Courtney Ryan Comic Reviews

Agents of P.A.C.T. #1 is a terrific opening for this series. DeChamps is a formidable hero and prudent counter to Captain Canuck's brawn. The central problem at hand and the potential choices characters might make are already intriguing, which is really all you can ask for in a good read.

Angel Catbird Vol. 1 is a light and easy read that invites readers to share the fun Atwood must have had in writing it. There will be three volumes in total, and while I have no doubt Atwood's best content is yet to come, I'm also not too curious to see what will happen to our hero next. I'm certain the outcome will be pulpy and upbeat, but despite the very direct references to the dangers cats face every day, the characters and their problems don't relate to anything in our world. I suspect and hope a little tension might develop as Strig is torn between his various predatory instincts, but until then Angel Catbird is less thrilling than it is educational.

Angelic #1 is an imaginative tale that casts new color on topics and concerns that have consumed humans for eons. Despite its classic coming-of-age framework, the inventive setting and creative storytelling render whatever comes in issue #2 impossible to predict, which is already an impressive feat.

Despite a few beginner's hiccups, Bingo Love is a welcome and rewarding debut from an ambitious emerging talent.

Though Black Hammer #2 is indeed a fun read and Dean Ormston's unwavering talent is evidenced in every panel, I wish Lemire had used Gail's backstory to further the plot or at least reveal a tad more of the mysterious circumstance that has locked our heroes in this rural universe. After the suspenseful conclusion to issue #1, this month's installment feels a little tangential, though it's a tangent I still highly recommend.

Though it's not revolutionary and certainly not the strongest outing in the Catalyst Prime universe, Accell #2 has ample pages of vivid imagery to take in while getting a closer look at one of Lion Forge's newest players.

It will be especially fascinating to see how Powell's story is woven in with the six other series on deck, but for now Thomas and Robinson seem comfortable steering their member of the fleet. Catalyst Prime: Noble #1 is an exciting genesis for a superhero tale that is still deferential to its genre but thankfully also crisp around the edges.

Though it falters under its own weight at times, Noble #2 is still a riveting episode from Catalyst Prime. Overall, this second issue maintains the momentum captured in Noble #1 and poses enough new questions to keep the story moving forward.

Subtlety is not a thing in Die Kitty Die, and that's perfectly fine. If anything, it feels like Ruiz and Parent are winking at us through every brightly colored panel. Each character embodies a tired cliche, be it an outrageously curvy vixen or a hopelessly geeky bookstore employee, but the cartoonish look and feel of the pages only add to the fun of the story. If you've ever lamented the relaunch of a beloved character you'll appreciate the industry commentary that's present here. Plus, there's a chance that the character will defeat her publisher's cynicism about comic book readers, and that's something to root for.

Stuart Immonen adds to the tension by clearly revealing each character's anguish through compelling facial expressions. His suburb scenery captures the diversity of the Empress universe, but it's not so busy that we're taken out of the action by reveling in his excellent detail. Ive Svorcina's colors and Wade von Grawbadger's inks are beautiful, matching the vibrancy of Millar's storytelling. With only two issues left, everything is amounting to what looks like a pretty thrilling climax.

Catalyst Prime: The Event is a captivating introduction to one of the most anticipated superhero imprints in years. Even when it stumbles slightly by being a bit overcrowded, it still generates intrigue and sets a heartening pace.

Generation Zero takes the escapist fantasies of lonely teenagers navigating their high school years and ignites those themwith three-dimensional characters and a gripping saga. Fred Van Lente continues the promise ofhis debut by ratchetingeverything up anotch, setting the stage for what feels to be a satisfying story.

Generation Zero continues to be an amusing series for both fans and newcomers to Valiant Comics' psiot mythology thanks to an insightful protagonist in Keisha and the eerie mystery in which she has found herself embroiled. With some of the background doled out in issue #3, Lente is setting us up for a major revelation in the next two issues. Though the bigger treat will be discovering how this connects to the rest of Valiant's universe. A harbinger of things to come, perhaps.

Ghost Money #1 is a promising outing that feels quite seasonable in our current cultural climate. As with any action-adventure tale, some of the greatest thrills come from the rogue exploration of the world at hand. By design Ghost Money gives us just that.

