Four Image Comics reviews

(Disclaimer: English is my second language, so I want to apologize in advance for there may be mistakes in the text below. If you find any, please let me know so that I can correct it. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.)

Review Soundtrack: I suggest reading this review while listening to Another One Bits The Dust, by Queen (Spotify, YouTube). 

It's been quite some time since my last review of comic-books. In fact, in the past few months I've been mainly focused on reading novels and short stories, but when I saw that the new volume of C.O.W.L, one of the comics that I enjoyed the most in 2014, was being released, I knew that I had to read it. I also took a closer look at Image Comics latest releases, and selected a couple of the most promising ones. Do you want to know what I thought of them? Just keep reading!

Descender, Volume 1: Tin Stars, written by Jeff Lemire with art by Dustin Nguyen, was a bit of a disappointment. The visual aspects of this graphic novel are really appealing, with an amazing use of the watercolor. The story, however, is, at best, clichéd and simplistic and I found nothing interesting enough to make want to read the next installment. Also, the idea of a "DNA" shared by different robots (which is central to the plot) is so ludicrous that it threw me completely off the book. I'm afraid I can't recommend it. 

Runlovekill, written by Jonathan Tsuei and Eric Canete and drawn by Eric Canete, is a much appealing work. The plot is not exactly what I'd call original, but the pace is quick and the worldbuilding is very interesting, mainly because of the depiction of the dystopian future society and the strong main character, Rain Oshiro. The art is not outstanding, but it's more than correct and perfectly conveys the sense of urgency of the dire situation the main protagonist is in. I did especially like the page compositions and the fight scenes, which are clear and vivid. Not the best graphic novel ever, but really worth your time if you are looking for a science fiction action story.

The Tihe (story by Matt Hawkins, art by Rahsan Ekedal) was quite a pleasant surprise. The story, that includes no science fictional or fantastical elements, follows an FBI investigation. The members of the Samaritan group, a kind of modern Robin Hood band, have been robbing corrupt televangelists and giving money to charity. The plot is fast and straightforward and mostly self-contained, with a clear conclusion to all open threads at the end of issue 4 but, at the same time, preparing things for a new arc in the next installment. The art is just OK, but there are some really brilliant moments (especially in issues 3 and 4) that left me wanting the same level was maintained throughout all the graphic novel. All in all, an interesting work with likable characters and good pace. 

Finally, C.O.W.L. Volume 2: The Greater Good (written by Kyle Higgins and Alec Siegel with art by Rod Reis), the main excuse for having read all the comic-books I'm talking about today, was a good as I expected... or even more. If you've read the first installment (and if you haven't, you should), you already know what to expect: deep characterization, powerful art and a plot full of political intrigue and plans within plans. A perfect example of how the superheroes genre can be much more than just mindless entertainment. Be sure not to miss this one. 

So, again, Image Comics has delivered, with a couple of solid works, a really excellent graphic novel (C.O.W.L., of course) and only one that is disappointing. Image is, currently, the most interesting comic-book publisher out there and I am looking forward to keeping a close eye on their releases.        

  

(You can also read this review in Spanish/También puedes leer esta reseña en español)           

Three Image Comics Reviews

Review Soundtrack: I suggest reading this review while listening to Wicked Ways, by Garbage (Spotify, YouTube).

Image is, probably, my favorite comic-book publisher at the moment. Obviously, not all their books are of the same quality, but I love the way they support original and bold stories. Recently, I've had the chance of reading the first volume of three of their new series and was, again, surprised and very satisfied.

Shutter, written by Joe Keating and illustrated by Leila del Duca, though quite enjoyable was my least favorite of the three. It follows closely on the success of Saga, with a wild combination of science fiction and fantasy tropes. Kate Kristopher, the main protagonist, lived many adventures in exotic worlds with her father when she was a young girl. Now, twenty years after, her past is trying to catch up with her even if she wants to forget and live a quite life. 

I found the first issues to be a bit rushed, and the story becomes much more interesting when flashbacks of the life of Kate are introduced to provide context. The art is very good, with some moments of sheer brilliancy, and it only gets better with each issue. All in all, a good (but not excellent) comic-book that would benefit from a slightly slower pace. I might be reading the next volume, but I'm not exactly holding my breath to know what happens next.  

I did like The Wicked + The Divine, written by Kieron Gillen with art by Jamie McKelvie, better. The premise is amazing (a pantheon of gods that, every 90 years, "possess" young boys and girls giving them divine powers), although not completely exploited in this first five issues, which are a bit uneven. For instance, some of the characters are just fascinating (especially Luci) while others are not that well developed. The plot meanders a bit and ends with a cliffhanger that is not very surprising, but that leaves the story at a really interesting point.    

The art is, as in the case of Shutter, very good. I just love the covers, for instance, and all the imagery of the gods as pop-stars is superb. Again, this works better for some characters than for other, but it is quite consistent through the volume. There are also some intelligent page compositions that really add a lot and help telling the story. Despite the pace problems, this is one I will most surely be reading when the next volume comes out. 

And we arrive at my favorite of the three: C.O.W.L., written by Kyle Higgins and Alec Siegel and illustrated by Rod Reis. Imagine Watchmen meets The Wire and you will get a close idea of what the plot of this comic-book is about. The C.O.W.L. of the title is, in fact, a union of super-powered people that work for the police department of Chicago in the '60s. They have just been able to put the last super-villain into jail and now they face a new era in which they might be not so necessary. The plot focuses on the political, social and economic problems that arise in this new situation. 

The atmosphere, the pace of the story and the development of the characters are almost perfect, as is the art, which shows a lot of personality. The first issues are a bit difficult to follow, but once we get to know the main protagonists it is impossible to stop reading. The end of the first volume is not exactly surprising, but is the only possible resolution given the facts and I'm really looking forward to seeing how everything develops.

Image does not disappoint and these are three comic-books that I really recommend checking out, especially C.O.W.L. for its overall quality and The Wicked + The Divine for its potential. I, for one, will keep a close eye on anything published by Image.  

(You can also read this review in Spanish/También puedes leer esta reseña en español)