Alien #1 Review

 

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson

Artist: Salvador Larocca

Rating: 6 of 8

Alien #1

In space, no one can hear you scream - no one, that is, except you. Others might not live to see the scars fester and pop - but you do. For you, the pain's still there and in many ways, it probably always will be. You can only try to move on.

And that's exactly what Gabriel Cruz does, as he ''retires'' from Weyland-Yutani's Epsilon Station. Though others might regard his company with some degree of suspicion and distrust, he really does believe in it.

One such man's Danny, his son. Many years ago, his brother was killed on a mission for the very company their Dad worked for and, understandably, it's driven a very big wedge between them. Sadly, given how the issue goes, it looks like they'll have much less chance to mend it.

After seeing so many films from the outside looking in, it's nice getting a look at the company from a new perspective. We can understand why Danny harbours a grudge against them, but, given what happened, it's a little more difficult to see why their father would stick with them after it. The issue doesn't fully explain that, though it might be because of his steadfast belief in Weyland-Yutani and acceptance in the casualties of war, however close to home. 

Two of the best parts of the issue are definitely how it opens and how it closes. Johnson's writing here is just dripping with incredible poetry and gives us a brilliant sense of Gabriel's horror and, in some ways, his desire to be found even by the cruelest of monsters. Though there's not a lot of the usual horror we'd expect from the series, at least in the present, what we do get is good, though do I wish we had a little more.

For better or worse, most of issue focuses on Gabe's trauma and the divide between him and his son. The former is very effective, well realized by both Johnson and Larocca, though the duo's rift so far isn't as compelling as it could be. 

When it comes to the art, though Larocca does a great job on the aliens, gore and horror, Bishop's face isn't as good as it could be and doesn't succeed in replicating the actor's (Lance Henriken).

Overall, it's a very mixed debut. While the horror's pretty on point and the opening and closing are very good, the rest of the issue doesn't really match up to it - and because of that, I don't recommend the issue.

Zack Snyder's Justice League - Review

Directed by: 

Zack Snyder

Starring: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill,

Gal Gadot, Ray Fisher,

Ciarán Hinds + many more

Rating: 6 of 8

Zack Snyder's 

Justice League 

Almost everyone deserves a second chance. A chance to do things better, to do them differently - and to make things right. It took nearly three years, a massive amount of fan campaigning and a pretty new streaming service, but now Zack Snyder finally gets a second chance to see his Justice League vision realized. But the question is, is it worth it?

You can tell a great deal about anything from it's opening scene and so is the case with Snyder's League, as the film opens with Superman's death - but instead of simply showing us that and moving on, we instead get to see the hero's dying scream reverberate from one place to another. It really goes some way to show just how big an impact such a man's death would really have. Given just how big an impact it has on the film, it's fitting that it opens with it.

Like a number of other director's cuts, Snyder's adds a lot more than it takes away. After seeing it, it's hard to believe just how much was cut out of the theatrical release. There's swathes of scenes and characters present here that were either cut down in the original, or completely removed. While I can understand studios being reluctant to release a film with such a lengthy runtime, I just look back at 2019's Avengers: Endgame and given that's film's incredible success, I don't think they needed to be worried.

One such character is Darkseid, master of Apokolips - (Ray Porter, Argo) and though he doesn't appear much, when he does, he definitely makes his presence felt. His design's pitch perfect and his voice's suitably inhuman and brims with a commanding power. It's unclear just when/if we'll get to see his Darkseid again, but whether it's sooner or later, I'd certainly welcome it, especially with how it ends.

Though I already liked him in the original, Ray Fisher's Cyborg here not only gets a lot more screen-time, but a lot more to do. Not only do we get to see how Vic Stone became who he is now, we also get to see just who he was before - and a greater sense of just why there's such a wide chasm between him and his father. We also get a sense of just how much power is really at his fingertips and, because of both it and the moral dilemma it presents, I can actually see some potential in a Cyborg movie.

Ben Affleck (Batman) is as fantastic as he was in Batman v Superman and a significant improvement over his portrayal in the original Justice League, largely because it's played a lot more seriously here and given the gravitas it deserves. Aquaman (Jason Momoa) definitely get more to do here and, thanks to Snyder et al, has some truly epic shots, which are nicely enhanced by the roaring ocean. 

Here, Batman and Wonder Woman's relationship's got a lot less tension and is instead filled with a lot more camaraderie and kinship. Throughout, Diana carries a lot of pain and responsibility, though as an early scene shows, she still has a strong sense of compassion and care for those she protects. Ezra Miller's Flash is just as quirky as he was in the original, if not moreso, though he still gets a chance to show other elements, like his love for his Dad, or his adoration of Superman. He also gets a lot more opportunities to show Flash's incredible speed and another awesome power.

