Eric Switzer Comic Reviews

I wonder how bad things can get for Alex and Ada. I dont know what this book will become, if they will forever be on the run and in hiding, or if they will stand up with an army of A.I. and win this battle to be recognized in court, or on the steps of the white house. I worry that things will end tragically. I think about this book a lot, as Im sure Luna and Vaughn have thought a great deal about the future and the challenges we will likely face. The themes arent especially deep, but every once in a while I get a new perspective from this book, or a new angle to approach the issue of consciousness with. This is a book I wish got more attention.

"Alex + Ada" is a joy in that it introduce a new social struggle, one that parallels the kind of civil rights issues we have had throughout our nation's history. One that we may likely face in the future. And though it is almost a lifetime for the characters, "Alex + Ada" delivers cathartic social change in just 15 issues. And like modern successful social rights campaigns, it focuses on an individual to represent a population. This series sold me on a position for a completely imaginary debate. And the more I think about it the more I see the contemporary consequences."Alex + Ada" is not a perfect story. Structurally I had a lot of issues with the pacing and story design; it sacrificed a lot of itspotential to be a lot more emotionally engaging and win over readers. But at the end this was an incredibly sincere and personal series. It inspire many conversations, hypothetical or otherwise, between my friends and I. There isn't much out there like

Now it is clear how the four titles work together: "Prometheus" and "AVP" are Acts one and two of the story, as "Prometheus" ends where "AVP" begins. "Aliens" gives a backstory and clues us in on why everything went wrong in "Prometheus", and the story "Predator" runs concurrently with issue 2 of "AVP" and shows us what happens to Galgo after he escapes from the Geryon and is also the book that will end the entire story. It is an incredibly well crafted event. Everything from the release order to the reveals in each individual issue is carefully planned out. I can't express enough how impressed I am by "Fire and Stone'. My only hope as an insatiable fan is that it inspires other creators to do similar events. I hope they release I hard cover in reading order rather than by series. I will be being this trade as gifts for every one I know that knows awesome when they see it.

This is the climax we've been waiting for. If you've stuck with it thus far, I have a feeling the end is going to blow your socks off.

Neither of these complaints are enough to turn me away from such an exciting event and I can encourage you enough to pick up both Aliens and Prometheus right now. Up next is Joshua Williamson with Predator #1. He has been killing it on BOOM!s Robocop and I cant wait to see his take on Predator.

The narrator of this issue is a Hadleys Hope crew member that has discovered and captured one of the drones left behind by the Prometheus crew from the film. He goes about examining the device and starts to discover what had happened and eventually finds the temple and the remaining Engineers cryo-pod. What I really like about this issue is not only how it connects us to the film but how all the while the rest of the crews story is going on in the background. The drama between them and their struggle with the aliens hunting them is de-emphasized in favor of the grander plot. Our narrator is literally separated from them to tell the more important story, and

This issue is narratively different than issue 2: we dont have the consistent monologue from the perspective of Russell over the action. I praised issue #2 for the way his narration undermined the struggle to survive that the rest of the crew was going through, but this issue works just as well without it. It would seem the reason is to remove us from Russell who is beginning to disassociate and generally show si

There is precious little action to showcase the potential of Ant-man's power to new readers, which isn't necessarily a bad thing (see Scott Snyder's "Swamp Thing") but the set up to the series isn't particularly gripping either; Scott applies for a head of security position at S

Within Arcadia, this first issue starts to tread into psychological horror. Arcadia is hell that looks like heaven. It is the bindings of ultimate freedom. And it is a world where anything is possible yet we still squabble and play politics and resent each other. Arcadia is a kind of fun house mirror that I anticipate will only become more reflective as the series progresses.Calling “Arcadia” existential would be the understatement of the century. Like the simulation itself, the book is an incredibly dark comment on humanity disguised as a thrilling sci-fi adventure. It is a path I encourage you to go down, but one you should not take lightly. I found “Arcadia” to be deeply disturbing, and I can't wait to go back in for another taste.

