[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Publisher: Gold Key Comics
Writers: Michael W. Conrad, Kraig Rasmussen and Matt Harding
Art and Colors: Kelly Williams, Kraig Rasmussen and Rachel Allen Everett
Letters: Kyle Arends

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

The Where House reveals more secrets from Boris Karloff’s life and fate along with a couple mystery/ horror tales that evoke an era past.

Positives

Very often today’s comic reading is centered on the continuing tales of favorite characters, and in the hey dey of Gold Key Comics there were many titles that told stories to simply entertain that didn’t require connecting with a hero, heroine, villain or villainess.  Boris Karloff’s Gold Key Mysteries #2 manages to do both.  Whether it’s the continuing saga of Boris Karloff in “Where House Pt.2,” “Trenchfoot,” or “The Town With A Million Eyes,” these stories ENTER-TAIN.  The slogan is right there on the front of the issue, “Story Never Dies.”  While “Where House Pt. 2” continues from last issue as this atmospheric offering from Michael W. Conrad and Kelly Williams imagines how the actor Boris Karloff could be the host of all these strange and disturbing tales, “Trenchfoot,” and “The Town With a Million Eyes” are both classic horror short stories like one would’ve found in the original Gold Key’s Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery which in turn grew out of the horror genre made infamous by EC Comics in the 1950’s.

Conrad’s second person narration on “Where House” is unconventional but it helps create the feeling of uneasiness as the reader takes on Karloff’s experiences from his/ her own point of view.  This contributes to the atmosphere that is consistent throughout the issue.  It’s the one thing that a horror/ mystery book like this has to get right, and Boris Karloff’s Gold Key Mysteries #2 succeeds unequivocally in this regard.  Williams art on the lead story supplies equally menacing visuals, and Kraig Rasmussen’s jarring colors in “Trenchfoot” make the experience of being gassed seem truly trippy.

“The Town With A Million Eyes” comes off like a story from The Twilight Zone.  You can guess that it’s not going to end well for the protagonist, but because the desire for freedom is so strong in humanity, the reader identifies  with Jenna’s desire to be free of her captor- no matter the cost.  Rachel Allen Everett sells Jenna’s commitment to escaping just as she sells Jenna’s captor’s desire to keep her safe because he/she/it loves Jenna.

Negatives

It’s hard to find a negative, as Boris Karloff ‘s Gold Key Mysteries #2 actually comes across a little bit stronger than the first issue.  The fact that we probably won’t see Jenna again is slightly disappointing because…I mean…what happens next?!?!?!  It can’t end like THAT, Matt Harding!

Verdict

Like comics published by Ahoy Comics with which this title shares a kindred spirit, Boris Karloff’s Gold Key Mysteries #2 is entertaining and nostalgic, but also modern.  With this issue it’s clear that there’s a lot of mileage in the concept and as a vehicle for comics in the mystery/ horror genre.  Not everything has to be superheroes, and this title provides something different while also being comforting and familiar.

The post Indie Comics Review: Boris Karloff’s Gold Key Mysteries #2 appeared first on DC Comics News.

Writer: Dan Slott
Artists: Christopher Jones & Matthew Dow Smith, Mike Collins
Color Artists: Charlie Kirchoff & Mariane Gusmão
Letterer: Richard Starkings / Comicraft

Reviewed by: Steve J. Ray

Summary

Doctor Who: Once Upon A Timelord was originally announced as a fall release for 2022. While the year-long wait has been agonizing, after reading it I’m glad that Titan Comics waited until the Doctor’s 60th Anniversary month and year to release it. Why? The answers are many and varied.

Positives

The decision to release this comic at a time when David Tennant’s returning to our TV screens, as the new 14th Doctor, is a stroke of genius. Not only is he one of the most beloved actors to play the character, there can be no denying that his adventures, and the entire Doctor Who era under the stewardship of Russell T. Davies, re-invigorated the franchise and, as such, is now seen as one of the greatest DW runs of all time.

Now I have to talk about about Dan Slott. While fandom remains divided about his 10-plus-year run on Spider-Man (and he’s back, folks) I’ve been a huge fan of his work since Batman Adventures Vol. 2  (2003-2004), and Batman: Arkham Asylum: Living Hell (2003). Slott is the writer whose work brought me back to the web-slinger (after the pointless and completely unnecessary horrors Marvel inflicted upon Peter and Mary Jane). Yes, I actually stopped reading the adventures of my second favorite comic book character (after Batman/the Bat Family) until Dan took over as writer.

