Josh Rathbun Comic Reviews

This issue ends this volume of Rai and with some cliffhangers, too. My hopes are that its not for long and that we can get this team back on these characters. The pandemic has had such an awful effect on everything and been brutal on the work of smaller publishers. Still, this issue continues my thoughts that Rai is one of the best books of 2020 and that everyone asking for good comics should be rushing to get this one.

Usagi Yojimbo: Wanderers Road #1 is highly recommended and this issue alone is a masterful reminder of what a creator can do with just one issue.

I normally recommend the D&D books that IDW Publishing puts out but this might be the new book to recommend to people who are looking for something different and enjoyable. Barbaric #1 totally lives up to its name (but in a good way) and delivers the bloody ass-kickings youd want from a hard-R fantasy story. A man and his talking axe make for a fine story. Personally, I'd buy this issue and continue on from there.

This was an awesome issue and like the “Tooth Of The Northstar”, I hunger for more of this story. Do yourself a favor and get Conan the Barbarian #17.

I came into Crossover #1 open-minded of what it was, did all I could to not read any spoilers. Story-wise, Crossover #1 is an entertaining read. The concept is tight and the art hits on so many levels. This issue helps get the world-building explained and set up and with that, I am definitely interested in where this story goes and am excited for issue two.

Part one of Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.s adventures with a haunted house might seem like a bit of overkill for the characters involved but with great storytelling and art that matches the quality, readers should get a lot of enjoyment out of this story. Ive been a Hellboy/B.P.R.D. fan for many years and Im always appreciative of the fact that Mignola and company continue to craft such interesting tales with Hellboy. The Secret of Chesbro House is yet another quality adventure in the Mignolaverse.

Purchase: comiXology  Kindle  Zeus Comics

Savage #1 ends up as the blood-and-guts battle royale book that I desperately needed. Im glad that this is finally seeing the light of day, as I am sure this was probably supposed to have been released last year and should have finished by now. And for older Valiant fans, its okay to like this. Turok will never return to Valiant and with a character as wild as Savage, theyd never need him back in the first place.

Point blank reaction: I enjoyed the hell out of this book. Ive started reading through IDW Publishings TMNT books and while I havent read it all, The Last Ronin reads like one hell of a sendoff. I do wonder how hard this will be to actually get. Word is the print run was cut short and some shops think their full orders wont be filled. There are also around 70 variants out there for this book. This is definitely a read but I think its good enough to purchase. I feel like a lifetime of enjoying the various incarnations of the TMNT, whether its been comics, cartoons, or movies, has prepared me for this moment where they are down to one against all the evil in the world. Maybe it's cliche but The Last Ronin is an absolute blast.

Overall, I think that if your tastes are like mine, you grew up on samurai cinema or if you just want something totally different, The Devils Red Bride #1 offers all of that. Im looking forward to where this story goes and one can hope it ends like so many samurai tales, with two opponents standing their ground and steel being swung all over the place. Recommended.

While I never know how much anything Valiant does goes to bring in new fans, I think the regular fan of the publisher will enjoy Doctor Tomorrow very much.

Ultimately, IDW Publishing does Dungeons & Dragons right. Ive been really happy with all of the stories theyve done but I do feel theres something a bit more special, exciting and enjoyable about Jim Zub and Max Dunbar working on a tale set in Baldurs Gate. Dungeons & Dragons: Infernal Tides ends up as another truly enjoyable tale of Minsc and company thats sure to keep fantasy readers enthralled.

I dont have a bad thing to say about Groo Meets Tarzan, other than they havent met yet. Im not sure what will happen when they do. Fight? Eat cheese dip? Who knows until next month but Groo Meets Tarzan is not at all what I was expecting but Im glad I read it. Mostly a funny story, but the Tarzan moments do throw some serious moments into the mix. Its a very enjoyable comic showcasing that Sergio and Mark are the best at the comedy side of comics. I highly recommend it.

If you wanted to shake up your regular comic reading with something quite a bit different, Hollow Heart #1 is just that book. Its a unique and odd romantic story between a man and whats left of a man locked in a casing. But it really stands out as good storytelling with a bleak approach. This is an easy recommendation.

King in Black #5 was a total package of fun and excitement, coupled with some really cool art. Im not huge on Marvel or DC events but my overall feeling is that this one ended up being fun while also bringing a lot of stuff that Cates has worked on at Marvel to a head. As far as Venom goes, King in Black serves as a good exclamation point on a really great run for the character. Not sure if its worth the cost of admission but I think youd like what you would read.

Magic #1 is very much in the vein of IDWs Dungeons & Dragons comics, which I also really enjoy. We can never have enough fantasy-driven work in comics so if thats what you like, take a chance with Magic.

