Weekly Comic Reviews 12/12


Hey everyone. Welcome to this week’s edition of Unleash the Fanboy’s Weekly Comic Reviews, I’m your Godzilla-loving host, Daniel Alvarez. It’s mid December as the cold weather creeps in and the Christmas spirit fills the atmosphere. This week brings the start of the new Sherlock Holmes series The Liverpool Demon, the fantastic second installment of Clone, and other cool stuff. Let’s begin with the always great Artifacts.

Artifacts #23

Tom Judge has had his ups and downs since and before the Top Cow Universe had its rebirth. Whether he’s going to Hell or playing his hand at being a person who happens to wield an ancient artifact he always seems to get stuck with the short end of the stick, and this latest arc is no different.

For the full review, click here.

4.5/5

Change #1

Change is definitely a book that blends the art in the story together to create it’s atmosphere, while it does the story part well, the art leaves a bit to be desired. Regardless, the first of this mini-series is a relatively solid one and I recommend it.

For the full review, click here.

3.5/5

Clone #2

Clone returns with a very powerful second issue. I wasn’t really prepared for how the story would go in the first issue. Clones are a very popular thing to use in media, so it being the primary thing here would either be a cliche or something interesting. Thankfully it was the latter. We were introduced to our main character Luke Taylor, whom might not even be the original. We saw Foss, a clone of his whose mission is to find all the remaining clones, and Patrick, an apparently evil clone who has kidnapped Luke’s wife. A lot of questions were being asked, and we get a lot of answers in this installment. Not only was this superior to the first issue, it’s one of the best comics I’ve read this week. Now this series looks to be one of Image’s best.

For the full review, click here.

4.5/5

Hack/Slash #21

The title of this romp is quite appropriate as the feeling of dread the narrative brings about is only matched by its intent execution.  The creative team is presenting a straightforward but intense tale that sees lots of deaths and kidnappings in the wake of a power grab.  Trust me, longtime fans have a lot to sink their teeth into with this release as Cassie Hack and Vlad take a bit of a back-seat to the destruction going on around them.

For the full review, click here.

4/5

It Girls and the Atomics #5

The first story arc of the series ends with more of a whimper than a bang, but it manages to wrap everything up well enough to still be an enjoyable story. I still recommend it.

For the full review, click here.

3/5

Chosen #3

Whenever a character is faced with the weight of destiny it’s usually interesting to see how they react and that’s no different here.  Our protagonist comes to terms with the fact that he is the Chosen one even as this brief romp into a rather fantastical ruse comes to a somewhat abrupt conclusion.

For the full review, click here.

3.5/5

Garth Ennis’ Battlefields #2

I can’t tell you whether or not this title does the time period or the war it seeks to adapt any literary justice, but I can say that it feels authentic. The moments captured here may be somewhat over the top but because of the work done by the author this tale always feels more like an account than a fantastical yarn.

For the full review, click here.

3.5/5

Jennifer Blood #20

What we have here is an issue that’s more or less the calm before a massive storm.  Yes, there’s been plenty of crazy plot advances in the past few months for this series but now there’s chum in the proverbial wateras several interested people make plans to descend on what’s left of Jennifer Blood and her family.

For the full review, click here.

4/5

Peter Canon: Thunderbolt #4

When the dragon first appeared the world went through a crisis of conscience until our heroic protagonist arrived just in time to save us from ourselves.  For awhile there it looked like the planet was heading in the right direction but now with a sense of unwillingness and growing enemies our savior is faced with some very tough decisions that may or may not put the people he cares about in danger.

For the full review, click here.

4/5

Red Sonja: Atlantis Rising

This is a moment fans of the ‘She-Devil with the Sword‘ have dealt with before, a pivotal confrontation (yet again) with Thulsa Doom.  Our heroine journeyed far in a short amount of time to take on her nemesis, the wroth of a god and a once dormant civilization, but now the time has come for some final twists and turns as this ancient romp comes to a fitting conclusion.

For the full review, click here.

4/5

Sherlock Holmes: The Liverpool Demon #1

When you think of the World’s Greatest Detective, you’re probably thinking of a certain Caped Crusadar. Not a bad answer, but not exactly the correct one. Sherlock Holmes is without a doubt one of the greatest detectives ever, perhaps even the greatest. (He is the original after all, predating Batman, Dick Tracey, and even the Hardy Boys.) It’s never too soon or too late for a new story with the character. Fan of the Robert Downey Jr. starred films or not, you should give this comic a  go. The Liverpool Demon is more like the classic stories and less like the recent films. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is up to you, but there’s no doubt this series looks to be a good read for fans of the character.

