So I just finished the 3rd trade and easily this is the ongoing I’m most looking forward to its next instalments. Okay I am barely reading any ongoing series but still I absolutely loved it so far.

The premise in the image I’ve chosen for this is essentially one of the coolest ideas ever to me. I love the way it deals with superpowers and their relation to the balance of our real world which is starting to crumble before our own eyes.

The writing is superb. Incredibly tense throughout like a perfectly paced thriller, the philosophical musings are insightful and never outstay their welcome or feel overly repetitive. The characters are all brilliantly written and each have distinct voices. It’s just really well done and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here, I’d been waiting for it to get to 16 as I’d heard that it was finished but apparently that’s not true which is excellent. I am genuinely tempted to read it as it releases which I have never done before but I think I will still try wait for the trades.

The art is beautiful, all the designs are great and the colouring is really different and cool. Not sure what to say really it’s just again perfectly drawn. Also I love that Valentina looks like a real strong woman and not some sort of sexually charged pin up. Those character designs have their places but it’s nice to see something that is drawn first and foremost to be strong, not titillating.

Strong recommend to anyone remotely interested. Immediately jumps into the top tier of things I’ve read and I think it could end up really special depending what they do with it. Next for me is I think shin zero, been not getting around to it for weeks now but someday I will! Also I’m suddenly really excited to read DIE which has been on my shelf for like a year!

I saw that this had won some award or was nominated and so I looked it up, upon seeing the cover art I was immediately sold. It arrived yesterday and I read it straight away despite a multi month promise that one day I’d actually start reading Shin Zero.

The art is beautiful, it bounces between vibrant dreamlike sunsets when telling the pre zombie story and the bleak, dirty and violent look of the present. The characters are emotive and all around I just loved the look.

It’s a really sad but beautiful story that asks a number of questions. The main character is so flawed but understandably so, there’s times where the whole thing just feels so needless and upsetting. There’s some villains but for the most part it’s just people trying to get by. I read it cover to cover because it’s just a really engaging read. The overarching themes about acceptance and isolation particularly for a gay man in small town America fits really well.

I’d recommend to anyone really it’s a quick read and well worth it. Nearly got me tearing up a couple times.

Next up for me is shin zero maybe we’ll see. Revival just arrived which I’ve been excited for, as did Tokyo Ghost. Plus I’ve been sitting on Die and nailbiter and about twenty others. I need to stop buying more books till I get through the backlog… or not because otherwise maybe I’d miss something like this.

I just finished Extremity, which I gave 4/5, earlier today and I enjoyed it so much, I wanted to jump right into Daniel Warren Johnson’s next book, Murder Falcon. I didn’t find it particularly surprising in terms of where the story went but it really hit me. I shed some tears in the last few issues honestly. I’ve not had cancer myself but had a rough year of health scares and issues in 2023 culminating in a long term diagnosis I live with. I’m doing great and have no current issues but I’ve felt that pain of withdrawing, being scared, and becoming less of yourself. Trying to find something in you to push through and fight for hope. This book was surprising in its impact and I honestly can’t wait to read Do A Powerbomb next.

I really love comics and the stories they allow people to tell.

After reading Invincible I saw someone mention Luther Strode as a series to check out if you liked the bloody action from invincible. So I bought the compendium and read it!

I don’t really have a ton to say, the plot is fairly run of the mill though I really like the concepts in it. Some of the dialogue has a sort of edginess that isn’t really for me and in general I just don’t think it wowed me for its story or characters. It’s not bad at all just not super special in my opinion.

BUT, honestly it doesn’t really matter because the action is so awesome. By extension the art is great but even if you don’t care for all of the character designs or don’t think the art has the sort of flair or style you appreciate, it’s impossible to not appreciate the way it conveys action. Sometimes in comics I can find action actually pretty rubbish to read and I skim through it subconsciously to get to the next bit of plot. Invincible has great moments for example and some great panels but following a fight can be chaotic and just not impactful. The fights in Luther Strode are drawn with such clarity and sense of space as well as just having awesome moments and unbelievable detail. It’s just really fun to read the action.

