Undiscovered Country, Vol. 1 - TRADE REVIEW

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By Jacob Cordas — “The American Dream will never---,” our Uncle Sam surrogate shouts before being riddled with bullets. He, of course, stands up in a display of grit and determination that would make the Founding Fathers proud to yell at his assailants, “The American Dream will never die! But you will.” And in that insane moment, I realized two things about Undiscovered Country: 1) I unabashedly love this comic and 2) I have absolutely no idea what this is about.

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Chasin' The Bird - Charlie Parker in California by Dave Chisholm REVIEW

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By Zack Quaintance — One of the first times I was floored by artist Dave Chisholm’s work was when I saw the commissions he posts on his Twitter. As comics Twitter users surely know, artists often post commissions on the platform. In general, they tend to depict a fairly consistent set of obvious characters: the X-Men, Batman, Spider-Man, etc., with some Star Wars, maybe a little Akira, and perhaps the odd choice from Twin Peaks.

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Money Shot #6 - Vault Comics REVIEW

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By Jacob Cordas — I’m unsurprisingly a fan of anime. I didn’t get into till I was an adult though so a lot of the conventions I never developed the same fondness (or maybe tolerance for?) that most of my friends have. And almost nothing in anime frustrates me more than a filler episode.

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Something is Killing the Children #8 - REVIEW

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Keigen Rea — This issue feels like it was made for me, so it almost feels unfair that I get to review it. Liking it as much as I do very nearly breaks my normal critical process because I’m not sure I have any tangible criticism other than *excited noise* but, well, *excited noise*

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The Plot, Vol. 1 - Vault Comics REVIEW

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By Ariel Baska — Don’t ruin the plot. Don’t ruin the plot. That’s every reviewer’s fear, but I think I’m safe in this case, since the titular family plot is already in ruins, and as to the comic book’s plot, every issue, including the most current one (#5, reviewed here) leaves you off-balance on a spinning wheel of fire - where she goes nobody knows....

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Adventureman #2 - REVIEW

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By Jacob Cordas — Genre fiction is often a trip into disappointment. While I have a deep seated affection for the swashbuckling and screams that make up this world, so much of the time the classics are filled with toxicity that you need to tune out to enjoy the pieces. Modern examples often attempt to avoid these issues by acting like that past toxicity doesn’t exist (i.e. 2003’s Pirates of the Caribbean). Occasionally we’ll get an attempt at modernization, that wants to engage with those elements of the source material but struggles under the weight of the seemingly incompatible goals (i.e. 2016’s Tarzan).

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Archie 1955 Trade Paperback Collection - REVIEW

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By Jacob Cordas — My comfort food is Parks and Recreation. When my depression takes over and I can’t imagine any existence that doesn’t involve couch lock, I put on Parks and Rec. And I watch it for hours. It’s soothing. The character’s fundamental kindness and compassion can’t help but make me feel a little bit better. Everything in the show is just a few acts of kindness away from redemption and anyone who rejects that kindness is wrong. It’s comforting in a way I can consume forever.

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Parker: The Martini Edition by Darwyn Cooke - REVIEW

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By Bruno Savill De Jong — After completing a job, Parker undergoes an overwhelming need for sex. Parker (first name not provided) is always composed and monosyllabic, treating his criminal missions with ruthless efficiency and professional determinism, stonewalling against outside interference or desires. But in the aftermath, Parker allows “his emotions the only release he permitted them”, letting the withheld thrills and animalism wash over him, until his lust subsides and he’s ready to resume work. Buried beneath Parker’s ice-cold demeanor and the narration’s straight-plank prose lies a demented rot at his core.

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REVIEW: The Man Without Talent by Yoshiharu Tsuge

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Originally serialized in Comic Baku in 1985-1986, The Man Without Talent follows the semi-autobiographical account of Yoshiharu Tsuge’s attempts to jilt creative disparity and remove himself from society. After quitting his career as a comic artist, the protagonist of the comic turns his focus not to retirement, but to another career: selling rocks out of the Tamagawa River in Chōfu, (which is about as glamorous as it sounds.) As a result, he navigates the everyday struggles of a poverty and lackadaisy-stricken man, from a creeping malaise to growing resentment from family and himself.