Much like the original, we don't get a lot of Henry Cavill's Superman, though what we do get is really good and just goes to show why he's such a great choice for the Man of Steel. Though we get some great examples of the hero's power, one of his best scenes is one showing just how much his fathers really loved him, which really shows just what the most important part of Superman really is.

Overall, Zack Snyder's Justice League is simply fantastic and an incredible improvement on the original. It's packed with thrilling, brutal action and simply brims with one word: epic. My few complaints are over Ciarán Hinds OTT Steppenwolff voice and an OTT performance from a villain in a later scene. Other than that, the film is simply amazing, one that I'd heartily recommend to JL lovers and critics alike.

The Joker #1 Review

Writers: James Tynion IV and 

Sam Johns

Artists: Guillem March (Joker) and

Mirka Andolfo (Punchline)

Rating: 7 of 8

The Joker #1

Evil. There's few things as horrific and inescapable. It haunts the families of the dead long after they've died and it torments the victims themselves, long after they were first victimized. It's hard to know what to do with it and if you can even escape it, or if it becomes as much a part of you as it does the perpetrator. 

That's certainly the case for Jim Gordon, whose own Devil has become as much a part of him as anything else. He's there when he's awake; he's there when he's asleep - and he's even there when he visits his own son's grave. There's no escaping him really, for every time he disappears, every time he gets locked up and even when he's presumed dead... the Joker always finds a way back. 

Though his attention's usually fixed on Batman, the Joker's web of chaos can't help but ensnare even the kindest of men. Jim Gordon is one such man, whose life has been inexorably altered by one man's madness. It's because of him that his daughter was paralyzed - and it's because of him that his son lost what little control he had left. It only makes sense that Tynion chose him as the lead.

After all, there's few people quite as versed in his madness and the wreckage he leaves behind. Using him helps give the comic the feeling of a hard boiled detective story, which definitely fits a tale like this. After an incredibly trying year, Gordon's finally himself again and, after everything he's been through, he's ready to hang up his coat - just not yet. 

If there was ever a case to go out on, it's this one. After a horrific attack on Arkham Asylum, most of the staff and inmates are dead - and it looks like the Joker's responsible. Showing some trademark gallows humour, the city calls it A-Day - and if you say that slowly, you'll see just why it's so bleak. It's a meeting with a strange woman and mystery man, though, that launches him on a hunt that could finally put an end to a storied career and a nightmare he's faced for far too long.

It'd be remiss of me if I didn't bring up Guillem March's truly impressive art. Throughout, he imbues it's lead with an emotion and edge that simply fit him perfectly. Whenever we see the Joker, he's brimming with glee, curiosity and unhinged menace. When Gordon visits his son's grave, we see an image of the Clown Prince towering overhead, illustrating just how vast his trauma really is.

Though there's a Punchline backup story, it's too short to really make an impact and, compared to the main tale, it's underwhelming. It might pick up in future issues, though right now, the main draw's definitely James Gordon and his hunt for the titular clown. For that alone, this issue's most definitely a must read.

 

 

Nottingham #1 Review

Writer: David Hazan

Artist: Shane Connery Volk

Rating: 7 of 8

Nottingham #1

When the cause is right, is there really any line you won't cross? No matter the goal, it's something you must question - even if the cause if ''just''. To achieve a goal, some cross lines they never thought they could. But when it's something you believe in, it's hard to think the line even matters. 

In myth, Robin Hood crosses lines most people would never even consider. Usually, this is cast in a rather positive light. After all, he's stealing from the rich to give to the poor, so he can't be all that bad... can he? Here we see an altogether darker side to the hero, one whose belief in both his king and his cause is so resolute, he'll cross lines most heroes simply won't.

It adds an interesting new layer to the hero, whose usually been portrayed so heroically on both the small and silver screen. It also creates an interesting dilemma for the reader: when even your hero commits such terrible cruelty, who can you root for? It's an interesting quandary and not something you usually see explored, so I applaud Hazan for it.

Something he also does remarkably well is adding extra layers to Robin's supporting cast. Sometimes, Maid Marian's portrayed as a pretty simple, uninteresting character, whose just another part of Robin's story. Here, though, she's remarkably surefooted and, even when being interrogated by the Sheriff, she displays a remarkable sense of power. 

Meanwhile, Will Scarlet displays an incredible sense of determination and zeal, even in particularly trying situations. He's also got tremendous loyalty, even if it isn't always to his benefit. Throughout the issue, Volk casts some truly powerful imagery. Whether it's in the Sheriff's ever imposing figure, the Merry Men's grotesque masks, or some especially violent torture, his art constantly packs a punch. One of the only criticisms I have of it's that, at times, he could do better in expressing a character's emotion, like with Will's mother and, later, with Maid Marian. Other than that, the quality's pretty high.

Overall, a surprisingly strong debut, which shows some promise for the rest of the series. Even though I'm not usually a fan of Robin Hood, this definitely surprised me - in the very best ways.