Quick Reviews #48
Do You Take Everything, Or Just The Essentials
This week, what do you think is the best license?
Mad Cave Presents
The Last Starfighter - Granted this is a rerelease of the Marvel comic from decades ago. But it’s aged like fine wine. Great characterizations, souls in excitement and presentation, and arcs galore. 9/10
So let’s go into…The Last Starfighter #1 - So how do you follow that up? Basically with less pace but fitting consequences. It’s all about adjustments with a bigger cast and a little foreshadowing to get invested in. 8.5/10
Mister Nemo #1 - So…the first Underworld IP that’s an original. Got some great presentation! Hero pulps in the modern day! Keep it simple with origins, conflicts, and character dynamics. Especially with the threats of the villains. They’re not just relevant with their goals, you can feel the effects they have on every character they touch. 9/10
Land of Never #1 - Thrilling stuff full of social anxieties. Sympathetic pariahs that have hit rock bottom spiraling down into madness because they have nowhere else to turn. It’s not a healthy thing but you can’t help but get engrossed. Because you’re in on the chase. 9.5/10
BLÜDWIRE #1 - Always in it for the action. Especially for surprises that have some stakes. A sexbot revolutionary, her bodyguard, and the contrast with the status quo in momentum. All told through dynamic world building and interesting characterizations to engross in. 9/10
The Phantom vs. The Red Dragons One-Shot - Looks like I’ve got a reason to get invested in the Phantom this time. Pace is actually pretty good, a lot more tell by showing, and a chance for him to feel more like a character. Here he actually feels like he has a life with his love interest. Enough to make the stakes for the coming new series. 8.5/10
Wag - Some parts are good, usually with the title character and how he interacts with his troubles. He’s interesting with his little quirks in trying to keep his sanity in tact. Plus the designs, backgrounds, and cultures are engaging. But the exposition about the way things are takes away from the pace. 7.5/10
Speed Racer #9 - Feels good, still got the thrills of a great race mixed with a startling turn. Not perfectly with how the more cartoony visuals clash with how serious this gets. Just close enough. 8.5/10
Dynamite
Space Ghost Vol. 2 #12 - There’s something about this that I really like. It’s not the multiverse stuff, it’s not Tempest’s origin, it’s the reflections told in grand spectacle. Everything that came before that made Dax THE Space Ghost. 8.8/10