#IReadsYou Review: STAR WARS: The Rise of Kylo Ren

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF KYLO REN
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.  Also, visit Star Wars Review Central here.]

STORY: Charles Soule
ART: Will Sliney
COLORS: Guru eFX
LETTERS: VC's Travis Lanham
EDITOR: Mark Paniccia
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida a.k.a. C.B. Cebulski
COVER: Clayton Crain
MISC ART: Carmen Carnero with Rachelle Rosenberg; John Tyler Christopher; Jodie Muir; Stefano Landini and Nicola Righi; Giuseppe Camuncoli with David Curiel
ISBN: 978-1-302-92418-8; paperback (August 11, 2020)
112pp, Color, $15.99 U.S., $20.99 CAN

Rated T

Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren is a Marvel Comics trade paperback collection of the Star Wars comic book miniseries, Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren #1-4 (December 2019 to March 2020).  The miniseries is written by Charles Soule; drawn by Will Sliney; colored by Guru eFX; and lettered by Travis Lanham.

The Rise of Kylo Ren is an official part of the Star Wars “canon” and explores the backstory of Kylo Ren.  He is the face of the Dark Side in the Star Wars “sequel trilogy” of films:  Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren opens long ago and introduces the mysterious leader called “Ren” and his “Knights of Ren.”  Two brothers, Karrst and Filin,” learn the high cost of being recruited by Ren.  The story moves to the present which finds the Jedi Temple of Luke Skywalker in flames, as Ben Solo, the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo and the nephew of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, watches.

Soon, Ben is accused of murder by three fellow Jedi students:  Voe, Hennix, and Tai.  Escaping their attempts at justice, Ben seeks the counsel of Snoke, a user of the Dark Side of the Force, who has been in contact with Ben for some time.  Snoke points Ben to the Knights of Ren as a “good stop” on his journey to the Dark Side.

But will Ben truly be able to find himself and his place with the Knights?  How will he measure up to the expectations of the Knights' leader, Ren, with his talk of “good death” and of the “Shadow?”  How will Ben deal with his former classmates as they pursue him in the name of justice.  And most of all, when will Ben be able to embrace his new name?...

THE LOWDOWN:  In the recent “Skywalker Saga” Star Wars films, Kylo Ren is a figure of intrigue and mystery.  Except for a few flashback sequences, visions, and what little Luke Skywalker and Kylo himself say, little is known about his past.

In a little more than 90 pages of narrative, writer Charles Soule illuminates the history of Kylo Ren and chases away at least some of the shadows of Kylo's past.  In the little more than five years since Marvel Comics resumed publishing Star Wars comic books, Soule has made himself one of the very best writers of Star Wars comic books.  While he offers a tale of duplicity and violence, Soule also reveals the true struggle of Kylo Ren, to be liberated from the expectations and legacies of others so that he can chart his own path.

After reading Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren, I have no doubt in my mind that Charles Soule could spin many a wonderful yarn featuring Kylo Ren.  I don't want to minimize the work of artist Will Sliney, who is a good graphical storyteller.  Or the work of Guru eFX, which brings this story's settings to life with a variety of hues.  Or the work of letterer Travis Lanham, who is always quite good at capturing the right tone of the characters' dialogue.  However, Charles Soule's writing is the star in Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren simply because he does what so few have done – deliver on the potential of the character known as both Ben Solo and as Kylo Ren.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Star Wars comic books and of Star Wars canon will certainly want to read Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren.

10 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: JOURNEY TO STAR WARS: The Rise of Skywalker - Allegiance #1

JOURNEY TO STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER – ALLEGIANCE No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon. And visit the "Star Wars Central" review page here.]