Reading interviews with Mr. Slott, leading up to this fantastic comic, it turns out that he fell in love with Doctor Who at the same time (and with the same Doctor and companions) as I did; Tom Baker, Lis Sladen, and Ian Marter (the fourth Doctor, Sarah-Jane Smith, and Harry Sullivan). His love for the Doctor Who universe (Whoniverse?) shines from every line in this story.

Like the wonderful Jody Houser, Slott has an ear for dialogue and the beats of how a character speaks, which really resonates. His Martha Jones, Rose Tyler, Ninth and Tenth Doctors, to me, “sound” exactly like Freema Agyeman, Billie Piper, Christopher Eccleston, and David Tennant. That’s not an easy thing to do, and many other writers haven’t been able manage it.

I’m a lifelong Doctor Who super-fan, I own DVDs of all the existing episodes (right back to 1963) all the ones that have been recreated in animation, and all of “NuWho”, too. This show’s in my DNA and I love it completely and unapologetically. Doctor Who: Once Upon A Timelord reads like the Tenth Doctor’s greatest hits, and feels like a 60th-anniversary special all of its own.

The truth is, this comic features a ton of characters from the RTD/10th Doctor era, including a few surprise ones used in clever and unexpected ways. The second story, “Rhyme Or Reason”, even brings back some Fifth Doctor villains! This comic is thrilling, funny, scary, clever, and super entertaining… just like the TV show it’s inspired by. Dan Slott loves Doctor Who, and this wonderful comic proves it.

Christopher Jones is one of those artists whose work I’ll buy whenever I see his name on the cover. He’s working with Matthew Dow on the first story in the book, “Firelight”. The tale begins and ends in the “Real World”, in the vintage, clean, sharp, gorgeous Jones style, while the central story, Martha’s tale, is edgy, scratchy, and mysterious. The overall effect really works. As always, Jones is also a master at capturing actors’ likenesses, smiles, and quirks. The different visuals used to tell Martha’s story to the new (and absolutely awesome) villains, the Pyromeths, really sets the two sides of the tale apart. This book looks fabulous.

Color artists, Charlie Kirchoff and Mariane Gusmão, also deliver the goods. The effects surrounding the ever-burning villains are very effective, and the space and story time colors are cosmic and ethereal, while the real world parts of the tale are grounded and feel very natural. Great work, team!

The second offering in the issue, “Rhyme Or Reason”, gives us a previously untold story featuring the Ninth Doctor and Rose. It’s drawn by Doctor Who (and comics in general, if we’re being honest) veteran, Mike Collins. I love Mike’s art, and own a veritable ton of it; going all the way back to his work in Marvel UK’s Captain Britain and his earliest strips for Doctor Who Magazine. When it comes to the Doctor (whatever he/she/they look like this year) and all his companions, Mike can do no wrong (in my humble opinion).

Finally, we come to the reigning King of Letterers, (as well as an amazing writer and editor in his own right) and his unparalleled studio, Comicraft. Richard Starkings is the maestro, a legend, and in a league of his own. Plus, he’s one of the nicest people on this planet or any other. If you buy any comic or graphic novel that has his name on it or is lettered by him, or any of the fine talents at Comicraft, you can be 100% certain that you’re picking up an item of true quality.

Negatives

I’ve been waiting a year for this… but it was SO worth it.

Verdict

Doctor Who: Once Upon A Timelord deserves its place on every Whovians bookshelf. It’s a fast-paced powerhouse of a tale that’s beautifully illustrated and incredibly well written. The twists and turns, Slott’s love of the English language (and his ability to poke fun at it), his brilliant takes on the TARDIS’ translation circuits, the clever twist at the end of “Firelight” and the way he even clearly tells readers where this comic fits in the Doctor Who timeline, are all impeccably handled.

Not only will I be buying a physical copy when this book comes out, but I may have to get all three covers. Yes indeed, this comic’s a winner.

Images Courtesy of Titan Comics

The post Indie Comics Review: Doctor Who: Once Upon A Timelord appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Publisher: Gold Key Comics
Writers: Michael W. Conrad, Steve Orlando, Craig Hurd-McKenney
Art: Kelly Williams, Jok, Artyon Trakhanov, 
Colors: Williams, Jok and Sergey Nazarov
Letters: Kyle Arends

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Gold Key Comics relaunches with a new Mystery/ Horror anthology based on one of its classic Silver Age titles.  Boris Karloff provides the terror in this first issue!

