Pablo Arriaga Comic Reviews

3 Devils #1 isn't sure about what it is. It seems to grasp at trying to be gritty but fails at it. Captions attempt the Frank Miller style of narrating but comes off as cheesy, and there is no true set for a story to follow.

3 Devils #2 could be an interesting story, but it suffers from its creator's amateur use of the medium. Every issue I've read, I find myself double checking that Indeed it is an IDW title I'm holding, and not a clever indie bootleg.

4 Kids Walk Into A Bank #2 has a very unique charm that's uncommon in comics of recent, thus becoming another assured hit from Black Mask Studios as one of the best singles this week, and one of their best series overall.

Archer and Armstrong is a solid title that reinvigorates the characters, while keeping up with the level of quality it has since its relaunch.

A&A is delivering on the promise of adventure and continues to be a laugh out loud book that competes with any of the books the big two are delivering right now.

Archie #5 is yet another great jumping-on point in a story that tells the reader it's ok if you missed earlier issue, Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead" and Reggie will catch you up.

Barb Wire was the promise of the triumphant return an old, almost forgotten character rampaging into the shelves. Instead it was a mismatched, misdirected title with a protagonist who fits the literal definition of passive aggressive. If you are feeling compelled to pick up this title, I'd recommend grabbing a copy of Mercy Sparx by Devil's Due Entertainment. Much more ass-kicking plus hellish anger.

Barb Wire #2 is a good issue that suffers from the failures of the first. If you're wondering if you should give this series a shot, starting with this comic helps the series a lot more than going back to reading issue #1.

Half of Barb Wire #3 could have been reduced to 1-3 pages and still given us the same amount of information, plus gotten to our protagonist kicking ass a lot faster. This book felt forcibly dragged out and replacing the lack of substance with badly timed jokes trying to make what would have been a cool one issue fight into a two-part story, will we stick around for the conclusion of Barb Wire vs Wyvern Stormbld? I certainly won't.

This is the first cover that showed what Barb Wire should be about, although she's nearly naked in it, she's not in those ridiculously compromising positions she was in before. She's taking care of herself and giving no fucks. Making me wish that had been the tone of the book itself. Barb Wire #7 has a more straight-through line in the story, but unfortunately that showed the many many flaws of the book.

Bill and Ted Go To Hell #1 is off to a great start, it shows everything we love about Bill and Ted.. and Elizabeth, and Joanna, and the good guy Robot Bill and Ted, and some righteous history characters, and some not so awesome ones, and the greatest comedian of the generation before ours.

This is the kind of book that is not ashamed of its source material and taps into it without exploiting it. It creates its own actions and consequences based on the world already established by the movies. It's a fun read through and through.

If you didn't pick this title up month to month, you missed out on some great moments to quote back and forward with people, some incredible visuals that stick in your mind as you wait for the next issue. Some fantastic record-searching variant covers, and a great example of how much fun a comic book title can be. But if you're waiting for the trade to come out, well, that's okay too!

Overall, this is a very solid First "Special Third," but may have been too detached from the main story to be a great issue #3.

Black Road is a great norse title for those who read and enjoyed Northlanders and were aching for more.

The art on "Eternal" is choppy. Some panels seem very well crafted while others seem out of place, or lacking in comparison, particularly when it comes to the characters expressions. The coloring isn't very vibrant, with plenty of action sequences to go around, they don't leave lasting impressions, which is to say for the book overall.

All in all, God hates Astronauts is a pretty great series. I truly hope this isn't the end and just a fairly extended hiatus because Mr. Ryan Browne's work got the acknowledgement it deserves, therefore we will be seeing a lot more of him working with other characters we love.

As a Stokoe fan, this is a fantastic pick up for a one-shot comic. As a Godzilla fan, Godzilla in Hell is off to a great start, with different creative teams taking over each issue. If Stokoe was to set the stage, he seems to have picked Madison Square Garden, or The Nippon Budokan.

Eggleton got too much in the way of his own narrative to allow the story to tell itself. In the afterword of the comic, he shared some of the process of making this comic, which proves to be fascinating when it came to the art of the book, but I wish he could share what went into the writing.

Godzilla In Hell #3 is a great issue that re-energizes the lost excitement caused by issue two. It is good to see the difference between a solo work and the work of a collaboration. I could continue my praise of this issue, but you should go see this by yourself, because the destruction goes on, and on, and on" Heaven and Hell!

Overall, Godzilla in Hell comes to a good closure, its one not-so-great issue still had amazing art, and it's overshadowed by how great the entirety of the series was. If you're a Godzilla fan whether it's just the movies or the comics, there's no reason you shouldn't have this series as part of your collection.

