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More Comics Friday Review Round-Up, August 3

By Dan Horn
August 3, 2012 - 12:50

It was a big week for our "More Comics" section this week. We've got three--count 'em, three!--advance reviews of Valiant's Archer & Armstrong #1 and much mored. Here's your round-up of all of those non-Marvel/DC reviews you might have missed:


Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith: Spiral #1

"A worthy start to an expansion of the tales of the Lost Tribe of the Sith begins with Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith: Spiral #1.  Interesting character development, and a story populated by nothing but bad guy Force wielders (i.e. Siths), make the Lost Tribe of the Sith stories interestingly unique in the world of the Star Wars expanded universe of tales. Die hard readers of Dark Horse’s Star Wars tales will most likely find this expansion within an expansion to be just their sort of story, but casual Star Wars fans might not, opting instead for more familiar characters and picking up the excellently written and drawn Star Wars: Darth Vader and The Ghost Prison instead. They shouldn’t limit their Star Wars reading experience though by sticking to familiar faces. It’s rare that a fictional universe actually has interesting and compelling stories that focus on its villains, both familiar and foreign."

(read the full review)



Conan the Barbarian #7

"Again, Brian Wood continues to deliver the most intelligent, engaging, and dynamic Conan stories I’ve ever read. As always, Wood manages to work in some beautifully subtle social commentary, again of the type that he so brilliantly built into the narrative of Northlanders, while managing to make Conan, as a character, incredibly interesting and much more than just a hack and slash dark fantasy pin up boy. This is a far, far cry from the Conan of 1982’s Conan the Barbarian and even 2011’s film reboot of the character. I honestly can’t say that I even found Robert E. Howard’s or even Roy Thomas’ original tales of Conan’s this engaging. The character dynamics between both Conan and Belit are so believable and realistic that they bring a new dimension of realism and depth to this incarnation of Conan as a character, as well as his fictional world."

(read the full review)



Archer & Armstrong #1

"This premiere issue succeeds almost perfectly with a dense reading experience, Clayton Henry's dynamic artwork, some wonderfully smart and scathing humor, a heaping helping of social relevance, and fantastically even story progression. This is my favorite of the Valiant relaunch books thus far."

(read the full review)



Archer & Armstrong #1 (second opinion)

"Opening the new series by Fred Van Lente and Clayton Henry was a challenge for me. The cover with the pencil rendering coloured over didn’t do it for me. But once inside, visually, I was somewhat satisfied. Sure this was not Windsor-Smith level of illustrations. Instead the new Valiant went for a strong storyteller with a barely distinctive art style. If I have a misgiving, it’s that Armstrong just doesn’t look like a wino to me. He’s too clean. His beard too well groomed. Archer has been updated a bit. He wears a T-Shirt now instead of a purple drapes. But his looks have remained mostly the same. What Henry does well are action scenes. He knows how to telegraph a fight and portray cool moves. On that front he wins. The series is in good capable hands."

(read the full review)



Archer & Armstrong #1 (third time's the charm)

"Archer and Armstrong #1 is the first comic book I’ve read in quite some time that actually made me laugh out loud in reaction to its brilliant satire while leaving me dying for more.  Fred Van Lente has truly put together a masterpiece of satire and smart socio-political commentary on ignorance, greed, misunderstanding, conspiracy theories, and the deep seated bonds that inspire true friendship."

(read the full review)



Black Kiss II #1

"It's not Chaykin's images of a transsexual hydra-headed phallus metaphorically, but brutally, raping theater-goers or of a succubus anally raping a virgin man as the Titanic capsizes that make this book so amorally striking, but Chaykin's malevolent narrative. This book is certainly demented and sexually graphic, but it's the writer/artist's brilliantly devilish and deplorably deranged voice that will make your stomach turn and your bile creep into your craw. It's a challenging read, spiritually."

(read the full review)



Awkward Silence Volume 1

"I think the most compelling thing about the romance of Tono and Tamiya is that one is such an introvert (Tono) and the other is the typical high school athlete/extrovert (Tamiya).  Tono’s inability to give voice to his feelings – literally, he can barely speak when overcome with strong feelings – is a bit overstated.  Hinako Takanaga presents this in such a way that it made me want to follow this love story, if for no other reason than to enjoy Tono’s humorous suffering.  When he can’t express himself in words, Tono allows others to make assumptions about what he wants, thinks, or feels, and such misunderstanding is a mother of comedy invention."

(read the full review)



Mind the Gap #3

"It's ironic that this issue's standard cover, by Rodin Esquejo, is an homage to The Breakfast Club. In many ways, Mind the Gap is a trendy melodrama in the vein of that film. Everything is sensationalized, at times to eye-rolling extents, and the dependence on pop-cultural references, especially music and classic films, elicits an interesting and sometimes irksome hipster-chic dynamic to McCann's narrative voice. Even the title of the series has a too-clever tinge to it."

(read the full review)



Harvest #1

"Realism isn't exactly what Lieberman seems to be aiming for here, though some of the imagery is absolutely grisly, but instead Harvest couples the hyperbole and genre-blurring of Japanese melodrama with prime-time television gravitas. It's a little heady, and sometimes that prime-time dialogue is laughable, but it works. Harvest #1 manages to be exciting and intriguing despite its obvious shortcomings."

(read the full review)



Mind MGMT #3

"This issue is perhaps the thinnest in regards to narrative, and also highlights some of the series' moderate deficiencies. The book is very constructivist and characters can be difficult to cathect with. Action sequences are also very matter-of-fact, and I can't resolve in my own head whether I think that's a charming quality or if I'd rather there be more excitement and dynamism to this story. All in all, Mind MGMT progresses dreamily, which, given the subject matter, might be exactly what Kindt is shooting for."

(read the full review)



And don't forget to check out Philip Schweier's brilliant feature "Video Killed the Radio (and Pulp) Star," which highlights some of Dynamite's ongoing efforts to reintegrate the pulp heroes of yesteryear.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12