Power Pack #1 (2020) (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... some pow wow! Power Pack are back and ready to knuckle down on life and big bad tackles. Let us dive in!

Love the beginning! It starts off as a child's drawn comic book strip of the backstory and LIVING for it. There was a very funny moment when a character in the strip is shot down dead and I just can't... left my dying that something so graphic was in a child's drawing. The writing does shift to slightly bland compared fresh uptake start of the issue, as the kids try to contend with family life with humour that doesn't stick the landing. I felt that it was slightly held back and it could have been brought more forward in terms of pushing the humour envelope. It felt like dead air. This is slightly saved by the ending with as they work together cohesively to formulate a plan and take down the baddie.

I have to give it to them for re-establishing the characters and fully fledging their personalities out. It was a great joy to actually see them deal with situations in their own way and working together intuitively. It's a nice introduction for me anyway as I've not touched upon the world of Power Pack that often but have picked up a few issues as London Comic Mart after being recommended by a friend. I guess this a shortfall of the lack strong plot or story in the issue.

The art styling is very... minimal. I guess it's not a complaint but the focus was more on the subject but it would work better if there were more visuals on the subject too to push the oomph a bit more. It does feel good to see the powers in full display as well, as their powers are actually visually pleasing. 

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Lack of story or plot is aided by strong characterisation and slight visuals

Power Pack #1
Ryan North - writer
Nico Leon - artist
Rachelle Rosenberg - colour artist
VC's Travis Lanham - letterer
Marvel - publisher

WandaVision Season 1 - Episodes 1 & 2 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... WandaVision (it's in the name)! Wanda and Vision star in their very own sitcom and this is gonna be a gas. Let's dive in (spoiler alert)!

The styling is of 50's and 60's sitcom, not that I have much-experienced dating that far but I did grow up watching Bewitched and Ed instantly recognised the styling of the second episode. Who would have funked it those modern-day heroes living in a black and white world? It's probably because I'm so accustomed to the world of the MCU. It's a very welcome change and very refreshing to straight into headfirst. 

There's not much of a story going on but we see newlywed Wanda and Vision live their lives as much as possible and it's so much fun and very easy to get into like moments when the crowd clap it was very easy to anticipate and clap along with them with a sense of involvement. The title sequences are so much fun too and set up both episodes perfectly which are cleverly done in the retrospect of their era. There are genuine LOL moments like the cooking scene in the first episode and the talent show in the second episode but these moments.

It's not always so rosy as there is the punctuation of eeriness such as when Vis's boss choking causing Wanda to break character which begs the question of how fully self-aware she is of their situation (which Vis also questions when we first see him at work). But then by the end of the second episode, a beekeeper comes out of the sewers and she seems to know them and manipulates the reality around her... You know, tryna piece together the puzzle to solve the mystery!

I was never really invested in the relationship of Wanda and Vision much in the films as I felt that not much set up was done to cement in place but I felt the reckoning did happen from the end of Infinity War when I really shipped them. The episodes do really shine a different light on them bringing a warm, sweet and endearing awwww moments throughout which makes the moments of when the real world break.

There's also Agnes who helps out Wanda at the most opportune moments and brings the comedy in bucketloads. The running joke is the joke she makes about her husband Ralph which are hilarious but there must be more to it. There's Geraldine too who is such a sweetheart and very likeable and I know that she's Monica Rambeau but it'll be interesting to see who she really is outside of this world.

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This is gonna be a gas!

Frieze Sculpture 2020 part 1 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... sculptures in the park! Frieze it up in this place and par-tay. Let us dive in!

I actually attended this last year in October but I guess it's better late than never. It felt slightly weird attending this time and I did notice that it was a few sculptures short of previous year entries but hey ho still here living for it. I do this once a year and I love the mindfulness of the nature coupled with the thought-provoking umm nature of the art pieces as they play off each other. 

1. L'Âge d'Or (Green & Red) - Gavin Turn

2. Sandwich - Sarah Lucas

3. Torso - Eric Fishchl 

4. Aurelius - Rebecca Warren

5. Ad Keywords - Fabio Lattanzi Antinori

6. Circle for Sally - Richard Long

Doctor Strange: The End #1 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... Doctor Strange! It's literally "the end" as he takes his final journey in life set in a dystopian future. Let's dive in!

It's most certainly a different Doctor Strange who I'm used to seeing going on wild adventures of epic proportions. It's sad to see him retiring into becoming a person who does party tricks for a living and a living joke on the internet (literally) but it's also nice to see him not lose his spark as he quickly dispatches a few thugs who plan to rob him. 

