2020: A year of many new comics (but not much time to read them)!!

So, 2020 has really been something, huh? 

To say it's been an odd year could be considered the understatement. For me, like most Brits, I've gone through nine months of seeing no one, two lockdowns covering most of that time, having all my interactions over a video and through masks, the majority of which everyone the world over has also had to go through (unless you delusionally think that some of these notions don't apply to you).

So, in real life, this year has sucked quite a bit.

However, when it comes to comics, I've felt that this has been a pretty good year, even if I've not managed to make the time to read everything I've managed to add to my 'to read' pile.

From the very beginning, right up to last week, it has felt like COVID-19 could do nothing to knock down the comics industry and community (except that 2-3 month hiatus during Spring). Of course, that hasn't stopped either the pandemic or other factors from trying.

For me, the year started really well when I took a punt on Superman Smashes the Klan, which turned out to be a Godsend of a series as it told an all-ages story with an important message based on an old radio serial episode of the Man of Steel's fight against a KKK analogy.

From that point on my year was pretty Fantastic Four heavy within my pull list as not only did I get eight issues of the regular series (it would have been nine, but I wasn't able to pick #27 before New Year), but I was also blessed with two four-issue mini series in the form of Zdarsky/Dodson's X-Men/Fantastic Four and Waid/Adams' Antithesis as well as two one-shots (Grimm Noir and Road Trip) and a couple of First Family centric bookends for the Empyre event (which the regular series had a tie-in story. Now of all of these titles, only the one-shots had any real impact, with X4 not really meeting the standards I had in my head and the ongoing being wildly inconsistent (except for the art teams, all of whom were stellar) but it was nice to be able to read so much FF after years of getting nothing (Note, as I write this I hadn't gotten around to Antithesis).

Of course, my pull list wasn't exclusively Fantastic Four as I also picked up a few other titles here and there. The Lazarus story continued in the Quarterly digest issues, Lazarus Risen. Unfortunately, the pandemic along with the long gap between issue releases meant that this book moved very little as I only acquired one issue (the recent issue 5 apparently hasn't made it into Britain). Fortunately, other comics were a little more dependable with the terrific Star Trek: Hell's Mirror keeping me hooked on IDW's mirror universe instalments and X-Men #9, which was an accidental purchase but gave me the chance to partake in a little reading experiment.

That said, the contents of my pull list paled in comparison to the actions of Comixology during 2020, who really stepped up with numerous free releases of some pretty incredible comic collections to help readers get through their respective Lockdowns. Not only that but they did this again to honour the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman with a giveaway of every (and I do mean EVERY) single issue Black Panther comic that had ever been released to that date). For me, who took advantage of all giveaways, this meant a LOT of free comics, which has (obviously( resulted in a backlog of my reading material (made worse by a recent birthday haul) which can only mean I'll never be without reading material again.

Not that I ever am, of course, thanks to my constant supply of small press comics to review for Pipedream Comics. It was here, with this corner of the comics community, where I really felt comics saw their major strength of 2020 with a tremendous number of quality comics. These included titles like video game tie-in Crayta, the kickstarters for Burn Residue, Gunrunner and Commander Rao (to name a few), the full trade of Tom Woodman and Rupert Smisson's Future, the terrific Quarantine, the continuation of the 'Our Final Halloween' series, Joe Glass' tremendous Acceptable Losses, Jordan Thomas and Clark Bint's Frank at Home on the Farm, Jed MacPherson's The Show and a whole host of other comics (mostly released by Vault comics or, such as with Afterlift and the Pride, Comixology Originals) as well as some great webcomics (which, admittedly, are not new this year) like Vanguard, Theatrics and re-reading Breaks (this time for a Pipedream review). While you can't say that every release has been a winner (although that's subjective because everybody likes something different), I've really felt that this year has seen a truly incredible array of creator-owned, self financed releases.

Of course, as Star Wars movies have taught me, there is always a balance of dark side to light and 2020 has sire seen its share of the bad (excluding the obvious). Diamond withholding orders (and payments), Dynamite having CG ties (after their previous goodness in 70 free first issues on comixology), harassment revelations about some big name creators, the Slott 'mocumentary', I really feel 2020 has revealed a lot of the 'dark side' of comics. That said, I have thought that the reactions by the world at large to all of these is a great indicator that the majority of comics are indeed great people.

So, all in all, despite being trapped in my house for near 95% of the time I don't think 2020 has been that bad a year in regards to comics (everything else though I can't admit the same to). If anything though, 2020 has felt like a year that, through being locked in, has given me focus as to what I want to do in 2021 because I now have a lot of plans.

Therefore, roll on the new year!!!

Oh, and before I forget...

Boxing Day saw the beginning of Pipedream Comics annual Top 50 comics of the Year. For 2020, we again selected the best half century of small press and independent comics (well, in our opinion anyway).

I'll be honest, I have some knowledge of the inclusions, but not the full list and so I'm equally in the dark and gaining the same surprise as everyone else as to who is on there and what placement.

As of writing this, 50-41 and 40-31 have already been posted, so I'd recommend you check it out, especially if you are looking for a new, top quality comic to read.

Fantastic Four #24 - 26 (and Road Trip too)

It's been a few weeks since I last posted and that wasn't intentional. Unfortunately, I've come to discover that with the Christmas period comes more work, more Christmas preparation, more to do. In fact, more of everything. As such, I've not been able to find the time (or maybe even the energy at some points) to read the small backlog I've built up in my pull list.

However, with Christmas fast approaching, I thought I'd make a concerted effort to get through at least half of my pull list backlog (Antithesis will just have to wait until the new year). Therefore, in order to allow me to catch up on all the FF 26 spoilers on my podcast list, I decide to burn through the outstanding issues of the FF regular series as well as the Road Trip one-shot.

So, let's get started.

First up was Fantastic Four #24 which saw the ever extending First Family come together to celebrate their new arrivals (namely the Kree and Skrull children from Empyre). However, the good cheer is short lived when Franklin's return brings with it the appearance of Iceman, leading to the revelation of his tenure on the team and his rivalry with Johnny.

Now, this was a fun little one-and-done issue which I rather enjoyed. I thought it was nice to finally get an answer to the question that had been in the back of my mind since the series had returned; when was Iceman part of the FF? Now, maybe it wasn't as big as the delay in the telling the story might have made it seem, but still I enjoyed it for its somewhat SIlver age vibe that I got from it.

In fact, the art was what really made me think about this issue being a callback to the silver age because Paco Medina not only keeps the present in the style I've been loving since he came on the book but also the flashback pages which look so incredibly silver agey in their style is fantastic (pardon the pun) suit the period perfectly. Medina's art is really awesome here like all his prior issues and I have to confess that I'm a little sad to be seeing him (along with Sean Isaakze) leaving the book.

Otherwise, the book has some fun moments. The new kids are showing some nice dynamic with Ben and Alicia (although, I'm curious about how they legally adopt these kids who are Aliens? Maybe it's to do with more their fit as parents than the kids being in any adoption system. But I digress). Meanwhile, Sky has a nice bit here as her presence appears to assist in Johnny's bout of growth (at least for now). I have to admit though that there is still something about her that feels like a waste, including that she's still kinda forgetable and could easily replace her with any girl (or guy. Just saying). That said, she's a lot less prickly to me now than her initial appearance, though I struggle to see what her overall arc is beyond Johnny's latest arm candy.

