Writers: Kyle Higgins & Christos Gage
Artists: Thony Silas & Iban Coelo
First Publication: March 2015
Source: Comixology
Publisher: DC Comics
Graphic Novel Challenge #5
Kyle Higgins continues to write some of the best traditional style comic books with this crossover. This time he builds upon a story about the evil version of the future Justice League of a parallel Earth. The plotting is perfect as the characters from two very different Earths collide.
Highly recommended.
Authors: Christos Gage & Joshua Dysart
Artist: Emanuela Lupacchino
Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
Source: Comixology
Graphic Novel Challenge #25
Collects Bloodshot & the H.A.R.D. Corps #s14-17 and Bloodshot #0
What do you get when you combine two of my favorite authors (Christos Gage and Joshua Dysart) with great art? In this case you get a good but not great series. This is the fall out of “The Harbinger Wars” for both Bloodshot and the H.A.R.D. Corps team. H.A.R.D. Corps was devastated by the events of the crossover and a new team is put together. Dysart and Gage wrote a fun, high energy adventure story but I felt it was lacking in characterization. The characterization was good but not up to the usual standard I have come to expect from these writers. Meanwhile, the art is very good. The story can be read on its own but has connections to the rest of the Valiant universe.
If you are looking for a solid adventure tale, this is the book for you.
Authors: Neal Adams & Christos Gage
Artist: Neal Adams
Publisher: Marvel Comics
First Publication: February, 2013
Source: Comixology
Collects The First X-Men #s 1-5
Graphic Novel Challenge Book #9
Neal Adams was one of my favorite artists when I was growing up. I remember the excitement of seeing an Adams cover on the spinner rack. I have many fond memories of picking up an issue of “Batman” or “Brave and the Bold” with his art. And the pleasant surprise of seeing an Adams’ page in the original run of “Justice League of America”. One of my favorite series back then was the Roy Thomas/Neal Adams/Tom Palmer “X-Men”. The stories were good and the visuals were stunning.
Although Adams art is not the same as it was then, I still like to look at his work. For this trip down memory lane, Adams is teaming with writer Christos Gage (one of the most underrated writers of recent times). Is this a perfect comic? No, but it is fun. This takes place before Professor Xavier recruits the original team as we saw them in “X-Men #1”. If you are looking for an enjoyable, fun adventure I would recommend this series.
Writer: Christos GagePenciler: Mike McKoneInker: Rebecca BuchmanI remember the first Avengers book I bought. It was a Steve Englehart story in the original series. At that time there was only 1 Avengers title. Was it a classic story? No. It was the issue before Steve's epic Avengers/Defenders War. But to me it was amazing. I loved the war Steve was able to make the characters real. It seemed like they were real people who just happened to have amazing adventures. I followed the Avengers ever since that issue until Bendis took the reins. I kept reading during the Avengers Disassembled but this was not my Avengers. I have tried reading Bendis' Avengers off and on but it lacked something. What I discovered with this title is that Christos Gage knows how to write "my Avengers".This issue is a perfect example. I love the way he shows the conflict between the teachers and the students. The students are torn between what they want to do and what the teachers are telling them. They have conflict within the ranks but support each other when push comes to shove. In this issue, the students find a video, on the internet, of Tigra's beatdown at the hands of the Hood. They want to know what Tigra did to him when she caught the Hood. Tigra says that she sent him to prison. That is what heroes do. If the heroes start taking revenge through violence, they are no better than the villains.The students decide to take revenge for her. They expect this will make her happy and send a message to the villains at the same time. Tigra has the opposite reaction. The ending is very believable. This is a comic that I can't wait for the next issue.Highly recommended. 4 out of 5 stars.