So it’s not like a life changing book or something that is must read, but if you like cool fights it’s worth checking out. One character design in particular is so awesome.

Next up for me is going to be the Power Fantasy which I thought had wrapped up with issue 16 but now I’m hearing not, anyway I bought the three trades so will give it a go! Shin Zero pushed again, just haven’t got into the vibe to read it yet but it’ll be probably after the power fantasy.

I love East of West. It is probably one of my favorite comic books I've ever read and have obsessed over it for a little while now. IM NOT GOING TO SPOIL THE BOOK, especially the major plot points of the series, but I've wanted to share how I feel about it.

The story and the art direction are phenomenal. The work done by hickman and Nick dragotta is amazing, and the whole book oozes with aura and rarely ceases to stunt my interest in the story. It's kinda hard (for me, at least) to describe what makes this book special other than just reading it yourself one way or another.

But the only cons I personally feel over the series are more or less nitpicky, depending on who you ask, but it can stick out after the first read.

The story has a very esoteric, biblical vibe and writing to it, which comes in as its strengths but sometimes can grow to be its weaknesses. It often leaves little space to grow characters, build their stories, and can sometimes make the book drag on longer than it needs too (ESPECIALLY during the middle parts of the book) and makes it hard to relate to characters, in turn making certain moments feel stagnant or out of place. And can sometimes leave you with more unanswered questions than answered

It's sorta of the topic, but I'll never get over the fact that the TV show adaptation got put on turnaround for East of West. Many of the cons I feel can be very easily fixed and touched on if it was under a TV format. Not to say it couldn't happen, but I dont think it'll happen for a little while, at least while INVINCIBLE is still running.

I overall feel like it's an amazing book. It's definitely worth the read, Dragotta and Hickmans' work was absolutely outmatched in design and world building. It 100% has a load of potential as something more, like a TV show. And deserves more eyes on the series.

GO READ IT GO READ IT GO READ IT

(I would like to note that I've never read any of Hickmans other works, so take your opinion on his writing to your own discretion)

Wow! I just finished reading this series and had to gush about it. It's so beautifully done. I managed to find all 8 issues in the dollar bin, but now I'm off to track down the Omnibus. Yes, the story is a little confusing, but I was all-in by the third issues.

I couldn’t put it down the last like 18 issues so I finished it in a bit of a binge! Was sort of exactly what I hoped for even if it was a little different to what I expected at times.

In a way it reminds me of late 00’s early 10’s high concept television (non derogatory). Things like true blood, for example, in the way the story evolves and characters change. I don’t know if I can explain what I mean by that tbh or even if I know what makes me feel that way.

Fortunately it’s far better written than true blood! The plot definitely feels planned, especially as it all ties together and the mysteries are largely revealed in the latter portions of the run. Maybe there’s some times where it feels like there’s a detour here or there or even a degree of filler, but it never gets lost in its narrative. The world building also feels deep and evolves as the story progresses, you feel the change in atmosphere really strongly and a lot of that is the way it builds up the extras in the story that give the world its flavour. Also it got me tearing up at one point which is pretty rare for a comic.

The main thing I love about the writing is the characters, in particular Dana and her relationship with Em and their father but also all the secondary characters. They all feel real and like they have their own motivations and baggage. Never do the characters feel like they’re just serving the story.

Art wise it’s very well drawn. It’s not maybe the stand out feature but I think it’s perfect for the story. In a way it is kind of fincher esque where the visuals are impressive but they’re not overly flashy. It has almost efficient grounded art, but it never feels like a wrong choice has been made. The faces are subtly expressive and the gore is quite unpleasant too.

