Review by Chris Fenn
So I’m kind of ‘new’ to Marvel – always was a DC guy and have only recently started to give the big red company a go. I read Daredevil #1 and really enjoyed it, I thought that the first issue would be a perfect jumping on point.
In issue #1 I read that Daredevil was now pretty public with his identity; a tad unusual I thought, but I suppose it makes a change from the secrecy stuff I read in the Batman titles. One thing in issue #1.5 literally made me stop reading in order to type this; Daredevil has a son! So far I have no idea who he is, but he does have an ‘affliction’. This seems like kind of a game changer, especially with the decision to be a publically known superhero. I’m all for change and not constantly reverting to the status quo, but this was quite a surprise!
Anyway, enough of that; moving on to the story! This issue appears as a 50th Anniversary Special, which is split up into several sections; an introduction, the first act, the prose and the second act – so as I did with Detective Comics #27 I will review each section on its own merits!
The first act is a story about a man and his son. Recently I’ve been reading a lot of Batman and Robin stories, and I am really enjoying the paternal bond in superhero comics, however this is a completely different dynamic from Bruce and Damian. Matt is the skilled Daredevil, a character similar to Bruce except what he lacks in wealth he makes up for in heightened senses. Jackie is a completely different entity than Damian; Jackie is scared and unconfident and would much rather stay inside and read than go out and punch people in the face. I love the interaction between the two and how Matt expresses and shows his love for Jackie.
The second story is a small piece of prose which is bordered by images. This is written from the perspective of Jackie’s mother and sheds light on who she is and where she has gone. This negates my original paragraph about not knowing anything, and to be honest I really liked it. I like how it feels like it’s written by a normal person; it focuses on silly details and the style is really natural. It is unusual to find prose in comics, but I think it’s effective here and I enjoyed reading it.
The final story of the comic is a much more light-hearted one; it is a phoney video made by Matt, pretending to be a twin brother called Mike who is assuming the role of Daredevil to get the speculation off Matt. I get that it’s supposed to be funny, having the public confuse him for Spider-Man and having him refer to criminals as “a superstitious and cowardly lot”, but I don’t think it was a story for me. I was under the impression that Daredevil was a more serious character, and I can’t imagine somebody making a mockumentary to try and cover their own identity; I can see why it may be a nice side story, but I hope the rest of the series doesn’t adopt that tone.
All in all I thought this issue was pretty good, but it did feel sort of out of the continuity established in the first issue; only next month’s instalment will tell if this was simply a Birthday Special or a new precedent!
For more comic views and reviews follow Chris on Twitter at @fenneth1989
Posted on April 10th, 2014
Category: OUT OF THE LONG BOX, REVIEWS
Tags: Chris Fenn, Comic Reviews, Daredevil #1.5 Review, Javier Rodriguez, Mark Waid, marvel comics, Matt Murdock
By Daniel Cole
Daniel Cole brings you episode #007 of the Six Shooter!
Welcome to the Six Shooter! This is a weekly column that will review six specific comics. Big new releases, small interesting titles and random curiosities. All will be looked at. The way it works is that there will be a brief review of the comics followed by our rating system. Our ratings are:
Headshot (Best of the week)
Hit (Read)
Miss (Don’t Read)
Misfire (Worst of the week)
This week I thought it would be nice to take a break from the big two and focus on the rest of the comics market. However one DC licensed hero does pop up. Anyhow lets do this!
THE CROW CURARE #2 – IDW PUBLISHING
This is certainly a different tale than the one fans will be familiar with, but that doesn’t mean it is inferior.
Written by James O’Barr
Art by Antoine Dodé
This new Crow series has the benefit of having the Crow’s creator James O’Barr in the driving seat. This is certainly a different tale than the one fans will be familiar with, but that doesn’t mean it is inferior.
In fact this miniseries is utterly gripping. O’Barr once again looks at violence, grief and the search for justice. This time around the story follows Detective Salk as he tries to find who is responsible for the brutal murder of a young girl called Carrie. O’Barr’s script is often uncomfortable to read due to the horrific nature of the crimes being committed, but this doesn’t stop it from being so compelling. As a character driven narrative O’Barr manages to show just how far the search for justice can lead a man. Salk has already demonstrated that he is willing to interrogate suspects with extreme prejudice and as the narrative moves forward he has become wholly consumed with his quest.
