Graphic Novel Review: The Power Fantasy vol. 3 by Kieron Gillen, Caspar Wijngaard, Clayton Cowles and Rian Hughes

This comic about superheroes continues to pack a punch. Intellectually. But also fist...ly.

I like allegory books. Not always in the execution of every single instance, but in general, I’m predisposed towards a bit of “this is actually about daddy issues” (what isn’t?). But the thing is the thing is. When someone does it right, when they go all the way with it, when they say to your face what they’re doing, then do it so hard, so well, that it somehow loops round to surprise you with its sheer commitment to the bit? That shit’s magic.

And so, The Power Fantasy Volume 3: The End of History.

These (see here and here for reviews of volumes 1 and 2) have never been books to be shy about their ethical focus, their use of humans with superpowers to embody the problem of nuclear weapons and the idea of the nuclear deterrent. There’s no sneaky sneaky going on. And yet, this volume has managed to smack me in the face with that stated premise nonetheless.

As a quick recap, the premise of the story as a whole is that superheroes exist, and have done so visibly since the beginning of nuclear testing. Some of them have powers of equivalent capability (or significantly more) to nuclear weaponry, and pose a danger of concomitant level to humanity. But the people who wield them are still... predominantly... human, and prone to the emotional and interpersonal struggles that define us all. What happens when those mix with nuclear-level destructive capabilities? Well, Europe doesn't exist anymore. The story explores the interpersonal drama of a group of the strongest extant atomics, as they are called, and how they navigate their relationships with each other, their powers, their moral philosophies and the fate of the world. Whether that's Etienne trolley-probleming through increasingly horrible decisions, Valentina coming from literal heaven and trying her best to keep everyone together, Eliza with her hell-given powers and a lot of Catholicism, Masumi trying her best not to become a Tokyo-destroying kaiju, Heavy and his inclination to punch his way out of problems or Jacky and his swaggering English MLM cult trying to get in bed with the US government, there are a lot of angles through which the problems are being approached.

It helps that all of those characters, however outlandish their powers and backgrounds, remain well enough drawn, both visually but also in their behaviour, their individual voices and mannerisms, their backgrounds and morals and contexts, that they are intensely comprehensible, even as their stories take them to stranger and remoter places from our understanding. There's a lot of great work happening in grounding the outlandish in the real at just the right moments, and it forms the necessary foundation for the moments when things go to those far, strange places. They've done the work in the previous two volumes to make them believable, and it is absolutely paying off now.

It's also an intensely thoughtful story so far, with a heavy dose of utilitarian philosophy and not a small amount of theology sitting alongside the more usual approach to superpowered people. The writing leans heavily on exploring those intellectual underpinnings, using it as a scaffold to direct the wider story, as these difficult people hurtle through an increasingly fraught world.

Which all gives the story an interesting narrative progression. Volume 2 already chose to go with a character death (spoilers on that incoming, just go read the whole series first, you'll thank me for it) that felt both entirely inevitable and an absolute gut-punch, so I wasn't necessarily expecting the kind of escalation we've been given in volume 3. I am, perhaps, a bit too used to the slow and tidal pacing of long comic series, where dramatic revelations are often followed by period of downtime, to allow new events to settle into the context before stepping forward into the next drama. I had assumed The Power Fantasy would do something similar, letting us assimilate the consequences of Etienne's death and the revelation to the reader and Valentina that this... was not actually the case, and consider how the various shifting factions of the story would react to the change in the fundamental dynamic.

It... does not.

Instead, this volume, which encompasses issues 12-16 of the comic, is a steady progression of increasing crescendo's, leading to an ending that I could simply never have predicted. This upending of the typical flow of pacing feels deliberate - it's unsettling, and we should be unsettled! It all feeds back into that same commitment to the analogy. When you are handling fundamentally scary ideas, ones that think about the possibility of the deaths of millions... of course you want the reader to be uncomfortable, on edge, unsure what to expect. And also, that kind of rapid, almost uncontrolled sense of escalation feels... well, it feels exactly how the kind of world-ending scenario these books have always been about would feel. It's analogy all the way down, right to its bones. That commitment to theme just fills every single part of this story, and makes it better for it.

The art remains, as it was in the first two volumes, gorgeous, and is by no means exempt from that commitment. What I think bears extra consideration in this one is how well it is used to illustrate the moments of enormous horror - world-threatening events, city-damaging catastrophes and individual human violence - in a way that both makes an impact visually, but also keeps close the genuine sadness and violence inherent within the moment. It is incredibly necessary, in a book like this, to never let the glory of the spectacle overwhelm the image's role in conveying tone and story, and it never, ever does. Caspar Wijngaard is doing great work here.

If I sound hyperbolic, that's on purpose - I truly think the team behind The Power Fantasy are doing amazing work here, and that needs to be celebrated. It's not fun and happy, but it is challenging, committed and thoughtful, never losing sight of its goals or its core idea and feeling tight and perfectly constructed because of it.

When I reviewed volume 2, I said:

"I struggle to envisage where this goes, to have narrative closure that truly encompasses it all. But I have faith."

Having finished volume 3... there are several ironies in that conclusion. But also, however much I could not see it, however much I could not have expected where the plot would go, the faith I had has been entirely rewarded. The Power Fantasy Volume 3: The End of History is absolutely the best volume so far - and my god I hope we get more of this story, if this gets cancelled midway through I will weep - and promises that wherever they choose to continue going, there is much yet to be delivered from this world, these characters and, fundamentally, the analogy. It is an absolutely stunning (I was stunned) addition to the series, and if you like superhero stories, one I would urge you with the greatest insistence to read.

--

The Math

Highlights: absolute commitment to the analogy, gorgeous art of terrible events, believable characters with unbelievable power

Nerd Coefficient: 9/10

Reference: Kieron Gillen, Caspar Wijngaard, Clayton Cowles and Rian Hughes, The Power Fantasy Volume 3: The End of History, [Image, 2026].

POSTED BY: Roseanna Pendlebury, the humble servant of a very loud cat. @chloroformtea.bsky.social

Graphic Novel Review: The Power Fantasy vol. 2 by Kieron Gillen, Caspar Wijngaard, Clayton Cowles and Rian Hughes

The tensions increase in a stalemate between superpowers, as does the backstory and the drama of all kinds. 

The second trade volume of The Power Fantasy series of comics, Mutually Reassuring Destruction continues to follow a group of super-powered individuals from the twentieth century in their stand-off and power jockeying, against the backdrop of a world already gravely marked by their exercise of power.

Where vol. 1 (reviewed here) gave us the premise and initial setup, however, chucking out the ideas and the groundwork to lure us in, vol. 2 goes back to consolidate those ideas into something with further depth and texture. The key part of which is taking the "Second Summer of Love" - a catastrophic event which wiped out all of Europe - and giving us the backstory that led to the destruction, extremely well-placed as well as much-needed for the emotional depth it provides.