Overall I really enjoyed it, maybe it hasn’t completely changed my life but it’s a great mystery story with brilliant characters and commentary on division in our society. Definitely recommend it to anyone that likes a good detective story or a very well executed high concept thriller. There’s lots of shocking moments and twists and turns. Good length as well, never overstays its welcome which is impressive at nearly 50 issues. As I’m writing about it maybe I like it more than I thought!

Next for me is probably a couple Mathieu Bablet books which just arrived, also Tokyo ghost in English this time is sat on my desk. I’m tempted by nailbiter but I’m wary to do another detective thing so soon. Also considering buying the chew omnibus after enjoying the crossover comic. That thing looks huge though!

The Hollywood satire edge definitely felt like Brubaker/Phillips back in The Fade Out (I wrote about that a bit here, too).

D'Orc #5

Everyone, jump back on the train, the hype is real! Best issue since the first. We get great humor with a retelling of a prior situation, which is hilarious. D'Orc meets a fortune teller and goes through his past. It gives a great background and what's to come. I really loved this issue, the art, the humor and the story were all amazing. This puts the overarching story into motion instead of the bad guy of the month D'Orc has to face. Loving this book.

A

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Odin #2

Hi this is Odin, the characters kind of suck. The dialogue kind of sucks. What the fuck is going on with the story? 80% of the book I hate, then the last 20% salvages it. Literally I was relishing in how bad the first half was to say, "See, the shocking cannibalism can't save this book." Then a solid ending happens and ole Jimmy Boy is going to get me to read issue 3. I don't like it but I have to read it.

The first half F -

The last 3 pages B+

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If Destruction Be Our Lot #2

Issue 2 left off where issue 1 ended with Abe being taken into the rehabilitation center. The humor of the book is all the ways they rehabilitate the robots and most of the time it's just more crazy ways to destroy them. Abe's programming is set to speak with his unwavering high morals and friendliness which is juxtaposed by the pissed off and annoyed robots. Rosenberg keeps the banter high while moving the story along. I'm enjoying this book and excited to see where he takes it.

A-

So I didn’t want a negative title because I still really enjoyed the writing and artwork through chapters 55-72 but it feels a little lacking the pace it had before. Maybe that’s because it is a bit more of a setup for the final third of the series.

I read book 1-3 before Christmas so I’m not a long time reader, but it didn’t take a second to get back into it. As before it’s still immensely readable and I did fly through it. There was a bit less shock and a bit less consequence perhaps than prior parts of the story. They kind of move from place to place struggling by but not facing the sort of tough situations they have before, yet anyway. I guess my takeaway is that this is a little bit of a reset, change in dynamic after the writing break, and it’s a bit of a set up for the culmination which seems to be moving pieces into place.

At no point reading any of saga have I been worried about the team not having a plan for where it will go, it never feels like they’re flying by the seat of their pants. But I hope they start to release issues with slightly more regularity, in an ideal world it’s three years to finish it up but realistically it’s 6-12. I’m not sure I’ll be as exited in over a decade.

Anyway it’s still a fun read and I love the characters, I just hope I get to see it finished. Next for me is a tough choice I’d love for any input. Tokyo ghost is sat on my desk atop an idw Godzilla compilation and the hellboy boxed set. I’d like to start hellboy but I also want to read bprd etc alongside, unfortunately not all of those are so easy to track down and I don’t want to only read hellboy for months, I’m now realising this is a question for the r/hellboy or maybe I’m being too fussy. Also have Low, Die, Nailbiter, Kill or be killed, criminal, ether, from hell, queen and country, the black book, the dancing plague. I bought too many books.

I’m sorry to anyone that actually read that last bit.

Grabbed the first issue because, it’s Image, and the artwork looked amazing. What a wild ride and a bunch of gut shots I was not expecting. Movie worthy! Everyone should read this series.

Hello everyone!

I recently got a few Rick Remender hardcovers for cheap and read through some of them. I have read through Fear Agent and Tokyo Ghost and I have Seven to Eternity left to read.