STORY: Ethan Sacks
ART: Luke Ross
COLORS: Lee Loughridge
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
EDITOR: Mark Paniccia
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida a.k.a. C.B. Cebulski
COVER: Marco Checchetto
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Brian Stelfreeze; Will Sliney with Guru-eFX
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (December 2019)

Rated T

Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Allegiance Part I - “An Old Hope”

Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Allegiance is four-issue Star Wars comic book series from Marvel Comics.  Published weekly this month (October 2019), Allegiance takes place before the events depicted in the upcoming film, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.  Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Allegiance is written by Ethan Sacks; drawn by Luke Ross; colored by Lee Loughridge; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Allegiance #1 (“An Old Hope”) opens in the aftermath of the film, Star Wars: The Last Jedi.  The Resistance is in tatters, and its adversary, the First Order, and its Supreme Leader, Kylo Ren, will stop at nothing to crush what is left.  General Leia Organa, the head of the Resistance, leads the last of the rebels, which includes Rey (Jedi-in-training), Finn, Poe Dameron, Rose Tico, Chewbacca the Wookie, and the droids:  C-3PO, R2-D2, and BB-8.

The story opens on the Mid Rim ice planet, Tah'Nuhna, which the First Order's General Hux uses as a warning to any other worlds that may be considering offering any kind of assistance to the Resistance.  General Organa decides that it is time for her to be proactive with a new mission, for which she takes Rey, Rose, and Tico with her.  On the refueling station, “The Wayward Comet,” Finn, Poe, and BB-8 hope to meet a contact who will point them to a weapons cache that the Resistance can use.  However, they are unaware that they are being watched.  Meanwhile, Leia and her delegation approach “an old hope” with lots of hope and some trepidation...

I wish I could say that Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Allegiance #1 temporarily sates my appetite for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but it doesn't.  Hell, it doesn't even whet my appetite for the film.

Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Allegiance #1 is not a bad comic book; it simply reads like filler material.  It also seems like a movie tie-in that is mostly a cynical money grab.  I will say that writer Ethan Sacks has presented a scenario that does have potential; so there is... hope.  Perhaps, this issue is mostly set-up, and future issues will read more like a complete story and less like... just-another-Star-Wars-thing.

I must note that the art team of Luke Ross (pencils) and Lee Loughridge (colors) turns in some really pretty art.  Clayton Cowles' lettering is sharp, and the back matter is a nice addition to this first issue.

Will my mixed feelings about Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Allegiance #1 stop me from reading the second issue?  No.  Like a true Star Wars sucker, I will probably get all four issues!

[This comic book includes a script-to-art-to-colors look at the process of scripting, drawing, and coloring five pages of Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Allegiance #1.  There is also a look at Marco Checchetto's cover art for all four issues of Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Allegiance.]

6 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: STAR WARS: Age of Rebellion - Princess Leia #1

STAR WARS: AGE OF REBELLION – PRINCESS LEIA No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.  And visit the "Star Wars Central" review page here.]

STORY: Greg Pak
ART: Chris Sprouse and Karl Story; Will Sliney, Marc Deering and Karl Story
COLORS: Tamra Bonvillain
LETTERS: VC's Travis Lanham
EDITOR: Mark Paniccia
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida a.k.a. C.B. Cebulski
COVER: Terry Dodson with Rachel Dodson
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Giuseppe Camuncoli with Elia Bonetti; Mike McKone with Guru eFX
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2019)

Rated T

“Princess Scoundrel”

Princess Leia is one of the most beloved characters in the Star Wars film series.  In fact, her rescue is what forces Luke Skywalker to answer the call to adventure in the original 1977 Star Wars film (also known as Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope or simply, Star Wars: A New Hope).

Marvel Comics is currently publishing a new Star Wars maxi-series project that comprises three books:  Star Wars: Age of Republic, Star Wars: Age of Rebellion, and Star Wars: Age of Resistance.  This project will span 30 issues in total (reportedly), with each issue spotlighting one hero or villain from one of three particular Star Wars eras:  Republic (prequel trilogy), Rebellion (original trilogy), and Resistance (sequel trilogy).

Star Wars: Age of Rebellion – Princess Leia #1 (“Princess Scoundrel”) is one of the first two releases in the Age of Rebellion series (along with Star Wars: Age of Rebellion – Grand Moff Tarkin #1).  It is written by Greg Pak.  The story is drawn by two art teams:  Chris Sprouse (pencils) and Karl Story (inks) on pages 1-12 and page 20 and Will Sliney, Marc Deering and Karl Story on pages 13 to 19.  The story is colored by Tamra Bonvillain, and lettered by Travis Lanham.  “Princess Scoundrel is set sometime between the events depicted in The Empire Strikes Back (Star Wars: Episode V) and Return of the Jedi (Stars Wars: Episode VI).

