Comic Book Review: Mister Miracle #1 - DC Comics (2017)

"Meet: Mister Miracle"

Written by Tom King
Art by Mitch Gerads

Mister Miracle seems to be having a bit of an inside of the mind crisis and dealing with friends, family and most importantly himself has been difficult.

The synopsis I gave is on the vague side for a reason.  Mister Miracle is a twelve issue mini-series and issue one is just the jumping off point.  There are more questions than answers at this point.

Mister Miracle opens with our hero lying on the bathroom floor with his wrists slit.  The fallout from it all plays out throughout the book.  At home with Big Barda, on television in talk show format and also in his mind as he thinks back to childhood.  There are also multiple ominous black panels with "Darkseid is" printed in them.  I am absolutely in love with how this book was written and presented.  I don't know much about Mister Miracle or the New Gods for that matter, so please don't let that deter you from picking up this comic book series.  You may need to pick up a second printing, these books were flying off the shelf and sold out at my local comic book shop.

Speaking of local comic book shop, Samurai Comics in Mesa, AZ was where I picked up Mister Miracle #1 and I was pleased that they had the artist for the series, Mitch Gerads in attendance.  I have had the opportunity to chat with Mr. Gerads at multiple cons and comic book store events and it is awesome to hear his insight.  His art style is a bit different than other comic artists as he does every bit of the artistic process.  Mitch does all of his own pencils, inks, and colors.  It is truly incredible that he is able to do all of the artistic duties and he makes it all look amazing as well.  I was able to get the variant cover of Mister Miracle autographed while I was at the comic shop.

What are your thoughts on Mister Miracle?  What other comic books would you like Maskerpiece Theatre to review?   Please let us know through social media.

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Comic Book Review: The Brave and the Bold #1: Batman and Green Lantern - DC Comics (2007)

"The Lords of Luck Roulette"
Chapter One

Written by Mark Waid and George Perez
Pencils by George Perez
Inks by Bob Wiacek
Colors by Tom Smith

Batman and Green Lantern have a mystery to solve.  Multiple bodies have been found throughout the world and also in space.  The odd part is, it's the exact same body in all of these locations.

I like "The Brave and the Bold" concept of teaming up two DC superheroes.  The first issue in the 2007 iteration has two fan-favorites; Batman and Green Lantern.  I like how these two heroes work together despite a stark clash in style.  The world's greatest detective teaming up with the man with a ring that create just about anything he can think of.

Mark Waid and George Perez have the beginning of a very mysterious story and it goes from outer space, to Gotham, to Las Vegas and before the story ends Green Lantern is headed back to space to head to another planet.  We are also introduced by inter-planetary villains along with another villain we are a bit more familiar with in Roulette.  I received this comic book in the TeeBlox subscription service and you can check out past reviews of that service at HelloSubscription. I may need to head to my local comic shop to see if I can find the rest of this series in the bargain bin.  My library may have the collected graphic novel as well.

George Perez is one of my all time favorite artists and, as soon as I saw his work on the cover, I immediately opened the book to start reading.  Perez has drawn just about everyone in the worlds of DC and Marvel Comics and I was excited by what I saw inside.  Everything from the heroes to the backgrounds look wonderful.  It was an absolute pleasure to not just read, but look at the incredible artwork in "The Brave and the Bold" #1.

What are your thoughts on "The Brave and the Bold" concept?  What other comic books would you like Maskerpiece Theatre to review?  Please let us know in the comment section below or through social media.

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Comic Book Review: Batman #24 - DC Comics (2017)

"Every Epilogue is a Prelude"

Written by Tom King

Pencils by David Finch
Inks by Danny Miki
Pages 1, 4, 8, 10, 12, 16-20

Pencils and Inks by Clay Mann with Seth Mann
Pages 2-3, 5-7, 9, 11, 13-15

Colors by Jordie Bellaire

Batman and Gotham Girl discuss what her future will be.  Batman is also searching for Catwoman As he has some very important things to say to her.

