Spider-man #1 by J.J. Abrams & Henry Abrams RE:VIEW

Oh golly gosh, there's no describing how this can hit you in the feels. If you haven't picked up a copy, I highly recommend that you do so. I'm thinking from reading it that it'll be another Spider-Man origin story but it's a really twisted alternative take to it.

From the beginning of the issue, the emotion just hits high straight off the bat with a fall of a hero and the death of a beloved character. There's an interesting placement of a stuffed rabbit which forms of a foreshadowing of what's to come. I found this to be a subtle but great motif to the tragic ending of the character (which is absolutely shocking how they die and what is done to them after).

The dramatisation of the beloved characters rides high straight off the bat of the beginning. I guess what hits home for me is seeing a hero so powerless but in iterations, I've seen in the past it seems so out of place, but this fits in nicely. There's a shocking event that happens at the beginning that is really messed up and subtly hinted by the placement of a ragged rabbit doll foreshadowing what is to come. It comes to a character that I find to love from my childhood and it just seems so surreal to see it happen abruptly. 

The writing and styling work beautifully together such as from the beginning, there is less speech which makes for a higher impact of the build-up to the scene or when Peter and Ben Parker are having a heart-to-heart with overlapping speech bubbles to show the rapid-line fire of exchanges.

Subscribe? Yaaaassss!

I love a good Spider-Man origin so will see how the characters shape up in the series! 

Star Wars: Boba Fett No 1 Halloween Comic Fest 2019 (RE:VIEW)

Boba Fett on the hunt for next hit list and I'm so here for it. Someone better lay out a hearse as I am ready to lay in it!

It starts off with a strong introduction to the character I would say, even with an outsider peering in they would say Boba Fett is the bomb. Moral of the story: don't mess with Boba Fett (amen). 

The plot and story, I would the force is strong with this one - ahem - it was absolutely wonderful to read as I propelled from page to page quickly and succinctly going through the speeches, art and panelling, which really aided the whole comic as a whole. Well, here's the formula I came up for the comic so sit tight: easy-to-follow and the really high-paced fun action equals a recipe to a thoroughly entertaining read.

Another thing to point out is the sound effects: a 10 out of 10! You got your BLAAAMMM, you got you BRZZAAM and you got your YAAAASSSS (the last bit I made up). It was slightly interesting choices to make for such sounds but I'm here living for them. Then hit me with a double spread page of that high-class sound effects why don't you!

Let's get to the final shot where I have found my new phrase for life "I hunt bounties." (Can literally apply to anything in life)

The Drifting Classroom (Halloween ComicFest) (RE:VIEW)

I love watching horror films but I can't really say that I've read many horror comic books or graphic novels. But here I am! It's fun to scared so let's dive in.

The first story up is from a chapter of The Drifting Classroom. This confused the hell out of me especially it's a short excerpt from a presumably longer story but the sense of urgency is personified in the dramatic flair and styling of the artwork. Excellent use of striking artworks, exclamations motions and shadowing of the space creates a cauldron of the quick and rapid flow of pace. It really does add to wanting to know what the hell is going on. 

The writing and plot come together to form a jigsaw as it comes together to form a strong sense of mystery, concern and horror of what is happening. A small remark there, signs here and there, as well as actions that happen abruptly adds to if everything is even related to the actual situation.

Altogether, I would definitely be getting the full manga which is called The Drifting Classroom: Perfect Edition. Watch this space for a RE:VIEW!

Next one up is Deathrow Doorbell from Smashed by Junji Ito. This one fits in with a lot of horror films that I love like The Ring and The Grudge (the structure reminded of the films for some reason but don't ask me why) where it jumps right into the deep end, then there's a back story and then back into the deep end again. It makes the main being (not sure if that's what I call them but what the hey) mysterious at their true intentions at not showing any empathy or remorse of what they do to the main characters, but seemingly coming to them with goodwill which is questionable.

The artwork is similar to The Drifting Classroom in that it uses shadowing, different styles of speech but what makes it more interesting in how it uses the use of words and the styling of it to create the atmosphere towards the end which really does send chills down my spine. 

Another one to pick up, watch this space!

Credits:

The Drifting Classroom Halloween Comic Fest 2019 edition

Kazuo Umezz - writer

Translation: Sheldon Drzka

English Adaptation: Molly Tanzer

Lettering: Evan Waldinger

Design: Adam Grano

Editor: Joel Enos

Smashed Halloween Comic Fest 2019 edition

Junji Ito - story & art

Dceased #1 RE:VIEW

So DC decided to go there by going full zombie! The lowdown is that Cyborg is captured, tortured and turned into a cyber virus that unleashes into the world turning people into mindless zombies.

The narrative follows Batman through the whole first issue which is very befitting with the themes of the issue (monsters and all). A conversation could be started about the monsters in all of us. The placements of the speech boxes and stylings are used beautifully in conjunction with the characters and surroundings in quickly being able to identify characters, situations and locations.