Strange's AI assistant Jenny is very sentient and forms their own mind but Strange doesn't treat them as such but more of an object which is strange seeing that he's lived in a world where AI have developed to points of being very much alive. It's interesting to see that Strange commands yet she speaks back in conversation and it was only in the last of Jenny's moment that for a fleeting moment he treats her as a being which is quickly lost when he shuts the thought down. It's funny how in the twilight years that one's thoughts have not evolved with the times but maybe it's just that he's lived in a world of magic (apparent in that Jenny seems to be the only thing that is technology in his home) that he cannot see anything past that. 

The art in the issue is very light darkness to it and it's very minimal. I thought for a second as to why it was done in this way and then I thought that it must have been that it's to accentuate the loneliness or the loss he feels that his life feels empty which he uses Jenny to try and fill those holes up.

It's a touching moment when he gathers up his friends and peers that have become a part of his journey in consummation to bring back an old friend of his Illyana Rasputin. I guess the retablo that he carries on his shoulder is a metaphor for the weight he feels in finding Illyana which is hauntingly touching. 

Illyana's return is shows charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent as she tells the celestial high beings the Living Tribunal to stick it. The ending is soooo Strange (excuse the pun) as Illyana now finds him immortalised as a statue which provides a true testament and beautiful end for the character.

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A stripped-back world with a stripped back Doctor Strange serves such tender moments in a very dystopian setting.

Doctor Strange: The End #1

Leah Williams - writer

Filipe Andrade - artist

Chris O'Halloran - colour artist

VC's Clayton Cowles letterer

Marvel - publisher

True Believers: Empyre - Swordsman #1 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... a comic for your dollar! This time I'm bringing you some origin realness as the Swordsman takes on the Avengers. Let's dive in!

First of the bat is the character of the Swordsman seems like quite the charmer as being the person that always "has the last word". It's quite new to see a villain take on the Avengers as they seem - umm - untrained with the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver being the new members and being made work of (they are new members and apparently the team itself was in the new stages). 

With this one issue, it seems like everything I knew about Captain America sashayed away as he seems cold and callous (as pointed about by Scarlet Witch too) that it just jumps right into his indulgent selfishness but I guess it sets the journey up for the path of righteousness and redemption. It seems the Cap does care a lot about their image with no saving grace from Nick Fury in giving him some side missions to relive the glory of his shindig days.

It's such a small team with big egos with Hawkeye and Quicksilver wanting Cap out in an attempt to vie for leadership. Scarlet Witch offers fresh insight and perspective which is refreshing of a team of big heads.

Somewhat of a cathartic ending as Cap supposedly sacrificing himself so that the other Avengers don't give in to the demands of the Swordsman. I mean that's the Cap I usually see really. A selfless one at that.

Hydra has a what?? They literally have a weapon that can single-handedly take down the Avengers but only uses it to snooping purposes. Talk about trying to take over the world.

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What happened to Cap? - spoiler alert - he survives somehow or comes back from the dead like s many that they have done in the future.

True Believers: Empyre - Swordsman #1 (reprint of Avengers volume 1 #19)

Stan Lee - writer

Don Heck - artist

Dick Ayers - inker

Artie Simek - letterer

True Believers: Empyre - Galactus #1 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... a comic for your dollar! Bring on Galactus and Reed and Storm look to a normal life after Franklin becomes depowered in the Negative Zone. Let's dive in!

Gosh, it's zinger with Galactus taking on their monologue as they question the existence. It's a totally different side to the doom, hunger, thump, thump, give me food now type of being that I'm so used to seeing. It's refreshing to see a new layer of characterisation of the character which is so fitting as well. The fact that the hunger has subsided leaving the emptiness of their actions behind it. That is until Death comes knocking on the door which is exactly what they do. There's a beautiful shot of their faces halved side by side as Death joins in on the monologue which serves such sweet poetry.

Then at a switch of a button (quite literally), Nova pops in and it begins again. It does build this grandeur especially at how quick it happens and how sorry I feel for the Skrulls who were next on the list for the pecking order. It's really disturbing how unprepared they are and at how sudden that they would lose their lives at a snap of a finger. There is a beauty at the end of it like the big bang but instead of the creation of life, it's the destruction of it. 

The other half brings us to the FF as Johnny wishes wants out of the Baxter building while Reed and Susan want that same sort of normality back in their lives. It's quite interesting to see the other flip side of the coin as most of the characters want more of out of something else that they have not delved into. It does add that extra layer but Reed does point out that it won't always be like that for them and they are just destined to be the Fantastic Four. 

It's strange seeing Susan still being called the Invisible Girl in the issue even after birthing her son and forming a family life for themselves. She's not a girl, not yet a woman.

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Powerful storytelling alone from Galactus sold the issue for me.

True Believers: Empyre - Galactus #1 (reprint of Fantastic Four volume 1 #257)
John Byrne - writer, drawing and inker
Glynis Wein - colourer
Jim Novak - letterer
Al Milgrom - editor
Jim Shooter - earthling

True Believers: The Criminally Insane - Masters of Evil #1 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... a comic for your dollar! The Avengers take on the Masters of Evil for the first time. Let's dive in!