Tom King continues to prove that he is one of the best writers in comic books.  Issue 24 of Batman shows such great sides to the Dark Knight.  Batman is much more revealing on a personal level and he reveals he doesn't know how to be happy.  His unhappy revelation came during Batman's conversations with Gotham Girl during the daytime within this book.  The conversation continues throughout the comic book through colored captions during the nighttime scenes where we see Batman chasing Catwoman.  As the chase draws closer, we get to see Batman talk to Catwoman and it ends with Batman confessing things to her.  The end of the book has fanboys and fangirls everywhere wondering what Catwoman's response will be.

I really enjoyed having multiple artists for this comic.  There were two distinctly different things going on.  Having Clay and Seth Mann doing the artwork for the daytime chat between Batman and Gotham Girl looked wonderful.  They captured Batman's grittiness while still giving softer looks to Gotham Girl.  David Finch and Danny Miki were in charge of Batman's pursuit of Catwoman and the last page with the all-important gesture should be made into a print.  This comic book is excellent.

What are your thoughts on Batman?  What do you think Catwoman/Selina Kyle will say?

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Comic Book Review: Superman #22 - DC Comics (2017)

"Black Dawn"
Chapter 3

Written by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason
Pencils by Doug Mahnke
Inks by Jaime Mendoza and Ray McCarthy
Colors by Wil Quintana

Lois Lane is searching for her husband Clark Kent and their son Jon.  The boys were out with Damian Wayne(Robin) looking for Batman.  Lois finds out there is much more to her missing family and friends as "Black Dawn" continues.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the Rebirth run on Superman thus far.  The "Black Dawn" story line had the seeds planted many issues ago and I feel that this is something that really sets DC Comics apart from many other comic book companies.  There is a plan in place and the stories have been wonderful because of it.  This isn't to say that you need to read all 21 issues leading up to this(plus an Annual and some cross-overs with Action Comics).  If you did read them, it's an added bonus.

The "Black Dawn" stories read a lot like a horror story.  We are also given these stories from multiple perspectives.  The majority of this comic book is from Lois' perspective as she uses her journalistic prowess to find Clark, Jon, Damian and Bruce.  Because this is Lois, we get to see her find much more than she had originally bargained for.  We also are treated to how tough she can be as she takes on assailants and gets to drive the Batmobile.  Superman is the person whose perspective is given to the readers.  There is a revelation at the end of this book that left me clamoring for more.

Doug Mahnke is one of my favorite artists and I am always happy to see his name on the cover.  Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason have been putting together incredible stories and they are that much better when Mahnke is in charge of the art.  The inks were nice in this comic as the use of black in some of the more eerie panels was beautiful.  The visuals are spectacular and Wil Quintana's colors add to the spooky feeling.

What are your thoughts on Superman?  Do you like the family dynamic that is used in this series?  What other comic books would you like Maskerpiece Theatre to review?

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Comic Book Review: Superman: Annual #1 - DC Comics (2017)

"Tangled Up In Green"

Written by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason
Art by Jorge Jimenez
Colors by Alejandro Sanchez

Hamilton County(300 miles north of Metropolis) is where the Kent's have decided to lay down roots when they were pulled from their universe and placed into the current DC universe.  Clark Kent/Superman is trying to figure out why the land in Hamilton County is so dry.  Maybe Swamp Thing can help explain.

I know the old saying; "Don't judge a book by it's cover."  This comic book has Superman and Swamp Thing on the cover so I threw caution to the wind and decided this is a "must have."  This book was even better than I had hoped.  Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason are writing some of the best stories in comic books with their current run on Superman. This "Annual" fits with the story but can be read on its own as well.  The way Superman and Swamp Thing communicated with each other was great.  Swamp Thing helping Superman figure out why the land was drying up was awesome.  Superman didn't want to do things Swamp Thing's way but he can be quite convincing.  

Jorge Jimenez and Alejandro Sanchez were amazing choices to do the art in this comic book.  This was a very visual story so the art needed to be on point.  The two main characters are very different.  The vibrant Superman and the murky looking Swamp Thing.  Seeing the two of these characters with and against each other was a wonderful sight.  The visuals toward the end of the comic book when Swamp Thing helps Superman see the reason behind the drying of the land were absolutely stunning.  The art alone makes this comic book worth purchasing.  Luckily it has a good story as well.

