Warlord of Mars #6 – Review

By: Arvid Nelson (writer), Lui Antonio (artist) Adriano Lucas (colors), Joseph Rybandt (editor), Edgar Rice Burroughs (creator)

The Story: Sola’s story and John Carter’s escape attempt from Thark with Dejah Thoris.

What’s Good: Well, all of it. Antonio and Lucas have slapped some beautiful artwork onto the page. Dejah Thoris is obviously the classic beauty that would launch a thousand ships of Helium in her honor. But more meaningfully, Carter is heroic, the Tharks (especially Sarkoja) are emotive and the settings alien and haunting (the dead cities of Mars, the thoats, the yellow-orange skies). I loved the Antonio’s dynamism as Carter launched into his trademark action and escape plans. I thought Tal Hajus was more grotesque and un-Thark-like than he needed to be (Jabba the Hutt meets an Umber Hulk), but the point of Hajus was always to be an anti-Tarkas, so where on that grotesque scale he fits opposite the noble Tarkas is really just a taste issue. But, the art certainly repelled me where it was supposed to… I do also have to bring a bit of attention to Lucas’ colors. Over the past five issues, I’ve really enjoyed the palettes he’s picked to make Mars work, but this issue, I felt he got to another level. The softness of his colors and the broad range of subtle tones in the Martian sands, the Martian skies and in the earth-toned cities of thousands of years ago really worked for me, to say nothing of his work on bringing the thoats to life.

The Stand: American Nightmares #2 – Review

By Stephen King (Creator), Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Script), Mike Perkins (Art), and Laura Martin (Colors)

The Story: The tension continues to mount as American Nightmares rolls on. A starving convict, a pyromaniac named The Trashcan Man, and Randall Flagg take up a majority of the issue. While the other surviving characters think of possible destinations that could provide safety.

What’s Good: The creative team behind the Marvel adaptation of The Stand impresses on nearly every level. The script by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is impressively tight, especially considering how dense Stephen King’s writing can be. That said, it also manages to be necessarily descriptive and entertainingly wordy in the appropriate places. As for the visuals, Mike Perkins and Laura Martin absolutely nail the brutal tone of the story with their disturbingly detailed work. The art team makes you truly fear Captain Tripps, Randall Flagg, those that run wild, and how distressingly bleak the entire situation has become.

What’s Not So Good: For as much as I’m enjoying the series, the pace is starting to wear on me a bit. While it worked extremely well in Captain Tripps by highlighting the ominous spread of a virus, American Nightmares suffers because of it since so much still needs to be introduced or explained. In other words, Nightmares (so far) lacks the sense of direction that made Tripps so satisfying.

Conclusion: While The Stand: American Nightmares #2 is quite impressive on a technical level, it proves to be a rather unsatisfying chapter in a much larger work.

Grade: B-

-Kyle Posluszny

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz #5 – Review

By Eric Shanower (Writer), Skottie Young (Artist), and Jean-Francois Beaulieu (Colorist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I know it’s only April and that only five issues have been released, but I’m about ninety percent certain that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is going to win my vote for mini-series of the year. On top of that, I’m also fairly certain that Skottie Young and Jean-Francois Beaulieu are going to win my vote for best art team. The series (especially the artwork) has just been that good so far…

The Story: On a mission to reluctantly try to kill the Wicked Witch, Dorothy and her companions leave the Emerald City. Soon enough though, the Wicked Witch of the West learns about the group’s journey. Wolves and crows are only the beginning of the obstacles Dorothy, Toto, The Tin Man, The Scarecrow, and The Cowardly Lion must overcome…

What’s Good: Comics don’t get much better than The Wonderful Wizard of Oz #5. Seriously. The visuals are absolutely spectacular, Eric Shanower’s adaptation is extremely compelling, and the package as a whole is really something special.
Especially impressive is how the creative team mixes the whimsical and the sinister. It finally allows the writing to stand up next to the artwork without being overshadowed in any way. While I’ve had no problems with Eric Shanower’s writing so far, up until this issue it has generally taken a back seat to the artwork from Skottie Young and Jean-Francois Beaulieu. That is not the case here.

What’s Not So Good: I have absolutely no complaints about The Wonderful Wizard of Oz #5. In my opinion it is a perfect example of how downright incredible the comic book medium can be.

Conclusion: Do yourself a favor and hunt down the first four issues of the series if you haven’t already. It’s well worth it. Once you are caught up, then sit back and enjoy what I’m sure will be remembered as one of the single best comics of the year.

Grade: A+

-Kyle Posluszny

The Stand: Captain Trips #4 – Review

By Stephen King (Creative & Executive Director), Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Script), Mike Perkins (Art), and Laura Martin (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ve never read the novel it’s based on, so I can’t really comment on how effective the adaptation is. That said, I am definitely enjoying every bit of The Stand: Captain Trips. From the weighty, slow burn storytelling to the memorable visuals, everything about the series just feels right. It’s the perfect thing for when I feel like I’ve had my fill of superhero comics for the month.

The Story: Captain Trips continues to spread like wildfire as people drop like flies in a number of states. A storm approaches, both literally and figuratively, as the cast tries to cope and brace for the worst. Randall Flagg continues his travels as well.

What’s Good: Everything about the issue works for me. The artwork is absolutely perfect for the grim tone and impending doom present throughout the book. As for the script, it effectively increases the tension and builds the drama without ever resorting to something that feels like a blatant hook to grab readers. Long story short, Captain Trips continues to be a prime example of an adaptation that respects the source material and makes fantastic use of the comic medium.

What’s Not So Good: The only thing I can possibly say that might be regarded as a negative is that the series is not going to appeal to everyone. And the latest chapter isn’t going to change any minds. The series almost demands patience and I know some people will be turned off by that.

Conclusion: Marvel’s adaptation of The Stand continues to impress. If you liked the first three chapters, you will love the fourth. I highly recommend it.

Grade: A

-Kyle Posluszny