Josh Reifler Comic Reviews

Afterlife with Archie is a great story but clearly not for children. It also may not sit well with classic fans unaccustomed to a darker tone. However it is sure to pique the interest of readers who may have written off Archie Comics in the past as for kids or lacking depth. Roberty Aguirree-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla succeed in challenging the assumption that readers cant relate to the Archie universe. Theyve managed to craft a tale which crosses genres and puts a fresh coast of red paint on the entire property line. This comic is an excellent read which succeeds in frightening readers. Hopefully it represents a willingness on the part of the Archie Comics to push their flagship properties in bold new directions for the foreseeable future.

I had a brief moment of thinking "can I give this a ten, even though it's a re-mix and not technically an 'original'". I plead temporary insanity. Re-hashing is the worst and re-mixing is way better, but Afterlife With Archie transcends both of those denominations. AwA #4 specifically solidifies this comic as a comprehensive work where the ingredients are as important as the recipe, but the chefs should still get all the credit for making a simultaneously delicious and emotionally nutritious meal that you can't find anywhere else.

Overall Invaders #1 is a fun first issue and a great alternative for fans a little sick of the expansive roster and exposition laden stories being told over in Hickman's corner of the Universe. It's also a nice treat to see Captain America and The Winter Solider together and kicking butt! This looks to be a traditional action-focused title with Robinson giving the characters a clear threat and purpose right from the start. I recommend it for fans looking for a digestible action series that can take the characters into new arenas without droning on like a space opera. 7.5 out of 10.

It's hard to say anything negative about a Bendis book. He's delivered top quality imaginative series for years and All-New X-Men #19 is no exception. He's definitely perfected the voice of these characters and the series has been one of the most interesting X-books. This issue clears up any worries for fans who thought that the book might deteriorate in quality following the end of Battle of the Atom. If you are an x-fan the next few issues of this series look to be exciting and most certainly will lay the foundation for the next big 'X-event' coming down the pipeline.

Overall Blackoutis a good start for a new hero. The comic takes some classic story-telling tropes and manages to come out feeling fresh and enjoyable. With only four issues in this series the action will certainly ramp up quickly. Luckily the creator team seems to work together well in terms of mixing both story and art to enhance key moments. Blackout's world feels futuristic and full of incredibly technology while remaining just a bit frightening. Overall a solid debut for a mini-series and worth picking up if you've been a fan of Barbiere's previous work.

Fans of Aw Yeah Comics! will be pleased with the work quality of this issue. With an ambitious story and some interesting takes of new characters, this may just be the book which brings Captain Action from a slightly dated concept into a property which can appeal to young fans.

Image comics continues to impress me with the creative confidence it has in its properties and the willingness to experiment. While Chew/Revival isn't perfect, it's fun and something that comics fan can appreciate on mere principle alone. I can easily see this cross-over becoming a collector's item and a nice introduction for readers who might have only read one series but not the other. I'd love to see this team-up become a yearly event and hopefully this is not the last time we will see the worlds of Revival and Chew crossover!

Creepy Scarlett is a nice first attempt by a new team that has room to grow. There are moments of true humor mixed and fine art " however these are mixed with moments where the book seems to lose focus and make sloppy storytelling decisions. Perhaps that's just something that improves with experience and while Creepy Scarlett is not perfect, it's by no means a bad book. I enjoyed it overall despite any imperfections and found the true heart of the story shines through in the end. It's always great to see independent artists and writers making entries into the comic genre and this book might be worth a look.

This comic is available online for only ninety-nine cents. It's far better than 95% of what is currently being published in comics. There are four issues out and you can get them all together for four dollars. I'm incredibly happy I was introduced to this series and recommend it for all fans of strange sci-fi with a humorous twist. Add this book to your collection immediately!

Down, Set, Fight!is a fun read from start to finish. I can easily see this story being picked up and made into a movie one day. It has all the visual charm of a fun summer comedy. Definitely check it out! Score: 9 out of 10.

