Comics Review By Jair!
Absolute Flash #4
8/10
Wally West finally stops running, at least for a moment, in the start of this new arc. Free from the Rogues, Wally and Grodd find themselves struggling to survive on their own. I love that this series spends so much time in Wally West’s head. The teen speedster is constantly going through it, and Lemire’s writing does a great job of capturing his desperation.
The art continues to impress. A.L. Kaplan delivers again, trading action for understated cafeteria conversations as the book’s cast continues to expand. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Grodd, the cutest telepathic monkey in comics. The issue points Wally in exciting new directions, and he’ll no doubt be put to the test as Flash.
Bytchcraft #1
9.5/10
Join the coven in this vibrant new series from writer Aaron Reese and artist Lema Carril. Adriyel, Michele and Em are three New York wytches who want nothing more than to master their magic, but in the meantime they’ll settle for a good party. When a ritual goes wrong and throws their world out of balance, they open the gates to forces beyond them.
Ethereal art heavy with soft purples and blues, plus phenomenal character design, set the tone for this book. It’s the perfect mix of grand magical adventure and a chill hangout. The characters bounce off one another, and no one is ever too serious, making for great comedic moments. The worldbuilding is excellent, easing the reader into this new reality without it ever feeling like homework. If you like wytches, fashion or cool magical familiars, this book is for you.
Emma Frost:
The White Queen #1
8/10
Before she was one of Mutantkind’s greatest advocates, she was the White Queen, ruthless, cunning and most of all elegant. Don’t let the British accent and fancy clothes fool you, though. Boston born (yes, Boston!) Emma Frost is a hustler.
She scrapped and fought her way into the Hellfire Club’s inner circle, and she'll be darned if anyone dares try and muck it up for her. Andrea Di Vito’s superb art and excellent writing from Amy Chu make this foray into X-history a must-have for X-fans.
New Gods #7
9/10
Sometimes I forget how nice it is to watch heroes build instead of destroy. Don’t get me wrong — I love seeing a city leveled here and there — but ultimately superheroes are supposed to make the world a better place. You can’t do that just by ushering your enemies into oblivion. You have to have a vision for the future, you have to have hope. New Gods is full of hope. Amidst chaos and destruction on New Genesis, the Gods find themselves seeking refuge on Earth. Will that create problems? Most likely, but solving problems is what heroes do.
Ram V is amazing as always, delivering a story grand in scale but full of quiet moments of humanity (godanity? IDK). Guest artist Tradd Moore does some excellent work on the intro pages. Evan Cagle expresses characters' emotions perfectly, making each dramatic moment land like a haymaker. Where this series goes next is anyone’s guess, but I’d bet that Earth will be less than thrilled by the Gods’ arrival.
Invincible Universe:
Battle Beast #2
10/10
The bloodiest book in the Reach returns. Skyrim references aside, this book is violent in the way my 10-year-old self wished cartoons were violent. Battle Beast is a single-minded individual: find the strongest opponent, kill them, or die the glorious death he yearns for.
That premise should get old fast, but Kirkman finds a million little ways to make it compelling — like how a homicidal, revenge-seeking spaceship and a mostly disemboweled alien prince are Battle Beast’s only company on his quest, or how every simple objective turns into a side quest more interesting than the main story.
Ryan Ottley has already had a historic career, but this series feels like a victory lap. Every scene is drawn with brutal clarity, and Annalisa Leoni’s colors bring every battle to life in a sea of reds. This book is pure action in the best way!
Justin:
