Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Comic Reviews

  • REVIEW: Invincible Iron Man #1 Back To Basics… Yet Again.

    REVIEW: Invincible Iron Man #1 Back To Basics… Yet Again.


    One of the most engaging elements in the Marvel line of comics has been the focus on history. Not in the sense more associated with DC, where legacy is so revered (arguably to a fault), but in the sense that character progression seemed to hold far greater priority than one might assume from a funny book. While Marvel was no better than DC in terms of their willingness to wriggle out of a set of circumstances through hokey, convoluted retcons, books like Iron Man were once celebrated for continuing a logical, building narrative across different writers and hundreds of issues.

    With Invincible Iron Man #1, Marvel heavy-hitter Gerry Duggan (who has been all over the mutant side of the MU in recent times) takes Ol’ Shellhead’s narrative to a tediously familiar stop. After a few pages recounting the basics of Stark’s 616 history (being a #1 issue, the book is undoubtedly aiming to be a starting point for the ever-elusive “new comic reader”) and the inciting incident of the story, we find Tony Stark at a point in his life where he’s feeling particularly guilty over mistakes that he’s made as a result of poor forethought, leading to other people getting caught in the crossfire. Gripping stuff. It could be argued that bemoaning an Iron Man title for focusing on what is debatably the very essence of Iron Man may be a little unfair, but the problems lie just as much in what the book doesn’t do.

    Quite a bit of the narrative weight Duggan tries to convey throughout this issue hinges on readers’ outright acceptance of the gravity of what has happened because Tony tells us it’s really affected him. This approach isn’t all that effective when the vast majority of input we get from Tony on these situations comes via first-person narration (framed as Tony working on his autobiography, from some unrevealed point in the future) that struggles to find an authentic voice. A lot of the verbiage sounds decidedly un-Stark, like Tony using the term “unhoused”, and a handful of similar instances of hyper-online wording.

    A moderately interesting mystery is competently established, and there’s certainly nothing offensively repellant about this book as it finds its footing. Juan Frigeri provides excellent visuals, and the book makes plenty of sense as a back-to-basics reset of sorts. Is it just too much to ask, after 60 years, for something a bit… fresh?

  • REVIEW: ‘Teen Titans Academy’ Vol 1 is Enjoyable, With a Few Missteps

    REVIEW: ‘Teen Titans Academy’ Vol 1 is Enjoyable, With a Few Missteps

    The Teen Titans have been a staple within the DC Universe since their inception at the hands of George Perez and Marv Wolfman, and the team has seen quite a few revamps throughout the years with its alternating roster. As excellent as those takes might’ve been, Future State and Infinite Frontier set out to do something different with Teen Titans Academy introducing a whole new generation of Titans.

    Teen Titans Academy serves as the prequel for the events of Future State: Teen Titans, where we see the surviving Titans reel with a world-shattering event. Academy is the story leading up to that; this volume helps readers to become more acquainted with the students at the academy before most of them meet a grisly end.

    The characters here are one of the story’s brightest gems, introducing us to students such as Summer Zahid, Totally Tubular, Gorilla Gregg, Bolt, Tress, Dane, Matt Price, Brick Pettirosso, and Stitch, a nonbinary ragdoll who is the apprentice of Doctor Fate. The most interesting of the bunch is the Batpack, a group of orphans rescued from an orphanage that was selling children off for use in science experiments. Megabat, Bratgirl, and Chupacabra were rescued by Nightwing and accepted into the academy. They are fun new additions and could technically be considered members of the Batfamily who are so ripe for their own solo title, it would be a shame to see them fade into the backlog of DC characters who aren’t getting their time to shine.

    The story does fun things with the characters to really build them up and creatively explore their backgrounds. Alinta, aka Bolt, has a standout origin here, revealing Amanda Waller saved her not so long ago, and owes her big, like allegiance to Task Force X big. It feels like the writers figured they’d done enough though, after spotlighting a character for an issue it’s like the focus is ripped away from them and we don’t see them again for a while. Some of the characters here, booming with potential to explore, are kinda just left in the dust as it can feel as if the series is lacking direction. While the stories we are getting in this run with Stitch and the Batpack are great, it would be nice to see the other students like Miguel, Summer, and even Gorilla Gregg, the nephew of Grodd factored into the story more instead of being used when it is convenient to the story. While they are crucial it can at times feel like the OG titans are overwhelming the story just a bit, but the story does route focus back to the students.

