Geek Culture Reviews

Scarlett finally meets Jinx, but what is the weapon that lies on floor 48? Scarlett #4 picks up with Scarlett reuniting with Storm Shadow and Jinx after completing her suicide mission. The Arashikage are still searching for a mystery weapon that’s of great importance to the ninja clan, and we’re now at the cusp of finding out what this weapon is. Elsewhere this issue finally reunites Scarlett and Jinx with the former attempting to convince Jinx that those rescue missions haven’t been all for nought. Naturally, things aren’t all as they seem as writer Kelly Thompson throws another curve ball in this already action-packed series.  With the bulk of this issue dealing with Scarlett finally linking up with Jinx there’s plenty of exposition from both sides. Thompson handles this perfectly with a touching scene as the two friends trade information with Scarlett willing Jinx to take the easy way out. Of course, Jinx isn’t willing to give up on her mission which then sees the duo take mat...

Scarlett finds herself performing a suicide mission as the Arashikage make their move… Scarlett #3 feels very much like a glorified action sequence within a big budget Hollywood movie. It’s one continuous scene that sees Scarlett tackle her seemingly impossible mission within the heavily guarded Sato II tower. Picking off where the last issue concluded, Scarlett finds herself within very deep water as she navigates a building spanning aquarium in order to reach her destination within the towers basement levels. With plenty of armed guards - and quite a large shark - sitting between her and the objective, the Arashikage were right in not expecting Scarlett to survive.  But this is Shana O’Hara we’re talking about, and she isn’t going to go down without leaving a trail of bodies behind her.   Meanwhile, Jinx and Storm Shadow start their own assault on the Mugenoami over in the Sato III tower. With Scarlett’s mission needing to be a success if the duo stand any chance to retriev...

Scarlett finds herself at the mercy of the Arashikage Clan as writer Kelly Thompson ups the superspy ante…  Scarlett #2 picks off straight where the previous issue left off. Taking place within the vast base of the Arashikage Clan, Scarlett finds herself held captive and stripped of her equipment. Kelly Thompson wastes no time in “fleshing” out the character as we see the lengths Scarlett is willing to go to make her mission a success. This bloody opening then segues into quite an action-packed issue as the spy battles her way through the clan’s warriors in her quest to find her friend Jinx.  Keeping things from getting out of control, Thompson lets the action simmer with flashback scenes that further explore the relationship between Scarlett and Jinx. This is juxtaposed with the present as Storm Shadow questions why Scarlett is at Arashikage. As a test to prove her worthiness Storm Shadow and the clan Hard Master send Scarlett on a mission - and it’s one they don’t intend f...

Skybound & Image enter new territory with Duke #1… It’s been quite a few years since I dropped into the world of G.I. Joe. Aside from a hand down of the 80’s action figures, and a very old annual, my main understanding has come from the very cheesy films from the early 2000’s.  So why jump in now?  Well in truth it’s all due to Skybound’s new ‘Energon Universe’, a shared universe that connects G.I Joe to Transformers, and Void Runners. While it’s already been teased within the latest Transformers film, Skybound have beaten Hollywood to it and Duke #1 kicks off this new shared reality. And boy, it’s an opening that doesn’t pull its punches.  Written by Joshua Williamson, Duke #1 follows a disheveled Conrad Hauser as he becomes disillusioned with his role in the American war machine. He’s seen things that he cannot explain, and his quest for answers has seen his superiors close ranks. When his friend - and comrade - is murdered by an aircraft that seemingly “transforms”...

  Enter Codenames France & Paris... Over the last few weeks, Mark Millar has really delivered with his new superhero series. With the first two issues scoring a perfect 10/10, does issue #3 follow suit?  With Choon-He's superhero draft finding its way to France, it gives Millar the chance of yet another origin story, as well as expanding upon the wider narrative that's been slowly picking up  pace in the background. This issue focuses on Hotel worker Yasmine Gauvin who's writing to Choon-He in the hopes that she is picked to become the Ambassador for France. In her letter Yasmine delves into her personal life as she speaks about the fears for her son, and what his future could possibly hold. Suffering from being bullied in school, and not having a role model, Yasmine's son Jean-Luc is one bad decision away from becoming a number within the French judicial system. Not only does he dream of revenge against his tormenters, he's also losing connection with his moth...

Rob Reviews The Ambassadors #1… With both The Magic Circle 4, and Nemesis Reloaded already on comic book shelves, comic book maestro Mark Millar is back with yet another series. This time Millar heads back into superhero territory as he drags us on a tour de force across an opening issue that starts strong, and doesn’t let go of its tempo. So, strap yourself in as I take a somewhat spoiler free look at The Ambassadors.  Much like Millar’s previous works, The Ambassadors takes it’s superhero setting into a totally unexpected direction. Straight from its opening page, you’re never quite sure of were you’ll end up. Yet come it’s conclusion, the fragile status quo of this new universe has been forever changed.  In setting up this new universe, we’re given quite a bit of exposition as to how the world is in its current state. During the Cold War, the United States and Soviet Union attempted to create their own super powered being. While Uncle Sam managed to win this “war” by fakin...

