Brad Vought Comic Reviews

After an extended wait for the first issue to Birthright's fourth arc, Joshua Williamson sets the stage for an action-packed thrill ride sure to give the reader further insight into just who the Rhodes family is. The artwork is inconsistent at times, but the coloring is always top notch. Mikey and his ever-growing team of family members are sure to be in for a turbulent ride that promises lots of excitement, and Birthright #16 kicks off those events wonderfully.

Jeff Lemire gets his third story arc off to an incredible start. His signature humanistic writing is on full display. Dustin Nguyen continues to deliver a unique artistic style that fits not only the sci-fi genre perfectly, but this specific series as well. Traditionally, I would be a bit frustrated that I waited three months for a cliffhanger to be resolved only to find myself still hanging from the same cliff. However, Tim-22's backstory was well worth reading and provided context I didn't know I needed. If you haven't checked out this series, this is a great jumping on point (but do yourself a favor and start at Descender #1.

Hickman's ending to the issue is the type of stuff most comics would save to set up the dessert, a thrilling conclusion. Instead, Hickman is just getting started with this meal and one can only imagine how juicy the entree will be when it is finally presented, let alone how savory the dessert will be when this arc concludes. With the promise of more bloodshed on the horizon, East of West continues to be one of the few series that everyone should be reading, and East of West #26 reminds us all why.

Perhaps it's the lofty expectations Kirkman and Walker have set for themselves or maybe they were truly rushing Invincible #128 through production to meet a deadline, but the artwork was not Cory's best effort and what Kirkman used 32 pages to write, could have been done in 15.

It's easy to feel invested in the fate of our lead characters, and even easier to be sucked into The Fix #1. A refreshing new offering from Image Comics that, if this level of storytelling and character development continue, will most certainly engage readers in a light-hearted, laugh-heavy journey through the uber violent underbelly of Los Angeles organized crime.

The Fix #2 manages to build off the momentum of the introductory issue. This book is quickly working its way up the list of my favorite monthly pulls. If you haven't checked out this series, and enjoy dark humor or criminal dramas, now is the time to get on the bandwagon!