Visitations #4: Victrola of Doom, Scott Larson’s latest installment in his comic tribute to old Chicago, returns to a slightly lighter tone than the previous issue. It’s still darker than previous events such as the balloon race, but there aren’t as many heartbreaking societal issues in the foreground of the plot. (It may be a commentary on myself that I find murder less traumatic than sex trafficking.) At the center of the story is the titular Victrola which allegedly has a demon locked inside that will kill anyone who uses it to listen to a record. Given the main story is presented as a radio drama on vinyl being played for readers/the characters in the frame story, are we safe from the curse? It’s up to you to decide.
It’s World War II in the world of Black Hammer, and Jeff Lemire has given his creation over to some of the best creators in the industry to convey a story that takes some inspiration from the Tuskegee Airmen.
Kathy Sartori has been through a lot: murdered in the 1960s, coming back 50 years later, discovering that there’s a version of her out there who wasn’t murdered and who lived a full life in her absence—and then seeing that version of herself get murdered, as well. It’s a strange situation to be sure.
From the very beginning, this comic has taken us on a variety of different adventures through a myriad of different worlds. At times, it can seem confusing, even chaotic, but it is, in fact, all connected. Whether you know what’s going on or not in that particular moment, it’s always a fantastic ride.
Solo: A Star Wars Story lands in a weird place in the Star Wars legacy. It isn't nearly as divisive as The Last Jedi or as generally crowd pleasing as The Empire Strikes Back. Solo is the first Star Wars movie to just slip under the radar which is a shame, because Solo is a great movie. It has its flaws, but so does every Star Wars movie. I was honestly surprised to see Star Wars: Solo the graphic novel adaptation pop up. I assumed the movie would be all but forgotten after its less-than-stellar box office debut.
If, like me, you lurk on the various social media outlets of the world, you've probably encountered Sarah Graley's Our Super Adventure at least once. It fits squarely in the emerging genre of shareable webcomics. I'd probably read half the comics in this collection before it even came ou,t but that didn't stop me from picking up Our Super Adventure: Press Start to Begin.
The smaller the town, the bigger the secret.
If we’re looking at Joseph Campbell’s teachings, he talks often about the hero’s call. That moment in which, despite whatever doubt the main character has, they make the decision to embrace their fate and transform, or begin their transformation, into a hero. For Lucy Webber (a.k.a. Black Hammer), that calling has come on multiple occasions, because Jeff Lemire continues to reset reality around our team of Golden Age Spiral City superheroes.
DINOSAURS! Sold! However, I’m not gonna lie, the dino-nut in me was mildly apprehensive about how good this could possibly be. For one, the mish-mash of the different periods of the Mesozoic era in the Jurassic Park series has always bugged me, and, for another, I’m a huge fan of Ricardo Delgado’s Age of Reptiles series which seemed like a high bar to clear. Good news, fellow dinosaur aficionados, Tadd Galusha’s Cretaceous doesn’t include any dinosaurs from before 145 million years ago, AND they’re all actually found on the island continent of Laramidia (back when North America was split in two by the Western Interior Seaway). Score one for accuracy!
House of Penance by Peter J. Tomasi is an experience in horror through the eyes of guilt and remorse. It’s a study into the aspect of regret and being haunted by the actions you take. It’s a look through the eyes of a woman who is doing what she can to atone for the bloody legacy of the Winchester rifle.