Black Science Vol.2 'Welcome, Nowhere'

  

Set adrift in the multiverse of parallel worlds they call the 'Onion' by their sabotaged dimension jumping device known as the 'pillar', what remains of the Anarchist League of Scientists having lost their leader bounce from one horror to another. Unable to control the destination or duration of each jump, their lives in the hands of fate, each world they visit being both weirdly alien and yet strangely familiar. But are the jumps as random as they appeared, or is the pillar making choices, and what damage are they and it doing. It appears where ever they, or their alternative versions, go they bring with them disaster in one form or another, consequently they're welcome nowhere. 

In Black Science Vol.2 'Welcome, Nowhere' Remender continues the fast pace story telling he established in vol.1;  he really knows how to spin a yarn, a master of world creating and character development, of situation and surprise, our protagonists are on one hell of a ride. Scaleras' art is expressive and dynamic, breathing vivid life into Remenders' characters, whilst Whites' choice and use of colour is the final touch of perfection, a feast for the eye. This story just keeps getting better.  (Collects issues 7-11)

Black Science vol1: How to fall forever

Black Science vol1: How to fall forever. Anarchist scientists and egos, a scientific breakthrough which could unlock every thing, every idea, every cure, technological advance, every desire and advantage that humanity could imagine. A door into all conceivable and inconceivable worlds and possibilities. What could go wrong. Well. Lets start with the test run. Our hi octane introduction to Grant McKay etal sets a  tone which continues throughout most of this volume, it's a hell of a read.  A real page turner of a tale.  For my money Rick Remender is one of the best writers the genre has, the complexity of his characters, the believable worlds and scenarios he creates never fail to enthral. He always collaborates with the finest artists too. Matteo Scalera being a good example. Wow. What a fabulous artist, fantastic imagination, lovely line work, wonderfully expressive too. His lines are complemented perfectly by the beautiful painted art of Dean White.  All round a top read. (collects issues 1-6)

Low Vol 2: Before the dawn burns us

 

Low continues to enthral.  Volume two: Before the dawn burns us collecting issues 7-10, sees Stel continuing her mission to the surface in pursuit of hope fulfilled, a returned probe to an Earth running out of time. Her optimism tried, though intact. With Stel the others who'd escaped Rolns' arena, a motley crew, all with pasts of their own. Rick Remender's one hell of a writer creating a believable world, a scenario with strong echoes of our own and interesting nuanced characters you get invested in; and as for Greg Tocchini art, well, it continues to be something else, dynamic and expressive lines bringing Remenders' world to life vividly, in a lovely rich palette capturing the mood of different environments perfectly. A graphic where you battle between hanging on a page for the art and turning it for the story. A great read. 

Low Vol.1: The Delirium of Hope

 

Man! What a stellar graphic. Low, Volume one: The Delirium of Hope collects issues 1-6. Old now, the original comic run began back in 2014, new to me though. Masterfully written by one of the genres finest scribes Rick Remender, it's a hell of a tale. The main protagonist is a die-hard optimist in a world which really doesn't warrant it. Set on a future Earth being slowly consumed by our expanding Sun, and with humanity reduced to a handful of great cities deep in the oceans, searching the stars for hope, waiting for a reply. A dystopian world, where humanity has lost itself as it lost hope, drifting into baseness. Spoiler, it's not full of laughs, it's a gritty, brutal tale of a clock ticking, and of hope keep getting a kicking and getting up again smiling, well, not smiling. Perfectly paced prose coupled with phenomenal illustration drive a captivating story. The art of Greg Tocchini is something else. At first a little disorientating due to the busyness of the panels and freeness of style, but once attuned, wow, gorgeous lines, dynamic and expressive, and a wonderful palette and use of colour. Tocchinis' panels are sensational. Such a good read.