Green Lantern two is twisting that odd space cop pairing and giving so much action in its pages that are definitely worth the price.

Green Lanterns #3 is a good read with potential to be a great comic, given a constant art style we could get used to. Instead it delivered adequate art by a team of artists who seemed rushed to finish the job.

Coven seems to be a title that didn't really end the story, but rather a mini-series that transitioned the characters into a bigger story, although their immediate goals had ended there, there is a larger thing they will be part of in the future, which in a way works for the Grimm Fairy Tales world but doesn't really give a sense of closure for this particular story. Zenescope comics has done certain changes to bring depth to their characters since the last time I read a book from them, but fall back into the niche they've cornered themselves into by not straying away from the cheesecake art which continues to become more and more outdated in the world of comics. A pointlessly semi naked woman with a badass attitude is still pointlessly semi naked.

Ethan Van Sciver is one of those artists who will be known to be 'the' Green Lantern artist. Well versed in what they're capable, tested through a fantastic Geoff Johns run and accustomed to the range in characters and the different types of Lanterns who create various styles of constructs depending on their personalities, Van Sciver alongside Jason Wright on colors continue to deliver gorgeous looking pages that you stop and admire. Showcasing in great half-page panels the entire might of Sinestro's power now that it contains the Parallax fear entity in him, a costume that shows him to be well above his corps and Warworld with its Fear Engine that is Frank Quietly inspired with Van Sciver's very own style injected into it. Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps is a much-needed continuation of what's been Venditti's great run, and necessary to a lackluster companion comic.

Chris Sebela has proven time and time again that he can write characters with simple goals and complex emotions. Robert Wilson IV can portray that emotion and all the action that's to come in this new series. Keep a look out for Jamie McElvie's fantastic variant cover which honors the great Fleetwood Mac album Rumours.

Heartthrob shows you what Callie is capable of, howshe's able to take control and command a situation when needed, yet there's that inherent fragility that comes with her past and makes one care so much about her.

Heartthrob #4 continues a great Fleetwood Mac theme that challenges our protagonist to go her own way, if only she could. The falling out of their relationship is felt through and will make for an intriguing conclusion.

Heartthrob relit this reviewers love for Fleetwood Mac, and proves that a romance comic can be gripping and gritty without being sappy or falling into clichs.

Lanzing and Kelly continue to create a larger world through the lives of these three. Their backgrounds and their lives continue to serve as windows to the larger world they are leaving behind but continues to trail them. Having a shift and what follows made for the kind of in depth storytelling that can easily carry Joyride into a great, interesting ongoing series, and it seems it will balance changes in tone the way Cowboy Bebop did at one point, putting a well-rounded Action/Adventure comic in our hands.

I cannot say enough great things about Marcus To and Irma Kniivila as a art and colors duo, from the very first splash page, the story comes back as a cool wave of great panels with divisions that almost seem invisible, attention to details that both move the story and charm the reader, action that pulls all the stops, and depiction of characters that show how much passion this team have for the story. I found myself busting out the first three issues just to read the first arc in its entirety. Daft Punk's Discovery continued to play in my mind, and now I remember why, the story in this is as strong and charming as Interstella 5555 was by the creators or Robotech. Joyride is a joy to read and I can't wait to get more of it.

Joyride continues t maintain the great quality of the series by giving us another great issue that delved deep into the lore of this world, as well as teasing even more story ahead, further proving that turning this series from a min to an ongoing was well worth the investment.from a mini to an ongoing was well worth the investment.

Eight issues into this series and Joyride continues to astonish with amazing visuals and dialogue that come from the heart. Lanzing, Kelly, and To have tapped into the inherently sensitive nature of teenagers without being self-serving about it. Teens have a tendency to wear their emotions on their sleeves, and these characters don't shy away from that. Particularly Uma, a many times tested of one of the coolest ships in the galaxy.

Intriguing start to a new IDW Judge Dredd series, they won a loyal fanbase over their 30 issue run that ended last year, Farinas, Freitas, McDaid, and Hill deliver on what Swierczynski and Daniel started. yet putting their own staple on the series. This issue leaves the reader intrigued for more and seeking to see where they take him on the next issue. I wish I had seen more from this story, as I feel most IDW titles suffer from a very limited page count, and advertisements that sometimes run as many as the pages themselves. Judge Dredd #1 invites the long time readers to join the Judge in a new adventure they've never seen before, and welcomes those who've never picked up a Judge Dredd Megazine or 2000AD.

