Comic Reviews 11.23.2020

 

Hey y’all. We’ve got a small one this week. It’s not the best group of comics, but there were definitely some highlight moments. I did read the new Amazing Spider-Man but it was so boring and nothing happened so I had nothing to say. Nice Mark Bagley art though. Next week should be bigger. It’ll also feature the return of Featured Reviews with X of Swords: Destruction #1. I’m very excited to see how this big event ends and write about it.

 I also want to note that Wednesday is going to have a fairly meaty News Roundup. It will also include some news about what the blog will look like in December and January. It’s gonna be wild and fun. Look forward to it.

 

Spoilers for: X-Force #14, Hellions #6

 

X-Force #14

Writer: Benjamin Percy and Gerry Duggan

Artist: Joshua Cassara

Colors: GURU-eFX

Designer: Tom Muller

Letters: VC’s Joe Carmagna

Cover: Dustin Weaver and Edgar Delgado

 

This event is not about the tournament. It cannot be. This and the issues last week have whizzed through numerous contests and the score—17-6, Arrako—is so lopsided that there has to be a twist coming. What exactly it is, I have no idea. I am excited to learn the answer.

This issue itself is a montage of events. Not much of consequence occurs. Storm flirts with Death some more before killing him and feeding him to some zombies. At least, I think they are zombies. We get even more hints that this may all be happening because Brian will not just sleep with Saturnyne. It is all very entertaining though.

Pogg Ur-Pogg being a troll in a Croc suit is inspired

Cassara and GURU-eFX are still doing the art here and it looks phenomenal. Last week, I sung the praises of Cassara and all that remains true. His character work and timing==both comedic and dramatic== are top notch. More should have been said about GURU-eFX’s colors. They are very grounded and somewhat muddy. Typically, muddy colors do not do much for me, but something here is just appealing in a way that is difficult to describe. It matches the tone of both the writing and Cassara’s art perfectly. It does stand out quite a bit from the rest of this crossover.

 

Hellions #6

Writer: Zeb Wells

Artist: Carmen Carnero

Colors: David Curiel

Design: Tom Muller

Letters: VC’s Ariana Maher

Cover: Stephen Segovia and Rain Beredo

 

I am free! I do not have to read this comic anymore! Hellions remains one of the most boring, insufferable comics I have read. Nothing happens but all that nothing is treated with unearned gravitas.

Everyone dies in this issue. The characters no one cares about (Nanny, Orphanmaker, and Wild Child) are murdered in Arrako by the Arrakii equivalent of the Hellions. These new characters are/ lame. They have no personality and bland designs. The idea that they offered themselves to be Arrakii-Sinister’s slaves is mildly interesting, but nothing is done with it here.

Meanwhile, the actual characters (Havok, Psylocke, Empath, and Greycrow) make it back to Krakoa before being murdered by Sinister to cover up that fact this was all a way for him to get Arrakii mutant DNA samples. I am sure that will lead to something going forward but if it is in this series, I will not see it because I am dropping Hellions. At least Havok will be fine since they made sure no to kill him until he got back home.

Love the hearts

The lone positive of this issue is the art. It is not as good as Joshua Cassara’s has been the last few issues but it is quite good. Carnero is especially good with facial expressions and boy language. It is a return to the style that has mostly dominated this event and feels more in line with the story than Cassara’s, which will likely play better in the trade.

As always, feel free to give your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter at @alexraysnyder. And if you like what you read here, consider throwing a couple bucks my way on Patreon to help cover costs.