Thursday Morning Superhero

I am very excited to check out Captain Marvel this weekend, but was alerted to this upcoming "superhero" film that is flipping the script a little bit. It reminds me of Joe Hill's "The Cape" in some ways, and I am very intrigued.  The trailer is not for the feint of heart so consider yourself warned.

Pick of the Week:
Black Hammer '45 #1 - The incredible team of Jeff Lemire, Ray Fawkes, Matt Kindt, Sharlene Kindt and Marie Enger are bringing us all back into the Golden Age of superheroes thanks to this new title from Darkhorse.  The Black Hammer Squad spent their time making the world hell for the Nazi's. They stopped them in the air, on the ground, and in the sea. Despite some of the supernatural creations of the Nazi's, The Black Hammer Squad had little to fear.  The book opens with with members of the team, now in their 90's, getting together because of something significant about the date. We are treated to some thrilling flash-backs, but an ominous final mission seems to be at the heart of this series. This book jumps off the pages thanks to the incredible work by the Kindts and it is always easy to get on board when it comes to superheroes defeating the Nazi's. The creative team behind this series is a powerhouse and I cannot wait to see what went wrong in the final mission and what the team is getting back together for on that fateful day.

The Rest:
Paper Girls #26 - The four girls have been sent to the four corners of the "cube" and find themselves in different timelines all posing their own problems. One of the highlights for me was the Michael Jackson zing that must have been a last minute add that was particular timely. As this time-traveling sci-fi wave of nostalgia races towards its conclusion (it is ending in a double-sized issue #30) the girls appear to have one last chance to return to 1988 and save the world. I am curious if the issues will continue to feature all of the girls or if we will have one issue per girl and the second half of the finale brings it all together. Brian K. Vaughan appears to set the stage for each girl to have their own mission in their current whereabouts and an ally to assist. I fail at revisiting this series when new issues drop and I really owe it to myself to start this series over. Vaughan weaves a complex tale that spans multiple timelines with competing factions that has me scratching my head trying to understand how it all fits together.

Star Wars: Vader - Dark Visions #1 - Marvel unveiled a new mini-series that focuses on some of Vader's side quests. In this on-off, Vader finds himself on a planet that has seen better days. The people of this world live underground after their planet was ravaged by a shark looking Kaiju known as the Ender. People will scavenge the surface for food, but always have a quick route underground should the Ender awaken. Vader's Tie-Fighter crash landing on the planet has awakened the great beast and the sole individual who remained on the surface is treated to quite the epic duel. This felt pretty mindless and cheesy, but entertaining.  It is like a direct to DVD film that is worth checking out on Netflix, but you understand why it didn't make it to the big screen. I will likely check out the other issues in this series if they are as entertaining as this book was.

Batman #66 - Batman remains trapped inside his own nightmares, and his current plan of escaping isn't going to well thanks to the stubborn nature of the woman being interrogated. For some reason Batman feels if he can understand truly why Catwoman, Selina Kyle, truly loves him he will be able to escape.  This issue is an interrogation of Ms. Kyle as we walk through the complicated history the two have and try to gain a sense of their attraction to one another. I find it funny how intense the covers feels compared to the walk down memory lane Catwoman provides throughout this issue. Reading this right after Black Hammer made it feel even more retro than intended. I remain impressed with Tom King's current arc for the Dark Knight and am happy to be back on the Batman Train.  Choo-choo!


POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

After a two-week hiatus it is good to be back in the driver's seat for another edition of Thursday Morning Superhero. The end of the year is rapidly approaching and I am reminded that it is nearing the time to reflect on the state of comics in 2018.

Pick of the Week:
Daredevil #612 - Charles Soule wrapped up an amazing run as he wrapped up "The Death of Daredevil" and set the stage for Chip Zdarsky to take over the reigns. While Soule may not have been able to tie up all of the loose ends he created, he brought Daredevil back into Hell's Kitchen and allowed him to return to his roots. Drawing strong parallels to the current situation in the White House, Daredevil's final fight is leveraging the system to remove Kingpin from power following an illegitimate election. In one of the final scenes in the courtroom Soule brought out Marvel's star power with cameos from Captain America, Spider-Man, and She-Hulk to name a few.  While the ending will give you pause and cause you to re-read some of the final panels again, Soule did a great job setting the stage for a new creator to take over on the Man without Fear. I thoroughly enjoyed Soule's run and would rank it up near Mark Waid's run which remains my favorite.

The Rest:
Stranger Things #3 - This mini series is nearing its conclusion and it has been an interesting peek at Will's time in the Upside Down. If you ever wondered how Will communicated to his mom and maintained hope he could survive then this series is well worth your time. In a particularly devastating scene, Will returns to try and talk to his mom only to find his dad boarding up his only window into reality. He is pleading with his dad, but he doesn't hear him leaving Will feeling hopeless. I can't see this book appealing to non-Stranger Things fans, but if you enjoyed the Netflix series I highly recommend giving this one a whirl. If it is successful maybe they will consider a spin-off set during the time of season two. My only wish is that it featured more flashbacks of Will and the boys prior to his abduction.

