Category Archives: Comics

G3 Review: Spencer & Locke #1

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Hey, nerds! I must offer the full disclosure that I am friends with the writer of this comic book, David Pepose. Conflict of interest you say? Well, it’s my blog and I can do what I want, and I want to talk about Spencer & Locke.

While it may be true that I am particularly partial to David as a person and wanting him to succeed in this project, I am even more partial to opinions. As in having them. Also, David has been my review editor for many years, and I can’t pass up the opportunity to critically evaluate his very first comic book! Are you ready, David? Let’s go.

Spencer & Locke #1
Written by David Pepose
Art by Jorge Santiago, Jr.
Colors by Jasen Smith
Letters by Colin Bell
Published by Action Lab Entertainment

Some of the most profound wisdom of my childhood comes from Calvin & Hobbes. Calvin was hilarious as an irreverent, spit-fire of a kid and Hobbes was delightfully feline and a loyal foil that taught us about cynicism, optimism and getting the most out of our wagon. As a kid without Internet, it was captivating fodder on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Continue reading →

Four Reasons to Visit ‘Riverdale’

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A memorable scene in episode one of “Riverdale” perfectly captures what makes this CW drama work. Archie and Veronica end up in a closet for Seven Minutes in Heaven during a party, and Veronica begins to see through Archie’s wholesome exterior.

“You’re a lot more dangerous than you look, aren’t you?” she asks.

“You have no idea,” he says.

Well!

“Riverdale” is far more dangerous than the historically G-rated comics universe it’s based on, and therefore destined to be polarizing. But if last Thursday’s crackling debut is any indication, it promises to be a juicy treat full of curveballs and intrigue. The show pulls off an impressive feat in maintaining the essence of beloved and loathed archetypes while turning their volume way up and messing with viewers’ expectations. Continue reading →

Pull List Worthy Comics: January 27

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pull list wor·thy

po͝ol list wərT͟Hē
adjective

1. a comic book that is deserving of effort, attention, respect and purchase.
“Since the first issue, The Wicked and The Divine has been consistently pull list worthy.”

It’s Wednesday you beautiful nerd-faced nerds! I am trying to do this pull-list thing weekly to make sure you all stay on track (and in-line) with appropriate comic book choices. And by appropriate, I mean awesome. Check it. Continue reading →

Pull List Worthy Comics: January 20

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pull list wor·thy

po͝ol list wərT͟Hē
adjective

1. a comic book that is deserving of effort, attention, respect and purchase.
“Bitch Planet is such a provocative read, it is totally pull list worthy.”

Happy Wednesday, nerds! I have cultivated a fine list of pull list worthy comics for you to check out when you hit your comic shop this week. In the mean time, tell me what’s on your pull list in the comments! Continue reading →

REVIEW: Harley’s Little Black Book #1, Midnighter #7

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I have a confession. I haven’t been reading much DC Comics… lately.

Yeah. I like Black Canary, but mostly because I am obsessed with the character and Annie Wu’s art. Bombshells is also a fine example of a superhero comic, and I do get my Secret Six on from time to time. That about sums it up.

I feel kind of blasphemous about it all. Birds of Prey. Wonder Woman. Superman: Birthright. These are the reasons I fell down the rabbit hole, and now I couldn’t give two shits. Much of the recent continuity, excluding Multiversity, rings wholly uninteresting to me. I will acknowledge that my aesthetic has certainly evolved since I began reading comics, and that is undeniably a part of my lackluster feelings towards DC. Also, who am I to judge when I am reading a whopping THREE titles?

So. Here’s me. Reading more DC. Trying to prove myself wrong.

Turns out. It worked.

Check my review of Harley’s Little Black Book #1 featuring Wonder Woman and drawn by Amanda Conner (YAY!). And I went ahead and reviewed Midnighter #7, too. Writer Steve Orlando has a particularly biting vernacular unlike any other, and Aco’s art is fanfreakingtastic. Check it.

REVIEW: DC Comics Bombshells #1

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Falling in love with the many gorgeous statues that are made of our cherished comic book characters can be an expensive endeavor. I was personally obsessed with the second Ame-Comi Wonder Woman designed by artist Dustin Nguyen. You know, the one that is an homage to Greg Rucka’s Wondy that decapitated Medusa blind? Yeah. I eventually got my hands on one, but at great cost to a former paramour as in he paid a pretty penny for it.

