Dustin Cabeal 11/10/16 Dustin Cabeal 11/10/16

Mini-Reviews: Week of 11/9/16

By Dustin Cabeal

Something I used to do quite often was mini-reviews. Essentially talk about books that I didn’t want to do a full review for, but still wanted to mention and maybe even attach a score to. If we have a full review for something it won’t show up here, but here’s some titles I read this week that are worth mentioning.

Chris Tresson 11/9/16 Chris Tresson 11/9/16

Review: Batman/TMNT Adventures #1

By Chris Tresson

The Batman and The Turtles... Another miniseries featuring these two franchises and a scary crossover for me, as I found the last one to be a complete and utter bag of wank. It was very disappointing to see two things I’ve loved since I was a child treated so badly. I’m hoping this miniseries will do these characters justice, because with characters like these, a crossover event between the two should be absolutely epic…

Patrick Larose 11/9/16 Patrick Larose 11/9/16

Review: Batgirl #4

By Patrick Larose

A part of me wonders that when an independent comic creator enters the mainstream superhero genre, there’s this pressure to emphasize the superhero aspect in a superhero story.

Justin Wood 11/9/16 Justin Wood 11/9/16

Review: All-Star Batman #4

By Justin Wood

By issue four the shock has worn off. The routine sets in. It's amazing how many nonsensical things this book crams in, yet it doesn't faze me anymore. If you want a parade of the most ridiculous Batman concepts and moments since the 1970's, pick up any given issue of 'All Star Batman.' I'm reviewing all of the remaining issues of this first arc (appearing to thankfully take its bow next issue) but the worst this book can make me feel is now behind us. Now we just wait and wonder how it came to this.

Mike Badilla 11/9/16 Mike Badilla 11/9/16

Review: Space Battle Lunchtime #6

By Mike Badilla

Space Battle Lunchtime. The rules are simple: cook or be cooked, according to the awesome (and illustrated vs written) recap page. Without fact checking (so don't get all mad if I'm wrong) I'm going to assume this is some kind of intergalactic cooking battle. Different cooks are pulled from different planets or galaxies in order to compete, and this round there is a human! She is very upset that she has been chosen for all this competition. Understandably so, as ending up in some alien's stomach is a pretty poor fate if she doesn't win.

Patrick Larose 11/9/16 Patrick Larose 11/9/16

Review: Intertwined #2

By Patrick Larose

Intertwined continues to be a series that I dig shamelessly. Sure, the line-work can be choppy and the colors sometimes muddy but the pages wield a pin-point focus on what it sets out to do and be, nailing that target wholly.

Dustin Cabeal 11/9/16 Dustin Cabeal 11/9/16

Review: Antique #1 (of 4)

By Dustin Cabeal

There’s aspects of Antique that I like, but others I’m not fond of. The storytelling and pacing is skilled and keeps the story interesting. The art… is not for me. Hey, I like a variety of styles, but this isn’t one I’m enjoying. It was difficult getting through the issue because I couldn’t get into the art.

Patrick Larose 11/9/16 Patrick Larose 11/9/16

Review: Violent Love #1

By Patrick Larose

Something tells me that when Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were robbing hardware stores in East Texas, they weren’t doing it because it’d make a good story. Likewise, when Charlie Starkweather and Caril Fugate were torturing industrialists in Lincoln, Nebraska, they didn’t do it so in the early ‘90s people would make a couple counter-cultural films about them.

Mike Badilla 11/9/16 Mike Badilla 11/9/16

Review: Cannibal #2

By Mike Badilla

Ah, the south. What can be said about the southern states of America that hasn't already? Cannibal takes place is a small town in Florida called Willow. Thanks to our recap page (thank you to whoever included this) we find out that after a series of hurricanes affected the southeast part of the U.S., it not only caused a lot of damage monetarily but also caused ancient mosquitoes to be awakened from the earth carrying the yellow fever. A pharmaceutical company created a medicine to combat the fever, but it had another effect; causing people to crave human flesh. These people aren't undead zombies though, they are just normal people living their lives. Craving flesh.

Dustin Cabeal 11/9/16 Dustin Cabeal 11/9/16

Review: Namesake #1 (of 4)

By Dustin Cabeal

Having been a fan of Steve Orlando’s Under Tow, I was looking forward to this title. It seemed like a return to his high concept sci-fi storytelling that I’m a fan of. Namesake is a very high concept. Portals to another planet open every seven years, and suddenly magic has spilled out onto earth. Firemen now are charged with dousing the flames of magical fires as well as normal fires.

Justin Wood 11/9/16 Justin Wood 11/9/16

Review: Mother Panic #1

By Justin Wood

Mother Panic is okay. It isn't a dazzling new IP in the Batman world, but it's certainly the most admirable attempt at a fresh addition I've seen in a while in Gotham. Violet Paige is another take on the Batman story. Think Bruce, but with the mirror ever so slightly cracked so that what is reflected isn't a perfect replication. She too is a wealthy socialite by day, but of the crass rock star variety, flipping off the paparazzi and threatening reporters at parties. She has living blood relations instead of dead ones, but there is plenty of tragedy there to go around. Unlike the certainty Bruce approaches the world with, Paige hasn't decided what she is yet, other than angry, equipped, and hungry for revenge we don't understand the parameters of yet. Still, with this introductory episode, I am more than happy to wait and find out.

Chris Tresson 11/9/16 Chris Tresson 11/9/16

Review: James Bond: Hammerhead #2

By Chris Tresson

This is my review of the second issue of Dynamite Entertainment’s James Bond: Hammerhead by writer Andy Diggle and artist Luca Casalanguida. I think the second issue of anything is probably the hardest because I think at this point in the series; it’s when you either lock people in for the rest of the ride or see your sales drop due to readers giving up on it. So, if you’re following along or weren’t sure about the first issue, here’s what I thought… And I’m pretty sure I’ve kept it spoiler free. Haaaaa…