Tag Ricardo Lopez Ortiz

A Tim Drake: Robin #6 Micro-Review – Robin Kissing a Boy

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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.***

Tim Drake Robin 6, cover, February 2023, Ricardo Lopez OrtizTITLE: Tim Drake: Robin #6
AUTHOR: Meghan Fitzmartin
ARTISTS: Riley Rossmo, Lee Loughridge (Colorist), Tom Napolitano (Letterer). Cover by Ricardo Lopez Ortiz.
RELEASED: February 28, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

The novelty of Robin kissing a boy on a comic book cover should not be lost on readers. Especially those of us who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, when Tim Drake was created.

The book’s first arc wraps up here, and it was a decent one that ends on a nice note for Tim. I maintain that Riley Rossmo is a bit of an acquired taste for this particular book. But he makes it work. I’m looking forward to see what’s next for Tim Drake: Robin.

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

A Tim Drake: Robin #5 Micro-Review – A Salty Nemesis

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.***

Tim Drake Robin 5, cover, January 2023, Ricardo Lopez OrtizTITLE: Tim Drake: Robin #5
AUTHOR: Meghan Fitzmartin
ARTISTS: Riley Rossmo, Ricardo Lopez Ortiz, Lee Loughridge (Colorist), Josh Reed (Letterer). Cover by Ortiz.
RELEASED: January 24, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

I like the idea of Tim getting his own arch nemesis. A Professor Moriarty to his Sherlock Holmes, etc. That’s what much of this story, and this issue in particular, build toward. The route the issue takes toward the reveal of our nemesis is a little befuddling, as it’s got a bunch of salt monsters, and a moment where Tim has to make himself vomit. But I like the destination we got to.

Ricardo Lopez Ortiz, who’s been our cover artist, does some interior work here. Thankfully, his style is similar enough to Rossmo’s that it works out okay.

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

A Tim Drake: Robin #4 Micro-Review – The Batgirls Family

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.***

tim_drake_robin_4_cover_december_2022_ricardo_lopez_ortiz (1)TITLE: Tim Drake: Robin #4
AUTHOR: Meghan Fitzmartin
ARTISTS: Riley Rossmo, Lee Loughridge (Colorist), Tom Napolitano (Letterer). Cover by Ricardo Lopez Ortiz. 
RELEASED: December 27, 2022

The Batgirls, Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown, make an appearance in this issue. It’s interesting, in that Riley Rossmo’s art almost feels like it’s in the same family as that of Jorge Corona and Neil Googe, the two respective regular artists on the Batgirls series.

This issue also contains a sweet moment between Tim and his boyfriend Bernard. I initially wasn’t sure about the two of them as a couple, given their history as friends in the comics. But they’re growing on me.

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

A Tim Drake: Robin #2 Micro-Review – Detective Comics

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.***

Tim Drake Robin 2, cover, 2022, Ricardo Lopez OrtizTITLE: Tim Drake: Robin #2
AUTHOR: Meghan Fitzmartin
ARTISTS: Riley Rossmo, Lee Loughridge (Colorist), Rob Leigh (Letterer). Cover by Ricardo Lopez Ortiz.

RELEASED: October 25, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

They’re leaning heavily into the whole “Tim Drake as a detective” thing. That’s not a bad approach, as his mind is what sets him aside from the other Robins. I’m just wondering if we need all the references to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Raymond Chandler, etc.

How long have Tim and his boyfriend Bernard been together? They’ve known each other a long time. But how long have they been a couple? I ask because Tim talks about wanting to share his life with Bernard. That seems a little heavy if they’ve only been together for a short time, doesn’t it?

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

A Tim Drake: Robin #1 Micro-Review – Robin’s Rightful Return

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.***

Tim Drake Robin 1, cover, 2022, Ricardo Lopez OrtizTITLE: Tim Drake: Robin #1
AUTHOR: Meghan Fitzmartin
ARTISTS: Riley Rossmo, Lee Loughridge (Colorist), Tom Napolitano (Letterer). Cover by Ricardo López Ortiz.

