REVIEW: Berserker Unbound #2 is a bit quieter but just as fun as the debut

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By Jarred A. Luján — So, in Berserker Unbound #1, we of course met the main character of this comic — the very buff and very angry, Mongrel King, a Conan homage if ever there was one. Then we proceeded to watch him discover and deal with the slaughter of his family, accomplishing the latter via a pretty awesome rampage...before being teleported to the future, which is actually our present but you get the gist. It was a very action packed, emotionally intense issue, and it was a ton of fun to read. This week’s Berserker Unbound #2 doesn’t have quite the same level of intensity that the debut did, but it is still a pretty fun read.

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Top Comics to Buy for September 4, 2019: House of X, Lois Lane, Wic Div, and more!

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By Zack Quaintance — Holy wow, there are so many new #1s and one-shots out this week. I have no idea why, so I’ll just chalk it up to coincidence and move on. First, however, I will note that we don’t typically put new #1 issues in our Top Comics to Buy, unless they’re really really special. The reason being that you almost always need more than that to really get a sense of whether a new book is worthwhile. Plus, you all know what #1 comics you’re probably going to buy, and we do our best to review them anyway.

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Comic of the Week: Mountainhead #1 is another strong addition to IDW's growing creator-owned catalog

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By d. emerson eddy — This year, in between the licensed material and burgeoning Marvel Action line of friendly all ages superhero tales, IDW has gone back to one of the things that established them in the industry some 20 years ago: idiosyncratic creator-owned supernatural, fantasy, and horror stories. IDW’s creator-owned comics this year have shown an impressive inventiveness and a captivating personal quality. They are stories that seemingly could only be told by these creators, who are often newer voices to the industry. A number of them have been English language editions of series also published by Glénat Editions, but some of my favorites have been IDW originals like Canto, Road of Bones, Night Moves, and Ghost Tree. Mountainhead is the latest comic to join the latter group.

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The Saga Re-Read: Saga #49 is the start of the most recent (and devastating) arc

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By Zack Quaintance — Well well well, it all starts here, the beginning of Saga’s most recent arc. I will admit, the end of this arc was a tough one for me to get through, not because it wasn’t entertaining, but rather—well, you’ll see as this thing progresses. It is, actually, this arc I’ve wanted to re-read for the longest time, looking for more meaning as well as any signs that everything will be okay.

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REVIEW: Sera and the Royal Stars #2 is a fantastic continuation of a striking new book

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By Jarred A. Luján — To sort of echo what Zack said in his review for Sera and the Royal Stars #1, Sera and the Royal Stars #2 continues to be a wholly unique fantasy comic. Notably, the Royal Stars themselves have some of the best character designs I’ve seen in a while, providing something that is so different than we’ve seen in other recent fantasy comics. I’m particularly fond of how colorful and diverse The Bull’s design is, but that’s sort of a testament to the book in and of itself. While elves and orcs and the like are plenty fun, Sera’s strength lies in that it brings you into a different, colorful world. I’m just really thrilled about how it’s gone so far.

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REVIEW: Detective Comics #1010 features Deadshot and an awesome makeshift Batsuit

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By Alex Batts — Detective Comics #1010 marks the second issue of the Deadshot story arc. Peter Tomasi is joined here again by Christian Duce on art duties, with Luis Guerrero on colors (According to the cover, though the interior page says David Baron is on colors), and Rob Leigh on letters. This issue sees Bruce, Deadshot, and the occupants of the crashed Wayne Jet stranded on an island in the Pacific.

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REVIEW: The Necromancer’s Map #1, a new beginning and a continuation

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By Jarred A. Luján — The Necromancer’s Map #1 is, as co-writer Andrea Fort called it, a “new beginning and continuation” of Vault’s Songs for the Dead. So, first and foremost, I should tell you that I haven’t read Songs for the Dead, so if you’re not familiar with the title, this is actually the perfect review for you. You can see through me if it’s as accessible as you want it to be!

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Top Comics to Buy for August 28, 2019: X-Men, Ascender, and more!

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By Zack Quaintance — All hail the week in which we get six new releases from the best indie comics publisher in the game, Vault. This is seriously an amazing week to be a reader of high-concept fantasy and sci-fi comics. Of those Vault entries, we get continuations of complex stories like Test, The Resonant, She Said Destroy (which was also the name of the screamo band I almost started in high school), and Sera and the Royal Stars.

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Comic of the Week: Daredevil #10, ‘comics don’t often get as good as this’

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By d. emerson eddy — The current volume of Daredevil could be considered a masterpiece. Every issue has delved deep into Matt Murdock's soul and lain it bare, while getting to the very heart of the complicated relationship between vigilantism, the police, duty, responsibility, and morality. I don't believe there's been a sheer force of nature driving this series since Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli's “Born Again” arc back in 1986. Every single creator who has been working on this volume of Daredevil has been integral to delivering this story and elevating the heights of this series.

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GET HYPED: Vita Ayala, Danny Lore, Eric Gasptur, and team take on James Bond 007

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By Jarred A. Luján — It’s been just over a month since Dynamite announced the new creative team for the James Bond 007 comic series. While much has happened since then, I feel like we haven’t spent enough time looking at ourselves and asking: “What have we done to be blessed with such a creative team?”