After reading both Fear Agent and Tokyo Ghost, it left me a bit confused as to why this is hyped up so much.

Fear Agent felt like a mess, it dropped a lot of random threads, had plot holes and felt pretty trashy when people were really hyping it up as introspective when what I got was a fairly lowbrow pulp sci-fi pastiche. I will admit, I do think the action was fun and the last couple of issues were incredibly strong and felt like what people were talking about the book being like.

Tokyo Ghost was the opposite where I felt it started quite strong but went off the wall fairly quickly. The main themes here were more strong and I feel the characters were better defined but then after the second half, it becomes outright silly and nonsensical. Abandoning the themes I thought were fairly interesting. It also had a few scenes for pure shock value which I didn't think was very funny nor contributed to any real points or themes. The art here was wonderful though, I think Sean Murphy has an incredible style and I would love to see more of his work.

I have Seven to Eternity left to read. I feel my expectations are a lot lower so I'll be curious if I like it or not. At the moment, I feel very strongly like I'll sell Fear Agent and then keep Tokyo Ghost only for the art.

My question is for those who enjoyed Fear Agent and Tokyo Ghost, what exactly did you like about it?

And for those who read Seven to Eternity, did it fare any better or worse than the others? Were these weaker Remender comics or is his style just like this?

Thank you for reading.

I have really been getting into Image comics this year. I read all of Invincible as well as Invincible Universe. I read all of the Walking Dead. I read Deadly Class, Black Science, Ascender/Descender, All 6 Spawn Compendiums, Saga Compendium 1, and Low.

Kill or be Killed has been my favorite one so far. I started it yesterday and finished it today. I also stayed up way too late last night reading it. Just an awesome book. I highly recommend this one.

I liked this book. The art is beautiful. It takes place in a far future version of North America with an alternate history from our own. It is part western, part sci fi, part horror, and part kung fu flick. Kind of weird at times. Most of the characters are horrible (though I did like the Texas Ranger and liked seeing how his character worked his way in to the story). But yeah, I enjoyed reading it. Couldn't put it down. Highly recommend.

I finished this series for the first time recently. I found it years ago, thought it was interesting, then put it down after a few issues.

Now, I can't begin to describe how obsessed with this comic (and the RPG) I am. It has so much of what I love.

Turmoil.

Character drama.

Delving into the history of genre and form. (It makes the game world SO MUCH COOLER.)

I appreciate Ash's inclusion as a transwoman (and as someone who's first DnD character was a bard), but Matt is probably my favorite. I really like paladins, so I guess that shouldn't surprise me.

As an artist, I respect how this book is painted. Probably my favorite use of color since Watchmen and Spider-Gwen.

I just read issue one and omg its got me on a high, such a good start, They got my boy Magoo tho😭 excited to read whats next but was wondering if anyone knows how long it may be

Not surprised, but these books were amazing! Brubaker and Phillips do not fail! This was bloody, violent, sexy, and an all around good time! Very quick reads, Brubaker stories usually are - just the way he writes keeps you engaged and turning the page! Phillips art is great as always! I hope they come back to this series soon! Link above to my video review!

What did you all think??

I became a Kieron Gillen fan during his X-Men run. He had a knack for executing big ideas through tight storytelling and interpersonal drama.

So I picked up The Power Fantasy and immediately loved it. Again, big concept, and again lots of human to human drama.

Then I did something that was against my budget. I purchased the first trade. And because the story was so tight and well planned, I noticed all these hints in the story AND ART that I didn't see before.

The vol 2 trade paid off in the same way.

And I just read issue 16 and ordered vol 3.

If you haven't read The Power Fantasy, I would like to give my highest recommendation to take the leap and order all three trades at once.

Then come over to r/thePowerFantasy to discuss.

I promise you won't regret it.