Darth Vader #24 - I will admit that the current arc of Vader has me scratching my head and being highly entertained at the same time. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and feel it might be the best Star Wars comic in the Marvel arsenal. It gave us the Dr. Aphra spin-off and has finally provided insight into Vader's rise to power. As Dean noted in our Holiday Gift Guide, this book accomplishes what the prequels never did and is must read material for Star Wars fans. Having said that, this current arc and Vader's return to Mustafar features a horde of insects and a Sith Master's spirit rising from the dead to teach Vader about his misunderstanding of what the dark side truly is. The highlight in this issue was watching Vader command his army of Storm Troopers in battle. Watching how he inspires them with his actions on the battlefield highlight how he may indeed be the chosen one. This issue fell a bit flat, but I am looking forward to the conclusion and am still enjoying this series.



POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

It might seem a bit too early to start your Halloween planning, but time is running out if you want to be cool and give out mini-comics to your trick-or-treaters!  Thanks to Halloween ComicFest, you can pre-order bundles of 25 mini comics from your local comic book store. I placed my order last week and look forward to introducing the neighborhood kids to the amazing Johnny Boo! Check out the comics you can pre-order here!

Pick of the Week:
Darth Vader #21 - We are starting to learn why Vader has selected the world of Mustafar for his prize from the Emperor. He was given Padme's royal starship as his vessel to embark to Mustafar and there is something very odd about Vader piloting such a pristine and shiny vessel. It seems that Vader has similar feelings and has an odd and surprising method of altering the shiny exterior. It seems that Vader has never felt more connected to the Force than his time on Mustafar. The location where he lost so much, including his life, has some sort of power over him and drives him forward with a blind allegiance. Marvel has really done a great job filling in the holes between the movies and providing us with valuable insights of characters that we have know since our childhood. When I think back to my first impression of Vader I thought he was simply a bad dude that could force choke someone out. We learned more about him as the movies progressed, but nothing like the nuance we get in the comics. The Clone Wars cartoon does a similar thing in regards to Anakin and I would love to see similar treatment given to other franchises.

The Rest:
Birthright #31 - It has been quite some time since I revisited this series and will admit that I will need to read the  previous few issues to properly catch up, but am instantly reminded why this series from Joshua Williamson and Andrei Bressan stood out to me when I first read it. The lore (inside joke) of Terrenos, the mages, and the world add such depth to what started as a missing child story. This week we learn more about the tragic upbringing of Mastema and the sheer power that consumes her. This issue is a nice pause in the story and Williamson promises the next few issues are insane.



Daredevil #608 - Matt and Mike Murdock have some family issues to work out. I was unaware that Matt had a twin brother, but apparently he died many years ago and was brought back through the powers of The Reader. He is already causing quite a few headaches and kidnapped Foggy, but Daredevil is conflicted faced with the prospect of killing his brother or a realistic copy of his brother. I am not entirely on board with this development, but it became more interesting with this issue and has me very intrigued given the fact that Mike just went to visit Kingpin and informed him of Matt's research into the legitimacy of the mayoral election. If only our current political environment was this entertaining. I think some good old fashioned superheros would really liven up the Mueller investigation!




POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

It was rough watching Gen Con from afar, but from what I gathered on social media there were a lot of amazing games to be had, big announcements, and some sweet exclusive promos. I am hoping to write up another Gen Con from afar post and will attempt to return next year. At least I still have my comics!

Pick of the Week:

The Sandman Universe #1 - This week we are welcomed back into the world of The Dreaming with a debut issue brought to us from Neil Gaiman, not written by Gaiman. I was introduced to this series after picking up the first trade paperback many years ago prior to my first trip to SDCC. In the current world, Morpheus is dead and his successor, Matthew, is missing. This does not bode well as there are changes in The Dreaming that need to be addressed. A raven is able to escape The Dreaming and learns that Matthew embarked on a quest of his own and may not be able to respond to the call for help. I love the way this series juxtaposes real life horror with the main arc in The Dreaming. It provides a human element that makes this series all the more horrifying. While it would have been great to have Gaiman penning this series, his impact is felt and the first issue reminds me why this series drew me in so many years ago.

The Rest:

Darth Vader #19 - The start to a new arc called Fortress Vader is off to a shocking and satisfying start. Vader and his Inquisitors are attempting to wipe out the Jedi. This book opens with an attack on an old Jedi and his family. This Jedi has left the order and his wife literally just gave birth to a baby boy. Enter Vader and the Inquisitors and we have the most amazing child abduction that I have ever seen in a comic, television show, or movie.  I won't spoil it, but it was chilling and horrifying and sets the scene for what is likely an extremely dark chapter in the Vader playbook. I have chills just thinking about it. 

