Jenn Marshall Comic Reviews

Overall, I will be continuing with American Jesus. I have already added it to my pull list and with it being a 3 issue run the story should move quickly to its resolution and I am curious to see where the story is going. If you enjoyed the first run of American Jesus I highly recommend picking up this sequel.

If you love wrestling or over the top fun stories Invasion from Planet Wrestletopia is the perfect story for you. I had a lot of fun reading it and cannot wait for the big showdown that is sure to happen in issue 6. Issues 1-5 are available on Comixology.

The art is stunning. Kit Seaton has beautiful characters. Everything completely draws you into the story. The entire book is colored in shades of blue. When the boat appeared the red flames were so intense against all of the shades of blue. Colorist, Sara Woolley uses this throughout the entire book. While most of the story is just shades of blue, every once in awhile a contrast color is used to accent what is going on. It creates a dramatic effect that I loved.

Constantine starts this story getting kicked out of a pub for a tasteless joke. We meet Barry outside the pub and find out that Constantine promised to remove a curse, but only made it worse. The art and colors also show this darker side. When Constantine is taken everything shifts to dark backgrounds with bright shades of red. It makes the horrible things done by the villain so much more powerful. If you are a Constantine fan or someone new to his stories John Constantine Hellblazer is a must-read.

Miskatonic High pays attention to the small details and that is what makes this series one of my favorites. When in the druid world Alex was reading The Art of War by Sun Tzu and that book was used as evidence of his witchcraft. Druids believed in the power of words; magic was found in knowing the name of something. The fact that reading a book was evidence of witchcraft showed how much the creative team cares about keeping things accurate, even in a fantasy and horror setting.

Overall, Crossbones is a fun story of an antihero who has to decide if that is who he really wants to be. It is easy to get absorbed into this world, and I am actively invested in finding out what Crossbones does next.

With black and white characters and backgrounds, Zen and Robin Jones were still able to make the dialogue boxes stand out which I really liked. By having all of the lettering on a grey background, I was able to read everything without it getting lost on the page which was really nice. Overall I feel like the creative team has a really promising premise, but unfortunately for me, it just felt unfinished and a little confusing.

Each piece of this comic works so flawlessly with the other that it is almost impossible to pick a favorite element. Everything builds on the next piece, and you are easily washed away in this Norse world. The only thing I could think when I finished Deiciders was, Hurry up, boy! Earn that next coin so the beggar can tell us another story.

Overall, I loved Ella Upgraded. Each piece fits together to create a fun all-ages comic that both children and adults will love. It reminds me of books like Princeless: strong girls doing what they think is right. Small touches like using the fathers game console to save Ellas life are sweet and really add to the story. I cannot wait to see where they will go next.

Sometimes you come across something that is familiar but completely unique at the same time. For me, this was Broken Bear. I have read Hero Journey stories before, I have read stories where the main character did not always make the right choice, but I have never read something like this. The one spoiler I will give about this book is that you might not like Selm. She begins her story by making the wrong choice and she ends her story by making the wrong choice. I did not like her for most of the book, but those flaws were so realistic, and her choices were so hard that you cant help but feel sorry for her. Then, I read the last line of the comic and I felt like it had been written just for me. It put everything I had been thinking into two words and I wanted to cheer.

The entire comic reminds me of old Saturday Morning Cartoons. I loved the feeling of nostalgia I had while reading Captain Gaia. The story flows well and even has a lesson towards the end. That lesson is just a more grown up and satirical lesson than you would have seen in cartoons like Captain Planet: the earth will be fine, but were fucked.

Before Miskatonic High, I had not read much Lovecraftian horror. After reading the first two issues, I started to explore more of that genre of horror, and Miskatonic High hits all the notes of a good Lovecraft story. The monsters are intriguing and terrifying, but the story also has a real-world aspect to it that many can relate to. Ren is trying to decide how much to share with her mom, and we have all been there. How much is too much to share? Miskatonic High has turned me into a fan!

The art and writing in Rex Radley Boy Adventurer is simple enough for younger readers to follow, while still being entertaining for older audiences. As an adult, I knew instantly what Home Alone Invasion would be about because I remember watching the movie Home Alone when I was younger, but that did not stop it from being my favorite story. The book has a nice balance between simplicity and fun.

The biggest struggle I had with The Resurrected was being able to read it. Each time someone talked to another person through technology the text changed to light blue. Normally I read review copies on my phone and that was just not possible with this book. Even with my laptop, the text was really difficult to read and I know I missed pieces of information because of it. If the text was just a little bit darker I don't think I would have had this problem. Overall, The Resurrected was an interesting premise and with a release set for August, it will make a fun summer read.

