Category Comic Books/Graphic Novels

A Star Wars: Han Solo & Chewbacca #5 Micro-Review – Consistent Quality

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***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

star_wars_han_solo_and_chewbacca_5_cover_2022_phil_notoTITLE: Star Wars: Han Solo & Chewbacca #5
AUTHOR: Marc Guggenheim
ARTISTS: David Messina, Alex Sinclair (Colorist), Joe Caramagna (Letterer). Cover by Phil Noto.
RELEASED: August 10, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This isn’t the strongest issue to come out of this series. But five issues in, Guggenheim, Messina, and this team have sold me on their ability to produce a quality monthly title about Han and Chewie. That’s saying something, considering how underwhelmed I was at the beginning.

The friendship between Han and Chewie is the understated emotional core to this book. It’s a buddy action comedy. And that’s how it should be, really.

On the downside, we get a gratuitous appearance from a couple of familiar Mos Eisley Cantina characters. Lame.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A Batgirls #9 Micro-Review – Thanks For Showing Up!

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Batgirls 9, cover, 2022, Jorge Corona, Sarah SternTITLE: Batgirls #9
AUTHORS: Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad
ARTISTS: Neil Googe, Rico Renzi (Colorist), Becca Carey (Letterer). Cover by Jorge Corona & Sarah Stern.
RELEASED: August 9, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This is one of the only superhero comics I’ve ever read to not only acknowledge that it’s a comic book, but to have our narrator (Stephanie) thank us for showing up again. Granted, this is the first issue of Batgirls I’ve picked up in awhile. Have they been doing that kind of thing the whole time? It’s…different.

KGBeast, the villain that shot Nightwing in the head and gave him amnesia, is back to being treated like a chump. Our heroes pretty much spank him here. Well, we knew his sudden serious turn wouldn’t last, didn’t we?

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Dark Crisis: Worlds Without a Justice League – Green Lantern #1 Micro-Review – Two Snapshots

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Worlds Without a Justice League Green Lantern, cover, 2022, Fernando BlancoTITLE: Dark Crisis: Worlds Without a Justice League – Green Lantern #1
AUTHORS: Philip Kennedy Johnson, Jeremy Adams
ARTISTS: Fernando Blanco, Jack Herbert, Jordie Bellaire (Colorist), Alex Guimaraes (Colorist), Troy Peteri (Letterer)
RELEASED: August 9, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

So what we have here are glimpses at two worlds made from the essences of John Stewart and Hawkgirl, respectively. Though what these two stories really amount to are brief character snapshots, i.e. a look at what makes each character tick. And from that standpoint, they both more or less succeed.

This issue also has a giant undead baby monster with bat wings. Because comics are bizarre and wonderful like that.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Epic Covers: Ant-Man #1 by Tom Reilly

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By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

I’ve been digging on solid color background covers lately. I showed some love to a She-Hulk one last week, it’s Ant-Man #1 by Tom Reilly.

What I dig about this is that because of the bright primary colors, the one aspect of the cover that’s not brightly colored, Ant-Man’s helmet, draws the eye. That’s obviously appropriate, especially for a first issue. The awesome design of Ant-Man’s classic helmet only adds to the awesomeness.

Ant-Man 1, cover, 2022, Tom Reilly

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A Superman: Son of Kal-El #14 Micro-Review – T.N.Teen!!!

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

TITLE: Superman: Son of Kal-El #14
AUTHOR: Tom Taylor
ARTISTS: Cian Tormey, Federico Blee (Colorist), Dave Sharpe (Letterer). Cover by Travis Moore & Tamra Bonvillain.
RELEASED: August 9, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

We see the Revolutionaries again in this issue. I’d forgotten that one of them is named T.N.Teen. That’s one of the most gloriously hokey superhero names I’ve ever heard.

I like the tense dynamic this series has created with the fictional nation of Gamorra. But I do wish that Gamorra’s president and our main villain, Henry Bendix, was a little more distinct. Right now he’s essentially a poor man’s Lex Luthor.