Dream Thiefs: Escape #1 is a decent story but wasn't enough to keep me coming back for more. If you are already a fan of this book you will probably be satisfied with what Nitz and Smallwood are creating. However this concept isn't completely groundbreaking and readers might want to read old reprints of The Crow instead. It's not a bad book and it's not a great book " it's a story that might appeal to certain readers and not others. I found myself falling into that latter category who just didn't find the basic premise that original or exciting. Perhaps the biggest issue is that Dream Thief: Escape #1 never really stands out either as a mystery, an action thriller, or as an emotional drama. It's just 'ok' in every category and that isn't enough to keep me coming back in an incredibly crowded market. I can think of several books I'd rather be reading unfortunately and that is enough to make me pass on future issues.

Issue four is really starting to tie into what could hopefully be a larger story. Perhaps Rossmo has a very specific end game but he hasn't quite kept me on the edge of my seat so far. By the end of issue four I found the series to be enjoyable but I am not 'dying' to know what happens next. As there are just so many cool comic series out right now Drum Hellar doesn't quite make into the top tier. It's a cool series for sure and will please anyone who likes 'alternative' storytelling structure and non-traditional comic book art. If you like any of the books or mentioned above you should take a chance of Drum Hellar and pick up this issue!

East of West is a challenging, moody, and often complicated series that completely pays off for the time invested. Rarely can one say it's been a pleasure spending time in a dystopia but Hickman and Dragotta have created a story so compelling that I can't help but feel impatient for the release of each issue. The first trade is currently available and I highly recommend readers jump into what is turning out to be a landmark series for both Hickman and Image comics.

Morella and the Murders in the Rue Morgewill also be reprinted later this year in full hardbound collection (also including of all of Corben's previous Poe adaptations) titledEdgardAllan Poe'sSpirits of the Dead. While some may prefer to stick to the original source material, there's nothing wrong with looking at other interpretations of classic works, especially one asimportant to the development of the modern mystery novel. Richard Corben's adaptations are a top-notch homage paying respects to one of the best American horror authors of all time. Who better to retell these stories than one of the world's most talented illustrators and colorist? Simply put, this is a must-own for all horror comic fans. 10 out of 10.

ElfQuest is a series which requires a bit of patience and dedication on the part of the reader. However there is clearly something to the series, having maintained a niche audience for over thirty years, while the fantasy genre has struggled for larger acceptance with mainstream comics fan. With the success of more recent properties like Game of Thrones and The Hobbit movie adaptions perhaps the time is finally right for ElfQuest to be introduced to a new generation of readers. It's certainly worth taking a look at especially if you are interested in following the career of one of comic's first female artists self-publishing in a male dominated medium. ElfQuest can get surprisingly dark at times although it's tempered with many moments of levity to balance things out. Overall there is something here for all fans of the fantasy genre to enjoy.

Ghosted #7 - pg. 4Ghosted #7 - pg. 5Ghosted #7 - pg. 6Ghosted is a high drama comic that has cemented itself a solid spot in the Skybound publishing line. While Jackson Winter may be a stereotypical 'Ocean Eleven's' style con-man, Williamson manages to throw him into scenarios interesting enough that you forgive the main character's flaws. While I wasn't sure if this book was going to continue in quality after the first volume, I'm pleased to note that the quality has stayed where you would expect and together with a new artist Williamson is bringing some strange and creepy ideas that readers may not want to miss. 8 out of 10.

While not a crucial issue for understanding events in the main book, it's an enjoyable story even taken out of context and brings a level of storytelling depth sometimes lacking from many of the Valiant books. Dysart clearly knows his history and manages to capture many historical events in a context that creates a sense of uniformity to the march of time. Readers will find themselves pleased in the way many of the surrounding mysteries were revealed without taking the sense of wonder away from what makes the character interesting. In the end the story raises as many questions as it answers and doe sa great job serving as a segway between the current Harbinger storyline.

