Author: Zach Bissett

Marvel Comics Writer: Steve Orlando, Stephanie Renee Williams (backup) Color Artist: Matthew Wilson Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit Penciler: Sara Pichelli, Christopher Allen (backup) It’s exciting when a new book starts with a clear vision. It’s especially rare for Marvel or DC, when constantly shifting creative teams, disruptive line-wide events, and the sheer number of titles make it difficult to find finely-tuned stories from dedicated writers and artists. We’re only two issues into Steve Orlando and Sara Pichelli’s Scarlet Witch, but the book has already demonstrated the potential to join Fraction and Aja’s Hawkeye, Zdarsky and Checchetto’s Daredevil, and other character-defining…

Image ComicsArt: Fiona StaplesWriter: Brian K. VaughanLetters & Design: Fonografiks Saga returns from its now regular six-month hiatus with #61. As was the case with the book’s multi-year break, the creators have afforded their characters the same time off, catching up with Alana, Hazel, and Squire half a year after the house fire. The new arc opens with a reunion between Sophie and The Will before focusing on Alana’s current situation as a single mother (and wanted terrorist) existing on the fringes of the galaxy.Every installment of Saga should be cherished, but the second arc since the big break already evokes…

Marvel Comics Writer: Steve Orlando Artist: Sara Pichelli Inking Assistant: Elisabetta D’Amico Color Artist: Matthew Wilson Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit As a comic neophyte, I feel ill-equipped for the rundown of how dirty Marvel has done Wanda Maximoff. She’s carried the burden of being the woman who killed mutants, a mantle she wears both in-universe and out, for decades. Years of cheerless X-books often featuring no more than a dozen super depressed children of tomorrow could always be traced back to a single utterance from the Scarlet Witch, though “No more mutants” was less Wanda’s master plan and more a…

Image ComicsWriter & Artist: Daniel Warren JohnsonColors: Mike SpicerLetters: Rus Wooton The seventh and final issue of Daniel Warren Johnson’s epic Do A Powerbomb! picks up where last month’s issue left us, with our heroic tag team squaring off against GOD in one final, desperate attempt to save Yua Steelrose from the afterlife. From the start, Johnson’s premise has been simple and existentially compelling; the odds of Lona bringing her mother back to life by winning a magic wrestling match never seemed likely, but how would Johnson author her failure? And would Lona grow from the loss, or would it break…

Image Comics Story & Art: Luana Vecchio English Adaption: Edward Caio In Lovesick #2, Luana Vecchio strikes a perfect balance between dark humor and truly depraved. Her characters are smooth and round, and there’s a pretty, glossy filter over every page. Domino and her girls pose with groovy, dramatic flair, giving the book the feel of a 60s musical at times. But there is far darker imagery, such as Domino idling in a tub full of red, with a mutilated body hanging over the water. Another page depicts the killer dominatrix as a demon capable of destroying the world.…

Creator & Writer: HS TakArt: Isabella MazzantiLayouts: Nicoletta BeaColors: Valentina NapolitanoLetters: Rob Jones In my review of Hitomi #1, I expressed concerns about pace considering the book’s status as a five-issue mini. The follow-up, Hitomi #2, is masterful in its narrative efficiency. Most of the issue is structured as a one-off, monster of the week adventure, again reminiscent of Samurai Champloo. Over the course of the episode, we see a distinct relationship formed between Hitomi and Yasuke, and by the issue’s end HS Tak has mapped out a clear path forward for the duo. The closing pages effortlessly transition into a…

Marvel ComicsStory & Art: Peach MomokoCo-Script: Zack DavissonLettering: VC’s Ariana Maher The second issue of Demon Wars, Peach Momoko’s follow-up to her innovative Demon Days, showcases the lofty peaks and undercooked valleys of the artist-storyteller’s unique approach to the Marvel canon.If Demon Wars truly is Momoko’s retelling of Civil War, she’s taken a liberal approach. A Carnage-inspired demon lies at the center of her story. The conflict between the Iron Samurai (Iron Man) and the Shield of Justice (Captain America) serves as a brief diversion.At times, Momoko’s story feels underdeveloped. Samurai and Shield are featured prominently on covers and throughout Demon…

Image Comics Writer, Artist, Creator: Daniel Warren Johnson Letters: Rus Wooton Do A Powerbomb #6 opens on a scene long promised. The aftermath of Yua’s tragic death is laid out in bold, sober panels that depict Lona’s father’s utter despair. Creator Daniel Warren Johnson transitions into the haunting flashback from a major emotional turning point in his fantasy wrestling epic, with Lona Steelrose  learning the true identity of her temperamental tag partner, Cobra Sun. It’s the first of several fluid and effective jumps through time that help make the issue one of the series’ strongest. The issue’s opening act is…

Ms. Marvel Created for Television by: Bisha K. Ali Directors: Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah, Meera Menon, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy Starring: Iman Vellani, Matt Lintz, Zenobia Shroff, Yasmeen Fletcher, Mohan Kapur, Rish Shah, Saagar Shaikh, Arian Moayed, Laith Nakli, Mehwish Hayat, Fawad Khan, Aramis Knight Runtime: 6 episodes I became a comic reader and fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in December 2020. Oddly, these interests were unrelated. It was several months before I expanded my reading from Image and other indies to Marvel. In doing so, I looked for series that had consistent creative teams and clear visions for…

DC Comics Writer: Chip Zdarsky Artist: Jorge Jiminez Colorist: Tomeu Morey Letterer: Clayton Cowles Jorge Jiminez continues to put on a masterclass with his work on Batman. His character designs are sharp and modern, yet retain classic qualities associated with the earliest ages of American comics. Colorist Tomeu Morey provides the perfect complement: in the opening pages of #129, Aquaman’s powerful face and flowing gold hair are as vibrant as a Saturday morning cartoon, but his costume is carefully textured in a more vintage style. Together with letterer extraordinaire Clayton Cowles, the art team is making Batman one of the best looking…