Given the history of this creative team, there is a lot of hype surroundingGideon Falls, especially since this is a completely original output. What makes this issue such a positive debut, though, isn't that Lemire and Sorrentino measure up to previous works"though they certainly do. It's simply that the final panel comes too quickly and the next issue feels too far away. Lemire and Sorrentino succeed in building instant and improbable anticipation for the next issue ofGideon Falls despite the greatness of prior works hanging over their heads. That's the mark of a truly promising series " and an incredible team.

I'm hopeful that Glitterbomb: The Fame Game will build on the series' success but add at least a few unexpected twists to its formula. Celebrity obsession and its many offenses provide ample room to explore the horrors and contradictions housed in modern society. For his part, Zub seems to be painting this tale with large brushstrokes, though I look forward to discovering where his characters " and we, the readers " end up amid the finer details.

Brubaker and Phillips have accomplished horror noir before (in Fatale and, to an extent,The Fade Out), though Kill or Be Killedprovides this team withan unique opportunity " to outdo themselves. Brubaker's heavy narration doesn't curb the page-turning effect of the story; in fact, the end of the first issue arrives far too soon. With current-day external threats looming over an existentially strained culture, a comic that deconstructs vigilantism couldn't be more timely. I can't wait to see where Brubaker, Phillips, and Breitweiser take this one.

It's wonderful that Love & Rockets is being released quarterly again, but perhaps we were spoiled by the feeling of completeness that the annual issues provided. In a sense, Volume IV #2 is less satiating than what the brothers have produced in the past.

Northguard #1 doesn't completely overhaul the original series, nor does it deconstruct the superhero genre in a fresh way, but it's attention-grabbing, playful, and plain ol' Canadian fun. What do Americans have to lose?

Paper Girls #10 concludes its second arc by continuing the bizarre quest we began last year without sacrificing what made the story so charming in the first place: Smart adolescent girls bonding as they experience the fear and inertia that comes with being twelve.

Reggie and Me #1 isn't quite the tour de force that The Godfather is, but I doubt anyone will be too peeved about that. Defalco adds nuance to a bully trope that's been stagnant for nearly 80 years. That alone makes this series worthwhile for Archie fans.

Still, with a unique twist on an all-too-familiar gimmick, the sublime art, and the fantastical elements that pepper its world, Retcon holds a promising future " one that could very well live up to the high expectations it has already set for itself.

What I find most endearing about Rise of the Black Flame #1 is how Mignola and Roberson simultaneously build anticipation for the Black Flame's narrative while still connecting us with new characters who feel natural within the Hellboy Universe. Since the story is set in Siam we'll likely meet the Black Flame's Siamese wife " and there's a good chance the Black Goddess somehow fits into all this " but I'm equally excited to see how these new characters spring to life in the face of peak horror.

Royal City #1 is a promising opening to a series that seems set to develop the very real burdens of trauma.

Spencer & Locke #1 tacklessome of life's bleakest realities with the delightful elasticity and absurdity of a newspaper comic strip"no easy feat, and something Mr. Watterson himself would no doubt appreciate. Whether you're a fan of Calvin and Hobbes or Sin City, or simply in search of an engaging procedural, Spencer & Locke will certainlygrab your attention.

Spencer & Locke #2 continues to build on the riveting, Sin City-inspired hard-boiled crime saga introduced in issue #1. Still, what really lingers after reading this story is how Locke struggles to confront hispersonal demons, courtesy of a troubled childhood. Wherever his murder investigation takes him, it's becausehe brings Spencer and every other escaped skeleton along for the ride that truly makes Spencer & Locke engaging.

Broxton's muted color pallette and the kooky expressions he paints on his characters' faces lend a welcoming horror-comic vibe, but Vampirella's overlapping internal narratives and the general lack of edge to a pretty riskless plot leave us with a mild flavor. Still, fans of the character will recognize her charm and the story is hardly written into a corner. So there's room to grow from here.

Witchblade #1 is a visually rich entry into a story that explores how a traumatized mind overcomes its scars to accept a heroic fate.