This backstory section is critical in a lot of ways, but I want to first highlight the thing that most makes it stand out against the rest of the story at first glance - the art. Caspar Wijngaard was a strong part of why volume 1 captured me, and that continues throughout volume 2, but never more so than in the Second Summer of Love and the character at the heart of it, the Queen. This section is awash in trippy rainbows, swirling colours and abstract motifs, and has, at the centre of it all, the distinctly non-human Queen. Thus far, the superpowers we have met have been at least human-base, if modified (Eliza) or obscured (Magus). The Queen is... not that. What she is is not fully explained either, but her visuals are a point of complexity and mystery that underscores how little this group of people - and the world - understand about their superpowered nature and origin. This is not "mutant gene" territory. At least one of them is theoretically from heaven. But that fact isn't taken as true whole cloth - quite frequently characters say that she "claims" that as backstory. Taking us visually that extra step away from human baseline - along with some other turns of the narrative - just adds greater depth here to the sense that none of this is cleanly explicable. I love mess, and The Power Fantasy is rolling in it like a delighted pig in muck.

The majority of the volume is given over to this and other vignettes which dot through time, and for a significant part of the story, the pacing has a sense of circling - lingering on certain ideas from different angles yes, but also the nervous hostility of two predators pacing around one another, assessing, waiting for the moment to strike. Big Cold War vibes continue apace, then. Had that been the whole of the thing, I might have been less satisfied, and wondered if volume 2 was being wholly given over to this consolidation and scene-setting, in service to reveals and action in story to come. Many a comic series has done likewise - one of the hardest things, in my opinion, about a long running series of graphic novels is to manage the pacing so no volume feels insubstantial on its own, subordinated to the needs of the greater plot. I would not have held it deeply against The Power Fantasy to do likewise. But no. The end section delivers a rush of drama and narrative crescendo that makes this volume feel like a complete emotional arc, as well as all the work being done to pick up threads from before and lay foundations for later. There is one particular page of beautiful work in which that dramatic arc reaches its destructive peak that I just had to sit with, enjoying just how well it combined its focus on the significance of the moment and the aesthetics of it, how the two really do pull together to serve the story.

Thematically, the focus remains firmly on the morality of power. It had already been put front and centre, and that isn't going away, but a new thought has entered the chat. In my review of volume 1, I said that that no one here is free from sin and boy howdy has that come to call in volume 2 with Eliza. We met her briefly before, but now she gets far more time in the spotlight, with her deeply held christian faith and her powers that come straight from hell, and her morality that burns bright because of/despite/throughout this. The Second Summer of Love was her crisis point and origin story, and its legacy continues to haunt her. As we learn about her, about her choices and her actions, she stands vividly for the fact that everyone in this story has fucked up and is fucked up. No one here is unalloyed good. She is haunted by her mistakes, and has taken herself off to a place outside the world, constructing an edifice of her own remorse and regret in which to do penance, and demanding an accounting of sin from those who try to visit her. Which makes her sound deeply unfun to read along, but nothing could be further from the truth. Her existence at a crossroads of faith and identity is extremely compelling, and casts a light which causes shadows to spring from those around her - her faith, her bringing her faith into all these questions that have been the centre of the story already, causes us to re-evaluate the premises we've already been given.

Alongside and in contrast to her, the character of Magus also continues to develop. I picked up previously his parallels with Wōden  in WicDiv and those haven't gone away, but the longer we spend with him the messier that comparison (productively) becomes. They draw on similar motifs and ideas, the fusing of technology into irrational systems of magic, the direct exploitation of others for power, but go in very different directions ideologically, especially in the partial resolution of the some of hints from the first volume that his journey from anarchist to dickhead techbro was... not what I was expecting.

And I think that's the thing that makes this stand out so much. Magus is one of the two closest characters to anything that resembles a potential "villain" in a usual narrative sense, and we are given so much information about both of their positions, their backstories and their moral philosophies, that even when we can't sympathise with their choices, we always understand how they resulted from the premises and processes that went into them. I'm not saying anyone in this story is a morally good actor - indeed, I think the whole point is that none of them completely are - but all of them are shown to be relatively rational and well-intentioned characters. Their differences come from their ideas of what good is, and the scope of their framework, what they consider the stakes to be. And it's this that Eliza's presence complexifies - her unshakeable faith, and her bringing both god and hell into the equation. As named specifically on the page, the idea of eternity is now on the table and that changes things. What does justice, punishment and good look like when you have to consider that suffering can be unending? What is a reasonable sacrifice when that's what it costs? And this, at least to me (with my relatively limited superhero comics background) feels fresh and thoughtful, because it takes the premise and the terms of the problems on the page genuinely seriously. All these factors would be a headfuck if you had this kind of power and were determined to be a force for good.

It did also, at several points, make me wonder if Kieron Gillen has just been having a little obsession with utilitarianism and its relationship with problems. And I'm cool with that.

There is a risk that anything this philosophical will get wanky, but for me at least, The Power Fantasy, is still staying plenty on the right side of the line. If anything, I put the book down realising that most other superhero media should be doing the same sort of grappling with power and isn't. Obviously plenty of this kind of media can be taken as clear analogies for all sorts of real world problems of varying scope, that isn't new, but the thing I'm taking from this is how much benefit there is to doing that my taking every single part of the equation dead seriously, and thus giving it time and the characters space to develop it to some kind of conclusion. The fights and the explosions and the romantic entanglements - because there are all of those - aren't vying for ground with the philosophical and moral musing, but forming the groundwork and fuel for it to be productive. The morality matters not just because the stakes are high, but because the people thinking it through are really people, and the space is given to ensure that comes through clearly on the page too.

The closure we get marries all of these up, too - it represents the culmination of arcs that matter both morally and personally - from which comes its success. But this is only vol 2, so any closure it has is going to be small scale, and indeed, the ending leaves a hint at the reduced scope of its conclusion. For all that we've had consolidation, we're still setting up some of the ideas that feel like they'll come more into play later on, and I'm still excited about all of them, but glad to see that vol 2 still gets to be a complete thread of its own, rather than entirely subservient to the larger plot. I said in my review of vol 1 "This is, quite clearly, not going to be a series for easy answers or simple debates." and that has only got more true.

I am interested, though, in how we'll reach any kind of conclusion on the broader scope of the problems in a later volume. I struggle to envisage where this goes to have narrative closure that truly encompasses it all. But I have faith. Everything I've seen so far here indicates that The Power Fantasy is being taken seriously as a thematic and a narrative project, and that any conclusions will ensure both parts are being served and supported. Which makes my inability to envisage where it's going pretty exciting. I have no idea where this is going, and I can't wait to find out.

--

The Math

Highlights: 

• a few stunning full-page spreads and gorgeous moments that really sell the atmosphere of the story
• hell turns up to make things all the more complicated
• some proper sexy character arcs

Nerd Coefficient: 8/10

Reference: Kieron Gillen, Caspar Wijngaard, Clayton Cowles and Rian Hughes, The Power Fantasy Volume 2: Mutually Reassuring Destruction, [Image, 2025].

POSTED BY: Roseanna Pendlebury, the humble servant of a very loud cat. @chloroformtea.bsky.social

Jupiter's Legacy wants to question the Greatest Generation, but has no clue how

This show is convinced it's telling a Godfather-level family saga, but it's just God-awful

It's better if you don't waste your time with Jupiter's Legacy. I can't speak for the original comic, but its live-action Netflix adaptation is an embarrassment to watch.

