Mike Mignola has created a little empire around his Hellboy story continuity, and well-deserved, I would say. It really highlights the strengths of having a single writer/creator on the tiller for the whole run and the ability to keep a consistent vision. Occasionally, Mignola does allow others to play in his sandbox. Here he teams with occasional collaborator John Arcudi on the latter’s idea for a story set on the battlefields of WWII Europe. Is it a good, spooky story, or does it just further blur the line between Hellboy and Atomic Robo? Find out after the jump.
Author Archives: Dave Conde
REVIEW: Demon Knights #18
Demon Knights is the least “tainted” of the new 52. It’s got dragons, demons, and amazons and it has a new setting with mostly new characters so there are no crazy retcons and no “wrong” costumes. This has been a strong title so far, particularly the first arc, but here we are a couple issues into the second arc. Can Demon Knights catch lightning in a bottle a second time? Find out after the jump.
REVIEW: Age of Ultron #1 (of 10)
I haven’t bought a chromium cover in a long, long time, but for you, Major Spoilers readers, I will make that sacrifice. Ultron is back and this time he’s got an army of robots to destroy humanity. Just like last time. What he may lack in personality, he makes up for in sheer bloody-mindedness. Even though we may have seen his threats before, what happens when Ultron succeeds? Will it bring on a new age? Find out after the jump.
REVIEW: Mouse Guard: The Black Axe #6
What makes everything better? Peanut butter? A mother’s kiss? Shoulder pads? No. The answer is obviously Batman. If the Mouse Guard are the police, then the Black Axe is the vigilante that lurks in the shadows, striking fear in the hearts of cowardly and superstitious weasels. If you have a problem – If no one else can help – and if you can find him – maybe you can hire the Black Axe. Look for him after the jump.
REVIEW: Secret Avengers #37
As Rick Remender ends his run on Secret Avengers, will he be able to answer all the questions that readers have wanted to ask? How can they be “secret” when they’re fighting giant robots in Manhattan? How many world-wide calamities can happen concurrently in the Marvel U before the evil plots start interfering with one another? Does Damage Control have some kind of sign-up sheet for the villains to keep the scheduling straight? Find out after the jump.
REVIEW: Deadpool Killustrated #1
Do you like wacky, over-the-top fun comics? Do you like smart comics that discuss meta-fictional theory to get at the underlying nature of humanity through the nature of storytelling? Me, too–Do you know where I can find any of those? This week I review Deadpool Killustrated, an excuse to show the Merc-with-a-mouth stab beloved characters from classic fiction. Is there more to it than that? Find out after the jump.
REVIEW: Dark Avengers #185
New York has been carved up into sections controlled by violent gangs who will stop at nothing to protect their turf. In this chaos, a group of not-quite-heroes in funny outfits find themselves caught in the crossfire. Warring factions as well as shadowy forces behind the scenes conspire to use and/or kill them, while the anti-heroes try to run the gauntlet to return to their home. It makes a good movie, but will it make a good comic?
(Just go watch The Warriors, OK? I’ll wait.)
REVIEW: Thunderbolts #3
I started picking up this book because I so loved the previous Thunderbolts comic. By keeping the same title, Marvel has played upon the goodwill that they previously built up to get me to give this one a chance. But, for good or ill, this is not the Thunderbolts that you remember. Has Marvel leveraged the Thunderbolts brand to introduce me to a new book that I’ll enjoy, or have they trod its good name into the mud, forever tainting the happy memories I associated with it?
REVIEW: 47 Ronin #2
Racists are right about at least one thing (how’s that for a controversial opening statement): Other cultures are weird. The part that they miss out on is that weird can still be incredibly fascinating and cool. 47 Ronin is a story that doesn’t entirely make sense to Western sensibilities and yet exposes the underlying humanity that transcends culture. And if you aren’t interested in that, it’s got them samurai swords. Lots of ‘em.
REVIEW: Fly: The Fall #3
If I offered you a drug that would give you super powers, would you take it? Assuming you believed it did what I said, how could you not? It worked for Underdog and Hourman. But what happens when the effects wear off? How far will you go in chasing that initial high? How much would you give up for that feeling of power? Find out after the jump.
REVIEW: Executive Assistant Iris v.3 #1
If I were a super-rich executive and I told you that the hot model armed with swords was only there to protect me from machine gun wielding maniacs, would you believe me? If I told you that she chose to wear the skin-tight outfits that show off every curve of her perfect body, would you hold it against me? After the jump we look at a world where bringing a knife to a gun fight is not just a good idea, it’ll get you a high-paying job.
REVIEW: Atomic Robo and the Flying She-Devils of the Pacific #5
America’s favorite crime-fighting adventurer robot, Atomic Robo, has done a lot in his life. A lot more than you have, to be blunt. Did you ever test-pilot a jet plane and run into sky pirates? Well, were they lady pirates? Didn’t think so. Now, thanks to Red 5 Comics, you can read about the road less traveled. Will it make all the difference? Find out after the jump.