by Aaron Nash

Following up a stunning debut is always going to be a daunting prospect for both the creators and the readers. As a writer you have set the bar for what people expect from your work, and as a reader you expect to get the quality that you got from the debut. At the same time the second book could be seen as a confident stride forwards for the writer as they know people are enjoying what they have previously written. The latter is very much the case here. The author Luke Melia knows the story he wants to tell and confidently does so throughout the 200+ pages of his second graphic tale Oculus.

by Jacob H Baxter

Earlier this month fellow I’m With Geek-er, Andy Williams, did a review for Amazing & Fantastic Tales #1. I had to do the follow up to it with #2.  This is a great title that shows a lot of promise. I liken it much to the old Marvel Annuals, everyone knows what I'm talking about. The big 80 page spectaculars, right? The only thing better than a comic book with one awesome story is a comic book with more than one awesome story. So, here we go!

by Emlyn Roberts-Harry

In the interest of cutting right to the chase: yes, it's worth the wait. Even though The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'Rygoth has finally been published six months after its initial solicitation date, Rat Queens hasn't missed a beat in the meantime. Perhaps the best thing that can be said about this volume is that, if you didn't know about all the behind-the-scenes drama responsible for the delay, you'd never guess based on the quality of the work. It remains a damned good fantasy comic.

The story picks up right where the previous volume left off, and yes, this one does go into "dark sequel" territory. Not that the first volume was all sunshine and laughter, but the end of the world is a very real possibility this time around, with all that that entails. Wiebe digs deeper into his characters' back stories, fleshing out who they are and why they decided to become adventurers, through flashbacks and nightmares which the Queens experience while the world's collapsing around them.

by Aaron Nash

Let me start by saying that this has been one of my favourite books ever since I first read a copy many years ago. Every time I read it, it sticks with me long after I turn the last page and it has had a big impact on how I view the graphic medium.

Created by artist and sculptor Mr Clement, this book aims to explore some deep, meaningful subjects in a very unusual and fascinating way. Each right hand page features two panels which often look very similar but, like an animation, move ever so slightly. It proves that the tiniest head movement or shift in the eyes is enough to express all kinds of feelings and noticeable changes in a character. The left hand page is where the text occurs (albeit infrequently). The dialogue/monologue is told in parallel in both French and English, leading to a really interesting debate as to where in the world these characters are (if on a world at all). The artwork, although mainly in black and white, does sometimes splash striking colours to draw the readers’ eye and make them pay special attention to parts of the page.

by Jacob H Baxter

Throughout over half a century of existence, the X-Men comics have served as a big metaphor for acceptance and tolerance. Marvel has crafted some highly intriguing stories about our favourite merry mutants. We've learned a lot from their pages. But, recently, they dropped a bombshell that shook the base of readers to its core.

Bobby Drake, better known as founding member Iceman, has come out of the closet and revealed himself to be homosexual. This was met with a myriad of emotions and reactions. Most people welcomed the change. Some panned it as a publicity stunt. Others are still confused as to why or how this came about. Like every other event, I have my own opinion.

by Andy Williams

Without wishing to sound doomed in the first sentence, anthologies are tough to crack and usually take a few issues to get started. For Planet Jimbot’s latest, Amazing & Fantastic Tales #1, this most definitely the case. Within its pages are five stories that represent decent starts although requiring room to breathe.

Kroom! by Jim Alexander and Glenn B Fleming kicks us off in a hospital bed with a Batman ’66-esque lettering for its title, which brings forth the notion of multiple worlds and a taster of the world-hopping to come. This is an intriguing beginning as the interest comes from seeing how this well-worn notion of multi-dimensionalism can feel fresh and new, but this story stops almost as soon as it starts.  At just 3 pages long, it is impressive that the characters are introduced and we’re beginning this adventure, however it aches for more time to expand.

by Aaron Nash

WOW!

Rarely do I read a book completely blind as to what it is about, but this had me intrigued by the title and the stark, striking cover. From the title I guess I expected something along the lines of One flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but what I got was an unexpected joy.

What I got was a phenomenally deep and complex study of the intricacies of the human condition presented in an amazingly easy to read and follow story.  The writing flows so unbelievably smoothly that it’s easy to forget sometimes that author Luke Melia is exploring some truly deep emotions and some really powerful themes.

by Jacob H Baxter

He's the leader of the Avengers. He's one of the most iconic comic book characters of all time. He is the sentinel of liberty. He even punched Hitler in the face! For almost 75 years, Captain America has been showing us nothing less than complete and total awesomeness.

Although cover dated for March 1941, his initial appearance went in the racks on December 20th 1940. Somewhat of a crystal ball, it precisely predicted that the United States would enter the conflict of World War II nearly a full year before the Japanese attack upon Pearl Harbor. Although conceived as a patriotic symbol, and one that has surpassed that means indeed, he has also taught us so much more about life in general.

by Aaron Nash

Born in Russia during 1928 and trained as a spy, Natasha would become first a great adversary to some of the world’s greatest superheroes, before eventually becoming the hero that we know today.

Her first foray into the comic world saw her with a very different appearance to the one she would later adopt. Originally black haired and sporting clothes that wouldn’t look out of place alongside the likes of Cruella Deville, Natasha was fighting against America and would also recruit the archer Hawkeye to join her cause. It was only after a drastic change to her backstory, and a change to her appearance, that the world would really start seeing her as more than simply another recurring villain.