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REVIEW: Aquaman #51, a long-awaited team-up

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By Ander Lilly — If you're an avid Aquaman reader, you know about the importance of Arthur Curry's faithful companion, Aqualad. Whether the mantle was held by Garth or Jackson (Kaldur), Aqualad has been a stalwart ally to Aquaman over the many years of his publication history, helping him weather his most challenging moments and devious foes. Since DC Comics’ New 52 reboot, however, Aqualad hasn't really gotten much of a chance to interact with Aquaman. Garth was introduced during Cullen Bunn's run back in 2015 and has remained a part of his book in some capacity since, but he’s been known as Tempest, rather than Aqualad. Aquaman readers (myself among them) have been eagerly waiting for the reunion of Aquaman and Aqualad, fighting and working beside each other once again. Our wishes have now been granted. In Aquaman #51 by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Robson Rocha, Daniel Henriques, Sunny Gho, and Clayton Cowles, we get the team-up we've long awaited; we get Aqualad back in the fold. 

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REVIEW: Batman #77, City of Bane keeps getting better....SPOILERS!

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By Alex Batts — Batman #77 continues “City of Bane”, which keeps getting better with each new issue. King is joined on this one by artists Mikel Janin, Tony S. Daniel, Norm Rapmund, Jordie Bellaire, and Tomeu Morey. Like the other issues in this arc so far, there are two narrative threads, one in Gotham, the other in Paris. Janin and Bellaire handle art duties for the Gotham scenes, with Daniel and Morey handling the art for the Paris scenes featuring Batman and Catwoman (I’m not sure exactly where Rapmund fits in, I’m assuming with Janin and Bellaire since I normally see Daniel inking his own work, but I'm not 100% sure). With the setup out of the way, this issue pulls no punches.

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REVIEW: Bad Reception #1, experimental comics takes on social media

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By Zack Quaintance — Bad Reception #1 asserts itself right away as an experimental comic (its form is very interesting) that also has a whole lot to say. A lot to say, specifically, about social media. This can, presumably, be attributed to the idiosyncratic and very talented creator Juan Doe doing pretty much all of the creating here himself. The writing, the art, the coloring, the lettering...Juan Doe does it all.

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Top Comics to Buy for August 21, 2019: Canto, Snotgirl, X-Men, and more!

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By Zack Quaintance — This was maybe a lighter week in terms of volume of comics (or maybe not, depending on your preferences), but it’s one of those weeks I love where our Top Comics to Buy for August 21 end up being an exceedingly eclectic bunch. I mean, we have books here about little mechanical fantasy journeymen, an Instagram model with a sinus problem, a lovestruck ancient cosmic god, and the X-Men.

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ADVANCED REVIEW: The Plot #1, horror comic perfection

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By Zack Quaintance — The Plot #1 is the newest comic from Vault, the industry’s most exciting indie publisher right now, and, like many a Vault book before it, The Plot #1 raises some heretofore unseen bar for what  the publisher’s line can and will be. Put simply, this is a strong and smart comic, as immersive as it is hyper-focused in the family drama and horror motifs that define its scope. I absolutely loved it, and, as such, this review will be spent mostly explaining why this comic is so damn good.

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Comic of the Week: Conan the Barbarian Exodus #1 is a stunning tale of Conan’s past

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By d. emerson eddy — Since Marvel regained the Conan license last year, they have done wonders with it. Month in and month out, there are fantastic stories of sword and sorcery being told in comics like Conan the Barbarian, Savage Sword of Conan, Age of Conan, and Savage Avengers, all of which expand on the lore and adventures of Robert E. Howard's barbarian son. The creators have woven tales throughout Conan's history, showing new and old aspects, while also fleshing out many of his well-known supporting characters. Conan the Barbarian: Exodus #1 continues all of this, delving into the previously untold tale of Conan's first time leaving Cimmeria.

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The Saga Re-Read: Saga #48 is a sweet and simple story that sets the stage for tragedy

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By Zack Quaintance — I didn’t really notice this at the time I was first reading these issues, but this arc that starts on the abortion planet actually ends with a pair of atypical Saga issues that focus on fleshing out the backstories and current mind-states of a couple of periphery characters, namely The Will and Squire. 

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TRADE RATING: The Immortal Hulk, ‘I’m not a bad person, am I?’

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By Hussein Wasiti — I can’t stop thinking about The Immortal Hulk, the ongoing book by writer Al Ewing and artist Joe Bennett that gives the jade giant a Cronenberg-esque rehaul. This comic is by far the most fascinating and engaging comic published by either of the Big Two, and the book’s success — despite its esoteric nature — is a testament to the strength of the storytelling. 

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INTERVIEW: Writer Ryan Burke talks crowdfunding and his creator-owned book, Coronary

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By Jarred A. Luján — Crowdfunding has become a pillar of the indie comics market. Creators of all levels within the industry have realized that while a comic may fail to be picked up by traditional publishers, crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter are a viable method to get work to fans. Despite its rise in popularity, however, crowdfunding isn’t always a fruitful venture for creators.

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