Tag Ariana Maher

A Power Girl Special #1 Micro-Review – Slightly More Modest

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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.***

Power Girl Special 1, cover, May 2023, Marguerite SauvageTITLE: Power Girl Special #1
AUTHORS: Leah Williams, Joanne Starer
ARTISTS: Marguerite Sauvage, Marissa Louise (Co-Colorist), Becca Carey (Letterer), Natacha Bustos, Tamra Bonvillain (Colorist), Ariana Maher (Letterer)
RELEASED: May 30, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

From a writing standpoint, this special didn’t enthrall me any more than the recent Power Girl backups in Action Comics. But visually, I appreciate Marguerite Sauvage’s slightly more modest take on the character’s look.

As recently as DC’s Lazarus Planet event, the way that certain artists provocatively drew Power Girl was…distracting, let’s say. Sauvage does accentuate the character’s breasts, but not to the point of ridiculousness. If they’re thinking of doing more Power Girl content like this, this is the way she should be drawn.

Email Rob at PrimaryIgnition@Yahoo.com, or visit us on Twitter and TikTok.

A Superman #3 Micro-Review – “Suck Me Dry Like a Piece of Meat!”

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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.***

Superman 3, cover, April 2023, Jamal CampbellTITLE: Superman #3
AUTHOR: Joshua Williamson
ARTISTS: Jamal Campbell, Ariana Maher (Letterer)
RELEASED: April 18, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

The real meat of this Superman run continues to be the budding partnership (though not friendship) between Superman and Lex Luthor. At the end of the day, Superman refuses to give up on Lex’s potential to do good. That’s a sentiment that’s very true to the character, though he’ll inevitably wind up burned in the end.

Speaking of meat, in this issue Livewire has the perhaps unintentionally  suggestive line: “Suck me dry like a piece of meat!”

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

A Detective Comics #1070 Micro-Review – A Question of Anger

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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.***

Detective Comics 1070, cover, March 2023, Stefano RaffaeleTITLE: Detective Comics #1070
AUTHORS: Ram V, Simon Spurrier
ARTISTS: Stefano Raffaele, Adriano Lucas (Colorist), Ariana Maher (Letterer), Caspar Wijngaaard, Steve Wands (Letterer)
RELEASED: March 28, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

By and large, I’m still having trouble getting invested in Detective Comics these days. And considering this has been the book’s direction for many months now, I’m doubting that will change any time soon.

There is, however, a decent passage in here where Bruce wonders if the anger and rage he feels as Batman are what define him as a person, and if he truly needs his darkness to function as Batman. That’s more interesting than virtually anything Detective has given us for awhile now.

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

A Superman #2 Micro-Review – Superman vs. Zombies

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.***

Superman 2, cover, March 2023, Jamal CampbellTITLE: Superman #2
AUTHOR: Joshua Williamson
ARTISTS: Jamal Campbell, Ariana Maher (Letterer)
RELEASED: March 21, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Tremendous cover. The deep black of Marilyn Moonlight’s outfit is a great contrast to the bright primary colors of Superman’s costume. And his eyes draw focus nicely.

Nice to see the Parasite getting some love in this first story. If you’ve ever wanted to see Superman face a zombie outbreak in Metropolis (And why wouldn’t you?), this issue will interest you.

Most of the extended Superman family now have a jacket/pants aesthetic going with their costumes. This issue made me realize that such a look doesn’t really work for Supergirl. At least as far as I’m concerned.

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

A GCPD: The Blue Wall #6 Micro-Review – Series, Please!

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.***

GCPD The Blue Wall 6, cover, March 2023, Reiko MurakamiTITLE: GCPD: The Blue Wall #6
AUTHOR: John Ridley
ARTISTS: Stefano Raffaele, Brad Anderson (Colorist), Ariana Maher (Letterer). Cover by Reiko Murakami.
RELEASED: March 21, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

The last page, more specifically the last panel, of this issue comes off a little hokey. But all in all, a perfectly serviceable and satisfying ending.

I maintain that, especially at a time when they’re doing this Dawn of DC initiative, GCPD: The Blue Wall should be a series. Something like this is tailor-made for John Ridley’s voice. This is the spiritual successor to Gotham Central that some of us have been waiting decades for.

