The Sandman: Overture #3 – Review

By: Neil Gaiman (story), J.H. Williams III (art), Dave Stewart (colors)

The Story: What’s a road trip without a hitchhiker?

The Review: I suppose we’ll have to resign ourselves to the fact that we’ll only get an issue from this series every few months—five between #1 and #2, and four between #2 and now. There are only three conditions under which that kind of timing is acceptable. First, it’s got to be expected; no one enjoys a surprise delay. Second, the creative team has to earn it; I think Gaiman-Williams get an easy pass here. Third, and most importantly, the issue you get hast to be worth the wait.

That means real progress in the story, but what that means in for the purposes of this title
is a little harder to make out. Sandman is not the type of series that advances by leaps and bounds. Its pacing is sedate and leisurely; at times, there’s little action at all. Yet all the while, Gaiman is moving the pieces of the plot, unobtrusively, like a chess player waiting for the precise moment to reveal that he’s had you in checkmate all along. Not very much may happen in an issue, but that’s not say it’s unproductive.

Sandman: Overture #2 – Review

By: Neil Gaiman (story), J.H. Williams III (art), Dave Stewart (colors)

The Story: It takes only the end of one dream to start the end of the universe.

The Review: Does anyone remember the scheduling debacle that was Jonathan Hickman’s S.H.I.E.L.D., otherwise known as the First Arc That Would Never End? You can forgive parched periods between issues if each one carried enough substance to tide you over to the next, but it’s too much for someone to sustain interest for months on the typical issue. It’s now been five months since Sandman #1; Gaiman needs to make #2 worth the wait.

Certainly, this is a dense issue, full of material you have to sift through for answers, much like any dream. The opening of Daniel, the most current Dream, bears no relation to the affairs of his past self. If there’s a connection at all, you’ll have to dig for it under all of Mad Hettie’s troubled backstory and Daniel’s riddles concerning a watch she had hidden: “Time goes in so many ways… It runs. Sometimes it even flies. But as for telling the time…sometimes what time tells us is for it alone to know.”

Fortunately, Gaiman is more direct in the rest of the issue—direct for Gaiman, that is, meaning a lot of metaphor and musing* even when the characters insist on getting to the point. The discussion among the various Dreams almost resembles a Socratic exchange at certain points, as each Dream strives to make his point and take control of the conversation. “There is no us, there is only I,” says one.

“Unarguably, there is us,” another contradicts, “a multiplicity of viewpoint. More than one of me is, by definition, us.”

They get back on track eventually, realizing the manifestation of Dream’s countless aspects is a graphic way of showing that one has been “removed from existence,” and “the orderly transfer to another facet of Dream has been interrupted.” Even the why of such a phenomenon is laid bare, as the Dream of the first created things explains, “The universe has lived too long. It is time for it to end… It is in the darkness… I talk of laws… The laws on which the universe runs. The law of conservation of reality.”

Abe Sapien #11 – Review

by Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Max Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Abe learns he is not exactly as effective as in his B.P.R.D. days at battling weirdness as a battle between necromancers emerge in a special corner of America.

The Review: This title is a rather odd one in the larger schemes of things that is known as the Mignolaverse. While some titles have a clear role and a certain angle to cover, Abe Sapien possess one that doesn’t really make the character truly shine in the best of ways most of the time. With the series focusing more on how everyday people live with a resurgence of horror and unexplained events in a more post-apocalyptic world filled with killer creatures, the series got quite close a good number of time to greatness, yet never quite reached it in a way that was consistent.

This very issue, in its own ways, is a perfect example of this, with some decidedly great ideas being presented to the readers as well as some potent character moments, yet it never really converge together to create bigger or more satisfactory moments. There are some points that get across, yet it’s always more elusive ones that never truly satisfy in the best of ways.

One of the better example is the way the very town of Payson seems to be affected by some kind of zombie outbreak. With Abe trying to investigate what’s happening with a bunch of hippies on a golf course close to the town, there are hints of the horror and their implication in the more ominous events in the past few issues. There are, of course, some hints toward their role in the grand mystery and some moments of gore and terror that are rather well done, yet the very mystery of what is happening and just how it happened is left a bit on the side. With Abe not getting any answer and the problem reaching its very worst outcome, there is easily a sentiment of disappointment that permeates this chapter.

Abe Sapien #10 – Review

by Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Max Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Despite the help he gave them, it seems some citizens are actually not that fond of Abe.