RELEASED: September 27, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Riley Rossmo’s art doesn’t necessarily have the conventional look you’d expect on a Bat-book. (Though he has worked on Batman before.) So there’s an adjustment period with Tim Drake: Robin #1. But by the time you close the issue, you’re into what he and Lee Loughridge are doing.

Meghan Fitzmartin gets the series off to a good start here, which isn’t a surprise. Right now, there’s no one more qualified than her to write a Tim Drake series. She’s been killing it with him.

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

A Batman #111 Micro-Review – Harley (Almost) Ruins the Moment

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.***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Batman 111, cover, 2021, Jorge JimenezTITLE: Batman #111
AUTHOR: James Tynion IV
ARTISTS: Jorge Jimenez, Ricardo Lopez Ortiz, Tomeu Morey (Colorist), Romulo Fajardo Jr. (Colorist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer)
RELEASED: August 3, 2021

There’s a hot spread in this issue of Batman, Ghost-Maker and Harley Quinn. Though Harley almost ruins it by making a crack about being a member of the Bat-family. *sigh* I still maintain she has no place there…

We find out in this issue that a villain is operating from Arkham Asylum, which has been shut down thanks to a Joker gas bombing. Even in Gotham City, how that happens is beyond me. If I’m Batman, I’ve got that place under 24/7 surveillance for that very reason.

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

A Batman #110 Micro-Review – The Business of Making Ghosts

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.***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

TITLE: Batman #110
AUTHOR: James Tynion IV
ARTISTS: Jorge Jimenez, Ricardo Lopez Ortiz, Tomeu Morey (Colorist), Romulo Fajardo Jr. (Colorist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer). Variant cover by Jock.
RELEASED: July 6, 2021

These Ghost-Maker back-up stories have been an acquired taste. But after several installments, I’ve finally started to come around on them. Particularly because of Ricardo Lopez-Ortiz’s art. It’s got a nice animated look to it without being too silly.

The main story was more or less status quo. Tynion, Jimenez, and Morey continue to do right by Scarecrow, while Harley Quinn continues to feel out of place working alongside Batman. I’ll grant you the latter is probably my own personal taste more than anything. But I call ’em like I see ’em.

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

A Batman #109 Micro-Review – Those Damn Distractions

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.***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Batman 109, cover, 2021, Jorge JimenezTITLE: Batman #109
AUTHOR: James Tynion IV,
ARTISTS: Jorge Jimenez, Ricardo Lopez Ortiz, Tomeu Morey (Colorist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer)
RELEASED: June 1, 2021

The stuff we’re getting with Harley Quinn and Ghost-Maker is still feeling like a distraction from what should be our main plot threads. Namely, Batman becoming a financially middle-class superhero, the Scarecrow terrorizing Gotham, and Simon Saint’s tightening grip on the city. I trust Tynion. But it still feels tedious.

Random question: How does having the use of her legs again fundamentally change Barbara Gordon’s Oracle persona, if at all? I’m still getting used to the wheelchair not being there.

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

Weekly Comic 100s: Batman #108

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.***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Batman 108, cover, 2021, Jorge JimenezTITLE: Batman #108
AUTHOR: James Tynion IV
ARTISTS: Jorge Jimenez, Ricardo Lopez Ortiz, Tomeu Morey (Colorist), Romulo Fajardo Jr. (Colorist) Clayton Cowles (Letterer)
RELEASED: May 4, 2021

This issue got a nice little sales bump out of the debut of Miracle Molly, whose wardrobe looks like it might have come out of Batman Beyond had the show been made in the ’80s.

She makes a nice first impression though, educating Batman/Matches Malone about the philosophy and values of the Unsanity Collective. Tynion writes a lot of really poignant  dialogue for her.

One nitpick: Molly figures out Matches Malone and Batman are the same person thanks to something pretty obvious and easy. Even on a reduced budget, Batman’s tricks shouldn’t be so easy to see through.

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