DC’s Bombshells statues are just as admirable, if not more. They’re fun, creative, cosplay worthy and inspire all kinds of ideas… you know, like for a comic book! Continue reading →

Comics You Should Be Reading: Back In The Saddle Edition

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Hey nerds!

It’s been awhile. We know. Let’s just say we’ve been busy doing life, and all three of us are guilty of falling behind on our monthly comic book reading duties.

In an effort to get back in the saddle, we each went through our mounting stash of unread comics. We chose the two titles that we absolutely can’t wait to read and stand out among the rest. So, when your real-life responsibilities get you behind on your comics, in the very little in between time, these are the comics you should be reading. Continue reading →

REVIEW: Fables #150

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Fables was one of the comics I cut my teeth on, and it will always hold a special place on my shelf. Today, the final (mega) issue of Fables hits comic shops, and the unconventional, intricate, addictive fairy tale is over. Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha and all the other wonderful artists and editors totally stuck the landing.

You can read my full review HERE.

Fables Farewell

REVIEW: Black Canary #2

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You guys! Annie Wu‘s pencils on Black Canary are SO GOOD! I’m basically obsessed, and over-the-moon that Wu is the one drawing my favorite character. I’d be remiss not to mention Lee Loughridge‘s colors. He does fantastic things for the tone of the book. The two of them combined SET the tone of the book. It’s edgy, but not trite. It’s modern and stylized. The art is basically the shit. I mean LOOK at my girl…

Also, check my full review of Black Canary #2 RIGHT HERE.

Imperator Furiosa Gallery

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With the overwhelming success of Mad Max: Fury Road and the newly-crowned feminist icon, Imperator Furiosa; it’s an understatement to say there is now an abundance of fanart floating about the Internet. But it’s not just fans, there’s some fantastic art by some of our favorite comic artists, too! Continue reading →

Archie #1 is a flawless relaunch

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Writer Mark Waid and artist Fiona Staples are working a special kind of magic with Archie #1. They’ve managed to create something that’s fresh and surprising without sacrificing any of the things that make the best Archie stories so much fun. The two of them just plain get it, and the result is a flawless re-launch that will delight longtime readers and intrigue newcomers. Continue reading →

REVIEW: Kaptara #1

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Sex Criminals and Howard the Duck are obviously comics done by a creator with a sense of humor. I can actually vouch for that humor because I ran into him at HeroesCon last year, and he’s a delightful goofball. I am talking about Chip Zdarsky, and when he announced his book Kaptara at Image Expo – he declared it the “gay Saga.” Continue reading →

The Return of NONPLAYER

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Do you remember Nonplayer? How could you forget?

Well, it has been four years, so I will refresh your memory.

In 2011, Nate Simpson released the first issue of what is planned to be a six-issue series about a girl who spends most of her time in a “full-immersion” virtual reality game called “Warriors of Jarvath.” The comic is exquisitely drawn, and the story is totally engaging. It was a huge success, critics and fans were effusive.

If it was so awesome, why haven’t we seen a second issue? Continue reading →

REVIEW: Spider-Gwen #1

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Having rattled many a figurative comics cage in my blogging time in attempts to get publishers to take notice (and they didn’t), it is beyond gratifying to see Spider-Gwen #1 come to print. Last September, a spidey-powered Gwen Stacy graced the pages of Edge of the Spider-Verse #2 as just an alternate-world character, but the fan response was so overwhelmingly positive that Marvel gave Gwen her own book.

What does that mean? Continue reading →

REVIEW: Miami Vice Remix #1

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Buddy cop comics really aren’t my thing unless it’s Birds of Prey, and they’re not really cops. Although, I’d totally ready a book that paired up Renee Montoya with Starling. That’d be fun. I digress.

Miami Vice had the ultimate buddy cops. Tubbs and Crockett set trends that have reverberated through the film and television generations. Now, there is a comic. One that I think is totally worth your time, particularly if you were ever a fan of the show. This version has some modern pop culture mixed in and Jim Mahfood’s extravagant art. “Remix” is a perfect moniker.

