Friday, November 20, 2015

Comic Book Reviews I



Vol. 1: No Normal
Author:  G.  Willow Wilson
Artist:  Adrian Alphona





Rating:  2.5 keys

Ms. Marvel is the first issue in a new Marvel (obviously) series about a Muslim girl named Kamala who suddenly finds herself with superhero abilities.  After all the hype, I have to say that I expected more.  This one fell a bit flat.  It lacks in depth and is cliche all the way around.  Hopefully there will be more expansion in the sequel.

Vol. 1: Welcome to Gotham Academy
Author:  Becky Cloonan and Brenden Fletcher
Artist:   Karl Kerschl


Rating:  4 Keys

I am not a DC girl.  I am Marvel all the way.  However, I have a soft spot for Batman and, of course, Gotham.  Naturally, I enjoyed this spin-off tale about Olive Silverlock--student at Gotham Academy.  This comic is jam-packed with mystery and tension and gorgeous art.  The designs are spot on.  My only complaint is that the pages are a little busy--my eyes didn't know where to look first!

The Night Gwen Stacy Died--Amazing Spider-Man Vol 1 #121
Author:  Stan Lee
Artist:  Gil Kane


Rating:  5 Keys  

This was the first comic book I ever read and it did not disappoint.  I picked up my dad's old, battered copy and delved into the early ages of Spider-Man:  the Gwen Stacy era.  If nothing else, this issue is climactic and ends on a jaw-dropping cliff-hanger.  My single coherent thought is that Spider-Man is so cool.

Author/Artist:  Emily Carroll


Rating:  3.5 Keys

Through the Woods is unsettling.  It is guaranteed to give you goosebumps.  Five little mystical stories to keep you up at night.  It is whimsical horror.  I downright adored the coloring--dominantly black and white with pops of color creeping in--although the drawings themselves weren't my preferred style.

Season 8:  The Long Way Home
Author:  Joss Whedon
Artist:  Georges Jeanty


Rating:  3.5 Keys

This is quintessentially Buffy, through and through.  It feels like the show, something I attribute to Joss Whedon's witty writing.  However, it isn't without flaws:  there is so much happening at once that it is hard to keep track of and I am uncertain about the villain being a government order, as it reminds me of The Initiative in season 4, which I wasn't a huge fan of.  But this is Buffy--impossible not to love.

6 comments:

  1. I want to read Ms. Marvel SO BAD...but gah, cliche?? What a disappointment. D: And I don't know if I could handle reading Gwen dying. XD I read one about Spiderman dying and then sat in denial for like a million years. The comic book was like entirely of people crying and I was just, "OMG LET ME CRY TOO."

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    1. Ms. Marvel IS cliche, but I say give it a go if you want to! I still enjoyed it. But Gwen dying was HARD. I was shocked! Why do people have to die so often in comics??? XD Anyway, thanks for commenting!

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  2. COMIC BOOK REVIEWS? Awesomeness. I loved Through the Woods! I had nightmares but whatever. XD MARVEL FAN RIGHT HERE. I love love LOVE Clinton Barton/Hawkeye, Kate Bishop/Hawkeye and Black Widow! How about you? Awesome post Erin! These comic book reviews are great!

    anna

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    1. YES! I've been really into comics lately! Through the Woods gave me chills, and I don't scare easily! AND, YES, MARVEL IS AWESOME! And Hawkeye (both) and the Black Widow are so bad ass. Thanks for commenting, Anna!

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  3. The fact that I have never read a comic book is really disappointing - especially when I read your reviews and see all the pictures of glossy pages adorned with the work of such talented artists. These all look really cool though! I think that if I was reading a creepy story in comic book form as opposed to written form with no pictures, the comic book would probably scare me more because the illustrations mean you can actually see the scary thing, instead of it all being left to your imagination where you can ignore any particularly terrifying details! Brilliant post Erin!
    (I just scrolled back up the page and saw all of the amazing comic book art again so I might have to google image it and appreciate more of the pretty drawings. XD )

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    1. You NEED to read a comic, Rebekah! I was hesitant at first, but I've been really enjoying them. The art is SO PRETTY, and in this review I think I liked Gotham Academy's art the best. And Through the Woods' colors are just to die for. I actually think the NOT being able to see the scary monster is more terrifying because of the mystery--my mind invents the worst possible creatures! Anyway, thanks so much for commenting, Rebekah and I hope you pick up a comic soon! ♥

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