In a world of superheroes and supervillains, the legendary Superman Utopian has led the Justice League Union of Justice for ninety years. However, the world he's defending doesn't resemble the one he used to fight for, and he has doubts about the readiness of his son and presumptive successor, superhero-in-training Paragon. It's the same kind of story you could tell about monarchs or CEOs or mob bosses, but this show decided it needed spandex. So that's where we are.

What passes for an inciting incident, because it's treated like it should have world-changing consequences, but turns out to be supremely uninteresting, is Paragon's choice to smash the skull of supervillain Blackstar just before he could detonate his antimatter heart and vaporize millions of people. When public opinion sides with him, his father is at a loss for what to do, because we're supposed to believe that an organization led by the cheapest Vito Corleone knockoff in the Overbearing Fatherly Expectations department has not once in ninety years of superpowered crimefighting killed a bad guy.

The show doesn't grasp the difference between a last-resort killing in a case of immediate urgency and the unlawful killing of a hostile combatant in ordinary circumstances. Paragon's actions definitely need to be scrutinized, but the prosecution doesn't have a case here. The real-life discussion on the abuses of law enforcement cannot be transplanted onto a fist vs. nuke situation. It's true that ethical theories are tested in the extreme scenarios, but whatever point might be ascertained from Jupiter's Legacy's contrived thought experiment is useless for the real-life discussion.

Look, no writer is perfect. From time to time, a story will trip over its shoelaces in the treatment of a sensitive moral issue. But Jupiter's Legacy trips, slips its shoes on dog poop, lands on a rusty nail, breaks an ankle, tumbles down a field of thistles, scrapes off its kneecaps, smashes an unsuspecting anthill, zooms past a cliff, and cannonballs headfirst into shallow water. This show was made without even the attempt at meaningful storytelling, but with all the pretense of having done so. It's not only the mishandling of the theme: the plot has no direction, and the worldbuilding exists in a fragile bubble.

In general, there's something off about the whole thing, productionwise. The green screen is amateurish, the cuts between scenes are confusing, the old age makeup is too obvious, the shaky cam is irritating, the sound volume is all over the place, and the fight choreography has no sense of emotional pacing. Josh Duhamel is the wrong actor to carry the weight of an aging patriarch resisting change in a ridiculous white wig, while Leslie Bibb doesn't seem to know another facial expression than shocked surprise, and Andrew Horton puts so much intensity into his lines that it feels like he's trying to play a character half his age.

And then there are the dialogues. Where do I even start with dialogues so cringeworthy in their directness. These characters don't live in their roles; they declare their roles to each other, as if reciting from the show's promotional blurb. Scene after scene presents a character saying what we all can see to a character who doesn't need being told. This pile of writing mistakes hurts the show's ability to carry any depth. There's nothing to find beneath what's plainly said. There's no complexity, no layers. This is a story that makes no demands on the viewers' part.

Jupiter's Legacy tries to address the question of excesive force, but its convoluted metaphors end up sending problematic messages. In the larger context of the institutional failures of American policing, the show's scriptwriting reveals a staggering lack of awareness. The show not only doesn't understand its own theme; it doesn't know what world its viewers live in. Worse, it carries itself like it's saying something terribly important about America's generational burdens and the eternal vigilance it takes to uphold the rule of law. But it's not saying anything. It's a collage of fragments of a story that is nowhere to be seen.

The Math

Baseline Assessment: 4/10.

Bonuses: +1 for Ben Daniels, the only good casting choice in the entire show.

Penalties: −1 for bad technical decisions, −1 for bad thematic decisions, −1 for smearing Mark Millar's work.

Nerd Coefficient: 2/10.

POSTED BY: Arturo Serrano, multiclass Trekkie/Whovian/Moonie, accumulating experience points for still more obsessions.

Invincible, or how to blow up daddy issues to the stratosphere

Underneath the gore, Invincible is a classic Freudian tale about the tragedy of hero worship

The first shot of the first episode of new Amazon Studios series Invincible shows the sun, the American flag, and the barrel of a cannon. No need for subtlety, it seems: this is a story about power. In that scene, a White House guard discusses his personal issues with a coworker while obliviously waving in every car that approaches. One feels a bit alarmed at the lapse in security, considering the show is set in a world where supervillains exist and the White House is equipped with laser cannons, but if we continue to read a theme in this scene, it's probably about a the difficulty to find compatibility between duty and family life.

I want to spend some more time analyzing this scene, because it achieves many things with great narrative efficiency. With the White House in the background, the emblem of a literal superpower, the guard is talking about how proud he is of his stepson's maturation into a responsible young man, which apparently was hard to expect given his biological father's traits. What this scene is doing here is establishing a theme of fatherhood that explicitly contrasts love against genetic destiny. That, in a nutshell, is the emotional driving force of the show.

This sweet moment is interrupted by two twin supervillains whose shtick is that they constantly argue about who is the original twin and who is the clone. The fixation these two have with proving their firstborn status and engaging in performative violence, just after we saw two mature men talk about their feelings with sincere openness, presents another side to the show's theme: conflicting visions of masculinity. The guard, who couldn't be happier to be raising a son he's not related to, because fatherhood is not about genes, has the literal power to decide who gets into the White House. On the other hand, the supervillain twins are so comically insecure in their manhood that their first line of dialogue is to complain about having failed to penetrate the White House while carrying gigantic bazookas that are fired at groin level. The ensuing fight, which has the hero Superman Omni-Man making a repeated exhibition of how much more powerful he is than the Justice League Guardians of the Globe, cements the theme with a sequence of small acts of petty rivalry.

As if it weren't clear that we're exploring the repressed fear of emasculation (about which, a bit later, the character of Rex Splode will go beyond overkill), the scene that follows introduces Mark, our teenage protagonist and Omni-Man's son, covering his privates when his mother enters the bathroom. Her justification for the breach of privacy? She has already seen everything he's covering. The plot hasn't even gotten to his incredibly complicated daddy issues and we already have a sense of how easily a confident adult can challenge his unfinished self-image. In a later scene, the protagonist expresses disgust at the mere implication that his parents have a sex life; later still, more disgust at a classmate's atraction toward his father's superhero image. The symbolic intention becomes more noticeable on rewatch. While he's waiting for his genetic superpowers to manifest, Mark's first act of heroism is to stand up to a clichéd incarnation of toxic masculinity, and he finally gets his superpowers during the humbling task of taking out the trash. This is not just a story about a boy looking up to an idealized father; it's about the anxiety of grasping at the indiscernible shape of manhood while trying to fit into it. Remember the White House, that venerable embodiment of ultimate power? Turns out it has to be rebuilt twice a year. Here, male power is fragile, and its symbols more so. For a protagonist who has been raised with the expectation that he'll grow into a superhero, this is not a world of solid truths.

This feels familiar. Invincible is told in the overused narrative language that equates superpowers with puberty and the superhero life with a fully developed sexuality. For Mark, becoming a superhero and becoming a man are the same inner journey. But, just like happens to every young man, the last and indispensable step in the construction of your own masculinity is recognizing that your father is not perfect, and that you should never have expected him to be.