You can read my full review HERE.

miami2

REVIEW: Casanova Acedia #1

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As a brief introduction, Casanova #8 was one of the first comics I picked up when I started working at a comic shop in 2008. I had no idea what it was – it might have been a FCBD promo – and the title led me to believe that it would revolve around a dude boning a lot of ladies or something. Not really my wheelhouse, but the cover drew me in immediately. Continue reading →

REVIEW: Lady Killer #1

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Dark Horse Comics kicks off the year with an excellent new comic called Lady Killer by Joëlle Jones, Jamie S. Rich and Laura Allred. I’ve actually been a fan of Joëlle’s style for quite some time now, and you may have seen her selling some of her prints at a con near you. Anyway, her talent is thoroughly showcased in this book. The art is fantastic, you guys. And Laura Allred’s colors are to die for (pun intended). Continue reading →

Binge Reading: Alex + Ada

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Awkward.

Awkward.

If you had the resources, would you buy companionship? Not the temporary human kind but something programmed to serve and please you? And what if that companion were so lifelike that, at first glance, you wouldn’t know he or she wasn’t sentient?

It’s possible in Alex + Ada (Image), and the answers aren’t as simple as you’d think. The subject of people interacting with human-like beings has been explored before, but Alex + Ada goes beyond the obvious pros and cons to unfold in ways that are surprising, frequently suspenseful and emotionally resonant. After totally sleeping on this comic by Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn for the past year, I’ve gone into full binge-reading mode. Continue reading →

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Wonder Woman entered the Meredith and David Finch era last week with issue #36, and the good news is that it succeeds in bridging the previous run and the new without being off-putting for new readers. Those of us who were worried about Diana looking overly cheesecakey can breathe easy, as David Finch’s take on the character is respectful. Meredith Finch’s story is perfectly fine overall, and I’m glad to see Wonder Woman back at the center of her title. There is no real “wow” factor to the proceedings, though. That’s not a deal-breaker this early in the game, but I do hope there is more than standard fare on the horizon. Check out my full Newsarama review HERE.

JL splash Wonder Woman 36

REVIEW: Punk Mambo #0

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I love it when a new character comes along and lights my fire. Punk Mambo would be just such a character. Born in the pages of Shadowman, she is Peter Milligan’s baby. She’s definitely got spit and fire. She’s also got a cavalcade of dark magic that could totally melt your face. The best part about her is that she marches to the beat of her own strange drum. I reviewed the one-shot out tomorrow by Valiant, and this would qualify as a great girl story. You can read my full review HERE.

And in case you missed it, I reviewed the final issue of Azzarello and Chiang’s Wonder Woman a couple of weeks ago. You will not be at all surprised to know that I got a little saucy with it. While you’re there, check Lindsey’s review of Elektra, too.

You guys, Robert Gill's art is baller!

You guys, Robert Gill’s art is baller!

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I am fully under the spell of “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” the latest top-notch offering from Archie Comics. Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, it’s a dark, compelling and completely accessible story with fantastic art by Robert Hack. Read my full review of issue #1 HERE.

Archie Comics - Sabrina #1

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Ever since Spider-Gwen was announced, the comic world has been buzzing with praise for her design, cosplayers are popping up at cons and there was an all-around anticipation-high for the character. Jason Latour and Robbie Rodriguez’s Edge of Spider-Verse #2 features Gwen Stacy as the unwitting soul who got bit by a spider in all her tenacious glory. It’s a strong start and a great (girl) character. You can read my full review HERE.

Edge of Spider-Verse's Spider-Woman by W. Scott Forbes

Edge of Spider-Verse’s Spider-Woman by W. Scott Forbes

Barbarella, Kelly Sue and Unapologetic Lady Sex

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If you appreciate the cultural significance of comics, then Barbarella should be a part of your repertoire. Mind you, I didn’t know this until about two months ago. I hope to save ya’ll from such ignorance.

Barbarella 1If you don’t know, Barbarella is a French comic from the early sixties by Jean-Claude Forest. Apparently, France was (and possibly still is) where it’s at for progressive themes in comics, particularly for women and the expression of their sexuality.

While Barbarella was busy being a women’s sexual liberation icon in France, Grove Press published an English version of the comic on this side of the pond in the mid-60s. But that translation is dated.

Humanoids Inc partnered with Kelly Sue DeConnick to do a contemporary take on the original French version. I had the privilege of reading Kelly Sue’s adaptation, and guys, this comic is a game-changer. Continue reading →

The Wicked + The Divine Cosplay: Lucifer

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What is a girl to do when she gets home from work and her WiFi is down? She tries to do a real-life recreation of one of her favorite comic book covers, naturally.

