Mathew R Wilmot Comic Reviews

A strong start to what could be the book to watch in 2015. It has all the qualities of a great Red Sonja book lovingly finished with the glitz and glamour of the Marvel universe. If you're looking for a good fantasy read this would be a perfect place to start.

Thankfully issue two is much more entertaining and less cluttered in its storytelling. The art and colours were both on top formthis week which has made the whole package come together. It also helps that this book ends on another great cliffhanger, something Remender is becoming a master at.

While Remender is bringing the yuks throughout this issue when it does get heavy Yu is there to back him up with yet more solid work. The details on the characters and the sentinels as they are destroyed is classic Yu and the anger in Havok's face as he tells off Steve Rogers makes a great one two punch for the moment.

Both story and art team are quality creators in their own right. Reminder and the Dodson's have had a huge number of successes in the past but this issue is not something to shout about" to anyone. A clunky plot padded out with some nice dialog paired with some less than inspiring art work has made this series take another dip in quality and entertainment. The story isn't over and you can bet your bottom dollar that things will turn around soon, it's just a shame we had to go through this issue to get there.

While this book is still not going to blow you away it has now reached a point where it can settle down and power on through to a big finish. Remender is now it seems, in control of this run-away train and can hopefully pull it into the station on its roof and partially on fire to elevate this from an average series to a pretty good one. At least we only have to wait another week for it to show up.

Axis isn't going to blow many people away. It's affects on the rest of the Marvel U have been fairly hit and miss (the villains are the ones who seem to be having the best time because of this event) so it's doubtful it will have the longevity of some of Marvel's older events but what it has done so far is try to keep things interesting and with its weekly as opposed to monthly release schedule it means it will be over much faster than some of the other, seemingly endless minis in recent years.

Overall Black Canary and Zatanna: Blood Spell is an incredibly fun book. Two excellent characters given the kind of love and attention they deserve in their own book. Ideal for new fans who may have been introduced to Black Canary through CWs Arrow and want to check out more stories. Or anyone who has seen reference to these characters but doesn't know where to start this is a pretty solid beginning point. A very enjoyable, entertaining read which fresh faces and weathered veterans can get on with. If this is the start of a new direction for DC it is definitely done with a bang not a whimper.

What you get with issue one of Ei8ht is a smack in the face introduction to a new and unusual world. If you like your stories to take their time but give you plenty to absorb along the process then this is the kind of book for you. Another great sci-fi book is about to launch, or should we say crash into your laps. Be sure to strap yourselves in tight.

As a whole package Goners #1 is a fun and exciting first issue, severalelements coming together a make a great looking book with an interesting story behind it all. As the series progresses there is no doubt that the team will gel together and tighten up so when they hit those big issues there is a real impact and something rather special happening on the page. Anyone looking to pick up a horror book that feels different to the others that are already on the shelves would be wise to give this series a try.

What we have in the co-written story from Ben Acker and Ben Blacker (Almost impossible to say quickly) is a fairly traditional tale but told with a modern twist. As always, Ming is on the rampage, furious that Flash and his companions Dale Arden and Dr Zarkov are undermining his rule and causing the galaxy to consider the notion of independent thought. Luckily for us though the writers are not susceptible to the word of Ming and have created a fun heist story within the world of Flash Gordon.

While this may only be the first issue and little plot is revealed Mandrake the Magician is an immensely fun and utterly stunning book to look at. It has already proved itself worthy of the title 'King,' let us hope that the quality continues and we end up with a fantastic story too.

Instead of rating the final issue of the book, the score below reflects the entire run by Wood and Smallwood. As great as this issue was it is the final piece of a monthly puzzle and in the tradition of this book we will conclude the series with a rating befitting the run on this book by two great craftsmen.

Comparisons will be made between this book and Wytches, that's unavoidable. What cannot be compared though is the attitude of this book. October Faction feels fresh yet comfortable, exciting but familiar. this series is going somewhere and if this issue is anything to go by it will do so with a bloody explosion and a grin on its face. Niles and Worm do not disappoint, definitely worth a purchase.

Now this book is not for everyone. Some will no doubt pick this up and not care at all for anything they read, but for those who do there is so much here to delight you.

While this isn't the best first issue you will read there is promise for something quite fun. Peggy Carter is one of the most beloved Marvel characters of recent years and let's hope that this series builds her reputation and fan base.

Overall while this issue does not win any awards for innovation it is a solid book that balances the exposition and character work well with a strong art team keeping the pace up and flowing. In an age where people are complaining about the sheer number of Avengers titles this stands out as one that is definitely unique and one to check out.

While Velvet isn't the only book out there not featuring superheroes this does have a very special vibe to it. A mixture of modern storytelling and a 60's genre is being wonderfully crafted within these pages. Fans of the genre or indeed the creative teams work will not be disappointed, should you require something different from you monthly books however this is a series you should all be checking out.

As stated before, this book will sell because of the names on the front but there is some interesting stuff happening on the inside which make it worth a look, even if the creative team alone didn't grab you. Snyder is clearly going somewhere with this story and is building to it slowly but, with Jock and Hollingsworth taking care of the insides, there's no real complaint about this book being a slow burn.

So Wilson has kept the quality up albeit not quite to Ms Marvel standards but has gotten her teeth into the X-men and looks to be holding on just fine. If the art improves this will be a series that is mentioned at the end of the year, at least there are still those wonderful Dodson covers to look forward to each month if not.