After we've all been forced to spend a year in our homes, the superhero genre seems to have entered an era of looking inward, of deeply personal drama. Mere weeks ago, we saw the Scarlet Witch try her hand at suburban housewifery, and shortly later Superman was putting down roots at his childhood home. Even the new Captain America would rather spend time with his sister and nephews than save the world, and let's not forget Wonder Woman's wish for domestic happiness last December. Superheroes are exhausted. They just want to sit at home, relax, and cuddle. Mark's tragedy is that he still doesn't know this. He yearns to join the glamorous élite of world saviors, unaware that the select group is sick of the job. The question for Mark is the question every young man has asked himself: why should he (and, by extension, any of us) want to be like his father?

So let's talk about Canada.

In a flashback scene, Omni-Man reveals his alien origins to little Mark. Unlike in the comic, the animated version of this dialogue has Mark ostensibly wearing a T-shirt that says CANADA in big letters. In a show where the main superhero is positioned as the defender of the American way, this brief shot is loaded with meaning. The Invincible comic was written by the American Robert Kirkman, but this animated adaptation has among its team of producers Simon Racioppa, Catherine Winder, Seth Rogen, and Evan Goldberg, all Canadians. Post-production services are credited to a company in Vancouver, operating under a British Columbia tax credit. That combination of facts was inevitably going to leave its mark on the show. This is one of those nice cases that illustrate how adaptation can enrich the content of a text. Growing up in the same house with an alien who can lift buildings and fight dragons must be pretty similar to what it feels like for Canadians to live next door to the world's biggest superpower. The question for Mark is reflected on a larger scale: why should Canada (and, by extension, any country) want to be like America?

So let's talk about Britain.

The first shot of the second episode shows the British flag over Buckingham Palace, repeating the framing of the previous episode. The scene has the same guard we saw earlier, visiting London on vacation with his stepson and explaining to him the meaning of government buildings. Here the topic of power is made explicit: the Queen of England descends from a long line of tyrants. The dialogue stops short of claiming that oppression and cruelty are in her blood, but the viewer is given enough tools to analyze Mark's difficult relationship to his inheritance.

Indeed, the issue of impossible standards seems to have become yet another obsession of the genre. So far, every Marvel production after Endgame has dealt with how to honor the legacy of a beloved superhero (Peter Parker anguishing over filling Iron Man's shoes, Wanda Maximoff adjusting to a world without Vision, Sam Wilson learning to accept Captain America's last will). Over at the CW, the new Batwoman is still working under the shadow of the original's reputation, while Superman's son is suddenly burdened with the knowledge of what his father can do and what could therefore be asked of him.

Impossible standards are a hallmark of bad parenting. In Invincible, Mark believes he has a strong role model in Omni-Man, but he's actually being manipulated into losing his humanity. In another meaningful shot, once Mark's started training, we see the two supermen from a low angle through the window in the kitchen of their house. The shot frames them as separate from mundane affairs: we see the curve of a faucet and the curve of a flower, both pointing down, toward the earth. This motif of the faucet and the flower reapperars when the demon detective Damien Darkblood explains his backstory to Omni-Man's wife. With the downward-pointing shapes as a background, the symbolic implication is an opposition between the beings of up above and the beings of down here. Compared to supermen, we mortals might as well be living in hell. The supermen are unreachably beyond.

The perks that come with power extend to every level of life. Of note, superheroes get a level of medical care that the general population doesn't even suspect exists. Rex Splode is the most obvious example of this assumption of entitlement; his treatment of Black Samson, a hero who has lost his superpowers, reeks of macho posturing and a desperate need to prove himself. Interestingly, Damien Darkblood, who has nothing to prove to mortals and doesn't even use the word "I," is the most heroic character in the story. The third episode makes a curious contrast between this demon's icy presence, always announced by frozen air, and the literal lake of fire opened by the villain of the episode, who aimed to position himself as a new god.

So let's talk about America.

The third episode's villain makes a silly speech about how people should worship him instead of false idols, but it's interesting that his choice of false idols is Mount Rushmore, American civil religion's equivalent to a site of holy pilgrimage (and built on an already existing holy site). Invincible brings a closer focus to the "worship" part of hero worship and examines it on a more concrete level. America worships itself, or rather a sanitized idea of itself, and has very little tolerance for questions that lift the smiling mask it desperately needs to hide behind. America needs to remain on top, and needs to keep believing it deserves to be there.

In Invincible, the murder of the world's strongest heroes in the first episode leaves Omni-Man at the top, enjoying a sort of unipolar moment as the representative of the putatively benevolent Viltrumites, who, as he can't stop repeating, like to intervene in less developed cultures to steer their development. Even after we watch him butcher a whole team of heroes in the first episode, it's still unnerving when he struggles to keep the saintly pretense and lets his true selfishness show. Mark's realization that the culture he comes from is not made of wise gentlemen but of heartless supremacists is too obviously a metaphor for the hard awakening that not enough Americans get when they come of age. And in tiny but crucial moments, one can see the malevolent drop of Omni-Man that lives in Mark.

The anxiety underlying the desperate need to be the strongest is explored through Mark's friendship with fellow crimefighter Atom Eve, who is having a crisis of identity because she doesn't know who she is beyond her power. This theme is echoed in the morally gray character of Titan, who wants to leave organized crime, but has let himself be defined solely by his power. His choice, in the end, is to embrace who he has been as the only way he can keep on being. Eve's choice shows another way: she takes control of how she uses her power, and finds freedom.

Mark takes a long time to learn anything from these examples. His situation parallels that of 21st-century America, finding himself with more power than he knows what to do with, protected by a bubble of privilege, terrified of having to go through life without it, and haunted by an earlier example that is only capable of destruction. Mark's struggle to build himself as a man, but not become his father, is punctuated in the show by setting several key scenes on Mount Everest, the most phallic place on Earth. Every time the action returns there, we know a crucial emotional step is occurring.

It's important to point out these uses of symbolism. Invincible is visually gory and yucky at first sight, but it's told through the motifs of time and repetition. Side characters make copies of each other left and right, one superheroine's only power is to replicate herself, and Mark's main quest is to not let history repeat itself, to somehow defeat what seems inevitable. It's interesting that Mark's first big fight as a superhero is alongside a team of kids against aliens who age rapidly, because Mark's biggest enemy, more than his father's influence, is time. He will soon become a man, and life is only giving him one chance to define who he's going to be. His predicament contrasts with the case of Monster Girl, an actually adult superheroine who reverses one week of age each time she uses her powers, and is thus doomed to stay perpetually unfinished. That is not the path Mark must go. The only way is forward.

For a show with such a disturbing penchant for blood and guts, Invincible is capable of deeply meaningful moments. Maybe it was necesary for a team of Canadian creatives to step in and start asking so many uncomfortable questions about America's destiny. I'm not even an American, and I was moved. I can only imagine what it will feel like for you.

The Math

Baseline Assessment: 8/10.

Bonuses: +1 for great direction, particularly when it comes to shot composition and symbolic motifs.

Penalties: −2 for showing way more internal organs than was necessary.

Nerd Coefficient: 7/10.