The Review: It’s always frustrating to see a book handle some elements very well, yet others in ways that put things down in terms of general quality. The characters could be great, yet the story and direction pointless. The setting could be amazing, yet the art could also no match the scope. There are always tons of things that can go wrong when creating anything, with fiction not being an exception.

Abe Sapien is a book that has a potentially great handle, a very well put-together characterization for its lead character, yet there are quite a few things that don’t let the book be as great as it could in the divided version we get every months.

One of the area where it excels is in how it handle the supernatural, with both Mignola and Allies presenting a bit of necromancy, its effects and its price. Not stopping at just introducing those kind of elements, the way the supporting cast reacts to such news, how Abe perceive and acts around the subject along with the intricate mysteries of how it works and how it changes the world permeates the book with an identity of its own.

Abe Sapien #9 – Review

by Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Max Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: In his pilgrimage, Abe discovers a little town who may have a problem with virulent dead horses as well as other unseen ones.

The Review: I have a certain fondness for what is dubbed the Mignolaverse, the universe in which titles like B.P.R.D., Hellboy in Hell, Lobster Johnson and many other series take place in. Having started my comic fascination with the greatest creation of Mike Mignola, I have been a fan ever since I opened the first trade, Hellboy: Seeds of Destruction.

However, that being said, being a fan does not render me blind to occasional weaknesses in some comics done in this universe. While I have a certain respect for what Scott Allie and Mike Mignola are trying to do with Abe Sapien, there seems to be a few faults that doesn’t always allow the title to reach the potential it once reached.

One of the best aspect of the book is in how it portrays the general civilian and how they are trying to cope with the way things are in the world. Some try to interact with the weirder aspects, while some try to go on with their life just like in this comic. The sense of community and how Abe changes some things and try to interact with them is perhaps one of the most enjoyable angle of this issue. His general soul-searching does not allow for him to be placid when others are in need of help, which makes his general discussions and his actions rather nice to read.

Abe Sapien #8 – Review

by Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Michael Avon Oeming (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: As it turns out, Abe had a pretty interesting rescue mission involving Xibalba in 1983.

The Review: Like many readers, I am always a bit wary of fill-in issues. When the regular artist or writer needs a break for whatever reasons, it is usual to see them being replaced for an issue or two, which then leads to stories on the side or to an artist that doesn’t necessarily fit visually with the rest. Those kind of issues aren’t necessarily bad per se, but for those waiting a month to see the plot progress and the characters develop, it can become a certain exercise in frustration.

Thankfully, Mike Mignola and Scott Allie are still there, as they instead provide for a flashback issue with a different artist, opting for a complete tale that puts Abe in a B.P.R.D. mission. However, is the story good and does it actually adds to the general themes of the book?
All in all, this story might not be absolutely essential to the ongoing themes of the apocalypse and how Abe tries to define himself personally, but it still does delivers plenty of stuff that fans of the Mignolaverse might enjoy. There is action, mystery and a good dose of the supernatural that make this complete story rather interesting on its own.

Hellboy in Hell #5 – Review

by Mike Mignola (Writer/Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Hellboy helps a man cheat a demon in order for him to keep his soul.

The Review: Boy has it been a while since the last issue. While it is understandable that Mike Mignola has been a little busy in the last few months (co-writing Baltimore, B.P.R.D., Sledgehammer 47, Lobster Johnson one-shots and Abe Sapien will do that to you), the lack of presence of this delightful series was something that was rather sad for me. Still, better late than never, as the latest issue arrived this very week. However, with all the time that passed, does this issue actually satisfy and continue the story where it left?

In a way, Mignola makes the smart choice of giving readers something more akin to a side-story, one that does not focus exactly on the titular character himself. Telling a complete story all the while, he is able to play with his strengths and manage to give readers something satisfactory.
One of the better aspects of this issue is its atmosphere, with Mignola giving plenty of space to panels upon which there is no texts at all. Focusing instead on the characters and their place in the surreal environment they are in, the story becomes that much more eerie and magical, leaving the panels where they focus on the text and context to be that much more striking. Much of this effect is actually a result of the economy of space Mignola put in his panel, with every elements there for a reason. His sense of depth, his composition and the combination of motion with a certain restraint in the movement of so much create something that should appear static, yet doesn’t.

Abe Sapien #7 – Review

by Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Sebastian Fiumara, Max Fiumara (Artists), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Monsters attack one of the group that Abe was with as he tells a bit more about his situation and his feelings about the B.P.R.D.

