Eye on Comics
  • About/Submissions

Quick Critiques – May 24, 2018

  • Reviews - Quick Critiques

I’ve been remiss in writing content for the site this month, so it’s time to dive back in with a cluster of reviews of new releases, namely new issues of Delta 13, Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk, Justice League: No Justice and Witchfinder.

Delta 13 #1 (IDW Publishing)
By Steve Niles & Nat Jones

It’s been a while since I delved into a Steve Niles horror comic, and he’s always had a strong track record with such material. What I found here was a by-the-numbers sci-fi horror story. Fans of the Alien franchise and others in the same vein will find something they’ll like enjoy, something familiar. My problem with it is that it’s too familiar. It relies on the same trope all of these stories embrace: space-faring folks who encounter something strange and potentially dangerous end up letting their curiosity get the better of them. There’s definitely a genuine tone to the dialogue, though; however, all of the men seem exactly the same, and the chief protagonist, the only woman on the crew, is defined by her devotion to family. Artist Nat Jones could have done more to differentiate the other players in the drama from one another in terms of design. I did enjoy his linework overall; his style is highly reminiscent of that of Ben (30 Days of Night) Templesmith. The eerie green colors in which he bathes almost every scene convey the cold nature of the spacecraft and establishes an air of tension one would come to expect from such fare. Overall, the storytelling here is competent, but derivative. 6/10

Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk #1 (Marvel Entertainment)
by Chris Sims, Chad Bowers & Gang Hyuk Lim

I wasn’t a Darkhawk reader back in the day, as the title struck me as the epitome of 1990s Kewl-ness and really told me nothing about the character. I don’t know what prompted me to read this revival; I’m not following Marvel’s Infinity Countdown event or anything, but for some reason, I took a look. Sims and Bowers offer up a script that’s both accessible and steeped in continuity to the point of confusion. I have to admit, though, I rather enjoyed meeting Darkhawk’s alter ego, Chris Powell. He’s driven and honorable, but grounded and likeable. He seems like a cross between Peter Parker and Hal Jordan. I also love the art from Gang Hyuk Lim; it reminds me of the manga-influenced style of Rick Mays. It’s sharp and crisp and full of a youthful energy. In terms of the plot, I was often at a loss, but the characterization and visuals here still made me feel welcome. 6/10

Justice League: No Justice #3 (DC Comics)
by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Joshua Williamson, Riley Rossmo & Marcus To

The premise behind the plot of No Justice is big and ridiculous and kind of stupid if one thinks about it too long, but it’s exactly the kind of event book DC and other publishers should be embracing. The story is simplistic – the notion of previously unknown god-like begins with a hunger for abstract concepts that just happen to allow for unusual team rosters – but it’s undeniably fun. The reader knows the threats will eventually be addressed, but the real entertainment here is to be derived from the interactions among characters that clash. Starro is definitely, well, the star of this issue. I know we’ve seen this colloquial take on the psychic starfish despot before (though I can’t remember where), but the writing team really make the most of him here. I love this interpretation of Starro, as it celebrates how ridiculous the character is and in the process transforms it into something cool.

Riley Rossmo replaces artist Francis Manapul on this issue, joining Marcus To in rendering the line art. Both do a great job of conveying the widescreen, cosmic scope of the story, and they adeptly populate these pages with a huge array of dynamic, over-the-top characters. Hi-Fi’s colors bring an eerie, unnatural quality to bear here, in keeping with the characters’ discomfort at being adorned in Brainiac-altered uniforms. Another bonus of this title is its weekly schedule. This is the sort of event book that super-hero publishers should be doing – not crossovers, but fun, colorful and bombastic yarns that celebrate the diverse array of characters available to the creators and that don’t purport to offer the illusion of “real change” in what is a static genre. 7/10

Witchfinder: The Gates of Heaven #1 (Dark Horse Comics)
By Mike Mignola, Chris Roberson & D’Israeli

My Mignolaverse reading has been limited to Lobster Johnson comics for the most part these days, but I truly enjoy the fact that his occult adventure stories aren’t limited to the exploits of his best-known creation, Hellboy. Sir Edward Grey’s Victorian-era investigations are entertaining as well, and of all of Mignola’s characters, I’ve probably spent the least amount of time with him. After sampling the first issue of this latest limited series, I think I really ought to endeavor to change that. Mignola and co-writer Chris Roberson imbue the titular character with a Sherlock Holmes-esque personality and methodology. I like the calm with which he approaches his fantastic cases, but I also appreciate that he’s capable of awe, as seen in a scene in a latter part of the issue; interestingly, his wide-eyed reaction stems from a non-mystical source. I was disappointed by the fact that one aspect of the mystery that confounds Grey and others here can be easily deduced by the reader.

D’Israeli’s art will appeal to fans of a wide variety of artists – such as Brian Hurtt, Chris Samnee, Richard Sala and many more — but his work here is fairly unique as well. His figures boast a stylized look, but he nevertheless captures a strong sense of realism. His inks and Michelle Madsen’s colors instill the typical trademark Mignola noir atmosphere, and I particularly appreciated how the artist uses big but sparse panels to convey the majesty of Queen Victoria. 7/10

Follow Eye on Comics on Facebook or on Twitter.

May 24, 2018 Don MacPherson

Post navigation

System Restore → ← Celestial Body Count

Recent posts

  • The End of the World As He Knows It
  • Burnt-out Ends of Smoky Days
  • They Do Need Those Stinkin’ Badges
  • Future Tense
  • Teed Off
  • Scar Issue
  • Of Gods and Monsters
  • Genre Splicing
  • A Mouthful of Dollars
  • Striking the Wrong Chord

Categories

Archives

Categories

  • Announcements
  • Editorials
  • Features
  • Original Comic Art
  • Reviews – Action Lab
  • Reviews – AfterShock
  • Reviews – AiT/PlanetLar
  • Reviews – Archie
  • Reviews – Black Mask
  • Reviews – Boom! Studios
  • Reviews – Dark Horse
  • Reviews – DC
  • Reviews – DC/Vertigo
  • Reviews – DC/Wildstorm
  • Reviews – Devil's Due
  • Reviews – Drawn & Quarterly
  • Reviews – Dynamite
  • Reviews – Fantagraphics
  • Reviews – IDW
  • Reviews – Image
  • Reviews – Indy/Small Press
  • Reviews – Legendary
  • Reviews – Lion Forge
  • Reviews – Marvel
  • Reviews – Miscellaneous
  • Reviews – NBM
  • Reviews – Oni Press
  • Reviews – Other Media
  • Reviews – Quick Critiques
  • Reviews – Radical
  • Reviews – Slave Labor
  • Reviews – Titan
  • Reviews – Tokyopop
  • Reviews – Valiant
  • Reviews – Zenescope
  • Reviews- Humanoids
  • The New 52 Review Project

Search

Recent Posts

  • The End of the World As He Knows It
  • Burnt-out Ends of Smoky Days
  • They Do Need Those Stinkin’ Badges
  • Future Tense
  • Teed Off

Recent Comments

  • Marcelo Soares on Coming Clean
  • Perry on Scoop
  • R Phillips on “Fixed… With Tape”
  • Leslie on Avengers… Disassemble Those Guys
  • Perry Beider on 2018 Glass Eye Awards – Creators
April 2021
S M T W T F S
« Mar    
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  

Archives

  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • January 2021
  • November 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • April 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
  • December 2006
  • November 2006
  • October 2006
  • September 2006
Powered by WordPress | theme cats456