Press Release 5/17/18 Press Release 5/17/18

KABOOM! SUMMER BLAST: Your First Look at “RuinWorld #1”

Press Release

BOOM! Studios is proud to continue KaBOOM! Summer Blast, a week-long spotlight on the best middle-grade comic books and graphic novels from the award-winning imprint in the coming months with an extended first look at RUINWORLD #1, the debut issue of writer/artist Derek Laufman’s hit middle grade comics series.

Press Release 5/17/18 Press Release 5/17/18

He's the ultimate hot-footed anti-hero - introducing SKIP TRACER

Press Release

A brand new series with a hot-footed new anti-hero: this week’s 2000 AD unveils Skip Tracer, new sci-fi action from Doctor Who writer, James Peaty!

Nolan Blake is a former colonial shock trooper turned tracker-for-hire for hire living in vast outer space colony known only as The Cube. Part-Casablanca, part-Mos-Eisley, The Cube is an underfunded and dilapidated dumping ground for the poor and dispossessed of the galaxy, a nexus point for all manner of crime and villainy and the perfect place for the undesirables of the galaxy to skip out and hide when things start to go awry – and it’s Nolan’s job to find those who’d rather remain hidden and bring them in…for a price!

Sam King 5/17/18 Sam King 5/17/18

Review: Farlaine the Goblin vol. 1

By Sam King

Farlaine the Goblin Volume 1 collects Books 1-3 of a comic called Farlaine the Goblin. It is a story of a goblin on a quest to find a forest of his own to take care of and to plant the tree he carries on his back. The art is in black and white, emitting the feel of a comic strip, but each book tells a full and very whimsical story.

Cat Wyatt 5/17/18 Cat Wyatt 5/17/18

Review: Barrier #3

By Cat Wyatt

The third issue of Barrier is out, and I have to admit I’ve been really looking forward to this one. I’ve heard talk about it before – it’s the first online comic to be entirely nonverbal. Considering the story being told this actually makes sense, but it’s still such an interesting idea.

Cat Wyatt 5/17/18 Cat Wyatt 5/17/18

Review: Barrier #2

By Cat Wyatt

Barrier continues its unique storytelling style in this second issue. It’s the second out of five issues in total, and it really isn’t afraid to take any risks. When last we saw Liddy and Oscar they were being picked up by an alien spaceship, of all things. I don’t know how they’re going to get out of this situation, but I can only assume that they’re going to have to learn to work together in order to succeed.

Cat Wyatt 5/17/18 Cat Wyatt 5/17/18

Review: Barrier #1

By Cat Wyatt

Barrier isn’t a new series, but it is absolutely worth reading. It was originally shared on PanelSyndicate.com (and can actually still be found there). It’s being put into print for the first time ever this month, and honestly, even if you’ve already read the series before it’s worth picking up and taking a look at. The artwork is absolutely stunning, and I think it shows off beautifully in print format – especially the covers (have I ever mentioned that I’m a total sucker for pretty covers?).

Hunter Patrick 5/16/18 Hunter Patrick 5/16/18

Review: Justice League: No Justice #2

By Hunter T. Patrick

The biggest thing I was looking forward to about the series (and what fascinated me the most) was the unique team-ups. Issue one spent the whole time setting everything up, and we got to see all the heroes (and villains) together. Awesome enough. Halfway through the issue did we finally get to see the characters split up and form the teams we have been promised. The series is finally underway, and just like the DC Nation story, it is very chaotic to see these groups.

Cat Wyatt 5/16/18 Cat Wyatt 5/16/18

Review: Rat Queens v2 #9

By Cat Wyatt

It’s time for another Rat Queens issue! I’m sure I’m not the only fan out there that’s been wondering what has been going on, and this issue mercifully starts to give us answers. Granted, it also gave me a lot more questions, but one step at a time, right? Keeping with the style of the last few issues we see yet another Rat Queen missing from the cover; this time it’s Violet who’s in the white silhouette. That leaves just Hannah and Betty on the cover. I wonder who will be the last gal standing? (For the record: I’m rooting for Betty).

Sam King 5/16/18 Sam King 5/16/18

Review: Dark Frontier #1

By Sam King

Dark Frontier is a very gritty, mid-apocalyptic comic. While there is a lot of potential, this first issue has a lot of plot strands that so far do not appear to be connecting to one another. This is a bit jumbled, but another issue may help to clear things up. The artwork, while cool and giving the aspect an edgy feel, sometimes gets overly chaotic in a messy way that makes it hard to really know what is going on.

Dustin Cabeal 5/16/18 Dustin Cabeal 5/16/18

Review: Crude #2

By Dustin Cabeal

There’s just something not quite there with this series yet. While the first issue was generally enjoyable, this second issue feels like it’s treading water with the same pacing and slow build up. If this was the board game of Life, we’d still be in the circle for college waiting to get our career… meaning we’ve wasted two turns with shitty spins.

