Star Wars: Darth Maul Death Sentence #1 –
Tom Taylor follows up on a resuscitated Maul from the film while incorporating seeds of the Clone Wars into the book. His script is frenetic and it doesn’t really build on the return of Maul and his kinship with Savage Oppress. It strays from developing the brotherly relationship with the intent to lay foundation on their warrior aspect. That said…it’s an action book.
It is straight-forward and has nice elements to it, although Anakin and Obi-Wan would be the Jedi to have on their trail…but for retconning sakes, the Jedi Order places an obscure team on a big case. That is offsetting but overall, it’s a nice first issue…clearly set to show the brothers as a destructive force. What of Dooku and the Emperor? That is to be seen. Bruno Redondo’s art is simple yet effective here…and it works very smoothly. (8/10)
Axe Cop – President of the World #1 –
It’s a fun and spunky read but still…I can’t see any derivative measures that would keep me trapped in for more issues. I can’t bash it as Malachai Nicolle’s 8 year-old mind has eked out a charming and fun story…but the charisma fails to be driven on by Ethan Nicolle’s art. It ain’t bad but it just lacks a driving force to keep me reeled in. It’s a fun read but as a one-shot only…there’s not that lure for expansion and not that hint of a story to keep me reeled in. (6/10)
Debris #1 –
Maya finds herself in a desolate future where humanity is scavenging the earth for resources to survive. In her civilization, she’s a warrior and a leader in a land of rubbish and dystopian setting. With dinosaur-like robotic elements of junk preying on Maya and her people, she is tasked with ensuring the survival of her people…at any cost. It’s an interesting story by Kury Wiebe but I think it wasn’t fleshed out…properly. Well, the first issue at least. The action and pace seems amiss at times…but there’s potential. I’m sticking around for issue 2 and I guess Riley Rossmo’s elegantly fun art is part and parcel of this. I expect him to blow up bigger soon and this tale could well help him ascend. Overall, this book stands the test…where a second issue is what determines how hard it falls or rises. (7/10)
Star Wars: Bobba Fett is Dead #1-4
Tom Taylor pens an intriguing tale of Bobba Fett’s assassination or attempted, I should say. The bounty hunter returns from the ‘dead’ to elaborately find his killers while placing his half-brother, Connor, in dangerous thralls amongst kin. I use the word ‘kin’ here with emphasis as there’s a nice little family twist to the tale that paints Bobba in the light of a ‘hero’. Chris Scalf’s art is pretty solid here as we see Bobba try to find his assailants while time ticks down for his brother and the entourage that Connor needs to protect. The pacing is good, and despite an unnecessary and frail cameo from Vader, this story is self-contained and swims well outside of canon and EXP-U continuity. It’s filled with action and crafty twists that Star Wars should be known for! (8/10)
Grim Leaper #1-3
Kurt Wiebe portrays the story of Lou, who dies over and over, transporting a la the Quantum Leap Mechanism, into a new body and a new life. There are consequences to his actions and he soon finds that the characters he leaps into are inexplicably tied. Now, throw in Ella, a hottie with the same issue, and this fatale drags Lou all over through hell and high water, as Wiebe’s connotations for Love come adrift in an exciting and breathtaking manner. This tale unravels with immense fun and joy as Aluisio Santo’s funky and eclectic art helps highlight this frenetic story – a love tale to die for. Seeing both lovers jump from life to life is exhilarating and Santos’ work is nothing short of brilliant. The finale is set up well as we see Lou struggle to regain his romantic partner following a dire death. It’s definitely a sleeper-hit and something to look forward to more and more. (10/10)
Resident Alien #1-4
A simple-minded alien is camouflaged as a doctor in a quiet rural village until it’s rocked by a slew of murders. Accosting these victims plays well on the mind of our protagonist as he struggles with his empathy to traverse the waves of the human mind. It’s a nice cat-and-mouse game with a pretty straightforward ending that leaves room for a 2nd volume. Peter Hogan’s script and Steve Parkerhouse’s pencils are quite simple but still shine through like a game of Clue. It’s overall a warm story as we eke out why someone decides to cause trouble and terrorise the village. While not the most riveting read, it still engrosses based on a peculiar premise…after all, who wouldn’t enjoy an alien playing detective? (7/10)
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