The story flows really quickly as I imagine anyone is as excited to see a fully-fledged zombie apocalypse writhe before their eyes. It starts off with the why this came about, then the how it came about and finally the fruit of the labour. This is masterfully written in I guess in a very short amount of pages. 

The transitioning of art styles seems seamless and strings together the three arcs of the stories together. Double snaps to comic book art versatility and had to do a double-take when the art styling changed (not that it's not been done but I found it unexpected and don't ask me why). The three artists worked on the comics and it all works with the storyline and setting, especially I found with the Apokoplis scene.

Of course, they had to do the dirty to the man of the hour on the very last page. The final act of the issue is quite the main course with Batman witnessing the catastrophe unfold before his eyes. It was actually a treat to see his tech wizardry at work to fry the electronics in his mansion (read the comic yourself to find out why as it's fresh with the last issue just recently come out).

Subscribe: Yes

It started off beautifully so I'm definitely going to pick up the rest of the issue!

Credits:
Comic Book: Dceased #1 Halloween ComicFest edition publ. October 2019 (org. date July 2019)
Tom Taylor - writer
Trevor Hairsine, Stefano Gaudiano & James Harren - artists
Rain Beredo - Colorist
Saida Temofonte - Letterer
Greg Capullo & FCO Plascenia - cover artists

Harley Quinn #1 (volume 2) (RE:VIEW)

Picked up a Dollar Comic edition of Harley Quinn's first issue (volume 2). Excellent initiative to hop into comics for a dollar which I never really would venture into (budgetary reasons). The issue sees Harley inherit an apartment building, while she has a hit on her for a very juicy bounty amount of dosh. 

The cover keeps it fun so I expect the comic to be fun and boy does it run at 100 miles per hour. There is high entertainment value from the beginning in which she takes down a dog owner in abusing his dog in which she inherits. Not only this, she immediately contends with someone who wants to get a bounty on her head (another one later which I would assume becomes a story arc for her later down the line).

The characterisation Harley seems fun especially the part where she goes to find a job or auditions which shows of her quirkiness, fun and tendencies to fray into psychotic epicness. The humour keeps coming and found myself pleasantly surprised that I'm laughing out loud at the jokes (a lot of humour don't really land with me in comics). I much prefer when she has someone to bounce off from though like the talking mole she has with her so that they share that kind of banter (which was also captured in the recent Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy team-up mini-series).

The art is slightly less colourful than the cover itself but good nonetheless. It's subject detailed in that there are fewer details in the background which I don't mind as it does work entirely with the story, panels and speech bubbles.

Subscribe: YES

I see great potential to lead to different over-the-topness fun and I'm sure it would be a great reveal who wants her dead, as well as being able to raise cash for upkeeping her apartment building and managing it. It does seem a slightly different Harley to what I'm seeing but I very much like it.

Credits:
Harley Quinn #1 (volume 2) Dollar Comics edition 
Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti - writers
Chad Hardin - Artist
Alex Sinclair - Colorist
John J. Hill - Letterer
Ammanda Conner & Paul Mounts - Cover
Release: September 2019 (original: 2013)

Invisible Woman #1 (2019)

The issue explodes into an extraction mission which made me double-take majorly. Was this an Invisible Woman comic I was reading? I was expecting it to be contained in the world of the Fantastic Four. 

During the first segment in snowy Russia, she tries (and fails) to smuggle through her extraction. The artwork is gorgeous but I found her powers a bit indistinguishable between the lighting of the snow (makes sense I guess if her abilities are being able to bend light). At one point, I thought a shining flashlight was in fact just her powers. 


I love that it just jumps right into the deep-end but it did take some time for me to realise Susan was in disguise which was presented in a glorious one-page reveal (I still didn't even believe it was her when one of her partners called her "Stormy"). It’s almost mentioned that she just adjusting to her forcefield abilities which are so surprising as it was during the time when she was coming out of her damsel in distress days of just being invisible. This just threw everything out the window about Invisible Woman and I’m here to live for it!

The next transition features the responsibilities of her roles in her day-to-day life which plays to a tender tone which is a beautiful reminder of the character she is: caring, loving, adventurous and the beauty she sees in so much (even in the simple things like a cup of coffee).

The final acts seemed slightly more shocking in that it is revealed that there is a different side to Susan all along which is the same Susan from the 60’s comics! She brought into questioning by the CIA regarding her mission partner who has been captured. And of course, she has red in her ledger so she goes against their words and decides to take action to save him. A few butts kicked on location and an obligatory appearance from Black Widow to boost ratings.

I mean there’s so much potential and it shows Susan is such a different light. It’s quite the shocking revelation reveals that this takes place in the early days of the Fantastic Four run, which is a VERY different Invisible Woman to how I remember her from those days. Definitely picking up issue number 2 to see where she heads next!


Subscibe? Y

Credits:
Mark Waid: writer
Mattia De Iulis: Artist
VC's Joe Caramagna: Letterer
Adam Hughes: Cover
Publisher: Marvel
Date: September 2019

TheVH5 Insta September 2019

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The British Library (2014) - Yinka Shonibare CBE #yinkashonibare #tate #britishlibrary

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