But anyway, regardless of the last few thoughts, this was a very simple and fun issue. If I don't think about the rest of this series and its controversial moments (selling the Baxter building, Ben as the lead, the retcon of their origin), this issue is a reminder to me of how fun the FF truly are.

Meanwhile, Fantastic Four #25 saw secrets revealed as an unknown, but all-powerful creature and his master invade Earth seeking some mysterious item amongst the world's most hidden vaults. Unfortunately, this just so happens to include one at the Baxter Building as one of Reed's oldest secrets is let out in the open, spoiling the teams domestic and professional bliss', while also leading Franklin to a lack of identity.

Unfortunately, while the prior issue reminded me of how fun the FF are, this one didn't really follow up on that as I found I didnt like this issue as much (although after a second readthrough, I found that it wasn't as bad as initially believed).

I think the main problem I had with it was that it felt so crowded, as if Slott was trying to cram in far too much setup in preparation for some grand story arc. As such, and maybe due to the cast now being so big (eight characters were here, not including Sky or Wyatt Wingfoot), it really felt like no one got any real focus (in fact I barely remembered Johnny appearing).

That said, a few of the characters did have some good moments, so maybe I'm being unfair when I say no one had any focus. For one, it was nice to see Sue get some more focus than usual as her recent mini (which I need to read) was tied in. I found it interesting when she commented about her family never noticing her gone, was that a real show of the family dynamic or some kind of meta-commentary towards her obvious lack of use in this run? I also found the Franklin tease towards the end interesting, and not just because I've been hearing so much about it online. Finally, the Doom/Reed banter was a fun little moment for me, although that as well as Reed's praising his daughter did little to make up for my dislike for another installment of the character assassination of Reed Richards which this run seems to make a habit of.

Fortunately, the arrival of R.B. Silva on the art helped make up for things with me, as I felt his work was like a nice evolution of the Izaakse/Medina styles that I had come to love with this series. Of course, it wasn't all perfect as I'm not a fan of the new costumes (which look far too 'ultimate' for my tastes) but it was overall a beautiful feast of panels, my favourite of which had to be the scene set in jo-venn and N'kalla's bedroom which I liked very much. The Watcher backup story which picked up from after Empyre was ok. I have to admit that I felt it was a bit redundant, although it was worth it to just once more get a little bit of Medina art in the book.

Unfortunately, after issue 24, which had me reinvested, issue 25 was, to me, a pretty bad 180. While the second readthrough made me realise that it wasn't as bad as I first thought, this was an issue I found I couldn't connect with. Hopefully it would read better when it is part of (what I assume is) the upcoming arc but, I have to admit, it has made me a little hesitant of the next instalment.

Next up was Fantastic Four #26 which saw the First Family deal with the fallout of the previous issue as they attempt to control the Forever Gate while also finding a way to protect from whatever may attempt to come through.

Now, I have to say that this issue had me intrigued. Like 25, I really thought that it suffered from a case of having far too much crammed into it. However, what intrigued me was the feeling I got that all of the plot threads from Slott's run were being tied up (or at the very least were at the beginnings of having them tied up). This issue saw the Future Foundation return (before summarily being moved off stage) along with Lyra the Lazerfist (how did she get there? Was that something I missed in the Future Foundation mini?), who is obviously there to bring the end of the Sky/Johnny romance.

Finally, there is the controversy (if you can call it that) surrounding Franklin's mutant status. Now, I've been hearing rumblings on the web but have tried to avoid and I must admit that, after reading it, I'm not too fussed. In truth, where Slott has gone has made sense for the character, who has done everything from make himself a grown up to create universes, so the idea of him making himself a mutant in order to connect or feel a sense of belonging works. My theory, by the end Slott will return him his powers and then they'll say that he's actual a Celestial.

Otherwise though, this issue felt pretty standard to me and on the same lines as 25 in terms of enjoyment. While it had a couple of cool moments; Reed and Sue at the press conference and Nikki and Jo 'defending' 4 Yancy Street, I struggled to get invested (although it was less of a struggle than the prior issue I'll admit).

Again, Silva's art is breathtaking and saves the day for this issue. The art is where this series has been strongest in my opinion and I think getting Issakze, Medina and Silva has been its major coup. Here though, I think Silva really takes things to the next level, especially with the portal scenes are tremendous. If this is the final arc then I think Silva's ... Epicness will do it nicely. Also, I've gotta say, I really love Brooks' cover. It is breathtaking!!!

So again, not a strong issue, but I found that this one was a slight improvement on the last one. Hopefully, my intrigue over what is to come, along with the notion that it might be Slott's final story on this book, will not be in vain as the next issues fare better.

Lastly I read Fantastic Four: Road Trip, which saw the Richards/Grimm clan go on a family vacation to a remote cabin (detouring for Reed's scientific curiousity). However, things start to unravel (literally) when the team find their bodies start to fall apart.

Now THIS was a 'fantastic' read (pardon the pun, but it's valid). I absolutely loved this issue from beginning to end. I've been hearing Christopher Cantwell's name here and there and how he does good work but, seeing it for myself, I've got to admit I'm in awe of how great a story he's put together here. I found the story completely compelling, tremendously paced, Cantwell seemed to get the characters perfectly, I just couldn't put it down. Of course, there were some questions that came to me after reading this such as why did Valeria regress to a toddler if she's now a teen/pre-teen? Was it a case that the 'virus' inverted their powers, so if hers is her hyper-intelligence then inversely she'd regress to something akin to a toddler? Also, if this story took place after the Point of Origin arc, then where is Sky? Surely, as she's new to the world (and Johnny's betrothed) she wouldn't be left behind. That said, these questions didn't affect my thoughts that this was an awesome story.

And then there was the art. Oh my god the art is phenomenal. Filipe Andrade's art style in this issue is hauntingly brilliant (especially the page breaking down the house, I really love those images). While the art seems unusual for the team to begin with, I really thought that each character had take on their powers traits visually (e.g. I really thought Reed looked stretch out when he was proportioned 'normally', with gangly fingers and everything) and I wonder if this was intentional. If it was, I loved it. However, as the story progresses, every facet of the world seems to become more disturbed and insane to match the characters problems. I could maybe gush on this art forever, but I'll just quit while I'm ahead by saying I loved every panel of this comic.

(As a side note, it occurs to me that every FF one-shot has been of a specific genre. Noir, Sci-fi and now horror. I don't know if that's intentional but I'm liking it). 

Road Trip is a fantastic comic and without a doubt one of the best I've read this year. There is the old adage of saving the best to last and, with this, I'm pretty sure I did and gladly so. I hope I can read more of both creators stuff in the near future.

So, there it is!! I'm done for the year (well reading wise sadly, because I rarely if ever get time to read over the Christmas break). It was a shame I didn't get a chance to read Antithesis, but I guess that's just one more series to look forward to for 2021.

So, until then, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (well, I really hope so)!! 

Two weeks later

I'll be honest, I almost didn't post for the second time in two weeks just down to the fact that I feel very exhausted. Sadly, that's December for you.

However, as I sit on the middle of the night trying to settle my youngest back to sleep, I find I have some time to kill.

