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Post by thwhtguardian on Sept 26, 2023 15:29:01 GMT -5
OFF THE RACKS!Real Readers, Real, Honest Reviews!  What did you read this week? |
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Post by majestic on Sept 28, 2023 13:52:01 GMT -5
Flash #1. First of all Mike Deodato's art style has drastically changed from his 90s Image style. It's more lush and just amazing. As far as Spurrier on writing? I have never read anything of his before. The new direction is so different from the previous volume. I really enjoyed Adams take on Wally. I'm not sure I am going to enjoy this. I hope once his ideas are developed it will all make sense.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Sept 28, 2023 17:02:59 GMT -5
Usagi Yojimbo: Ice and Snow #1Written and Illustrated by Stan Sakai Slightly spoilery for those linked below, disregard notification if you don't want to be spoiled. {Spoiler: Click to show} Summary: Usagi is traipsing through the snow covered woods when he happens upon an old cottage and are invited in by a woman who is more than she seems. Plot: Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo is back at Dark Horse with a brand new number one and if that wasn't enough to entice you in it also features his long time foe Jei...unfortunately, although it has some great action and so,e fun character moments between Usagi and Yukichi the plot feels a little "been there seen that." as the duo happens upon a cottage inhabited by a strange woman who offers them hospitality but turns out to be a monster during the night. I could be wrong, and maybe your memory is better than my own shaxper or coke & comics ,but hasn't this kind of plot been used at least two times previously? I know it's a staple of Japanese folklore as even Hellboy used the structure in Heads but it just feels a little old hat here. Now, maybe the cliffhanger ending with the woman being revealed to be a woman ending up not as monstrous as she appears in the next issue which could definitely be an interesting subversion but for a hook for a story here it just feels a little flat. Art: On the other side of the coin however Stan doesn't miss a beat. Through the course of the book he delivers some great nature scenes in the wintry forest that feel so quiet and look beautiful, and the he effortlessly transitions to a fast paced battle with some bandits before getting spooky with some unsettling poses with Jei and then the vampire woman. The changes in tone and pacing are fast and seamless in a way that is truly impressive when viewed in a single issue. Grade: 7/10(Like pizza, even a kind of "ho-hum" Usagi story is a decent comic for anyone else) |
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,860
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Post by shaxper on Sept 28, 2023 17:37:55 GMT -5
. I could be wrong, and maybe your memory is better than my own shaxper or coke & comics ,but hasn't this kind of plot been used at least two times previously? Off the top of my head, Albedo #2 and Usagi vol. 1 #25. |
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Post by majestic on Sept 28, 2023 18:45:28 GMT -5
I also picked up Action Comics which was really good. All 3 stories were enjoyable. Green Arrow was also good. I liked Ollie vs Parallax. I liked Immortal Thor better this issue than the first issue. I feel this issue detailed the direction for this title a bit. I'm still on the fence about the new Conan from Titan. It looks great and the concept is good but something feels off with the overall story.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Sept 28, 2023 21:36:58 GMT -5
I agree Action was good... I seems like it could get a little too heavy handed with the political... this issue was good, but it could get a bit over the top easier.
How did I not know Si Spurrier was writing Wally? And we talked about it in the shop a bit too, I didn't connect the dots at all. Hopefully it'll still be there next trip to the shop.
I do feel like the last few Usagi stories have been re-runs with Yukichi added in.. and I agree while meh Usagi is still better than most, I'd like to see something different.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Sept 29, 2023 15:05:10 GMT -5
. I could be wrong, and maybe your memory is better than my own shaxper or coke & comics ,but hasn't this kind of plot been used at least two times previously? Off the top of my head, Albedo #2 and Usagi vol. 1 #25. Those were the two I was thinking of, and I get that it's a common cultural trope so perhaps the repetition isn't so egregious in that regard but it definitely stuck out to me. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Sept 29, 2023 16:12:12 GMT -5
I also picked up Action Comics which was really good. All 3 stories were enjoyable. Green Arrow was also good. I liked Ollie vs Parallax. I liked Immortal Thor better this issue than the first issue. I feel this issue detailed the direction for this title a bit. I'm still on the fence about the new Conan from Titan. It looks great and the concept is good but something feels off with the overall story. I agree Action was good... I seems like it could get a little too heavy handed with the political... this issue was good, but it could get a bit over the top easier. How did I not know Si Spurrier was writing Wally? And we talked about it in the shop a bit too, I didn't connect the dots at all. Hopefully it'll still be there next trip to the shop. I do feel like the last few Usagi stories have been re-runs with Yukichi added in.. and I agree while meh Usagi is still better than most, I'd like to see something different. Yeah, Action comics continues to be a lot of fun, I really like the whole Blue Earth story and the back up with young Jon was really good. The Superboy back up was decent but a little confusing. Perhaps it's because I never read the story where he came back and I dropped his solo title but I'm not really sure how he fits in. When did he come back? How did he come back? How long has he lived with the Kents? And I know he and M'gan were a thing in the Young Justice cartoon but when did that become a thing now? With out that background it was a little hard to get into. |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Sept 29, 2023 20:32:56 GMT -5
Agreed... it felt like it was the cartoon Superboy... that's fine, but it was weird. I didn't know M'gann was even in the normal DCU to be honest.
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Post by majestic on Sept 30, 2023 12:43:46 GMT -5
Yeah the 3rd story in Action has been "teaser" types of stories to get you to try other series like Superboy or Power Girl.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Sept 30, 2023 13:57:51 GMT -5
Agreed... it felt like it was the cartoon Superboy... that's fine, but it was weird. I didn't know M'gann was even in the normal DCU to be honest. Yeah, I can't remember the last time I saw her or even heard her mentioned. |
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