Best of the Week
Title: Ivar, Timewalker #1
Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
Writer: Fred Van Lente
Artist: Clayton Henry
Colorist: Brian Reber
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Cover Artist: Raul Allen; Jorge Molina; Barry Kitson and Brian Reber; Clayton Henry and Tom Muller
Review: ★★★★★
Ivar is like James Bond and Doctor Who rolled up into one person, but someone who we may not be able to trust quite yet. If the first issue is any indication, this series is looking to be one of Valiant’s best.
Title: The Valiant #2
Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
Writer: Jeff Lemire and Matt Kindt
Artist: Paolo Rivera and Joe Rivera
Letterer: Dave Lanphear
Cover Artist: Paolo Rivera; Paolo Rivera and Tom Muller; Jeff Lemire and Matt Kindt; Francesco Francavilla
Review: ★★★★★
With the setup of last issue over, things become much more focused and in turn, much more intense. With the action in full swing, this is the epicness of having Valiant’s best together that we expected.
The Weekly Rundown
Title: B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth #12
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Mike Mignola and John Arcudi
Artist: James Harren
Letterer: Dave Stewart
Cover Artist: Laurence Campbell
Review: ★★★☆☆
With the current mission having gone wrong, things focus on Agent Howards and his mysterious link to what is going on. His past gets drawn out a little to long, bogging down the issue in the present from progressing.
Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 10 #11
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Christos Gage and Nicholas Brendon
Artist: Megan Levens
Colorist: Dan Jackson
Letterer: Richard Starkings and Jimmy Betancourt
Cover Artist: Steve Morris; Rebekah Isaacs and Dan Jackson; Georges Jeanty and Tariq Hassan
Review: ★★★★☆
Everyone’s love lives get put in focus, or the lack there of in most cases. There are plenty of great moments such as playing poker for kittens, Olivia and Giles finally having their awkward reunion, and a last page panel we’ve been waiting for quite some time.
Title: Cap Stone #2
Publisher: Titan Comics
Writer: Christina McCormack and Liam Sharp
Artist: Liam Sharp
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Cover Artist: Liam Sharp
Review: ★★★☆☆
While Captain Stone does not make an appearance, we do learn more about how he has a half-sister and why she’s going to pick up the search for him. The series has an interesting take on the superhero formula, so now that the setup is out of the way, we’re excited to see what’s coming next..
Title: Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor #7
Publisher: Titan Comics
Writer: Rob Williams
Artist: Warren Pleece
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Richard Starkings and Jimmy Betancourt
Cover Artist: Mariano Laclaustra
Review: ★★★★☆
The Doctor and his traveling companions have run into some trouble with a considerate alien war being waged above Earth, who are trying to involve the planet below, and Jones seemingly growing something inside his stomach. With plenty of excitement you’d think that would be enough to deal with, Alice has a surprising reunion of which we know cannot turn out well.
Title: Drifter #3
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Ivan Brandon
Artist: Nic Klein
Letterer: Clem Robins
Cover Artist: Nic Klein; Marko Djurdjevic
Review: ★★★☆☆
While we love the deep, diverse world Drifter is pulling us into we are still waiting for the characterization to become as rich. We still know very little about our protagonist or the side characters around him and that’s not looking to change at this rate.
Title: Goners #4
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Jacob Semahn
Artist: Jorge Corona
Inker: Steve Wands
Colorist: Gabriel Cassata
Cover Artist: Jorge Corona
Review: ★★☆☆☆
Goners has been off to a great start, but as they started last month, to many strings are being threaded throughout the story at once making it hard to follow. While it felt like a stumble, we’re confident enough in the series that next issue can pull everything together.
Title: Groo: Friends and Foes #1
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Mark Evanier
Artist: Sergio Aragonés
Colorist: Tom Luth
Letterer: Stan Sakai
Cover Artist: Sergio Aragonés
Review: ★★★☆☆
Now that we are done with the terrible Groo Vs. Conan that mixed two characters who shouldn’t have been, we get a proper Groo story that takes us back to the comedic adventures we expect. Except the moral of the story is don’t expect Groo to do something when you expect him to do it as he’ll do it as expected, just not when you expect it; Groo even makes the side characters confused, but that’s why you’ll get a good laugh from it.
Title: Holy F*ck #1
Publisher: Action Lab Entertainment
Writer: Nick Marino
Artist: Daniel Arruda Massa
Cover Artist: Daniel Arruda Massa
Review: ★★★★☆
Holy f*ck indeed. If you prefer your Jesus a little less flaky or not making out with Satan, this might not be for you; for everyone else this is outrageous, blasphemous fun you don’t want to miss!
Title: Mono #2
Publisher: Titan Comics
Writer: Liam Sharp
Artist: Ben Wolstenholme
Colorist: Fin Cramb
Cover Artist: Ben Wolstenholme
Review: ★★★☆☆
Everything rushes by much to quick and we’re really not any further in the story than when we began. Part of you won’t care, though, because of some fantastic pulp art and a few key action scenes showing Mono at work.
Title: Penny Dora and The Wishing Box #3
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Michael Stock
Artist: Sina Grace
Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain
Letterer: Hope Larson
Cover Artist: Sina Grace and Tamra Bonvillan
Review: ★★★☆☆
Penny learns the hard way that you can’t trust your friends, especially when something as powerful as the wishing box is involved. The book continues a great mix of old-time, whimsy fun that is accessible to young and old alike.
Title: Reyn #1
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Kel Symons
Artist: Nathan Stockman
Cover Artist: Nathan Stockman
Review: ★★★★☆
The first issue leaves us with many questions about our title character, but it makes up for it with a heavy wallop of old-school Dungeons and Dragons style fun. It has fantastic art and a great starting pace; we can’t wait to see more.
Title: Rumble #2
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: John Arcudi and James Harren
Artist: James Harren
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos
Cover Artist: James Harren
Review: ★★★☆☆
We love Harren’s art and the characters he and Arcudi have crafted, but we still have no idea what is going on. Style will only get a comic not made in the 90’s so far; we need the story to begin to take shape before we lose interest.
Title: The Strain: The Night Eternal #5
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: David Lapham
Artist: Mike Huddleston
Colorist: Dan Jackson
Letterer: Clem Robins
Cover Artist: E.M. Gist
Review: ★★★☆☆
The Night Eternal had yet to win us over, but now that we’re in the thick of things, our stock in the series is rising. With this possibly being the final chapter, anyone could die which makes for an exciting ride.
Title: The Wicked + The Divine #7
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Jamie McKelvie
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Cover Artist: Jamie McKelvie
Review: ★★★☆☆
After the warp speed the series has been going on lately, things slow down to give us more of a look at some of the other gods. While not the most exciting issue, it is very interesting seeing the gods more closely and the fandom that follows them.
Title: Zombie Tramp #6
Publisher: Action Lab Entertainment
Writer: Dan Mendoza and Jason Martin
Artist: Anna Lencioni
Colorist: Jason Martin
Letterer: Dave Dwonch
Cover Artist: Dan Mendoza
Review: ★★★★☆
Zonbie Tramp continues to be a fun guilty pleasure for us, one that at times makes you question your own judgement, but not near enough to stop reading. Where else are you going to find gory amusement such as watching someone split in half with a guitar or ripping off someone’s arm and stabbing them in the head with a knife the arm is still holding?
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