So, not much has really happened over the last two weeks (to tell the truth, I sure dont remember any of it) but rather than work on my own collection/to read pile, I thought I'd spend a bit of time clearing through my review pile.

As such, I thought I'd talk about all of that briefly.

First up I read Crayta #1 - 4, which was top of my review pile. Now, I have to be honest, I really struggled with the first issue and nigh on wrote the series off. However, I'm glad I didn't as you were right, this is a top quality series.

I thought the world building for this was excellent and the story (after that first issue) was incredibly gripping. As for the art, that too was gorgeous and has a real sci-fi, futuristic look to it (I've likened it to Black Science but I think it looks much more utopian than that). Of course, there is a touch of inconsistency in the art given the number of artists involved but it is so minor it's actually surprising how minor it is.

The series has left me with questions; not least is this some subtle take on environmentalism (given that gAIa could be Gaia, the pop culture term for mother nature), but also how deep are interaction in the 'conspiracy' and if all of them are so zealous in their beliefs in the co-existence and what is the end game for the apparent antagonist.

That said, despite a rough start, sticking with the series has really turned me around and I'm glad that I got the chance to review it, especially four issues worth.

Next up was my review for Like Father, Like Daughter #1-6. I really enjoyed this series. it was pretty straightforward with a good story behind it.

I thought Kat Calamia's writing was really good and that she had a good handle on the various relationship dynamics. there was a 'B' story where the father's origin story was the focus but it was somewhat take or leave until the last minute twist made it REALLY interesting.

The art was solid enough, although a little bit rougher than what I like. That said, I thought Wayne Brown's style gave the content a rather sincere focus, although I will admit that I thought the look of the school girls was a little too sexualised.

I'll be honest, I do worry that Kat Calamia lumbered this series with an unnecessary superhero story. Based on this, I think if she had done something that focused on the emotions, like Alex + Ada, then it would have served her just as well. Regardless though, it was a very fun series and I'm glad I got to read it. I just hope I'll get the chance to finish the arc.

Afterwards, I changed tack a little by reading Giga #1, which I didn't review but Alex's thoughts convinced me to check out. Now, I enjoyed this issue, especially the art which I loved and made me think of the look of Black Science. I have to confess that I'm intrigued about what's going on in this world but I did struggle as the story offered very little information. As such I'm hoping that the future issues will fill in the gaps but, for now, I have so many questions such as 'why was the lead character exiled from the order? And Who is Laurel (the robot)? That said, I feel like this could be the start of something big and epic, in the vein of Descender, and so I'm gonna be keeping my eye on this one with great interest.

Finally, I read Knights vs Pirates, which again Alex's review had me intrigued of but the concept itself convinced me that I wanted to read it. Again, I really enjoyed this, which I'm glad about becauseI was rather excited fie this one. Unfortunately, I found the story to be a bit of a struggle to begin with which almost put me off of finishing it. Thankfully though I ploughed on and I was rewarded as KvP' story really picked up. I thought Jay Martin did a great job in his depiction of both the Knights and the Pirates as both differing sides felt authentic in how they came across. Unfortunately, The overall plot was where I got lost as I couldn't understand the plan of the overall villain. That said, for what the comic was, it worked for me and felt full of great ideas (the Bermuda triangle was cool) as well the entire depiction of both ... legacies(?) (I wonder if Jay did historical research to make this fit in both characters timelines?).

What I truly loved about this comic though had to Chris Imber's art,  which looked absolutely glorious here. I remember how much I loved his style in the Last Sheriff bit his work here just looks on a whole other level and a vast improvement to even that great looking comic. The best example I can offer is quote possibly my favourite page of Knights v Pirates , the depiction of inside the Bermuda triangle.

Long story short, reading this really made me regret not getting in on the Kickstarter for a print copy. Fortunately that is something I can maybe rectify next year if/when the cons start up again.

And that's my last two weeks. On reflection I feel a bit annoyed with myself that I didn't offer more insight here for these books. However, the prior mentioned exhaustion has me struggling to find the words.

I can only apologise for this. Hopefully, next time I'll have a little more energy to put down on the page.

Vanguard vol's 1 - 3

It's been a long time coming but finally we have reached this point.

I have finally read volumes one through three of Dan Butcher's Superhero thriller we comic, Vanguard!!

I had always planned on reading this series ever since I had heard about it thanks to Dan's position on the Awesome Comic Podcast which had made me aware of it. However, even after buying all three volumes at True Believers back in February of this year, Vanguard still managed to slide further and further down my reading pile as other priorities came across my desk.

However, even when I finally broke into Vanguard's three trades, I had not anticipated it taking a month to read them all as further disruptions reared their ugly heads.

Fortunately, as the saying goes, all good things come to those who wait.

Set in the not too distant future, Vanguard tells the story of the eponymous super hero team, Great Britain's own Justice League consisting of Superman-like Kingsword, Merlin-esque Woden, the telepathic Godiva, Wolf-man Gradlion, telekinetic Ophelia, newbie Spitfire and Captain America analog leader, Pendragon. When the team is sent on a simple rescue mission, little do they know that the secrets they will stumble upon are only the beginning of a intricate plan by mysterious factions intent on using the chaos they support for a push to take over the world. With enemies both without and within, it falls to Britain's greatest heroes to make a stand for their country in a battle of good versus evil that will take place over years, as two generations of super powered patriots fight to ensure freedom within the British Isles.

Now, I've written that basic breakdown of the series to sound as epic as my limited skills can achieve and that is for good reason. In truth, I found Vanguard to be such an epic story that the best compliment I can give it is to say that it is the Super-hero equivalent of Star Wars. By the time I'd reached the end, I found Vanguard was a truly fantastic read as it felt like Dan Butcher had created such a captivating story and set it in such an engrossing world that I found myself cursing every time I had to set the book(s) down in order to sleep/work/be an adult.

These first three volumes are broken down into two distinct stories. The first two volumes are a prelude to the main event and tell a story of a more familiar world set fifteen years in the narrative past as the Vanguard battle to get to the truth of the mysterious conspiracy they've stumbled across and attempt to ensure the good guys win. Meanwhile, the third volume takes place after the dust has settled as a new selection of super-heroes pick up the mantle in order to undo the damage caused from that opening story.

Of these three volumes, I felt that the strongest by far was the second title (which also had the most awesome cover, although the other two were close second/third) because, while one and three were used to set up two different status quo's, volume 2 felt incredibly intricate, deep and heavily designed in both it's list of characters and the complexity of the story. In fact, it was this complex political, almost Manchurian Candidate-esque, thriller of a plot that most appealed to me as I really felt Dan's story went from one that had started rather simply to something which had so many working parts as hidden characters, turncoats and unknown quantities were just putting the screws on the heroes. However, the fact that these same heroes still pushed back against these ever increasing odds only made the series so much more engaging to me.

Speaking of the characters, there is such a broad selection of personality types included that it really helps feel like this could have been an almost autobiographical story given just how varied I thought they were. Of course, this is both something of a blessing and a curse as not only does it add depth to this already heavily layered world but, due to there being so many people, I found it a struggle to keep up with who exactly was who (especially given that only volume 2 contained a previously in Vanguard recap page). That said, despite the struggle to keep up with all the new character intro's, very few (if any) have come across to me as superfluous as even the dead continue to have a purpose in the overall narrative. Besides that, I do think it also opens up a well of spin offs once Dan has finished his main story; the beginnings of Vanguard, the Origin of Xian, where Cates got that armour, the fall of McPhaidon (who by the way, looks the spit of the actor who played Provero in the V for Vendetta movie).