Positives

You may never have heard of Gold Key Comics, but you may know some of their characters: Magnus- Robot Fighter, Doctor Solar- Man of the Atom?  If not, know that Gold Key was a smaller comic company that published a wide range of comics from 1962 to 1984.  They published titles in almost every genre, funny animal, adventure, super-hero, mystery/ horror, fantasy, science fiction, television and other licensed characters including the first ever Star Trek comics.  Now, with a renewed vigor the company is back under new ownership with Boris Karloff’s Gold Key Mysteries #1.  For older readers this is a call back to a time when the comic book spinner rack had a wide variety of titles, and well, when there was a spinner rack!  Gold Key Comics may not have technically been the best, but they were unique and often different.  They certainly had their own sense about them.  Above all there was something special about them.  Even to this day, it’s hard not to pick up a Gold Key if you see it for a good deal.  They are fun comics that are indicative of a different era of comics.

This inaugural issue begins with a clever framing sequence by Michael W. Conrad and Kelly Williams.  The story of the “Where House” is both a fun play on words (“warehouse”) as well as a tribute to the original Gold Key title from which this new title descends.  Gold Key published Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery from 1962-1980 totaling 97 issues!  (The first two were under the title Boris Karloff Thriller mimicking the name of the TV show that inspired it.) Boris Karloff was perhaps the most famous horror movie actor of the 20th century starring in numerous films, most notably as the monster of Frankenstein and the Mummy in the Universal Studios film franchises that began in the 1930’s. 

Positives Cont’d

Conrad and Williams weave a tale of a house that mysteriously appears out of nowhere that certain government? agencies can’t make sense of.  The surprise ending features our host, Mr. Karloff who as you may have expected is “warehousing” these stories for us.  In the original Gold Key series, Karloff was the host and narrator of the stories and this first offering in the new volume homages that beautifully.  Cleverly, this framing tale wraps up the issue with the reveal of the nature of the Where House.

The art by Kelly is wonderfully dark, mysterious and moody.  It fits the tone perfectly.  The art in the rest of the issue is equally evocative.  The style here is not the traditional super-hero style, but rather varied approaches that fit the individual tales creating specific atmospheres and mood.  All three stories are enhanced by the expressive nature of the art as the freedom to experiment and exaggerate fits perfectly into the concept of the anthology.

Positives Cont’d

“My Twin No More” by McKenney and Jok takes a page from The Picture of Dorian Gray, only it’s not a painting.  It’s a clever approach that is reminiscent of the stories found in Ahoy Comics’ Edgar Allan Poe series.  It’s also a pretty gruesome concept that leans into the horror.  As a restaurant manager in my day job I found a little more humor in “Cherry” than was likely intended, especially since at one point I worked for what is probably the real world equivalent of “Appleseed’s.”  The detail in the twist is evidence that Steve Orlando has done his research on the cherry pit.

The cover is by Johnny Dombrowski and it is everything the cover to this first issue should be.  We’ve got Boris Karloff with his tome of horrific tales in hand with appropriate smoking candelabra, lightning in the window and faces from the ancient gallery on the wall.  Dombrowski has just enough retro in it to get the nostalgia started with a glance at the cover.

Negatives

If there’s a negative, it’s that this issue felt too short despite it being a full 32 pages of story and art.  Look, ma- NO ADS!  This issue could easily have been 64 pages.  Now, ads in the old Gold Key Comics are fun to look at still and as a kid back then they were always very different than what was in Marvel or DC.  Although, the Hostess Pies with Marvel and DC heroes would show up when the titles were under the Whitman Comics imprint of Western Publishing. (That’s another story entirely!)  Also, Gold Key Comics would also have the full cover art on the back cover without any text.  If you miss this check out any Ahoy Comics issue, and ask Tom Peyer about why Ahoy Comics does that.  The back cover to Boris Karloff’s Gold Key Mysteries #1 is, however, an appropriate memorial of Boris Karloff.

Verdict

Horror, nostalgia, comics history, clever storytelling and evocative art are all present in Boris Karloff’s Gold Key Mysteries #1.  It’s fun, it’s dark and a little gruesome.  Perfect for the Halloween season or anytime you just want a little dread in your life.  It’s entertaining as well as an exciting re-start for Gold Key Comics!

The post Indie Comics Review: Boris Karloff’s Gold Key Mysteries #1 appeared first on DC Comics News.

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Hayden Sherman

Color Artist: Ronda Pattison

Letterer: AndWorld Design

Reviewed by Steve J. Ray

Published by IDW – ISBN 9781684059614

Available from Penguin Random House

Summary

Legendary writer Scott Snyder presents DARK SPACES – a thrilling new anthology series exploring our deepest fears of the unknown, beginning in the smoldering hills of California in DARK SPACES: WILDFIRE!”