I am all for another Superman and Swamp Thing team-up in the future.  This was the first meeting of this version of Superman with the current incarnation of Alec Holland/Swamp Thing and I hope for many more.

What are your thoughts on Superman: Annual #1?  Are you reading the Superman series or any other DC series?  What would you like Maskerpiece Theatre to review in the future?  

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Comic Book Review: A Flower in the Field of Lions - Tapestry Comics (2017)

Written by Tyler Button
Art by Ryan Cody

A historical account of France as they fight against British rule.  I have long felt that comic books should go in this direction and even considered doing something similar.  I am happy to see Tyler Button and Ryan Cody take the reigns and give historical accounts of actual events.  This particular offering will go into the story of Joan of Arc and these books will be told per her testimony in fornt of a hostile court.

This particular book is a preview comic that was given to my daughter at the Free Comic Book Day event at Samurai Comics in Mesa, AZ.  Tyler Button and Ryan Cody were on hand and I'm not sure why I didn't request autographs
on the book.  I guess I was concentrating on Button's enthusiasm for the story and both contributors' affinity for the artwork that inspired their period piece.

I enjoyed Ryan Cody's art throughout this book.  The art matched up with the story being told and looked good.  It's a bit violent but not unsettling to view.  I hope that the Kickstarter these guys are starting on May 30th, 2017 is successful.

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Comic Book Review: Nightwing #20 - DC Comics (2017)

"Nightwing Must Die! - Finale"
Written by Tim Seeley
Art by Javier Fernandez
Colors by Chris Sotomayor

Nightwing is on a mission to find his girlfriend Shawn Tsang.  Professor Pyg has his army of demented doppelgangers, including Deathwing(who is figuring out what side he is on).

There is so much more going on in this book than that little blurb I included.  This is the finale in what has been an emotional roller coaster of a story.  Nightwing has been hot on the trail of finding his girlfriend(who also may be pregnant).  Robin(Damian Wayne) is tagging along as he is upset that many feel that Nightwing is the heir apparent to the Batman helm.  Plus you get to throw in layers of bad guys and top layer bad guys taking out the bottom layer of bad guys.  Tim Seeley did a masterful job with this story line.  I'm so glad Superman recommended Bludhaven as a destination for Nightwing(issue #9).

The Nightwing series is wonderful since we have a steady writer in Tim Seeley.  The one thing I wish it had is a steady artist.  Everyone who has worked on this series has been very good, but I feel like it would be that much better with the same artist.  Javier Fernandez did very nice work in this particular comic book.  He gave it a very gritty look which is something I that definitely works when it comes to the street level heroes.  Chris Sotomayer's colors were excellent as well.  The scenery was dark but Nightwing's blue and Deathwing's red really popped nicely.

Nightwing is one of my absolute favorite comic books going.  I look forward to each issue.  Tim Seeley is writing Nightwing/Dick Grayson the way a hero should be written.  Nightwing is a hero full of hope, even when that hope can backfire.  He looks for the good and fights to keep that good alive.  The looking for the good in people works out to Dick Grayson's advantage as Shawn Tsang, his girlfriend, was a villain who was known as The Defacer(it's not as bad as it sounds, she just spray painted artwork).

What are your thoughts on Nightwing?  What other comic books would you like Maskerpiece Theatre to review?

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Comic Book Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (IDW, Free Comic Book Day 2017)

Story: Kevin Eastman, Bobby Curnow & Tom Waltz
Script: Tom Waltz
Art (Including Cover): Cory Smith
Colors: Ronda Pattison
Letters: Shawn Lee

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been kicking around since I was a kid. To see them as a still-relevant group warms my heart. My daughter is over three decades younger than me and loves the old movies as much as I did back in 1990. One of the best things about FCBD editions of titles is that they introduce new readers and new generations to classic characters. I have to say, this issue does a fine job of that.