    While these solo stories are good, what I’d really like to see moving forward is the students coming together and learning to work as a team, I mean that’s the whole point of them being at the Teen Titans academy, after all. It would be much better to see the students actually working together and developing alongside each other, working much better in both their favor, as well as the story’s favor.

    The main focus of the story is the mystery behind who the new Red X is; Red X is, of course, the brief alter-ego of Dick Grayson in the Teen Titans animated series who made his comic book debut in 2021. The mask has been picked up by another, coming and going from Titans tower as he pleases while the Titans freak out over it. The mystery would be more interesting if the series made an effort to get us to care about Red X. While he’s a cool-looking character, he is also a massive tool, and isn’t very likable with what they are doing with him here, crafting him as on a one-man crusade that just doesn’t seem noble enough to care.

    Thankfully, this is only Vol. 1 of the story and is only comprised of the first few issues of the run. Even with there still being more to read, the story here shouldn’t feel unfinished and should be able to stand on its own. Teen Titans Academy was a creative path to navigate with a lot of potential to spotlight the new characters some may be meeting for the first time. 

  • REVIEW: Action Comics’ ‘Warworld Rising’ is More Brains Than Brawn

    REVIEW: Action Comics’ ‘Warworld Rising’ is More Brains Than Brawn

    Admittedly, I’ve never been much of a Superman guy. This is not to say I don’t appreciate his value as a character, which I’ve actually really come around to in the past few years. It’s just that, in the Man of Steel’s extremely long history, I’ve come across very few stories that have managed to grip me. The age-old complaint about the Last Son of Krypton, one that anyone reading this review has probably heard on numerous occasions, is that he’s a little too powerful to be interesting. If he can survive anything, and save anyone, then the stakes can never really be high enough to engage the reader on any significant level. The solution to this, of course, is to challenge the hero mentally rather than physically, a tactic that has been tried time and time again. While a lot of these psychological threats have obviously paid dividends for plenty of fans, they just never really pulled me in the way I’d hoped. Then I read the latest from Action Comics, Warworld Rising, and realized just how intriguing Superman can be.

    The genius of Rising, expertly written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, is in the type of mental anguish it chooses to push upon its protagonist. Instead of simply squaring Superman up against somebody smarter or more dangerous, the story gives Clark a moral conundrum that impacts nearly every facet of his life. Surprisingly, this is achieved through the use of a villain typically better known for his pure brutality than any form of advanced trickery. Mongul, the masochistic ruler of Warworld, sends a group of ancient, enslaved Kryptonians (or so they seem) to Earth with the aim of emotionally manipulating Superman toward his untimely demise. The plan works like a charm, with a distraught Clark knowingly heading straight into the trap. Normally, this would not be a cause for concern among fans. A fully powered Superman should have no problem jetting off to another planet, kicking it’s leaders bum, and then heading home in time for dinner. However, Johnson uses several pre-existing plot points to install reasonable concern around the situation for both the characters in the story and the readers at home.

    It is established early on that Clark’s powers, for whatever reason, are starting to falter. While Kent himself is not overly concerned, Batman shows a decent amount of hesitation, which usually means there’s a genuine problem at hand. This information, coupled with Jon Kent’s chilling warnings from time spent in the future that Clark is scheduled to soon disappear from history books, aids in heightening the suspense around every decision Superman makes. The character no longer feels infallible, which suddenly makes his and Lois’ constant assertions that he “always comes back” appear foreboding. If Mongul’s plan wasn’t already good enough, he also finds a way to take any form of help from the Justice League off the board. Along with the Kryptonians, an immensely powerful Warworld artifact finds its way into the ocean, causing a political conflict between the United States and Atlantis that threatens large-scale war. With the League preoccupied with humanity’s inability to find peace, Superman is left to deal with his personal obligations alone.

    The book leaves off on a massive cliffhanger, leading directly into a follow-up arc that presumably concludes the whole shebang. Having previously stated that I’m not a huge fan of Superman comics, the fact that I’d like to purchase the next volume should speak to just how good this collection of issues truly is. On top of giving its leading man some juicy drama to chew on, the commentary on human nature and the evils of war and slavery are reason enough to buy the comic on their own. I would support the creation of an entire series of stories that’s just the members of the Justice League sitting in their war room, discussing how they should approach matters of international concern. The issue in question is akin to the excellent Japanese film Shin Godzilla, in which the first Kaiju attack is shown entirely from the perspective of government officials who have more than just human safety on their minds.