Thanos Rising

 

Bloody good read this one. 2013's 'Thanos Rising' charts Marvels' big purple villain from his disturbing birth, through his troubled formative years and his journey towards the merciless Titan that destiny would have him become, no matter how hard he tried. Strong stuff. Dark themes for a dark character, they don't call him the 'Mad Titan' for nothing. He's clearly not right. Compellingly written by Jason Aaron you almost feel sorry for Thanos at times, only almost though; and as for the illustration, well, Simone Bianchis' work is never not gorgeous, and it's made even more so by fantastic colour artists Simone Peruzzi and Ive Svorcina. As I say, bloody good read.

 

New X Men - E is for Extinction

 

With Cassandra Nova reportedly the villain in Deadpool 3, I though I'd reacquaint myself with her by revisiting 2001s' superb New X Men run by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely; I'd quite forgotten what a rancorous malevolent force she is, her origin story's surprising if not shocking too; and she's powerful. I'll say no more though, as the twists and turns are best read spoiler free; hell of a romp. Frank Quitely's one of my favourite artists with a unique style and wonderful lines which hold the gaze, and Morrison has always been a solidly good writer, when paired they create damn good reading. This is X men done well.

The Incal: Psychoverse

 

The Incal: Psychoverse, a prequel to legendary 'The Incal' by Jodorowsky and Moebius is a stupendous new romp through a familiar universe. Written and illustrated by contemporary artists, it's done so well, with such love and reverence for the source material that it's near seamless in aesthetic. Wonderfully written by Mark Russell and beautifully illustrated and coloured by Yanick Paquette and Dave McCaig respectively it's a joy to read, and a damn sight easier to follow. The tale of universes at war, of mad nuns on a mission and an insight into events that led to the events of the The Incal. It's a hell of a bonkers ride too, with is the Metabaron, Kill Wolfhead, and of course private investigator and space chump John Difool driving the story. Apparently there are more graphics set around the characters, worlds and events surrounding The Incal, and if they're as good as this, well.

Legion Son of X: Invasive Exotics (X Men Legacy)

 

He's going to keep his fathers' dream alive, though going to do it 'his' way. Following the untimely death of his father Professor Charles Xavier, David Charles Haller known in certain circles as Legion continues to follow his path towards redemption, whilst wrangling control of the myriad powers running rampant in his head and pursuing a relationship with his new found love Blindfold, a student at The Jean Grey School. And there's still the issue of the powerful and frightening interloper lurking in the shadows of his mind, who is it, what it's game? Full of twists, turns and surprises Legion Son of X: Invasive Exotics (X Men Legacy) by Simon Spurrier, Tan Eng Huat and Paul Davidson is a fabulous read. Superb writing by Spurrier, who portrays David in an unusually sympathetic way, an engaging story, witty and clever, and one which ensures this volume is a real page turner, though Huat and Davidsons' lovely illustrations keep you lingering on the page. Oh the dilemma.

Mycelium Wassonii: Norma Tenega by Brian Blomerth

Recently a friend of mine kindly lent me a copy of Brian Blomerths' Mycelium Wassonii: Norma Tenega. Beautifully illustrated in Blomerths' 60's 70's underground comic stylee it enjoys an engaging quaintness and tells the psychedelic adventures of pioneering mycologists R. Gordon and Valentina Wasson  and their expeditions to discover rare psychedelic mushrooms, indigenous mushroom rituals and exploring their effects. It's a really lovely story, sad, but definitely lovely.  A recommended read for both comic and mushroom lover alike.

The Light and Darkness War by Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy

 

I've been after reading this for years, The Light and Darkness War by Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy. Way back in the late 80's I read the first issue (1of 6), though subsequent issues alluded me, I've always kept my eye for those other issues. I was initially drawn by the Cam Kennedys' art work; Kennedy was a favourite of mine from Legendary British Scifi comic 2000AD, particularly his work on 'The VC's' and 'Rogue Trooper', and Veitchs' story immediately captured my imagination.  Until recently I'd been completely unaware that Titan had released a collected edition in 2015, sumptuous it is too, hardback, with plenty of extras. Lazarus Jones, a door gunner on a slick over Vietnam, had lost his legs in an explosion that took the lives comrades. Years of PTSD, alcohol and drug abuse lead him to wish he'd died with his friends. Returning from a visit to Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall Jones is involved in car crash that leaves him in a coma, transporting him to a dimension where his friends are alive and fighting for light in an eternal battle with all consuming darkness. A timeless theme cleverly re-imagined, and much more too, delivered through gritty and direct art, and well written characters. I wasn't disappointed.

Legion Son of X: Prodigal (X Men Legacy)

What a fabulous graphic, Legion Son of X Prodigal (X Men Legacy) by Simon Spurrier, Tan Eng Huat and Jorge Molina. Legion (David Charles Haller) is the omega level mutant son of X Men mentor Charles Xavier, and he's quite the character, and quite quite unstable too, which has led to incidents in the past. Wonderfully written by Spurrier and beautifully illustrated by Huat and Molina we find Legion hidden away in the Himalayas, where under the tutelage of a mystic he's created a prison in his mind to house his multiple personalities, can he control them and their various individual powers though? Legion wants to be better, and he's being called for help, this may be an opportunity to start on that new path; but something’s not right, and who's that in the shadows of his mind? And then there's the X Men. It's a real page turner.

Regal fail

There was nothing regal about either of these deliveries through Royal Mail. Yesterday I received a vinyl album package marked 'Fragile' with a chunk taken out of it; the outer sleeve was mauled and effectively ruined, lovely artwork too, and the inner sleeve was ripped, though thankfully the vinyl itself was unscathed and played perfectly. Good job too, as the album has sold out! Unbelievable. Then this morning  another package arrived, a graphic novel I'd sough. My package arrived inside a cable tied Royal Mail bag, no explanation or ought, the package in the bag covered in goo, upon opening the inner package I found the afore mentioned goo had leaked inside.... and graphic novel too had been ruined whilst in the care of the Royal Mail! Pretty rubbish.

Sentient by Jeff Lemire and Gabriel Walta

I read a lot of comics and graphics, and thoroughly enjoy them all, they're one of my means of escape, comics are my bag, I love 'em. Though occasionally I come across one's that stand out, which just grab you, real gems, 'Sentient' by Jeff Lemire and Gabriel Walta is one of those gems. Ostensibly a simple story, though really much more, very cleverly written by Jeff Lemire, well, he's got form for great writing, hasn’t he. I don't want to give too much away, so simply, it's a story of children on a ship carrying families to an outer colony, and their interaction with the ships AI. As I say, it's cleverly written, leading you to think you understand what's going on and what's going to happen, before showing you, you don't. This illustrations too by Gabriel Walta are beautifully executed, very nice lines, expressive faces and the measured use of subtle colours are perfect for conveying the story. I consumed all 163 pages with gusto, and was left wanting more. A recommended read.

https://www.comicextra.com/comic/sentient

Moon Knight 'Lunatic'

What's Khonshu up to? Has Marc Spector lost his mind...again? Master writer Jeff Lemire puts the Moon Knight through the mangle, reuniting him with friends, and taking the character on a nightmare journey through his various persona’s and the fractured worlds of his mind and of Khonshu's creation, where what's real and what's fantasy merge, putting his life and sanity on the line. Greg Smallwood's lines do Lemire's words justice and as always Jordie Bellaire's colours are the cherry on top of the glorious cake. Lunatic is great reading. If you like Moon Knight then you'll love this, more so if you're versed in his history as there are character references that go well back, if you don't know the character or his background then this might be a touch confusing...though, maybe not, I'm lending my copy to a friend to read who hasn't read Moon Knight before, so I'll find out.

Saga Vols. 4 to 6

I've just binge read volumes 4 through 6 of Saga, and it just keeps getting better as the characters, universe and story grows and unfolds. Written masterfully by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated beautifully by Fiona Staples, it far exceeds most of it's contemporaries in consistency and quality, and really is a graphic masterpiece. The story continues to engage and moves at just the right pace, not rushing the story, nor not getting bogged down. If you don't know the story. It's a story as old as stories get, boy and girl from different warring sides meet, one has horns the other wings, they fall in love and everybody's pissed off about it. Vaughan tells it in such an original and imaginative way, and Staples illustrates it sumptuously, every page is a visual feast of line and colour. It never fails to surprise, and often shocks. The universe Vaughan and Staples have created is complexed and colourful, a universe engaged in an ages old war, every star system and race enlisted, a universe where technology and magic blend seamlessly. When our main protagonists fall in love and have a child (Hazel), the entrenched sides see the offspring of their union as an abomination rather than a blessing. I'm tickled that the afore mentioned main protagonists bonded and built a relationship, a dream, over a pulp book by underrated writer Mister Heist; inspiration can come from anywhere. The characters have depth and originality, you just accept them, no matter how weird or outlandish. You accept that Prince Robot IV is essentially a human with a tv screen head, there's a cat that knows if you're lying and a spectral half bodied girl Izabel is a member of the family; it's a wonderfully rich universe populated by endlessly weird characters. These 3 volumes continue telling the story through Hazel's narration, of her recollections and perspective. There's separation, reunion and loss, there's sadness and humour, good helpings of humour both in the writing and the illustrations. There's soap opera shenanigans, drugs, bounty hunters looking for revenge, revolutionaries, deception, loyalty, sacrifice and a quest for healing monster jizz.  I can't go into any detail without giving spoilers. So, you're just going to have to read them yourself. And hey, you'd be mad not to, this is comics at their best.

Seven to Eternity, Vol. 1 The God of Whispers

Image are really on a roll at the moment, publishing one fantastic title after another. One of their latest is 'Seven to Eternity Vol.1, The God of Whispers' written by Rick Remender (whose current projects I'm absolutely loving), who has created another world, grim and gritty, rich with strange and complex characters and set against a backdrop of magic, paranoia and fear. A world where through granting desires a brutal god king has eyes and ears in every home. A world where not to listen to this god king's offers or accept them will lead to destruction and death. The choices are limited for dying Adam Osidis, head of an outcast family, though that could all change, everything could change. Magic, mysticism and honour run through what could become an epic tale. Rick Remender's writing is stellar, fantastic plot and sub-plots, engaging dialogue and it travels at a good pace too. Jerome Opeña's artwork is just bloody lovely! Detailed, expressive, emotive, really nice lines, man. And, the colouring by Matt Hollingsworth  brings it all to vivid life, he's used his pallet to great effect. All round Seven to Eternity Vol.1, The God of Whispers is outstanding in every aspect.

Black Science Vol.2 Welcome Nowhere

I was given the first volume of Black Science 'How to fall forever' by a friend and was first struck by Matteo Scalera's artwork it has an old skool 2000AD feel to it and is beautifully coloured by Dean White who uses a vibrant pallet to bring Scalera's expressive art to vivid life. The Story written by Rick Remender is a sort of 'Quantum leap' style affair, with a group, The Anarchist League of Scientists, set adrift in a multiverse of parallel worlds by a damaged 'Pillar' (the machine which transports them), unable to control where they end up, though hoping for home. Each world is weirdly alien and yet structurally understandable, and they only have so long before they jump to the next. Volume one set the scene and some of the background (I really should have written a review of it, it's very complicated and moved fast, and without it anything I write now about the story beyond the bones would mean nothing to you). Now volume two 'Welcome, Nowhere' runs with it. The remains of the team find themselves in world which seeks the 'key' to the 'Pillar' to enable it's use, different versions of some of the protagonists appear each following their own agendas and purpose, as the bigger picture comes into focus and maybe the 'Pillar's' jumps are not as random as they appeared. Remender creates a rich and weird story, which Scalera populates with the weirdest of creatures and with White's colours the whole things a bit of a visual trip and a touch disorientating at times as you look and think 'urgh?'. It's all cool, mind, it makes sense. The dialogue moves the story on well and at a pace, and the art ensures you feel it. What a cracking read. I shall be seeking out volume three, for sure!  

Renato Jones, The One%, season 1 by Kaare Kyle Andrews

Kaare Kyle Andrews has created a masterpiece, it's just perfect. Beautifully illustrated with stylish line work which is expressive and so compliments the writing, which hits its target square on.  A sidewinder up the tailpipe of the establishment, the One%. Our 'hero' Renato Jones, when a young child, is plucked from one cesspool of corruption and placed duplicitously into another, though quite different cesspool. He learns quickly that everything costs, everything has a price, and he already has a large tab. The One% of the story are that 'One%', you know the ones. They're shown in a less than flattering light, though one that I imagine, in some cases at least, is justified and probably not too far off the truth. We are not human to them. The topics in Kaare's work are pertinent and reflect the growing dissonances in society, inequality is becoming ingrained and the few live like gods, beyond all laws, untouchable. Something needs to be done and Renato Jones has a plan.  I can't say any more for fear of saying too much, read it!  Renato Jones, The One%, is a cracking read, fantastically written and illustrated, a real page turner. I can't wait for season 2.

Hawkeye Vol: 5 All-New Hawkeye

I've been enjoying Marvels current Hawkeye run, now even more so. In Hawkeye Vol: 5 All-New Hawkeye,  Jeff Lemire (Writer) and Ramón Pérez (Artist) have taken the tale of the understated Avenger to a new level. Jeff Lemire's writing first class, as he weaves past and present seamlessly.  In part a Hawkeye origins story, a story of Hawkeye's troubled childhood with brother Barney, getting the Hawkeye name and of choosing his path, and then in the present the Hawkeyes (Clint and Kate) current mission to retrieve a weapon from Hydra which turns out not to be that simple and throws up some conflicts of ideas. As is the way, nothing is straight forward, not even the motives of Shield. Clint and Kate find themselves at odds with their enemy, their employer and each other. Moving between past and present we see connections, not in events, but of choices and lost childhoods. Though for me the real highlight is Ramón Pérez's artwork. For the past segments of the story Pérez delivers some stunning water colour panels, which are beautifully coloured by Ian Herring, and for the present does a pretty good facsimile (using his own style) of Aja's work on the first four volumes, with Herring using simple block colours, as Matt Hollingsworth does for Aja. The art is really so good. If you like the Hawkeye character, you'll love this volume, if you're not really sure what his shtick is or who he is, this volume would be a nice introduction to his origins. I look to vol: 6 Hawkeyes, which is by the same creative team.

Moon Knight

From the same creative team that brought us 'Injection', Warren Ellis, Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire, comes 'Moon Knight - From the Dead. Moon Knight remained quite a mysterious character to me, having seen him appear only as a cameo in other stories rather than ever reading any dedicated 'Moon Knight' stories.  From this volume, I gather I've been missing an interesting character. Moon Knight is Marc Spector, a mercenary who whilst looting an archaeological dig in Egypt dies at the foot of a statue of the god Khonshu after trying to protect the people his group are looting from.  He's returned to life by Khonshu as Khonshu's earthly avatar, and after returning to America, in an attempt at redemption, becomes a crime-fighter. That's really only the origin of the character, there's much much more in his development, alter egos, mental illness, all sorts, he appears a very complicated and conflicted character under his cool exterior.  Although this volume assumes you know his long and complicated back story (which I do not), it still works well as a stand alone introduction to the character, and for me, left me wanting more.  This is a collection of short, issue long, stories with Moon Knight employed by the Police to solve some mysterious and eerie crimes (it's a bit tripped out in places), there's also an overarching sun plot. The writing is high quality, it would be, it's Warren Ellis! Though the dialogue is kept to a minimal, with the stories really being delivered through the art. The art and colouring are beautiful and carry the stories with ease. I love the way Moon Knight is depicted in black and white, whereas the rest of the story is rendered in glorious colour.  It really works. I've read it twice in a couple of weeks and was captivated by it both times. It's certainly left me with a hunger to read more Moon Knight.