As for Dan's art in Vanguard, well, what can I say beyond how gorgeous it is!! I'm a big fan of his Dan's work in Awesome Comics (go pledge to his Vyper kickstarter to see what I mean) as well as his input into an issue of comichaus (I think it was). In Vanguard, however, his standard digital, Clayton Crain-esque pencils and inks look to just be ramped up to 11 as every panel seems to just be made to look bigger and more outlandish, otherwise known as perfectly in keeping with the story. I did feel that this was let down in the third volume as the darker atmosphere (also known as night time) muted it's eye popping aspect a little. However, that volume felt like one of those 'night is darkest just before the dawn' moments in the story and I'm confident that the next volume will blow up again with no problem.

I also have to say how much I felt that Dan was satirizing a lot about regular life in this series, with ideas of corporate sponsored superheroes, puppet prime ministers and soldiers doing their jobs as if it were a video game. It has made me wonder if Dan is much of a fan of Black Mirror because this would be perfect as that kind of TV production (which might happen given Dan's recent 'Netflix' banner). Nonetheless, given all that has happened in 2020 (pandemics, unemployment, BLM, police brutality corrupt Governments, etc) so much of this series seems to draw on, or be influenced by similar events, making the whole run (so far) so much more compelling to me as a result.

I previously purchased Vanguard's first volume through Comixology some years ago and, while I enjoyed it, I maybe didn't find it all that memorable. However, checking it out again with the additional bonus of more issues and advancing age (and maybe wisdom) has helped me realise that I was wrong to dismiss it on the first read.

I'm going to try and catch up at the webcomic now, because it's criminal that I've left it this long. However, even if I don't, I know I'm going to have to make the funds available whenever volume 4 comes out.

After the Apocalypse (a 'Comics for the Apocalypse' tie-in)

This past week has felt like the longest week on record. Of course, this hasn't been helped by a week that has seen the UK re-eenter lockdown and the States have an election where the winner was finally announced after five days (congrats to them, by the way. Our American cousins appear to have dodged the apocalypse).

For me, this longevity has been brutal; with my readthough of Vanguard still incomplete (in what is probably the longest period of time I've read one series yet), fitting in reviews on top of everything else a struggle as those coveted lunch hours in the office were taken away again and just the general exhaustion that comes with the Winter months (at least I think so).

However, I suspect the real culprit for this incredibly long week has been my appearance on Samuel George London's Comics for the Apocalypse podcast, which was recorded last Tuesday but hit the wider world just yesterday (as of the date of posting this).

I have to confess that, prior to my appearance, i found myself incredibly nervous as I feared that it would become apparent just how little about comics I knew. Also, my last podcast appearance on the great Longbox Review a few years ago had always made me feed that I hadn't been a particularly engrossing guest (although not based on anything in particular). However, whole I'm sure my words had the same sleep inducing drone was my previous appearance, I found the entire evening to be an incredibly fun one as rarely am I allowed to come 'of the leash' and just talk my voice away (which I almost did saw) about comics.

Afterwards, I felt that the only thing I could really talk about here was that interview. However, rather than just harp on with the same old spiel Sam and I had already covered (I thought we were rather in depth), I wanted to do something on my end to, at the very least, commemorate the experience but maybe make it a little bit richer. A tie-in or companion piece, if you will (because comics have no shortage of those).

Therefore, I figure that the best I can do to provide context to my answers is to point people in the direction of the comics which I referenced.

So, here goes ...

I don't know what more I can really add about Daredevil Vol's 4-7 by Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev and others beyond what I've already said. While the Man Without Fear has enjoyed some tremendous runs since this series (see Waid/Samnee), I still believe that this is one of the best Daredevil runs going. The art is perfect for the story told, especially at a time when the 'house style' seemed like it was still a thing. Unfortunately, my arc-per book copies are no longer in print. However, you can pick up a collected edition which contains all four of the books I spoke of as well as a couple more. Unfortunately, this edition isn't available on Comixology but you can pick up the ultimate collections volume 1 and volume 2 which contain everything plus a bit extra (and both are also in print).

With Chunks #2 by Matt Garvey by Cris Canfailla, I'm not exaggerating when I class this as my funniest comic. Matt knows how to tell a joke and puts that skill to good use here. Meanwhile Kris' sparse colour on monochrome really does stand out and look gorgeous. If you want further detail, there is a blog post about this issue and issue 1, as well as a review for issue 3. Along with the other issues of the series, is currently available on Comixology for a bargain price of 79p per issue. Unfortunately, the print editions are presently unavailable as Matt's Big Cartel page is currently undergoing a facelift. However, he has confirmed to me if will be back in a few weeks. But, if you want a print copy, find Matt on Twitter, as I'm sure he'll sort you out.

The Vision by Tom King, Gabriel Walta et el is an amazing story which got me right in the gut (and I've gone in depth about it previously). What really broke my heart about it though is that the proposed follow up series by Chelsea Cain was cancelled, depriving us of what would have been a truly interesting sequel. This series is also available on Comixology and in print, although the latter only seems to be available as a full collected edition and not as two separate trades.

The Porcelain trilogy by Benjamin Reed, Chris Wildgoose is also available in print, although it's tough to nail down a where and the best place to go for any info on them is the Improper Books website. You can also acquire it through Comixology, but only in French (Kjndle is a better bet it seems. Much like Vision, this is brutal but addictively engrossing, with truly fall in love artwork. If you want greater detail on Porcelain, Bone China or Ivory Tower then check out my Pipedream reviews.

Transience: An Unforgettable Anthology by Leo Johnson et el is, sadly, only available from Gumroad page as a pay-what-you-want option. Km not sure what more I can say about this comic but if you buy it I'd recommend you offer that fair amount because whatever you offer is going to be a stellar twice the price!! This comic is THAT good (as my review will attest to if you need the info).

Daredevil #500 by Ed Brubaker at el is available on Comixology, which is probably the best place to go to see this cover in all it's glory as any trade or collection containing the issue appears to be out of print. However, here's a snapshot in case neither takes your fancy.

Captain Britain & MI:13 #1 Cover D by Paul Cornell, Leonard Kirk et el is, most likely, unavailable for purchase unless you scour Ebay. However, regarding the series itself, which is phenomenal and worthy of your time to read, it is available on both Comixology and in print, both of which may just have the 3rd printing variant amongst the back pages. If it doesnt though, just imagine issue 1's cover without any colour.

Harvest by A.J. Lieberman and Colin Lorimer is truly underrated in every sense of the word (and I really need to re-read and write about it in 2021). If you have the spare change to pick it up, either digitally (I'd recommend the singles) or in print, you should do it. Also, check out this combined cover.

DC: New Frontier by Darwyn Cooke doesnt really need any more praise than I think I already gave it. However, if you want some, I previously wrote a blog post on the book. It is available both in print and digitally, although the print copy isn't the one I have (although they all still have the same gorgeous artwork, so it's not a downside).

