World Comic Book Review

21st April 2024

Scarlet Volume 1 (review)—“A sacred heart burns”

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis Artist: Alex Maleev Jinxworld, 2019 I WAS SHOCKED BY THE PANORAMA OF BRIDGES splayed in ruins across the Willamette River in the opening scenes of the five-issue SCARLET sequel by Brian Michael Bendis that appeared two years ago now, illustrating what revolution might look like in his hometown and mine, just … Read more

Giga #1-3 (review)

Writer: Alex Paknadel Artist: John Lê Vault Comics, 2020-1 Little wonder the first issue of this title sold out. Giga is a science fiction story focussed around dead mechas – giant robots with highly advanced artificial intelligences, some of which have been rendered inert as a consequence of some sort of internecine war. Sadly, we … Read more

Valerian and Laureline: Chatelet Station Destination Cassiopeia (“Métro Châtelet, Direction Cassiopeia”) (review)— “Musing as a duet is always finer”

Writer: Jean-Claude Mézières Artist: Pierre Christin Cinebook. First published March-June, 1980 SPACE NEVER APPEARED SO PEDESTRIAN as Laureline noses her spaceship through traffic toward the stars, demure in her spacesuit, leg up on her big pilot’s chair, gazing out at sublight speed with time on her hands, lazy day on the freeway. Then you see … Read more

The Monuments (review)

Creators: Michael S. Bracco, Oliver Mertz, Mike Isenberg Independently published, 2018-2021 The most beautiful of all ruins, in science fiction, surely is that of the giant mecha. Here is the promotional blurb for this 140 page graphic novel, The Monuments: THE MONUMENTS is a 140 page, beautifully illustrated, mystery/adventure story from Oliver Mertz (FIRST LAW … Read more