J.P. Harvey Comic Reviews

I'm recommending this issue solely on the strength of Verma's art. If you'd prefer a good story, do yourself a favor and dig up any of the original Conan tales by Robert E. Howard, or read anything else that has Cullen Bunn's name on it.

I've been collecting comics for a lot of years, and I've been following this adventure since the beginning. Matt Wagner's work on MAGE and GRENDEL were my 'gateway drugs' to independent creator owned comics. I honestly didn't think this story was ever going to be finished, but this comic was worth the wait. And you can guarantee I'll be picking up every issue that follows. So until next time, remember, magic is color and color is life.

I'll be over here in the corner quivering with fear and anticipation until next month.

If other major comic companies are struggling to maintain readership, and I'm looking at you MARVEL and DC, they'd be better off to steal a page or two from IDW's playbook. IDW continually serves up fun and exciting stories that have something for audiences of all ages.

The majority of this issue is spent getting the cast all together in one location, and I'm hoping in future instalments we'll get to see some character exchanges between the older and younger versions of these teams, seeing as the older Beast, Archangel and Cyclops brother Havok have sided with the Hellfire Club and made an uneasy peace with Captain America's Hydra forces. Bring on the main event on New Tian!

Some aspects of the IDW/Hasbroverse, like G.I. JOE, seem forced and trite in combination with the Transformers but Rom The Space Knight and his world are a far better fit for the "Robots In Disguise".

Artist Hyeonjin Kim has a firm grasp of layout and design and the storytelling is strong from page to page, but the character design seems a little off. The manga styled "Big Eye" look doesn't really suit a story with this type of subject matter and mood. I found it distracting.But overall this is a stand up book, and if you're a fan of Sutter, it's a must-read.

You're not going to find any wisecracks or megaton explosions here like you would in the Michael Bay films, and IDW should strive for this level of quality in all their titles.

But overall the flaws are minor. Again I'm reminded of DC's past with Justice League International, and I see Sejic joining the ranks of legends like Kevin Maguire and Adam Hughes.

The issue does leave the reader with a few head scratches to be followed up on as the story progresses. Just how did King Kull and his companions end up in the present day? Only time will tell.

If you're the type of person who feels comfortable wearing a WWE t-shirt or hat out in public, I recommend you check this comic out. You might enjoy this laid back, slice of life tale. You may even learn a tiny bit more about your favorite wrestlers.To everyone else, just ignore it.