Tag Matt Herms

A TMNT: The Armageddon Game #1 Micro-Review – An Intimidating Scope

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.***

TMNT Armageddon Game 1, variant cover, 2022, Kevin EastmanTITLE: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Armageddon Game #1
AUTHOR: Tom Waltz
ARTISTS: Vincenzo Federici, Matt Herms (Colorist), Shawn Lee (Letterer). Variant cover by Kevin Eastman.

RELEASED: September 28, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This issue makes it apparent how wide the scope of this Armageddon Game story is. It touches every major character (a lot of minor ones too) introduced into IDW’s TMNTverse since the series’ introduction in 2011. Even as someone who’s followed that universe since its inception, the scope of this story is a little intimidating. I get the sense there’s going to be a lot to follow here…

And yet, by the end of this issue things start to get interesting. So I can’t say I won’t be reading along.

I love that Krang/Leatherhead hybrid design, by the way.

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A Black Adam #4 Micro-Review – Hell and Hijinks

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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.***

Black Adam 4, cover, 2022, Irvin RodriguezTITLE: Black Adam #4 (of 12)
AUTHOR: Christopher Priest
ARTISTS: Rafa Sandoval, Matt Herms (Colorist), Willie Schubert (Letterer). Cover by Irvin Rodriguez.

RELEASED: September 20, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

What I said last time about my inability to get interested in Black Adam’s exchanges with godly characters still stands. But once again, Malik White’s adventures get me through the issue. This month, a certain rhyming Demon visits him at home. Hell and hijinks break lose. Great stuff.

So can we talk about how “White Adam” is apparently Malik’s supehero name? My initial instinct was to facepalm at that. But let’s be honest: Is it that much worse than Black Adam?

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A Superman: Son of Kal-El #15 Micro-Review – Bitch-Slapping Bendix

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 Son of Kal-El 15, cover, 2022, Travis Moore, Tamra BonvillainTITLE: Superman: Son of Kal-El #15
AUTHOR: Tom Taylor
ARTISTS: Cian Tormey, Scott Hanna (Co-Inker), Federico Blee & Matt Herms (Colorists), Dave Sharpe (Letterer). Cover by Travis Moore & Tamra Bonvillain.
RELEASED: September 13, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

There’s a panel in this issue where Robin slaps Henry Bendix, and it’s drawn exactly like the old panel used for the “Batman slaps Robin” meme. I found that a little lame, notwithstanding that it really should have been Superman or Jay Nakamura that got the big punch on Bendix.

While this issue does manage to stick the landing at the end, things nonetheless feel rushed. I get the sense Taylor had to rush the ending to make way for the big crossover where Kal-El returns to Earth next month. Not ideal. But understandable.

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The Flash 2022 Annual #1 Micro-Review – A Writer and a Reporter

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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.***

The Flash 2022 Annual 1, cover, Marguerite SauvageTITLE: The Flash 2022 Annual #1
AUTHOR: Jeremy Adams
ARTISTS: Serg Acuna, Matt Herms (Colorist), Justin Birch (Letterer). Cover by Marguerite Sauvage.
RELEASED: August 30, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Quote from this issue: “A writer is just a reporter that gets paid less.”

I’ve been a reporter, and I’m not sure that’s true…

This issue consists of a comic book version of Linda’s novel. I can’t say it’s 100 percent what I was hoping to see when I opened it. We don’t actually see the Flash in the story. But it does provide a nice glimpse into her mind, and how she sees her relationship with Wally.

Serg Acuna and Matt Herms are definitely a winning combination on the art. I’d love to see more from them.

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A Black Adam #3 Micro-Review – A God and a Mortal

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.***

Black Adam 3, cover, 2022, Irvin RodriguezTITLE: Black Adam #3
AUTHOR: Christopher Priest
ARTISTS: Rafa Sandoval, Matt Herms (Colorist), Troy Peteri (Letterer). Cover by Irvin Rodriguez.
RELEASED: August 16, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

It’s difficult for me to get interested in “gods” in the context of superhero stories. That’s why I have a hard time getting into the mythology of characters like Wonder Woman, Thor, etc. Black Adam #3 is heavy on that kind of stuff. So my eyes inadvertently glazed over during much of it.

Thankfully, the Malik White character and his journey still have my interest. So this wasn’t a total loss from a story perspective.

I’ll say this much: Rafa Sandoval and Matt Herms make things look pretty, at least.