Want to see how our review stacked up against those 'other' comic book websites? Check out our friends at Comicbookroundup.comfor the fullbreakdown of scores for In The Dark.

Waiting for the next issue of Invincible always feels like you're anxiously waiting for a bowl of the best soup in the world. When its finally ready, instead of a bowl you only get a thimble. I can not wait for the next issue. After 108 issues I'm still hooked and my interested hasn't wavered once.

Issue #111 demonstrates that Invincible has much more story to tell and sets up for a finale full of shocks, thrills, and all the adventure that readers have come to expect from the series!

Overall Lazarus #6 is a solid issue setting the stage for future plot points in the second arc of the series. It's the same consistent story-telling and art that has helped make this one of the breakout series from Image comics. While more of a groundwork issue compared to some of the previous ones, this is a must read for anyone interested in keep up with the overall story of Lazarus. 8.5 out of 10.

Issue 3 does enough to continue to build the overall story through the smaller plots weaved by Soule. President Blades, I feel, continues to carry and sell the story as the most interesting character in the book. For a story about a possible alien space weapon near earth and a government hiding it from its people, Soule does a great job making it more about the people and the little reveals and payoffs. The cliffhanger creates a new wrinkle in the book and the most exciting part is that it gets us no closer to knowing what the Chandelier is but has me just as excited. Soule is creating an environment where he can tell interesting stories under the banner of the larger story he introduced us to in issue 1.

Being someone who isn't too familiar with this character I really enjoyed GET THE LOBSTER #1 as my introduction. While you didn't personally get to know Lobster Johnson in this issue, Mike Mignola made it clear that if you're a person with criminal ambitions, taking Lobster Johnson out is of paramount importance. From the bizarre wrestlers, the dark seedy characters plotting from shadows this comic fits seamlessly into the Hellboy mythos. This was a fun, fast paced first issue, and Tonci Zonijc's art work made me feel as if I accidentally picked up an issue of Amazing Stories or New Detective. I am definitely going to pick up the next issue and maybe even try to track down other stories revolving around Lobster Johnson.

This is a great new book from Skybound and I highly recommend it to comic fans looking for something different. The art is solid and accurately captures the feel and tone of the story. I found the overall plot to pick up pace quickly and engage me while keeping me interested in what comes next. Many first issues struggle to get the story moving quickly but this was not an issue in this instance. There's a lot of exciting work coming out of Skybound currently and clearly Manifest Destiny is going to be one of the most popular titles among them.

I was surprised how much I disliked this series especially considering Sapolsky is known for the generally well-regarded Spiderman: Noir at Marvel. Perhaps something has been lost in the translation or the comic just needs an other issue or two to find it's footing, but I could not find much to enjoy in the end. The characters are incredibly one-dimensional and I could not relate to anything occurring in any of the scenes. The realistic art style prevented me from finding any of the violence funny and ultimately this book just does not work on any level.

Princess Ugg is a fun new series that deserves a look. It's presents a strong female protagonist with a lot of spirit. It's awesome to see a writerflipping the adventure story on its head and this comic is right in line with the spirit that girls can achieve the same as men and be heroes in their own right. I'd recommend this book to anyone with a young child interested in comics or anyone who enjoys a fun adventure story. With movies like Frozen and Shrek capturing the hearts of young audiences, Naifeh has definitely created a fun an entertaining fantasy adventure series. Step outside your normal comic book expectations and give this debutissuea chance! 8/10.

Overall, Regular Show Issue #9 does a good job representing the essence of the show in comic book form. The art is incredibly charming and different enough from the main series to add variety. The main story is interesting enough, but, unfortunately, it is nothing too special. At times, it felt like the TV show but without some of its loveable quirks. Nonetheless, the additional comic created by Jake Wyatt added a nice touch. Seeing as the story will continue into the next issue, Id go ahead and give this issue a try if you cant seem to get enough of Mordecai and Rigbys shenanigans.

