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Post by thwhtguardian on May 20, 2020 9:04:21 GMT -5
With things slowly returning to normal we proudly re-present... OFF THE RACKS!
Here you can read and post your own reviews of this weeks newest comics.
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Post by thwhtguardian on May 20, 2020 10:21:54 GMT -5
With the way things are currently my shop's still closed so I'm still 100% digital but there seems to be more books coming out so we'll try to get this back to normal with... Plunge #3Written by Joe Hill Art by Stuart Immonen Summary: The salvage team finds the crew of the Derleth is still on the island...though they may no longer be alive... Plot: As much as I love Basket Full of Heads, Plunge continues to be my favorite title to come out of writer Joe Hill's Hill House imprint. Despite it's setting and title there’s no giant monster from the depths eating people, instead we're treated to a quieter, more psychological thriller that is the perfect mix between horror and mystery that leaves you wanting more despite it feeling a little "tropey" at times. There's the usual corporate fat cat who had an idea what they'd find on the island the whole time who you just know is going to meet a horrible end and the other crew mates seem to take the fact that these guys who've been on a deserted island off the coast of Alaska for forty years are still apparently alive and kicking a little too casually seems like a classic horror movie move but the underlying unease that Hill gives us keeps it from feeling dull. Art: While the back ground art by Stuart Immonen is incredibly strong here, perfectly capturing the isolated location and creating a sense of creeping claustrophobia that is facing the characters I feel like the design of the Derleth survivors is just a little too zombie like which works against how the other characters aren't terribly freaked out by them. If they looked more like your run of the mill ship-wrecked sailors I think that plot point wouldn't stick out too much and also make them a much creepier threat in the end. Grade:8/10
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Post by thwhtguardian on May 20, 2020 11:38:35 GMT -5
Star Wars Adventures: The Clone Wars #1Written by Michael Moreci Art by Derek Charm and Arianna Florean Summary: The characters of three of the Galaxy's greatest Jedi are explored by the Clones that serve them. Plot: I don't read the Star Wars Adventures books all that regularly, I mostly just pick up projects here and there(like the Halloween issues) and with the Clone Wars over and the Mandalorian not back until the fall I had a definite itch to scratch so I picked this up. However, while I really like the concept of exploring the Jedi through the eyes of the every-day soldiers who serve under them the execution was a little lacking. I mean, it's an all ages book so I wasn't expecting Apocalypse Now but the moralizing here was really two dimensional and overly simplistic. When Rex praises Anakin as a leader who never leaves a man behind that's literally all we get...he didn't leave a trooper behind in a battle, there's nothing deeper to it than that and we learn nothing more about Anakin which is why the story fails. Art: Storywise the book is great way to show off different artists, we have the present battle and then we have the clones telling stories about the Jedi they've served but for my money the clash between styles here between the perfectly on book designs presented by Charm to the more anime inspired look by Florean was just too disparate to form a cohesive whole.
Grade:5/10
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Post by thwhtguardian on May 20, 2020 12:40:19 GMT -5
Superman: Man of Tomorrow #5Written by Robert Vendetti Art by Paul Pelletier Summary: With Superman down for the count, Lex Luthor steps up to show Metropolis who the real Man of Tomorrow is. Plot: If you've been reading my reviews on the digital directs DC has been doing during the pandemic you'll know all about my love affair for this book but it really goes to another level as the B-plot with Lex that has been peppered through the preceding four stand alone issues finally came to the front. The whole back to basics approach that Vendetti has approached the book with has really benefited this exploration of the rivalry between Clark and Lex as it conveys the sense of a much earlier adventure but without needing to provide a rehash of either's origin which really allows you to cut to the heart of the story. It's not all familiar beats that make the story work though, rather than Lex donning his usual purple and green power suit and whizzing around town we see him here using his technology to create a robotic dragnet that is capable of not only taking on threats that even Superman struggled with like Titano(more on that in a bit) but is able to monitor all crime in the city. It's an interesting concept in that it not only pits Superman against Lex but makes the reader think about the nature of criminal justice; is big brother really such a bad idea if it does protect most people? Sure, we've had better writers than Vendetti muse on that topic, and he plays his hand at it by issue's end but I think it fits Lex much better than the power suit and it gives Superman something that brawn alone won't defeat. On top of that we saw that brawn alone sometimes isn't enough as Vendetti gave us a Superman that while Super isn't a god as he struggled with the might of Titano in the opening which is a great change and really opens the character up for a larger variety of stories. Art: Through out my reviews of the previous chapters I've written about how I really love the almost golden age feel he brings to the physicality of Superman with his great handling of classic poses, and that's no different here as Pelletier once again delivered excellent artwork throughout the latest issue. I really loved the way he showcased the power that both Superman and Titano have in the beginning of the issue, both of their muscles bulged as the tussle with one another and you really feel the weight behind Titano's blows. Pelletier also does a great job in adding little details like how we get the in between version of Clark, just as he is about to go from Clark Kent to Superman, that only Lois normally sees which was something I don't think I've ever seen before. Grade:10/10
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Post by thwhtguardian on May 20, 2020 16:29:53 GMT -5
Batman: Gotham Knights #5Written by Mark Russel Art by Ryan Benjamin Summary: When Commissioner Gordon suspects there’s a mole in his precinct, it’s up to Batman to keep a witness safe. Plot: Due to its revolving door of writers this hasn't been nearly as good as Superman: Man of Tomorrow but it's still been much more enjoyable than Batman has been since Morrison left(though crazy people like shaxper would likely put the last time Batman was good even further back than that ). Though this book doesn't have that almost cathartic release that having a B-plot finally materialize after being teased over several unrelated one shots like Superman did there has been a similar tone to the entries which has provided the book a feeling of cohesion(and having the same artist in all of them has aided that) despite lacking a singular guiding vision. The closest comparison I can make is that it feels almost like an updated version of Batman: The Animated series where the book is featuring some of the big villains in a mix of new stories and loose adaptations of old favorites. In the previous issues we've gotten the Joker and Clayface and now in this issue we get Harley and a mix of old D-List villains(like Firebug) trying to stop Batman from escorting a witness to trial in a sort of play on Elmore Leonard's 3:10 To Yuma. Would I include this issue in my Best of Batman list? No, but it's still a solid read with a fun pay off featuring Nightwing. Art: Benjamin's style continues to work here, especially once Batman is forced to continue on foot which gives Benjamin a chance to really showcase Batman's athleticism. Grade:7.5/10
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2020 10:29:23 GMT -5
None this week for me Next week I should have several!
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