As we start, our half-shelled heroes, sans Donatello, are involved in a training mission down in the sewers. As each turtle gets zapped by a laser, they make fun of each other with the senses of humor we're used to. When they get back to their lair, they're greeted by Don and a small golden robot named Professor Honeycutt. The group reminisces about the last time they met up, and they go through moments they've had facing a variety of villains, which nicely introduces new readers to their storied history. The last they discuss is an attack by General Krang, which ended with his arrest. Honeycutt is one of five key witnesses in the trial that could put him away for a long time.

In true Maskerpiece fashion, a set of tentacles drops from the ceiling and shuts down the power. They drop again to snatch Honeycutt, and the battle begins. The culprit in a bounty hunter named Hakk-R, and before his escape, he downloads the names of the other witnesses from Honeycutt's database. This sends the turtles on a quest to Dimension X.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Tentacles!

While this is just a teaser leading to TMNT #73 and TMNT: Dimension X, it's short, sweet, and fun. It does make you want to dig into more of the story on Krang's capture and the crimes that led to it as well as the upcoming hunt for Hakk-R.

The artwork by Cory Smith has a modern/classic hybrid feel to it, and his cover is beautiful. The colors by Ronda Pattison keep the sewer dark and the characters light, making an eye catching contrast. I enjoyed this fun little battle, and I think it'll be a great way to get younger kids into the pizza loving mutants.

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Comic Book Review: Justice League of America: Rebirth #1 - DC Comics

JLA Rebirth
Written by Steve Orlando
Pencils by Ivan Reis
Inks by Joe Prado & Oclair Albert
Colors by Marcelo Maiolo

Batman is putting together a new team.  A team of heroes that are less God-like and more human.  A group the people of the world can identify with.  The question is, can this group find a way to get along with each other?  Beware: the rest is spoilers.

This book starts out with Batman recruiting Killer Frost.  The two look over the base of operations that Batman has chosen, a secret cave in Happy Harbor, Rhode Island.  From here, Batman and Killer Frost head to Seattle to recruit Black Canary who was a bit surprised the once villainous Killer Frost had come to her city.  The next to be recruited is the alien biker Lobo.  Lobo agrees and the group look to have Ray Palmer, The Atom, join in the fun.  Ray Palmer is missing but his student aid, Ryan Choi, is there and he has been using Palmer technology to search for The Atom.  Batman was against it but Lobo liked the kid.  Now it's the Ryan's turn to recruit so now The Ray is in the group.  Batman rounded out the group by convincing Vixen to join.

This book reminded me of the beginning of Justice League International during the New 52 run.  Batman puts together a group to look good for the masses.  He chooses a leader most of the group wouldn't expect(Killer Frost for JLA and Booster Gold for JLI).  Justice League International was a fun series and I foresee the same with this comic book team.  Having Lobo and Black Canary on a team with Killer Frost should make for plenty of interesting panels.

Ivan Reis is one of my favorite comic book artists today.  It is awesome seeing his work on so many heroes.  The attention he gives to the facial expressions and the poses each character is in is phenomenal.  The colors by Marcelo Maiolo looked amazing as well.  So many of the panels within the book were cover-worthy.

What are your thoughts on the Justice League of America?  What comic book series' are you reading?  Let us know by reaching out to us through social media.

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Comic Book Review: Secret Empire / Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man - Free Comic Book Day Edition - Marvel Comics

The following two reviews come from the same comic book.  They are from the special "Free Comic Book Day" edition.

Secret Empire
Written by Nick Spencer
Art by Andrea Sorrentino

The heroes of the Marvel Universe are in a tumultuous battle with Hydra.  Things are not going well and it is about to get a whole lot worse.

Captain America has been Hydra the whole time despite 70 years of fighting them.  I'm sure the preludes made sense of it but it just doesn't interest me at all.  I read this comic book and Secret Invasion #0 but I think that is as far as I will get.  Let me know when Captain America is back to normal.  It's a comic book event and there is no way he stays a villain.

On the bright side, Andrea Sorrentino is a fantastic artist.  I really enjoyed the visuals in this comic book, even if the story itself does not really get me excited.

Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man
"...Time Flies"
Written by Chip Zdarsky
Pencils by Paolo Siqueira
Inks by Walden Wong, Cam Smith, Jay Leisten & Paolo Siqueira
Colors by Frank D'Armata

Peter Parker is attempting to have lunch with Mary Jane Watson, head of Stark Industries but as always, some super-villain just happens to be causing mischief/mayhem.  Peter must leave to become the Spectacular Spider-Man and take on The Vulture.  There may be an extra person in play however...

This is more like it.  Lots of fun dialogue, a superhero in action and trying to juggle his personal life at the same time.  He takes on an old foe and meeting someone else who seems to be taking Paste Pot Pete's gimmick.  There were not many pages as this was a tease for the upcoming Spectacular Spider-Man series in June.

The art looks really good in this comic book.  A Spider-Man would be a tough series to take on since there are so many tall buildings and perspectives for the artist to draw.  This team did a wonderful job of doing this.  The buildings were detailed without being a distraction on the panels.  There is so much to love about Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man.  It looks like I will be adding this to my pull list at my local comic shop.

What are your thoughts on Secret Empire?  Will you be picking up Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man?

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Comic Book Review: Wolverine: Old Man Logan - Marvel Comics

"Old Man Logan"
Written by Mark Millar
Pencils by Steve McNiven
Inks by Dexter Vines, Mark Morales and Jay Leister
Colors by Morry Hollowell, Christina Strain, Justin Ponsor, Jason Keith, Nathan Fairbairn and Paul Mounts

This will not be an individual comic book review as I am reviewing the "Wolverine: Old Man Logan" trade paperback that I received in the Comic Bento subscription box.  The book collects Wolverine #66-72 and Wolverine: Old Man Logan Giant-Size.

The premise is that this tale takes place in a future where all of the villains got together and beat all the heroes and divided the United States between each other.  Not many heroes remain.  Logan hasn't unsheathed his claws in over fifty years as he raises his family on a farm near Sacramento, CA.  Times are tough and Logan is struggling to pay rent to the hillbilly Banner family.  Hawkeye comes to Logan with a proposition to make some fast money during a road trip.

For those that read Millar's "Wanted" comic book series, yes, this is the same premise.  Somehow all of these egotistical villains decided to get together to destroy the heroes and found a way to divide everything up between each other.  I know they are make believe characters in a make believe world, but why would Doctor Doom agree to ruling the Midwest and let Red Skull control the East Coast and Washington D.C. in particular?  And then there's Magneto.  Why would he only want Las Vegas?  Also, why would he agree to the slaughter of mutants?  Paste Pot Pete ended up with Paste Pot Creek so that part makes sense.

Millar keeps his Hulks in the same form as they were in "The Ultimates" comic book series.  They eat people.  Apparently Bruce Banner had a whole lot of repressed feelings in that genius mind of his.  He ends up mating with his cousin, She-Hulk, and creating a "special" Hulk family.

Hawkeye has become a drug-running Daredevil.  He has glaucoma and needs Logan to read the map.  Hawkeye is still driving the Spider-Buggy but at least Logan can tell him where to turn and such.

The overall story was pretty entertaining and it was fun to see where some of the heroes were taken out.  Finding out how Wolverine had been beaten and broken was a sad sight.  I'm sure you can guess that Logan can't keep the claws hidden for too long and Wolverine does end up going on a rampage.

The artwork in "Old Man Logan" is stellar.  Steve McNiven was an amazing choice to bring out the visuals for this series.  There is just enough detail to be jaw dropping but not distracting.  Logan and many of the characters are much older now and the wrinkles in the forehead and the way the people stood made you realize they've gotten older but you still wouldn't want to mess with them.  The backgrounds looked incredible as well.  Did I mention that the Venom Symbiote finds a Tyrannosaurus Rex host?

Overall the story is worth reading.  It reads pretty quickly as Millar is the type that really just writes dialogue and the artist is responsible for telling the story around the dialogue.  Luckily Steve McNiven is the artist so you get good dialogue with remarkable artwork.

What are your thoughts on "Wolverine: Old Man Logan?"  What other comic book series would you like us to review?  Find us on social media and let us know.

