Every week, comic fandom is gifted with a slew of fantastic stories from a slew of fantastic creators. These days there’s just so much good stuff out there that it can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you’re new to comics. Thus AIPT presents to you, Fantastic Five! A weekly column where we pick five fantastic books released during the week and tell you why you should take a chance on them via a snippet from our reviews.
Enjoy, and happy reading!
Immortal Hulk #38
Words by Al Ewing. Art by Joe Bennett.
There are so many ways that I could praise this comic. The way that it conceptualizes so much of the Hulk as reactions to child abuse is fantastic. Devil Hulk is supposed to be an idealized father, while Joe Fixit, it appears, is supposed to be more like his father as he really was. The Big Guy is, in a sense, a version of the child that Banner never really was. (10/10)
–Sam Rutzick
Rorschach #1
Words by Tom King. Art by Jorge Fornes.
This is a fantastic opener. Tom King will leave you asking questions, Dave Stewart will bring a set of colors that enhances the noir vibe, and Jorge Fornes will intoxicate your eyes with his images. I can’t believe I’m reading a comic in 2020 where the names Otto Binder, Frank Miller, and Rorschach are all attached. Mystery hype is real! (10/10)
–Christopher Franey
The Devil’s Red Bride #1
Words by Sebastin Girner. Art by John Bivens.
Overall, The Devil’s Red Bride #1 is a wonderfully strong and potent delight. It offers as much nuance and depth in its narrative as anything in the Criterion Collection. The tale that Sebastian Girner has formulated is at once exciting and fervent in tackling the genre. (10/10)
–Arbaz M. Khan
DC: The Doomed and the Damned #1
Words and art by a lot of talented people.
This is a great collection with standout stories throughout. The first two are well worth the price of admission and there’s a good smattering of mainline superheroes and lesser-used characters too. DC: The Doomed and the Damned is a good example of how a publisher can use their own characters in a holiday-themed book for maximum effect. (9.5/10)
–David Brooke
Hellions #5
Words by Zeb Wells. Art by Carmen Carnero.
Hellions is hilarious dark theater, maximizing every moment with a fun character moment or surprise shock that reinvigorates the superhero genre. This issue continues the series trend of surprising the reader with strange interactions, overly dramatic characters, and a propensity for the strange. (9.5/10)
–David Brooke
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