Alice tells Lee that his immunity is a miracle giftwrapped in barbed wire. That is a description that applies to this book in many ways. Living comes at the price of inhospitable conditions and agonizing loneliness. You might live in a utopia world of endless possibilities where you can live forever, but the cost is first dying a horrible death. Theres a price for everything Arcadia and two sides to every coin. If this series can continue to walk the line between introducing fresh ideas and overloading us with concepts I imagine it will turn out to be a remarkable story.

Its easy to bag on Liefeld ofcourse, I have no interest in piling on because it's popular. No he cant draw feet but nothing in his art stood out as particularly bad and some of the layouts I thought were actually pretty creative and eye catching. The book is full of color and broad expressions and if you arent bothered by the fact the all of the characters are uninspired approximations of Marvel heroes (at one point literally Wolverine) the book is not bad to look at, again through the lens of 90s action books. The theme of my review, as I said before, and that I dont know who the book is for. Yes it has boobs, and people say the fuck word, and there is gratuitous violence but that does not a good book make. Call me jaded but I need more than that if Im going to come back around, even if the entire hook is a throwback, I just dont have a ton of fond Liefeld memories growing up I guess.

I was emotionally gripped by this book from beginning to end. The countdown was an effective device, constantly reminding us that this is a ticking time bomb, even when Elena is trying to keep it cool, go to class, cook dinner. I was completely taken by the ending and even let out an oh shit!, rare for me, but that is how sucked in I was reading this book. If I never read another issue I would be completely satisfied having read such a perfect first, but now Im bought in, and I cant wait to see what happens next.

"Burning Fields" strikes me as an intriguing thriller, with strong elements of body horror, that will not be playing into the myth of the "American Hero in a Savage Land". I wish that there weren't as many loose ends throughout the first issue, the number of missing pieces makes me feel somewhat overwhelmed up until that reveal on the last page. I'm not putting a ton of social responsibility on "Burning Fields", I've gotten burned* with those expectations in the past, but I am very much looking forward to the mystery, drama, and horror that will ensue.

I guess my reservation is that making "Burning Fields" a demon story takes something away from it. The book has had character depth and cultural dissonance and gripping noir sensibilities, all the things your common monster mash categorically lacks. I know that isn't necessarily the case though, my beloved "Fatale" did hell beasts without sacrificing any of the substance. I guess I just didn't see "Burning Fields" going this ways. Because it isn't "True Detective", it isn't "Silence of the Lambs", and whatever its going to be I'm fully on board. I hope the next 4 issues aren't people running through caves that keep changing shape, but I'm still very much intrigued by whatever comes next.

Despite one or two missing beats and Danny's questionable character traits, "Chrononauts" #1 is a refreshing and intriguing time romp beautifully rendered by Sean Gordon Murphy through and through (The last splash will make your heart skip a beat). Mark Millar has the most cinematic mind in comics and every story he writes has major motion picture potential. "Chrononauts" is no exception. As long as the bromance doesn't outweigh solid plotting, this book is going to be real stand out.

Cluster is hearty, straightforward, hard-boiled sci-fi. Its space marines vs. aliens all the way. And even if there is some intrigue, as the previews have suggested, all in all Ive got this series pegged as a pretty easy breezy affair. Im not complaining or calling it uninspired though, I need a good mix of this and that to balance my stack. For every Intersect, a Cluster makes a great palate cleanser. And with its solid writing, engaging landscapes, and 2.5 dimensional characters, Cluster may be just the this to go with my that. It isnt going to blow minds or make you rethink the space opera, but its sincere and fun. If you are into this genre, theres no reason you wont like Cluster.

A book can be whatever kind of book it wants to be and I dont critique stories on their subject matter, only their execution. Ive never seen anything with this sort of confluence of light and heavy before and that could be part of my reason for rejecting it. It is too soon for me to say whether the book is trying something it shouldnt or not, but I can tell you it was off putting to me. In some ways I guess Im guilty of wanting my art in clearly defined categories. Cluster is a weird blend. A weird, weird blend.

I'm not sure what “Cluster” could do to hook me at this point, I was really into issue #1 because it was succinct and fresh and established an immediate conflict. Now the book only tread familiar intergalactic ground with a rag tag team that isn't all that interesting. There is a twist I suppose, but it doesn't have much impact because we don't know much about the characters yet. I hope things start to come together, but as each issue comes out its getting harder to recommend “Cluster.

