adrock512 Comic Reviews

The highest compliment I can think of from a fan to an artist is stating I would put this on my wall. There is a full page splash of Chewbacca resplendent, laying in a field of flowers by his ship with a look of Wookie contentment etched into his furry face. It is lovely, as is this book. Its existence to me is a minor miracle and I am happy to let it take me where it wants to go. On to issue 2!

So it turns out Im still not ok. I have Wookie fever and I have it bad. There unfortunately is no cure except of course for issue 3. Is it out yet?

Chewbacca is a very delightful story that reminds us of how fun side quest stories can and should be lighter fare than the series proper and that comedy always has a place in the Star Wars universe. I hope this walking carpets remaining two issues maintain the quality displayed so far.

I must say Im a little sad that this will be ending after five issues. I would definitely buy this as an ongoing and I hope they revisit Zarro someday as she is a great addition to the Star Wars franchise and works really well with Chewbacca. I will of course survive when its over and will take comfort in the fact that there is still one more glorious issue to read.

I will miss Chewbacca as I miss Lando. They were both bright spots in my long term comic collecting journey and were fun to write about (which I thought would be the most difficult aspect of reviewing, it's sometimes much easier to write about a books flaws than its virtues. These are comics I would (and have) happily read to my kid and I hope Marvel continues down this accessible path with some of its Star Wars titles.

Lando is a real treat. I sincerely cant wait for the next issue and knowing its a limited series is a real comfort. We all know that anxiety about not wanting the quality to dip on a new book or the creative team to move on. Unlike every character in the Star Wars universe I hage a good feeling about this.

Lando is a treasure from month to month. I wish it was an ongoing title as I could see myself buying it indefinitely. Hopefully the sales convince Marvel to make it exactly that.

Lando #4 is not underwhelming, its just noticeable in a book that has been pure momentum when the writer as well as the characters are taking a breather. I have a good feeling that the finale will deliver and send this brash gambler off in style.

Though the ending didn't stick for me I will miss reading Lando. As a first toe dipped into the ocean that is Star Wars tie ins it was most satisfying.

I'm not dazzled by this story but I still very much enjoy reading each issue. I look forward to more characters from the Spirits past coming back into his life and can't wait for the inevitable reveal of the Octopus. I hear he has eight of everything (sorry).

The series works best when the tales are being spun. The ladies in the Spirit's life have always been a huge portion of the books appeal and its fun and engaging when they are allowed to let their larger than life personalities run roughshod all over an otherwise by the books detective yarn. P'Gell is a stone cold killer but she has personality and that's what counts. I would be ok if the majority of the series existed in flashback which is saying something because I generally hate them.

Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of Playing the Long Game as I read Chewbacca #4!

Issue # 6 is very strong even though some of the scenes made me think they may be slightly more than homages to well known films such as The Shawshank Redemption and even a scene that reminded me of Oldboy. I'm very interested to see what's next and that's what counts.

Watching the Spirit become the book it should be has been both a relief and a joy and I look forward to each issue hopefully delivering on the promise made by this one. Now let's find out who Mikado Vaas really is!

The dialog is smooth for the most part but the plot is portioned out in small measures. I found myself having to flip through issue one to see if I missed anything. My pros are the same as last issue. The art is stiff but attractive, the cover is excellent. It is a handsome book. I also really dig the paper stock they use. I do not hate this book at all but in all honesty if I were not reviewing the title I would not be continuing past issue 2. I found myself staring at the ad for Tokyo Ghost and wishing that title had been chosen for me instead.

The weak point in the series so far is sadly the writing. The characters take several asides to chat which I normally love but feels too inconsistent with the noir feel the author is going for. This could all come together or read better in a trade format but monthly, I find myself not overly concerned with the characters or their struggles. Still, I like that the protagonist is no saint and that his motivations are not entirely clear yet as it means the story could still hold big surprises later on. Im still rooting for Wolf. I really hope it delivers.

Despite all this the comic still does not work. The characters still lack depth, the villains motivations are thin. On the positive side the dialog has definitely improved with noir flourishes of one liners that crackle like neon light. The art is still consistently strong and the colors and covers remain the highlight. I hope the book picks up steam. There are runs that didnt hit their stride until they were in the double digits. Ales Kott seems like a passionate and talented writer. I hope Wolf can live up to and reflect his passion.

Wolf remains a mystery both in terms of story and whether this series will begin to gel as a cohesive tale. I hope for the latter but with each issue my doubts grow.