Star Wars: Age of Rebellion – Princess Leia #1 (“Princess Scoundrel”) finds Leia and Chewbacca, the longtime Wookie partner and friend of Han Solo, aboard the Millennium Falcon.  They are one their way to rescue Han, who has been captured by the galactic crime lord and gangster, Jabba the Hutt, when they get a call from the Rebel Alliance.  A rebel craft has been shot down over the Outer Rim planet of Arkanis.  Who needs rescuing but Lando Calrissian, the man who is responsible for Han's current state of affairs.  Now, to rescue him, Leia must play a game of bounty hunters.

First, I have to say that I think that Star Wars: Age of Rebellion – Princess Leia #1 would make a better miniseries than it does as a one-shot, but I guess it is best not to encourage Marvel Comics when it comes to Star Wars miniseries.  Still, in this twenty-page story, writer Greg Pak composes what is an interesting depiction of the relationship dynamics between Leia and Lando.  Pak also offers a compelling game of deception involving Leia, Lando, and Chewbacca and the infamous bounty hunters, Boushh and Bossk.

The art, produced by two teams for this comic book, is beautiful.  I think the second team does a good job producing art that looks like that of the first team.  The art especially captures the visual appearances of the characters as we expect them to look (like the actors that originally portrayed them) and also creates the exotic environments and landscapes we expect of a Star Wars world.

Tamra Bonvillain's gorgeous colors are perfect for a Star Wars comic book, and I have to be honest.  I always think that Bonvillain's colors are gorgeous.  Travis Lanham's lettering and effects are also excellent; he is seems like a just-right letterer for Star Wars, too.

I would like more of Star Wars: Age of Rebellion – Princess Leia #1.  In fact, once again, let me say that I wish it were a miniseries.

7.5 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: GENERATIONS: Iron Man & Ironheart #1

GENERATIONS: IRON MAN & IRONHEART No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILS: Marco Rudy, Szymon Kudranski, and Nico Leon
INKS: Syzmon Kudranski, Will Sliney, Scott Koblish, and Nico Leon
COLORS: Marco Rudy, Dean White, and Paul Mounts
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: Skan
VARIANT COVERS: Marco Rudy; Olivier Coipel with Laura Martin; Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers with Paul Mounts and Joe Frontirre
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (November 2017)

Rated T+

Iron Man created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck, and Jack Kirby

“The Iron”

Generations is an event miniseries from Marvel Comics.  It is a planned 10-issue anthology, published weekly.  Each issue is written and drawn by a different creative team, and each issue will feature a different team-up of a classic Marvel superhero with his or her modern-day counterpart.  The series is meant to unite the legacy of classic Marvel Comics characters with the next generation of heroes as both move into the future of Marvel Comics storytelling.

The sixth issue is Generations: Iron Man & Ironheart, which brings together two versions of a classic Marvel Comics character, Iron Man.  The first is the classic Iron Man, also known as Tony Stark, who first appeared in Tales of Suspense #39 (cover date: March 1963).  The second is Ironheart, who is Riri Williams, a teen prodigy and genius engineer.  This issue of Generations is written by Brian Michael Bendis; drawn by Marco Rudy, Szymon Kudranski, and Nico Leon (pencils) and Syzmon Kudranski, Will Sliney, Scott Koblish, and Nico Leon; colored by Marco Rudy, Dean White, and Paul Mounts; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Generations: Iron Man & Ironheart #1 (“The Iron”) opens with Ironheart experiencing free fall in a darkened sky.  Riri soon discovers that much of the tech and many of the features of her Ironheart suit do not function well or do not fuction at all.  Riri realizes that she is somewhere else, but she cannot believe that she is in the future.  She does not want to believe it when she meets some strange Avengers.  She still does not want to believe it when she meets this world's Sorcerer Supreme – Tony Stark!  He is going to show her a far-flung future of possibilities for her.