Dan McDaid and Ryan Hill continue to impress on art and color duties, the pages are rough, cartoony and very expressive. People smiling when speaking deep philosophical subjects about law, people dressed as authority figures showing clear disregard for the uniform, which altogether show a society the lives in true anarchy. Showing the Trog's change into a Judge's uniform and even looking different with the helmet than Dredd does. It's a great style that's a bold take for an ongoing title. 2015 (now 2016) Dredd is building its own world and putting Joe right in the middle of it, making the reader ache for the new installment and wonder how is he gonna get out of it.

The art continues to be strong and gritty. A stripped down Dredd, although still intimidating, it is less so just by seeing that his uniform doesn't contrast the skin of the other people living in Ang Avi anymore, he's all flesh and furthermore, wounded. The expressions on the children's faces match the dialogue portrayed, McDaid drives their emotions forward by balancing the innocence of being a child and the fear of being apart from each other. Colors keep everything claustrophobic when needed and revealed more of the world as I read along. The art uses the style Jason Latour has for Southern Bastards with wider shots and lets the colors clash and tell more story than a caption box could. Judge Dredd #3 keeps the pace and intrigue and definitely makes the reader want to know what will happen in the next.

Art although consistent, there are some panels I had to double back on to figure out what exactly was happening. How did Lolo get to where she was going and bypass the guards? Now that Dredd has been removed from his iconic and contrasting uniform, he's beginning to blend into the background of some of the pages and without that contrast, Judge Dredd #4 has the signs to start looking and sounding monotone. This was a definitive transitionary issue that promises to deliver more action more of the great thematic dialogue from the early installments. More mysteries are poised in this issue as The Judge seems to get more and more questions than answers the deeper he digs, and finds more lawless men controlling the city and its outsides with him being the only semblance of law and decency around. Judge Dredd #4 delivers enough to make me want for the next issue, but makes for weary if it doesn't deliver on a bigger payoff.

Judge Dredd #5 is worth the read as the bigger picture is brought back into focus. The big, strange philosophies take a step back for now without leaving a trace throughout the whole series so far.

Jesus Redondo takes over the penciling and inking duties on this issue and the difference is notable. Line work is a lot cleaner, easier to follow with busier pages which would have taken two or three looks at the page in order to get the full visuals in earlier issues. Ryan Hill's colors continue to make for great pages and he is proven adaptable to work with McDaid's rough and tough styler as well as Redondo's more traditional one.

Joelle Jones and Michelle Madsen have full control of the pacing in this issue. When doing a comic that's heavy on narration it's easy to lose the purpose of the issue and where it's going. The narration compliments the art in a way that, with all due respect to Jamie S. Rich's scripting, feels like a direct translation of Joelle Jones' head into the page. Lady Killer 2 #1 is aware of what the reader is here for and deliver more of it, this time making it bloodier and with Josie in control.

One of the things that felt missing in this issue was the gore. Joelle Jones' line work and crisp lines combined with spatter of blood and body parts is something that works very well together; it was what hooked me on those first pages in from issue one in the last series. Although there is some in this issue, I am eagerly awaiting for more blood, broken bones that stick out of the skin, and bruises that make Lady Killer dance in the line between a Mad Men with assassins and a cult horror film.

Eryk Donovan's art is set on everything that's happening in this world and not missing an eye for detail. With an amazing flow from one panel to the next one, you're not feeling like you're missing any moments or are stuck, mirroring Memetic's world to ours. Aaron's "I should go to sleep" moment is all too familiar to all of us. Whethe

The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers are back in a big way, there's no one to stop them and with the backing of a mainstream comic book publisher behind them, the possibilities are endless. March can't come soon enough.

A lot of the steam issue #0 gathered is lost in this issue. It ain't Morphin Time yet in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #1, but I definitely hope we'll get there sooner rather than too late. As far as picking it this issue up, the many great variant covers will probably hold more appeal than the issue, but my personal policy is: since Green With Evil is a full five part mini series within the season itself, it's only fair to give this series a good 3 issues before it falls off the Morphing grid.

Issue #2 of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is a return to the story issue #0 promised on, as I think about the future issues, I am excited for the payoff this arc will have and the future issues if this series.

Power Rangers #3 continues to bring the story they had laid out so far, with the slight risk of it becoming "The Tommy Oliver Show," I will continue to follow through with this story and look forward to how this creative team will bring it all together.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #4 is action packed to the gills and has brought me back dying to know what happens next.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #5 continues to build on a strong story they've set up, and take a one-shot opportunity to deliver an expansion on the Rangers, the villains, the lore, and even leaving Angel Grove! I'm never getting over that.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #7 rewards the returning reader for following the journey through 7 months, and it welcomes new readers, both by giving a new story fallout that stems off the old one opening a new arc.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Pink #2 is a dive-fest for those of us who love learning about Ranger lore. Where its creators have taken the characters from classic, campier version of Power Rangers and combined it with a more serious story comparable to a modern iteration of the series.