Six weeks into the slow burn of the historic Arroyo Fire, a crew of women from an inmate firefighting program are risking everything on the frontlines, when their newest recruit – a white-collar convict with a deep network of shady dealers – discovers they’re mere miles from her crooked former associate’s abandoned mansion.

 

When she proposes a plan to abandon their duties and hunt for riches under cover of smoke and ash, the team must decide if they’re ready to jeopardize their one sure path back to normalcy for a shot at a score that would truly change their lives…but is this a flicker of fortune, or a deadly trap?

 

Scott Snyder and breakout artist Hayden Sherman craft an unforgettable heist for a new age in Dark Spaces: Wildfire, a collection of the five-issue debut of Scott Snyder’s Dark Spaces anthology series!

Positives

This five-issue mini-series from the end of 2022 features one of the best stories I’ve read this year. It was created by one of the best (and nicest) writers on the planet, along with an art team that has pulled together to create something so fresh and original, that it’s left me craving more.

I’ve had the distinct privilege of interviewing Scott Snyder twice, most recently at the 2022 Thought Bubble convention. He is a man who loves his craft, his fans, and the comic book business as a whole. While he’s primarily known for writing dark fantasy, horror, and a few stories about a certain Caped Crusader, Dark Spaces: Wildfire is unlike any Scott Snyder story I’ve read before. First of all, there are no monsters, no aliens, and no super-powered, spandex-clad, musclebound heroes in sight. What we do have is five women who feel, act, and speak like real, honest-to-goodness human beings. It’s wonderful.

I’m also a huge fan of Hayden Sherman, having fallen in love with their work on the sublime sci-fi series, Wasted Space. When I heard that this new story would be a collaboration between Hayden and Scott I knew I’d be getting a brilliantly written tale that would also look fantastic. What I wasn’t expecting was that the art in Wildfire is also unlike any Hayden Sherman art I’ve seen before. Once again, we’re getting work from an artist that I hugely admire, but it’s also new, fresh, and deliciously different.

Throw in some gorgeous color work by Ronda (TMNT!) Pattison and letters by industry giant, AndWorld Design, and what we get is a cinematic crime thriller, featuring some of the best characters ever.

Picture five inmates, a team of women fighting fires. They’re prisoners working for next to nothing, putting their lives on the line, and trying to make a difference, when an opportunity arises that could change their fates forever. This story has a ton of action, brilliant dialogue, and a cast of characters to rival a Hollywood blockbuster. These women are brave, loyal, and heroic, but some of them have pasts and secrets which come back to burn them all… quite literally. This is a story about camaraderie, crime, and a fight for survival.

Negatives

The one problem I have with this collected edition is that it was so good that I devoured it all in one sitting. This does the story an injustice. I really wish I’d known about this series earlier and read it as it came out, episodically. While that’s not usually how I like to read comics (I frequently wait until a mini-series ends before I read it), I do know, because the individual chapters all contain some of the best cliffhangers ever, that reading this series monthly would’ve been torture. However, the twists, the payoff, and the character development work better when they have a chance to sink in.

Please, don’t misunderstand me, though, I strongly urge everyone out there to buy this collection. What I will ask you to do though, is not to read it all in one sitting as I did. This will be hard, because it’s a real page-turner, but the effect will be a lot better if you try to just read a chapter a day.

Verdict

Dark Spaces: Wildfire is a fantastic piece of work. I fell in love with these characters and would love to read more about them. Yes, this story is completely self-contained, and you don’t need to read anything before or after it (although I’m sure that you’ll want to). There’s scope for a follow-up too, and I’d love to meet all these ladies again. That’s the sign of a story well told.

This book has a brilliant premise, solid characters, gorgeous art, and will stand up to multiple re-reads. In fact, it’s so good that I’d like a movie adaptation… and a sequel, please.

This is an action-adventure/drama/heist caper like no other. Highly recommended and available right now, wherever books and comics are sold.

Images Courtesy of IDW Publishing. Review copy courtesy of IDW, Penguin Random House, and the creative team.

The post Book Review: Dark Spaces: Wildfire appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artist: Stefano Simeone

Colours: Stefano Simeone

Letters: Nate Piekos

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Reviewed By: Derek McNeil

Summary

The Last Days of Black Hammer: The Last Days of Black Hammer details the heroics of Joe Weber–the original hero known as Black Hammer–at the height of his power, along with the rest of the main Black Hammer heroes like Golden Gail, Abraham Slam, and Barbalien in the final days leading up their cataclysmic battle with the cosmic villain Anti-God and their imprisonment on the limbo farm!