Antoine Dodé’s art is moody and perfectly suits the tone of the story. His ability to create a sense of dread is excellent, as he depicts the kidnapping of another victim. His visual story telling is extremely strong and the book is at its best when O’Barr sits back and lets Dodé tell the tale. The art is often haunting with the scene on the swings the most emotionally effective scene in the book.
An excellent character piece and an interesting murder mystery; The Crow Curare is something of a triumph. It is utterly compelling even if it is uncomfortably brutal.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – HEADSHOT
WITCHBLADE #168 – TOP COW (IMAGE COMICS)
Seeley clearly has a plan and the plot isn’t a mess by any means, but there is a distinct lack of focus on anything interesting.
Written by Tim Seeley
Art by Diego Bernard, Fred Benes, Allisson Rodrigues & Arif Prianto
The second part of “Absolute Corruption” continues at a pace befitting a three part storyline. However Tim Seeley’s script is having a hard time balancing all the plot elements.
Seeley clearly has a plan and the plot isn’t a mess by any means, but there is a distinct lack of focus on anything interesting. Characterisation is set aside for tedious exposition that expands the Witchblade mythology, but only by a fraction. The humour of the book doesn’t work, as Katarina isn’t really a fully formed character. It often seems that there is too much being crammed into these pages and our hero is sitting on the sidelines for most of it.
Diego Bernard’s pencils are functional, but lack any real impact. The clear and simple layouts allow the book to tell its story without incident. However the need for two inkers does seem excessive for such a simple looking book. Granted not every book has to be a work of art, but this type of tale needs something to make it compelling.
And that is the problem. There might be a lot of wheels turning in the narrative, but not much of it is interesting. It isn’t a disaster, but it isn’t good either.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – MISS
THUMBPRINT #2 – IDW PUBLISHING
Thumbprint isn’t a comic for everyone and the story is perhaps more suited to TV than this medium.
Written by Jason Ciaramelia
Art by Vic Malhotra
Thumbprint is a title that manages to justify its violence, but some of its more shocking moments go too far.
Jason Ciaramelia’s script delves deeper into the stories main protagonist Mallory. We see her life in the armed forces and how she was a person who was tasked to ask enemy soldiers questions. Of course this means that we get an unsavoury look on how she acquired knowledge from the enemy. For the most part the brutality of it all works within the confines of the narrative, but Ciaramelia does often go too far. The whole “fingering your wife” moment is utterly unnecessary, even if it shows what sort of character Mallory is. The comic has already stated her dark nature and that moment is a little too much. However Ciaramelia must be commended for showing the ramifications and the senselessness of war. His depiction of war may not be a revelation, but it at least brings depth to the books narrative and main character.
Vic Malhotra’s art is best described as David Aja-lite. He seems to mimic Aja’s deceptively simple pencils, but not his ability to inventively construct a page layout. This isn’t a bad thing as the book often looks good, but the instant comparisons don’t help the book. However the slight blur and colour difference in the flashback scenes are a nice touch.
Thumbprint isn’t a comic for everyone and the story is perhaps more suited to TV than this medium. Ciaramelia does go a little too far in places, but it does at least try and engage the reader in the horrors of war. But a lot of recent films/books/TV shows have already done this type of story and done it better.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – MISS
MASS EFFECT FOUNDATION #1 – DARK HORSE COMICS
It maybe a prequel comic, but it does not play out as one in this initial issue
Written by Mac Walters
Art by Omar Francia & Michael Atiyeh
Mac Walters, lead writer on Mass Effect 2 & 3, takes the franchise into the past with this new comic book series.
It maybe a prequel comic, but it does not play out as one in this initial issue. Walters hits the ground running with a fun script that involves a mysterious female agent. She has assassination on her mind and the way in which she gets to her target is playful. Using intimidation, a few disguises and the help of a child. It is a great secret agent style tale that has an excellent pace to it. Surprisingly the script is filled with world building and characterisation. Also that twist ending is very effective.
