Robin #1 Review

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Gleb Melkinov

Rating: 6 of 8

Robin #1

Life comes with a lot of expectations. Sometimes, we expect a lot more from ourselves than even our parents. It can be hard to live up to them, but try we must, no matter how hard we fall. 

The height of expectation is something Damian Wayne knows well. His mother expected the best, for him to surpass even his father. He expected him to follow orders and his code. His team expected honesty. In the end, he failed all three. Now, he looks to forge a path away from them all, no matter where that leads. Ultimately, it leads him to an island, a mystery - and a great deal of battle.

Action and mystery aren't anything he's unfamiliar with, but whether or not he can survive them alone remains to be seen. In order to unlock this mystery, though, Damian's got to prove himself in battle. Depending on what the League of Lazarus really is, this makes sense, though since Damian's already proven himself many times, I don't see why he needs to do so again.

It's here that he faces King Snake, Bane's father, and though you might expect the match to be emotionally taut, it makes sense that it isn't, as it isn't Bane himself. Despite his death, Alfred Pennyworth still appears to give him advice, even if only in his mind. It's here that we see his uncertainty over his current path, despite his usual aura of self-confidence and bravado. It's also telling that he sees Alfred instead of anyone else. That alone tells us a lot more than words.

So far, Williamson's packed in a slew of colourful characters; some new, some old. Despite the number, it never becomes overwhelming, with Williamson mainly focusing on Robin and a few others. Though there's not a lot of it, Melkinov keeps the action fast and frenetic, lending it a fitting energy. The issue ends on a heart-stopping cliffhanger, one I'm very intrigued to see resolved. Despite any flaws, this is definitely a good read.

 

Watchmen (1986) Review

Writer: Alan Moore

Artist: Dave Gibbons

Rating: 8 of 8

Watchmen

''Nothing ever ends''. It's one of the best lines of the book and perhaps one of the most applicable to our lives. Conflict never ends, as there's always another war, another fight. Cruelty never ends, as there's always another tyrant, another bully. The whole cycle never seems to end, so you wonder - what's the point of trying?

It's this incredibly honest take on both superheroes and the world that makes Watchmen so great, even to this day. It's never afraid to show the uglier side of life, even in it's heroes. This can make them a lot less heroic than you'd expect, but all the more human because of it. Perhaps one of it's most relatable is Dan Dreiberg, the second Nite Owl. Unlike a lot of the others, he's not a genius, a sociopath, or a superhuman.

He's just an out of shape fella, trying to make his way through retirement without too much fuss, or boredom. Through the course of the story, he inevitably returns to the mask and the mission, though it's almost hard to believe it really took this long. Similar to Dreiberg, Laurie Juspeczyk/Silk Spectre II has a lot of identifabilty, though she's a lot more bitter. It's understandable, as she was pushed to don her name and costume by her mother, who held them before her.

Some years ago, her mother was almost raped by the Comedian, a friend and hero. For a number of reasons, she just wants to move on and remember him fondly, but her daughter just can't feel the same way. She's also struggling to feel close to her boyfriend, Dr. Manhattan, and feels, understandably, drawn to Dreiberg.

After all, it'd be hard for anyone to connect with a living atomic bomb. A man who can atomize things and people in seconds, who can teleport you to anywhere on Earth. But one of the most intriguing things about him is the way he perceives time. 

He can see something happening before it even does, but the question is, is he seeing a definite future, or can he do anything to change it? More to the point, will he? It's this journey to rediscover his humanity that could lead him to make the most inhuman decision of all.

Humanity, though, isn't something Rorschach or the Comedian have much time for. Edward Blake looks at humanity and knows the only thing to do is laugh, even if it means other people pay the price. It's in one offhand comment that might have inspired the novel's horrific finale.

Rorschach, meanwhile, looks at society and seems to see only horrors, evil and filth. With his worldview, it's almost surprising he doesn't just give up. Yet, for all his pain and blunt brutality, he battles on, ''even in the face of armageddon''. When I found out just what broke him and how he grew up, I could understand exactly why - and couldn't blame him at all. As for Ozymandias: look on his works, ye mighty, and despair. 

Watchmen has often been called one of the greatest graphic novels of all time and with good reason. Moore tells the tale with ease, yet grants it's world and characters incredible depth. He makes you care not only for it's central characters, but for the people on the street, so that when that finale finally comes, it really hits you.

Most of the story is told in 9 panel grids and is one of the best examples of sequential art there is. At one point, we see the bloodied smiley button and, like a movie, he goes from a zoomed in view to the opposite over the course of a few panels. Later on, we see the full horror of what's hit New York over many pages and it's here we see the thing's sheer size and the attack's absolute carnage.

I heartily recommend Watchmen to everyone and I hope if you haven't read it, that you give it a go and love it just as much as I do. 