Paradox Girl is the most fun I have had reading a comic in a while. Everything about this story makes you want to read more; I could not put it down. Sometimes the story is not straightforward, which just adds to the experience. It allows you to experience the story in the same jumbled way as Paradox Girl. While some of the stories are meant to make you feel good and laugh, Cayti Elle Bourquin really shows their writing talent by switching gears and writing a story like Time Wounds All Heals where it tugs at your heartstrings and brings tears to your eyes.

Overall, I really enjoyed Cyber Force. There was a lot of action in this issue, but it didnt overshadow the extreme emotions that the characters were going through. I am excited to see where Cyber Force is going.

Overall, Battlecats was a fun read that has me excited to see where it is going next. As a cat lover, I was impressed by each of the characters. There is a nice variety of cats, with the king being a lion. With release scheduled for May 29th, there is time to read the first volume and fall in love with the characters yourself.

The story or art alone would be enough to earn 5 stars but combining the two of them together creates a flawless experience. It hits all the right notes for both a supernatural mystery and a samurai story. Both the characters and story are complex which makes you want to know what will happen next. The minute I finished Honor and Curse I called my local comic shop and added it to my pull list. I highly recommend you do the same.

Overall, I really enjoyed Paladins. My favorite type of manga has high school students fighting evil; either changing into weapons or being responsible for mystic artifacts. Paladins had the same energy while staying unique; they managed to combine all of the serious action with a magical girl energy that absolutely works well together. I cant wait to see what the characters do next.

Overall, Detective Comics #1000 was a lot of fun to read. The stories are all over Batmans timeline. You see him agonizing over whether or not to include Dick as Robin and sitting in a wheelchair at the end of his life being confronted by the Penguin. You have a story for everyone. Not to mention the covers. With a cover to represent each decade in Bat-history, it was hard to decide on just one to purchase. I ended up choosing the Frank Miller variant because Dark Knight Returns was the first Batman story I read. Even if you are not currently reading Detective Comics, this is a must-have issue for any Batman fan.

It is tough to review each aspect separately with Neon Future. Change one aspect and you would have a completely different experience. Everything about this book works so well together. The colors chosen between the real world and the dream world drastically change, which helps sell the grittiness of the reality. There is a lot of dialogue and worldbuilding needed, but it never disrupts the story. The lettering is clear and expertly arranged. I picked up this book because of the cover, but less than five pages into the book I added it to my pull list. This is a top-notch book put together by a team who works flawlessly together. I cannot wait to see what they do next.

From start to finish, Identity Stunt is a thrilling ride. The entire story takes place over one 12-hour period in Sam Nessers life. Just when you think things cant get worse for poor Nesser, we meet Beatdown. One thing I love about Identity Stunt is that it isnt your average superhero story where the caped vigilante swoops in and saves the day. Joe R. Khachadourian has created characters that are complex but still flawed. Nesser is in way over his head and he is just trying to save his family. In my original review, I stated that Sam Nesser just needed a hug. I still feel this way; things just keep getting more complicated for him and he had a Jack Bauer from 24 level of bad day.

As a complete story, Unicorn Fight Squad does not disappoint. It is a snapshot into a night out for Twink that goes horribly wrong. The characters are a unique blend of fantasy creatures that still come across as human. You see bartenders dealing with rude and chauvinistic customers in addition to characters who want to be the badass heroes in a crisis, but just dont have the talent. I cannot wait to see what adventures these characters have next.

Overall, Conspiracy Denver Airport was a fun read. The previous issues cover topics like the Illuminati and Doppelgangers. Future issues will explore social media and lizard people. I cannot wait to see what they do with the other conspiracy theories in the series. It is a single-issue comic, so if you are expecting a detailed description of the conspiracy you will be disappointed. They are fun stories that take place in the conspiracy, not an analysis. For me, this made the comic even better because it was about the story and characters, not someone trying to prove these theories are real.

After reading statements from Ryan, I immediately went back and reread Tourist. It completely changed my thoughts on the story. Originally, I believed this story would appeal to people who loved modern art and that would be the only draw to this book. Now I see it as a completely unique piece that hits all of the marks for a good science fiction story. The added piece of a cipher is even more exciting, and I cannot wait to decode my message and find out what our traveler is thinking.

Silly villains, beautiful art, and a story that has you hanging on every word waiting to see what will happen next.

Trumps Titans is satire done right. Both sides are made to look silly. Diversity wears a pink pussy hat and yells about milkshakes and letting the past die. Trump is obsessed with looking good and arresting those who speak against him. What I loved the most about this book is that in his hour of need, Trump discovers Comicsgate. It is never named, but anyone with a basic knowledge of the movement will recognize the hateful rhetoric and familiar faces. Zack, Ethan and Mike work with Trump to get his comic book published using crowdfunding so they can create the book they want without Marvel and Diversitys interference.

