Ian Mondrick Comic Reviews

Alex + Ada scores major points for fighting upstream against the current of hyper-violence coursing through indie comics. A unique and endearing romance story, it's only failing is being a bit too self-indulgent. A tidy end to the limited series will make this a must-read for futurists and romantics alike.

Insightful, brooding, and beautiful, DEADLY CLASS reinforces Remenders reputation as a master of the trade. Please do yourself a favor and pick up the wickedly dark first issue this week!

Iron fist: The Living Weapon is comics by way of Tarantino. Andrews knows what to make ugly, what to make beautiful, and has full control of all the knobs in between. Letting a talent like this take the reins is yet another smart decision by marvel, who can chalk up another successful re-launch as a reward.

That's not to say that the book doesn't have warts. The price tag is a bit prohibitive ($24.99 hardcover / $19.99 digital) for what feels like two long issues) and the ultimate consequences of this tale have seemingly no ramifications on future storylines, so only the long-time Infinity consumers will find it worthwhile. Nevertheless, it's a great chapter in a long-storied character, and required reading for Gauntlet enthusiasts.

Despite all the detractions, Im hopeful that a book like this can find its niche. Comedy is wildly underrated in comic books, and we can always use the talents of bright, creative, and funny individuals in the medium. (Brian Posehns work on Deadpool is a good example). In the nerdist interview, Killam even admits that you learn to be more critical of your art as you progress, so that may be some sort of light at the end of the tunnel. But the bottom line is, unless youre compelled by your love of SNL (or your fascination with James Bond spin-offs) stay away from THE ILLEGITIMATES.

The Art: Max Dunbar is likewise swinging for the fences on almost every panel of this unique little title. The pages resonate with echoes of genre-specific satire usually reserved for the movie-spoof section of MAD magazine. His clean lines and expressive faces work well in the spaces between Adlards The Walking Dead and the works of Sergio Aragones. Together they create the perfect blend of humor and gore, sarcasm and suspense, parody and paean. THE MOCKING DEAD is one of those easily overlooked titles that I hope will find second life in trade. But with one issue remaining, there is still time to get in on the wonderful weirdness of THE MOCKING DEAD.

Its no understatement that THE WAKE has left a permanent mark on the comic horror genre. The internet practically groans under the weight of the accolades its collected, and for good reason. With the only missteps in this series attributed to publishing (putting out a maxi-issue of the first half instead of a tpb or just waiting seemed unnecessary) expect it to be on countless top ten lists at years end.