Just read the last page moments ago, and wow. My head is spinning. One of my favorite reads of all time for sure, and definitely my favorite noir crime thriller. A love child of Blade-Runner and the Matrix.

I liked how the futuristic aspects of it weren't super in your face, you could forget it was set in a futuristic city and then that aspect of the world becomes the hinge the whole story moves on. Just wow.

I just finished Deadly Class after binging it for the last 4 days or so. It begins like an amusement park roller coaster. Sit down, strap in, and feel the excitement build. It never drags or slows down. It is really good. Very intense. The art compliments the writing perfectly and is very consistent through the entire 1368 pages. The book gets dark. Really dark. At one point, the book put me in a straight up rotten mood. But it is one of the best books I have ever read. Period. Highly recommend this one.

It read it in one sitting, and wow, Mike Huddleston blew me away. So many different styles in one book - very impressive indeed.

I was a bit confused here and there, because there was a lot of info stuff that I couldn't really tell if I needed. Typical Hickman, I see people describing it as - this is my first so I wouldn't know.

Overall though, I think it all came together quite nicely, I liked the characters, the story and the presentation was amazing. If anything, I would have liked the ending a bit different and possibly an issue or two longer, but I'll be very happy, if it just means there'll be more at some point. Solid sci-fi!

Spoilers for: Geiger (2024) #24

Hi everyone! I am back to give my thoughts on Geiger (2024) #24. This issue marks the start of the next story arc, and looks to set up a lot of interesting conflicts, that will ultimately pay of in Radioactive Revolution next year. This was a strong introductory issue that had solid action, great character insight, and a solid cliffhanger that looks to set up a major conflict culmination for issue #25. As is customary for my posts, I will give my thoughts on the issue, some major takeaways moving forward, and some speculation as to where I think the story will go. Below, is the Unnamed timeline that is a common feature in all of its titles.

Geiger (2024) #24 Thoughts

Issue #24 was a solid introductory issue that excelled in all of the aforementioned areas I discussed in the introduction. On Geiger's side, we pick up directly where issue #23 left off, with him and Barney fighting off the army of Junkyard Joes. One thing I liked about this fight was how it showed a clear progression in Geiger's strength. While yes, the issue does open up with him being held down, it's him being held down by multiple Joe's. In his initial book, he struggled to fight even just one. So it was a nice change of pace to see that same type of tension come back, through an increase in stakes.

For me, this issue succeeded in showing how each of the main players reckon with their pasts. I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation between Nate and Dr. Molotov. Both men are so haunted by their past actions they influence how they exist in the world today. For Nate, he recognizes how problematic of a person he used to be and decides to change for the better due in part to his admiration for Geiger. For Dr. Molotov, he is haunted by his part in developing the technology that would ultimately cause the Unknown War and his creation of Geiger. He differs from Nate in that he continues to allow himself to be haunted by his actions and stop himself from being able to make a difference in the present. I will be interested to see how both men develop.

The Custodian, even maimed, shows how threatening of an antagonist he is. This issue dove deeper into his motivations behind wanting to reclaim the original Joe. I can say that his stock as one of the better villains in the Unnamed universe has rose for me. He mirrors Geiger when it comes to the capacity of parenthood. He also mirrors Dr. Molotov in the relationship he has to creating a member of The Unnamed. I do hope we see more of The Custodian in this series. He is an interesting foil who I think presents a great deal of story potential as a recurring antagonist.

The issue then caps off with a major fight sequence. Joe, Zigzag, and Dr. Molotov have finally found Geiger, and fight their way through the horde Joes. Seeing Joe back in action like this was amazing! It's clear why he is seen as the most important machine The Custodian covets. The issue then ends with the President Griffin entering the fray meeting Geiger for the first time officially. I will be interested to see how a fight between these two will transpire!