POSTED BY: Arturo Serrano, multiclass Trekkie/Whovian/Moonie, accumulating experience points for still more obsessions.

Microreview [Comic]: Sonata vol. 1 — The Valley of the Gods

David Hine and Brian Haberlin's scifi adventure comic Sonata is a beautiful planet opera which has a hard time taking off.

On planet Perdita (or alternatively Vianna), somewhere in the farthest reaches of the galaxy, two competing human civilizations have founded their own colonies. Their spaceships are able to reach it only once in a while when the worlds are favourably aligned, so the colonies of both the peaceful Ran and the less gentle Tayans have to mostly make do on their own.

These civilizations are polar opposites of each other. The Ran are peaceful, dinosaur-flying environmentalists who are on good terms with the less advanced ogre-like Lumani natives of the planet whereas the Tayans are into guns, technology, looking down on the "primitives" and, if needed, destabilizing the planet's ecosystem with huge dam constructions and the like. Obviously, the new inhabitants of Perdita/Vianna (both sides have their own name for their new homeworld) are made to not get along, even though the green and flourishing planet should be able to support them all. That is, if you steer clear of humongous mythical monsters known as sleeping giants, of course.

The story starts rolling when the Ran decide to sabotage the Tayans' new dam which deprives them and the Lumani of necessary water. The two factions are quickly on each other's throats, apart from two individuals: Sonata, the daughter of one of the Ran leaders, and Pau, son of the Tayans' bossman. The two teenagers end up adventuring together (along with Sonata's Lumani friend Treen) and becoming fond of each other, in addition to discovering that the Lumani are not the illiterate, unadvanced primitives everyone imagines.

So, let's see: strange worlds, intriguing aliens, a love story between characters whose races/civilizations are not getting along… For a contemporary science fiction comics series, it sounds quite familiar, right? Dismissing Sonata as a poor man's Saga clone would be a bit harsh but it wouldn't have hurt to spice it up a notch so that Hine and Haberlin's creation would stand out.

Haberlin's art is superb and it makes the world really come to life but the story itself feels like a fat stack of clichés. Even if it is a well-paced and entertaining story, the worn-out themes of star-crossed lovers and nature versus technology could really have used some twists and more imaginative and unexpected takes. Very few plot developments that the comic threw at the reader were things I did not see coming, and that is always disappointing. Only one thing which took place towards the end of the story (and which I won't spoil it here) seemed to take the tale to an interesting direction, and that was basically the set-up for the next story arc.

Hopefully the subsequent adventures of Sonata and Pau manage to lift them off the beaten track and make them really come to life. The first graphic novel Valley of the Gods which collects Sonata issues 1 through 6 did not succeed in establishing the series' main characters as anything other than two curious teenagers, so there's certainly room for development.

***

The Math

Base Score: 7/10

Bonuses: +1 for dazzling art

Penalties: -2 for fizzling story

Nerd Coefficient: 6/10 – "still enjoyable, but the flaws are hard to ignore"

Reference: Hine, David & Haberlin, Brian. Sonata, volume 1: Valley of the Gods [Image 2019]

***

POSTED BY: Spacefaring Kitten, an extradimensional enthusiast of speculative fiction, comics, and general weirdness. Contributor since 2018.

Thursday Morning Superhero

There were a lot of great Super Bowl commercials this year, but none that had an impact on me like the trailer for Stranger Things season 2.  In addition to feeling excited and concerned about things turning upside down, nerds were treated to another trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and Logan.  I guess I am trying to get to the point that nerds have reached critical max in terms of pop culture saturation and it is absolutely grand.

Pick of the Week:
Doctor Aphra #4 - I continue to be blown away by this series and am so happy that they decided to give Dr. Aphra her own title.  I really enjoyed her role (along with her two droids) in the Vader series and have really enjoyed learning more about the archaeologist.  I have described this series as a cross between Indiana Jones and Star Wars and that was very apparent this issue as Aphra worked with her father in an attempt to find the Ordu Aspectu.  The similarities even spill over into the contemptuous relationship between Aphra and her father and the sprinkle of humor that the droids provide is the icing on the cake.  The best line from this issue was Triple-0 saying, "Yes, I agree.  Being dead should slow them down."  When you think about it, he isn't wrong.

The Rest:
Birthright #22 - The intensity in the latest issue ramps up as Mastema, daughter of Lore, attempts seize control of the chaos that has been taking place as Lore controls Mikey.  Understanding her role in the big picture provides a great context to what is happening with the other mages and why it is so critical to stop Lore and why she isn't concerned about Mikey's fate throughout this process.  Clearly there is enough support for Mikey that it seems likely that we will be approaching a major battle in the next few issues.  It sounds like Joshua Williamson has some big plans through issue #25 and I don't expect this series to slow down any time soon.


Justice League of America: Rebirth #1 - Since it was a slow week in terms of books on my pull list I decided to give a new DC title a whirl. It seems that Killer Frost was the center force behind a major event that likely killed many humans and others in the wake of her actions.  I will admit knowing little about her and nothing about what happened, but it looks like Batman is trying to build a team around her made up of humans with powers as she seeks redemption for her actions.  While Batman trusts that she regrets her actions and is reformed, the other members for this team that Batman is gathering aren't as sure.  Enlisting the help of Canary, Lobo, The Atom's Teaching Assistant (it seems he is missing), and The Ray, Batman is preparing for something big and feels that in order to regain the trust of the public, they need to be able to relate to the JLA and those trying to help.  Solid first issue that will lead to me adding this to my pull list.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012. 

Thursday Morning Superhero

Image Comics is turning 25 this year and to celebrate Robert Kirkman is making his three primary comics only 25 cents each during the month of February.  New issues of The Walking Dead, Invincible (which I am about 60 issues into and it is amazing!), and Outcast can be yours for only one quarter!  Each issue marks the beginning of a new arc and the sale will hopefully bring some new readers to one of the best publishers in this industry.  When it was founded on the principle of creator owned content it was ground breaking and continues to be one of the most creator friendly publishers, if not the most creator friendly, out there.  The trust Image has in the leading artists and authors in this industry is probably the biggest reason for its success and for the truly ground breaking titles it produces.

Pick of the Week:
Nailbiter #29 - Joshua Williamson finally revealed the secrets of Buckaroo, Oregon and I couldn't be happier.  We are in the second-to-last issue in this series and we finally understand why there is a temple under water in a lake and an underground tunnel system throughout the town.  We learned this as the entire town of Buckaroo burns to the ground in a final attempt to hide its dark history from the world.  As we approached the end of the series I was worried that there would be some supernatural reason for the serial killers that would leave a sour taste in my mouth, but I am pleased to report that the secret (I'm not going to tell you!) is worth the wait and extremely satisfying.  Not only that but the set up for the series finale has me biting my own finger nails!  Congratulations to Joshua Williamson and Mike Henderson for delivering such a horrifying series that truly had me on the edge of my seat from the beginning.  I look forward to reading the epic conclusion to this series and re-reading it on an annual basis.