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

A Detective Comics #1069 Micro-Review – Friends and Comrades

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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.***

Detective Comics 1069, cover, February 2023, Evan CagleTITLE: Detective Comics #1069
AUTHORS: Ram V, Simon Spurrier
ARTISTS: Dexter Soy, Stefano Raffaele, Miguel Mendonca, Adriano Lucas (Colorist), Ariana Maher (Letterer), Caspar Winjgaard, Steve Wands (Letterer). Cover by Evan Cagle.
RELEASED: February 28, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

These back-up stories we get in Detective Comics are hit-or-miss for me. This month we start a new one centered around Mr. Freeze. Thankfully, it looks like it’s a hit. Especially when it comes to Caspar Winjgaard’s art.

Meanwhile, Ram V is gradually adding a newish dimension to Batman’s relationship with Jim Gordon, expanding on their relationship as friends and comrades. While his larger story isn’t landing for me, his take on the Batman/Gordon dynamic is interesting.

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

A Superman #1 Micro-Review – Lex on the Brain

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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.***

Superman 1, cover, February 2023, Jamal CampbellTITLE: Superman #1
AUTHOR: Joshua Williamson
ARTISTS: Jamal Campbell, Ariana Maher (Letterer)
RELEASED: February 21, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This is about as good a way as any to start a new Superman series. We set up our fresh status quo, which includes Lois Lane becoming the new editor-in-chief of The Daily Planet.  Williamson and Campbell also do a nice job setting a brighter, more hopeful tone, which should be synonymous with a Superman book. We even manage to get by with minimal Batman references! (Just one!)

Has there been a story like this in recent memory where Lex Luthor was “inside” Superman’s head, trying to influence him? If there has been, I can’t remember it…

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

A GCPD: The Blue Wall #4 Micro-Review – Trigger Warning!!!

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.***

GCPD The Blue Wall 4, cover, January 2023, Reiko MurakamiTITLE: GCPD: The Blue Wall #4
AUTHOR: John Ridley
ARTISTS: Stefano Raffaele, Brad Anderson (Colorist), Ariana Maher (Letterer). Cover by Reiko Murakami.
RELEASED: January 17, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

I’m ready to make it official: This is the best book DC is putting out right now, and it needs to be a series. John Ridley’s voice is perfect for street-level Gotham.

This issue has a trigger warning on its first page, which isn’t something you often see. I can understand it, though, for those who are triggered by characters that are blatantly, unapologetically racist. There’s also some bloody violence. Not everyone’s cup of tea, to be sure. But I say it’s worth it.

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

A Detective Comics #1067 Micro-Review – The Kingdom of Cold

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.***

Detective Comics 1067, cover, December 2022, Evan CagleTITLE: Detective Comics #1067
AUTHORS: Ram V, Simon Spurrier
ARTISTS: Ivan Reis, Hayden Sherman, Danny Miki (Inker), Dave Stewart (Colorist), Nick Filardi (Colorist), Ariana Maher (Letterer), Steve Wands (Letterer). Cover by Evan Cagle.
RELEASED: December 27, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

The overarcing villains for Ram V’s run on Detective Comics aren’t really landing with me. Unfortunately, I’m actually finding them a bit boring…

But on the plus side, he writes a great scene between Batman and Mr. Freeze that Ivan Reis absolutely knocks out of the park. We see what, to an extent, is Mr. Freeze’s Batcave. He calls it the “Kingdom of Cold.” Great stuff.

The Simon Spurrier/Hayden Sherman back-up starring Two-Face hasn’t landed with me either. They do, however, stick the landing as it ends this month. So there’s that.

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

A GCPD: The Blue Wall #3 Micro-Review – Poignant and Powerful

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: GCPD: The Blue Wall #3 (of 6)
AUTHOR: John Ridley
ARTISTS: Stefano Raffaele, Brad Anderson (Colorist), Ariana Maher (Letterer). Cover by Reiko Murakami.

RELEASED: December 20, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This is a really good character issue. Ridley shows us Renee Montoya’s unrelenting obsessing with catching Two-Face, and is pretty convincing in terms of the former villain’s apparently innocent intentions. Stefano Raffaele also draws a hell of a Two-Face, with a lot of rich detail on his scarred side.

But what impressed me the most about this issue was Ridley allowing us to step into the shoes of Officer Danny Ortega as he’s a victim of racism within the department. It’s poignant, it’s powerful, and it deserves to be seen.

This should be a series. No doubt about it.

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