Comics: I Want to Break Free
by Dee. 6/29/2019
Once again, it's time for comic reviews! This month we have Silver Surfer Black, Event Leviathan, and Bronze Age Boogie. We also have a preview of Unearth.Silver Surfer Black (Marvel Comics): This story begins of all places,at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy (2019) #1, where the galaxy's superheroes have been thrown through a black hole. Silver Surfer is fighting to save himself from sinking into oblivion and the enormity of space. Donny Cates (Venom, Guardians of the Galaxy (2019)) and Tradd Moore (All-New Ghost Rider, Venom) are able to catch you up on the back story in some powerful panels.
The art is surreal and trippy at times, with a strong narrative that moves quickly. Silver Surfer comes to an alien world in search of help, is met by hostile forces and kills them as warning to any others who might follow him.
The narrative voice is strong and dramatic for this comic, which makes sense for a character who deals with the extraterrestrial and metaphysical on a routine basis. I would be interested to read more of Silver Surfer to see how it is written, because this one leaves a lasting impression.
Event Leviathan (DC Comics): Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev (Marvel's Daredevil and Jinxworld's Scarlet) bring you a mystery thriller which spans the entire DC Universe, with some familiar faces appearing alongside more esoteric heroes like The Question. Leviathan is an unstoppable villain with conquest of Earth in his sights. He's gotten rid of the DEO and several other top world organizations. How will our heroes eliminate this threat?
The art is set in shadowed blues as Batman, Green Arrow and Lois Lane discuss the mass destruction and global impact of what Leviathan has done. When it switches to a different scene, it explodes with oranges; the entire comic's art is intense. The writing moves quickly, giving accurate voices to well-known characters. Since they are pulling in so many DC characters, it is assumed that you know who is who. I think that this would have more significance for someone who has read one (or more) of the DC titles.
Bronze Age Boogie (Ahoy Comics): This is an absolute mash-up of everything '70's, starting with a barbarian princess ready to fight off a Martian invasion in 1975 BC, as well as 1975 AD. Undead dinosaurs, giant apes, Kung-Fu and space battles galore, this is an eccentric romp.
The art and dialogue are detailed and filled with Easter eggs for those who enjoyed the '70's. The script does a good job of conveying a richly realized setting within a few main characters. The most interesting development is the history of sentient simians in this universe. The alien presence is set in cool blues, and their speech pattern is eerie as it contains rhyming couplets in a strange font.
There is some prose within our comic tales, which is an interesting choice to tell a story within the overarching storyline. There is a poignant ongoing secondary story about Major Ursa, the first bear in space. The other prose stories in the books reads like a witty snippet of the "Welcome to Nightvale" podcast. All of the writers and artists are obviously having a great time putting out a fascinating book.
Unearth (Image Comics): Cullen Bunn (Regression) and artist Kyle Strahm (Spread) present this tale of a small Mexican town, ravaged by disease. The scientific task force assigned to identify the source of contamination is blindsided by a unique and supernatural force when searching the local cave system. Will they be able to escape? Tune in to find out.
This is a thriller/horror comic, so be aware that the level of gore and body horror is going to be turned way up. The characters are interesting, but they pale in comparison to the monsters that they awaken. The art makes good use of red accents in the comic, with the scenes in the cave in shades of green.
I will be interested to see more of the supernatural monsters that they create, as well as the fate of our intrepid scientists.
Release date: July 10, 2019.
Later,
Dee