The Rest:
Darth Maul #1 - You had me at Darth Maul and Cullen Bunn.  I was beyond excited to learn that Bunn was writing a solo Darth Maul series.  Darth Maul is one of those characters that captivated audiences without us ever learning anything about him.  We have learned more through his appearances on Clone Wars and Rebels, but still know little about his time prior to the events in Episode One.  In this first issue we learn about the blood lust that Maul has and how it may be what ultimately leads to his downfall.  Darth Sidious needs Maul to be patient, but it doesn't appear that he will be able to keep him occupied as he waits for things to line up politically.  Really impressed with the first issue and looking forward to where this one is headed.

The Walking Dead #163 - The best 25 cents I have spent in some time, this issue marks a drastic turn in the series and appears to be setting up a chaotic arc that will likely leave a number of dead bodies in its wake.  The herd that the Whisperers led to Rick's city are approaching as rapidly as zombies can manage and have everyone in the town in a total panic.  To let you know how crazy things are, Rick and Negan fight side-by-side and appear to be patching things up.  I am never going to count Negan out from mixing things up, but he has really played the ally card effectively and will likely throw a major wrench into the gears soon.  One of the most zombie packed issues in a long time and it can be yours for only a quarter!

Paper Girls #11 - One of the best series of 2016 continues to shine in 2017 as the girls find themselves trapped in 11,706 BCE.  The girls have a minor incident with some locals before a mysterious time traveler named Dr. Qanta Braunstein makes a landing and will surely mix things up in the next issue.  I have given up trying to predict where this book will take me and am merely happily along for the ride.






Old Man Logan #17 - Wolverine's journey through this time-shifting adventure continues to tread the border of the events in space and the Wastelands.  The two incidents appear to be happening concurrently as he tries to remember what happened to Banner's grandson who he was trying to protect.  Everything seems real, but like a dream at the same time and Logan appears to be walking a fine line between reality and madness.  As he battles these alternative realities, he is confronted with the one who is doing this to him and it should set up another exciting issue from Jeff Lemire.  I really thought this would be a mini-series and am blown away with where Lemire has taken this story.

Batman #16 - In another odd issue that featured a lot of humorous dialogue at a fast food joint, Batman urges his collection of sidekicks to take a vacation while he deals with Bane.  Not wishing any harm to come to them, it is clear that Batman's past and the pain and suffering that have happened to those around him still have a big impact on how he cares for those who surround him.  While the issue seemed a bit odd overall, Tom King delivers a stunning panel to keep readers coming back for the next issue and the arrival of Bane.  While things look grim, I am not buying what Bruce Wayne finds in the Bat Cave and will still hope for this series to improve.



POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012. 

Best Cinematic Comic Adaptation Tournament (Round 3)

And then there were eight. Or, seven really, since there are two Batmen (Batmans?) at this table.

I have to admit personally I'm very happy Hellboy has made it this far and fist-smashed Kick-Ass into the pavement. And handily. But we had some nailbiters, just like the last round. Nausicaa only just squeaked Ghost in the Shell, and Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy apparently had a dance-off, which left Iron Man et al. going for shawarma and Star Lord et al. advancing to the next round. With the exception of the Indie/Imprint Region, everything else has gone all-chalk so far.

Click to Expand

Next stop, the Final Four. We know Batman's going to be giving a Japanese cartoon character the stare-down, but the other half of the bracket is murkier. Will NoaF favorite Dredd overcome poor viewership and overcome a hellspawn only to get a faceful of vibranium? Time -- and your votes -- will tell.

Previous rounds here, here, and here.

Marvel Region

Batman (DC) Region

Indie/Imprint Region

International Region

Thursday Morning Superhero

Happy Thursday!  Before we hop into this week's books, I thought I would share another kickstarter project that is too cool not to share.  A group of smart people huddled together, and figured out how to put an escape room in a box.  Escape rooms are quite popular, but can be expensive, difficult to coordinate, and require some serious scheduling.  To avoid this hassle, this convenient option was invented and darn does it look cool.  They have unlocked some awesome stretch goals and I am looking forward to adding this to my ever growing game collection.  Check it out here and let me know what you think!

Pick of the Week:
Chew #55 - John Layman made his twitter followers promise not to spoil anything and I am a good and loyal subject.  I will say that Mr. Layman has made me feel sympathetic towards a character who I had previously loathed.  Multiple characters in this issue demonstrated that they were far more complex than I ever had realized, and it makes me want to go back and reread this insane adventure from the start.  When I first learned about Tony Chu and his cibopath powers, I never guessed that his adventure would have brought us to where we are today.  There were a few moments in the middle where I doubted where his tale was going, but it appears that the conclusion is going to be worth the journey.  If you are not already a Chew fan DO NOT read this book.  Go pick up a few trades, maybe even an omnivore edition, and catch up.  What are you waiting for?!?!

The Rest:
Daredevil #4 - Charles Soule drops a bomb, literally, in his early run with the man with no fear.  I have enjoyed the direction Soule has taken Mr. Murdock thus far, and the added twist in this one was a great touch. After Tenfingers confronted Murdock, he turns to a powerless Steve Rogers for guidance.  In a chilling moment, Daredevil realizes he has stumbled onto a bomb.  Rogers asks Daredevil how much time is left until it explodes to which Daredevil responds, "I don't know."  Something as simple as not being able to sense how much time is left is a chilling and sobering moment in this great book.  Daredevil realizes that Cap doesn't know he is blind as he directs him to the green and yellow wires.  There is something about seeing how vulnerable some superheroes really are and Soule's early take on Daredevil is not to be missed.

Saga #34 - I love how sweet and trusting toddler Hazel is.  It is staggering to think of how much she has grown throughout this series, and how I hope this book shifts with more of a focus on her.  She has always been our narrator, but it is something to see her come into her own and really start to drive some of the narrative.  A lot has to be resolved before we can head in that direction, but I feel that is where we are headed and I couldn't be more excited.  It was also amazing to see that The Will, even fat The Will, is still a freaking force to be reckoned with.  We are reaching the point where our fragmented stories will all merge into one and it is going to be a glorious train wreck!



Plutona #4 - Things really pick up when Mie learns about how Tugger and her brother have been trying to gain Plutona's power by trying to absorb her blood.  It isn't apparent how well it is working as Tugger has been sick, but there are changes happening and I fear for Mie and her "friends" and what might happen after the effect of the blood kicks in.  Jeff Lemire remains adept at connecting his readers to his characters on an emotional level with ease.  I am truly afraid for the next issue and the conclusion of this dark tale.





POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.   

Thursday Morning Superhero

I hope you are preparing yourself for this weekend's general San Diego Comic Con sale.  If you haven't created your official Comic Con ID, I think you are already out of the game.  In an event that is sure to fill your social media feed with complaints and tales of victory, I wish my fellow nerds the best of luck as they try for the coveted golden ticket.  Good luck all!

Pick of the Week:
Huck #4 - Holy twist, Mark Millar!  Huck is the only superhero that is even more of a goody-goody than Superman and Captain America combined and his story has been one of the most endearing I have read in recent memory.  Thanks to his powers going public, Huck has reconnected with his brother and has learned that his mom escaped from the Russians during the Cold War.  Using his special abilities, Huck is on the trail of his mother, but being the good Samaritan he is, he is delayed in his efforts to help others along the way.  This title needs to be developed into a television series or movie so that this story can reach the masses.   This is the issue that cements it as a must read.