Omar Francia’s art is clean and clear for the most part. But there are few inconsistencies with his character work, namely body proportions. However the action scenes are kinetic and well rendered and Francia manages to emote his characters well enough to enhance the scripts character beats. He manages to fill each panel with imagery that helps create the world the characters live in, even if it is a little bland at time.
This might not instantly be recognisable as a Mass Effect comic, but it has enough about it to engage new readers and fans alike. The art does its job and produces a solid visual experience. But it is Walter’s fun script that sells this title.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – HIT
ANTI-HERO #2 – MONKEY BRAIN COMICS
This is a great title that tells a compelling story and presents it in a colourful way.
Written by Jay Faerber
Art by Nate Stockman & Paul Little
Jay Faerber’s blackmailed superhero story is a book that knows how to entertain you.
The narrative concept may not be original, but Faerber embraces it with such glee that you can’t help but get invested in it. The script is witty, fun and surprisingly character driven, as poor Paragon has to do business with a bad guy. The heroes and villains of this world have wonderfully ridiculous names that really work due to the light-hearted tone of the book. However it is light-hearted to a point as Faerber cleverly invests time in making Paragon a character the readers can empathise with. His new identity is an outward expression of his plight and the dialogue is so well judged in the more sombre moments.
Nate Stockman’s art is also a lot of fun. There is something nostalgic about the hero and villain designs, with each being both unique and a familiar. Paragon’s new suit takes visual inspiration from Stormwatch’s Midnighter and clearly pokes fun at the “dark” hero stereotype. The art is very expressive and vibrant. Giving the reader a rich visual experience.
This is a great title that tells a compelling story and presents it in a colourful way. It successfully show’s that a book can be mature in its character work without sacrificing the inherent fun that comes with the superhero genre.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – HEADSHOT
THE ROCKETEER & THE SPIRIT: PULP FRICTION #1 – IDW PUBLISHING
Some great dialogue softens the lack of originality and Waid really excels in presenting how different these two heroes and their supporting characters are.
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Paul Smith & Jordie Bellaire
Mark Waid brings two of the most recognisable pulp heroes together for a nostalgia infused tale.
For a lot of readers this may fall flat as it relies on the nostalgia factor heavily and doesn’t really offer an interesting narrative to engage with. It has the familiar heroes meet, fight and then team up arc that happens in almost all stories of this ilk. It is nice that Waid gets this out of the way so issue two can move the narrative forward, but it is certainly a hurdle to overcome in this issue. Some great dialogue softens the lack of originality and Waid really excels in presenting how different these two heroes and their supporting characters are.
Paul Smith’s art evokes the style of those old comic strips and the highly stylized pencils give the book a distinct look. It is more cartoonish than realistic, but that is intentional and really sells Waid’s script. The action is kinetic and quite dynamic due to the sense of momentum Smith gives the flying sequences. It certainly works on a visual level.
What it lacks in narrative originality it makes up for with charm and playful art. It is a comic that focuses on delivering a fun tale with well-loved heroes and for the most part its successful in doing so.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – HIT
So this week has been a good one with two HEADSHOTS, two HITS and only two MISSES. A lot of books that focus on fun and just as many that focus on violence. IDW had a good showing this week and is definitely a company to keep an eye on. So all in all I declare this week a win for the reader.
Do you agree with the reviews? Did we get them wrong or right? Have any suggestions on what we should review next week? Get in touch in the comments section.
For more comic views and reviews follow Dan on Twitter at @gizmo151183
Posted on July 26th, 2013
Category: REVIEWS, SIX SHOOTER
Tags: Anti-Hero #2 Review, Comic Reviews, Crow Curare #2 Review, Daniel Cole, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, Mark Waid, Mass Effect Foundation #1 Review, Rocketeer, Sic Shooter #007, Thumbprint #2 Review, Tim Seeley, Witchblade #168 Review
A little about me, I’m Ian I am a father to an adorable 1 year old daughter, husband of 5 years to 1 exasperated wife and I am OBSESSED with comics. I have been reading comics for around a year now. Was originally a huge Marvel fan, then big 2 now I will read anything with pictures and words I love everything to do with the art of comics 
. I’m still very much a newbie to this here review malarkey, so please all feedback is welcome love it hate it find it pointless? Got a recommendation…………Let me know on Twitter I’m always on and always up for chat/debate! Catch you all next week!