The Review: If there’s something I truly hate, it’s middle of the road issues, in term of quality that is. If a series is good, I’ll read and enjoy it. The end. If it’s utterly bad, I’ll at least know it’s not worth my cash and time, so I’ll stop reading it and that would be the end of it. It’s always a bit frustrating to see a book do well in some parts, while terribly in others, as it leaves a potential to either become totally on one side or the other. It both please and disappoint, which leaves all kind of mixed feelings in terms of appreciation.

This issue of Abe Sapien is unfortunately one of those, as there are plenty of ideas along with some terrific scenes, yet it doesn’t really satisfy as a whole. It’s a bit of a shame, as the latest issue had been pretty good and the series as a whole did things differently enough to make this whole take on the Mignolaverse rather interesting.

Sandman: Overture #1 – Review

By: Neil Gaiman (story), J.H. Williams III (art), Dave Stewart (colors)

The Story: Sometimes, you can’t escape from your problems even in your dreams.

The Review: In the canon of great comic book works, Sandman must be counted among the very best, a masterpiece of storytelling that surpasses genre definitions, period conventions, and even the boundaries of its medium.  Given how pristine its quality, you have to wonder how wise it is for Gaiman to return to the project that made his name and risk disturbing its legacy.  Can anyone, even the master himself, really capture such fictional magic again?

That’s the question that runs through your head as, with both unbridled excitement and no little trepidation, we open the pages to Overture.  And it’s with enormous relief to discover that although the writer has aged, his voice is still young, the imagination as wondrously pure as it ever was.  Gaiman’s genius is quite different from the brooding inquiries of Alan Moore, or the conceptual ambitions of Grant Morrison, or any other writer of his level.  The brilliance he displays even from the first pages comes less from the machinations of his brain and more from the depths of his subconscious, as radical and breathtaking as dreams.  Listen to his description of the dominant species of a planet plucked at random in his universe:

“Small, mindless, insect-like creatures who swarmed when the mood took them, taking on shapes capable of making art or exploring the solar system, until they fragmented back into tiny flying cells interested only in egg-laying and food…  And, on the southern continent, a race of huge, carnivorous plants, with limited mobility, but beautiful minds.”

Hellboy: The Midnight Circus – Review

by Mike Mignola (Writer), Duncan Fegredo (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Hellboy gets into shenanigans while travelling to a circus that may or may not come from hell during the night.

The Review: People rejoice, for the great team behind some impossibly great Hellboy stories are reunited for an original graphic novel. Indeed, Mike Mignola, Duncan Fegredo and Dave Stewart, those behind such stories as Hellboy: The Wild Hunt and The Storm and The Fury are back as they try to tell an original story featuring a much younger Hellboy, one with perhaps a tiny bit of innocence still left in him. While it may be particularly great for fans of the beast of the apocalypse, is it perhaps something that readers unaware of the mythos of the series might enjoy? More importantly, is it good?

It is my belief that the answer to both these questions would be in the positive, as Mignola is able to mix childlike sensitivities, a feeling of horror and the Hellboy mythos flawlessly without alienating any of these aspects in favour of the others.

Speaking about each of those aspects, the childlike sense of wonders comes directly from the point-of-view of the titular character, Hellboy himself. In this story, though, readers are treated to a much younger protagonist. Gone is the tough supernatural detective, replaced by a character much more akin to the younger self readers grew to love from stories such as Pancakes. The innocence of Hellboy is not only a particularly refreshing take on the character, but it is also what propels much of the story forward. His fears and his sense of wonders plays a huge part in the atmosphere of the story, magnifying everything as it passes right through the emotions of the character.

It is a blessing then that he is written very well, with a certain sense of mischief, of adventure and a desire to be part of something. Like a lot of children, Hellboy simply doesn’t know any better and gets in trouble, which is the highlight of the story as things he doesn’t understand begin to gravitate toward him. Despite his wishes and what he’d like to be, the story plays a huge part on developing certain traits of his. Being part excitable and gullible, it is a wonder to see him get excited about his favourite comic book, Lobster Johnson or when he is being attacked by monkeys and all sort of beasts in the circus. As the point-of-view for the horror and the marvels of this weird world created by Mike Mignola, the younger Hellboy works like a charm.

Abe Sapien #6 – Review

Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Sebastian Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Walking in Arizona, Abe encounters some more citizens and have a friendly and rather educative talk with them.