This is a series made for fans of Robotech and Voltron and isn't trying to do much more than give these properties something to throw giant robots against. But hey, that's why we loved these characters in the first place! If you are a newcomer for either of these properties, there's hours of material you can peruse before picking up this book. Seriously just go online and type 'watch Robotech for free' and try not to get any viruses on your computer as the 1980"s comes flooding back in all it's glory. As far as delivering an enjoyable comic, Robotech/Voltron admirably lives up to the task. The story moves forward efficiently and performs it's main duties of 1) Setting up a reason for Voltron and Robotech's worlds to collide and 2) Putting giant robots on the page. Hopefully issue two will ramp up the action even further and give us more giant robot action.

Skyman is a solid addition to the burgeoning superhero universe at Dark Horse comics. It's too soon to tell whether this series will have long-term staying power but I found it to be an enjoyable issue that kept my interest. Unfortunately with a market PACKED with superheroes - comics need to be more than decent to make it into most readers buy pile. I'm not 'blown away' by Skyman so far but I don't think it's a bad book by any means. While it doesn't do much to distinguish itself from the competition in the superhero genre, it is on par with many other quality superhero origins and might be worth picking up if you are currently reading other titles in this line. Fialkov is giving us a tough emphatic character in Eric Reid and a likable protagonist can go a long way in carrying a new series. I want to give Skyman a shot at greatness as I have a feeling his story is only just beginning. Overall 7 out of 10.

Solar: Man of the Atom is a character that always looked cool but never interested me enough to pick up a copy of the book. Dynamite's reinterpretation of the character is changing that for me and I'm interesting in seeing where this story goes next. Frank Barbiere has set the foundation for an interesting story between a family that doesn't see eye to eye on many fronts. Since so many companies are now focused on 'de-aging' characters to make them appear young and fresh " I've missed comics that can convey a strong sense of legacy. There's no reason to pretend Solar: Man of the Atom was invented yesterday " all that has to be done is remind readers what makes his concept so cool in the first place.

Sex, violence, and dark secrets take front and center in this book " Lapham seems intent on demonstrating that while the original series has concluded his plans for the Spanish Scott is far from over. And while this story has some great moments it is pretty rough for the unprepared reader as a boy's yearning to follow in the footsteps of his father takes a tragic turn and unexpected costs are paid. Without spoiling this short intro story it's a nice reintroduction to one of the series main characters and felt right at home alongside the earlier works.

There is a lot happening in this issue and it is being handled very well by both writers. Essentially it's one giant slugfest as we see the Avengers trying to take down the Superior Venom, while in the background the Green Goblin steps up his game to take down the Hobgoblin. Enough attention is payed to all the plot threads happening throughout the issue, without the book feeling like it's losing its main goal of setting up future story arcs.

Overall Tales of Honor is a solid introduction to a multi-decade spanning series. It's impossible to relay the full scope of novels in a single issue of a comic but it appears like Matt Hawkins and Jung-Geun Yoon are approaching the material with the utmost respect and that will surely go a long way in ensuring the true flavor of the universe shines through. While this series may be a little heavy on the military strategy discussion for a casual reader, fans of sci-fi war stories should definitely pick up this first issue. Overall some great art and solid storytelling creates a nice addition to the roster of Top Cow titles.

Tales of Honor is a difficult book to review simply because of everything going on at once. However it's an engaging series with a cool leading lady. The book might not be for everyone but will be a huge hit for the right niche group. I found myself enjoying the comic for the most part despite the few small issues noted above. Clearly there is something worthwhile in the character and I envision her with a bright future in many mediums in coming years. Fans of the Honorverse should be proud to see their hero in print and hopefully this book sets the groundwork for a larger Honor Harrington assault into the mainstream consciousness.

While many of those stories are available through reprints, IDW has taken a smart step in bringing Kevin Eastman back onto the series as a co-writer and artist. His influence is apparent and ultimately helps the series find that spark which captured the public's imagination at the start.