So this week, seeing as I missed last week is a 2-4-1 bonanza kids! I will be reviewing both IDW’s Doomsday.1 #2 and Indestructible Hulk #9 so buckle in….
The thrilling tale of seven adventurous astronauts, who watch in horror, aloft in the International Space Station, as most of Earth is annihilated by a titanic solar flare.
Let’s start with Doomsday.1, here is a book I was seriously excited about #2 for. I went in blind, read the blurb on the net before picking up #1 and was seriously pleasantly surprised. Issue #1 sets up the story… the thrilling tale of seven adventurous astronauts, who watch in horror, aloft in the International Space Station, as most of Earth is annihilated by a titanic solar flare. They manage to dodge this solar flare but now they have to make their choices about how and when they can return to earth, the issue was fast paced and I could almost go as far as describing it as cinematic, I loved the art….bold lines and old school colouring! It is a 4 part mini series so issue #1 was all you would expect from it as such, no fuss no guss!
We find our protagonists now back on earth, which has descended into a Mad Max type post apocalyptic nightmare.
In these kind of stories the writer doesn’t have time to digress or pan out to slowly like in a 10 or even 6 parter. All this kept in mind issue #2 couldn’t have been in more of an opposite vain, although the pacing was as fast as issue #1 the story seemed to be drawn out, it felt as though it could have been half an issue in the series instead of a quarter of a whole overall story. We find our protagonists now back on earth, which has descended into a Mad Max type post apocalyptic nightmare fighting to survive after being tricked into a prison by what used to be the prisoners who have over run the prison and are dressed as guards. They take Hikari to a separate room and strip her in order to take ‘turns’ as she is the first female they’ve seen for a while. She is saved by Yulia who was hidden in the back of the truck they were brought to the prison in, they then hatch a plan to escape with their other friends………thats pretty much the whole of issue #2, in a nutshell!
I think what most disappointed me about it was that issue #1 was so good and this just felt like a filler issue, which as discussed in a 4 part mini-series has no place, story – wham bam thank you ma’am!
So on the scale of river or life I give it …………life but on the condition that issue #3 is like issue #1 and not #2 please and thank you.
And so onto Indestructible Hulk by Mark Waid.
Waid is making Hulk look effortless to write and has a fan in me outright!
What a series so far Mr. Waid has put together here, starting with the Marvel Now! I started reading from issue #5 and was quickly reminded why The Hulk is in my top 2 super heroes. Waid has approached the series writing Banner as a similar character to that played (superbly in my opinion) by Mark Ruffalo in the Avengers movie. The guy who is always angry but can control it. Banner goes to S.H.I.E.L.D and offers them the use of The Hulk in exchange for their help. Throughout, Banner is always calling someone once a week just to check in, to make sure S.H.I.E.L.D aren’t mistreating him or plotting against him. Issue #9 is the perfect jumping on point for anyone not collecting Hulk but wanting to as that’s all the recap you need to be honest. Issue #9 reveals the shady character that Banner confides in as none other than everyones favourite lawyer Matt Murdoch aka Daredevil himself! This leads to them both running around Hells Kitchen causing much mayhem including Daredevil stepping into a packed bar full of bad asses!
Issue #9 reveals the shady character that Banner confides in as none other than everyones favourite lawyer Matt Murdoch aka Daredevil himself!
The new artist in the hot seat, Matteo Scalera has a style which is perfect for Daredevil’s New York, its a gorgeous issue and one I would actively encourage anyone and everyone to get. Waid is making Hulk look effortless to write and has a fan in me outright!
River or life……you need to ask, life all day!
Allllright I’m out, shout me on Twitter guys!
For more comic views and reviews follow Ian on Twitter at @ianhanmorefarru
Posted on June 26th, 2013
Category: HANMORE UNCHAINED, REVIEWS
Tags: Comic Reviews, Doomsday.1 #2 Review, Hanmore Unchained, Ian Hanmore-Farrugia, IDW Publishing, Indestructible Hulk #9 Review, John Byrne, Mark Waid
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