I was really happy with Moon Knight #2. Hes one of my favorite Marvel characters. I think most of the Moon Knight runs always start with a lot of promise and great execution, but then after a year or two just become something rather unremarkable. I hope Marvel and even Jed MacKay can continue to give us issues like this one because I know its a character with a bigger future ahead and a loyal fanbase that want these adventures to continue. I definitely think this is an issue to read.

Could it be better? Sure. Everything can be better. Im not much of a fan of Wolverine because he used to just pop up everywhere and mess up the place. Characters like Wolverine tend to feel a bit stale to me and I can honestly say I havent picked up his solo book in years. However, I was really enjoying what I read from Wolverine #15, so its definitely possible to put some good shine on something that for me was dull. Enough so that I want to see where this tale is going to go. Sevyr and Solem seem interesting enough as foils to Logan. This is definitely a book to read but it wouldnt hurt to buy it since there was enough thought to make it feel like the story went somewhere and delivered on some good action.

Theres just one issue left of this run of Bloodshot. Im hoping for a big fight between Bloodshot and Rampage, although I had those same hopes when Salvation was ending, only to not get it. That said, Bloodshot #11 has something really cool going on with the art, although the story needs just a bit of work.

I love the world that Dungeons & Dragons encompasses and IDW Publishing continues to do right by the properties with their comics. Dungeons & Dragons: At The Spine Of The World #1 has me excited for more issues. There's something for everyone with these kind of stories and they put a spotlight on folks from all sorts of fantasy walks of life. At The Spine Of The World explodes with a rush of adventure from the get-go and is just the sort of tale any hardened fan of fantasy can enjoy.

Im glad to see Ninjak back and Im even happier that someone read Ninja-K and built the story off where that one seemed to leave off. Ninjak is on the run and for those chasing, they face one of the most dangerous men alive. Ninjak #1 is chock full of action and has a very interesting art style to accompany it. While I do think some wont fully appreciate the visuals, I do hope they give the story a chance because its exactly whats needed with Ninjak.

Overall, its a good-but-not-great first issue but I think its enough to get me excited for the next issue and I feel like I can see the potential of Radiant Black. Not all origins need to be great. Whats more important is what happens after you get your powers. Radiant Black also gave us a look at the other side of the coin, so to speak, with the emergence of a foe who popped up at the end of this issue. Image has a history of superhero books and while theyve done a colossal job of expanding from that. Its awesome to see a book like Radiant Black usher back the Image Comics age of heroes.

It's the end of "The Grim After" but what comes after should be another epic story for Reaver. If you are looking for an adult fantasy story, I feel there's none better. To me, Reaver is a total breath of fresh air and comes off wholly original. If you want something different in the genre that's high quality, then it's definitely Reaver that you are after.

In the end, Im glad one of my favorite characters is finding ways to stay in print and with a movie in the near future. Its a good time to be Shang-Chi. I love the position hes in and the fact hes not going to play nice with others is even better. This first issue is definitely worth checking out.

Right now, I am digging whats going on in the world of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, at least, Im digging the publishing side of what IDW is offering. Between this and The Last Ronin mini-series, they are putting out some high-quality stories featuring the TMNT. From this issue and the deluxe editions that Ive picked up, this isnt the cartoon and thats actually a good thing because I feel these stories really do speak to more than just kids.

You could certainly do worse than buying or reading Black Cat Annual #1. It just didnt feel like that much of a throwaway story and Im also glad to see a character like Black Cat getting the much-needed push. I think those that read this issue have probably never heard of the added characters in this issue but thats okay, you have to start somewhere. This issue was definitely worth a read.

I didn't see any sort of checklist to know how long Endless Winter was going to be. I just know the next part is in The Flash #767. I'll definitely be checking that issue out to see where this all goes. For a first chapter, Justice League: Endless Winter has plenty to keep a reader interested and happy. I'm not much of a DC reader and I enjoyed this so I think if this is your wheelhouse, you'll be pleased.

Orcs! is part of BOOM! Studios‘ KaBOOM! imprint, focusing on stories for younger readers or those young at heart. The impression I was left with after reading Orcs! is that it had a good dose of charm and comedy to reel me in with art that had a pleasing aesthetic. It wasnt quite my cup of tea and thats fine because plenty will like what this book is. Maybe it doesnt have the action or combat I like in my fantasy books but as a parent looking to add to my childrens reading pile, these are the kinds of comics I love picking up because Im fairly certain theyd enjoy it.

Savage Avengers is the kind of book where the premise should take me right out of it. Im an old-school Avengers fan and its been a really long time since I liked an issue of any adjective-driven Avengers team. But with how ridiculous some of the stuff in this is, Im a bit torn on how I felt but I decided to go with the positive. The Murder Avengers won me over but just barely.