Locke and Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodrigues is absolutely what I implied of it in that it's a wonderfully epic story. It treads the fine line between gothic horror and young adult coming of age story better than Joseph Gordon Levitt in the film about the tightrope walker. Unfortunately, I've only noted my thoughts about the third volume (which you can see here) but if those and my words here are enough to swing you, Comixology have the entire series in 6 trades or you can buy a box set bundle in print.

So, there I am done with those notes on the comics I'd take into the apocalypse. Maybe they are totally useless and/or pointless but I enioyed doing it and commemorating the opportunity to talk comics so, on that note, thank you Sam!!

... Oh, and before I forget

I did a review for Burn Residue #1 last week on Pipedream comics and it was a comic I really enjoyed, despite my hesitation over its cover which I thought was a little garish/loud for my tastes (like a Joker-centric crime book). However, once I cracked it open, I found the issue to be far more subtle than I was expecting and, as a result, far more interesting.

I thought the story progressed really well, with the flow and pacing of the issue never stopping even a little and any seeming pauses were well utilized and hidden with the inclusion of the flashback to provide exposition before returning to the present day action. As a result, I don't think there is ever a moment where this became boring or a slog to read. As for the art, though it was a little rough around the edges, I felt that the art style really complimented the story as the issue progressed, giving it its own look while solidifying the crime feel like with other gritty crime books.

It does lack a few pieces of information; how he survived his attack? how he got to where he is now? even what's his name? However, that doesn't detract from the fact that I really enjoyed this comic and think it is well worth people's time to check out.

So, another week down. Hopefully next week will a totally see me complete and write about Vanguard (because, seriously, I've ran put of filler) but as I'm down to the final issue at time of writing, I don't see that being a problem.

Unless the apocalypse commences of course ...

A week off.

I have absolutely nothing to talk about this week!!

I'm now between the second and third volumes of Vanguard and I have a couple of other 'projects' I'm halfway through.

As such, I have nothing really of any substance to ramble on about here (not even some half baked theory about a tv show I'm watching).

Therefore, I was going to ignore this week and have a week of writing nothing here. However, instead of being lazy I figured I'd just put up a short thing about a couple of reviews I had done for Pipedream Comics (as I usually do anyway) just to give that little extra clarity (like I do anyway).

So, first review up in this past week was Commander Rao. Now I have to confess, I wasn't sure what to expect from this, I thought it was an ongoing. However, Now I know it is a one-shot, I'm a little disappointed.

I thought Commander Rao was a really well written, very emotional piece of story-telling. I was absolutely captivated by this as I read it and watched Rao walk through Hell to find absolution in the eyes of herself for seemingly abandoning her friend. I thought it was a real character-examination into the themes of loyalty and friendship.

Meanwhile, the art was absolutely stellar!! I loved the subtle change in style and colour from the future to the past, with the future looking incredibly loud and sci-fi-esque while the past had this old fashioned, drained colour look to it.

Of course, it wasn't perfect, as I thought it was lacking on some info to common sense questions (although they maybe weren't necessary to the story) and the art's action scenes were a little confusing to follow. However, overall, I'd recommend everyone should check out this book at least once.

After that came the review for Gunrunner. Now, this review was a tough one to write because, while the story itself was  really, really good, there was very little I could take away from it to actually write about.

The story is fast paced and, as such, feels extremely edge of the seat from (almost) beginning to end. As a result of this I found it to be really enjoyable to read. It was also almost entirely devoid of problems to the extent that if there was any issue, it was that I thought the opening scene was a little confusing and only after reading the whole story did I feel there was context enough to understand.

Otherwise, the book was fine. Most of the characters felt a little one note but they served their purpose and made Tali a more compelling lead, while the art was solid throughout (apart from maybe one scene early on). I honestly felt that this was a simple, well executed comic; no grandeur, no pomp, just effective, streamlined, enjoyable storytelling.

But, despite my lack of depth in my thoughts of it, I'd still tell anyone who asked that they should read it!!

And that's it!!! Apologies of the shortness of the post this week. All being well, I'll have something more to talk about next week.

Engage!! My Star Trek Discovery Season 3 theory.

So, I'm still working my way through Vanguard and, while I had originally said that I was going to talk about the comics I've been reading every week on this blog, I thought it best to just talk about all three volumes of Vanguard in one go.

As a result, I have nothing to talk about for the second week running.

Now, I had planned to just take a break this week but I recently started Star Trek Discovery season 3 on Netflix and, this far, it's good (although it would be better of they just released it in one go). However, two episodes in and I had a theory about this series and where it might go. As a result, and because I have a gap in my schedule, I just thought I'd ramble on about this theory here, even though it is probably one which has already been shared.

(So, I'm going to be talking about every Star Trek Discovery episode released to date. So if you are still catching up, be warned that there are spoilers).

So, my theory goes like this: I think that the 32nd century iteration of the Federation, when it finally appears, will turn out to an organization which is something of a cross between the Terran empire and the America that is revealed in Scott Snyder and Charles Soule's comic series, undiscovered country.

The reason I think this is because, so far during these first two episodes, there has been an abundance of love for the late great, Federation. So far all the characters that we are introduced to, particularly Kal, the alien on the colony world, to the communications expert Sahil on Relay, have bigged up the legend of Starfleet to what feels like an almost godlike proportion. However, while the Federation's reputation very much proceeds it in a good way, all of this rose tinted belief is based on nothing but myth as Starfleet's finest have never really been seen.

Therefore, I genuinely believe that the third series will be this whole 'the Federation was awesome. They will come back and save us' belief from everyone that Discovery meets on its journey. However, as with the revelation of Lorca in series one, I think that (certainly this far) all of the excessive praise that seems to be given is setup for a similar mini-series twist where Discovery will find the Federation but as some xenophobic, dystopian, damaged reflection of its former self.

Now, I don't think this is entirely without precedent as both Discovery and Star Trek Picard have hinted that Starfleet is certainly capable of such thinking. In Discovery, while they were on the brink  of losing a war, Starfleet's senior officers were happy to utilize the Barbaric mirror Georgiou to commit genocide. Meanwhile, in Picard, the fleet's top brass were equally content to let the Romulans die after their star went supernova. Neither example seems fitting of Roddenbery's original vision of the Utopian, enlightenment organisation.

However, going this route of making the Federation out to be this mythic Camelot-like entity to a galaxy who don't know them first hand, only to reveal the opposite is the case feels like the only way to shake up the story. As a result, I also theorize that this would lead into series 4 as Discovery lead a war/revolution against this new, more oppressive regime for the soul of the federation. This too has precedent because (as I was recently reminded) Discovery has always been a series whose characters vehemently believe in the ideals of those they serve.

But this is all conjecture at this point because, only two episodes in, the story could really go anywhere. However, regardless of where everything leads, I'm very much looking forward to the rest of the series (to the point that I wish they just released it all in one go).

I just now have extra skin in the game as I get to see just how close my theory is.

Project Hail Mary

I'm currently working my way through all three volumes of Vanguard (I'm just finishing up volume 1 as I write this) and so I didn't have anything comic book related to post this week.

So, instead I thought I'd bore everyone and talk about what a project I've been working on for what feels like years.

