Quick Reviews #38
Is It Good To Review Material Months In Advance
Before we go into Boom! let’s start with these:
Bad Idea
Save Now #3 - The best moments in this whole series are in beautiful artistic dynamics and clashes. Whether that’s the tragic moments, the effort to live in the moment, and the value and worth to get the best ones. Character motivations and interactions are at their most abstract but grounded to make everything twice as engaging. 9/10
Mad Cave
Astro Quantum #2 - Pacing is a bit slow with a lot of exposition on things that barely matter. But at least the crew’s growing dynamics are enjoyable. Plus the action is eye-catching. 7/10
Defenders of the Earth: Dark Destiny #3 - Mind games are a plenty here, with each twist and reveal having a strong center. They’re all hinging on loyalties that shift out of comfort zones. Not just the characters’ but the readers’ too. Just a small nitpick but the more detailed art can get, the more uncanny it can look. 8.5/10
Whatever Happened To Crimson Justice #5 - Bit of a familiar story; fathers and sons, what they leave, and what they pick up. But at least it ended with something good enough. Especially with the implications about side characters finishing their arcs. 8.5/10
Speed Racer #6 - How do you start a new arc and race lap? With a reflective dynamic that started it all and a course carried with a lot of baggage. With each turn and swerve feeling heavy as stakes mount up. 9.5/10
Infini-T Force Vol. 6 - I think this is growing on me, like a cheesy Saturday morning cartoon vibe. Overdramatized dialogue that doesn’t kill the pace, good downtime, and some surprise character dynamics. 8/10
Boom!
Power Rangers Prime Vol. 3 - Now here’s some tension! Characters clashing on how they were brought up, how they were expected. And how the limits challenge them to be the best selves, even if it’s not out front. 9/10
The Killer: Affairs of the State II - I know that the monologues are meant to be boring. It’s how it helps the title character avoid getting too much bad faith followings like American Psycho. He is not sympathetic or empathetic, he’s unexciting. But I have to admit, when you can move around those with the contrasts and psychological challenges it gets better. Like how the monologues can be seen as a way of calming himself down and distancing from uncomfortable events. When you can’t, it’s just a slog only remedied with a lot of patience or caffeine. 7/10
Grim Vol. 5 - (Sigh)…Come back to this series after its hiatus and I’m seeing the effects of it. Basically getting lost in the time spent apart. And the meta-acknowledgements of ideas that didn’t have the time to come together. I feel for Stephanie Phillips, because I’ve been where she was. But I’ve gotta rate this on its own terms. 6.5/10
Lumberjanes Book Four - Ever whimsy with characters and developments that go in fancy directions. Even the side characters surprise you with quirks that don’t just happen. They’re part of bigger dynamics with the rest of the cast. 8.5/10
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Dark Specter - This is the era where I should have just stopped reading. The pacing slowed down because too many characters talk too much, there’s so much auto-cannabalizing lore, and the villains feel overhyped with this lack of momentum. I guess it’s good for Power Rangers fans who have stuck around since the early days. But for everyone else, not so much. 6.5/10