Daredevil #606 - To bring everyone up to speed, Matt Murdock just left his job as deputy Mayor in order to prove that Fisk rigged the election to become the current Mayor of New York City. He is enlisting the help of other heroes, but it is no easy task to prove a case of corruption of this magnitude. It is an oddly familiar tale. Meanwhile he still has a city to protect and has to deal with a bad guy of the week. This week it was the classic Hammerhead in a relatively generic bank heist/social media stunt. The twist at the end of the issue has me scratching my head and I'm curious where Charles Soule is taking us with this reveal. I won't spoil it, but I don't trust it.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

In a time when we need more good news, I have some incredible news to share. Maple Games is creating a board game based on Matt Kindt's Mind MGMT.  There are very limited details at this point, but it is being designed by Sen-Foong Lim and Jay Cormier who have some quality games under their belts. I know Matt has been very involved with the process that started back with a chance encounter with the designers at Gen Con. I cannot wait to see what surprises this game has in store.

Pick of the Week:
The Magic Order #1 - Mark Millar's first title following the acquisition of Millarworld by Amazon is centered around an ancient order of magicians who live among us. The drama starts immediately as we bear witness to a magician assassination. This is something that only a dark and powerful magician could pull off and we quickly learn of competing factions. What impressed me is the brief history of the Magic Order we are provided in the first issue. We learn that the Order helped defeat ancient monsters that used to terrorize mankind and we learned that one of the most powerful magician's sons has given up the Order following the death of his daughter. I am very interested to learn more about his backstory and the rich tapestry that Millar has already managed to weave.  Fingers crossed for a Gob Bluth cameo due to the Netflix connection.

The Rest:
Darth Vader #17 - An absolutely brutal finale to the story of the Mon Cala. In a desperate move to escape from the Inquisitors, Master Barr executes Order 66 in order to turn the Clones on the Inquisitors. It was a clever move as all Inquisitors are former Jedi and Order 66 was the beginning of the end of the Jedi in the Clone Wars. As I have noted, this series makes Vader a much more formidable foe than the movies ever did, and also demonstrates that the Empire has no issue with genocide if it the result justifies the means. Curious what the next arc has in store for Vader.



Babyteeth #11 - This issue marks a turn I have been waiting for in that we are finally going to venture into the Red Realm. Sadie has been training with her dad and Olivia, but is nowhere near prepared for what she has to face. Olivia, who has survived her own trip to the Red Realm, offer some insight and attempts to calm Sadie down who is determined to save her son. We are offered some glimpses into the Red Realm, but ultimately it is a big tease. One that has me salivating for the next issue.






POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

Black Panther comes out tonight at midnight and from what I have been reading we should all go see it immediately. My schedule will permit me to view this film on Monday so I would appreciate you all remaining spoiler free on social media.  I'm looking at you, Carl! In addition to being critically acclaimed and projected to break some box office records, it brings joy to my heart that we have a movie with a nearly all-black cast that is getting this much hype and is already being celebrated world wide. Go see Black Panther this weekend. In fact, see it twice!

Pick of the Week:
Babyteeth #8 - Woah.  Donny Cates brought the heat (literally at one point) in the latest issue of his comic that chronicles the lives of Sadie and her newborn Clark. Something is a bit off with Clark, most notably his thirst for his mother's blood. It turns out that he might be the Antichrist and there are various groups that have a vested interest in his life. We recently met Sadie's mother, and in this issue she tells her about her ancestry and why Clark is important in opening the gate between our realm and the devil's.  There are some other amazing tidbits that Cates teaches us about Sadie's mother that I won't get into due to spoilers.  While Sadie's mother is currently holding her and Clark in a safe house, Sadie's father and sister will stop at nothing to save her and Clark, despite the efforts of the demon-ish Dancy and a fire-breathing demon raccoon type animal. Cates provides comic relief in an effective manner and this remains one of my favorite books currently in print.

The Rest:
Kick-Ass #1 - Kick-Ass is back and a brand new Hit-Girl is just around the corner. While I was initially skeptical of another iteration of this Mark Millar creation, the identity and background of the person behind the mask is one that is needed in comics. Even though it is a spoiler, the new individual behind the mask is Patience, a veteran who was a war hero in Afghanistan, an African-American, and a single mom. We quickly learn what an amazing woman she is and I look forward to how her identity shapes the direction of the character. This explosive debut issue features the ultra-violence that is associated with the series and is a lot of fun. I am very curious to see what plans Millar has for this character and look forward to seeing where her journey leads.

Darth Vader #11 - Now that Vader has the list of force sensitive children, he is on a mission to eliminate them.  Joined by The Ninth Sister, a former Jedi turned Inquisitor, Vader is investigating a force sensitive incident that was reported on Cabarria. We quickly learn that there is a group of bounty hunters that are targeting Vader. A highly entertaining issue that sees the destruction of Vader's lightsaber and an exciting flying vehicle chase. A great start to a new arc that seeks the answer of who set Vader up?






POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Rampant Last Jedi Speculation

Welcome to the latest edition of Rampant Star Wars Speculation, with your hosts, Dean and Joe. Today we will be offering guesses, theories, and - you guessed it - rampant, wild, mostly unfounded speculation about what we'll see in The Last Jedi.

Spoilers ahead. Maybe.

Let's get to it.

My big question actually has to do with the poster- Luke looms large in the background, the spot where the villain typically is. Certainly the question of where he has been and what he has been up to looms over the first two entries in this new trilogy, but the question for now is: Does Luke turn to the Dark Side?

Dean: My money is on no. I think he is conflicted and uncertain. I hate to draw another line directly to Empire Strike Back, but look how he was then- uncertain how to proceed, under-trained, but knowing he must act. In fact, he never really received training after that. He faced Vader, Yoda died, and that was that. He could fight well, and use the force, but he wasn't trained too much as a Jedi. Now, his study, attempts to rebuild the Jedi, failure, and isolation have shown him the failings of the Jedi - hence the title. So I think this has more to do with him wrestling with his path (see the IMAX display featuring him on both the Dark and Light side).

Joe: I'll agree with you here. I can't see Luke doing a full turn. I can definitely see him wrestling with if he is on the right path and being unsure if he truly is following the Light Side after his academy (a New Jedi Academy?) was destroyed by Kylo Ren.

But a Dark Side turn? That doesn't seem like it would be part of Luke's journey, especially not after the son of Han and Leia turned. Kylo's frequent references to his grandfather are enough of that generational Dark Side turn that we don't need Luke to turn, too. This isn't Dark Empire. Probably.

My bigger concern, based on the trailers for The Last Jedi is that they're hinting at a Rey turn - which, let me tell you, would be a really terrible idea.

Let's speculate some more on Rey's parents!


Joe: I'm still going to roll with my far fetched idea of Rey being the daughter of Mara Jade. To quote myself from the first time we had this conversation: 

Do it like this: She was one of Luke’s students in his New Jedi Academy school thing that he founded after Return of the Jedi. She, with another student (or not, I don’t care), had a daughter. Ben Solo turned, killed that particular class of students, and Luke hid Rey on Jakku rather than take her with him when he ran and hid.

Dean: Gawd, I love that so much. Mara Jade is the best of the old EU. My problem with that is that I doubt they go that deep, though. The closer we get, the more I lean towards her being Han and Leia's daughter. There are a million signs that point to it, which have been covered ad nauseum at this point. It's not the most creative, to be sure, but I prefer it to her being Luke's kid.

Unless they bring in Mara Jade.

Joe: Force bless Mara Jade.


Porgs: Awesome or terrible?

Joe: Awesome. Next question.


Dean: Super awesome.

Where do you think Rey & Kylo end up at the end of this movie?

Joe: I think there's two real directions for Kylo Ren, and it really depends on whether or not they plan to do a redemption story for him at all. If yes, expect to see a couple of hints at said redemption. It wouldn't be a full blown face turn, but we will be able to see the shape of the turn. It would be Rey turning Kylo.

If no, and I would prefer that Kylo does not get a redemption given that he did straight up murder his father (Han Solo, remember?) in The Force Awakens, then expect to see a doubling down on his dark side turn. Possibly blowing up the planet Leia is on. That would also be one hell of a way to write Carrie Fisher out of the franchise. Spoilers, there is at least a 60 / 40 chance I'm going to cry at some point during The Last Jedi because of Carrie Fisher.

Rey is tougher. She's going to have a lot of questions about her heritage, why she was abandoned, and I don't think Luke is going to do her any favors. There might be a little too much of old Obi-Wan in him now. Hermiting really gets to a Jedi, you know. I think the movie will hint at a dark side turn for Rey, but I just don't see it happening. She's got too much basic decency running through her. More than most.

Dean: Much of the complaints about TFA were that is basically recycled A New Hope, which, yeah, a lot of the beats were the same (hey, if y'all want another Phantom Menace...), but this trilogy has a lot of grey to it... look at where we find Luke, previously this hero and beacon of light and hope. Snoke is not Sith, but he is dark. Kylo is conflicted the whole way, not just end like his fallen idol. So I think the end of this movie will reflect that, possibly with both of them closer to the middle, rather than extremes of light and dark. This will of course set up the reveal that Snoke is Revan in IX. (alternately, they may just go deeper into those extremes)

By Alice X. Zhang, check her stuff out seriously omg http://www.alicexz.com/

What gets answered in The Last Jedi, and what questions will remain?

Joe: I expect we'll still be wondering who the hell Snoke is and never get a satisfactory answer.

Dean: I just said he's Revan! Or maybe not? IS IT THE 15TH YET?!!?!?

Thursday Morning Superhero

This will be the final pre-Turkey day Thursday Morning Superhero and it has me reflecting back on 2017 and the books we were graced with. One of my most anticipated books of the year hasn't been released yet (Sword of Ages), but I find it fitting that this week we are treated to a pair of books from author Donny Cates. He has jumped out as one of my favorite new authors and someone that will have a big impact on this industry.