As the title suggests, this project is called Project Hail Mary. Having previously spoken to Ryan K Lindsay and David Pepose regarding the reasoning for using project names (as well as how cool it sounds), I decided I wanted to do the same thing instead of just talking about 'this project I'm working on. I also, wanted to a totally talk about what I'm doing without giving too much away about what km actually doing (although I've talked to so many people about it, I'd be surprised if it wasnlt common knowledge).

For years now, I've wanted to write my own comic. There are two reasons for this: firstly, I feel it would help me appreciate the creative process more when I review other people's comics. This is because it is easy to critique someone else's work but I don't think you can fully appreciate the work they put in unless you do it yourself. The second reason is simply that I've been having ideas of my own for years, almost all of which are stored in the funky looking green notebook I have by my bed.

Back in 2017 (wow, that long) I took part in a short comic competition run by Matt Garvey. Now, I didn't win but, working with the fantastic Ayoade Adobarin, we still created the Hipster Beard, which I've since given it's own page on my blog for everyone to see Ayo's skills for themselves.

However, after creating that short strip, I have found myself thinking up more and more ideas in the same vein, short little strips with this horror vibe and a bit of twist at the end. They are probably not the greatest compared to the greatness already put there but oh well.

Therefore, this has become Project Hail Mary. I call it Project Hail Mary because this is my ... well, my Hail Mary Pass, my one desperate attempt to do this (because I'm unsure if I would be able to have another chance).

My plan for Project Hail Mary is pretty simple (from my perspective). I've so far written 9 short stories (including the Hipster Beard) which totals around 50 pages (I do have two additional stories that I haven't written than I think could add an extra ten pages but for now we'll stick to 50). All of these stories have this kind of 'classic horror tropes (Dracula, the Wolfman, etc) set in the present day' notion to them that are probably incredibly derivative but I got a kick out of as I wrote them.

From there, my plan would be to have different artists create each story in a very sin city look (I.e. black and white hit with hints of colour). I already have a (very) long list of artists I want to work with for this (because of it's my one shot then I want to take advantage of it) but they would probably depend on budget.

However, once the art is done, I would produce a pdf file and make it digital only (to keep costs down) and then sell it at £1/$1 per copy. I'm thinking this price because I feel it would A. Entice more people to take a look (because 50 pages for £1/$1 sounds pretty good to me) and also because while I'm sure the art would be fantastic, I don't want to overcharge people for what could be crap stories from an unknown quantity (i.e. me).

So, that's where I am with this. Now, I'm sure anyone who has gotten to this point is wondering 'why haven't you done this yet?' and the answer is pretty simple. Firstly, I'm still tinkering on the stories. First drafts are written but changed are needed on at least three of the ideas, while I still want to add two more ideas to the collections. Also, I want to flesh out the characters with a sort of 'character bio' for each idea, just so artists aren't working from scratch.

The other thing is that I, currently, don't have the money to get this thing made. I'm considering running a Kickstarter to get this funded, but I feel that I'd need some, if not most, of the art created before I get to that point. Unfortunately, I don't have the capital to hire the artists in advance at present (and I'm SO not willing to ask them for the payment of 'exposure' and the hope of money later). Therefore, I'm a little bit stuck in a holding pattern for the time being.

However, it's still on my wish list of things I want to do in my life and I'll keep tinkering away at it. I just figured, with nothing to write I'd just share this while also giving some insight as to what I'm talking about whenever I mention it in future.

Oh, and before I forget ...

My review for this week over at Pipedream Comics was Daniel Reed's the Mycelium Complex #1 & 2, which is currently coming to the end of its Kickstarter campaign. I've got to admit, I was intrigued by this one, mainly because of the word Mycelium and my wonder if Daniel Reed was a Star Trek Discovery fan.

And, in a way, I enjoyed reading this. As I feel I reiterated several times in the review, I was intrigued by what was going on. However, I also found it extremely frustrating. There is so little information as to what is going on in either time zone, how they connect, how the world ended, anything. As a result, the more I read through, the more of a slog this was becoming. It wasn't helped by the fact that very little is given about the characters beyond a name and some brief intro to their personality. In fact, only Pat and Benny are more filled out and neither I would call a 'sympathetic character'.

The art was solid (minus a small niggle here and there) but it really was a frustrating read because I'm certain this comic has so much potential. If the author offers up some information to the seeming time travel aspect, Pat and Benny's connection to the world ending or what happened to Evelyn, then I'd be more than happy to go back but, for now, I'd be hesitant to return until the whole story was available.

 

So, that's another week done. It's obviously a bit less comic-focused and, hopefully, that's something I will rectify for next weeks post (although, at 14 issues, I'm skeptical I'll complete Vanguard in that time). However, for now, I'm glad I took the time to air my plan/dream/idea.

Even if it is a little pie in the sky.

Kickstarter Catch up

Well, it's been a week!! Since last Monday, I must confess that my life has felt non-stop with all that I've had. This is because beyond my standard 9-5 working days as well as trying to help control two under 5's, I've (somehow) scraped the time to read a comic before reviewing it and then sending over to Alex to post up on Pipedream Comics (which only got finished by Friday night), wrote what became an immensely long-winded post on the Black Panther: Man without Fear series and submitted mine and Ayoade Adobarin's short comic, the Hipster Beard, to the Platform Comics short comic competition (oh yeah, and done my half of the Christmas shopping(which, admittedly, isn't much).

So, by the end of it all, it didn't leave much time to get through my next planned read, Dan Butcher's Vanguard, by the time I needed to write this post. However, I instead decided to push it back a few more days (because what's a few more days after nearly eight months) and just clear through a bunch of one shots and single issues.

Fortunately, I happen to have a bunch of those courtesy of Kickstarter. This is because, although it has been a while since I last pledged to a campaign on Kickstarter, I haven't yet managed to make the time to read some of the rewards which came from those successful ones. Therefore, what better time to do that than over a (presently) comic free weekend. And so, with that in mind, I burned through four comics from two campaigns: Samuel George London's Milford Green from that campaign and Ryan K Lindsey's Fatherhood, Little Man in the Big Housr and Tree from his Skyscraper campaign.

First up was Milford Green by Samuel George London and Mikael Hankonen, which sees the titular Victorian village become the target of an alien invasion when a fleeing intergalactic agent crashes there and entrusts a local with the safekeeping of a mysteriously powerful relic. Now, I've probably downplayed the complexity of the comic by breaking it down to its essence, but that doesn't take away from the fact that this was a fun and enjoyable read. I'm not going to lie, the story was a little confusing in places but I found this to be a minor inconvenience as the direction and pacing were solid and so I got the general idea of what was going on, even if I missed on the minutiae (which in fairness, may have been due to me being tired when I read it). It also helped that the characters (maybe with the exception of George) were just so likable, which really helped keep me invested I think.

The art was exceptional as well, with Mikael Hankonen's art fitting the tone and atmosphere of both the story and the location in my mind with a look that reminded me very much of Sarah Millman's work in A Heart of Time (which makes sense as they are both predominantly based in the Victorian era). By the end, I realized that I had a lot of questions about this series such as;

• With all the LOTR references, is Alfie destined to become Tolkien or something (given LOTR doesn't get published for another 50ish years)?
• What does Mary see in George? She turns on him right at the end, but that seems a little odd given all he's done up to that point.
• Also, why did Mary's dad offer George up so willingly? Did he know what was going to happen/how it played out?
• Finally, funny how they were so quick to believe Fandalg's story.