 

Now That's What I Call Turning Trix #1 Review

 Writer: Mike Aston

Artist: Mike Aston

Rating: 6 of 8

Turning Trix #1

There's nothing quite like sex. Nothing quite as physical, yet at the same time, emotional. It can be one of the most fulfilling experiences there is and yet, for some, one of the most empty. And so it is for Trixie, a waitress who's nearly ready to pop from her thirst. Luckily for her, there's a ship in town that could just solve all her problems...

Most of the issue centers around her quest to satisfy that urge, however difficult that might be. There's a variety of things that get in her way, with one illustrating a moral boundary, others different kinds altogether. But nevertheless, it's often amusing and, at times, tantalizing seeing her try.

The way Aston tells his story is unique for a comic. It's definitely something I've seen in a lot of books, though the mix of art and prose isn't one you usually see in comics. It mostly works well, though I think it would've been better to break up a bit more of the writing with some art, though most of the issue does this quite well.

Even early on, Aston leans into the more suggestive parts of the story, with a deliveryman's ship being named Massive Package, with a later line saying ''The Glory-Hole ejaculated Eddie's Massive Package Delivery freighter into the Dudley system''. It's something I applaud him for as, when you're doing a story like this, you might as well do it with vigour. It's definitely something he does with the art, which is often filled with energy, vibrancy and colour, particularly in some early shots of Trixie and Eddie in his ship.

Overall, this is a pretty good issue, which, despite some flaws, often pops with energy and sexual tension.

The Immortal Hulk #45 Review

 Writer: Al Ewing

Artist: Joe Bennett

Rating: 8 of 8

The Immortal Hulk #45

When the man falls, the beast rises - but what about when the beast falls? Here, we get an idea of just what that looks like, though most of the issue shows what happens after the beast dies. Death is a very familiar part of comics, but so, too, is resurrection - though the unique thing Ewing does here is re-establish the Hulk as immortal. 

Whenever a hero's killed, usually a writer has to come up with some way to bring them back, even if they aren't the one who killed them. Here, though, there's a whole new mythological explanation for how the Jade Giant keeps coming back. It adds a whole new depth to the 'monster', one that I'm not sure we've ever gotten to see before.

One of the best aspects of this is definitely the fact that, when that Green Door opens, you just don't know what part of Banner's going to walk on through. His most dominant has been the Devil Hulk, the sinister defender of Bruce's most vulnerable personality. But for the last number of issues, the wily Joe Fixit's been in the driving seat and, though this has worked out for the most part, it definitely took a rather grisly turn last issue when the Hulk was viciously killed.

But if you thought he was the only Gamma irradiated fella who gets to come back, you've got a whole other thing coming. Throughout Ewing's run, many of his friends, foes and acquaintances have returned - and this issue is, thankfully, no exception. They all keep coming back, but why? The answer is just as sinister as any monster... if not even more deadly. Early on, we get a horrific tableau of him, Joe and the Hulk, which just goes to further show Bennett's artistic prowess.

Though that's not the only horror we're treated to, as Joe and the Hulk are forced to take on a horde of horrific monsters, brought to terrifying life by Ewing and Bennett's wonderful minds. Jackie McGee, meanwhile, has to face horrors of her own, thanks to a chilling new power that lets her see the ghosts and astral forms of the world. It's not something she's very happy with, though having any kind of Gamma in you is usually a burden. Doctors McGowan and Samson face challenges of their own, as their search for his actual body takes a particularly perplexing turn.

Overall, this is yet another fantastic issue from the team, which I heartily recommend, especially if you've been following the series. If the duo can keep this up, this is going to go down as one of the best eras the Hulk's ever had.

 

Nuclear Family #2 Review

Writer: Stephanie Phillips

Artist: Tony Shasteen

Rating: 6 of 8

Nuclear Family #2

War changes people. For some, it can bring out their very best, parts they might never have known. But for others, it can bring out the very worst - and if war can do that to individuals, what could it do to a whole family? It's something we've got to see explored many times through the years, though usually not with a backdrop quite like this.

Here, an average American family finds themselves dealing with an very different world to the one they're used to, completely unaware of how they got there. It's definitely a familiar concept and though so far there isn't much to set it apart, it's still executed well. Most of the issue's spent on the McCleans dealing with this new world order, one that's decidedly different to both their's and our own.

It's because of this that we don't get to spend a lot of time in this nuclear wasteland, or exploring the mystery at the heart of the comic. In a way, it's understandable, as the soldiers don't have much reason to risk the terrain and given their confusion over the McCleans and their house, a lot of conflict is going to naturally arise. A lot of the McCleans, of course, are a lot more used to their time, so they're not going to readily accept such a drastically new one.

Some of the most striking parts of the comic are definitely in Shasteen's art, which evokes a lot of different feelings throughout. When we finally see the wasteland that Milwaukee's become, you're filled with a feeling of spine-chilling dread - and when we see the underground, the sheer size and array of colour is simply awe inspiring. If there was one criticism I had, it's that I think some of his characters could be inked a little more heavily, as it doesn't look finished as is.

Overall, this is a good comic, let down mainly by little plot progression, or exploration of the world and it's core mystery.