Kevin Mwenda Comic Reviews

Despite these strengths, I feel that the comics narrative is hurried the different stories and sequences of events in issue #1 can be a bit hard to follow. For new fans of the Angel comic series, it may take some time before you are able to piece together what is happening.

I must admit, I did not expect this from the Cloaked #1 story. I expected to see another superhero limited with some form of social or moral code. But thats not the case with this first issue. Instead, The Reaper is not afraid to kill the criminals, seems to steal from the people he has killed and is willing to go even further as using a child, Dick Johnson, as bait. Besides this, Cloaked #1 pages where we encounter the vigilante are well-drawn and dramatic, highlighting the vigilantes ruthless nature. However, I find the comics lack to render the eyes a little bit disturbing where on the lighter panels, and pages, the characters seem emotionless, blocky, and not human. This kinda diminishes the comics overall artwork.

I admit that I'm impressed with Daisy's #2 storytelling and overall narrative. The story feels dark, gritty, and develops at a relatively fast pace, but the reader is not left behind. The writer increases its mystery factor where I'm not even sure what's Daisy's intent in the first place. Unlike the first issue, Daisy #2 is not bogged down with the lore and giants' background, mainly concentrating on developing the plot, as well as showcasing some of Daisy's abilities and powers. In addition to the story, the comic's artwork excels at its horrific aspect. For instance, the dead bodies of animals, the crow in Father's room, and his eventual probably dead body are well illustrated where we can even make out the bits and pieces of bone and flesh. I cannot wait to see how the mystery unfolds in the next issue.

Comic InformationRelease date: Feb 9, 2022Writer: Colin LorimerArtist: Colin LorimerColorist: Joana LafuenteCover Artists:Colin Lorimer, with Joana LafuenteLetterer: Jim Campbell

Echolands #1 goes against conventional comics by utilizing an untraditional landscape presentation structure where events in the comic span horizontally across two pages. The artists and colorists excel at their work where it is easy to follow the characters as they go move between different settings and environments. Despite seeming like there is too much going on in each other pages, the reader can identify distinct characters and some of their quirks and when magic is being used due to different visual styles and designs.

Lucky Devil #1 does not follow the usual possession stories seen in films or other horror-driven narratives. The twist in this narrative, where Stanley possesses the Devil powers, is what drives it, and Im left with a few questions. What will Stanley do next? Will he be able to overcome his humanity and take full control, or will he succumb to the pressure?

The breaking of the fourth wall where Maya addresses the readers is what drives the superhero's journey and makes the reader connect to the character. This is complemented with great artwork and different panel sizes that allow the reader to peek into Maya's mind as she tries to define her identity as a superhero in a world full of controlling men.

Man Eaters: The Cursed #1 lays a solid foundation for the Man-Eaters: The Cursed series. The inclusion of various snippets such as the registration form and very long camps contract helps set the mystery yet to unfold. Also, there is an over-emphasis on the campers various personality traits such as Gemini, Clumsy, Easily Startled, among others) and I am left wondering how do these influence the whole story?

Ordinary Gods #1 provides an interesting perspective to the mythology about Gods through the Gods, their territories drawing from human emotions and virtues, and the introduction of the protagonist (Christopher) who might save or destroy the world. The inclusion of a short story at the end is unique to the comic genre, and this compliments the narrative's overall structure.

Worth the read if you overlook the cheesy dialogue, excessive violence, underdeveloped story, and mediocre visuals and artwork.

Primordial #2 story is quite vague and not easily understandable without prior knowledge of its background. The fragmentation of the narrative across time and space makes it hard to follow or understand what is happening. Some of the panels are also blurry and it is hard to make out the actual characters, seen in the darker panels. From my perspective, the artwork is nothing to write home about and the fragmented storyline takes away from the story's linear progression. The lack of a clear path and the disconnect created by the blurry artwork takes away from the comic making it too simple and non-memorable.

Punderworld Vol. 1 excels at its comedic aspect, where Hades' introverted personality completely contrasts with Persephones. This contrast is explored further through the comics artwork and colors. On the one hand, the color scheme of Hades underworld follows his personality, where the dark background is metaphorical to his introverted side. On the other hand, much of Persephone's personality is illustrated in the conversation with Demeter and the interaction with Hades and changes depending on her mood.

As a new reader to the series, I found Takeshi and Herrings artwork and colors respectively to be a nice change from what am used to in other comics. The action sequences are well-illustrated, making it easy to follow the events happening on each of the panels. These combinations are also factored into differentiating between Cindys thoughts and actual dialogue. Besides this, the first issue ends in a cliffhanger that has left me wondering how the Silk (2022) #1 creative team expounds on the mysterious witch figure.

The different and varying writing and artwork styles between the four stories make it a worthy read, especially UltraMega and the ironic comedy seen in Manifest Destiny.

Great way to debut Brennan's heroic adventure into the magic land, and Machine Boy's quest to atone for his destructive secret.

Covers: Arthur Adams, Cory Walker, Erica Henderson, Daniel Warren Johnson

Artists: Pablo Tunica, Lisandro Estherren, Khary Randolph, Ryan Ottley

I really loved the presentation of the comic. The creators choice to use dark colors complements the comics horror-ish vibe with contrasts when illustrating magical powers (bright orange and red). The mix of these two fit perfectly into the 1930s monster narrative which the comic is set in. Can't wait to see what becomes of Josef in consequent comics.

On one side, the comic has a slow start as Steve reflects on the American dream and its evolution. On the other side, the reflection is also its best aspect since it is a true reflection on American life where immigrants, the poor, and other minority groups are considered un-American. It also connects the stories of different Captain Americas, like Aaron Fischer, and their motivation to fight for others.

The story's plot is well-paced in the first three issues, leading up to his beatdown. The last issue feels rushed where a lot is happening, including the hero's evolution, a betrayal among the criminal syndicate, the passing of nine whole days, and the final showdown between the hero and all the villains he met before. Despite this, I like that the creators have gone to great lengths to ensure that the reader does not miss any of the details, even though the panels are fewer.

We Have Demons #1 is the first issue in Snyder's line with Comixology Originals and it does not disappoint. The story is well-paced with the chapters exploring various aspects of Lams life. The artwork and design get increasingly better as the comic pages progress. For Instance, during the ending, the creators have adopted a different font and word bubbles to differentiate speech from Lam, Gus, and the other demons. The demons are also well illustrated and are not the usual kind of demons we are used to seeing. There is a nice contrast with black color that makes it easy to read the protagonists narration, which complements the story by providing a background to the events unfolding before us. It also adds to the suspense as we are left wondering about what is going in the background. All these factors serve to prepare us for the big reveal at the end. I cant wait to see what Snyder has in store for us with the coming issues.