I don't actually think I've read a comic with the Masters of Evil or don't really recall but it does remind me of the Frightful Four that takes on different iterations of the Fantastic Four so I'm guessing there some flavour to be had from the both of them. They do give the Avengers a run for their money at first but the Avengers work it out with a suggestion from the newbie in the team that is Captain America. It's actually pretty nice to see Cap in his infancy in the Avengers to leadership status.

It's funny how far they've come from skateboarding on a piece of flooring as they're being towed away on a truck:

It actually got me thinking... can two superheroes or supervillains having the same power be in the same room? I guess it's like rocking up to a party where someone else is wearing the exact same dress as you.

I did not know that the mask that Baron Zemo wears is actually glued up to their head. I always thought it was just a questionable fashion choice - a thing - but now I know it's a permanent thing. Of course, he uses the same tech to wreak havoc on the city bringing in a team of Avengers individual adversaries to play on their weaknesses (kind of like the Psycho Rangers in Power Rangers in Space). The Avengers sneakily do the switcheroo tactic and play on each others foes and you know, win the day. 

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The Masters of Evil reminds me of Scooby-Doo villains

True Believers: The Criminally Insane - Masters of Evil #1 (reprint of Avengers volume 1 #6)
Stan Lee - writer
Jack Kirby - art
Chic Stone - inker
S. Rosen - letterer

Iron Man 2020 #1 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... Iron Man! An uprising of robots is rebelling and demanding their rights with Arno Stark taking the helm of Iron Man. Let's dive in!

The story itself is sort of a slow burner of an issue with several points where I just placed it down several times because I can. There are not many characters that are really likeable in the comic that allows me to be drawn into their story like Arno Stark who has their parents as robots in their home but never let them out of the house, which raises so many ethical conversations I may say but it's never really explored on a familiar level.

On the other side is the robot rebellion who demands their rights and they want it now but are blasted to smithereens before they're able to and going as far as to hold hostage. I mean there are no sides to take and this furthers Arno's argument in seeing them as just objects (sadly). I find that it does form as a missed opportunity to provide an in-depth social commentary especially we have seen androids with minds of their own such Jocasta (get that shout-out) and it's sad to see that times have not evolved since. There seems to be no moral on both sides in that innocent lives and there seems to be no consequence for the actions rather just a slug-out war. 

It's mentioned in the comics that there is a Tony Stark android that is traipsing about which I actually felt should have been left out as it would have made the ending that much stronger for the final reveal being that it would be - spoiler alert - Arno Stark vs. Tony Stark. 

I like the art styling which fits in with the technological feel of the issue which is further complemented by the panel designs to with distinguishable panels to quickly grasp the situation and make them memorable such as the televised panels which are a stream of news and social broadcasts and more of a shared panel for action-based fights. It does make it slightly easier to follow.

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I'll give it a chance seeing that it's the first issue. The second issue could take me places.

Iron Man 2020 #1
Dan Slott & Christos Gage - writer
Pete Woods - artist
VC's Joe Caramagna - letterer
Marvel - publisher

True Believers: X-Men - Kwannon #1 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... a dollar for your comic! This time I'm bringing you some action realness. Let's dive in!

There's a multi-faceted length of things to dive into from Colossus returning to his hometown, something wicked this way comes with some sinister going-on and some Cyclops jiggy jiggy action. I mean it all fits together but hey, where the Soul Skinner? You get teased and nothing but it seems Cyclops got something...

Seeing Colossus returns actually reminds me of the X-Men animated series when he returns to (currently watching it on Disney+). In both cases, it was super cute to see Colossus's interaction with their sister Illyana. It reminds me of a Christmas story I read where he was haunted by the spirit of his sister which was beautiful to read. It's so nice to see siblings have such a strong bond. 

Gosh, Cyclops really can't keep his junk in his trunk, can he? Some people have a thing for blondes and others brunettes but he has a thing for psychics. Like hun, have a cold shower (Oh wait, he literally did have a shower). Cyclops seriously needs to see a therapist as in so many issues I just see him having to deal with his emotions alone despite being surrounded by loved ones.

The obligatory X-Men random fight scene comes in the form of Kwannon as she takes down some goon in high kick-butt action. I know so little of Kwannon that I only know that she has done a body swap with Psylocke and that's that. Oh boy, look out... get it, girl!

Despite all these happenings, there's some side action from some Russain supervillains which I could possibly not comment on as I have no idea what's going on but I know that Omega Red isn't too far away!

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Where the Soul Skinner???

True Believers: X-Men - Kwannon #1 (Originally printed as X-Men Volume 2 #17)
Fabien Nicieza - writer

Andy Kubert - penciler

Mark Pennington - inker

Chris Eliopulos - letterer

Joe Rosas - colourist

Marvel - pubisher