The Fox is a character who needs a second chance at winning over the hearts and minds of comics fans. He's a character that deserves more attention" Seriously, someone go update his wikipedia page! Dean Haspiel does a great job and it doesn't hurt to have Mark Waid along providing dialogue for the characters. The Fox #2 ends up being a fun and memorable issue which puts a new spin on a classic character.

The pulp-era action adventure book is nothing new but Symons and Reynolds have injected something that these sort of series are so often lacking - character development. Many authors seem to make the mistake of thinking that setting and action can compensate for having one-dimensional actors and that clearly is not the case in this instance. It's a fun and great looking book that readers will surely enjoy if they are in the mood for a comic that mixes up 30′s style action with a modern Whedon-esque writing style. Overall 8 out of 10.

This is a cool little gem of a comic that shouldn't pass under your radar. Boom! Box is clearly geared towards younger readers but this is a fun all-ages book that has elements of classic storytelling mixed with some new ideas. If you like sci-fi and adventure comics you will definitely enjoy this book!

If you aren't reading the Midas Flesh yet then get with it! It's one of my main pulls each week and a good choice for the young-adult fiction reader or casual comics fans. Ryan North has a storytelling style that interjects humor at just the right moments and he succeeds in creating something mixes many familiar elements to create something new. Do yourself a favor and check out this book. It's got strong female characters and dinosaurs. What else to do you want?!

Overall The Mysterious Strangers is a fun and easily digestible comic that plays around with classic genres without ever taking the premise too seriously. It walks the right line of being a light-hearted book without ever falling too deeply into self-parody. The concepts are straight-forward and Roberson delivers quick adventures that are sure to please anyone looking for a spy-style action / swashbuckling series! Overall Score: 8.5 out of 10.

Ultimately The Saviors #1 is fun issue with some quirky moments of humor and sci-fi mystery. There's plenty of action with wild chase sequences that give artist J. Bone a chance to shine. In fact this comic has the look and feel of an independent series that might have been published byEl Capitan in the mid-1990"s. Definitely pick up this series if you are a fan of that era in comics. It helps that both Bone and Robinson seem to be having a great time telling this story and hopefully fans will come along for the ride.

White Suits #1 is a thrill filled first issue that is sure to please the most hardened crime/action movie fan. With fast paced story-telling and great art it's sure to be a hit for fans of the genre. I'm inclined to support NJ based Rutgers alumni no matter what the project but this comic delivers a lot in a small space and kept my attention for the entire first issue. Check out issue #1 and give it a shot!

This book epitomizes the fact that combining several previously successful ideas does not in itself create anything new. Maberry clearly has a love for many genres and attempts to combine them all into his vision of the end of the world. However the changes he makes to create his own vision don't feel particularly inspired or unique. His characters are not particularly compelling or memorable. I found myself largely uncaring whether vampires or humans came out victorious in this conflict. Ultimately V-Wars tries to do too much and fails in most respects. Readers can skip this series and instead pick up a copy of The Strain or World War Z.

I loved this debut issue and can easily state this is a book you MUST pick up next week. Unfortunately it appears like it will be adigital only release " but you can pick it up on iTunes this Wednesday. I highly recommend taking a chance on a new publisher and an independent series. Hasson and Elekes have come up an awesome concept and executed it as perfectly as a comics fan could ask. Great stuff! Overall 10 out of 10.

If you are enjoying Unity so far then definitely pick this issue up. Most likely the events contained here will be recapped in one or two panels in Unity #3. If you don't read this issue you can still enjoy the main crossover without worry. However it does add a bit of depth and interaction between the group and gives a little extra to fans enjoying the main storyline.

If you are enjoying Unity so far then definitely pick this issue up. Most likely the events contained here will be recapped in one or two panels in Unity #3. If you don't read this issue you can still enjoy the main crossover without worry. However it does add a bit of depth and interaction between the group and gives a little extra to fans enjoying the main storyline.