Positives

When Black Hammer and his allies fought the cosmic villain Anti-God, this event, known as the Cataclysm, sparked the events of the Jeff Lemire’s Black Hammer series. The Cataclysm’s effect were also felt in many of Lemire’s sequel and spin-off series. Thus, we have seen this defining event referenced and retold from various viewpoints. Now Lemire finally presents the Cataclysm and the events leading up to it in detail.

Unlike Lemire’s previous Black Hammer projects, The Last Days of Black Hammer wasn’t released in print as individual issues. Rather, it first appeared on his Substack, and this trade collection is its first print release. Although I’m not opposed to paying for a subscription to his Substack, I am happy for the opportunity to add a physical copy to my collection of Black Hammer collected editions.

Lemire uses an interesting conceit for the chapters of this book. While the collection is titled as The Last Days of Black Hammer, each chapter is presented as the final four issues (#234 to #237) of a fictional Black Hammer comic starring  Joe Weber, the original Black Hammer. These issues are ostensibly from 1986, complete with the Dark Horse Comics logo of the era. Oddly enough, if these issues really existed in 1986, they would have been among the publisher’s first offerings, giving that Dark Horse was founded that same year.

The first chapter starts with the heroes defeating an alien invasion. However, during the Battle, Joe sees a vision of his dead body floating in the Para-Zone. Later in the issue, Colonel Weird takes Joe on a visit to the Para-Zone, confirming this as his fate. This raises the question of whether or not one can avoid their fate. Sadly, it isn’t possible in this case. For us readers of the previous Black Hammer books, Joe’s death has already happened. His death is predestined to happen as shown here.

Positives Cont.

Following the alien invasion, Abraham Slam and Golden Gail retire. Joe decides to follow their example, hoping to avoid his fate as well as to spend more time with his family. But Starlok, the cosmic being who gave Joe his powers, refuses to accept Joe’s resignation, declaring that it’s his inescapable destiny. However, Joe refuses to obey and fights his destiny by giving his hammer and the name of Black Hammer to a successor.

It’s been well-established in the main Black Hammer series and in Colonel Weird: Cosmagog that Randall weird does not experience time in a linear fashion. He flits back and forth among various points in his timeline. And he is cursed with seeing the entire picture of how events must play out. This leaves him frequently confused about which point in time he is in, and explains his tenuous grasp on sanity.

But it’s also a very useful plot device. He knows what events lay ahead, and Lemire can use him to drop hint or to give the other heroes the right information at exactly the right moment. b]But also makes him unreliable enough to keep the others from interrogating him about the future.

And Randall Weird fulfills that role perfectly in this story. He gives Joe enough knowledge about his fate, which influences his decisions. But he leaves out much detail that won’t become relevant until the future events in the main Black Hammer titles. And he also informs Joe of the impending threat of Anti-God. And finally, he returns to warn Joe when Anti-God’s attack is imminent.

Positives Cont.

We also get to see the classic story of gathering a team back together for one last hurrah. Even though Joe tries to be optimistic that they will survive the fight with Anti-God, there is a feeling of finality to the story. Abraham Slam even states, “Well there’s no one I’d rather go out with you guys”. And we the readers know how it will turn out.

I also liked seeing the brief appearance of the Unbelievable Unteens and the Golden Family. While it’s just a cameo, it’s a nice reference to the Lemire’s wider universe. And seeing other heroes in the fray marks the Cataclysm as a truly major event in that universe.

Also, Golden Gail is probably my favourite character in the Black Hammer comics. And I loved seeing her take the classic role of the hero that refuses to take part in the battle, only to surprise the others by showing up just in time to take part in the finale. It’s a classic trope, but it fits this story perfectly, and Gail is beautifully suited to fill this role.

I also find it intriguing to consider how this story would appear if I actually had read it back in 1986 with no knowledge of the main series which began in 2016.. The ending appears to show the death of the main seven heroes. And with no follow-up coming afterwards, it truly would have seemed to be the end of their story.

Positives Cont.

And it would take Colonel Weird’s mysterious remark to Madame Dragonfly over three decades to make sense. He tells Dragonfly, “You and I… we have some preparations to make”. Those plans are revealed in Black Hammer: Age of Doom #5 in 2018. Black Hammers readers should immediately recognize the significance of this remark, but if we had read The Last Days of Black Hammer in 1986, that would have been an amazing bit of foreshadowing. Looking at the story this way, I feel that Lemire’s choice to present the story as old back issues to be a stroke of genius.

This collection, like many of the other Black Hammer collections, includes an Aritist’s Sketchbook feature. In this feature, Stefano Simeone shows the evolution of certain pages of the story from original sketches to the final page. He also gives some insight to some of his artistic choices for those scenes. Personally, I am not terribly knowledgeable with artistic theory. So, I find it very informative for the artist to explain these things for me.

Lemire has worked with a number talented artists on previous Black Hammer books, each with their own unique styles. And Simeone’s art can stand proudly among the fine work of his predecessors. I will definitely make a point of checking out other projects he has worked on.

Negatives

I have no complaints at all about this story. It fits perfectly into the canon that Lemire has established in his other Black Hammer titles. And Simeone’s art is the perfect choice for Lemire’s story. In fact the only complaint I can think of that anyone might have is that they may have trouble seeing the point of a story where we already know how it will end.

This is a common complain with prequels, where the ending is preordained before the story even begins. However, finding out how the story ends is not the point of a story like this. The point is to fill in the details of the events leading up to that ending. We may already know what lays ahead for these heroes. But what we learn about the final days of Joe Weber’s life gives added poignancy to his death.

Joe is mostly absent from the main Black Hammer titles. We mostly hear the others talk about him or see him in flashbacks. But in The Last Days of Black Hammer, we get a better sense of the man he was. And thus we can better understand the loss that the others feel after his death.

Verdict

Jeff Lemire’s The Last Days of Black Hammer is yet another triumph in his series of titles set in the Black Hammer universe. After this many titles, you might expect the quality to slip occasionally, but Lemire consistently maintains a level of excellence that marks these stories as something unique in the world of comics. And he always finds the perfect artist to bring his stories to life, which he has done again with Stefano Simeone. I can hardly wait for the next new World of Black Hammer story, Colonel Weird and Little Andromeda.

The post Review: The Last Days Of Black Hammer appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Publisher: BOOM! Studios

Writer: Dan Panosian

Artist: Giorgio Spalletta (London) and Dan Panosian (Wonderland)

Colorist: Fabiana Mascolo

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Review by: Kendra Hale

Summary

Here it is folks, with Alice Ever After #5 we have the finale to this five-issue series. Alice has entered the asylum of her own will in order to shut out the disapproval of her family. To feel like an ordinary person without care for the choices she makes. But inside the asylum are those with their own agendas and those who take far more pleasure from someone’s pain than their relief. Alice Ever After has been a beautiful ride but we are at the end so let’s dive in!

“We’re all mad here.”

Edith and Earl Proud are making a last desperate attempt to sway Alice and Edith’s Father from sanctioning the operation. Citing the things that they’ve seen and heard from Alice. Dr. Lutwidge seems to be teetering on just what’s right and it doesn’t help that he has other voices in his ear telling him that the operation is not only the only way to save Alice but his reputation as well. Defeated Edith and Earl hatch a plan… they will break Alice out together.

But Alice isn’t playing by the asylum’s rules anymore either, she has discovered that Sacred Heart is not all she hoped it to be. Theodore and Thomas come to collect her for the operation and Alice is ready to fight back with all of her might. But with so many forces working against her and with time no longer acting as a friend, can she succeed? Will Edith and Earl make it in time to save Alice?

Positives

Alice Ever After #5 definitely causes some whiplash as the reader champions for Alice to be safe. The buildup to what this issue delivers has been a sweet and sour ride with no mercy. Alice struggled with the hidden world the opiates her father forced upon her created and then watched as that world became her nightmare must’ve been difficult, to say the least. The writing’s been impeccable, and the artwork’s just flat out stunning. The Dan Panosian cover for this issue is probably my favorite of the set.

Negatives

Alice Ever After is over? I mean being submerged in a world that was so easily devoured only to have the story end… or has it? There are question marks after the “End” so one can genuinely hope for this not to be the end for Alice Ever After.

Verdict

Alice Ever After #5 does give us a promised ending, but you should be ready because I most certainly was not. The teaser at the end leaves us with a potential promise for more, and one that I genuinely hope is kept because this series was a delight.

I still stand by my opinion that if you’re a fan of the original Alice in Wonderland tales, this will certainly be up your alley. What we’ve been given is a fresh take on the series… but beware its darkness.

Images Courtesy of BOOM! Studios.

The post Indie Comics Review: Alice Ever After #5 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Publisher: BOOM! Studios

Writer: Dan Panosian

Artist: Giorgio Spalletta with assistance from Cyril Glerum

Colorist: Fabiana Mascolo

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Review by: Kendra Hale

Summary

Alice Ever After #4 leads us to the finale and brings with it most ominous tidings. When last we left poor Alice the walls were closing in on her, almost quite literally. She has few friends in the asylum and those in charge are only out for the gain, especially having the tasty tidbit that is what Alice’s Father does in order to get the teeth he uses for his practice.  Mistress Hulda is out for the money, Edith just wants her sister home, and Alice is about to realize that she may be in far more trouble than she bargained for.

Let’s dive into Alice Ever After #4!

A De-Feistification Procedure

We join Mistress Hulda and Dr. Madsen for a game of Croquet, a game that is obviously rigged to be in Hulda favor.  While Kitty and Snowdrop narrate, Theodore and Thomas interrupt with a birthday request from Matthew. With all the trouble Matthew has been causing, Dr. Madsen is only too happy to have him added to his list of patients to work on.

Meanwhile, Edith is pleading Alice’s case with their father, but it seems to be falling on closed ears. When there seems to be a bit of hope that Dr. Lutwidge is listening to her, Mistress Hulda shows up and the world shifts. Alice is doing her best to cope with the real world around her but having no meds to help ease the ache as well as all the horrors around her, she is faltering. Even when she gathers her strength and musters her courage…she finds herself face to face with just how bad things truly are.

Positives

The cover art for Alice Ever After #4 is chilling, and it should be given what this issue presents readers with. The storytelling has us on edge, what should be predictable isn’t always the case and I find that thrilling. The artwork speaks for itself as it is on another level. The variant cover by Stephanie Hans is a ethereal dream to say the very least. This series doesn’t know how to disappoint and why should it?

Negatives

There’s only one more issue and then it’s over. The depression is real.

Verdict

Alice Ever After #4 sets us up for a fast-paced finale and closure to the series. I look forward to seeing how this all ends for poor Alice, what will her fate be? Dan Panosian, Giorgio Spalletta, Jeff Eckleberry, and Fabiana Mascolo have given us a truly grim story that is both wonderful and terrifying. Brava.

Images Courtesy of Boom! Studios. 

The post Indie Comics Review: Alice Ever After #4 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Publisher: BOOM! Studios

Writer: Dan Panosian

Artist: Giorgio Spalletta (London) and Dan Panosian (Wonderland)

Colorist: Fabiana Mascolo

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Review by: Kendra Hale

Summary

Alice Ever After #3 continues the chokehold this series has on readers. After the end of Alice Ever After #2, fear had us all gripped on just what might be coming for our dear Alice. But one must be careful what they wish for as Alice Ever After #3 shows us in droves. At this point let’s rejoin Alice and newfound friend Matthew as they face the consequences of sneaking into the medication room after hours to indulge…

The Sticky Parts Are The Best Parts

When last we left Alice and Matthew, they had been enjoying their added dose of meds sneakily gained. But Thomas and Theodore were quickly upon them and as we soon see are ready to dole out their version of punishment on the “rats” they have stumbled upon. Thankfully for Matthew and Alice, Mistress Hulda is upon them soon after otherwise the impromptu game of doctor could have been far worse.

Ending up in the infirmary, Alice has a strange voyage in Wonderland and in her memories. She learns of what sparked her trauma and how her addiction to the meds first started. When a visit from her sister happens, Alice asks her if she too has ever seen their father work. In the shadows Hulda sees the fear from Alice’s sister and a new plan is set in motion on just what to do about poor Alice.

Positives 

As always, the art styles are perfection. Both Giorgio Spalletta and Dan Panosian elicit the emotions they were wanting to as the story drives forward with no mercy or pauses. Genuinely I timed it this read, and I couldn’t believe this was a five-minute run. But once you start, there is no looking away and all you want is more, more, more. It is certainly a hauntingly beautiful book, but it is smartly written and shows in every issue.

Negatives

Absolutely none. I couldn’t think of any even if I tried for months. This series draws you in with immaculate artwork and holds you with the master storytelling.

Verdict

Alice Ever After #3 is the halfway point for this five-issue set, but it opens doorways to knowledge and questions that are enticing and siren in origin. You genuinely want to just continue examining the beautiful covers by Dan Panosian and variant done by Dave Johnson. I am saddened because I know there is only two issues left but at this point my heels are dug in and I am ready to read what remains for our Alice.

