Soulfire #2 – Review

By: J.T. Krul (writer), Jason Fabok (artist), John Starr (colorist)

The Story: Aw, shucks, Onyx—can’t we all just try to get along?

The Review: Probably Krul’s most self-defeating weakness is his inability to deliver a story that reaches beyond the expected or cliché.  While the source material for Soulfire seems like it never had much in the way of original thought to begin with, Krul had the opportunity to break that trend in this third volume of the series, and he has squandered it disappointingly.  So far, the title reads like a steady jumble of classic fantasy tropes, a prime example of formulaic writing.

I confess I’ve never read the other volumes of Soulfire, but I can only imagine the war between Sethoru and Rahtumi made the bulk of its previous plots.  So it’s rather frustrating to see Krul opening that can of worms again, especially since the two races only just started their integration.  Had we seen signs of discontent between them, maybe a revisit to their old antagonism would work, but by all appearances, the transition has gone smoothly, to the relief of all.

All of which makes the Sethoru’s decision to follow Onyx at the end an inexplicably unwise choice, especially since Onyx is a deranged, babbling, egomaniacal racist.  With her newfound powers she strikes not only the Rahtumi she hates, but her own people as well, essentially coercing them to depart from the beautiful, peaceful kingdom they’ve only begun to appreciate in favor of a life full of big, snarling, winged leeches.

While Onyx is clearly a one-note villain designed to be disliked (but only in a distant sort of way, as frankly, you don’t really give a hoot what she gets up to), the rest of the title’s cast don’t venture much beyond their types.  Even Grace, one of the most important leads, shows so little personality other than “determined warrior princess” that she’s not much more than a glorified extra in terms of character depth.

Soulfire #1 – Review

By: J.T. Krul (writer), Jason Fabok (penciller), John Starr (colorist)

The Story: With all that magic, you’d think you’d be able to whip up a meal that isn’t vodka.

The Review: Considering Aspen MLT was cofounded by the late Michael Turner, one of the more distinctive artists in the comics biz, it’s no wonder their titles tend to look far more impressive than they read.  Not to say their comics are completely insubstantial, story-wise; it just seems like they tend to base their series in the most formulaic of plots, using them as a vehicle for splashy artwork than for serious storytelling.

You can’t find any better evidence of this trend than Soulfire having Krul handle writing duties.  He can always be depended upon to deliver the plot in logical, well-paced fashion, but he lacks either the chops or inspiration to do so in any way that isn’t predictable.  He also offers dialogue equally as needlessly fraught and melodramatic as he does on anything else he writes: “Grace, must you always interfere?  It will be the death of you—sooner than you might expect.”

Certainly he’s not helped by the fact that issue serves primarily as a summation of events from the previous Soulfire titles, a somewhat redundant effort, since the issue comes with a fairly effective recap page.  Even though I have no familiarity whatsoever with the series, I still find it more annoying than useful that every character spends time recalling the past: the conflict between the Rahtumi and Sethoru races over their dwindling magic; Malikai returning magic to the world as the Bringer of Light; and the infant alliance between the two races.

Fusion #3 – Review

By Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (Writers), Tyler Kirkham (Pencils), Sal Regla & Jay Leisten (Inks), and John Starr & Blond (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: As long as you read an issue of Fusion with the right mindset…

The Story: Cyberforce and the Avengers face off against the Thunderbolts before all the teams realize there’s something far worse that must be dealt with: Venom’s alien symbiote has gone ballistic!

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: Fusion #3 uses a simple formula to get the job done. And you know what? It works well enough. If you came into the series to see all four teams (Cyberforce, Hunter-Killer, Tbolts, and Avengers) fight and then team up, well… Fusion #3 is your book. It’s dumb, it’s mindless, but it’s also quite a bit of fun (I’m sure I’ve said that about Fusion at least once before).

Artist Tyler Kirkham does his best to make the most of his time playing with the Marvel characters. Kirkham crafts a rather badass looking Venom and he also does a nice job of keeping the nonstop action manageable and satisfying. There’s a drop in quality here and there, but it’s understandable, considering how much is going on in nearly each and every panel.

I honestly wish I had more to say about Fusion #3, but how much can you really say about a book focused almost entirely around the action taking place? Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning keep things moving from scene to scene with some fun dialogue and, frankly, that’s really all I need with a crossover like Fusion. In short, if you’ve liked part one and two, you’ll probably enjoy the conclusion as well.

Conclusion: There isn’t much to it, but Fusion #3 is almost certain to please those that are part of its target audience. Fun, yet totally forgettable.

Grade: C

-Kyle Posluszny

Witchblade Annual – Review

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ve been a fan of Witchblade for a long time. It’s surprising that the annual is the first one the series has ever had. It’ll be interesting to see what one of my favorite writers, Jay Faerber, does with one of my favorite characters.

“If Looks Could Kill” – Jay Faerber (Writer), Eric Basaldua (Pencils), Rick Basaldua (Inks), Dulce Brassea & Alix Minjarez (Ink Assists), and John Starr (Colors)

The Story: A beautiful woman commits murder and then has no recollection of the event. As it turns out, she’s not the only one suffering from a case of the murder and amnesia combo. The only thing the ladies have in common is that they all had work done by the same respected plastic surgeon. Coincidence? Sara Pezzini doesn’t think so.

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: The first story in the Witchblade Annual, “If Looks Could Kill” is a classic Witchblade story in every way. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is something that I’d rather leave up to you, the reader, to decide. If you miss the days when Witchblade was a T and A fest with some action and supernatural mystery thrown in, then you’ll definitely find a lot to like about the first part of the Annual. If you prefer how Witchblade is now, a cop story/supernatural epic that stays in touch with it’s roots thanks to a small side of T and A, then you will probably find “If Looks Could Kill” to be pretty basic (and probably somewhat obnoxious).

Personally, I prefer how Witchblade is now as opposed to how it used to be. That said, I have to give credit where it is due. “If Looks Could Kill” is definitely a success on a technical level. The writing is sharp and the visuals do a nice job of taking advantage of the story being told (even if the all supermodels populating the story do look a bit inconsistent and interchangeable).

“Ned” – Joshua Cozine & Joe Henderson (Writers), Sheldon Mitchell (Pencils), Rick Basaldua (Inks), Dulce Brassea & Alix Minjarez (Ink Assists), and Blond (Colors)

The Story: Number thirteen, that’s how Ned is known in the prison he has been sent to. Why number thirteen? Because Ned is the thirteenth cellmate Mr. Ian Nottingham has had. But all is not as it seems with the timid Ned…

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: “Ned” is an odd story, especially in comparison to “If Looks Could Kill.” The first story works as a standalone read, but “Ned” seems to be all about laying the groundwork for future Witchblade stories. Longtime readers will no doubt recognize the name “Nottingham” and all the rest will no doubt be intrigued by the introduction of the mysterious inmate Ned. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is that “Ned” is an interesting read that features some compelling dialogue and sufficiently moody artwork, but it seems like the story would be better suited as a backup story in a regular issue of Witchblade as opposed to the Annual.

Conclusion: The first Witchblade Annual presents two very different, though quite decent stories in a way that should please both new and longtime fans. I recommend checking it out if you like Witchblade or have wanted to give it a try.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny