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Nei Ruffino

Back Issue Review: The Flintstones, Green Lantern Corps, Eugenic, Space Battle Lunchtime, and more!

January 14, 2018 by krisis

Welcome to our second pilot post of Back Issue Review, where I give you the run-down on all the not-new comics I read this week. (Did you miss last week’s edition?)

I know the knee-jerk reaction for a lot of readers to a post like this might be to say either “I don’t read comics” or “I’ll just tune in when you talk X-Men.”

My reply to you is that comics as a medium is so much more than what you’re seeing on the big screen or in the pages of X-Men books.

I’d love to connect you with a new favorite read, but also with a wider awareness of the medium.

Today’s back issue review includes write-ups on:

  • After Eden (2017) #1-4
  • Captain Canuck (2015) #3
  • Centipede (2017) #1
  • Cowboy Ninja Viking (2009) #1
  • Eugenic (2017) #1-3
  • The Flintstones (2016) #1-6
  • Green Arrow (2016) #10-11
  • Green Lantern Corps (2006) #1-3
  • Grimm Fairy Tales: Return to Wonderland (2007) #4-6
  • Jonesy (2016) #1, Scalped (2007) #1
  • Space Battle Lunchtime (2016) #1-8
  • X’ed (2015) #1-4

That’s a lot of indie comics and absolutely no Marvel!

Please let me know if you like this this post – it’s the second pilot of this new weekly series, but there’s no guarantee it will be back for more.

And now – let’s get to the comics! [Read more…] about Back Issue Review: The Flintstones, Green Lantern Corps, Eugenic, Space Battle Lunchtime, and more!

Filed Under: comic books, reviews Tagged With: Ayhan Hayrula, Back Issue Review, Benjamin Percy, Black Mask Studios, Caitlin Rose Boyle, Chris Chuckry, Chris Visions, Cognetic, Corey J Breen, Daniel William Leister, Dave Gibbons, Dave Sharpe, Dee Cunniffe, Doug Garbark, Eryk Donovan, Eugenic, Green Arrow, Green Lantern Corps, Grimm Fairy Tales: Return to Wonderland, Infinite Jest, James Tynion, Jason Aaron, Jim Campbell, Jock, Joe Tyler, Jonesy, Juan Ferreyra, Lee Loughridge, Mark Russell, Memetic, Mick Gray, Mickey Quinn, Natalie Riess, Nate Piekos, Nei Ruffino, Nick Napolitano, Oni Press, Patrick Gleason, Phil Balsman, Prentis Rollins, R.M. Guera, Ralph Tedesco, Raven Gregory, Sam Humphries, Scalped, Space Battle Lunchtime, Steve Pugh, The Flintstones, Tony Patrick, W. Moose Baumann, Wayne Faucher, X'ed, Zeneocope

DC New 52 Review: Birds of Prey #1

September 26, 2011 by krisis

Birds of Prey is a team that’s crossed over to many other forms of Bat media. It’s a largely all-female team of costumed crime-fighters centered in DC’s major urban meccas.

It’s not so hard to grasp, and generally one of my favorite types of comic to read. Yet, I managed to be completely ignorant of the team aside from one key facet – that Barbara Gordon acted as team captain from her wheelchair as Oracle.

With the reboot sweeping Gordon’s Oracle off the playing field, I wasn’t so sure of what to expect from Birds of Prey. Add to that writer Duane Swierczynski, who I think of as the kind of guy who writes stoic male characters, and an DC-exclusive artist I’ve never heard of.

The result? Not a clue of what to expect from the cast or script of this book.

Birds of Prey #1

Written by Duane Swierczynski, art by Jesus Saiz

Rating: 4.5 of 5 – Remarkable

In a Line: “Can’t help but like her. She’s a natural born hellraiser.”

#140char Review: Birds of Prey #1 is a pitch-perfect debut for the lady mercs. Duane scripts each well & crafts puzzles within puzzles. Want the next ish now

CK Says: Buy it!

Birds of Prey #1 is one of the best first issues out from DC this month, and that’s coming from a reader who has never heard of or seen these characters ever before reading. Afterwards? Totally hooked.

I was concerned that Duane Swierczynski, who I think of as a hard-bitten guy-with-gun writer, wouldn’t have the hang of a slightly funnier female-driven book. I was entirely incorrect. He keeps the dialog brisk and to-the-point but still gets the tone of his pair of deadly heroines just right.

He also makes perfect use of intercut flashbacks, which artist Jesus Saiz’s cannily matches frame for frame to their lead-in from the present day. In an action-filled issue that’s decidedly NOT an origin story he still managed to clue me in as a totally clueless new reader.

As for Saiz, his pencils are ace. From the first panel of a dilapidated church seen through driving rain I knew we were in for something special. I’m simply in love with his art. Backgrounds are detailed with sharp details and textures, but characters don’t try too hard to be photo-real. Nei Ruffino’s colors help each character pop off of the background of the page. There are only a couple of instances where I couldn’t quite follow action from one panel to the next, and a few panels where Starling looks rushed.

Black Canary seems like the coolest gal friend to have as well as the most efficient non-lethal merc you can hire. Maybe that makes her a bit of a Mary Sue, but I didn’t get the sense she’s infallible. In fact, though she’s capable throughout, a mid-issue cliffhanger as well as the issue’s climax hinge pretty exclusively on her lack of foresight.

Meanwhile, Starling comes off as a deadpan suicide girl, tatted up and quick to act in a crisis. A Batgirl cameo was a thrill for me as a new reader, and seemed like a knowing reference to some post incarnation of the title.

It only took one issue for Swierczynski and Saiz to find the right formula for this action-packed, adventurous book. If they keep it up Birds of Prey will be one of the premiere titles of DC’s relaunch.

Filed Under: comic books, Crushing On, reviews Tagged With: Batgirl, Birds of Prey, Black Canary, DC, DC New 52, Duane Swierczynski, Jesus Saiz, Nei Ruffino, Starling

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