Other media on comic books 6 - World Comic Book Review

The Five #1: The Birth of 21st Century Archetypes

August 26, 2022May 27, 2016 by DG Stewart

The Five #1 (review)
( Mysteria Maxima Media, April 2016)
Writer: Laith Tierney

An independent publication from Australia, issue one of The Five explores the creation of a modern Illuminati. Members of this secret society are a pantheon of sorts: a god of international money markets, a god of global fame, a goddess of pornography, a god of tinpot mysticism (which is, perhaps, the most awkward fit of the line-up of characters) and in a surprising twist at the end, a goddess of global terrorism.

Better to Burn the World than Rule the World

October 21, 2016April 3, 2016 by Neil Raymundo

G.I. Joe: Deviations (review)
IDW Publishing, March 2016
Writer: Paul Allor
Review by Neil Raymundo, 30 March 2016

Comic book villains have a variety of motivation. Some are propelled by a lust for power (Julius Caesar in “Asterix”; the Kingpin in “Daredevil”) and some because they embody power (Lucifer Morningstar in “Lucifer”; Death in “East of West”). Others are motivated by psychosis (The Joker in “Batman”). Some reform (Magneto in “X-Men”) and some are motivated by vengeance and incapable of reform (Lex Luthor in “Superman”). Some are motivated by something else.

The “G.I. Joe” franchise started as a line of toys produced and owned by toy company Hasbro, originally created in 1964 and consisted of 12-inch figures representing four branches of the U.S. armed forces ( both “G.I.” and “Joe” were generic terms for U.S. soldiers in World War Two though the latter term has become derogatory in some South East Asian countries.) The toyline is responsible for popularizing the term “action figure,” and at the time developed a small following among young boys.

Deviating from Quality

October 21, 2016March 18, 2016 by Neil Raymundo

Transformers: Deviations
IDW Publishing, 16 March 2016
Writer: Brandon Easton
Review by Neil Raymundo, 17 March 2016

Transformers: Deviations is a one-shot published by American comics publisher IDW Publishing as part of its March 2016 “Deviations” event, where the publisher takes existing titles and crafts standalone stories featuring alternate realities, either as a result of one aspect of the franchise being changed (such as gender-swapping a main character) or an important event happening differently. This is what IDW Publishing has done with its title, “Transformers: Deviations”.

Mirror’s Edge: Exordium – Free Running with the Plot

October 21, 2016February 21, 2016 by Neil Raymundo

Mirrors’ Edge: Exordium #1-6 (of 6)
Dark Horse Comics, September 9, 2015 – February 10, 2016
Writer: Christofer Emgard
Review by Neil Raymundo, Feb 18, 2016

“Mirror’s Edge – Exordium” is based on a first-person perspective action/free-running game developed by EA Dice and published by Electronic Arts for various gaming platforms in 2007. The game focuses on a futuristic dystopian society in which an unnamed city is ruled by a totalitarian regime. The regime makes life comfortable for its citizens and keeps crime controlled, at the cost of controlling all aspects of the civilian population’s lives – from monitoring all communication, to controlling the media, and even banning leisurely activities such as smoking and alcohol.

The fact that it is based on a popular source material from a different medium is the biggest drawback of the “Mirror’s Edge” comic. It relies on the reader being familiar about the game. It is very difficult to follow a plot when dropped into the middle of a story without any background information.