Author: Matthew Dillon

Chastity Vol. 2 #1 Dynamite Entertainment Writer: Leah Williams Artists: Daniel Maine and Bryan Valenza I often feel that ’90s comics get an unnecessarily bad rap. There were plenty of amazing series published during that time, ones that still hold up today. On the other hand, you have the “Bad Girl” genre, in which scantily clad femme fatales murder their way to… something. Often with a mystical bent, the most supernatural thing about book likes Witchblade and Lady Death were their interpretations of human anatomy. Indie publisher Chaos! Comics made their whole brand out of Bad Girls. Thankfully, the…

Section Zero #6 Image Comics Writer: Karl Kesel Artist: Tom Grummett Section Zero’s resolution is as thorough as it is compact. With it’s six and final issue, it wraps up just about every loose plot thread. The big mysteries are all resolved, including the biggest one of all. Where did all these cryptids come from? Unfortunately, in this race to the finish, certain elements have fallen to the wayside. While I’ve had my issues with the book, it really pulled things together by the end. It’s not my favorite book of the year but it developed a clear sense of…

Transformers #11 IDW Publishing Writer: Brian Ruckley Artists: Angel Hernandez and Anna Malkova While this Transformers reboot is finally starting to go somewhere, it’s still too little, too late. Megatron has lost control over his own movement. So now he’s decided to “fix” the situation the only way he knows how, with gratuitous violence. Meanwhile, the Autobots are still struggling to figure out what’s happening, even as they stumble upon some promising leads. The return of the hot-headed Sentinel Prime and his equally unreasonable entourage further complicates an already disastrous investigation. More’s happened in this issue than just about any…

Killer Groove #4 Aftershock Comics Writer: Ollie Masters Artists: Eoin Marron and Jordie Bellaire Killer Groove #4 pulls the curtain back on its band of lost souls. The surviving characters show their true colors, either in the past or the present. It really sets the stage for the upcoming final issue. Especially because it doesn’t just develop the characters but escalate the stakes. While the book has a promising resolution ahead, things are looking grim for the cast itself. The look into Jackie’s fall from grace is exactly what it sounded like when first referenced. It’s the story of an…

Stronghold #5 Aftershock Comics Writer: Phil Hester Artist: Ryan Kelly In this final issue of Stronghold, the truth comes out. Michael finally learns the specifics of his god-like powers. More importantly, he learns who trapped him on Earth and who founded Stronghold to keep him there. This book had more places it could have gone, though I’d hesitate to call this issue rushed. In this age of decompressed, never-ending stories I can’t complain about a book that has the decency to tell its story as simply and efficiently as possible. Stronghold #5’s insistence on introducing adversaries so late in the…

Section Zero #5 Image Comics Writer: Karl Kesel Artist: Tom Grummett While Section Zero is still a little shaky, issue #5 was nonetheless a solid story. Unfortunately, the novelty of the book’s in the universe and real-world 18 year time jump is already starting to wear off. Especially since the time-bending shenanigans are becoming almost detrimental to the narrative. With Titania missing in both the past and present, Section Zero #5 reveals how the search for the super scientist tore the team apart. The grief-stricken Sam Wildman is still on the hunt, with his psychometric friend Pepe and an even…

Transformers #10 IDW Publishing Writer: Brian Ruckley Artists: Angel Hernandez and Anna Malkova Transformers #10 is thankfully more engaging than the largely forgettable previous issue. However, it also more or less ignores the events of issue 9, outside of a few details. The series as a whole alternates between drawn-out, dull periods and bursts of activity, where everything is thrown into the air. The former is dull to read and the latter feels rushed. Issue #10 has a lot going on but, as always, none of it feels developed. Optimus Prime and Megatron finally have a confrontation. Admittedly a…

Transformers #9 IDW Publishing Writer: Brian Ruckley Artists: Angel Hernandez and Anna Malkova Plenty of great comic books are a little self-important. Grant Morrison and the other members of the “British Invasion” write stories that at the very least act like they’re smarter than average. The good ones get away with it because, for the most part, it’s true. These comics avoided being pretentious because the writers and artists made an effort to live up to the intelligent storytelling they touted. Unfortunately, this new IDW Transformers series is the other kind of story, where it fails to properly engage the…

Killer Groove #3 Aftershock Comics Writer: Ollie Masters Artist: Eoin Marron Not only has issue #3 of Killer Groove kept the series’ ball rolling, but it also resolved my previous issues with the series. Certain loose plot threads and questionable decisions have more than paid off. Johnny has finally found success in his musical career. And his secret is that killing gives him the creative spark he needs. Meanwhile, Jackie is back solving mysteries as a private eye, though the biggest ones are just under her nose. Jackie and Johnny finally cross paths again in this issue, though their respective…

Section Zero #4 Image Comics Writer: Karl Kesel Artist: Tom Grummett After a dated but otherwise average three issues, Section Zero #4 takes the series in a daring new direction. The original series ended abruptly with its third issue after the dissolution of Gorilla Comics. In this Image revival, writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett has made the best of the nearly two-decade hiatus. Rather than awkwardly continue the original story, Section Zero #4 jumps ahead to the present day. While it’s a unique and daring creative decision, the passage of time hasn’t healed all wounds. Section Zero…