Pick of the Week:
Babyteeth #6 - The mystery grows as we learn a bit more about the Warlock Dancy and his connection to Sadie and her family. Sadie is clearly in need of help with her child, but she notes her concern about trusting someone who can easily alter people's minds in order to get them to do what he insists. In a particularly funny moment, Sadie spots a demon on the wing of the plane (straight out of the Twilight Zone) and Clark wakes up screaming! Being the potential Antichrist, his scream nearly brings down the plane before Dancy intervenes. Without spoiling anything, the location where Dancy brings Sadie and her family took me completely off guard and has me even more excited about unraveling the history between Dancy and his group. Mix in the seemingly unstoppable force that is headed Sadie's way and we have ourselves quite the impressive book.

The Rest:
Doctor Aphra #14 - Really entertaining story as both Aphra and Imperial officer Magna Tolvan are dealing with recent changes in command. The two come into contact as Aphra is on a team that is trying to steal data from the Clone Wars from the post that Tolvan is stationed. The two run into one another and there is clearly a mutual respect and possibly more between these two strong female characters. The evolution of Aphra from the time when she was Vader's partner continues to impress and I would love to see her work her way into another medium.



Darth Vader #8 - The inevitable run-in between Jocasta Nu, the Jedi librarian, and Darth Vader is nearly upon us. Nu is securing a database of all of the force sensitive children in the galaxy from a secret room in a Jedi archive when she is forced to detonate her ship after she is discovered. This draws the attention of Vader and what ensues next really has me excited for this series. The rage of Nu watching her books mistreated is a sight to behold. I love seeing a different side of a character that I previously knew little about.

Doctor Strange #381 - Donny Cates is taking over the Doctor Strange series and his first arc gives us a new sorcerer supreme, Loki! Things are working out about as well as you would expect between Loki and the other magical beings, but I fear he has grand plans for the magical gifts he has been bestowed with.  I have not read much Doctor Strange, but I am curious to see why Stephen Strange gave up his title and abilities and passed them on to Loki. There is likely a plan for this madness, but we will have to wait and see. I enjoyed Cates' debut on this title and look forward to continuing with the arc.





POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

With the Secret Empire event behind us Steve Rogers is back behind Captain America's shield. While I enjoyed the twist of him working with Hydra, I feel Marvel is sending a signal with this week's issue that they are moving forward with a new chapter. I don't know if that has anything to do with Mark Waid's return to the series, but it feels like an olive branch has been extended to "fans" who haven't been reading as of late.

Pick of the Week:
Paper Girls #17 - Thanks to the friendly teachings of Charlotte, the girls finally learn some key facts about the mess they have found themselves in and the readers can rejoice. While it isn't clear why they were selected and what their role will be, they are in the middle of a time war called The Battle of the Ages. After the invention of time travel men called the old-timers vowed to stop anyone trying to interfere with the past or peacefully explore it. Not everyone agrees with this notion, hence the conflict, giant robots, weird aliens, etc. The question remains whether or not the girls should trust Charlotte and the information she keeps on hear orange iMac. Love the nostalgia in this series and really like how we are starting to see the bigger picture. While there is still a lot to unfold, a big weight is lifted for readers of this series and it has me really excited about this series again.

The Rest:
Darth Vader #7 - Now that Darth Vader is in charge of the Inquisitors, the hunt for the few remaining Jedi is in full swing. Sadly Jocasta Nu, the librarian of the Jedi, has been given extra attention. Without spoiling anything, the Emperor has a special plan for her and one that requires Vader's direct attention. One of the tidbits I really enjoyed in this issue is that Vader considers the Inquisitors weak and pathetic due to their lives as former Jedi. He considers their teachings to be a great weakness, but feels he can change them through the force. Even the Emperor considers them severely flawed and is clearly using them solely for his own gains. Charles Soule is doing a wonderful job with this series and it remains one of my top books.

Captain America #695 - It has been a long time since Captain America wielded the shield and a long time since I have read a Mark Waid title. This isn't intentional as he is one of my favorite authors, but something that hit me when I decided to return to this series. Waid pairs up with Chris Samnee for this issue, a one-shot that highlights what Captain America stands for and the importance of helping those in need. A nice touching issue that will move us past the "evil" Captain America who was a sleeper Hydra Agent. I admittedly enjoyed that twist, but am happy to see a return to roots.




POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Microreview [book]: Nemesis Games, by James S.A. Corey

‘The gang’  (and, you know, everyone else) imperiled—a satisfying ante-upper indeed!

You can buy it here. 

Since there was a bit too much familiarity about the crew of the Roci by book four—a sense that if they pooled their efforts they could somehow triumph against any obstacle, even an alien one—it seemed the series was building to a problem serious enough to jeopardize the synergistic relationship the four had. Sure enough, Nemesis Games almost immediately sends all four main crew members off on disparate quests, with little chance to affect each others’ situations.