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REVIEW: The Plot #5 is a top-tier horror comic

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By Gabe Gonzalez — As a big fan of gothic horror and comics, I am always ecstatic when something is released that can satisfy both of those loves at the same time. When The Plot was announced by Vault Comics, I was excited…one of the best new publishers was putting out a book that seemed aimed at my exact tastes without me even asking. Boy, was I correct. Every issue of The Plot is better than the last, crafting a sinister story that keeps an everlasting hold on readers throughout each and every panel. The Plot is a story with such fantastic writing and art that it simply can’t be beat by anything else horror-centric on the shelves, and The Plot #5 continues the brilliance of the book.

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REVIEW: All-America Comix One-Shot

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By Benjamin Morin — “Her time has come,” exclaim the opening pages of Joe Casey’s newest superhero adventure, the All-America Comix One-Shot. Through this story, Casey and artist Dustin Nguyen introduce the world to its newest superheroine: America Vasquez. If the character on the cover looks vaguely familiar, you would be forgiven for mistaking her for Marvel’s own Miss America Chavez. Casey, not-so-subtly, riffs on his previous character to bring her seemingly more in line with his original vision. Within that context, this issue pairs high-energy action with cosmic potential in an engaging 32-page read.

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Billionaire Island #2 - REVIEW

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By Jacob Cordas — My first introduction to comic books was through the funny pages. I remember reading a Spider-Man strip in the newspaper every week next to Hagar the Horrible and Pearls Before Swine. It was all so silly and so fun. And then I got my first comic book, a beat up copy of Spider-Man #68 from a flea market. I was blown away by the seriousness of it. I was nine years old but, with only comic strips to compare it to, this was what I imagined adult art looked like. I was a tween dragged into the tail end of ‘90s nihilism and carried away into the edginess of the ‘00s. Adulthood in the art I consumed became synonymous with darkness. For a minute, I was even a fan of Mark Millar. And, while I aged out of this for the most part, there was still a “seriousness” to my comic reading.

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REVIEW: Olympia #5 comes to a thunderous conclusion

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By Benjamin Morin — Olympia has been a wonderful metafictional journey through comics history while telling a deeply emotional tale. Previous issues have laid the groundwork through an examination of the concept of heroes, the ever-changing comics landscape, and a human story of loss. Its concluding issue is no different as it delivers a gripping final battle and ties up the emotional throughline.

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REVIEW: Devil's Highway #1 from AWA

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By Wesley Messer — If you ever want an understanding as to stuff I find myself digging, a good thriller is my jam. Which is why the idea of Devil’s Highway caught my eye. The cover by Brent Schoonover and Nick Filardi struck me as well, which added to my curiosity for this comic. It’s also my first time looking into AWA’s comics so this is an added treat. AWA got lost in the comic shuffle for me due to all the crazy events of the past few months. Two adventures in one, a comic I’m curious about and trying out a new company, sounds like fun right? Well, let’s get on with the show here and see how this all goes shall we?

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The Lab by Allison Conway - GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEW

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By Ariel Baska — This is a harrowing and relentless debut from Allison Conway, and it follows a newly-minted big-headed biped on a twisted journey through a sinister lab. Notably, the narrative is completely silent of commentary, except for the pathos wrung from our protagonist’s small, pained eyes. Those eyes are the first lights we see in the cross-hatched gray and black nothingness from which the vision of the lab emerges.

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REVIEW: Protector #4 does a lot, and does it well

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By Keigen Rea — Protector #4 might be my new favorite example of an issue that tells its own story, while building off of previous issues, and setting up the next one. It’s almost paradoxical, but this issue pulls it off while using some of my favorite art in all of comics to do it.

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The Goddamned: The Virgin Brides #1 - REVIEW

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By Jacob Cordas — The first volume of The Goddamned was a fun reimagining of the story of Cain. Jason Aaron is the best fantasy writer in comic books today* and even when he is just having a good time, I am there for it. Add in some truly excellent art work by R. M. Guéra and some even better coloring by Giulia Brusco, and you have me sold. My one complaint was that the first The Goddamned comic suffered from a bad case of Boring Fantasy Protagonist, but the world that surrounded Cain was so interesting I didn’t care. I just threw on some Igorrr and jammed with every issue.

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