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Comic Book Review: Nick Fury Agent of SHELD #16 - Marvel Comics (1990)

Apogee of Disaster part 2
"Uh, Houston, We Got a Problem"

Written by DG Chichester
Pencils by Herb Trimpe
Inks by Romeo Tanghal
Colors by Andy Yanchus

Nick Fury and the Agents of SHIELD are in outer space on a mission to stop a man named PEter Lohan and his group of technicians from launching a satellite from a stolen space shuttle.

I received this comic book from the TeeBlox subscription service as part of their monthly t-shirt plus extra goodies.  This was a series I never got into when I was younger but I thought it might be fun to give it a read and let everyone know what I think about it.

Although this is the sixteenth issue in the series and part two of the overall "Apogee of Disaster" story line, it was easy to figure out what was going on.  The characters each had lines that made you understand where they were coming from and the way they were written, a person almost would not even need the balloon arrow to let you know who was talking.  It was definitely a fun read.

One of the things that caught my eye for this comic book cover was Nick Fury's signature cigar inside the spacesuit.  That is only for the cover but there is a reference to him needing a space suit to be able to do so within the comic book.  Back in 1990 maybe, but now that Disney owns Marvel, no more smoking in the comics, movies or television.

Herb Trimpe is the artist for this book and that made the book that much more fun.  The outer space scenes looked great and the interiors of the space ships looked fantastic.  Herb Trimpe has drawn so many great comics(first person to draw Wolverine in a comic book!) and it was cool to see him drawing the Agents of SHIELD in these perilous space combats.  This comic book exceeded my expectations.

What older comics have you picked up recently?  What comic books should Maskerpiece Theatre in the future?  Find us on social media and let us know.

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Comic Book Review: The Flash #21 - DC Comics (2017)

"The Button" part 2
Written by Joshua Williamson
Art by Howard Porter
Colors by Hi-Fi

The Flash is investigating the Bat-Cave, the scene where his nemesis, The Reverse Flash aka Eobard Thawne, met his demise(see Batman #21).  Upon his investigations, The Flash decides he must look for clues in a way only The Flash is able to do.

"The Button" story line is blowing me away.  I am thoroughly enjoying what this cross-over event is bringing to the table.  Flash and Batman teaming up to travel through time and universes to find out who or what killed the man who murdered Barry Allen's(The Flash) mother is a recipe for a whole lot of awesome.  The scenes from the time stream were absolutely incredible.  For the DC fans who did not love the "New 52" as much as I did will be happy to see many of the scenes from this comic book.  For those that liked the characters from the Flashpoint series, there is a really cool appearance from someone very familiar to Bruce Wayne(Batman).

Howard Porter's artwork is spectacular in this comic book.  There is so much going on in each panel as he has a full background in just about all of them.  Pairing this art with Joshua Williamson's brilliant storytelling is absolutely extraordinary.  Get to your local comic shop and buy these books before they are gone.

What are your thoughts on "The Button" story?  Which comic book event are you most excited for?  Let us know through social media.

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Comic Book Review: Batman #21 - DC Comics (2017)

"The Button" Part 1
Written by Tom King
Pencils and Inks by Jason Fabok
Colors by Brad Anderson

Batman is investigating the button that was mysteriously found during the Rebirth comic book.  Upon finding something unexpected, Batman contacts The Flash who was in the middle of a fight.  Before the Flash could dispose of his foes and get to the Bat-Cave, Batman has a visitor.  Don't read any further if you do not want any spoilers.

This is how you kick of a comic book event.  I am all in on finding out more about this mysterious button as this appears to be a Watchmen tie-in.  Batman sees his father from an alternate universe and also gets into a tussle with the Reverse Flash.  Reverse Flash claims to see God at the end of the comic before he looks to be burned away.  It looks like the aftermath of those that cross Dr. Manhattan(or is that just something we are lead to believe?).

Jason Fabok is an absolutely fantastic person to be doing the art for this comic book.  I've been a huge fan of his work for some time and I really enjoy the way he draws all of the heroes and villains of the DC Universe.  I'm looking forward to seeing more of his work as this story progresses.

What are your thoughts on "The Button?"  Which summer comic book event are you most excited for?  Please let us know in the comment section below or contact us on social media.