The Review: How I missed you, Abe Sapien, during the month of September. In a month filled with villainy, your rather fascinating take on the end of the world and how humanity copes with the unknown and the dangerous was sorely missed. However, now that the previous story arc is finished and that the regular writing team is back, are the themes and the story brought back in full force or is there perhaps something lacking?

It’s a rather nice thing to see that it is still the very same book, bringing back the very strengths that made it good to begin with. In this issue, we get to see Abe in Arizona as he meet other characters who are dealing with the end of the world in their own way. It may be a bit formulaic considering that the two previous arcs did begin in the same way, yet Mignola and Allie adds a lot of depths not only to the main character, but also to the Mignolaverse in the process.

Lobster Johnson: Scent of Lotus #2 – Review

By: Mike Mignola & John Arcudi (story), Sebastián Fiumara (art), Dave Stewart (colors)

The Story: Lobster beats off a monkey and shoots at a woman

The Review: After reading several of these Lobster Johnson minis, I must confess that I have no idea why Mignola-Arcudi seems so committed to the mini format for these stories.  Obviously, there’s a thirst out there for the big Lobster and Mignola has the ideas to satiate it.  I figure if he’s willing to put out three minis in less than year, why not get off the pot and just transform it into an ongoing?  Seems like all of us would get more out of that than the system in place now.

For one, perhaps Mignola-Arcudi could have spent more time developing the political and historical meat which forms the basis for Scent of Lotus’ plot.  While I don’t really approve of writers taking broad, oversimplistic views of real-world events or ideas, using history as a springboard for a story lends it some easy credibility and adds nice color to your usual comic book adventure.  Unfortunately, the historical complications stop pretty much at a brief reference to the Mukden Incident, with little original material added on to make it worth the mention.

Abe Sapien #5 – Review

by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi (Writers), Max Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Abe discovers along with other survivors the dead body of a person he had a conversation with in the last issue as he tries to elucidate just what is happening in the area he currently is in.

The Review: When a creative team reach a certain height, one that seems to show the true potential of a title, it is usually great. Readers that follow a title or a character and that see it develop into something that they become invested in is something that is truly pleasant when it comes to reading any long work of fiction, be it comics or anything else for that matter. However, there are always time when the readers wonder if those in charge of such a feat can keep it up and continue their quality streak.

The latest issue of Abe Sapien, from my own perspective, was truly beautiful to read and look at, with a certain angle being covered that seemed endless in the ways it could be explored. Still, it was the first half of a two-part story, with this issue bringing in the conclusion to that philosophical and much more humane approach to the apocalypse. Does the second part actually continue the satisfying way Mignola and Arcudi approached their themes?

Lobster Johnson: A Scent of Lotus #1 – Review

By: Mike Mignola & John Arcudi (story), Sebastián Fiumara (art), Dave Stewart (colors)

The Story: Lobster’s no takeout man, but he’s here to deliver justice!

The Review: You might have noticed by now,* but I’m definitely something of a pulp addict.  There’s something about that first half of the 20th century that just appeals to me.  So it’s pretty much impossible for me to resist the allure of Lobster Johnson.  I mean, the name alone is practically worth the price of admission.  But the last couple times I’ve picked up a one-shot, I’ve wound up a bit disappointed with the result.

This has little to do with Mignola-Arcudi’s skills as writers and even less to do with the string of artists they’ve employed for these standalone adventures.  It has more to do with how antithetical a one-shot is to the pulp genre, which established itself on the strength of its serial fiction.  With hardly any timeless significance in the stories themselves, pulp survives for as long as it can keep the audience’s intrigue.  It’s the cliffhangers, the twists, the ongoing mysteries which give pulp its lasting power.

Abe Sapien: Dark And Terrible #3 – Review

By: Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Sebastian Fiurama (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Something hits the fan as the truth behind what is happening in the village Abe Sapien is in reveals itself.

The Review: Just who and what is Abe Sapien? That is the question that has plagued him ever since his birth and it has been a plot point that followed him throughout his development in B.P.R.D and that has been compelling enough to provide him with a title of his own. While we had part of the solution, we still had no idea just why Abe Sapien exists and neither does he, which makes for a rather interesting main motivation for our titular character.

However, this has not exactly been the focus of this three-issue arc, which has made us see just how the regular folks of the Mignolaverse had to adapt to the end of the world as they know it. It was a pretty intriguing and well thought-out idea that was presented in great fashion, yet it did not exactly seem like a story that could be only presented via Abe Sapien. It was much more akin to a traditional B.P.R.D story, which made the point of a series focusing on the rather popular character still a questionable matter.

