Thanks to some new hobbies I actually didn't get much reading done these last three months, so you know, a shorter list.
Monstress Vol. 1: Awakening by Marjorie Liu
Set after a devastating war between humans and Arcanics (appearing usually as half-human/ half-animal hybrids), Maika Halfwolf puts herself in chains to humans harvesting Arcanic body-parts in order to find answers to her past - as well as the monster hiding inside of her.
I heard of this comic awhile back, and after reading an Image comics re-release of issue one for a dollar, I thought I might give it a try. The art style is definitely different from anything I've seen, which is also helped by the steampunk-ish setting to give the story its uniqueness. From the one issue I'd read prior to picking up this trade paperback, it was a story about a young Arcanic (I guess called monsters by humans) looking for answers to the mysteries of her past. The trade obviously goes further, introducing more of the world, including the humans seemingly powered by the parts stolen from Arcanics. I liked the rest of the world-building as we learn more about the separation of the two different civilizations, as well as the different powers which exist on both sides. I'm always a fan of "a monster hiding inside"-trope, so when it is revealed that Halfwolf has something ancient inside of her body, well, that got me further interested in the story. As interesting as the premise was, however, maybe it's just because of what was going on while I was reading this, but I'm not too interested in continuing with the rest of the story just yet. Maybe I'll give it another go another time, just not right now (as I mentioned, I fell behind with a lot of reading).
The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country Vol. 1 by James Tynion IV
The Corinthian, a walking nightmare (literally) reflecting the worst of humanity, again roams the Waking World. He is haunted by the memories of his former self - a monster who once escaped The Dreaming to hunt humans before being unmade by Dream of the Endless. As this new Corinthian goes about his tasks, he finds a new nightmare haunting the Waking World - The Smiling Man - one which may not be a creation of Dream's. Intrigued by this new development (as well as with the other entities involved), he'll attach himself to an art student, Madison Flynn, to investigate.
A brand new story set within The Sandman Universe starring its most beloved serial killer, written by one of today's best horror writers - what more could you ask for? Like most other "Sandman" stories, the art style and aesthetic perfectly captures the way one might see the world in that moment when you can't quite tell if you're awake or still asleep. An intriguing start to a new series, I'm easily drawn in when the protagonist is a "bad guy" though, in the case of this version of The Corinthian, he is probably more of a "necessary evil." The story starts strong with the killing committed by two entities on behalf of an unknown benefactor to cover-up a mystery - so that definitely has to draw you in, right? How much do you need to know? Probably at least a little bit. I only read a few of The Sandman trades (not sure how many issues that amounts to) but I did watch the Netflix adaptation which helped me to follow along with some of the backstory/callbacks. Luckily, the story also provides enough flashbacks of information for a reader not as well versed into The Sandman lore all without being a drag to those who may already know the story. Though Volume One only collects the first six issues, the story does introduce A LOT of characters, surprisingly even one only appearing in the sixth and final issue of the volume (why introduce a new character right at the end?). Ending with The Corinthian and Flynn setting off together, I'm curious to see where the story might go.
Stray Dogs by Tony Fleecs
Sophie awakens in an unfamiliar house surrounded by unfamiliar dogs with no memory of how she got there. Her new house, though, has everything she could possibly want or need, all provided for by their loving Master. Despite all this new paradise offers, she'll soon realize instead something terrible has happened. Her Lady gone, Sophie will need to convince the other dogs of their Master's cruelty before something terrible happens to them - a herculean task as the dogs can barely remember what happened the day before.
I picked this up used from Skull-Face Books on one of my trips to sell off my old books. Thanks to another comic I'm reading, I heard about the writer's previous work, "Stray Dogs," and decided to pick it up. For six collected issues, it's a very quick read (I got through the entire trade in one lunch break). I think this was due to not only how compelling the story and tension was (what happened to Sophie's Lady? How will they solve this mystery? How will they escape? Doggies!) but also because there wasn't much dialogue/reading as many of the panels used images and actions to convey the story instead (which also definitely drove me to quickly flip to the next page to find out what happens next). That dogs were the main characters of the story added another element to the typical suspense story knowing about a dog's attention span and their heightened sense of smell and, of course, not being able to communicate verbally with humans.
The story starts the tension with Sophie arriving at an unfamiliar home after a trip to the vet for a Bordetella shot (which I think is a routine vaccine for dogs that frequently interact with other dogs), so I wasn't sure if this was going to be a true-suspense story or simply a misunderstanding, you know, because she is a dog. When they introduce the possible murder of Sophie's Lady and her kidnapping, I just thought, "Oh shit, well let's see what happens next." This dark turn definitely revved the tension and hooked me into the story until the bloody ending, and the equally beautiful epilogue.