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Comic Book Review: American Gods #1 - Dark Horse Comics

"Shadows"
Story and Words by Neil Gaiman
Script and Layouts by P. Craig Russell
Art by Scott Hampton

"Somewhere in America"
By P. Craig Russell and Lovern Kindzierski

Shadow Moon is preparing to be let out of prison.  He has a wife waiting for him at home an a job working with his best friend.  Things seem to be looking up for Shadow but there is a storm coming.

I am a big fan of the "American Gods" novel by Neil Gaiman and I was happy that the adaptation to comic book worked as well as it did.  It has been a few years since I have read the novel but reading this comic book brought back those memories and makes me eager to, not only read more of the comic, but to also watch the upcoming "American Gods" live action series on STARZ.

One of the things I find fun about reading adaptations is seeing how similar or different characters look.  When reading a novel, I tend to get a picture in my head and it is interesting to see another person's interpretation turns out to be.  Most people came out very similar, other than Mister Wednesday.  Not a huge deal, just different than what i pictured.  I am sure the STARZ series will be full of surprises in that respect.

The art itself looks good throughout this book.  The art especially shines in the "Somewhere in America" mini story(something else that is in the novel).  I am a big fan of  Lovern Kindzierski's colors as I have reviewed a number of books that he worked on.

I received this comic book in the Comic Block subscription box and you can read my review of the entire box here.  Let me know your thoughts on this comic, the novel, or how you think the television series will be.  Place your comments in the section below or find us on social media.

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Comic Book Review: Secret Empire #0 - Marvel Comics (2017)

Written by Nick Spencer
Art by Daniel Acuna

Captain America is a Hydra agent and now he is putting a plan in place to fully take over the world by strategically taking out the heroes of the world.

This story line started about a year ago and it just doesn't impress me.  I feel like Captain America being an agent of Hydra belongs in the old "What If..." comic book series.  I received this comic book in the Marvel Collectors Corps subscription box which is the reason why I read this comic in the first place.  My copy has Rocket and Groot on the cover which is the reason it's a keeper.  I look forward to this story ending as I've heard it is rumored Marvel will be going in a "back to their roots" type of run in the near future.  I like exploring other sides to characters but Cap being a Hydra agent all along just doesn't do it for me.

Daniel Acuna is an incredibly talented artist and definitely a wonderful choice to be in charge of the visual interiors when it comes to a comic book of this magnitude.  Acuna is tasked with drawing the heroes of the Marvel Universe throughout the entire issue.

I doubt I will be purchasing any of the other comic books in Secret Empire but at least I got to read one of the books to see if it was worth me forking over five bucks an issue.  Seriously Marvel, the cover prices are too much.  Get some advertisers to pay for it or use a less expensive paper stock.

What are your thoughts on Secret Empire?  I'm sure I'm in the minority on this as I have read many friends' posts on social media.  I look forward to reading all of your thoughts whether it be in the comments below, on social media or via email.


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Comic Book Review: Spider-Man: BLUE #s 1-5 - Marvel Comics

Written by Jeph Loeb
Art by Tim Sale

Spider-Man: BLUE is a retelling of a younger Peter Parker and his first love, Gwen Stacy.  It's also a the tale of how Peter first met Mary Jane Watson.  The life of Peter Parker has always been pretty complicated with him juggling life as a photographer and being a student and of course; being Spider-Man.  If that doesn't complicate things enough, now throw in a pretty girl.  Scratch that, make that two pretty girls.  Did I mention Spider-Man always seems to have a villain show up at the most inopportune times?

This review has some spoilers in it.  It's not exactly a new series though, so read it anyway.  Maybe it will entice you to pick up the trade paperback.

I absolutely love the way this story is told.  This is actually a
recollection of Peter's life, as told by himself on a tape recorder.  Peter is telling the story to Gwen Stacy, his first love, who would ultimately meet her demise.  I thought that this book was going to be the story of Gwen Stacy meeting her death but it was actually about Peter thinking back to his younger years and hanging out with his friends Harry Osborne, Flash Thompson and the afformentioned Gwen Stacy.  He also recollects his many foes he had to face in a short period of time.  Peter also remembers that time he hit the jackpot; meeting Mary Jane Watson.