The Bad Seed has a new bad guy, one that may even surpass Nimble Jack in being disturbing and awful. These are the kind of characters that make you worry about the mental stability of the creators. Swivel collects peoples fingers by slicing them right the fuck off, is ma

In fact, Im not at all disappointed with the progression up to this point. A lot of scifi/fantasy books can get bogged down by their made up languages and specific lore so much th

I feel like I am on top of the language of Dark Engine, and in only four issues I actually pretty impressed. I read Prophet for years and never figured out what was going on. I called it Dune-syndrome, and as Ive said before, I was at first afraid this book suffered from it, but now I realize the slight learning curve has an incredible reward.

If you aren't reading “Descender” yet I don't mean to portray it as some Grant Morrison-like grand metaphysical experiment, because it really is easily digestible, doesn't present any really challenging ideas, and doesn't cram a ton of world-building in too fast. It is easy because it's masterful, and when you read it it's going to do something to you. Trust me.

Hellbreak #1 is definitely more action than horror, and it will be interesting to see how dark and disturbing they decide to take things as the series progresses. At this point even if its just a hell-of-the-month exploration Im way into that. You need a balance of light and heavy in your reading stacks, but that doesn't need you have to sacrifice quality to get your action adventure fix. In that regard, Hellbreak delivers

It is a story of failure, of control, of best intentions gone awry. I encourage you not to reject something because you cant fully understand it. The answers arent going to all come spilling out, but there is enough foundation here to settle on that Im prepared to let Ellis, Shalvey, and Bellaire take me away.

The original release of "Insufferable" has an experimental guided view transition between panels similar to Marvel's "infinite" comics. I was skeptical of how it transition to a comic book, especially after some repeated dialogue on the first page that reminded me of the really cool way the first panel fades into the second originally. After finishing it I can tell you there is nothing to worry about. The formatting was taken into careful consideration and if you didn't know what it was before, you probably would never have guessed. Mark Waid has promised to surprises that have been created in the transition, so even if you read it before these books will definitely be worth revisiting.

Intersect is working on many levels. By way of plot it is sort of hard to explain, the vagueness of the story sort of adds to the uneasiness of it all. What we know is that in this world people shift or combine bodies: that some people have another person attached them and that they have to take turns being conscious and in control. We know that two (or four technically) of these people are on the run from what seems to be

In this issue we are reminded that Jason and Alison, the two lives inhabiting the same body, have competing agendas in mind. With Jason in control he leads Kid "deeper" to try to discover what is happening to them. The haunting voice comes in, perhaps shouting across the city, perhaps residing in their minds, and the two begin to transform again. Bones cracking and turning, faces

It may not be Fawkes intention to inspire these kinds of discussions. Perhaps he is the kind of person that gets off on confusing people, knowing that he is leading us down a pass and only he knows the way. Maybe the conversation he is trying to inspire is on an entirely other topic altogether and his message is thus far lost on me. No matter what, I think the sheer uncertainty of it speaks to the beauty of what Fawkes is doing with Intersect. I hope that this series leads you somewhere just as thought provoking as it did for me.

Do I want to make sense of INTERSECT? Do I think there is a puzzle to be solved? Im not really sure anymore. Ive started to think that Ali or Jason or both of them did something really horrible to each other and that this is hell. Would I be satisfied to find out that that is what is going on here? Probably not, but I dont know. I think INTERSECT broke me.

Lets start a discussion about this book; its warrants one as much as any book does. I want to know your theories about what is really happening, what Lucky, the Kid, and the Orgasm Monster represent. But more importantly, tell me how it makes you feel. Tell me why you keep coming back. Lets form an Intersect support group. My name is Eric, and Im obsessed with Intersect. We can get through this together. We are not alone.

The dialogue is pretty atrocious, and that is the main reason I find it difficult to recommend this book. It has a lot going for it terms of style and substance, but I cringed so hard at lines like Guy looks meaner than my Step Dad after a night at the pub, cock nozzle and eat fist, dick bag it practically ruined it for me and narrowed the audience down to pre-teen boys. Which is strange, because Brissons recent Murder Book was unquestionably good and not a single line bumped me in that entire anthology. The Mantle on the other hand, is fun, but I cant say it's great.