Images Courtesy Of BOOM! Studios

The post Indie Comics Review: Alice Ever After #3 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Publisher: BOOM! Studios

Writer: Dan Panosian

Artist: Giorgio Spalletta (London) and Dan Panosian (Wonderland)

Colorist: Fabiana Mascolo

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Review by: Kendra Hale

Summary

Alice Ever After #2 brings us back into the world of Alice as she discovers where her choices to enter the asylum will take her. After the introduction in the first issue, I am excited to see where the pathway leads. The artwork is like a dream world of craft and mastery and it keeps me yearning for more of it. I have been so excited to dive into this one again so after the white rabbit eh?

The Devil In Disguise

Alice has made her mind up, she has chosen to stop disappointing her family and do what makes her happy. She wants to stay in Wonderland forever, but forever is a mighty long time and Alice has many who are working against her. The remnants of her “Wonderland” can be clearly seen in her London life as she meets not only her caretakers at the asylum in Theodore, Thomas, Mistress Hulda, and Dr. Madsen Hasslemann, but also in the fellow residents.

One of those residents, Matthew, befriends Alice and even tells of his connection to her friend Morton. A late night mission to look at the inventory leads down a path Alice may not be ready for, and with all these forces working against her Alice may have done better keeping her poor head down. But with all eyes on her, what will become of our protagonist?

Positives

There are so many with this series that it honestly feels I could write a review on just those. The writing and art decisions are so smartly chosen that it enhances the experience. I genuinely love the artwork on the covers, Dan Panosian’s vintage Carroll-esque covers are always a joy to look at and take in. Alice Ever After #2 came with variants done by Enrico Marini and Adam Hughes, both of whom stepped up with exquisite visages of Alice.

But I want to touch on what I feel is the greatest part of this series. I love that there are two artists each depicting their part of Alice’s world. Dan Panosian gives us the world Alice longs for with his art on the Wonderland areas of the book, and Giorgio Spalletta gives us Alice’s London scenes. It is a brilliant choice that further intrigues readers into the worlds of this iteration of Alice.  Fabiana Mascolo continues the intrigue with colors while Jeff Eckleberry completes the illusion with his lettering.

Negatives

How fast it moves. I wish you could hear me laugh as I type that sentence, but the book really does. I sat reading it and was like, ” Oh I am only a few pages in .”, only to look up and be halfway through the book.  The Alice Ever After series is deceptive in its pace and is so seamless a read.

Verdict

Alice Ever After #2 is a joy and the series is a must for Alice fans, it would be such a sad missed opportunity NOT to read the series. A high recommendation!

Images Courtesy Of Boom! Studios

The post Indie Comics Review: Alice Ever After #2 appeared first on DC Comics News.

Publisher: Titan Comics

Writer: Jody Houser
Artist: Roberta Ingranata
Color Artist: Warnia K. Sahadewa
Letterers: Comicraft’s Richard Starkings and Jimmy Betancourt

Reviewed by: Steve J. Ray

Summary

The Doctor and her new companion, Taslo, have confronted the corrupt Timelord who ordered them to destroy entire colonies across many worlds. Doctor Who: Origins #4 begins as the Doctor is forced to witness the destruction of these innocents after Taslo sides with Division and betrays the Doctor.

Positives

WOW! After last month’s cliffhanger this particular Whovian, and countless others no doubt, were left shocked and horrified, not just at Laslo’s betrayal, but also with the pointless horrific death of thousands of innocents. Where could the Doctor go from there?

Thankfully, this series is in very capable hands, and Jody Houser has delivered a perfect ending for this terrific story. What we’ve been given is a vintage story with brand new characters, creatures and worlds. This creative team consistently delivers classic Doctor Who told in a brand-new way.

As always, Roberta Ingranata, Warnia K. Sahadewa and the wonderful people at Comicraft have added beautiful visuals to go with the (inter)stellar script. Jo Martin’s Fugitive Doctor is picture perfect and the mix of incredible creatures (formerly Gallifreyans) designed for this story deserve to be seen again.

Negatives

I really miss having a monthly Doctor Who comic that actually comes out every month. For the last few years we’ve had a mini-series, a gap of a month or two, and then another mini-series. Please Titan, give us regular issues! It’s bad enough that we won’t be getting any new Doctor Who on TV for a whole year, please let us have comics to fill the gaps.

Verdict

On the plus side, these comics are so good that they tend to be well worth waiting for. Doctor Who: Origins #4 delivers a great finale and leaves the door wide open for future stories featuring the Fugitive Doctor, Laslo, and the worlds created by Jody Houser and her collaborators. More, please!

Images Courtesy of Titan Comics

The post Indie Comics Review: Doctor Who: Origins #4 appeared first on DC Comics News.