Overall, Spawn's Universe #1 is a tiny bit confusing to read but its nice to look at. Im hoping its just that Im not a monthly Spawn reader that causes it but then it begs the question: is this a good jumping-on point for new readers to Spawn? I think that Spawns Universe will be a rewarding experience for those who have stuck with the title but thats it, outside of just simple artistic enjoyment. Still, Spawn is 300+ issues old and a new launching pad should still offer something for the older readers. Hopefully, newer readers can make sense of it all.

This felt like a whole lot of build-up for a better story, which I guess will be the upcoming Phoenix rehash that Marvel is serving up. Avengers #39 is fairly lackluster in the storytelling but its a really nice issue on the eyes.

Captain America #30 is a fine end to the Coates era of Captain America. I think there were some important ideals tackled with this particular story and it really puts some thoughts in your head about extremism. It would have been nice to also see someone like the Red Skull get punched out, too. I think if you have passion for what Coates did with Cap or if you are critical of his work on the character, an issue like this is going to do little to sway your opinion. I found it to be a decent end for another memorable run of Captain America.

Am I too hard? Am I too much of a fan of the Fantastic Four, unable to budge? Probably thats the case. That said, I still found some enjoyment in this and it was way better than the Ultimate version from the early 2000s.

This was a really enjoyable first issue thats got me excited for the next issue. Iron Fist managed to stop the bad guys in this issue. I have been reading Hamas work on G.I. Joe for years and Im glad to see him working on a character like Iron Fist. I might not like this as much as his work on the Joes but add in a fantastic artist and this ends up being just what a fan of this half of the Heroes For Hire needs.

I had a bit higher hopes for the first issue of Knock 'Em Dead. I loved the look but only kinda liked the story portion. That said, I'm definitely picking up the rest of this series as I tend to like everything Eliot Rahal writes. But, with how the story is playing out, I'm sure it really kicks into gear with the next issue. Here's hoping for that.

Overall, I'm not overly impressed with the art but I am enjoying where the story is going. I'm still looking to take in as much of the Witcher's adventures that I can and The Witcher: Fading Memories #1 continues to help the comic book stories of the Witcher excel in this medium.

No Heroine #3 finishes as a fairly decent Vampire story that has that added layer with the addiction problems that the heroine Kayla is dealing with. While the story didnt blow my socks off, I felt that it was a good read and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a horror story thats a bit off the beaten path. I wish the art grabbed me a bit more as I didnt love the overall appearance but with that said, it wasnt enough to make me dislike No Heroine.

While I wasnt blown away by the story, Larsens art is still something to behold and this issue had quite a few moments where I liked what I was seeing. The opening page was full-on Kirby (in a good way) and what followed was a very energetic two-page splash. Nikos Koutsis is a fantastic colorist for Larsens work and I thought that this issue showed that. I do feel like Larsen has gotten a bit loose with his pencils, as compared to how I think his older issues of Savage Dragon look but I do still think there are quality visuals in this issue. Its good to know that I can still appreciate the art on a book like this, even if the story doesnt click with me.

Maybe what I want out of this is too much or maybe the Alien comics just arent for me. That said, this is a $4.99 comic book and I dont feel like the cost is worth it. Alien #1 is a fairly average story with average art. The world wont end if you dont get it.

Im not big on Jenny Zero #1. I really wanted to like it because whats not to like about some bad-ass gal and her bad-ass gun just gunning down big critters? Sadly, I think the first issue (possibly) doesnt do the main character much justice and just traps her as another edgy loose cannon with a chip on her shoulder the size of the world. That said, theres definitely a character secret that reveals itself at the end thats got me interested in what's to come.

Im not looking to take shots on someone in the industry but I just dont feel like The Mighty Crusaders: The Shield is a great comic or really good use of Liefeld's art. I do think The Mighty Crusaders: The Shield ends up recycling a lot of his poses and typical artistic foibles. Archie Comics just doesnt stick to anything thats not the Archie digests and I would not be surprised if this newest launch just disappears. I guess you can just enjoy The Mighty Crusaders: The Shield while it lasts but I doubt this is going to last long at all.

Overall, U. S. Agent seemed quite a bit mediocre and I don't see the appeal of a weak knock-off going on this kind of adventure. It lacked the humor and action that I expect from a Christopher Priest book. Instead of buying this, go get one of the Deathstroke trade paperbacks because that's a better use of your money.

Do you love stories where robotic creatures break free from the government stooges and eventually befriend some young child? Im pretty sure thats where were going with Byte-Sized. I get that there's probably a lot of inspiration from the likes of Gremlins or Batteries Not Included but maybe I need more issues to get some enjoyment from Byte-Sized. Kudos to AWA Studios for continuing to do different material with everything. Their scope is so wide in what they put out that you are bound to find something youll like. It just might not be this.