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Showing posts from August, 2019

Hulk in Hell: More devilishly good storytelling in Immortal Hulk Vol. 3

Art by Alex Ross "What is Hell? There are places in this universe made of red rock and flame. Peopled by horned goats and fanged serpents. Built for the torment of souls. But these places are not Hell. They are only places. Hell is not a place." Previously in The Immortal Hulk , we saw our favourite green monster open the mysterious Green Door and learn what lies behind it: Hell. Rather than throwing Hulk and journo Jackie McGee into the devil's domain, Hell comes to them, transforming their surroundings into a fiery wasteland filled with fear and hate. Hulk in Hell , the third volume of the Eisner-nominated series, keeps up with the pace set by the exceptional first two volumes, and might even be a little bit better. Artist Joe Bennett continues to shock readers with grotesque body horror, with bombastic and brutal action sequences that'll have readers' stomachs doing somersaults. Chilling monochrome pages break up Paul Mounts' immersive colours

Diamond is Unbreakable: First impressions of JoJo Part 4's English release

Art by Hirohiko Araki " The human race lives by destroying the things around us. In such a brutal world, your power is singularly benevolent." It can be more than a little bit difficult to summarise the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure franchise to someone entirely unfamiliar with it - as you've probably gathered from the title, it's an odd one for sure. JoJo is a manga series by Hirohiko Araki comprised of eight separate parts, each with its own setting and protagonist. The thing that unites all of these is that each main character is part of the Joestar bloodline, abbreviating their name to 'JoJo' and using uncanny powers to fight evil. Diamond is Unbreakable is the fourth part of the ongoing JoJo  saga, starring the fiery Josuke Higashikata in the mysterious seaside town of Morioh in Japan. Part Four of JoJo was originally serialised in Japan in the early nineties, and finally received an official English translation and hardcover release after hig

Graveyard of Gods: A step forward for Aquaman and the JL

Art by Francis Manapul While giant crossover events like Avengers: Endgame  are few and far-between on the big screen, they can always be found within the pages of comic books. The second volume of Scott Snyder's ongoing Justice League run is a great example of large-scale, epic superhero fun, and is another crucial stepping towards DC's Year of the Villain event.  The League's conflict with the Legion of Doom in the previous book is continued here, but with an Aquaman-focused twist that brings brand-new elements to DC Universe lore. In  Graveyard of Gods , Lex Luthor's nefarious actions result in the awakening of a group of ancient ocean deities that have a bone to pick with Atlantis and plan to submerge the entire planet with their immense abilities.  Is anybody fluent in ancient Atlantean? Just a flick through the book will have anybody agreeing that there's some serious talent behind it, as a team of celebrated artists deliver each scene in

Why One Piece's Whole Cake Island Arc was a real treat

Primary antagonist Big Mom One Piece 's Wano   Arc is in full swing for both the manga and the anime series, and fans of Japan's favourite comic franchise are loving all of the spectacular samurai action - but let's not forget what came before! Before Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates arrived in the Land of Wano, they were battling Emperor Big Mom on her home turf to free their chef Sanji from a forced marriage. So, looking back, just how good was the Whole Cake Island   Arc ? The main thing that jumps out about Whole Cake is that it continues to burst with the creativity and flavour that make One Piece so beloved. Whole Cake Island itself is the centrepiece of an archipelago known collectively as Totto Land, each corresponding to a delicious treat, such as cheese, pie, biscuits and candy. These islands are populated by Big Mom's forces and various super-powered commanders, making it a daunting task for Luffy's rescue team to make it in and out unscathed.