Marjorie Liu uses full strenght of her prose writing background to establish one of the richest worlds since Saga. With Sana Takeda's amazing art, paneling, and colors, added to the great price of this book, there is no way Image comics doesn't have another smash hit on their hands.

Monstress #2 is a story packed issue, it continues to build the world and as long as it's continuously delivered month to month, it's well on its way to be another Image juggernaut.

A quick and beautiful read, Monstress #3 is fast paced and action-packed, only stopping to remind you how terrible everything in this world is and they've just scratched the surface.

Monstress #4 is an issue that is both revelatory and quick paced. It delivers in continuing the overall story surrounding Maika, and her personal goal and the mystery inside her. Sana Takeda delivers both in the gory and horrifying aspects, as well as the cute and fun (short lived) moments. I have said it since the first issue and will continue to do so, there's no reason as to why Monstress shouldn't be on your pull box already.

Sana Takeda's art continues to be gorgeous, dark, and of the kind of beauty you can't be completely comfortable with, because party of the story, and because of her ability to become twisted, gory, and shockingly horrifying at moments' notice. This issue has that firing on all cylinders. From Kippa's incredible cheerfulness which has become one of my favorite things, to the lies and deceits inside the Cumaean cities which mirrors the politics played in Game of Thrones. Monstress #5 dives deeper into the abyss of uncomfort, this time digging into the sentiment of mistrust and letting the reader feel it with every character and at the turn of every page.

There are still questions left, but Monstress #6 has delivered to drop a strong first arc that will definitely keep me coming back fro more.

This is a title to pick up if you're really curious how they carry through with the concept in further issues, but I'd almost skip the first one altogether and you may have more resemblance of mystery that way. A solid first effort that ultimately failed to deliver on the promise of the premise thus far. Here's hoping issue two, will get a little more direction.

It's about wrestling, revenge, crime, living through shit and back. And then, among all that, falls the big blanket of the wrestling.

Ringside #4 is a sure buy for those who love wrestling and continues to show that there are more options out there than being forced to watch some guy bathed in baby oil punching people with the supposed strength of a famous DC character.

This creative team bring the end of the first arc of Ringside the way a heel would pin over the face for the three count. It's a great story, and not always the good guy wins. Me being raised in Mexico, I'm a hardcore Lucha Libre man and this is a two out of three falls match. And I can't wait what Ringside has in store for us in July.

Keatinge has created an atmosphere; an atmosphere of a harsh reality for this comic, things may be starting to look up, but based on previous issues, that is not lasting for long.

If wrestling business isn't one of the industries most filled with gossip outside of general entertainment business, I don't know what else could be. From the time kayfabe was broken in the early 90s, people have searched through tell-all books, shoot interviews, and now any piece of internet article that gives them new information on their favorite wrestler. Joe Keatinge and Nick Barber have busted open a cinematic window into the lives of these wrestlers and their very troubled lives.

Ringside #8 cements the story into the foundation it has built. It takes a huge step forward as well as showing those jarring moments of common heartbreak and loss of passion. If you're a fan of wrestling, or a so-called "smart" fan, and are not reading Ringside, you're doing yourself a huge disservice.

John Acurdi and James Harren are killing it with "Rumble." When people ask you, why is it good? You tell them it's like reading a Twin Peaks episode with Louis CK comedy, while listening to Gorillaz.

If you're not reading Rumble yet, the only acceptable excuse for it is that it's your rent money.

What is also impressive about Snowfall #1 is the letters and design. With several jumps between times and places, there is no problem following who is speaking when and seeing the aura of the fairly tale that engulfs this issue. The title, although not the most interesting one, is simple and turns into a complicated sci-fi story by the design of the cover. Snowfall is a comic that tries to make a complicated, yet interesting premise work and set up a new science fiction story with a weather conscious mentality. The world is well set, hopefully the characters can match it.

Snowfall #2 is equivalent to adding the voice over on Blade Runner, or if The Fifth Element had spent most of its time with Corben Dallas in an interrogation room telling the audience about the regulations and history behind the flying taxi drivers Union.

This will be my last review of this title. While it barely had a grasp on me on the first two issues, it quickly let go of it by the second one, and this one being confirmation that I am no longer interested in this story. Snowfall #3 Is a confusing issue, not because of the actions taken in it, but because everything is left in the air, nothing is defined, and the conclusion doesn't make one continue reading.