Feral #1 - 5 (first story arc complete) by Tony Fleecs
As a rabies outbreak spreads, house cats Elsie, Patch, and Lord find themselves in the woods surrounded by ravenous, infected wildlife. The trio will need to team-up with other found cats to not only survive in the wild, but to avoid infection, or being outright killed by humans stalking the woods. Will they be able to make it back to the shelter of their home and people? And, if they do, will they be the same after this journey?
Finishing the first arc of Feral, I was initially interested in this suspense story as it was told uniquely from the house cats point-of-view, and it coming from the acclaimed writer of Stray Dogs, which (at the time) I'd only heard great things about. This series (like many others, I'm realizing), I should've waited for the collected trade paperback. The first two, two-and-a-half issues really held my attention, but then it started to wane. It honestly wasn't until the last issue that my interest once again peaked (especially when the one cat is killed right in front of Elsie), but, with the price of comics, I don't think I can justify spending $5 an issue on this series, especially with so many others I'm reading.
I Heart Skull-Crusher #1 - 5 (first story arc complete) by Josie Campbell
In the American wasteland, one sport is beloved by the masses (or else) - Screaming Pain Ball - a brutal game in which competing teams can score points by sending a ball through a goal, or by killing their competition. No one in the wasteland is a bigger fan of the sport - or its biggest star, Skull-Crusher - then Trini Wastelander. When it is announced that the winner of a tournament will win a spot on Skull-Crusher's team, she'll put together her own rag-tag team to compete against some of the most brutal, dangerous, and oddest amateur teams in the American wasteland to achieve her dream.
A brutal, post-apocalyptic sports story featuring wacky characters, a protagonist with a heart of gold, and crazy skills and abilities. If any of that appeals to you, then pick-up this series! The game of Screaming Pain Ball is just as brutal as it sounds with players trying to stab, slice, poison, and bludgeon each other to death all while trying to send a ball through a hoop. Trini Wastelander is a perfect protagonist with her up-beat and positive personality that makes you want to cheer her on, and the lows she'll fall into when she sees her dreams fading away (while speaking with the skulls of her parents) will make you want to cry. And the twist ending to this first arc - to see all of Trini's hopes and dreams laid out in front of her (along with the secret kept hidden by her hero) - oh, it's so good.
Dawnrunner #1 - 5 (completed) by Ram V.
Nearly a hundred years ago, a portal opened over Guatemala and the Tetza fell through. To shield the people from these ever-changing behemoths, humanity walled-off the area so none would escape. To combat the Tetza, they built giant, mechanized armors known as Iron Kings. Anita Marr is the most famous, most accomplished pilot in the world, but even she has never piloted an Iron King as advanced as Dawnrunner. Utilizing a newly-developed system, Dawnrunner fuses with the pilot within to create a single, complete being. Unknown to the developer, this new technology also merges Marr with the ghost of one of the first-ever pilots, both of them looking to protect the ones they love. Together, they'll seek to unravel whatever secrets Dawnrunner hides, as well as defeat the Tetza threat.
Touted as a Kaiju/Mecha story combined with the toy industry, Dawnrunner is a story re-imagining others in the genre such as Pacific Rim a hundred years later if humanity had fought the monsters to a sort-of stalemate, and now the Military Industrial Complex uses these battles to create celebrity pilots and new mechs for the masses to cheer on. The artwork is beautiful (not expected from the usual mecha story) and I even went out of my way to spend more for a "virgin" 1st issue (the cover art isn't marred by the comic's title, issue number, or anything else added by the publisher). As mentioned, the story has a background sort-of Go, Go Loser Ranger - vibe with the "good guys" using these mechs and pilots as celebrities and broadcasting the battles against the monsters for people to watch and cheer to make them feel safe and justify their companies' position in society. The main focus of the story, however, is the relationship between Anita Marr and Dawnrunner and the ghost within. Despite Marr's status and accolades, the one person she feels she has failed to protect is her own daughter dying of a disease brought over by the Tetza. Through their relationship, she'll learn that not only can she not save everyone, but the weight of it all doesn't have to rest solely on her shoulders as well.
The Boy Wonder #1 - 5 by Juni Ba
With Batman away, a demon plagues Gotham City - snatching those off the street that people won't miss. Except Batman's heirs - The Robins - do take notice. Damien Wayne, Bruce's legitimate son and the newest of the Robins, will team-up with each of this brothers to not only stop these kidnappings but also to reconcile his past and find his place within his new family.