Anyway, just some thoughts which came to my mind but, nonetheless, it was still a fun read that I need to find out how it continues. I'll have to reach out to Sam about buying the sequel instalments.

The next read was Fatherhood Ryan K Lindsay, Daniel Schneider, Paulina Ganucheau and Brandon Destefano which told the story of one man's mission to make his daughter happy, and the damage it causes to any who get in his way. Now, this comic absolutely blew me away by the time that I was finished reading it. I had expected a noir story based on it's gorgeous cover (and I'm not sure I could reiterate that enough) but while I was partly right (as the second half really comes across that way to me), this story about the love of you child and what you would do for them was so incredibly (and brutally) captivating. The thing is, I think I found it so captivating was down to how I connected to the main character. This because while the protagonist is a real nasty piece of work, I completely understood why he did the things he was doing. As RKL alludes to in his notes at the back, a parent will do anything for their children (as I myself have often stated to people) and so this character is just a manifestation of that promise.

 

Meanwhile, the artwork in this comic was just as perfect to me as the story it accompanied. The style is fantastic, with Mr Schneider and Ms Ganucheau's respective pencils and colours marrying to give the story such an awesome, vibrant look. In fact, the scene and the page where the protagonist nearly runs down a woman in the street still stick in my head it was so gorgeous. This only continues when the protagonist dons the noir trademark hat and coat, as the art takes yet more gorgeousness in some great monochrome colours, and letterer Brandon Destefano makes me giddy with joy as I read the narration on a very fitting 'written on line paper' look that is just inch perfect for this noir vibe. I have to admit, by the end I feel heartbroken that this is only a one shot, but in truth it's perfect as just that (although I am curious why the guy is being arrested). All I can do is hope that RKL brings this team back for something equally awesome in future (which, given his pedigree, I doubt would be too long a wait).

In the meantime though, I move onto Little Man in the Big House, the next free comic from Ryan K Lindsay's Skyscraper kickstarter by Lindsay himself, Paul Tucker and Ryan Ferrier and told the story of a former size changing superhero called Little Man who is called in when the occupants of a Super-Villain prison undertake a hostage situation. Now, this was another fun little comic, with a really cool concept that feels perfect for a character of this ... stature (no pun intended .. well, maybe a little), in the same vein the Ant-Man movie was a heist movie. I really love the ideas that are thrown in here, and thought the use of Little Man's powers are used in fun and unique ways.

That said, the art was good but it wasn't really my thing. Mr Tucker's style had this slightly rough, 80's, almost Valerian and Laureline look to it that I did find a small bit confusing as I read along. That said though, maybe that's something I would get use to if the comic was longer than nine pages because, I would certainly enjoy seeing more of this.

Finally, I read Tree, the third of Ryan K Lindsay's works that I went over the week, with this one created with Mitch Collins and Thomas Mauer as it told the story of a quirky, Deadpool meets Veronica Mars bounty hunter as she attempts to track down the man she's been hired to find. This was a short comic, totally only 14 pages, but its length was the only downside to it as I really loved this comic. I thought the script was so quirky with it's unusual narration and made me think of some fourth wall breaking series like Deadpool and ... well, that's it really. Nevertheless, I thought that idea was fantastically unique, like reading the comic equivalent of Enola Holmes crossed with Human Target (or better yet, Burn Notice). The art meanwhile, was equally gorgeous, with Mitch Collins style making me think of Matthew Dow Smith (whose work I certainly adore after that recent Star Trek one-shot). By the end, I don't know if more of this story was made, but if it was then I've gotta get it.

And so that's all for my comic reading in the last week and, I just confess, I wish I'd gotten around to them all sooner. It was a fun selection of reads which confirmed that the pledges I had made at the time were worthy investments.

Oh, and before I forget ...

This past week I got the chance to read the full graphic novel of Future, the sci-fi, time travel story by Tom Woodman and Rupert Smissen, for Pipedream Comics. Now, I recall that I had enjoyed the first issue when I reviewed and felt the comic had potential but, after reading full story, I really felt like it exceeded all expectations.

The review (as usual) is more depth but I felt the story was so engrossing, watching these two people never giving up on each other. Woodman really found their voices and made I think it was that and their dynamic with each other which made Future so captivating.

As for the art, this was equally gorgeous and so reminded me of Alex + Ada but with a much more stylish, cgi-esque look. This isn't a downside to me but a plus as this style really makes Future look unbelievably beautiful.

I'm gonna have to start thinking about my favourite comics for the Pipedream top 50 of this year, but after this read I think Future is going to be one of them, because it was one hell of a read.

So, that was my week (and then some). Hopefully, I can now get started on Vanguard (as I've been planning to do for some time).

Although, I'm sure something else will come up first. It usually does.

Black Panther: the Man Without Fear - The Complete Collection

About a year ago, with the number of people in my family growing and the size of my house ... well, not ... I (with a heavy heart) decided to sell off a few of my comic series in order to maintain some semblance of space. Among the many series that I sold included David Liss and Francesco Francavilla's Black Panther: the Man Without Fear. Unfortunately, (as I did with almost all other sold series) it was mere moments after I had send the parcel containing those issues out that I severely regretted the decision of selling them on.

This is because, at that moment, I realized that Black Panther: the Man without Fear, despite it having been a while since I had last read it, was a truly entertaining comic series and one which kind of stuck with me. It was a series that I thought of with optimism whenever I did think of it and so, selling all those issues, when the enormity of my actions sunk, really made me want to kick myself.

Fortunately, it would appear that the Panther God was smiling down on me because not long after disposing of the singles, Comixology did me a solid by offering the collected edition of the run on a sale, such that I was able to turn a (immensely tiny) profit on what I had sold.

Well, it's been a while since I sold and subsequently re-bought it but I figured that, this last couple of weeks, I'd go back through it.

Black Panther: the Man without Fear, written by David Liss and drawn by Francesco Francavilla and Jefte Palo (with Shawn Martinbrough and Michael Avon Oeming in the final arc) takes place after the Shadowland and Doomwar events as it sees T'Challa, fresh from his failure in the latter decide to take over for Daredevil, who disappeared after the events of the former, to defend Hell's Kitchen as a way to prove himself. Setting himself up as the manager of a local diner under a fake name, T'Challa begins his one-man war on crime. However, Hell's Kitchen is not Wakanda, as T'Challa finds as he faces off against, new gangsters, old enemies, newly created threats and some of New York's most famous Supervillains in a bid to remake himself back into the King he once was.

I don't really know what to say beyond this point. I like to think that I like almost every comic I read. Sure, there are some that are better than others, but overall the cast majority get on my good side. Therefore, it's probably fair to say that I'm easy to please. However, after re-reading Black Panther: the Man without Fear - the complete collection over the last two weeks, I feel that there is something about this run which makes it far more than that.