    Warworld Rising is Superman at his very best, willing to sacrifice everything if it means even one innocent person can go home to their family. It’s moral and political intrigue on a level few Superman stories have achieved with such palpable authenticity. We’ve seen writers claim that they’ve devised the final Man of Steel story in the past, but the thing that sets this one above and beyond its competition is that it really does feel like Superman may not make it out alive. Of course, he likely will, but any comic that makes you doubt that even for a second is one worth putting on your shelf.

  • REVIEW: Onigashima Continues to Burn in ‘One Piece’ 1038

    REVIEW: Onigashima Continues to Burn in ‘One Piece’ 1038

    It’s just showdown after showdown in the Onigashima raid, which is still not even close to leaving steam. The latest chapter included some great small moments as we take a short break from Kaido and Luffy’s showdown. One Piece‘s chapter 1038 gives us a vignette of where everyone else currently is while catching back up with Kid and Law’s battle with Big Mom, who isn’t going to go down that easily.

    The cover story this time is quite surprising as it seems Niji and Yonji of Germa 66 have been caught by the Big Mom Pirates. So, either they might return to free them, or Sanji gets a chance to save his family once again in the near future, but mostly cause it’s hard to believe that his father would go back and save his sons. Yet, who knows if he had a bit of a change of heart after the events from the Whole Cake Arc.

    It’s great to see Jimbei back, as he mostly took a backseat since his confrontation with Who’s Who. His saving of the samurai was a great moment, as we also see that the spreading flames have wrecked the entire place. Even Chopper gets to return as his super tiny form has expired and he returned to normal. It’s sweet to see him instantly care about Zoro, who is going through something of his own.

    Speaking of, what in the world is Eiichiro Oda doing playing with our hearts? It’s so strange to see the freaking Grim Reaper stand above him right after Chopper discusses the pain he’ll go through. Though the arms and close-up of the face make me think this is a fake-out and it’s probably Brook. How he got his hands on a scythe is a different story, but it seems like the most logical reason the literal embodiment of death appears here. Luckily, Franky is on his way to help.

    Izo has been taking quite the beating to give Usopp enough time to get the Red Scabbards away from the battlefield. The interesting aspect is the confrontation with CP0, which probably won’t end well given that the Beast Pirates have pushed him to his limits. It doe make you wonder if an eventual confrontation between the secret organization and the Straw Hats. Going by the direction they are heading, it seems they might end up catching up with Usopp.

    I am always excited to see Yamato – who I still hope joins the crew – and it’s great to see her showcase her abilities. It still seems like a shame how little we saw of her fight against Kaido. She’s also a perfect counter to the flaming ball of vengeance, as she just made it in time to keep it from blowing the whole island up. I am curious just how Yamato might manage to get it away from the explosives and weapons, as it’s very unlikely the island will just blow up.

    Now, it’s finally time to talk about Big Mom’s battle against Kid and Law. It’s not going so great for them, as she seemingly towers over them and mocks the young pirates. It almost looks like the two might have met their match, but she is certainly pushing beyond her limits. Her main goal is to return to Kaido’s side adds a nice level of urgency to this fight, especially as Law continues to keep the fighting going.

    We once again get the return of his Awakening through Kroom, which offers a clearer picture of what it can do. The fact he can warp the reality of an object adds quite a curious element to his ability, especially how his sword goes through Mom without actually cutting through her. Perhaps this ability is deeply connected to the fruit’s famous ability to give someone immortality. Kid also makes a grand effort by pulling in all the metal around him to create a giant raging bull, as both proclaim she will not get to the roof.

    The title was surprisingly misleading as Zoro and Sanji’s “vs.” chapter titles ended with the defeat of their enemy but seems Oda decided to mix things up this time around. Even after their defeat, they are continuing to push forward which is quite exhilarating and makes me curious what the next chapter has in store for us, as we might enter the final stage of this battle after all.

  • REVIEW: Kaido and Luffy Collide in ‘One Piece’ 1037

    REVIEW: Kaido and Luffy Collide in ‘One Piece’ 1037

    One Piece always seems to manage to continue to grow a world in creative ways. Elements that seemed like small tidbits from years ago can suddenly become relevant within seconds. Worldbuilding has always been Eiichiro Oda‘s greatest strength and the final moments of this chapter truly solidify that. Yet, we also get a dense chapter filled with some of the series’ best action and some actual character development for a villain, who seemingly was left behind and barely explored outside of the way he took over Wano. The battle between Luffy and Kaido may have done more for the character than the rest of the entire three acts of this storyline.

