June 29, 2022 Comic Round Up!
- Sarah
- Jul 5, 2022
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 11, 2022
Since tomorrow is new comic day, let's first recap on this weeks newest comments. Keep reading to hear my opinions about the comics I picked up so we can round out this comic week together! :)
(As a side note, "Darth Vader #24" and "Doctor Aphra #21" were also released this week but I am behind a few issues so will not be reviewing those!)
"Buffy '97 #1" by Jeremy Lambert (Writer), Marianna Ignazzi (Artist) and Mattia Iacono (Colorist)
"If you ask me, something's up with such a big fashion name coming to Sunnydale, so it's prudent to investigate..."(Lambert, p. 14).
Review and spoilers ahead! Click to expand⬎⬎⬎
My Rating: ★★★.5
Buffy the Vampire Slayer comics are very hit or miss for me. Buffy is one of my favorite shows of all time. My brother shared this love with me because he has been a Buffy super fan since day one and I just recently watched the show which we absolutely bonded over. So this fictional universe means a lot to me and I do find myself not enjoying the comics all that often for this very reason. I feel that it is hard to capture the charm of Buffy in comics because the character chemistry, life the actors bring into the characters, and sarcastic seriousness are very unique to the show. So, I do enjoy reading the comics for the purpose of getting more content with these amazing characters but I tend to find it difficult to want to take the stories as canon. With that being said, this comic issue was enjoyable!
I felt like it was quite true to season one of Buffy. It had a cheesy storyline with the fun dialogue of the main characters. The first season of the show doesn't stand up as much today for a lot of viewers because of the time is was developed... to be fair a lot of the first season was ridiculously cheesy. But I have come to love that season just the same because the individual storylines tackled in each episode provided for a fun episodic build up with added character development to support. I quite liked the art in this issue as well. The vintage feeling of the magazine passage really added to the story and reading experience. This comic issue wasn't hard for me to picture being an episode of the show itself and I am really pleased with that! If you're a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, this is a comic issue that I would recommend reading. It brings you back to the season one vibe and maintains the integrity of what was so great about the show!
What would you rate Buffy '97 issue #1?
★
★★
★★★
★★★★
"Han Solo & Chewbacca #3" by Marc Guggenheim (Writer), David Mesina (Artist) and Alex Sinclair (Colorist)
"THE CRYSTAL RUN, PART 3 It is a golden age of criminal enterprise. With the evil GALACTIC EMPIRE preoccupied with bringing the galaxy under its thumb, scoundrels and thieves are free to ply their illegal trade with abandon. The vile gangster Jabba the Hutt had hired Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Greedo to steal an urn containing the ashes of his archrival. With the help of the man claiming to be his father, Han, along with Greedo, broke into the home of the urn's owner only to discover the item wasn't there. Now Han and his cohorts are trapped, with security guards closing in..." (Guggenheim, p. 1).
Review and spoilers ahead! Click to expand⬎⬎⬎
My Rating: ★★★.5
This comic run has been pretty fun to read despite the issues I may have with the overall story. I think the writing of this story is quite genuine to the antics of Han Solo and Chewbacca and I enjoy the inclusion of the wit and quirkiness one expects from this duo. I have always loved the banter that is inherent in the characterization of the pair and I feel that Guggenheim has done a good job of ensuring this aspect is maintained in this comic. This third issue was particularly fun because of the back and forth conversations the two have in which they reflect on past excursions because as we know, these two tend to get themselves into a lot of trouble. So Han and Chewbacca's back and forth banter during their escape in this comic issue cracked a smile out of me! I also enjoy seeing some of the relationship between Han and Greedo because it explains the animosity between the two in A New Hope (1977).
Now there are some aspects of this comic that I've felt a bit iffy about. For one thing, I don't love the inclusion of the character claiming to be Han's father. I have a feeling it will be revealed that Ovan is an impostor and he is not Han's actual father. But the story behind Han *Solo* explains that Han was left on his own for most of his life. The idea of the name Solo could stand on its own in my opinion without needing to explain any additional back story. I think that ambiguity can strengthen a story whereas too many details and background could cheapen it to a degree. I know a lot of fans weren't thrilled with the explanation of the last name "Solo" to begin with and I feel that it could be for a similar reason. This is the main issue I have with this comic run so far but I'm curious about how Guggenheim will have that relationship play out. As he seems to have a good handle on the characters of Han and Chewie, I am hopeful that this comic will be rounded out in a satisfying way!