"Material" #1 is ambitious, it is not a book with a message, it IS a message. In this first issue alone Ales Kot explores a great many themes and social complexities that each could sustain their own graphic meditation (which feels more fitting a description than "comic book" for something as highbrow as "Material") but together, this is a book about desperation, about fear and control, about communication and when it stops. "Material" inspires dialogue. As a critic my piece is to say "know what you're getting into". As an emotionally engaged millennial I urge you to allow "Material" to give you pause, and spread it around.

Mayday feels like Curt testing his boundaries. Its like Pires Unchained; the madness that ensues when nobody's there to rein him in. Im glad I got to see it, but personally Curt is at his best when narrative structure takes precedent and he can fill in the gaps with his flavor. A little bit of his brand of nuttiness goes a long way, and I think POP was a fantastic example of a great premise and a strong plot can become something extraordinary when Curt tells it. Mayday is so much style, and not enough substance.

"Nameless" isn't for everyone. It is not passive reading, it requires time and investment. This is the kind of dense, literary stuff that I wish everyone was reading more of. I'm tempted to call it your vegetables, but its not a chore to read. I guess its the whole meal: steak, potatoes, whiskey, and some alien looking veggies you can't quite figure out. But they're fucking delicious.

I have no idea whats going on here, let alone where things are going. Im intrigued and entertained for the most part, and most of all I trust these guys to deliver. One of the first novels I read growing up with a dark fantasy book by Simon R. Green called Agents of Light and Darkness in the Nightside series. Since then angel stuff has always given me a boner. Im really hoping to see some Tyreal-style Angelic badasses in this book, but if nothing else I can count on seeing a bunch more really insane and disturbing shit. Isnt that worth your $4?

This series has every potential to pick up and run with it, perhaps it will be a really outstanding trade, after all this isn't Niles' and Worm's first rodeo and the book is stunning to look at, it really is, but judging one issue at a time, I can't say I was blown away by this one. I dedicated to these creators and I trust them to deliver something new and exciting, but this was a pretty blah issue one.

A big issue I have with setting aside the social critique how non-compelling the characters are. Elle is essentially a blank slate whose purpose has seemed to be a physical representation of the questions Pires is interested in asking, rather than a fully fledged human character, and Coop is

That isnt to say the themes are present, even pervasive at times. It is clear that Pires and Copland are inviting us to reflect, but POP never really traverses beyond that initial question. Instead the focus is on our fleeing protagonists, their would-be captors, and the men in charge that make it all happen. It isnt an entirely new kind of story, but it is in a sense that the themes sort of serve as a backdrop for the stor

I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't mention Ferreyra's work. His panels are breathtaking, his creatures are imaginative and horrifying. This book took me twice as long to read as other books because I was so engaged with the art. Like Tobin, Ferreyra is a master of balance: his work is raw and kinetic yet finely detailed. I'm really blown away by every aspect of this book.

At this point I had to look at the cover to make sure there wasn't a fill in writer on this issue. Now, I am well are that this sort of ham-handed long winded way of saying nothing is not uncommon in the genre, and even in the films. But it is uncommon for Paul Tobin and I was taken out of the action more than twice while reading this issue. I may be becoming more critical with higher expectation, but that is because this series is just so damn good. This book is one of my favorite and this creative team is a power house. I expect only the best.

It wouldnt be Prometheus with out one final appearance of an enigmatic Engineer, and his scene is everything youd hope it would be, and leaves the door open for a reappearance later on in Fire and Stone. If you read the last issue of Predator, youve got a pretty good clue as to the fate of Angela, her ending her

Altogether, it was an enjoyable experience in that it reminded me of all the great episodes and moments and quotes that I loved from the show. The issue looks and feels like “Rick and Morty” even if its not quite the real deal. I enjoy the show enough to take this as an alternative and I'm willing to bet if you are a fan you'll enjoy the experience.

It is starting to feel like my prime directive is gushing over Robocop but I really love this book. Ive read a couple of less-than-glowing reviews for this issue, and at first I was going to come here and defend the book, but on second thought, fuck that. It would be like defending Kraft Singles or Slim Jims, Robocop is consistent, unique, and not trying to be anything else than what it is. This is the best Robocop book we could have ever asked for and Im loving the ride.