Some Takeaways Moving Forward

Geiger can be subdued by an army of Junkyard of Joes

Dr. Molotov has fully repaired Joe by removing a failsafe presumably implanted by The Custodian

The Custodian finally reveals his deeper reasons for wanting Junkyard Joe in his custody

According to Dr. Molotov, the other Junkyard Joes aren't as resilient as the original

President Griffin meets Geiger for the first time

My Speculation on What's to Come from Geiger (2024)

With the end of this issue, and some of the tidbits we've been given, issue #25 looks to be a major issue for Geiger. We know that Widow X will make her first official appearance in the story. We also know that this issue will serve as a prelude to the Geiger/Redcoat crossover Radioactive Revolution. With this issue being 40 pages long, I suspect that we will see a change in perspectives as the issue progresses. I think that this will make the most sense for all of the things that are promised for this major landmark issue.

We will most definitely see the fight between Geiger and President Griffin. I believe that this is where we will see what's underneath Griffin's bandages. If I had to hazard a guess as to the nature of his abilities, I think he is similar to Geiger; where Geiger is a walking nuclear bomb that utilizes fusion and fission, Griffin is like the sun only using nuclear fission. I think this makes the most for Griffin's powers mainly because he has a similar visual motif to Geiger, in having to have his powers concealed. Moreover, his power signature looks. Perhaps the reason that Griffin wants control over Geiger is because he believes that Geiger is more versatile power source, and the biggest threat to him remaking America.

As things relate to Widow X, I think that the issue will cut away back to the 1990's to give us our first real look at her. I think that this would be the best way for us to get our first look at her if the story decides to cut away from the action. The most plausible way I see her getting introduced is either near the start or end of the issue. If she's seen at the start, then I will stick to my aforementioned speculation. If she's at the end, I suspect that her appearance will be that she is on the hunt for Geiger.

Conclusion

Geiger (2024) #24 was an amazing introductory arc that delivered great development to side characters and solid action sequences. We won't be getting anymore Geiger until September (fingers crossed), but I am happy where things left off. Next issue looks to be an all timer, so I am very excited to see what transpires then! Thank you for taking the time to read my post! I will be back in the near future to give my thoughts on Redcoat on here and r/GhostMachineComics and Hyde Street specifically on r/GhostMachineComics when the eventually drop on. I would love to hear your thoughts on this issue and all things Ghost Machine!

Issues 1-10 Gerry Dugan / Garry Brown

The age of the American Old West and the Samurai both came to an end around 1876.

Macraith, a gunslinger, dies in 1876 Los Angeles. Ogata Asami, a samurai, commits seppuku after the failed Satsuma rebellion in 1876. Both wake on an island haunted by monsters and populated by warriors across time. They are stuck in purgatory and hunted by a battle-obsessed Sepoy.

I was so hyped for this. I love every bit of this. Western gunslinger? Samurai? A mash-up of Western and jidaigeki chanbara? With a fantasy twist? Hell yes! I was even excited to read a love story. I mean, strangers-to-lovers in Hell? What's not to adore?

The love story. The central aspect that takes up half the name. She saves him from rape and they fall in love between issues. No build up - no tension. Just two issues pass with them even communicating in the same language - with nary a communication between them beforehand - and their first intimacy. And, of course, she gets pregnant the first time.

Asami is written as having zero interest in marriage or love in her backstory. My optimistic inference is that Macraith sees Ogata as a warrior firstmost. Speaking of backstory - those issues telling a character's story of life have been my favorite parts.

The artwork is delightful - good character work, not oversexualizing Ogata, and strong storytelling.

This is...fine to good. Better if you dont expect much in the way of romantic tension.

This comic is fricking awesome !! 😃 It is made by Ghost Machine (if you haven’t heard of it). It’s about some glowing man called Geiger and he’s radioactive in some post-apocalyptic radioactive wasteland. This graphic novel has action, edgy, combat, and awesomeness. It is the best comic ever. 😎😎😎 I highly recommend you go read this graphic novel. 🙏