Superman: Last Son of Krypton #1 – Free Comic Book Day Review

By: Geoff Johns & Richard Donner (story), Adam Kubert (art), Dave Stewart (colors)

The Story: Superman is relieved to find his biological clock satisfied at last.

The Review: I’ve expressed a fairly cynical view of Free Comic Book Day before, and sadly, every year I’ve been given no reason to change my mind.  I suppose I’ll always have my doubts that anyone running a business for profit would actually ever dole out a free product with no caveats attached.  DC’s offering last year ended up being a rather premature tease for the upcoming Trinity War nonsense, so it was pretty much worth what you paid for it.

At least last year they went through the effort of giving you original material with some superstar art attached.  Apparently, when there’s no money to be had in it, the buck stops just before original.  This year you get a reprint of the first issue of Superman: Last Son, one of the more notable arcs which ran in Action Comics over six years ago.  Without going into the quality of the story itself, I view DC’s decision with a great deal of disdain.

Abe Sapien: Dark and Terrible #2 – Review

By: Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Sebastian Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: As we get to know some of the reasons of Abe departure from the B.P.R.D, we can also see how some people reacts to all these changes that were brought with the war on frogs and the incoming apocalypse.

The Review: In a recent interview about his whole universe of comic, the one that turns around Hellboy and B.P.R.D, Mike Mignola revealed just how things would work out from now on and which title would show what. While the former would be more about its titular hero and how the afterlife might just change a tad after all that is happening in the real world, the latter would be much more about what is actually happening in the world and how the bureau wants to prevent things from going worse. With two very different directions from these two titles, where does that leave Abe Sapien and his adventures?

Abe Sapien: Dark and Terrible #1 – Review

By: Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Sebastian Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: The B.P.R.D is searching for Abe Sapien, as some folks discuss how it feels to see the end of times and other such curiosities on a train.

The Review: It’s funny, in a way, to see how successful Mike Mignola has been with his first creator-owned character, Hellboy. First appearing in his own mini-series, the adventure of the beast of the apocalypse has seen the start of a much bigger thing: its own universe, with a sister title expanding it in ways that were really well done. B.P.R.D, in its own way, saw as much success as the main title, which now lead to a cycle of such with the birth of this title, Abe Sapien, dedicated to the supporting character first seen in Hellboy that has been developed to much greater heights in the narrative frame of B.P.R.D to become one of the most endearing character from what is now dubbed the Mignolaverse. However, does this character actually merits a title of his own, an ongoing nonetheless?

Hellboy in Hell #4 – Review

By: Mike Mignola (Writer/Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Hellboy gets some explanation about who is the masked man that keeps on saving his life and what await for him in Pandemonium.

The Review: Mike Mignola continues his streak. He has done yet another completely satisfying chapter in Hellboy’s life, or rather, in his death. Indeed, the quality is maintained in this fourth and closing chapter of the first part of Hellboy’s saga in Pandemonium, as the author is taking a short break before the next couple of issues arrive, so we will wait a bit before the fifth issue arrive.

This wait shall be torturous, as this issue is so full of revelations, good moments and shows so much potential for the character, it is nearly impossible to accept that there are many months before the next issue. In here, Mignola does close to no action, only exposition. This could be fatal flaw for many books, but here it works perfectly, closing the chapter after the fights with Astaroth and his family. Here, we see just who the masked man who kept on interfering with Hellboy and those who wished him harm in the firsts chapters. Fans of Mignola and his whole universe shall be delighted to know that it is none other than Sir Edward Grey.

Batwoman #17 – Review

By: J.H. Williams III (story & art), W. Haden Blackman (story), Dave Stewart (colors)

The Story: What’s a mother to do when her daughter’s got a heart of stone?

The Review: I don’t often respond directly to the opinions of my fellow comic book reviewers, but I have to protest the comments of Aaron Duran in his assessment of this month’s Batwoman.  Maybe it’s the truncated nature of Newsarama’s Best Shots Rapid Reviews, but I just didn’t feel his gripes with the issue justified giving it a 5 (out of 10) rating.  While he had some valid criticisms, they overlooked a lot of the issue’s key strengths.

It’s true that the defeat of Medusa comes across a little anti-climactic, given how much time has been spent building her up as a villain, only for her to be brought down by a trick out of Greek Hero 101.  Seriously, if a reflection is all it takes to vanquish her, then wouldn’t she have perished by accident a while ago?  But while this particular resolution is a little lame, the rest of the arc wraps up in an appropriate, satisfying fashion.

