The Stand: American Nightmares #5 – Review

By Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Writer), Mike Perkins (Art), and Laura Martin (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The Stand’s pace is really starting to get to me as a comic fan. While the writing and artwork is quite fantastic all around, it’s difficult to be completely satisfied with tiny chunks of a massive story. Maybe I’ll trade wait Soul Survivors, the next chapter of The Stand comic series.

The Story: Nick Andros visits two very different places in his dreams as he hopes to make it through the night. Larry Underwood awakes and makes a grisly discovery. Stu Redman meets up with Harold and Frannie, warning them that their destination is not a place they want to be.

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: The worst thing I can say about the final issue of The Stand: American Nightmares? That it doesn’t feel at all like a conclusion to anything. Nothing terribly exciting happens, there’s no killer cliffhanger, and everything just sort of inches forward in a way that lays the groundwork for the next mini-series. Does that mean it’s a bad comic though? Not at all.

From the revealing dialogue to the almost folksy narration, The Stand: American Nightmares #5 is an effective read. As expected, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s scripting gives every character a realistic voice and a satisfying level of emotion. In addition, the slow storytelling style almost forces you to invest in the characters so that the lingering sense of dread feels all the more unsettling.

As for the artwork, it’s as good as I’ve come to expect from the team of Mike Perkins and Laura Martin. From horrific details to subtle emotion, Perkins and Martin truly bring Stephen King’s story to life. I honestly have no complaints.

Conclusion: The last part of American Nightmares is about as technically sound as a comic can get. That said, it’s a bit boring and lacks the sense of urgency that should leave readers dying for more.

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

The Stand: American Nightmares #4 – Review

By Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Writer), Mike Perkins (Artist), and Laura Martin (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I thought the last issue of American Nightmares was pretty great. While it didn’t advance the story a whole lot, it made up for its shortcomings by being incredibly intense and disturbing.

The Story: Stu Redman and artist Glen Bateman discuss the nature of Captain Tripps and nightmares. Lloyd debates cannibalism in the name of survival and is approached by a Randall Flagg. Frannie and Harold pass the time by relaxing.

What’s Good: In The Stand: American Nightmares #4, the writing is excellent, the realistic artwork is genuinely unsettling, and the plot inches forward enough to keep things interesting. In other words, the fourth chapter of American Nightmares delivers… Well everything you’ve come to expect from The Stand and the creative team of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Mike Perkins, and Laura Martin… Nothing more, nothing less.

What’s Not So Good: I hate to knock something that’s so well done for moving forward at a slow pace (especially considering the source material), but The Stand: American Nightmares #4 reminds me of why trade-waiting is so appealing to some people. The trade format just works better for some things and I’m fairly certain The Stand is one of those things. I’ll be sure to stick around for the conclusion of American Nightmares next month, but I doubt I’ll be picking up the next mini-series as a monthly unless American Nightmares #5 leaves me with that “I can’t possibly wait” feeling.

Conclusion: American Nightmares #4 is very good, but it’s also pretty slow. If you’ve been following The Stand from the beginning, then you should already know what to expect.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

The Stand: America Nightmares #3 – Review

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

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The slow pace of The Stand is starting to get to me as a monthly reader. I realize that the book is adapting a fairly large work and that Stephen King is an author that likes to take his time with telling a story, but I always go into a new issue of the comic adaptation accepting the fact that I may get less of the story than I’m ready for. The comic is damn fine-looking and extremely well-written, but the current pace is making me think about trade-waiting the next part of the story.

The Story: Larry Underwood and Rita Blakemoor make their way out of New York, encountering all sorts of grisly things along the way. The situation they find out turns out to be much worse than they had imagined…

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: While limited in scope (as far as how many characters are in it) compared to earlier issues, American Nightmares #3 is one of the best chapters of The Stand yet. The story of Larry and Rita’s trip through (and out of) New York is thrilling, intense, brutal, and almost perfectly executed. If I have any complaint, it’s that the characters that the issue focuses on aren’t all that interesting or likable. Rita has some unique quirks and Larry’s attempt at personal redemption is well-written, but personally, I feel like I don’t have any real emotional investment in either character. It hurts the overall impact of the book, but only a small amount.

On a technical level, the latest issue of The Stand is quite brilliant. The occasional stomach-churning artwork by Mike Perkins and Laura Martin looks fantastic when on display, though the most effective scenes show almost nothing. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has to write his way through a number of panels that are completely black except for the dialogue and it works far better than you might expect. The scenes are surprisingly creepy as Larry deals with horrors that cannot be seen.

I could probably go on some more about what I like, but I really don’t want to ruin anything. So let me just say that my interest in the series has been renewed thanks to the impressive work by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Mike Perkins, and Laura Martin. I look forward to seeing more focused issues in the future.

Conclusion: American Nightmares #3 is probably my favorite issue of The Stand (so far). Be sure to check it out!

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