Review: Royal City #11
By Ben Snyder
Royal City #11 picks up exactly where it left off prior to its flashback arc; with Patrick and his recently discovered niece awaiting his estranged wife Greta as she joins him in the titular Royal City. It’s hard to give this entry a positive review when it leaves the reader in a state of perpetual malaise. But one hallucinatory character says it best near the end of the chapter, “That’s what this place does to you… leaves you in between.” That is why this chapter is successful; Jeff Lemire is totally in control of the story and flexing his artistic muscles by forcing the reader to join the characters in this semi-purgatorial rotting steel town.
Review: Royal City #10
By Ben Snyder
It feels odd to say that any Jeff Lemire story is a little to melancholic but that’s how Royal City #10 reads. The ominous radio frequencies, the general malaise of living in a small steel town, a monologue based on the woes of normalcy; all the staples of the series are present, but it doesn’t mesh as well as in previous entries. Maybe it’s because of the scene between Tommy and Ritchie’s girlfriend or maybe it’s the overwhelming melancholy that the script exudes- regardless Royal City #10 is probably one of the weaker entries in the series so far.
Review: Royal City #9
By Ben Snyder
As anyone who has read any of my Royal City reviews can attest, I am a huge fan of this series and Jeff Lemire’s combined writing and artwork. However, in Royal City #9 some facets are starting to become annoying. Whether it’s Lemire’s colors muddling the details in the environment or the general lack of anything interesting regarding Richie and Tara’s storyline, it seems that the weak points of this fantastic series are finally surfacing.
Best Comic Books of 2017 - #2
Welcome to the Comic Bastards end of the year list. Similar to our group reviews, each of the participating writers will be giving their picks for their best and also worst comics of 2017. Without further ado, here are our #2 picks for Best of 2017.
Click here to read #3 on the list!
Best Comic Books of 2017 - #5
Welcome to the Comic Bastards end of the year list. Similar to our group reviews, each of the participating writers will be giving their picks for their best and also worst comics of 2017. Without further ado, here are our #5 picks for Best of 2017.
Review: Royal City #7
By Ben Snyder
In Royal City #7, Jeff Lemire finally begins to reveal his intentions with the character of Thomas Pike. Throughout the series so far, every member of the Pike clan pasted their expectations and hopes onto the lost soul that was Tommy. In entry #7, Lemire does a great job of showcasing this while also introducing Tommy’s new role as a broadcasting center of sorts.
Review: Royal City #6
By Ben Snyder
With Jeff Lemire’s second arc for Royal City, he sets up a fascinating introduction on the mystery that is Tommy from the original arc. Throughout the first five issues, the entire Pike family is haunted by their perceived version of Tommy; Tara by the baby brother she babysat and hoped the best for, Richie envisioned the brother he never got to spiral out and do drugs with; Patricia hallucinated the Tommy that took the cloth, but this is our first true glimpse into the true Tommy. The anxiety-ridden, possibly supernatural headache suffering teenager, filled with as much angst as anyone going through this period. And in this way, Lemire sets up what could be the most interesting arc the series could offer.
Review: Royal City vol. 1 - Next of Kin
By Justin McCarty
Jeff Lemire has made a name for himself telling personal stories about real people or at least relatable characters. His breakout hit was Essex County for Top Shelf, an Eisner award-winning graphic novel series. In Royal City, he has managed to circle back around to relatable archetypes that highlight the dysfunction in relationships. Lemire has written a haunting book that imagines what failed and lonely lives look like on a granular level. Next, of Kin collects the first five chapters chronicling the lives of the Pike family as they are forced to come to terms with the baggage weighing them down. Rendered in Lemire's trademark ink and watercolors, Royal City is full of atmosphere.
Review: Royal City #5
By Jonathan Edwards
Royal City #5 marks the end of the first story arc. Although, that is perhaps a loose definition. Because, though the stakes are higher this time around, I didn't find this issue to be distinctly more revelatory or terminating than any previous issue. I don't mean that as a bad thing either. I tore through this issue, enjoying every moment of my reading. And when I realized I was at the end, I only wanted more. But, it looks like we'll have to wait for October for the next arc, where Lemire sends us back to 1993 and the final days of Tommy Pike. However, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's on the issue at hand. Namely, issue #5 of Royal City.
Review: Royal City #4
By Jonathan Edwards
I've been championing this book since pretty much the get go, and as far as I'm concerned, it's been doing a pretty good job of consistently living up to that hype. However, with the next issue marking the end of Royal City's introductory story arc, it seems that Lemire has slowed down his momentum a touch for this fourth installment. Mind you, it's by no means a bad issue. The priority is just different. Rather than following in the footsteps of the last couple issues by introducing new plot threads, we see those that already exist start to get pulled together. Although, Lemire still leaves us with the lingering question of who exactly is the young woman that Patrick keeps running into? And perhaps more importantly, how does she fit into what all's going on with Tommy and Royal City?
FEATURED POSTS
Archive
- November 2026 4
- October 2026 60
- July 2026 1
- December 2025 1
- November 2025 2
- October 2025 3
- September 2025 4
- July 2025 5
- April 2025 2
- March 2025 2
- February 2025 3
- January 2025 6
- December 2024 2
- November 2024 1
- October 2024 1
- July 2024 4
- June 2024 3
- May 2024 2
- April 2024 7
- March 2024 7
- January 2024 3
- December 2023 2
- November 2023 4
- October 2023 6
- September 2023 5
- August 2023 12
- July 2023 4
- June 2023 3
- May 2023 2
- April 2023 3
- March 2023 2
- February 2023 1
- January 2023 3
- December 2022 2
- November 2022 3
- October 2022 3
- September 2022 2
- August 2022 1
- July 2022 6
- June 2022 4
- May 2022 14
- April 2022 15
- March 2022 9
- February 2022 5
- August 2019 1
- January 2019 2
- August 2018 12
- July 2018 188
- June 2018 159
- May 2018 204
- April 2018 156
- March 2018 178
- February 2018 180
- January 2018 176
- December 2017 112
- November 2017 143
- October 2017 152
- September 2017 210
- August 2017 180
- July 2017 199
- June 2017 150
- May 2017 129
- April 2017 184
- March 2017 180
- February 2017 178
- January 2017 195
- December 2016 164
- November 2016 135
- October 2016 163
- September 2016 219
- August 2016 248
- July 2016 267
- June 2016 242
- May 2016 160
- April 2016 199
- March 2016 163
- February 2016 145
- January 2016 175
- December 2015 105
- November 2015 166
- October 2015 130
- September 2015 147
- August 2015 135
- July 2015 183
- June 2015 190
- May 2015 140
- April 2015 275
- March 2015 198
- February 2015 430
- January 2015 198
- December 2014 144
- November 2014 187
- October 2014 239
- September 2014 193
- August 2014 289
- July 2014 334
- June 2014 308
- May 2014 244
- April 2014 253
- March 2014 268
- February 2014 232
- January 2014 254
- December 2013 302
- November 2013 276
- October 2013 349
- September 2013 262
- August 2013 325
- July 2013 349
- June 2013 303
- May 2013 373
- April 2013 416
- March 2013 124
- February 2013 16
- January 2013 26
- December 2012 24
- November 2012 17
- October 2012 18
- September 2012 22
- August 2012 13
- July 2012 20
- June 2012 12
- May 2012 23
- April 2012 20
- March 2012 9
- February 2012 20
- January 2012 96
- December 2011 93
- November 2011 73
- October 2011 52
- September 2011 54
- August 2011 37
- July 2011 1
IDW Publishing and Official Cellar proudly present GODZILLA Agave Spirits, a passionately crafted celebration of the iconic character’s raw power and undeniable appeal that has endured for more than 70 years.