The Rest:
Birthright #14 - The tension between Mikey and Brennan reaches a boiling point in an emotional issue that is setting up an epic ending to the current arc.  Brennan finally has had enough and stands up for himself in a series of panels that I can relate to as a younger brother.  It is amazing to think about how composed he has been considering what his family has been through.  This was the issue that humanized Brennan and Mikey's relationship and Joshua Williamson should be applauded for doing so in such a realistic fashion.  Add in the drama that breaks at the end of the issue with their parents and we are fully set up for a truly special ending of this arc in the next issue.


Star Wars #16 - Dr. Aphra has just been secured in a secret rebel prison that exists on a star.  Leia is ensured that this is a secure location, but Aphra reminds the prison that she is a friend of Vader and that she won't remain long on this star.  Meanwhile, Han Solo is gambling with funds that were intended for supplies and may be a bit rusty on his act.  The Marvel take on Star Wars continues to shine as it sheds light on events that took place between the movies.  I am curious to see where Solo's failed gambling brings him and Luke as they attempt to strengthen their tie to the rebellion.  It is easy to think they were always a key part, but both of them fell into their roles and their struggle to fit in is an enjoyable read.



POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.   

Thursday Morning Superhero

Today we bring you a jumbo-sized edition of Thursday Morning Superhero.  There were more titles I wanted to read, but hit my limit in the eight I present below.  Truly a great week of comics with many stellar issues.  This week we are given a new series from Image that is promising, an astounding debut of a new Wolverine, and once again declare that Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale should be creating new Captain America material until they retire.

 Pick of the Week:
Captain America: White #4 - This might be my favorite issue in this series to date.  Not only do we get some quality time with Herr Skull, we learn more about the complications surrounding Bucky and Captain America's relationship.  The two cared for each other, but almost to a fault and it is very rewarding to read these stories with the addition of Cap's narration.  It feels like watching one of your favorite movies with the commentary.  You enjoy a classic story, but gain valuable insights from those who lived it.  I hope this becomes an ongoing series.  I could read old Captain America stories from Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale until the cows come home.  

The Rest:

All New Wolverine #1 -  Not sure if you remember, but Wolverine is dead.  Fans speculated he would return, and he still might, but for now his cloned daughter will be carrying the torch.  X-23 is the new Wolverine and her debut issue was a treat.  She is a natural fit to carry on the legacy and from this debut, it appears to be in good hands.  In this issue, she is tracking down assassin who turns out to be a clone of her.  There are other clones out there, and it appears that the journey to track them down will be an entertaining one. 



The Walking Dead #148 - Oh Rick.  Why would you turn to that.  I know that things aren't going as

planned and the skinwalkers have everyone on edge, but no.  You can't do that.  It was correct to move Lydia.  She wasn't safe.  I still fear for Carl and the others at Alexandria with her being there, but you need to be the better man.  Desperate times call for desperate measures, but not this.  You are opening Pandora's Box and it isn't going to end well.

Batman #46 - While I am still not 100% on board with Jim Gordan as Batman, Bruce Lee with amnesia, and some of the new gear Batman has, I am completely down with Mister Bloom as one of my favorite super villains.  He is an intriguing fella.  He has opportunities to kill Batman, but holds back and is also aware that Jim Gordon is currently wearing the suit.  Robin may have uncovered a secret about Mister Blook, but he will need to escape the Penguin's clutches first. 





Darth Vader #12 - This series does a great job of demonstrating the power of Vader juxtaposed with how vulnerable he can be.  When we last left, it appeared that the inquisitor Thanoth was going to prove that it was Vader who stole the Imperial credits.  Just when we think that Vader is going to suffer more humiliation, he is able to convice Thanoth to leave Aphra alone and pursue a lead on a nearby Rebel squadron.  It is brilliant in how simple it is, and when they pursue the Rebels we once again witness the sheer strength of Vader.  Using only his lightsaber and the force, he is able to stop an escaping Y-Wing in a glorious scene.  Following this victory, he may be entering a trap as the new event surrounding this comic is "Vader Down."  This series remains must read material for Star Wars fans.

Birthright #11 - We are treated to an entire issue in Terranos and learn more about Mikey's tragic downfall.  While the Nevermind has control of him now and Brennan has a big burden to bear, Mikey's time in Terranos was no easy task.  He was taken away from his home, instructed that he was the chosen one, and forced to train and battle demons that he couldn't have fathomed in his previous life.  He tells his brother the tale of the time he saved a girl from Kallista, a woman who was possessed by the Nevermind and now served Lore.  This issue almost tricks us into once again trusting Mikey, but we learn that hope lies with Brennan and he is the hero we need.



Southern Bastards #12 - A trippy issue takes us through the vegetative state of Tad Ledbetter, a friend of Earl Tubb who finds himself at the wrong end of a beating from Coach Hogg's thugs.  The only shimmer of light is Materhead, an assistant coach under Hogg who is starting to crack.  He thinks that Rebel, a god who should be long dead, is haunting him at each of his wrong turns.  This sprinkle of the supernatural works well in this dark, yet entertaining series.

The Goddamned #1 - Jason Aaron gives us a new series on the life of Cain, thousands of year after his birth.  The rage that existed when he killed his brother remains, and he has some sort of Wolverine-esque healing ability.  Not sure what to make of this extremely graphic debut, but there was something visceral that was appealing.  I will check out the next issue, but am not sure if I will be sticking with it.






 POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012. 

Thursday Morning Superhero

We are one month into the new year and I am pleased to say that January has been a good month for comic book fans.  With 2015 off to a great start, I hope that the remainder of the year delivers the goods.  I hope that the Star Wars franchise is a hit for Marvel, but doesn't get watered down with numerous spin-offs.  I hope that Marvel or DC actually have an event that impacts the universe in a meaningful way.  I hope that Wolverine remains dead.  Finally, I hope that Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez will return us all to the Locke and Key universe.  That is all.

Pick of the Week:
The Dying and the Dead #1 - I have been looking forward to this title for quite some time and it did not disappoint.   With any Jonathan Hickman tale, you know you are going to be a few issues in before you really know what his plan is and where the book is taking you.  This is no different, but the beginning of the story is extremely intriguing and I can't wait to be wrong about all of the assumptions I am making.  There are three parties that have a stake in the story thus far.  A group of occultists who have summoned Bah Al' Suharur, an old colonel who is at the end of his rope and would do anything to save his dying wife, and a society of immortals who live underneath the Earth.  All three parties are interesting on their own, but how their paths intersect in this first issue warrant your time and money.  It will cost you $4.50 for this oversized issue and is worth every penny.

The Rest:
Batman #38 - Part 4 of Endgame is here and it is a doozy.  I feel that this issue was a return to form for Scott Snyder.  Not that I didn't enjoy the previous arcs, but felt it needed a recharge after Zero Year.  Endgame started on that trajectory and this issue felt like I was reading classic Batman and classic Snyder.   The crew is not any closer to finding a cure for the new Joker virus and Gotham is getting ripped apart at the seams by its own citizens.  Pretty standard Batman fare, but not a bad thing.  That is until Snyder dropped a rumored Joker backstory bomb that leads to Batman making a difficult decision.  He is at his wits end and needs to learn about the history of Gotham.   I won't spoil who or what he turns to for help, but I was shocked and cannot wait until the next issue.

