100 Word Hits – Comic Reviews #14
Welcome to the latest installment of our 100 Word Hits column, in association with comics retailer The Unreality Store, in which Matthew De Monti brings us short, sharp reviews of the latest books to hit comic stores over the past month or so!
The Silver Coin #14
Written by Pornsak Pichetshote | Art by Michael Walsh
2020 was a bad year. Whilst the world struggles with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Darren and Lauren’s relationship is breaking down. The pandemic has scuppered Lauren’s film work and Darren’s scriptwriting career is stalling, arguments are commonplace and Darren becomes increasingly jealous of Lauren’s relationship with her friend Colton.
Interspersed with their domestic troubles, Darren has horrific visions of Colton torturing Lauren. The demonic Puritan also makes an appearance to see if Darren is the one he is seeking. But as Darren fights back against them, a little silver coin makes an appearance in a monumental ending!
Rating: 9.5/10
Midnight Suns #1
Written by Ethan Sacks | Art by Luigi Zagaria
Ever since the 90’s I’ve been a sucker for Marvel’s Midnight Sons line so happily looked forward to this latest incarnation. There’s (yet another) apocalypse looming on the horizon which forces the likes of Magik, Blade and Spirit Rider to band together, along with some students from Strange Academy, and even Wolverine is shoe-horned into the mix
The art is nice and the story, whilst not ground breaking is fine, but for me this book lacks the essential grimey horror feel which the original Midnight Sons line had which is a shame. It feels like an opportunity missed.
Rating: 7/10
The Boogeyman #1
Written by Mathieu Salvia | Art by Djet
What if all the stories about he Boogeyman were true? And what if there wasn’t just one Boogeyman but there was a long line of them stretching back centuries? After witnessing the murder of his parents, Elliot is about to find out that everything, and more, he’d read about the Boogeyman is true – there really is a monster under the bed!
Mathieu Salvia delivers one of those opening issues that’s so good it makes you wonder why no one’s thought of the concept before and Djet’s art style perfectly fits the script. Read it, or the Boogeyman will get you!
Rating: 8.5/10
Gotham City: Year One #1
Written by Tom King | Art by Phil Hester
‘Where is the Princess of Gotham?’ asks the headline of The Blade newspaper. It appears that Helen Wayne, daughter of Richard Bruce Wayne has not been seen in months and rumours abound as to her health and whereabouts Ex-cop turned PI Slam Bradley is hired to deliver a letter to the Waynes which turns out to be a ransom note. He gets roughed up by the Wayne’s security and then ordered to find their child. His partner then turns up dead on a building site developed by the Waynes as the plot thickens.
Yet another absolute winner by King!
Rating: 9/10
Earth Divers #1
Written by Stephen Graham Jones | Art by Davide Gianfelice
2112 – Earth’s a wasteland and those who can leave have. A group of those who have stayed try a desperate experiment – go back in time to alter the course of history to save their future.
1492 – Gran Canaria. Columbus is about to set sail to discover the New World. HIs discovery of America will trigger the eventual fall of mankind so he must be stopped at all costs.
But how will someone sent from hundreds of years in the future be able to masquerade as a sailor in order to get close enough to kill Columbus? We will find out…
Rating: 8.5/10
Briar #1
Written by Christopher Cantwell | Art by German Garcia
Sleeping Beauty (Briar) should have been woken by the kiss of Prince Charming, but that never happened and although they married she continued sleeping whilst the Prince and her father expanded their empire and cruelly ruled over it. Mysteriously awoken years in the future she finds the lands much changed. Seeking refuge in an inn she falls into the hands of a group of slavers. Managing to escape in the desert along with a Norrish they come across a nomad who tells of a fateful prophecy!
This is up there with the best comics I have read all year. Fantastic!