Hellboy in Hell #3 – Review

By: Mike Mignola (Writer/Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Family meetings in Hell, what could go wrong there?

The Review: Mike Mignola has a talent for the theatrics, for grandeur and for surprising his audience expectation. Anyone who might have figured out how this series is going to play out shall sorely be off put by what he is doing here, but in a good way.

In this issue, Mignola introduces elements that even the long time readers of Hellboy shall be surprised with. Not satisfied with the fact that Astaroth makes another appearance here, we see important characters like Hellboy’s father along with his two brothers, who were never even mentioned earlier in the series, proving us that Mignola can still trick and surprise us in relevant ways. All the characters here add to the large mythos that Mignola had built around his character since the very start, wowing the readers with its great scope and attention to details. Here, many elements are shown and named that could fuel many other issues like this one, showing just what this series could be.

Batwoman #16 – Review

By: J.H. Williams III (story & art), W. Haden Blackman (story), Dave Stewart (colors)

The Story: Even monsters love their mommies.

The Review: Although I readily agree that as a half-visual medium, comics shouldn’t really need too much text to move itself along, I don’t actually think a heavy script is a flaw unless it doesn’t serve a purpose to the story.  It’s one thing when a writer injects a whole lot of fluff for no other reason than simply to enjoy the sound of his own voice, but if all that text actually tells you something that the art itself doesn’t, then that’s a good reason to have it in there, right?

In this case, if you didn’t have all that character narration in each scene, much of the issue’s subtleties and development would be lost.  Dialogue and art can only convey so much; neither can really let you delve into a character’s mind or reveal the fantastic details that make a living, breathing story.  Williams can deliver nearly any imagery possible, but even he can’t convey smell through visuals.  Do you realize how rarely comic book writers pay attention to these kinds of things?  As Batwoman fights her way across Medusa’s army, she notices,

Hellboy In Hell #2 – Review

By: Mike Mignola (Writer/Artist) Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Hellboy continues to explore Hell and is shown his destiny and key moments of his past.

The Review: I have a truly soft spot in my heart for Mike Mignola’s biggest creation, Hellboy. As the very series that ignited my love for comics and passion for graphic storytelling, the red devil is a character dear to my heart in many ways.

Of course, one could say that this makes me biased from the very start of this review, yet there is something that must be said about Hellboy as a series that is doubly true in this issue: it possess some incredible qualities, both in the art and storytelling department. The continuing tales of Hellboy have always been rich with mythology and historical facts that elevate the whole series as something truly wonderful. Close to each storylines have been full of references to other myths or stories, making us see just how much care Mike Mignola puts in the big devil himself in terms of quality.

Batwoman #15 – Review

By: J.H. Williams III (story & art), W. Haden Blackman (story), Trevor McCarthy (art), Dave Stewart & Guy Major (colors)

The Story: It’s rough to be a mortal cop in the midst of a mythic crisis.

The Review: If there’s one area where superhero comics as a genre still lags, it’s in the treatment of supporting characters.  Any prose writer worth his salt knows that when these characters get motivations and plotlines all their own, they make the world of a story even richer.  After all, everyone in the real world is the hero of their own story; fiction should at least try to reflect that, even if happens to feature one star.

And sure, I get why most writers might shy away from that kind of work.  If you have a series titled Superman, readers pick up an issue expecting to see the Man of Steel.  But that to me seems a simple failure of making Lois, Jimmy, Perry, Cat, and the rest of the gang interesting characters in their own right.  Give the support cast half the respect you give your star, and the possibilities for compelling stories suddenly multiply exponentially.

The Massive #7 – Review

By: Brian Wood (writer), Garry Brown (art), Dave Stewart (colors) and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

The Story: The crew of the Kapital docks at a post-crash society built out of old oil platforms.

A few things: 1). An interesting view of societal crash. – The one thing to love about this series is the very different view of a failed society.  It wouldn’t be accurate to call it “post-apocalypse” because there are still governments and the United Nations and all the basic trappings of society…..it’s just that everything is kinda screwed up by all the flooding and earthquakes from “the crash”.  It’s an interesting view of a world that is staggering and that has little in common with The Walking Dead, The Road, The Stand or Mad Max.  In this issue, we see our characters stop off at a new society that has been formed from a bunch of floating oil-rigs that people have lashed together in international waters.  How fascinating!  They’ve even declared themselves a sovereign nation and asked for recognition from UN.  I love the clever possibilities that Brian Wood is showing us in The Massive.