This sort of ‘scattered to the ends of the earth solar system’ setup entails some risks. Since we have grown accustomed to having the Roci’s crew (not to mention the Roci herself, practically a fifth main cast member at this point) demonstrate the importance of interpersonal relations by solving every problem together, how will the story proceed if we, the readers, are denied the pleasure of seeing them work together (and denied any meaningful glimpse of the Roci, out of commission temporarily due to damage sustained in Cibola Burn)?

I’m pleased to say that the authors of The Expanse did a masterful job of what is essentially back-story exposition (no easy task to avoid the typical sort of “You know I don’t like snakes…(and I'm saying this now because lots of snakes are in the near future)” clumsiness, but they managed it!), giving us a major glimpse into everyone’s past (well, everyone but Holden). We learn, in essence, some of the key reasons such a skilled group were on the Canterbury in the first place: what they were running from, and why. Since the core relationship on the Rocinante is the one between Holden and (Naomi) Nagata, it is only fitting that it is this romance which is most directly imperiled by the reemergence of these shady pasts.

All this might sound pretty small-time—the ghosts of the main characters’ misdeeds rearing their ugly heads might be scary to those individuals, but it would hardly measure up to the sort of civilization-ending threat these four (+ the Roci) have faced previously. At the risk of being terribly mysterious (thank you, The Sphinx from Mystery Men!), I’ll say only that the stakes turn out to be all too high, the threat all too dire. Just when we thought the worst that was in store was the addition of new crew members to the Roci, and the risk that both the diegetic dynamic and the reader’s appreciation for the tight-knit crew of four could be shaken, we discover that the true danger is to the core of human civilization itself!

Does the "Holden+Nagata, Alex and Amos too" dynamic survive this dire challenge? Is this, in fact, the best Expanse book yet? (Given The G's almost visceral dislike for the first book in the series, one could optimistically say that it must be getting better overall!)  You’ll just have to read it to find out! (Alternatively, you could check out my forthcoming review of book six, Babylon’s Ashes—check back here on NOAF soonish!)

The Math:

Objective Assessment: 7/10

Bonuses: +1 for masterful exposition, without a single “But you KNOW I can’t eat strawberries!” ham-fisted foreshadowing, +1 for successfully upping the ante—with a vengeance!

Penalties: -1 for describing Nagata’s protracted ordeal in what struck me as a conspicuously pseudo-scientific manner (in essence, hit stuff with a wrench after a serious physical injury/setback, but still get one’s message through without being “permanently damaged”, to quote Vader)

Funny how main characters seem to survive just about anything, eh Naomi? Keep swimming around unprotected in deep space--I'm sure everything will work out!

Nerd coefficient: 8/10 “A bit of alright”, as the Australians say!

***

[Puzzled by our scoring system? Learn why 8/10 is an exceedingly high score here.]

Reference: Abraham, Daniel and Ty Frank. Nemesis Games. Orbit, 2016.

All the comments and opinions written here are solely Zhaoyun’s, longtime lover of space opera and fantasy literature and reviewer for Nerds of a Feather since 2013, and should not necessarily be taken to represent all Nerd-kind.

Thursday Morning Superhero

This past week I got The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past graphic novel in the mail that I forgot I preorderd.  It is a beautiful collection of a 1992 manga that I am looking forward to reading soon.  When I begin to question the influence I have on my two kids, Henry and Zelda, I need look no further.  Henry is in first grade and has to read 30 minutes independently each week.  I can't help but wonder how she is going to react that Henry read an old Zelda comic this week.  He is really enjoying it and I just hope it is appropriate for an 8 year old to read.  I guess I will find out when he finally lets me have a turn.

Pick of the Week:
The Auteur: Sister Bambi #1 - The Auteur is back and I had no idea how much I missed the insanity Rick Spears pours into each issue.  Following the destruction of President's Day, Nathan T. Rex is desperate to find some funding for his next masterpiece.  Not concerned about where the money comes from, Rex finds himself in the compound of Nazi triplets who want to force Rex to create a Women in Prison Nazi Propaganda film.  Spears crams this follow-up series full of the usual low brow humor, over the top gore, and pure insanity that fans of the first series are sure to enjoy.  Definitely one of the most unique and entertaining comics I have read for some time.  Welcome back old friend.

The Rest:
Darth Vader #5 - Oh what a tease.  It seemed as if we were going to witness Vader in all of his glory with each turn of the page, but we will have to wait until the next issue.  Vader is out to kill anyone he suspects of being his successor.  He quickly learns that Luke isn't the only one who doubts the value of the Force and thinks its nothing more than a hokey old religion.  Apparently the Emperor has enlisted the help of an android who feels progress is the future and the Force is the past.  Very much looking forward to the battle royale that will open the next issue and still enjoying Marvel's handling of Star Wars.