    If I bring it up, it may be good to start there with a look at this latest chapter. Kaido reveals he had a secret up his sleeve all along. He’s an alcoholic. Okay, technically yes but the point is that alcohol seems to make him unleash most of his abilities. We get some Drunk fu from a man who can turn into a fire-breathing dragon and he is taking it out on Luffy. the different phases showing a personality that he had seemingly hidden away. The Emperor of the Sea is having fun as someone is finally putting up a challenge. His smile also fits perfectly into King’s flashbacks on when he believed he may be Joy Boy.

    Most of the chapter is about this fight, as we get some creative sequences with Kaido switching between the different moves. You can see Luffy smiling at times throughout, and he’s gotten quite creative in how he takes on his enemy. That headbutt looks quite painful and there’s a lot of weight to the events that are unfolding. You can feel every single punch as the battle continues to unfold. It seems uncertain if the fight will truly come to an end in the next few chapters, but we’re definitely in the endgame now.

    The big revelation at the end, however, is the true selling point of this chapter. 1037 randomly moves to the Red Line’s Sacred Marijoa. Suddenly, the Five Elders are discussing a secret Devil Fruit. Something about one that hasn’t awakened in “centuries upon centuries” and even was given a fake name. As this is being discussed, the World Government’s ships are closing in on Wano. Yet, a giant shadow has arrived and is ready to take care of an issue the Straw Hats never realized they had. It’s the giant elephant known as Zunesha, who has been traveling for quite some time to a specific location. Could that have been Wano all along?

    So, the lines on the Devil Fruit seem to imply the awakening has a connection to the giant elegant, but they imply that it hasn’t reached its true power in a long time. Plus, if you think about it: there have been two massive teases in this arc. First, we find out that Who’s Who was supposed to be guarding the Gomu Gomu no Mi, but it ended up getting stolen by the Shank’s crew. Secondly, Kid and Law have revealed they already had their awakenings at some point in time. Last, but certainly not least, the chapter is all about Kaido and Luffy’s fight. So, it seems very possible that Luffy’s original fruit might be hiding a rather curious secret that we’ll find out about in the next few chapters.

  • REVIEW: Usopp Gets His Time to Shine in ‘One Piece’s Chapter 1036

    REVIEW: Usopp Gets His Time to Shine in ‘One Piece’s Chapter 1036

    So, I know I am very late to this chapter and the next one is pretty much already out, but I still wanted to take some time to catch up on One Piece Chapter 1036 after the holidays. This chapter uses its time to give us an epilogue on Zoro’s fight, catch up with everyone throughout the raid as well as set up the return to Luffy and Kaido’s showdown. There’s a lot happening in this entry and just highlights how well Eiichiro Oda manages to juggle every single moving piece throughout the arc.

    Zoro’s takedown is quite brutal, as the man literally lost a piece of his wing as a result. Though, the true loss is highlighted in the flashback to King’s time with a more enthusiastic Kaido. We once again get a reference to Joy Boy, as Oda sets up a curious parallel between these two combatants. Two men who swore to never lose a fight are at the breaking point to define which one would succeed. The declaration of Zorro’s to be “The King of Hell” is a powerful moment and is highlighted by the visuals.

    Though, I love Oda can still keep a powerful moment and add something a bit goofy, such as Zoro being so powerful a swing of his swords can push him right back to the floating island. It’s the same when we return to Yamato, who is still desperately trying to find a way to the armory to ensure that when the island drops it doesn’t blow up Wano. Her new ally Fuga crashing into Rokki is worthy of a new nominee for best One Piece faces.

    There are a few more vignettes that give us quick updates on what is happening, such as Big Mom’s continued onslaught, the battle between Raizo and Fukurokuju, and Orochi enjoying the company of Komurasaki. I’m a little disappointed that Drake was taken down off-screen by CP-0 and hope the set-up from his revelation still gets some build-up at one point, but it seems unlikely for now. Yet, I also thought the same with Apoo and he just keeps getting back up. So, you never know.

    Out of everyone in this chapter – and there are some great character moments – Usopp truly gets to shine in my opinion. It’s such a great moment as he fights a ton of Breast Pirates to protect Kiku and Kinemon. His speech calling out their “leave us behind” mentality is just an incredible showcase of how much character growth he went through. His survivor mentality is also a perfect contrast to the samurai’s honor code, and it truly gives him a moment to stand out with everything happening in the raid. Izo’s appearance is also such a poignant moment, as he unveils the mark that has always remained on his back.