"Robocop" is consistently killer and shows no signs of stopping. Everything I have said about it tonally and artistically remains true through each and every issue. There are ebs and flows to the action but the book is never boring, and never drags. It makes me yearn for more Robocop, and I think that is just about the best thing that can be said about any series.

There isnt a ton left to say about it. "Robocop" delivers consistently, never missteps or disappoints, and remains at the top of my stack month after month. Sometimes the same ol' thing is all you really want. It doesn't blow my mind like the first time anymore, but I still get hard for it.'

As sophomoric and rude as the creators would like us to think it is, this book always manages to impact me in a big way. It's really something special and sweet, but don't tell them I said so.

"Sex Criminals" is the kind of book many who choose to avoid it would actually really love and connect to. The boners betray its heart. I would encourage everyone, even the most uptight soccer mom with a "I need to speak to the manager" haircut to jump into the series. Matt has clearly researched well and by all accounts has nailed a female voice. Brimpers 4 life.

Being in the mind of Coach Boss is terrifying. Being party to his brand of chaotic weakness is a hard feeling to shake. Aaron's dialogue and narration strikes directly to the core and Latour's work really drives home the anguish and despair. There is some really intriguing foreshadowing as far as new players to the series and the flashbacks are perfectly timed and brilliantly depicted. The first trade is out now so don't make any excuses. This is a book that sticks with you long after you finish it.

Altogether, Im glad Daddy Boss involvement seems to have come to an end. His part of the plot is surprisingly flat for this books standards, and as a spine for Euless, I found to be rather weak. The abusive drunk daddy that will never be proud can be understood and acknowledged through even the subtlest context clues, Im not certain how much his extended stay has benefitted to story at this point and Id just as well be rid of him as Euless would.

I like that this issue puts

My only issue with this series is the inconsistent release schedule. Quality takes time obviously, but too much time and it necessary to start the series over every time an issue comes out. Not that I'm complaining, I'm pretty sure I have designated "The Fade Out" as my desert island book already.

Brodsky reveals that while he had to intimidate Tyler Graves into ending his homosexual affairs by barging into one of his rendezvous and beating the bejesus out of his current consort. Unbeknownst to Brodsky, Tyler responds to this by getting hammered and driving recklessly. It all plays out in this brilliant back and forth between past and present where Brodsky is narrating while Ty is drinking and taking off in his new car. The interplay between past and present in this issue can almost be a thesis for the entire series. Nostalgia is an idealized perception of the past, The Fade Out represents the opposite of that. The Golden Age is anything but golden.

This issue is the complete setup, and rarely slows down at all acclimate us to the world of the books. When it does slow down it, thankfully, focuses on the characters and relationships.

The fiction is right on the verge of being remarkable. At this point it may flop just as likely as it is to astound. With Pires my money is on the latter, but this is the kind of book that is going to have to really blow me over with the reveal because the build up and suspense has been the driving force for two issues, and when you only have four to tell your story, its a risky strategy.

If you like The Fly youll like this. If you dont like or know The Fly you shouldnt bother with this. But you should appreciate that it exists either way, because some day your super niche cancelled tv show or B-horror movie can become a comic book, and thats a real joy for me.

Speaking of love, the series is shoving sex down the throats of its readers in a way that seems pointless. If the kink in issue one didnt give you a clue wait until you see that weird ass shot, bareback boning, giant dildo, and constant fuck talk this issue shoe horns in. It isnt sexy, it doesnt feel authentic, and it certainly doesnt create any kind of juxtaposition to seem like its making a point. It just seems forced to channel this Cronenbergian idea of sexuality, but fails to do so. Cronenberg is about subtextual attraction to abnormality, through the connective tissue of what makes inanimate objects more human, and how the human body can defy the human mind. It seems that Brandon Seifert doesn't understand any of this.

I imagine the series will maintain its tone and sense of humor for the most part, and I recognize no book can continue on without a plot, but the final moments of this issue seemed to promise something different than what we got in this issue and Im not really sure what to expect for the future of Valhalla Mad. This issue won me over and then sort of apologized for itself at the end. Im not sure what to make of that yet, but I guess that is a good enough reason to come back for more.