What would you rate Han Solo & Chewbacca issue #3?
★
★★
★★★
★★★★
"Obi-Wan #2" by Christopher Cantwell (Writer), Luke Ross (Artist) and Nolan Woodard (Colorist)
"As he awaits an inevitable storm in the remote deserts of Tatooine, Obi-Wan takes time to reflect on--and record-- key moments of a heroic life long-lived..." (Cantwell, p. 1).
Review and spoilers ahead! Click to expand⬎⬎⬎
My Rating: ★★★★.5
This is quite possibly my favorite Star Wars comic run of right now. The art, storylines, and characterizations all feel very true to the Star Wars we already know and love. It is interesting to see Obi-Wan in various stages of his life through the use of flashbacks in this comic run. This particular issue felt like a storyline you might see in The Clone Wars itself. This individual mission was intriguing and fun to read about as well as a great look at the Jedi teachings. Qui-Gon Jinn is one of the most carefully crafted and provoking characters in all of Star Wars in my opinion. He strays from the typical Jedi Council mindset and is guided by the Force in a unique way. I always welcome stories involving his character particularly when he is acting as a master with lessons to share. This aspect was well done in this comic issue and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the master and padawan dynamic between Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.
I also thought the mention of Darth Maul and his death (as seen in Rebels 2017) was beautifully done. Particularly the art in this collection of comic panels held an impact that is necessary when exploring the ending of Maul's story. The description of Maul's last moments as well as the fear and sadness depicted in his eyes was an incredible start to this issue of "Obi-Wan." I know we are only two issues in, but with a renewed love for Obi-Wan thanks to the Disney+ show and Ewan McGregor's wonderful performance, this comic is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Obi-Wan is such a complex character with a lot of potential for great comic storytelling so I look forward to the furtherance of this comic run!
What would you rate Obi-Wan issue #2?
★
★★
★★★
★★★★
"She-Hulk #4" by Rainbow Rowell (Writer), Luca Maresca (Artist) and Rico Renzi (Colorist)
"Previously... Jennifer Walters-- known to many as SHE-HULK-- has left the Avengers and returned to lawyering. She now works for her old frenemy MALLORY BOOK and lives in her old penthouse apartment. In her free time, she helps civilians and blows off steam by brawling with her longtime rival, TITANIA. Then someone unexpected crashed back into her life: friend and fellow Avenger JACK OF HEARTS. When the radiation that gave him his powers threatened to destroy him, Jack flew into space to protect his teammates. Jen thought he was dead-- until he appeared on her doorstep with his powers greatly diminished and only patchwork memories of how he survived his one-way trip to space..." (Rowell, p. 1).
Review and spoilers ahead! Click to expand⬎⬎⬎
My Rating: ★★★.5
I felt that this issue of "She-Hulk" was a cute read. The character dynamics being introduced are fun to read about with entertaining banter and genuine caring relationships. This issue didn't seem to move the overall story forward all that much but I think it was beneficial in shaping these relationships which will likely become significant in further issues. I am very curious to read more about Jack, as his story right now is quite mysterious and there is a lot of potential there.
To be totally transparent, this is my first real introduction to She-Hulk. I just recently started getting more into Marvel and with this comic being in it's early stages, I thought it was perfect to get into it from the beginning. So for this reason, I don't have very much knowledge about the bigger story and character arc of Jennifer Walters. This leaves me unable to be too critical of the story until I've learned enough to be able to form those opinions. So far, the only critique I have is that the comic doesn't have a ton of substance, but again, I do think these early issues are building the base of the characters. I think this is a prime time for the story of She-Hulk since it is being explored in various media forms and that makes me really excited for the upcoming issues of this comic run. If for nothing else than just for the cute storytelling and relationship building.
What would you rate She-Hulk issue #4?
★
★★
★★★
★★★★
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