    We’ve finally at the final part of the chapter and it’s finally time to see just how the one-on-one is going between Luffy and Kaido. They say very little once we return to the top of Onigashima, as they are just wailing at each other with all their moves. It’s obvious they are hitting their limit, but the smiles on both faces just highlight the words from King earlier in the chapter. We’ve finally returned to the fight that’ll shake the world as we know it and what a way to lead into it.

  • REVIEW: Zoro Finally Takes Down King in ‘One Piece’ Chapter 1035

    REVIEW: Zoro Finally Takes Down King in ‘One Piece’ Chapter 1035

    Queen is beaten, only King remains. That is how the latest One Piece chapter kicks off, as we see Queen still flying in the air from Sanji’s final kick. The opening of the chapter acts as a nice epilogue from that battle, as we get a cute moment of Sanji making sure that the mouse Chuji is safe and even a callback to his time feeding the poor animals while living under his father’s rule. After everything he went through, it’s nos surprise that he would pass out, but we’re still left wondering how much this fight has cost him.

    Speaking of, Zoro is still in the middle of his battle with King, as Enma continues to drain his Haki at an alarming rate. Yet, he has found a way to control it, as he builds upon his newly awakened Conqueror’s Haki. It also seemed like he figured out the weakness of King’s base abilities, as he is slowly overtaking him. This may be the first time that Zoro is meeting his limit in a fight and it’s great how it balances out the elements that are presented here.

    King turns out to be a man named Alber, who has a similar tattoo to the Skypians we met all those years ago. It looks like he and Kaido were experimented on in Punk Hazard, as Oda sneaks in a small flashback. We get a very different look at the leader of the Beast Pirates, who even had a smile on his face at one point before becoming the guy we meet today. Perhaps his Joy Boy reference earlier on was referencing his own failure.

    The fight is surprisingly simple, as the focus is mainly on the long-awaited reveal of what was hiding behind King’s gimp mask. Right after the revelation on his past, we get a few interesting attacks between the two. Didn’t realize that his sword can shift design to potentially break Zoro’s swords, which he promptly reacts to. It’s interesting that there is a lot of attention given to that very fact before he finally lands a hard-hitting strike on the menacing King.

    He even manages to push him into a corner, which was great to see, as our favorite first mate is forced to figure out how the flames affect the Lunarian’s ability. The final takedown including a dragon made of pure fire inspired by his captain was a great touch, as it highlights Zoro’s ability to cut even fire, which was teased earlier on, but also means that if the first mate can take down a dragon, his captain will manage the exact same. The visual with the Haki-covered swords look amazing, especially on the final page. It looks like he not only broke King’s sword – probably a retaliation on his obsession of breaking his – but even takes out a wing. It’s a fantastic moment to end the chapter on, and here’s hoping we finally see how Luffy’s fight is going in 1036.

  • REVIEW: Sanji Turns Up the Heat in ‘One Piece’ Chapter 1034

    REVIEW: Sanji Turns Up the Heat in ‘One Piece’ Chapter 1034

    Right when you think Eiichiro Oda will showcase Zoro’s power after finally unleashing his Conqueror’s Haki, he once again shifts his interest elsewhere. It highlights how much is truly happening throughout the Onigashima raid and we’re still uncovering the true potential of our Straw Hat pirates. Sanji once again takes over in his battle against Queen, who may have pushed his buttons one last time in chapter 1034.

    Before we get into the ain fight, we catch up quickly with Mononoke, who is still struggling with making use of his newfound dragon powers. He may not be able to make new clouds, but he shows his commitment to saving his country by cleverly pulling the island away from the flower capital. It’s just a brief interlude that helps tie us in on where exactly the raid is heading and also that they have a bit more time to take out the Beast pirates.

    Queen’s quite interesting in this. We know he worked with the Vinsmoke’s in the past but seeing him utilize the same abilities as Sanji’s brothers was a clever trick. It makes the fight even more personal and just adds to Sanji’s fury. There’s a perfect irony in Queen wanting to prove he is stronger to his former ally against the one child that wants nothing to do with any of it. Also, the “no such thing as freedom of speech anymore?!” line was a hilarious and clever touch, Oda.

    I do love Queen as a character. He’s a terrible person but has some of the funniest reactions. The giant robot dino can go invisible but is shocked when Sanji does it. His face just adds that perfect touch to the comedy. Though I was a bit disappointed that it was Queen all along instead of continuing Sanji’s inner conflict on losing control. It made sense but it still is a bit disappointing not to use it so that our Straw Hat chef strengthens his resolve, which he technically did.