Saga #28 - This issue stressed me out.  As a father it was very stressful to see Hazel taken away and Alana incapable of doing anything.  Why do you do that to us Brian K. Vaughan?   Nothing seems to be going well for anyone I care about in this series.  Marko and his crew are under attack, The Will is dying, and Hazel?!?!  On the positive note, I learned that The Stalk has a brother who is more concerned about raising his family than getting involved with this nonsense.

Secret Wars #2 - I decided to give Marvel's latest Universe changing event one more try and wish I had my $4.99 back.  I will say they packed in enough content to warrant the hefty price, but it just isn't my scene.   The reveal at the end was pretty cool, but it felt like a ploy to launch a new series called Battleworld.  That's right, the duking it out to see what Earth survives is taking place on Battleworld.






Birthright #7 - Very interesting issue of Birthright from Joshua Williamson.  It didn't take itself very serious and some humor was injected along the way as we grapple with the relationship with Mikey (who is possessed) and his brother Brennan.  Things were quite disjointed and surprisingly light until Williamson drops the hammer on the last panel and reminds us that this is a serious tale indeed.   This issue almost felt like a magic trick and at the end we learn that things aren't as easy as they seem.  Good series that warrants starting at the beginning.





POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

The new DC event is officially here, Marvel is gearing up for its big event, Image seems to be publishing new titles every week, and the comic book fans stand to benefit!  While I plan on passing on Convergence, I will likely check in on the event every now and then.  Despite that, my wallet isn't pleased with how many great titles are out every week.  I heard good things about Masks 2 and Jupiter's Circle, but didn't have time to read them and meet my deadline.  I plan on checking those out over the weekend and remain in awe at this industry.  If you aren't reading comics then you are missing out on some truly brilliant stories.

Pick of the Week:
Descender #2 - Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen deliver another stunning issue after the brilliant debut of this science fiction title.  Tim-21, a companion robot that looks and thinks like a little boy, woke up 10 years after the colonies were laid to waste by mysterious Harvesters.  His robot fingerprint is an exact match to the Harvesters and there is a race to claim him.  Scrappers want to obtain his processor to sell and the government wants it to learn more about the Harvesters.   In this issue we get to witness Tim-21's creation and his assimilation with his human family.  It is beautiful and moving and extremely effective juxtaposed against his attempt to escape from the vicious scrappers.  I wasn't sure I had emotionally connected with Tim-21 until the end of the issue.  I care about the little dude and blame Mr. Lemire for that.

The Rest:
Convergence #1 - The DC Universe is getting cleaned up and it is going to happen with a good old fashioned Street Fighter-esque tournament.  The superheroes from the different universes are going to have a brawl, and the winning team's universe will be the sole survivor.  I am rooting for Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo crew! Seriously.  It is a real thing.









Darth Vader #4 - I continue to enjoy this series, but this has been the weakest issue yet.  It wasn't bad by any means, but felt too quick.  I expected more of a struggle as Vader returned to the devastated planet of Geonosis to steal a machine that will build him a droid army.  While the encounter was interesting, it didn't feel like anything special.  The twist at the end, however, was quite clever and will bring me back for issue #5.  I still highly recommend this series and am very pleased with the job Marvel is doing with Star Wars.

The Walking Dead #140 - I remain in awe of Robert Kirkman and his ability to bring fresh ideas to this series after 140 issues.  While the series has had its slow parts and side stories that felt like filler, each main arc has delivered.  I don't care too much about the politics Maggie is involved in, but Carl setting eyes on the camp of the survivors who wear the zombie skin and the bomb that Kirkman dropped at the end of this issue are enough to make this a must read.  I remain stunned just thinking about the possible implications of that last panel.  Wow.






Saga #27 - Finally!!  Marko is going to take ownership for what he did and reclaim his family!  It has been an emotionally difficult journey with Alana and Marko on separate trajectories.  It is unfortunate that it took a bad trip down memory lane for Marko, but it was extremely valuable to get a glimpse at his past life.  Simple, but powerful issue in a Hugo nominated series.

Birthright #6 - It has been quite some time since the last issue, but I am happy to continue with the story of Mikey and his return from another world (Terrenos).  We learn a bit more about Mikey's journey and his defeat of King Lore, but the creature who has bonded with him is making him unpredictable and creating trust issues between him and his brother.  I feel I need to learn a lot more about this story before I can judge the series as a whole and wish this issue had more answers, but trust that Joshua Williamson will deliver.  I think I need to revisit issues 1-5.






POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

The good folks at Travel Planners deserve some sort of medal.  On Tuesday, what the nerds are referring to as Hotelpocalypse went down.  At 9am PST the doors opened up as thousands of hopeful Comic Con attendees rushed to fill out their forms and determine their fate on a combination of speed and hotel rankings.  As with most things associated with SDCC, there were some glitches given the traffic to the hotel reservation website.  Nothing crazy, but you don't want to upset nerds when it comes to SDCC.  Despite having some issues, and dealing with them swiftly and fairly, the kindly folk at Travel Planners proudly provide their contact info (which seems to be rare these days) and allow you to converse with an actual human.  I would guess that if you are calling Travel Planners about your hotel reservation for Comic Con that you are not a happy camper.  Despite this, they put up with the complaints, respond quickly to questions, and really should be commended.  Well done Travel Planners.  My hat is off to you all.