Hunter Patrick 5/16/18 Hunter Patrick 5/16/18

Review: Garfield: Vacation Time Blues #1

By Hunter T. Patrick

Let’s start this review with the conclusion. Do not buy this comic. Price should not be a factor in most reviews, but if you are reading this and wondering, it is not worth the 7.99 price point. For the length it is (double sized comic) it should be 5.99 max, yet it is not. It contains two stories, the first average, the second poor. Garfield is a character who typically works best in small doses and one-liner (comic strips), not a comic of this size. They can only do the same jokes so many times. There are some good jokes in there, but those are few in between.

Garrett Hanneken 5/16/18 Garrett Hanneken 5/16/18

Review: New Challengers #1

By Garrett Hanneken

New Challengers puts you right in the characters’ shoes as you are just as discombobulated but eager to find out more.

This title is a new team comic spiraling out of DC’s Dark Nights Metal storyline while also contributing to the old Challengers of the Unknown comic. Having only read the former, it appears you don’t need to know who the Challengers of the Unknown are going in since the comic will briefly explain it.

Cat Wyatt 5/16/18 Cat Wyatt 5/16/18

Review: Batwoman #15

By Cat Wyatt

The Fall of the House of Kane continues in Batwoman number 15. Last we saw Kate she was in a race against time; her sister has gone back to being Alice and has arranged for a bunch of disease-riddled bats to fly over and infect as many people as possible. Kate is a carrier as well, which makes her immune to the risks…it also means she carries the cure in her blood. The question is, how can she possibly handle everything on her own?

Damien Becton 5/16/18 Damien Becton 5/16/18

Review: Superman Special #1

By Damien Becton

I went into Superman Special #1 with high expectations - and perhaps, upon reflection, my expectations might have been too high. With people like current Superman creative team, Patrick Gleason and Peter J. Tomasi, attached along with the likes of Kaare Andrews and Bryan Hitch, I firmly believed that I would be in for a genuinely good time. I was half-correct. This book is a delight to look at, but not much else.

Dustin Cabeal 5/16/18 Dustin Cabeal 5/16/18

Review: Gideon Falls #3

By Dustin Cabeal

Slow burn stories in comics are best read in trades or graphic novels. The norm for comics is that most single issues are written with the trade in mind and I’m not against that nor am I necessarily for waiting for the trade. There is, of course, a longer discussion about all of this, but none of it will quicken the pace of Gideon Falls. No discussion will make this slow burn any less dull than where I find it currently.

Cat Wyatt 5/16/18 Cat Wyatt 5/16/18

Review: Lucy Dreaming #3

By Cat Wyatt

The third installment of Lucy Dreaming is here, bringing us past the halfway point of the series (it’s a five-part miniseries). This has been an imaginative and unique series so far, and now that we know what’s happening to Lucy and why we should be free to dig into the real plot of the story.

Kelly Gaines 5/16/18 Kelly Gaines 5/16/18

Review: Persephone

By Kelly Gaines

It’s rare to find a refreshing retelling of Greek Mythology, but Boom Studios new title has managed to circumvent the cliche pitfalls and create something unique. Persephone blends elements of the queen of the underworld’s tale into a new setting- one with its own rich history and endearing cast. The story still frames an ancient power struggle between the beings that walk the earth and the menacing creatures confined to the Underworld, but Persephone, Hades, and Demeter have a new face- and a beautifully crafted new story about magic, family, and choice.

Benjamin Snyder 5/16/18 Benjamin Snyder 5/16/18

Review: Xerxes: The Fall of The House of Darius and The Rise of Alexander #2

By Ben Snyder

Despite the disappointment I felt last month after reading Xerxes #1, I couldn’t help but feel hopeful for the follow up issue Xerxes: The Fall of the House of Darius and The Rise of Alexander #2. Unfortunately, I am left feeling as thought his series is entirely unnecessary and disappointing. Frank Miller’s script continues to be a slog due to his overused narration and reliance on Greek prayers and feels half finished. Miller’s art however takes it to another level, an extremely poor one. It all collides to create a feeling that this entire endeavor was rushed and unfinished.

Hunter Patrick 5/16/18 Hunter Patrick 5/16/18

Review: Harley Loves Joker #2

By Hunter T. Patrick

For a comic that is meant to be cartoony, this hits hard. Some themes lightly touched upon in the past installments are at full play here. This is a wonderful celebration of Harley in the time she was dating Joker. Her past, present (at the time) and future (current Harley) all appear and helps make this a must-read for Harley fans. This finishes off very strongly which is a delight after the last issue focus too much on The Grison, a weird Cheetah rip off. If she was not so physically resembling Cheetah and if her somewhat interesting origin did not weigh down the last issue, then maybe she could live on, but I struggle to see this character return, except in maybe a cameo or a one-off return then disappearance.

Cat Wyatt 5/16/18 Cat Wyatt 5/16/18

Review: Batman #47

By Cat Wyatt

Issue number 47 of Batman brings about the end to the Gift plotline (AKA the Booster Gold plot). While it was interesting, I have to say that I won’t be sad to see it go. Time to get on to bigger and better things! (Here’s hoping the wedding they’ve been building up to is both). Still, I was curious to see how they’d resolve the conundrum Booster created…