This is a title to power through for Star Trek/Green Lantern die-hards with a promising story and mismatched art.

The art suffers from the same issues I mentioned on my last review. And they're more noticeable now that they have the rings and should be succumbing to their emotions. Colors on the other hand, are beautiful, Alejandro Sanchez knows very well how to make the page vibrant with the contrast of the different lanterns battling each other.

Instead we get more set up, a forced banter between Jordan and Kirk, and a third issue that continues to lack in progression of the story, and makes me assume that things will be either left unexplained or be rushed in the next three issues given the big reveal at the end of #3. The thing that made me almost wonder about this issue were the main and variant covers which have been fairly solid throughout the run, and worth picking up if you ignore the fact that they are more interesting than the content inside them. I was almost excited for a second about seeing my favorite Green Lantern and DC resident asshole Guy Gardner tear into the patience of everyone in the Star Trek Universe, or Kilowog trying to figure out where all the poozers he was fighting went. None of that happened.

Star Trek/Green Lantern # 4 tries to gain some momentum going into its third act and finish the series with some resemblance of the potential the entire series could have had.

The art shines through when it came to all the action. Angel Hernandez vastly improved from what almost seemed to be a never ending smolder, although still lacking in some of the expression and I still cringe every time I see Larfleeze for the wrong reasons. I have nothing but praise for the colors and the letters. Star Trek/Green Lantern #5 is the strongest issue in the series and was building up to setting up a great third act, but instead it crumbled and went back to its old ways by the end.

Star Trek/Green Lantern #6 finishes this crossover strongly, but it suffers from the terrible flaws that dragged the series down.

The Darkness: Hope is an issue worth checking out to see another story that could be told from this very popular concept, it proposes to take the story in a fresh direction, and it seems that given the reigns, those two could take it to a whole new level, the way Stjepan Seijic did with Witchblade and Switch.

One of the amazing things about this book is not the story itself, but the weight it carries. Keller and Neely have successfully presented a world that's well complimented by the philosophy of the characters. I'm not asking questions about the logic of the world, I'm wondering what the fuck are the Humans doing now and what's the next mayhem they're gonna get into, I'm enamored by the thought of being a Human, to "Ride or Die." And if you're wondering about actual existence of us "skins," you'll be able to know in this issue.

The coloring is what continues to deliver strongly every time, with story and pencils/inks following closely behind. Humans #3 dives into the fallout of war Johnny has to deal with. Waking up the next morning to find a blur between his present and and the past he seemingly hasn't left behind. All presented in a way that'll remind you of those good and fucking insane moments from Full Metal Jacket.

Wacky Raceland takes the look from Mad Max and the concept from Death Race, it strips them of their personality and human factors, drops the caricatures from the Hanna-Barbera show in the middle of it and really wants you to care, when we just don't.

We Stand On Guard is a fairly straightforward story about what would happen if Canada and the United States would go to war, and the underdogs who are caught right in the middle of it.

So cozy up with a nice touque, a 20 pack of timbits (I miss them so much) and read all about Canada taking on these crazy American hosers, eh.

I know I've recommended this title to several people in the LCS I work at, and they've told me they would probably wait for the trade paperback to come out. In the case of We Stand On Guard, I truly think it benefits from reading it month to month, allowing the story to simmer in your mind, allowing for re-reads of the same issue that let you find new things in both the story and art, hidden Canadian Easter eggs translating LaPage's crazy French, or even reading that back and forward between Chief Vic and the worst American ever.

So go ahead, pick up this issue. If your weekly budget allows only for so many, I strong urge you to think twice on other ones and maybe let them take the dive so you can enjoy a double dose of Brian K. Vaughan this week. It'll be worth it, I promise.

The art continues to be great, Steve Skroce continues to astonish with various splash pages that pump the breaks on the fast pacing and lets you admire what is happening and the full scale of the whole thing. This is a great issue that both delivers in action on is own, yet sets up the stage on the last issue of We Stand on Guard. This is a series that worked very well with the monthly wait for the next issue, so if you can run down to LCS and get this comic and its previous issue, please do and join me as we wait with bated breath for the grand finale of We Stand on Guard.

Wonder Woman #3 continues to lay incredibly solid groundwork to what is shaping up to be one of the all-time great runs for this character and should become DC's flagship Rebirth title.

WWE Then. Now. Forever. #1 is a decent beginning to the huge wrestling conglomerate that is the WWE but mainly for its backup stories. The following issues will need to kick it up a notch and seriously update their main story in order to compete with the other comic book titles coming out these days and not to become another failed McMahon attempt at branching out.