Munchkin #1 - It seems like no matter where you turn your head you will bump into something Munchkin.  At our house we have multiple Munchkin games, a stack of Munchkin bookmarks, a pint glass from the Munchkin Tavern, and I backed a Munchkin themed Lego type brick.  Needless to say, I am a fan.  This week we have been graced with a Looney Tunes style comic that featured three stories from some pretty impressive creators.  The only catch is that if you aren't a fan of Munchkin I don't think that you would find this title worth your time.  If you are a fan, you will enjoy the simple comic that captures the spirit of the game and includes some familiar faces and foes.  Throw in the fact that each comic includes an exclusive card (pretty cool!) and I will be picking up issue #2.

Skylanders #5 - I continue to enjoy this series, but my son brought up a great point.  The first story in this issue was already featured in one of the comics that was packaged with a legendary trap.  It happened when the series launched (the first comic was available through a series of Gamestop mini-comics), but at this point I want to see where the main storyline is going.  While it is nice to see this material available to people who don't have the trap, I feel a bit shortchanged when I only got three new pages of material for $3.99.  What is frustrating was the new material was good and actually moved the plot forward.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

New York Comic Con is this weekend and I am bummed that I can't make the trip to the Big Apple.  This is on my bucket list of conventions to attend and hopefully I will attend it before it gets too big.  An interesting note that may or may not impact SDCC next year, is the plan to empty the main hall after each panel.  Fans will get wristbands for specific panels and then line up 35 minutes before the panel begins.  I am curious how quick a hall that seats 3,000 can be emptied and filled back up, but feel that if NYCC can do this well then it could be the solution to camping out issue that SDCC dealt with last year.  Anyhoo, great week for Image Comics.  Given the recent growth that its had lately and the A-list talent that is developing new series for Image, it is a great time for fans and creators alike.

Pick of the Week:
Wytches #1 - Scott Snyder and crew (Jock, Matt Hollingsworth, and Clem Robins) are onto something special.  While the comic was exceptional on its own, Snyders insight as to the inspiration of the title and how personal it is made it feel extremely special and intimate.  Snyder has a good track record on the horror genre (American Vampire, The Wake) and Wytches takes it to an entirely new level.  The witches of this tale live in the woods and seek pledges for favors.  Sailor Rooks (the troubled teen at the center of this tale) and her family have some sort of connection to these witches and the world of magic and it isn't pretty.  Jock, Hollingsworth and Robins immerse the reader in this world that switches from the mundane to the horrific at ease.  The results are the moments when you jump out of your seat and have that split moment of terror.  Perfect reading for October.

The Rest:
Punks: The Comic #1 - As someone who hit his "punk" phase later than most and was more poser than a real punk, I am left confused with this title.  It was a fine read, but did absolutely nothing for me.  Image is allowing its creators to push the boundaries of what a comic book should be and that should be applauded.  There are some people who probably quite enjoyed this title, but I was not one of them.  Maybe if I were a real punk and my store had Mojo Nixon then I wouldn't think this title needed any fixing.




Birthright #1 - The time to jump on the Joshua Williamson bandwagon is now.  If you missed Ghosted and Nailbiter (you should pick up the trades) you have the opportunity to get in on the ground floor with this title.  The premise of the title, without spoiling anything, revolves around a boy named Mikey who vanishes in the woods after playing catch with his dad.  Over a year later a man who is much older, claims to be Mikey.  Dressed like someone from your local LARPing group, he claims that he was brought to a fantasy world because he was the chosen one.  Andrei Bressan (co-creator and artist), Adriano Lucas (colorist) and Pat Brosseau (letterer) team up to produce a beautiful book that effectively captures the emotions of losing a child.  Emotional, exciting, and intriguing.

Batman #35 - Another new arc is upon us and I am once again reminded how paranoid Bruce Wayne is.  We begin what is entitled Endgame, and learn that the Justice League wants Batman dead.  Why would they turn on their friend?  Who could possibly be behind this devious scheme?  While the plot is Batman 101, I love seeing the lengths that Bruce Wayne goes to in order to cope with his paranoia.  I guess when you have no super powers and you surround yourself with a bunch of supers you worry that at some point at least one of them will turn.  My favorite item in this issue is called the "blind of veils" and it is woven by Hephaestus after he made Wonder Woman's famous lasso.  The thought of Bruce Wayne packing a wool blanky inside a Batsuit is just too great.  Snyder knows what he is doing and I look forward to where Endgame goes.  As a bonus the short story from James Tynion IV at the end is extremely well done.  A horrific tale about the rebirth of the Joker.  Worth the price of admission on its own.

POSTED BY MIKE N. -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Image Expo 2014

Before the madness that is preview night and the chaos that is over 100,000 fans taking over San Diego, Image Comics held a press conference that solidified why it is a force that the big two should reckon with.  Eric Stephenson laid out very clearly why Image comics is thriving in a time when other publishers are seeing numbers fall.  He said, "[c]hange is absolutely integral to our future. Standing still didn't work for comics in the 1960s, and it's not going to work now."

Stephenson was not shy about poking fun at the big two publishers claiming that comics are creator-driven, as opposed to creator owned.  Through a brief documentary about the history of Image Comics, it is clear that comics that are truly creator-owned allow the creators to see their full vision come to life.  Editors don't have the final say, creators do.  Given this attitude, here are the three projects that I am most excited for.

Tokyo Ghosts - Rick Remender and Sean Murphy
Sean Murphy, in my opinion, is one of the best artists to grace the pages of this medium.  Seeing the brief glimpses at that art in this title is enough to get me excited, but Remender painted a picture that this title drew from titles such as Lobo and Judge Dredd.  It was a great way to open up the press conference and I look forward to this title dropping early next year.





Valhalla Mad - Joe Casey and Paul Mayberry
Inspired from a single panel from classic Jack Kirby Thor, Valhalla Mad is, according to Casey, "Gods coming to Earth, having fun, doing a little drinking." Casey poked fun and stated that Thor would not be turned into a women and lamented writing in the faux Shakespearean style that one associates with Thor.  This sounds like it is going to be one of the most enjoyable and entertaining series of 2015.

Intersect - Ray Fawkes
This title, that Fawkes is writing as painting, is said to be so out there that only Image Comics would publish it.  According to Image, "[b]odies shift and merge, warring with themselves. Blood rains from the skies. A child’s song is translated into toxic, thought-destroying whispers. Everything is changing. Everything is wrong. This is the world of Intersect."  Fawkes described it as if "Twin Peaks happened within the Black Lodge."  Sounds like an intriguing and trippy series.





What was clear through the announcement is that Image has built its business on one thing.  If you trust creative people and allow them to create, you will be successful.  Given the amazing titles, not limited to, but including Saga, Walking Dead, Revival, Outcast, Chew, East of West, and so forth, I think that it is doing something right and comics fans are the real winners.

POSTED BY MIKE N. -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.