Pick of the Week:
Powers #2 - I am very happy that this series has returned and feel that the creative duo of Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming are among the best in the business.  Pilgrim's investigation hits a surprising dead end and Walker's lifestyle seems to be catching up with him.  For whatever reason I feel that Walker will regain his powers and assume his old role of Diamond.   That would be an interesting twist.

The Rest:
Jem and the Holograms #1 - Jem is back.  Not in pog form, but in comic book form and it is truly outrageous.  I will admit that I didn't grow up watching Jem, but I married a hip lady who introduced me to the 80's cartoon and we have since introduced it to our children.  I am far from an old school fan, but I know a bit about Jem.  The comic is a new origin story to how Jem meets Synergy and transforms from Jerrica to Jem.  There doesn't appear to be an orphanage in need of funding, but it looks like we will meet the Misfits in issue #2 and this should be a fun nostalgic trip for fans.





Darth Vader #3 - Lord Vader needs some help to carry out his secret mission under the radar of the Emperor.  He enlists the help of Dr. Aphra, who seems like a female version of Han Solo and Star Lord.  She is definitely someone to keep an eye on and possibly someone Vader shouldn't so blindly trust.  It isn't quite clear why Vader has gone through such effort to recruit someone like her, but it does make for an interesting read.

Skylanders #7 - Early on in this series a mysterious fairy named Calliope has been draining Skylanders of their power.  Despite a good amount of fluff in each issue, which my son loves, this story arc is by far the most intriguing.  It turns out that Calliope was being manipulated by a more powerful being who we should meet in issue #8.  Must read material for Skylanders fans and a great all-ages comic that improves with each issue.








POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

It is hard to believe that the anxiety, excitement, and frustration of Comic Con is already beginning to unfold.  This past week was open registration, which saw dreams made and hopes dashed simultaneously.  Congrats to those who secured passes, but to those that didn't, don't feel sad.  If you really want to experience SDCC, you may do so in the Gaslamp with the plethora of offsite activities.  If you are just hankering for a convention, I would suggest C2E2 in Chicago.  It is one of the bigger comic book conventions and always has an amazing lineup, but it is approachable and an absolute blast.  My only request is that you don't complain about an unfair system or get angry at the folks behind the scenes.  No system is perfect and everyone is acting with good intentions.  It's just rough when demand outranks supply by such a wide margin.

Pick of the Week:
D4VE #1 - A little over a year ago I reviewed a fabulous digital comic from the good folk at MonkeyBrain Comics.  It pleases me that IDW is bringing this to the masses and I hope it can enjoy a wider audience.  It is your basic story.  Man creates robots, robots kill man, robots kill all living things in the universe, robots mimics man and lives a dull and mundane existence.  In the first issue we learn about D4VE, a former defense bot who has seen his life go from one of the heroes of all robot-kind, to working a dead end job and stuck in a loveless marriage.  Ryan Ferrier and Valentin Ramon deliver a fresh, humorous book with amazing visuals to go with it.  Small touches from hoodies that D4VE wears, to the complaint about forgetting to pick up oil from the convenience store on the way home may this book special.  I said it was a must read comic a year ago, and that holds true today.  It was great to revisit this title and I hope the sales reflect how freaking good this book is.

The Rest:
Chew #46 - Well, it wasn't a dream.  As crazy as this series is and the bizarre stuff that John Layman and Rob Guillory put in each issue, the heartbreak from issue #45 is real.  Things have reached a pretty depressing state in the Chew Universe and I am not sure how things will be undone.  While it appears Colby had good intentions for snapping Poyo's neck, Agent Chu is up a creek without a paddle.  Amazing that I can feel that way after reading an issue in which the Devil was fleeing from Poyo in Hell, there was a Swedish Fish battering ram, and we saw the return of D-Bear.  I'm not sure if Layman is a genius or if he is certifiably insane.




Batman #39 - Solid issue, but color me a bit underwhelmed.  The prospect of Batman returning to the Court of Owls was genius, but the actual meeting felt a bit flat.  I think we will learn more of the meeting next issue (I hope), but I was hoping for more.  Despite this, Batman has quite the scheme to attempt to extract blood from Joker's spine in an attempt to find a cure for what is plaguing Gotham.   Fun issue and I can't wait to see the conclusion of this arc, but not quite what I wanted.

Darth Vader #2 - Despite getting the business for his screw up on the Death Star, Vader is still Vader and is one conniving sun of a gun.  I never felt his character in the movies to be truly menacing or evil, but feel the comics provide a fresh take on him and really paint him in a new light.  I sound like a broken record, but I continue to be impressed with Marvel's ownership of this franchise.








POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.