Having only recently gotten into "Batman"-lore over the last couple of years, I'm really interested in the character of Damien Wayne, Bruce Wayne's son trained all his life to be an assassin and coming to Bruce to unlearn everything he'd been taught. When I read the pitch of The Boy Wonder being an exploration focused on Damien Wayne's search to find where he fits within his new family - especially amongst the others who've held the Robin mantle - well, I was definitely picking-up this series. Over the five issues, Damien's story is told as a fairytale by a hostage caught in a botched bank robbery - the framing plays a big role in the last issue. Each issue/tale focuses upon Damien's relationship with the people in his life who shape the Robin he tries to exemplify but also those who shaped his past as he tries to live up to the high standard his father, The Batman, has set for them all. The story gets emotional as Damien compares himself to his fellow Robins - at first seeing each as a rival to his birthright before realizing that none of them see him in the same light but rather as part of the team, the family. The story, of course (it is still a Batman story), has its share of action as Robin seeks to track down a demon kidnapping people from the streets of Gotham City. Overall, a great, short series and a captivating look into Damien's mind as he continues to search for his place within his family.
Marvel's Blood Hunt (Red-Band version) #1 - 5 (completed) by Jed McKay
When the sun is blotted out across the globe by the explosion of Darkforce into the atmosphere, an enemy of not only Marvel's mightiest heroes but of all mankind attacks - Vampires. Led by a team of uniquely powerful vampires, The Blood Coven as well as a traitor from within, they'll rampage across the globe, slaughtering all in their path, and even put Marvel's superheroes on their heels. Regrouping, The Avengers and any other remaining heroes will need to devise a plan to put a stop to the vampire assault and make the sun rise once more.
A Marvel event bringing together a bunch of titles and heroes, "Blood Hunt" brings Marvel's supernatural into the spotlight with a global vampire assault. The main series, "Blood Hunt" focuses on The Avengers as well as a few other popular characters like Miles Morales' Spider-Man, and those associated with the supernatural such as Doctor Strange and Dracula. Of course, like with all major events, there are other titles associated with it which can be bought separately (if you're not as cheap as I am). It's always really cool to see a bunch of characters working together to defeat a giant enemy. These five issues had its share of twists and moments that made me gasp, such as the reveal of the traitor within the heroes' midst. Despite premiering in this series for the first time and taking down a bunch of The Avengers, I did feel like The Blood Coven was a bit under-utilized overall, especially once the true Big Bad was revealed (perhaps they're being saved for Marvel's new "Blood Hunters" series?). One of the biggest reasons for picking-up these issues were the "Red Band" versions which I'm happy to say I bought all five issues in, and the graphic violence didn't disappoint. Of course, they can't take the gore too far (this being a Marvel comic after all), but it did go further than I would've expected. All in all, a pretty good read and which will actually have consequences in future Marvel continuity (Doctor Doom is the new Sorcerer Supreme?!).
Blood Hunt: Blood Hunters #1 - 4 (story arc complete) by Various Writers
A collection of eight short stories involving other Marvel characters caught in the vampire assault, and one over-arching story putting together a misfit team of future vampire hunters known as The Blood Hunters. A few stories of note include Man-Wolf protecting his father J. Jonah Jameson and other citizens of New York City from a vampire attack; Bruce Banner awakening in-captivity, held by a group of vampires who've tasted The Hulk's blood; and Doctor Doom efficiently patrolling his country of Latveria to protect its citizens. Across all four issues is the story of the formation of The Blood Hunters: Dagger, Elsa Bloodstone, White Widow, and Hallow's Eve, a team tasked with hunting down vampires while trying to cure those they can still save. It was an interesting read overall, though, of course, filled with one or two weirder stories, such as The Hell Cow. I always enjoy these little side stories which branch off of the main storyline just to show how other people are handling the situation. Though most are shows as either one-shots or perhaps to tie into other stories from The Marvel Universe, the formation of The Blood Hunters team looks to be a prequel to the upcoming release of The Blood Hunters storyline which Marvel has released as of the time I'm writing this.
Strange Academy: Blood Hunt #1 - 3 by Daniel Older
I honestly wasn't going to buy these when they first came out, but then Dr. Doom and the Strange Academy kids made an appearance in the main "Blood Hunt" storyline, and so I needed to know what was going on. Digging through a box of back-issue comics to find them, unfortunately, I wasn't able to locate the first-printing of the first issue, but I got a second printing which is good enough to read. Sure, with the supernatural afoot, it would be smart to include The Strange Academy, but it doesn't quite feel the same without Skottie Young at the helm of his creations. It was a pretty fun read, overall, especially seeing the kids again and their powers. I really like the kids, and really hope they become more popular in the future ... mostly because I'm also hoping to eventually pick-up a "Strange Academy #1" in a CGC 9.8 as I'm now a loser who collects comics.
