guess? Personally, I'd only describe this as the least bad issue in a long time. Issue #10 may have been more substantial, but it still had its glaring problems. Justice League of America #12 on the other hand is bland, but it technically still functions. At least as far as structure is concerned. It's also the first issue of the series to properly follow-up on something that happened in the prequel one-shots. And no, Vanity, Caden, and Ray's mom showing up in the previous two issues don't count. Aside from that being a bad story full of holes in logic and other problems, the Might Beyond the Mirror wasn't introduced as a concept until issue #4 or #5. Anyway, Panic in the Microverse: Part One.

Jonathan Edwards 8/9/17 Jonathan Edwards 8/9/17

Review: Mighty Mouse #3

By Jonathan Edwards

I wasn't originally going to write this review. Neither of the previous issues did enough to make me want to keep reading, nor did they provide much to talk about while reviewing them. I really didn't have a reason to do anything but skip this one. However, I didn't. I couldn't tell you why, but instead I decided I'd read the issue first at let that be the judge. Turns out, Mighty #3 is pretty bad. I don't know if this is the point when the creative team stopped caring or just the proof that they never cared, but it's honestly kind of amazing to me how much of this issue feels like a blatant cop-out. The characters are entirely one-dimensional, and I don't think a single thing that happened felt like anything more than outright plot convenience.

Jonathan Edwards 8/2/17 Jonathan Edwards 8/2/17

Review: Spy Seal #1

By Jonathan Edwards

The last thing I read from Rich Tommaso was his book She Wolf, and I really wanted to like it. The story was a surreal one and greatly aided by his unique art style. Unfortunately, it failed to amount to anything more than a superficial monster book with a penchant for focusing on sexuality and young women. When I saw the initial announcement for Spy Seal, I questioned whether or not I should give it a shot. Eventually, I figured his writing might benefit from the change in genre, plus I knew I'd still enjoy the artwork. And in the end, I think that bit of faith was somewhat rewarded.

Jonathan Edwards 8/2/17 Jonathan Edwards 8/2/17

Review: Dead of Winter #1

By Jonathan Edwards

Apparently, this is based on a tabletop game. I mention this first because I didn't realize that when I initially signed up for Dead of Winter #1, and finally learning it is what made some things make more sense. Well, one thing made more sense: the title. Because, while the book does technically take place in Winter, it doesn't really drive home the whole "endless Winter" thing that's supposed to be accompanying the zombie apocalypse. In fact, I only know that that's supposed to be a thing because I read the plot synopsis inside the front cover. Seriously, I can't remember a single point where anyone even made a passing reference to it being anything other than a normal old Winter. Furthermore, there's not really anything showing why the Winter makes this scenario particularly more problematic than any other zombie apocalypse. Sure, we can infer that it's really cold, and that probably sucks. But, wouldn't reduced temperatures also negatively impact the zombies as well? For example, literally freezing them if and when it gets cold enough? That seems like a pretty even break to me in the grand scheme of things. Anyway, my point is, I presume the Winter setting plays a bigger part as a mechanic in the tabletop game, and since this is an adaptation, I have no further issues with the title. The issue itself on the other hand...

Jonathan Edwards 7/26/17 Jonathan Edwards 7/26/17

Review: Plastic #4

By Jonathan Edwards

This is a bit of a different issue for the series. The first half is almost entirely dedicated to action, and though there is still time for some really nice character moments, none of them are as revelatory as in previous installments. That is to say, the characters and tone have all been properly set, and now we're just watching the events unfold. On the one hand, it does make for a technically less substantial read. But on the other, there's still plenty of good stuff in here, and it does still build off of what's come before. Plus, with the series conclusion right around the corner, the real purpose of this issue is to set up the big finale. And in that regard, Plastic #4 is hugely successful.