To me, David Liss wrote a compelling, exciting and all engrossing story about how one man pulls himself up from the ashes of his own life, one which saw him fail on the grandest scale possible, to reclaim that sense of identity. Indeed, Liss actually states this in the opening page's text scrawl to help catch the reader up on past events. I have to admit that, while the series is called Black Panther and the character is a world renowned figure, it's surprising that no other characters clock that they are one and the same. By that same notion, I do ponder why T'Challa dresses as a Panther if he wishes to be anonymous during his tenure in Hell's Kitchen. I can only surmise that, for him, it is the only identity he knows while always a constant reminder as to what he strives to be, regardless of whether he thinks he deserves it. As for the general public's viewpoint, maybe it was that Liss didn't feel it to be important.

Identity comes across as the core tenet of this series, as almost every character we are graced with has some kind of dilemma regarding their identity: Vlad and his own dual identity as a mirror to T'Challa, Brian and Kraven with their lack of identity and direction respectively, Hate Monger and the need to usurp already established identities and even Overdrive (and maybe to a lesser extent Kingpin) has the need to to confirm his identity via reputation. I really do think that identity is the major theme as this series progresses.

This is no more so shown than with T'Challa. I feel that David Liss really nails T'Challa (or Mr Okonwko to use his new secret identity)'s voice through this series, to the point that I could hear his regal Wakandan accent in my head as I read his words). Of course, it's not just T'Challa's voice that Liss nails as he seems to completely get the former King of Wakanda's personality and mindset as of this moment to perfection. In the final issue, T'Challa speaks of how it isn't about the destination bit the journey and this line encapsulates the entire run. I think this because, as we all know, the illusion of change that big two comics are famous for will see T'Challa return to Wakanda, retake the title of Black Panther and resume his reign as King. As Thanos would say 'it's inevitable'. Therefore, the end doesn't matter to us, only what T'Challa does to get there and how he goes from the broken man at the beginning to the king we all know by the end. It's all about the journey, not the destination (as T'Challa points out).

And what a journey it is! I really enjoyed the various arcs throughout this story, more so than I remember doing when I initially read the series. Liss offers a final word in this collection where he states that writers like to see characters fall (or words to that effect) and he really tests T'Challa as the story unfolds. However, as we know he's going to win (it is a superhero comic after all), what I think kept me hooked was the manner in which T'Challa won. The character seems to start the series adopting a very Daredevil approach but, as time progresses, alters his viewpoint as he realises his strengths lie elsewhere. As a result, the series seems to adopt a 'what if Bruce Wayne/Tony Stark lost all their money and resources' approach, a little too literally at one point as the series does feel like an audition to write Batman. However, this isn't a negative as almost every issue and every story kept me completely hooked, from Urban Jungle and its battle of wills between the Panther and Vlad, Storm Hunter and the former's rapport with his wife, Fear and Loathing in Hell's Kitchen and it's portrayal of hate and bigotry in society (I'd even say uncomfortably so) and the final war for the soul of Wakanda. In fact only the Spider-Island tie in felt like a weak point as I read through the whole thing but even then, it was so well weaved into the overall arc that it ended feeling like a prelude to the final arc and a sort of 'calm before the storm's moment.

Of course, these stories would be nothing without the characters within them and, after T'Challa, I found myself (for the second time) absolutely adoring so manga of them. First, there are the Daredevil stalwarts of Foggy Nelson and the Kingpin, both of whom feel as though this book wouldn't be right without their presence. However, Liss has created some great new characters such as Vlad the Impaler and the Panther's sidekick Sofija, both of whom have made an instant impact on me to the point that I wonder why they have never returned. Then there are all the characters from every corner of the 616 like Luke Cage, Spider-Man and especially Storm, whose two issue appearance really is adorable as it helps T'Challa show a (slightly) softer side. Other characters also appear, such as Detective Kurtz (who looks so much like Commissioner Gordon it's scary) Dr Holman, the Hate Monger (who looks eerily familiar if you added 40 years to him) and American Panther who didn't make as much of an impact on me but still did enough to move the story in the right direction (although, who was that who found the American Panther outfit? Were we ever meant to find out?)

Now I've gone on a lot about the story, the writing and the characters, but I haven't really said much about the art. This of course is for good reason; I don't think I know the words that could best exemplify just how fantastic a contribution Francesco Francavilla, Jefte Palo and the army of artists and colorists behind them have made to this series.

However, I'm not gonna really leave it at that comment so I'm going to say my thoughts in the best understated way I can. I absolutely loved Francavilla's work on this series, as his style and colours give his contributions to this series a really golden age/noir look that just (at least I think) looks incredible. I also feel that his work here has such a unique quality to it that it helps give this run a unique vibe that stands out from any other (not that I've read many Black Panther comics mind). Given Francavilla's prior work (or should I say future given he did it after Black Panther ... I think) on the Black Bat, his style really works well during the opening crime-centric arc, while his deep reds and yellows against shadow (which I loved during Afterlife with Archie) gave the Hate Monger arc a real horror vibe (as well as a shot above of Vlad the Impaler looking very Dracula-esque) which worked incredibly well against the nightmarish story being told. As a result, despite his presence being only just over half of the full run, it's his memorable work here that makes me realise why I always call this run the 'Liss/Francavilla run'.

Of course, that should in no way diminish the solid work done through the rest of the issues. Jefte Palo's work is a lot less 'flamboyant' (I really couldn't think of another word) than Francavilla's but his style works a lot better for the more Batman-esque, crime solving arcs that he finds himself on. This is helped, I think by the paler colours by Jean-François Beaulieu, whose work combines with Palo's to really fit the night time crime seeker the the Panther is being (although I do have questions as to why he's drawn SO big). The final arc is probably the let down for me as, while it's solid work by Palo, artists Shawn Martinbrough And Michael Avon Oeming along with colourist Felix Serrano and Jesus Aburtov, I struggle to connect with Oeming's which just looks so ... plain next to his counterparts. Nonetheless, that's just my opinion and what do I know about art, really?

What I do know is how fantastic I think the covers are throughout this series. I seldom talk about covers (don't know why, I just don't), but with these gorgeous works by Simone Bianchi, Andrea Silvestri and Simone Peruzzi, I just have to bring attention for them. If there is nothing else which makes regret selling the single issues, it's the loss of these covers (as well as the ones by Francavilla himself).

I remembered Black Panther: the Man without Fear being a great read, but reading again now has made me realise that my views were a severe understatement. As such, I'm gonna try and get this series as a print copy (most likely a trade) one day, because this is something which deserves pride of place on my shelves.

Oh, and before I forget ...

Also over the last week (and a bit), I've had a couple more reviews go up over at Pipedream Comics. The first was for Vault Comics recently released series Engineward #1 & 2 late last week and that was followed by Decapolis #1 from Geovanni Flores and Fayth Studios early this week.

Now, I won't go into too much detail because A. most of my thoughts can be found in each review and B. I've gone on (more than) long enough in this post. However, I found both titles to be something of a similar mixed bag where I loved their art but the story was something of a struggle to keep engaged in as I read through them (to differing levels).

Now, that didn't mean that I thought they were bad, as I think both are just brimming with potential. However,  but I also think more installments would be needed to flesh out the story and maybe some more backstory for their characters before they really grabbed me. Therefore, I'd maybe check them out again when they hit trade.

So that's another week (or two in the case of reading time) done. It was planned to move to Vanguard for the next few weeks, but a big review has shown up so I'll have to stretch that out.

Guess I'll have to find something else to write about in the meantime.