For those of you who may not know about the Betty and Veronica type of struggle that Peter Parker had, two beautiful women seemed to have a thing for him.  This collection of comic books tells the story amazingly well.  Jeph Loeb does a wonderful job in mixing dialogue between characters along with Peter speaking to Gwen via tape recorder. Toward the end of the series, Mary Jane walks in on Peter talking to the tape recorder.  What she says is enough to bring a tear to the eye.  Hats off to the Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale for creating such a memorable page.

Tim Sale was such an extraordinary choice to be the artist for Spider-Man: BLUE.  He has a style that captures what Spider-Man is all about.  He also is tasked with drawing so many of ol' Web-Head's foes as Kraven the Hunter has gathered some of Spidey's biggest baddies to bring down the wall-crawler.  This series includes Green Goblin, Rhino, The Lizard, Vulture, Scorpion and more!  This must have been a fun project.  Spider-Man has some of the greatest villains in all of comics.  He is one of the greatest heroes of all time and is the face of Marvel in my opinion.

I received the trade paperback in the Comic Bento subscription box and you can read my full review for the box here.

What are your thoughts on Spider-Man: BLUE?  Who is your favorite Spider-Man Villain?  Post a comment below or find us on social media, we enjoy interacting with all of our fellow True-Believers!

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Comic Book Review: Spawn #27 - Image Comics (1995)

"Cursed"
Story by Todd McFarlane
Art by Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo
Color by Steve Oliff and Olyoptics

Spawn is doing some soul searching in the alleys of New York City.  While Spawn is contemplating life, a new person is joining the fray of those that a serving a higher power.  This is all going on as Terry and Wanda are trying to figure out who has been making Terry's life difficult.

I received this comic book in the Comic of the Month Club subscription box.  It's a random number but all in all an enjoyable comic book.  Todd McFarlane's Spawn is one of the few Image properties that has stood the test of time.  Image Comics is much different than what was introduced more than twenty years ago.  Spawn continues to thrive however.  Comics, toys, the HBO series, the movie and another movie coming soon has kept this unlikely hero relevant in the superhero world.

Issue number 27 was a lot of fun to read.  I had only read much earlier issues of Spawn previously but I watched the entire HBO series a couple of times so I was able to fill in some of the gaps(provided it follows somewhat closely).  Everything seemed to progress well and left me wanting to read the next issue.

The art looks beyond incredible in this book.  Todd McFarlane is one the all time greats and he is accompanied by an artist that has become a superstar in his own right; Greg Capullo.  Every panel is a joy to look at and flows with the story amazingly well.

What are your thoughts on Spawn?  Which Image Comics originals are your favorites?

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Comic Book Review: Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #5 - DC Comics

"Sinestro's Law Part 5: Joining Forces"

Written by Robert Venditti
Art by Ethan Van Sciver
Colors by Jason Wright

Hal Jordan has been healed by Soarnik, Guy Gardner is captured and being tortured and John Stewart and the rest of the Green Lantern Corps are on the search for the Yellow Lanterns on War World.

This book is so much fun as there are multiple story lines that all connect.  Every page is full of interest as all of it is compelling.  Hal Jordan talking with Soranik and explaining the origin of his new ring made by himself through Hal's own will is fantastic.  Guy Gardner not giving in to torture shows he is one of the toughest(or is he really that hard headed?) individuals in the DC Universe.  John Stewart and Kilowog travelling with the rest of the Green Lanterns in an effort to take on the Yellow Lanterns is enough to leave you breathless by the end.  Robert Venditti is amazing at crafting stories and the "Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps" series proves that point.

Ethan Van Sciver is such an incredible artist and I'm glad he is working on this title.  I also like that DC is keeping a steady artist on the title so I get the same look to each book.  The details in the faces are wonderful, especially with Sinestro.  This, coupled with the colors from Jason Wright, make for one of the best looking comic series going.  The colors coming off the rings look absolutely remarkable.

What are your thoughts on Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps?  What other comic books would you like Maskerpiece Theatre to review?

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