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

A Black Adam #2 Micro-Review – Meeting Malik White

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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.***

Black Adam 2, cover, 2022, IRvin RodriguezTITLE: Black Adam #2 (of 12)
AUTHOR: Christopher Priest
ARTISTS: Rafa Sandoval, Matt Herms (Colorist), Willie Schubert (Letterer). Cover by Irvin Rodriguez.

RELEASE DATE: July 19, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Christopher Priest actually does something fairly uncommon with Malik White, who allegedly inherits Black Adam’s power. The character gets injected with a lot of “witty banter,” yet manages to be fairly entertaining, as opposed to annoying.

I don’t know much about Black Adam’s recent history, and my interest in the new movie is relatively low. But Priest, Sandoval, and this team have nonetheless created something that’s captured my interest. Here’s hoping they can sustain it for 10 more issues.

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

A Superman: Son of Kal-El #13 Micro-Review – Death and Dreamer

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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 Son of Kal-El 13, cover, 2022, Travis Moore, Tamra BonvillainTITLE: Superman: Son of Kal-El #13
AUTHORS: Nicole Maines, Tom Taylor
ARTISTS: Clayton Henry, Marcelo Maiolo & Matt Herms (Colorists), Dave Sharpe (Letterer). Cover by Travis Moore & Tamra Bonvillain.

RELEASED: July 12, 2022

Dreamer doesn’t get the most dynamic debut I’ve ever seen. But she intrigues me enough that I want to see more. There’s a lot to be said for that.

This issue has a “death of the Justice League” fantasy (not to be confused with the “Death of the Justice League” storyline). It’s fine. But when you’ve been reading comics as long as I have, you know that when you’ve seen one of these sequences, you’ve pretty much seen them all. Not much to write home about.

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A Dark Crisis: Young Justice #1 Micro-Review – In Good Hands

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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.***

Dark Crisis Young Justice 1, cover, 2022, Todd NuackTITLE: Dark Crisis: Young Justice #1 (of 6)
AUTHOR: Meghan Fitzmartin
ARTISTS: Laura Braga, Luis Guerrero (Colorist), Pat Brosseau (Letterer). Variant cover by Todd Nuack & Matt Herms.

RELEASED: June 21, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Meghan Fitzmartin has impressed the hell out of me lately. Not just with this issue, but her handling of Tim Drake’s emergence as bisexual. Tim’s new ongoing series is in good hands with her.

Fans of Tim, Conner Kent, Bart Allen, and Cassandra Sandsmark should lap this one up. It’s got nods and tributes to their history in and beyond the original Young Justice series. It also has a very relatable core story about this seemingly lost generation of heroes struggling to find their place in the world. I’m all in on this one.

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A Superman: Son of Kal-El #12 Micro-Review – Enough is Enough

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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 Son of Kal El 12, cover, 2022, Travis MooreTITLE: Superman: Son of Kal-El #12
AUTHOR: Tom Taylor
ARTISTS: Cian Tormey & Ruairi Coleman, Dave Sharpe (Letterer). Cover by Travis Moore & Tamra Bonvillain.
INKERS: Scott Hanna, Coleman, Raul Fernandez, Tormey
COLORISTS: Federico Blee, Matt Herms

RELEASED: June 14, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

I think I’ve officially had enough of Batman and Nightwing having a consistent presence in this book. Guest spots are fine. But as I’ve said many times before, we don’t need Batman characters here as window dressing.

This cover by Travis Moore and Tamra Bonvillain is one of my favorites on this series so far. For me, it’s all in Jon’s face. It looks genuine.

There’s an interesting twist here involving Jon’s boyfriend, Jay Nakamura, that offers a good amount of intrigue for issues to come. Things are about to get very, very personal…

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

A Teen Titans Academy #11 Micro-Review – Shazam’s Farewell

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: Teen Titans Academy #11
AUTHOR: Tim Sheridan
ARTISTS: Rafa Sandoval & Jordi Tarragona, Brent Peeples, Alex Sinclair (Colorist), Jeremiah Skipper (Colorist), Matt Herms (Colorist), Rob Leigh (Letterer). Cover by Sandoval & Sinclair.

RELEASED: January 25, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

I didn’t like this one. First off, the cover seems to indicate that we’ll finally get Red X’s identity. That doesn’t happen.

Secondly, Shazam gives the teachers a heartfelt goodbye in this issue, which doesn’t land because we haven’t explored Billy Batson’s relationship with the Titans to any great length. That’s a bizarre misstep, considering we had a four-issue Shazam! miniseries that directly tied into Teen Titans Academy.

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