Which comic book cover do I speak of? That would be Jamie McKelvie and Matt Wilson‘s utterly exquisite The Wicked + The Divine #1 variant cover featuring the enigmatic Lucifer.

So, how’d I do?

Lucifer Cosplay - Wicked Divine

The Comments Thread: Busiek Tells It Like It Is

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So this morning I was checking out an article on The Beat, and as usual proceeded into the belly of the beast, a.k.a. the comments section, to see what great things people men had to say on the subject of the sexualization of men vs. women in comics. The post had used a few pictures to highlight what it looks like when men are sexualized.

It started out as expected, with commenters wondering just what sort of problem women could possibly have with this unequal and oftentimes inappropriate representation. It must have something to do with our self-esteem! Continue reading →

How Do You Build a Great Girl Character?

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This one time when I was at the bar (and by one time, I mean Tuesday night), I got into one of those taboo conversations about feminism and the treatment of female characters in fiction. The conversation inevitably made its way to comics; I mean this is me after all. Then my nemesis, we’ll call him Baby Bird, made the obvious and seemingly inevitable hasty generalization that men are just as objectified as women in comics. And well, that kicked me into high gear with points about inequity, marginalization and visual representation (see Kelly Thompson’s articulate essay that inspired my vein-popping rant).

Baby Bird may not have been up-to-speed on the gender bias prevalent in comics and fiction in general, but the discussion on the topic has grown exponentially over the past several years. Much of that conversation is spent calling out the bullshit. Rightfully so. While I live for a good row just like the next girl, I think it is pretty clear what the problems are. So how do we fix them? Continue reading →

We’ve Got Issues: A New Podcast by Yours Truly

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Hey y’all!

Sooooo my pal George Marston (who also writes about comics) and I have long been talking about doing a thing. Something related to comics. We thought it could be a website, a youtube channel, a bad fan art collective… but we eventually settled on a podcast. We like to think that we’ve got faces for radio. We are really, really, really, ridiculously good-looking.

Now, I am 100% new to podcasting. I’m new to recording, and new to having to listen to my own voice over and over while I am editing. It’s much less glamorous than I had anticipated, but it’s still a heckuva lotta fun. George does some voice acting, so this is an old hat for him. His charisma levels are off the charts. For now, I view my microphone with fear and trepidation. But BY THE BEARD OF ZEUS I will conquer it! Continue reading →

5 Quotes Worth Remembering From SENYC

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… And they’re all from the Reimagining the Female Superhero panel!

It’s Throwback Thursday here at Girls Gone Geek, and I wanted to share a few new quotes from the panel that made the trip to SENYC worth it.

Enjoy!

By Alison Bechdel

By Alison Bechdel

On the Bechdel Test:
“I think there’s a lot of dismissal of things that do pass [The Bechdel Test]. If you have a

buddy cop movie about men, then it’s a buddy cop movie. If you have a buddy cop movie about women, it’s a chick flick. If you have a coming of age story about a boy, then it’s a coming of age story, if it’s about a girl it’s a chick flick. If it’s about a father and son relationship, it’s a father and son movie, if it’s a mother and daughter, it’s a chick flick. And I’m tired of it!” – Marguerite Bennett

On creating accurate representations of women:
“You can get a female character up on a pedestal so high, that they’re actually boring to read about. Once in awhile a female character is going to want to go on a date – it doesn’t make them less strong. They’re gonna cry – it doesn’t make them less strong. There are lots of kinds of strength, let’s explore them.” – Gail Simone

stormbp

On representation and diversity in comics:
“I think it’s a little strange that there are so many new stories coming out… but so few people of color in them. Because you can do that, you know.” – Amy Reeder

LadySkrullOn how poorly women have been written in the past:
“[Jack Kirby and Stan Lee] found it easier to identify with Skrulls than with women.” – Ben Saunders

On Wonder Woman:
“I think Wonder Woman is the strongest warrior on the planet, and maybe the universe.

She’s not gonna pull punches. And if you want to defeat her, you better not pull yours.” – Gail Simone

Wonder Woman by Marcio Takara

Wonder Woman by Marcio Takara