For the full review, click here.

4.5/5

The Crow: Skinning the Wolves

The Crow: Skinning the Wolves #1 somehow manages to fly by while simultaneously getting the series off to a slow start. Neither problem, however (if the first can even be called that), is enough to derail the story’s powerful emotional resonance. Still, there must be a lot of ground left to cover, and with only two issues to go, we’re already behind.

For the full review, click here.

3.5/5

Ghostbusters #16

Most fans know by now that this volume of comics is marching towards a most assured conclusion, and if you think the creative team is not aware of that you’re sorely mistaken.  What we have here is an entertaining yuletide adventure that on face value looks like a one-and-done jaunt, but beneath the surface the proverbial wheels are turning as steps are taken to the emergence of a very dangerous threat.

For the full review, click here.

3.5/5

THE HOLLOWS #1

THE HOLLOWS is a brand new series from IDW. We don’t get too many non-property titles from the company, (if I remember, the last one was the fantastic Transfusion #1) so it’s always a treat when we see an original new #1. In this case, it’s truly a unique one. Right from the title I thought of Bleach. (Don’t know what that is? Head to your library after reading this review.) That manga also has monsters called Hollows, and they even act in similar ways. Putting that to the side now, THE HOLLOWS #1 is a pretty interesting start. I haven’t read many comics like it, definitely worth giving a look at.

For the full full review, click here.

4/5

Popeye #8

By far one of the best issues of the series, Popeye #8 hones in on a smaller cast and produces a bigger and better result. The plot is simple, yet allows for various interactions that make for great reading. All in all, this is an excellent issue. Whilst its still very much Popeye and appealing to that specific audience, it does such a good job that it might be able to push past its usual readership as well.

For the full review, click here.

4.5/5

Transformers: Robots In Disguise #12

After a tense cliffhanger last issue, Transformers: Robots In Disguise #12 has a difficult task ahead of it. Whilst it certainly delivers an issue worth picking up and reading, its not without its troubles. Yet, despite these floors, its a hard issue to ignore simply because of what it does offer. Whether your a fan of the character development and storyline, or just a general fan of Megatron, there is enough here that I’m sure many of these faults can be overlooked.

For the full review, click here.

3/5

Transformers Spotlight: Orion Pax

As the title may suggest, Transformers: Orion Pax is a one-shot that focuses on the character of Orion Pax/Optimus Prime. Whilst its certainly readable, this is an issue that will be highly swayed on your liking for the character (I’m under the impression most people are a fan of Optimus anyway). In short, this issue still highly revolves around your liking for Optimus Prime / Orion Pax. For those that do, they’re certainly going to find a lot to read and look into here anyway.

For the full review, click here.

3/5

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #17

With this latest issue this interpretation of the storied Turtles franchise has more than earned its cred, as the creative team charts their course into some interesting territory.  What we have here is an entertaining release that somehow serves as both an epilogue and a prologue while still finding a story somewhere in between.

For the full review, click here.

4/5

 Soulfire (Vol.4) #3

You have to really hate it when you’re taken over by a chaotic entity that seems all but unstoppable in a world populated by magic and technology, but that’s exactly what’s happened to Grace and now our protagonists have to deal with the fallout.  What we have here is another excellent release in this outstanding series that’s sure to please longtime fans with the drama on display and the core character development that’s bubbling to the surface.

For the full review, click here.

4/5

Grimm Fairy Tales presents Bad Girls #5

What we have in this release is a fun and engaging comic book that offers just enough to make it a worthwhile purchase.  In a rather straight-forward and action packed conclusion our heroes and villains each come to terms with some unforeseen consequences as this engaging title crosses the proverbial finish line.

For the full review, click here.

3.5/5

Grimm Fairy Tales: Myths & Legends #24

The latest release is pretty straight forward with little to no character development but trust me when I say that’s not a bad thing.  Instead in these final crucial moments Samantha Darren is facing down some serious threats with her allies while they attempt to prevent the release of Helios.

For the full review, click here.

4/5

 

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