    Still, it all built up to that Diable Jambe upgrade now with the fitting name of Ifrit, which might be a name familiar to Final Fantasy and Islamic mythology fans. That final shot feels like the perfect build-up for his attacks, as we get a callback to his fight against Arlong pirate Kuroobi. After an onslaught of attacks, he kicks him with his iconic kick Boeuf Burst with an Ifrit added damage boost. What a way to end the fight against Queen, if it even is the end. Here’ shopping Zoro vs. King returns next.

  • REVIEW: ‘One Piece’ Chapter 1033 Finally Gave Zoro That Moment

    REVIEW: ‘One Piece’ Chapter 1033 Finally Gave Zoro That Moment

    The latest chapters of One Piece were a well-balanced mesh of action, drama, and character development. Sanji was the main act for quite a few chapters due to his conflict of embracing the alterations inflicted upon him by wearing the Germa 66 raid suit. Yet, the latest chapter has fully moved over to Zoro, who’s still in his ongoing conflict with King. Ever since the post-time skip, it seemed he never had a true challenge. So, Eiichiro Oda gave him exactly that in the mysterious Lunarian who seemingly takes each strike without a scratch. Will Zoro finally meet his match?

    Let’s not waste any time and just focus on the biggest aspect of this chapter. Yes, there has been quite a bit of foreshadowing by Kaido and even the anime release, but Zoro finally has unleashed his Conquerors Haki. He has definitely been pushed to his limit and we once again are reminded by Raleigh’s lesson that it is formed through combat. Seeing the underlings of the Beast Pirates foaming at the mouth and seeing the lightning around all three swords is a great visual flair to confirm it. His ambitions have finally broken to the point that he can not only wield Enma – likely turning it into a black blade by the end of this fight – but also solves the question of what a sword curse is all about.

    I love the flashback to Zoro’s time as a kid. Didn’t expect we get an explanation where he got the two swords for his fight against Kuina from, but it’s a nice detail. The introduction of Shimotsuki Kozaburo and confirmation of his connection add a nice layer. Though the hints that Zoro is also a member of the Shimotsuki family due to his father potentially being Ushimaru does raise a few questions. We’ll likely find out more once Onimaru makes their return to the story. For now, we got a confirmation about his backstory set-up a few episodes ago and the mangaka manages to make a joke drawing for one of the swords as a person into an actual character design.

    His opponent, King, is given a lot more weight this time around. A short discussion between Queen and Sanji hints at some kind of underlying weak spot that’ll probably get exploited by Zoro. It makes me wonder if the Lunarian’s “defeat” might be connected to Mihawk that builds up a parallel with his pupil. While great foreshadowing, it does take away from the momentum that we had with Sanji when he kicked Queen full force a few chapters ago. Still, the built-up is strong and Oda will very likely take a detour before getting back to Zoro’s big payoff.

  • REVIEW: ‘Bloody Hel’ by Clay McCormack, Russ Badgett

    REVIEW: ‘Bloody Hel’ by Clay McCormack, Russ Badgett

    Bloody Hel is a book with two of three main elements of a great comic: stellar artwork and a strong ending. Where it appears to be lacking is the writing. There’s a story there, one that can be fantastic if it had the right care and effort. Unfortunately, somewhere along the lines, Bloody Hel becomes unsure of what it wants to be.

    Bloody Hel is a comic that never quite takes flight. It fumbles at takeoff, trying to move between two different stories that eventually intersect. When they come together, Bloody Hel captures the “shattering apocalyptic throwdown” it promises. Epic battles. Stellar artwork. There are plenty of reasons to give Bloody Hel a chance. Especially those who enjoy Norse mythology.

    While not exactly a Thor story, Bloody Hel does a great job handling its presentation of Gods and Ragnarok. The scenes in which characters are forced to make decisions that’ll save them at the cost of hurting others are powerful. In those moments, the characters manage to feel like realized characters. They become more than images on a page.

    The best part of the book, of course, is the artwork. While sticking to two colors – various greens and yellows – the story still manages to pop. The artwork captures the uncertainty and fear promised in the words, while the dialogue is clean, yet loud. Unfortunately, though, the fault lines are evident even with the fantastic artwork.

    That, of course, isn’t to say Bloody Hel isn’t a good read. While it does lose itself midway through, the ending is strong and successfully readies readers for more tales from this world.