With a cliffhanger of an ending, I cannot wait to see what happens next in Start Again. After one issue I am completely invested in finding out if Ajay and Natalie will make it.

Sparks has a lot of potential to be a really powerful story about a superhero who is dealing with too much. Right now we are still in the world building phase of Sparks, but with Issue #2 we see Ethan accept his powers and are introduced to a possible villain. It is clear that things are just getting started.

Overall, the book has a classic Guardians of the Galaxy feel to it. The characters try their best, but are not always good at what they do. Somehow even when things work out, there is a price to pay, and even when they are being silly, the creative team can pull at your heart strings with both the characters and the events of the story.

Celtic mythology contains some of my favorite legends, so, to see a story focusing on the old Celtic gods and goddesses has me excited. It isnt something I see very often, especially this well. Brigantia is an older goddess who does not have a lot written about her, and you can really tell that the creative team on used their Pagan Consultant, Limnaia Areia. The existing mythology felt honored in the story even when they threw the goddess into the modern world. Brigantia is a must read for anyone who loves mythology-based storytelling.

When I finished Knights of the Golden Sun, I immediately read it again so I could take more time with each panel. It is a stunning comic that will keep you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out how things will turn out. I cannot wait to read the next issue.

Murder is a heartbreaking tale of how our food is processed and offers a different perspective on where our food comes from. It is not an easy read if you are a meat eater and will definitely make you consider where your food comes from. To be honest, I am partially rooting for the animals to kill us all.

Even though I found myself confused about what is happening, I plan to continue reading Henshin Man. Once I learned what tokusatsu and henshin meant, I was able to start connecting the dots. The book seems to be just getting started, and there is a lot of potential for a really good story.

Once again, Princeless was an inspirational story about strength and determination. The only thing I found disappointing was that I didnt have the entire volume to binge read. One issue is never enough for me when it comes to Princeless.

Overall, I really enjoyed Cognition. It is an old-fashioned detective story that reminds me of a combination of Sherlock Holmes and The X-Files. Each issue contains a different mystery to solve that focuses on a supernatural creature from a different fairy story or myth.

Honestly, I do not think I am the target audience for Fetch. I am not a big gamer and have only participated in one role-playing campaign. I could see this being a big hit with people who enjoy role-playing and stories like Adventure Time. There is a lot of potential for later issues. With the rich world to build from and some really hilarious moments that, if refined in later issues, could lead to a fun quest-type adventure story.

As a teacher, I read a lot of Young Adult comics. Sometimes they can feel condescending. A lot of the time you can see that they are an adults version of what they think kids are going through. Molly Ostertag does not talk down to her readers. Not once does the story feel like it isnt an authentic experience. My students rave about The Witch Boy and I cannot wait to show them The Hidden Witch.

I added Infinite Dark to my pull list before it was released because the concept of a murder on a ship carrying the last of humanity sounded like a premise I would enjoy. The first issue confirmed I made the right choice and I will continue to read issue after issue.

Overall, Milky is a fun story about what happens when extraordinary things happen around ordinary people. It is a must read.

Overall, Bad Egg was amazing. I loved it as much as I did the first volume of Wytches. In the back of the issue, Snyder wrote a letter and talked about how his fears had changed since he wrote the first volume, and you can definitely see that in how the story deals with kids. I cannot wait for the next story arc.

From start to finish I loved everything about this series. I cannot wait to see where it is going.

I love watching kids reading Captain Underpants. They share pages with other kids, laugh constantly, and ask where the next book in the series can be found. Anything that gets kids that excited to read deserves 5 out of 5 stars!

To try and compare Bonehead to another piece of media is difficult. It has a lot of influences and ascetics from Akira, but that still doesn't paint a complete picture. Bonehead is a complex story that you need to see to experience from the beginning to understand completely so I do recommend reading the previous issues. It has been a huge hit at my local comic shop and I will definitely be adding this to my pull list once it comes back.

Overall, Woodland High was a nice trip down memory lane I didn't expect. The main characters may have been animals, but I could point out someone I knew for each personality. I was totally a Maple, always in the background and usually running into things.

This book looks like it will be a ridiculously fun story. The art and color work really well with the story. I love how the color palette changes based on where the characters are. The wrestlers are over the top, like they should be, and I cannot wait to see more of planet Wrestletopia itself. I believe this story will be a big hit with both fans of wrestling and people being exposed to it for the first time.

Being a huge fan of horror comics it isn't often I find something that would give me nightmares. Necropolitan might just be that comic. It was brutal, but you are in Hell so anything less wouldn't work as well. I look forward to the rest of the series, but right now I need to go snuggle my cats.