And I’m just now reading that Bendix is apparently a villain for the Midnighter. That’s cool. But my point still stands.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Astonishing Art: Nichelle Nichols by Iain J. Clark

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By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

It’s never a bad time to pay tribute to Nichelle Nichols, and her iconic performances as Nyota Uhura on the original Star Trek series. But it’s particularly poignant to do so now, given her death on July 30.

I think my favorite aspect of this painting by Iain J. Clark is how Uhura’s earring and earpiece are framed in the shot. It highlights a unique sense of style, both from a character perspective and the futuristic universe the show is set in.

One of my favorite installments of “Rob Watches Star Trek” saw me educated on Nichols’ background coming into the show, and how Martin Luther King Jr. encouraged her to stay with Star Trek when she contemplated leaving the show.

RIP to a true legend.

Nichelle Nichols, Uhura, Iain J. Clark

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A Golden Rage #1 Micro-Review – Violence From the Voiceless

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Golden Rage 1, cover, 2022, Lauren KnightTITLE: Golden Rage #1 (of 5)
AUTHOR: Chrissy Williams
ARTISTS: Lauren Knight, Sofie Dodgeson (Colorist), Becca Carey (Letterer)
RELEASED: August 3, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Golden Rage takes place in a world where older women are deemed useless and abandoned on an island. The solicitation calls it Battle Royale meets The Golden Girls. But once you discover just why they’re on the island, you learn there’s a touch of The Handmaid’s Tale in there too.

I appreciated and enjoyed this first issue. It gives a spotlight and a voice to a group that’s often as cast aside in the real world as they are in this story. Also, don’t let the “kindly grandma” imagery fool you. There are some bad ass ladies in this book.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A Mighty Morphin #22 Micro-Review – Forever Pink

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Mighty Morphin 22, cover, 2022, InHyuk LeeTITLE: Mighty Morphin #22
AUTHOR: Matt Groom
ARTISTS: Moises Hidalgo, Raul Angulo (Colorist), Ed Dukeshire (Letterer). Cover by InHyuk Lee.
RELEASED: August 3, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Considering what happens with Kimberly in this issue, it’s kind of a wonder that there’s no trace of the Pink Ranger on the cover. (It is a really pretty cover, though.)

Kim gets some reinforcements from the future in this issue, leading to a team-up one might call “Forever Pink.” It doesn’t get a huge number of pages, but what we get is short and sweet. As far as BOOM’s Power Rangers comics are concerned, this is a red-letter issue for this team-up alone.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

The Closet #3 Micro-Review – “That’s it?”

Rob Siebert 1 Comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

The Closet 3, cover, 2022, Gavin FullartonTITLE: The Closet #3 (of 3)
AUTHOR: James Tynion IV
ARTISTS: Gavin Fullarton, Chris O’Halloran (Colorist), Tom Napolitano (Letterer)
RELEASED: August 3, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

“That’s it?”

That’s literally what I said as I closed The Closet #3. As in, that’s it? That’s the end? That’s issue #3 of 3?

The Closet doesn’t have the hopeful or happy ending you hope it does. Which kind of sucks, given how much Tynion, Fullarton, and the this team get you to root for this father and his four-year-old son. I suppose you can chalk it up as a cautionary tale about parenting.

But man, talk about a downer.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

The New Champion of Shazam! #1 Micro-Review – A Perfect Fit

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

The New Champion of Shazam 1, cover, 2022, Evan Doc ShanerTITLE: The New Champion of Shazam! #1
AUTHOR: Josie Campbell
ARTISTS: Evan “Doc” Shaner, Becca Carey (Letterer)
RELEASED: August 2, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

It’s evident from the very first page that Campbell and Shaner are both a perfect fit for Mary Marvel. Campbell has a great voice for a young adult story like this one. Shaner’s art, meanwhile, looks young and modern. But it also captures a bit of that vintage, Golden Age vibe that the Shazam family is so closely identified with.

With the right story (which they may just have…), The New Champion of Shazam! has the potential to be really, really good.

Also, there’s a talking rabbit. Because why the hell not?

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.