Author: Ethan Maddux

Assassin’s Apprentice #1Dark Horse ComicsWriter: Jody HouserArtists: Ryan Kelly and Jordie BellaireAssassin’s Apprentice #1 was a highly anticipated release for me as a huge Robin Hobb fan. This series is an adaptation of the first in her critically acclaimed trilogy The Farseer Trilogy, with scripts by Jody Houser and art by Ryan Kelly. The series would go on to encompass a massive 13 book saga now known as The Realm of the Elderlings; an epic I devoured all within the span of a year. It’s a series brimming with rich characters, adventures, and a series of events so horrible and…

Robin Hobb is an unparalleled giant in the fantasy genre. Tucking a multitude of awards under her belt, as well as nominations for many others including Hugo and Nebula awards, her mark in the space can’t be understated. I affectionately dub her the mother of modern fantasy, with respect to her other works, mostly due to her critically acclaimed and successful Realm of the Elderlings series spanning three trilogies (and one quadrilogy). Her works are often praised for their character work and deep introspective themes, as well as being exceptionally gut-wrenching. It all started with the revered Assassin’s Apprentice. That…

Paper Girls Season 1 Creator: Stephanie Folsom Starring: Camryn Jones, Riley Lai Nelet, Sofia Rosinsky, Finna Strazza, Adina Porter, Nate Corrdry, Ali Wong Runtime: 8 Episodes I’m a big fan of Brian K Vaughn and Cliff Chiang’s Paper Girls book. It’s a completely off the rails romp that never lets it’s foot off the gas for a second. It’s miraculous the way in which it was able to maintain a comprehensible story despite the speed at which it jerks the reader this way and that. Naturally, I was excited at the prospect of an adaptation, but that excitement comes with…

The Boys Season 3 Episodes 1-3 Creator: Eric Kripke Starring: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Dominque McElligot, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso Runtime: 8 Episodes The Boys Season 3 picks up a short time after the events of Season 2, in which Homelander (Antony Starr) was effectively blackmailed into submission by Maeve and The Boys. This presents an interesting starting point, as it changes up the dynamic of the characters in a way we have yet to see. Homelander is powerless, in a sense, and The Boys seem to be on the straight and narrow for…

Night Sky Creator: Holden Miller Starring: Sissy Spacek, JK Simmons, Chai Henson, Kiah McKirnan, Adam Bartley, Julieta Zylberberg. Rocio Hernandez Runtime: 8 Episodes From showrunner Daniel C. Connolly and creator/writer Holden Miller comes Night Sky; a quiet, somber science fiction tearjerker that centers on Franklin (JK Simmons) and Irene (Sissy Spacek) York; an aging, grieving couple who find a door to another world in their backyard. The Yorks’ simple life is upended when a strange young man named Jude (Chai Hensen) unexpectedly stumbles into their lives. Jude eventually assumes the role of caretaker for the Yorks: Irene, more specifically. Jude…

The Book of Boba Fett Creator: Jon Favreau Starring: Temuera Morrison, Ming-Na Wen, Pedro Pascal Rating: TV-14 Runtime: 7 Episodes The Book of Boba Fett spins out of one of my favorite ongoing television shows, The Mandalorian. That show was a lesson to us all; never lose faith in Star Wars — Disney can course correct! After all, it came around right when people needed help getting over the collective disappointment of The Rise of Skywalker. The Book of Boba Fett, however, elects to teach a different lesson: “We’re going to be making so much Star Wars and some of…

Fantastic Four: Life Story #6 Marvel Comics Writer: Mark Russel Artists: Sean Izaakse, Ze Carlos, Angel Unzueta Fantastic Four: Life Story by Mark Russel and Sean Izaakse has been a fascinating take on these classic characters. In just six short issues, it feels as if the team managed to cover quite a bit of ground (roughly 60 years of it if you want to be precise) and were able to make the most of their short time with the characters. While this sixth and final issue isn’t perfect, it serves as a satisfactory conclusion. This issue deals with the…

Marvel Comics Writer: Christopher Cantwell Artists: Julius Ohta & Frank D’Armata Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna I’m not typically an Iron Man fan. I’m fond of the movie portrayal as much as anyone else, but I have had trouble connecting with the comic book character. Despite that, Iron Man by Christopher Cantwell and a cast of artists (this issue is drawn by Julius Ohta) has been going strong for sixteen issues, and I’m still having a blast. The team has managed to not only mold Tony into a compelling character over the course of the series, but they’ve also done…

She-Hulk #1 Marvel Comics Writer: Rainbow Rowell Artist: Roge Antonio Corporate synergy’s not always so bad, eh? The upcoming release of a big-budget She-Hulk television undoubtedly contributed to the publishing of this book, and I’m grateful for that. Jennifer Walters, at least as we’ve come to know and love her, has been absent for what feels at least like a few years. The angry and feral She-Hulk she’s been in the current Avengers book is fun for what it is, but there is something inherently more interesting about writer Rainbow Rowell and artist Roge Antonio’s portrayal of Jennifer Walters, the…

Justice League vs The Legion of Superheroes #1 DC Comics Writer: Brian Michael Bendis Artist: Scott Godlewski I’m a big Bendis fan, and I have been for most of my life. He’s one of those writers who undeniably, at this point in his career and given all that he’s accomplished, knows how to bang out a compelling comic book script. He’s an extremely consistent writer, which is a positive quality but, like anything,  has drawbacks in that not every issue is going to blow you away like the first time you read Alias. Justice League vs Legion of Superheroes #1…