It took me six issues of Generations, so it is Generations: Iron Man & Ironheart #1 that convinces me that Generations has a running theme that revolves around mentors and mentorship, teachers and teachable moments, father-figures and mother-figures, and even predecessors.  Some entries in Generation do it better than others, but every issue has at least one moment in which one character stands as an example for another.

Generations: Iron Man & Ironheart #1 is, thus far, the best of series, which is what I said about the Hawkeye Generations last week.  So I am surprised by how much Generations: Iron Man & Ironheart #1 affected me.  It is philosophical; almost spiritual in an odd way.  This is written by Brian Michael Bendis, so there is a lot of conversation between future Tony Stark-Sorcerer Supreme (who popped up in two recent issues of Bendis and Alex Maleev's Infamous Iron Man) and Riri Williams.

Many comic book people (with agendas) have blamed Marvel Comics' recent sales slump on “diversity” characters, with Riri Williams probably being the most notorious.  Generations: Iron Man & Ironheart #1 can be read as Bendis' manifesto, one that says... no declares... that Riri ain't going nowhere.  She isn't disappearing because she is the future.

Generations: Iron Man & Ironheart #1 has a large art team of seven artists and colorists, but they are what makes Bendis' story work.  The design of these pages have a funky flower child/love generation appearance that reminds me of Neal Adams' classic X-Men run, J.H. Williams, III's art for Alan Moore's Promethea, and Jon J. Muth's art for the old Marvel/Epic Comics' Moonshadow.  These different artists and art teams come together to create a 30-page story in which disparate visual styles actually become a seamless visual poem that flows like a perfectly written pop song.

Make mine Marvel.  This is what Generations: Iron Man & Ironheart #1 convinces me I should do.  We can have new versions of classic Marvel characters.  We can have both – the originals and the new ones.  Here, Tony Stark encourages Riri Williams to reach for the stars, so we can have both characters in Iron Man armor.  Yes, we can.

A
9 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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I Reads You Review: SPIDER MAN 2099 #1

SPIDER-MAN 2099 (2014) #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

WRITER:  Peter David
ARTIST: Will Sliney
COLORS: Antonio Fabela
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Simone Bianchi
VARIANT COVERS:  Rick Leonardi and Dan Green with Antonio Fabela; J. Scott Campbell with Nei Ruffino; J.G. Jones; and Skottie Young
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (September 2014)

Spider-Man 2099 is a Marvel Comics superhero created by writer Peter David and art Rick Leonardi that first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #365 (cover dated: August 1992).  This character is, of course, based on the original Spider-Man created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.  This alternate Spider-Man character was created for Marvel Comics' “Marvel 2099” line of comic books.

Spider-Man of 2099 is Miguel O'Hara (the first Latino Spider-Man), a brilliant geneticist living in New York in the year 2099 A.D.  He was attempting to recreate the abilities of the original Spider-Man in other people, which led to the accident that caused half his DNA to be re-written with a spider's genetic code.  Miguel gained amazing powers and became Spider-Man of the year 2099.

He received his own series, Spider-Man 2099, which was set in a future dystopian America that was governed by corrupt mega-corporations.  Now, there is a new Spider-Man 2099 series, written by Peter David, drawn by Will Sliney; colored by Antonio Fabela, and lettered by Joe Caramagna.

Spider-Man 2099 #1 opens with some backstory, which tells readers that Miguel O'Hara.  Employed by mega-corp, Alchemax, he is the young genetics genius whose experiments turned him into the Spider-Man of the year 2099.  Miguel travels back to the present to save his father, Tyler Stone, the head of Alchemax in 2099, by saving the life of his grandfather, Tiberius Stone, in the present.

O'Hara finds himself stranded in 2014.  To protect his identity in the future, while living in the present, Miguel uses the name Mike O'Mara.  He sets about establishing his new life in the present, but something from the future has followed him.  Why does T.O.T.E.M. want to destroy Spider-Man 2099?