Blood Hunt: Jubilee #1 by Preeti Chhibber
Arriving too late to stop Sonal from being bitten by a vampire, Jubilee takes her to The Forgiven. Having once been a blood-thirsty vampire, it was The Forgiven, a group of vampires who refuse to drink human blood, who helped her manage the hunger and showed Jubilee a better way forward. Together, the group will try to survive the endless night while a trying not to give into the force pulling at them all to join with the rest of the vampires and feed.
A featured one-shot in Marvel's "Blood Hunt" event, this story shows Jubilee, a former vampire herself, grappling with the task of protecting humans from vampires while also knowing the vampires can also be victims of their own circumstances. First off, didn't originally intend to buy this issue when I heard about it, but then I found out about Jubilee's interesting history as a former vampire, I wasn't interested in the other comics released that week, and I saw the Peach Momoko cover. It was pretty cool to see Jubilee as the main character since, growing up, the cartoons always pushed her more to the background with her "firework powers."
Blood Hunt: Magik #1 by Ashley Allen
Traveling alone in the winter woods, Illyana Rasputin is captured along with a couple of children by vampires using humans for sport. Setting her free to be hunted like a fox, the hunters become the hunted when she reveals she is actually Magik of the X-men. As she recalls the story of her namesake, she'll slaughter the vampires and free the people, revealing what one can do when they've been forged by true monsters.
Part of Marvel's ongoing "Blood Hunt" event, this book finds Magik living up to the heroic namesake she was given as she hunts down vampires preying on humans. An enjoyable read, I'm also going to be a fan of the "hunter becomes the hunted" reversal trope and it was really cool seeing Magik reveal her power - and that giant sword. Not being too familiar with the X-men, obviously I don't understand what exactly is Magik's power (is she a mutant? magical?) but it was really cool seeing her portrayed in "The New Mutants" movie and in the "Strange Academy" comic series. This being a one-shot, I expect Marvel to release a collection of these stories eventually (or perhaps thrown into an omnibus with the rest of the "Blood Hunt" event), and that's how I originally expected to read it. Then, I saw this Peach Momoko cover variant ... and, well, I bought it.
Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance #1 - 6 (story arc complete) by Benjamin Percy
Parker Robbins aka The Hood aka the current Spirit of Vengeance continues to grow his control over Chicago's underworld using his newly acquired powers, all in an effort to provide for his estranged family. Meanwhile Johnny Blaze (the previous Ghost Rider) and Zeb arrive in Chicago drawn to Zarathos, the Spirit of Vengeance, as its power still lingers in Blaze. At their inevitable confrontation, Robbins falters, condemning his soul to Hell in order to save his family. Blaze and Zarathos are reunited once more into the Ghost Rider, forced into doing Mephistos' bidding once again.
When the story was pitched as an introduction to a brand new Ghost Rider, one willing to use the Spirit's powers to the fullest, I was pretty excited to see what an antihero would do with the power, maybe a true villain even. Once they reintroduced Blaze though, I kinda figured this would end with Blaze once again bearing the Ghost Rider mantle, reclaiming his powers. Honestly, these six issues felt like reading the unnecessary Bleach "Full-Bring arc". If you were just going to give the main character his powers back, then don't take them away in the first place. Umm, all in all, this story felt kinda "meh". It was interesting to see Robbins using the Spirit's power to seize control of Chicago's underworld, but knowing the power would ultimately return to Blaze made it feel anticlimactic.
The Infernals #1 - 5 (completed) by Ryan Parrott and Noah Gardner
Abraham Morgenstern is the Antichrist, the son of Satan born on Earth to bring about the end of days, and he is dying. Having overseen a globe-spanning criminal enterprise in his Father's name, he is forced to choose one of his misfit children to takeover: the short-tempered Nero, the secretive Jackal, or the youngest (and childish) Baphomet. To takeover the empire and their father's (and grandfather's) legacy however, the dysfunctional trio will need to complete a single job which both Hell and Heaven have a stake in. And they'll need to complete it together.
The Antichrist is dying (cancer of all things) and his legacy must be passed along to one of his dysfunctional, nepo children - what a great concept! And, to draw me in further, I liked the weird art style and the great covers (covers are such a draw to getting me to buy a comic book). Most Antichrist stories focus on The Antichrist taking over the world for Satan. I liked this idea that, since he is human, The Antichrist could simply die before his purpose is complete from something as common as cancer. And, he is The Antichrist, of course his children wouldn't be as "adjusted" as a typical adult should be. What I really liked about this story (besides the artwork) was the family dynamic between Morgenstern and his three kids - it is an interesting take on the lives of those who grew-up surrounded by actual evil. There is, of course, the End-of-Days dynamic including angels and their influence to gain an edge in the upcoming war. All that said, maybe a comic I would've waited for the trade paperback release since it appears to be a short, five-issue series, and (as mentioned), trades are much easier to resell if you don't plan to re-read the story again.