Rob reviews The Magic Order 2 #6... Mark Millar has crafted The Magic Order 2 like a brutal magic show. Over the series, we've seen plenty of illusions, mysteries, and tricks of the mind as Millar and Stuart Immonen have sent us on a mystical tour of emotion. But like every good show, the curtains will eventually fall. And for The Magic Order 2, Millar has saved the best till last!  The action kicks off with Cordelia and her Magic Order chums deep in their battle with Viktor Korne and his followers. Krone has managed to summon the mythical demon; Othoul'Endu and is poised to finally take out the Order and then rule the wider world. But in true Millar fashion, it's not that simple.  We then take a trip to the past as we see Soran Korne attempt the same plan 1000-years ago. This time around. However, on the cusp of defeat, the Lovecraftian terror retreats into its dimension, thus the proto-Order defeat Soran and as they say "the rest is history". Sadly...

Rob reviews Nocterra #8... The second arc to Scott Snyder 's Nocterra has so far been a great read. Not only has lead character Val taken somewhat of a back seat, but we're also starting to see more of that insidious bad guy - Blacktop Bill.  So far we've seen Val and her group discover a glimmer of hope in the form of Eos, a place where the light still shines. Whilst this was revealed by the now-dead Gus McCray, Val and her group are more determined to find the mythical place. Meanwhile, Blacktop Bill has used the helmet he stole to commune with the Shade. However, the arch enemy is soon turned on by his people and that's where things get interesting. Not only this, but Val soon learns that the Shade is also changing how they attack the surviving humans.  Nocterra #8 continues these plot threads as Scott Snyder ramps up the tension for Sundog Convoy. The opening scene is pretty brutal as we see a masked attacker assault the Fort Speed outpost. This all tu...

Rob reviews Supermassive #1... Since its launch last year, the world of Kyle Higgins and Marcelo Costa 's Radiant Black has set itself apart from other superhero stories. Kicking off 'year-2', Higgins has taken things further by enlisting Ryan Parrott and Mat Groom to create Supermassive - a superhero team-up that introduces and sets up two new titles - Rogue Sun  and Inferno Girl Red . Supermassive #1 sets off with a new hero, Inferno Girl Red chasing a two-headed beast through a snow-capped forest. Things take a turn for the worse as after receiving quite a punch from the hero, the monster then attacks an innocent bystander who happened to be in the same forest. This then causes Inferno Girl Red to catch the attention of Rogue Sun, who's alerted by the interdimensional wake that the duo left behind. As Red and Sun clash over their handling of the situation, both are interrupted as Radiant Black turns up. It's at this point where the crossover gets ...

Rob reviews A Thing Called Truth #4... The road trip continues as the mismatched duo, Doctor Magdalene Traumer and Dorian Wildfang continue.  Lolanda Zanfardino and Elisa Romboli 's Road trip adventure has been a refreshing read over the last couple of months. The two protagonists are from totally different worlds, yet through their tragedies have come together in an upbeat journey through some classic film locations.  In issue #4, Mags and Dorian continue their journey through Europe whilst following the journal entries of Dorian's deceased brother Faust. Since their journey began we've seen the ice thaw between Mags and the carefree Dorian. It's been interesting to see the two develop their friendship - especially when considering the circumstances of how they met. While this road trip moves on, back home there's trouble brewing.  After not hearing from Mags, her estranged husband storms to her lab looking for an argument. Being blocked by...

Rob reviews 'A Thing Called Truth #2'... Lolanda Zanfardino and Elisa Romboli' s A Thing Called Truth set off to a tremendous start. The opening issue did a superb job in introducing 'Dr Traumer', to then lead us through a drunken night that ended with her car being stolen - with herself on the backseat! Now as she struggles to comprehend what exactly has just happened, and why her (former) employers have locked her out of her life's work, we're over to Dorian Wildfang - accidental hostage-taker - and the complete opposite to Dr Mags. Much like our introduction to Mags, Lolanda Zanfardino dives straight into Dorian's life from a few days before their eventual meeting. And again, much like Mags, Dorian is an instantly loveable character. The opening pages introduce us to a confident young woman, who shares a kindred spirit with her brother Faust. There's a lot to read between the lines as we learn that the duo is caring for their sick mo...

Rob reviews The Magic Order 2 #2... Mark Millar 's The Magic Order 2 launched itself with a bang last time out. Not only did we catch up with Cordelia and her magic-wielding family. We were also introduced to the Korne family - the "anti" version of the Order. There's a lot of information thrown at us on this issue. To begin with, Francis King is back on the scene after two years in rehab. On the surface, this powerful psychic seems to have it all. He's got all the charm and looks that someone who can manipulate minds would have. And he's also Cordelia Moonstone's ex. Aside from this revelation, Millar also touches upon Francis' internal struggle as he's still got his demons. We're then hit with a literal punch as we rejoin the Order as they tackle a particularly nasty monster in Chelmsford. What makes the Osedax gruesome is that it likes to eat the bones, blood, and guts of its prey. Not only that it strings up its victim's fl...

Rob reviews A Thing Called Truth #1... Fresh from the brilliant Alice In Leatherland, Lolanda Zanfardino and Elisa Romboli are back with A Thing Called Truth.  An LGBTQ+ road trip that's full of twists and turns, great characters, and some truly stunning art.  A Thing Called Truth starts in a spectacular fashion that involves a high-speed police chase, and a rapidly opening bridge. It's all Thelma and Louise, then suddenly everything changes and we're in the past. We then meet Dr Magdalene Traumer as she sits within her lab. We get a bit of exposition as the Doctor monologues her latest vlog. It soon transpires that she's close to developing a way to cut the costs of medical applications around the globe - which is quite a big deal. Anyway, it's taken her 7-years (2136 days to be exact) to get to this point, and it's cost her quite a lot of her personal life to get here.  This is all shown as Zanfardino and Romboli dive into Magdalene...