I had not planned on reviewing Spider-Man 2099 #1.  It was just another Marvel Comics, “All-New Marvel NOW!,” number-one issue that I was going to give a try.  I had the comic book for several weeks before I decided (as an afterthought) to read it.

I had forgotten how often I have enjoyed Peter David-written comic books, but Spider-Man 2099 #1 reminded me.  The story is simple and straight-forward in this first issue, but David wonderfully sets it up to launch a quality ongoing series.  While Will Sliney is not a spectacular artist, his compositions and storytelling capture the humor and action in David's script.  This looks to be a solid comic book, and not just another “acceptable” Spider-Man title.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for July 9, 2014

MARVEL COMICS

MAY140813    100TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL #1 SPIDER-MAN    $3.99
MAY140787    ALL NEW INVADERS #7 SIN    $3.99
MAY140879    ALL NEW X-MEN #29    $3.99
MAY140835    AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1.3    $3.99
MAY140895    AMAZING X-MEN #9    $3.99
MAY140784    AVENGERS #32 SIN    $3.99
MAY140825    AVENGERS UNDERCOVER #7    $2.99
MAY140844    CAPTAIN MARVEL #5    $3.99
MAY140847    DAREDEVIL #5    $3.99
MAY140850    DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU #3    $3.99
MAY140788    DEADPOOL #31 SIN    $3.99
MAY140889    DEADPOOL DRACULAS GAUNTLET #1    $3.99
MAY140781    FANTASTIC FOUR #7 SIN    $3.99
APR140788    GUARDIANS OF GALAXY BY JIM VALENTINO TP VOL 02    $34.99
MAY140861    MARVEL UNIVERSE AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #10 SYU    $2.99
APR140762    MARVELS AGENTS OF SHIELD DECLASSIFIED SLIPCASE HC    $49.99
APR140789    MU GUARDIANS OF GALAXY COSMIC TEAM UP DIGEST TP    $9.99
MAY140905    NIGHTCRAWLER #4    $3.99
MAY140772    ORIGINAL SIN #5.1    $3.99
MAY140779    ORIGINAL SINS #3    $3.99
MAY140807    SPIDER-MAN 2099 #1 ANMN    $3.99
APR140784    STAR LORD TP GUARDIANS OF GALAXY    $34.99
MAR140695    SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN #13    $3.99
MAY140915    UNITED STATES OF MURDER INC #3 (MR)    $3.99
APR140688    WINTER SOLDIER BITTER MARCH #5    $3.99
MAY140906    WOLVERINE #10    $3.99
MAY140912    X-FORCE #7    $3.99
APR140781    X-MEN TP BATTLE OF ATOM    $34.99

Albert Avilla Reviews: The Fearless Defenders #1

The Fearless Defenders #1
Marvel Comics

Reviewed by Albert Avilla

Writer: Cullen Bunn
Art: Will Sliney
Cover: Mark Brooks
Variant Covers: Milo Manara; Mike Deodato and Rain Beredo; Skottie Young

The cover was really awesome. That’s what having a great cover is about; it gets your expectations up. The interior of the book did not meet those expectations.

The Defenders have always had trouble attracting readers, and this issue will not do any better. This kind of story could squeak by once the series had established itself. I’m not familiar with Mr. Bunn’s work, so I don’t know if this is leading into a great climax or if this is par for the course. If it’s par for the course, then, I am keeping my money. I like mystery, but too much mystery leaves the reader in the dark.

A first issue should pull you in and build up your expectations. This story made me nostalgic for Indiana Jones movies. Archeology has been the basis for a lot of good comic book stories. My question is where is the evil god behind the artifact that Misty acquired? Give us an awesome villain to look forward to seeing.

Marvel NOW gets a “Marvel scowl” for this venture. Valkyrie and Misty Knight really look cool on the cover. Let’s hope that Mr. Bunn can convert that coolness into good stories.

The interior art didn’t give any more than the writing. It was average comic book art.

I rate The Fearless Defenders #1 “Read a Friend’s Copy.”  #3 (of 5) on Al-O-Meter