Briar #5 - 8 (story arc complete) by Christopher Cantwell
Still on the run from her wicked godmother Grendrid, Briar and the rest of her group seek to make a name for themselves as heroes by helping the people of the land. Despite her best efforts, when a whole town is swallowed into the earth, Briar can't help but suspect her godmother may have been right - that her very existence could bring about the destruction of the world - and she should've been left to sleep. Caught, separated, imprisoned, and broken in their own ways, each will need to once again find their own pride and resolve to escape and mount their assault to save their land.
I really didn't expect another set of issues to this story after a long hiatus from the first four issues. I really liked this dark fantasy take on the Sleeping Beauty story. Briar and her group continue their quest to overthrow Briar's godmother and free the land from her rule. At the same time, each member of Briar's group must confront some uncomfortable fact about themselves. Though the story does expand the world a bit more, I really enjoyed the internal look at each of the characters to see what drives them to their goal. The end of the arc sets up a confrontation between Briar and her godmother, so hopefully it won't be a long time before we get that story.
The Sacrificers #7 - 11 (story arc complete) by Rick Remender
Aided by his new, godly powers, Pidgeon sets off on a quest for revenge against the gods who've ruled over them, taken from them, and given nothing in return. After her escape, Soluna finds herself low and on the run while housing an unknown entity of death. Picked-up by Pidgeon's family, she'll discover the lengths her father will go to get her back.
The Sacrificers second story arc continues Pidgeon's rise against the gods as well as Soluna's disillusioned fall from its lofty heights. Pidgeon, now possessing power of his own, mounts his own crusade against the gods who demand a yearly sacrifice but appear to be nothing more than figureheads (yeah, it is another anti-authority story from Remender similar to Deadly Class and Napalm Lullaby). Though Pidgeon's quest sits as the main plot, I really enjoyed Soluna's journey as she sees the world below that her godly parents rule over. Maybe I just like the story of despair, the fall as it juxtaposed nicely with Pidgeon's rise (like Quentin Coldwater and Julia Wicker's alternating stories in The Magician King). Though I could see the story lasting as long as Remender's Deadly Class saga, I could also see it ending in the next story arc too.
The Spectacular Spider-Men #5 - 7 by Greg Weisman
Trapped within an illusion preying upon their deepest fantasies, Peter Parker and Miles Morales aka The Spectacular Spider-men, must fight their way past robotic clones of their loved ones - and even each other - to discover who (or what) is behind the disappearances of the other regulars at their local coffee shop.
After spending some time believing each other to be robot clones, The Spider-Men finally confront their real foes. In these three issues, Parker and Morales display their teamwork as they battle multiple enemies as well as an AI that knows everything about them. As great of a battle as it was, I'm curious to see the aftermath coming in the next issue as those trapped in the illusion are freed.
Nights #7 - 11 (story arc complete) by Wyatt Kennedy
Vince and Gray begin their relationship while trying to discover more about what Gray actually is. Marcus gets a handle on the monstrous hound hiding within him, and is finally able to pursue a relationship with a lost love. Matt, coming to terms with his death, reconnects with some old friends and decides to begin his life anew.
Honestly, the biggest reason I'm still reading this one is because it is still on my Pull List over at Other Realms. Some of the concepts I still find interesting like Gray being possessed by a conquistador spirit and Marcus hiding a monster within him, but the rest of the story feels lackluster.
Deadpool #1 - 5 (story arc complete) by Cody Ziglar
While Taskmaster trains Ellie to discover the extent of her healing factor, Deadpool goes in search of Death Grip and his cult. Upon learning their location, he and Taskmaster launch an assault on their hideout. With the Muramasa Blade a part of him, Death Grip cuts Deadpool off from his healing factor. Luckily, Ellie and Princess arrive in the nick of time to save the day.
As interesting as a death-worshipping cult taking on the unkillable mercenary might sound, this entire arc felt more like a set-up for the next story arc of Deadpool possibly trying to regain his healing factor while Ellie and Princess join the mercenary business. Maybe it is just because of the movies, but I was really hoping for more jokes even though putting in as many as the movies include would be overkill in the comic format (there's only so many word bubbles you can fit into a panel after all).
