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 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 8/23/17 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 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.

Jonathan Edwards 6/21/17 Jonathan Edwards 6/21/17

Review: Plastic #3

By Jonathan Edwards

Ever since initially glimpsing the preview pages at the end of the last issue, I've been both excited for as well as a little apprehensive about this one. Why? Because, I knew going in that the first scene (or at the very least, one of the first scenes) would involve sexual assault. It's a very serious subject matter that can very easily be mishandled and used exploitatively, even when the creator doesn't intend it, simply by way of not being familiar enough with how to responsibly look at and talk about it. Now with that being said, how does Plastic #3 handle it? Well, first let me note that I am by no means an expert on this, so everything I'm saying should be taken with a grain of salt. Anyway, while I'm honestly not convinced that its inclusion was entirely necessary to tell this story, I do see why Wagner did it. Furthermore, I personally found something quite powerful about how Edwyn reacts to and talks about it throughout the issue. To me, it's the final proof that this book is earnestly exploring themes of love, good, and evil through a lens that is so commonly associated with the perversion of, or in some cases the outright disagreement with, those same themes. What we're ultimately left with is a story that's romantic in the same way that Palahniuk is romantic. And, I love it.

Jonathan Edwards 5/24/17 Jonathan Edwards 5/24/17

Review: Plastic #2

By Jonathan Edwards

Holy cow, I was not quite expecting this to be the direction this book went, but I'm so glad that it is. Last time I talked about how I didn't feel like this was a mean-spirited story, and frankly, this second issue only reinforces that. It's actually kind of amazing how much this issue makes you feel like Edwyn is an actually good guy that you want to root for despite the horrendously gruesome things he has the capacity to do. By the end of it, even his conversations with himself felt closer charming than anything else. It makes me wonder if Wagner's perhaps making some kind of statement about mental health. There's no denying that there's a huge stigma against people with mental disabilities, but here we have a protagonist who (even though he can and has taken human life in very violent ways) kind of just wants to love, laugh, live his life, and be left alone. Who cares if Virginia is a sex doll? She makes Edwyn happy, and people only get hurt when they try and mess with that. But, Edwyn is only "useful" when he's dangerous, and mental illness really does tend to be represented in much the same way in the media. That is to say, only when it's dangerous.

Jonathan Edwards 4/19/17 Jonathan Edwards 4/19/17

Review: Plastic #1

By Jonathan Edwards

I've been looking forward to getting my hands of Plastic ever since Image announced it back in January. The premise is one of those that pretty much guarantees that the story can only be a bad situation turning into a far worse one, but it'll so weird and twisted the whole time through that it kind of has to be worth at least checking out. I was completely expecting someone else to have called it for review as soon as it went up on the spreadsheet, but that didn't happen. So, here I am. And after reading through Plastic #1, it's actually not what I expected. Well, okay, it's exactly what I expected, but the execution and presentation are different. Although let me be clear, that's by no means a bad thing. What I'd thought was there'd be this incredibly thin veneer of "everything is so wonderful, and there can't possibly be anything bad on the horizon." A candy coating to the dark chocolate that is this book, if you will. Nope, no facade whatsoever. From the very first panel, it's abundantly clear what kind of story this is.