Author: Marcus Orchard

Britannia: Lost Eagles of Rome #1 Valiant Comics Writer: Peter Milligan Artist: Robert Gill Britannia has always felt like an anomaly in the Valiant Universe. While there are multiple Valiant heroes that are scattered throughout different times, Britannia feels the most isolated. Fortunately, Britannia has not been an anomaly as far as quality goes for Valiant, and it looks Britannia: Lost Eagles of Rome will continue the series’ successful run. Lost Eagles of Rome is the third Britannia story and is once again written by Peter Milligan. For those who are unfamiliar with the series, the story takes place…

Shanghai Red #2 Image Comics Writer: Christopher Sebela Artist: Joshua Hixson The first issue of Shanghai Red successfully established an atmospheric tale of revenge. The reader was introduced to Red, who was shanghaied for years before finally initiating her plan for revenge. While the first issue was a fast and exciting start to the series, Shanghai Red #2 allows the reader to get to know Red while she begins the hunt for those who wronged her. Shanghai Red #2 carries a certain intensity with it that feels different than the previous issue. If each episode had its own theme,…

Every week there are enough X-Men books to warrant their own review roundup. So, here it is! Mr. & Mrs. X #1 Kelly Thompson has really been on a roll lately. Following X-Men Gold’s messy wedding issue, Thompson turns the magnifying glass on the couple that actually got married: Rogue and Gambit. The majority of this issue recaps X-Men Gold #30 but retells the story from the perspective of the actual happy couple. The first half is just a lot of fun, with a multitude of great character interactions and dialogue throughout the wedding and reception. Thompson has an…

Grand Blue Episode 1 Studio: Zero-G Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life Stream: Amazon Prime Grand Blue is an anime about scuba diving. Grand Blue is just another anime about a fun group of young people bonding over a hobby that they all love. The first episode introduces the viewer to Iori as he begins his freshman year at Izu University. He anticipates a great college life filled with wonderful opportunities and new friends. As he arrives at his uncle’s old scuba diving shop, he gets hit with the sudden realization that maybe he won’t get his ideal college life. A group…

Fence #8 BOOM! Studios Writer: C.S. Pacat Artist: Johanna the Mad & Joana Lafuente Fence has been an absolute joy to read so far. In just eight issues, C.S Pacat and Johanna the Mad have managed to create a fun sports drama that rivals some of the best that sports manga has to offer. Fence #8 opens with the beginning of Seiji’s day. The reader gets to learn about the young fencing prodigy as he wakes up, warms up, and works-out before his peers. It’s an excellent look at Seiji’s work ethic, establishing him as a hardworking character as opposed to someone…

Image Comics has announced that it will be publishing ExorSisters, a new ongoing series by Eisner Award-winning writer Ian Boothby (The Simpsons, MAD Magazine) and artist Gisele Lagace (Ménage à 3, Archie Meets Ramones, Jem & the Holograms, Betty Boop). Image Comics has provided the following synopsis:  “Did you sign a deal with the Devil? Has your fiancé been dragged to Hell? Then Kate and Cate Harrow should be the first ones you call for timely soul retrieval at a reasonable rate! But why are these identical twins so different? Is there a darker secret? Readers will find out when they pick…

Farmhand #1 Image Comics Writer: Rob Guillory Artists: Rob Guillory and Taylor Wells Farmhand #1 is Rob Guillory’s return to the world of creator-owned comics following his insanely entertaining book Chew with John Layman. This time, Guillory takes on both writing and art duties (Sans colors) to tell a story of his own. In Farmhand, Jedidiah Jenkins is a revolutionary farmer that his managed to grow human organs on his farm thanks to breakthroughs in stem cell research. Hands and fingers grow off of the limbs of trees, eyeballs are the center of flowers, and of course, there are scalp…

Rat Queens #10 Image Comics Writer: Kurtis J Wiebe Artist: Owen Gieni “The Colossal Nothing” has been both a fun, but frustrating arc for Rat Queens. While it has an interesting enough premise, the execution has been far from flawless. To recap, Palisade is being undone by a magical wizard that makes its residents disappear. Different characters have slowly been disappearing while the remaining Rat Queens try to figure out how to stop it. The idea is fun, but the arc is plagued by poor pacing and some odd decisions regarding the script. Rat Queens #10 remedies most of the…

Image Comics has announced Middlewest, a new creator-owned series by Skottie Young (I Hate Fairyland) and Jorge Corona (No. 1 With A Bullet). The series is expected to launch in November. “I’m putting so much of myself and my life into this book that sometimes I have to remind myself there’s not really a raging tornado monster chasing me,” said Young. “It’s like we took a Don Bluth movie, Miyazaki, the dark adventures of old Henson movies, and my childhood, then put them in a blender.” From Image’s press release: “The lands between the coasts are vast, slow to change, and…

Image Comics has announced that Daniel Warren Johnson (Extremity) will launch Murder Falcon, a new series under the Skybound imprint. The series follows Jake, who meets Murder Falcon, a monster-killer sent from The Heavy to destroy all evil. Together, Jake and Murder Falcon need to shred to save the world from monsters attacking earth. “Music is something that brings me a lot of joy, and it was my goal to translate that into images, thus bringing MURDER FALCON into the world,” said Johnson. “It’s a super combo of all the things I love, and I’m so excited to share it…