On this week’s NonCompliant, we’re joined by guest host Jideobi (comics editor at Geeked Out Nation) and talk about the fabulous new Jem and the Holograms comic, Gotham Academy, Wayward, and Curb Stomp. Get ready to hear about girl gangs, pop stars, magical girls, and there’s even a Batman cameo.
Ah, the summer before college is a wondrous time for all nervous freshman. The characters in Alex De Campi’s new book, No Mercy, decide to get ahead of their soon-to-be Princeton classmates by going to “Mataguey” to help build some houses; what could go wrong? The only perilous thing that happens is the bus running off the road and crashing into a ditch. No problems here.
In many early spy books Russians were often seen as the antagonists to the main character, but things have changed characters such as Natasha Romanov has a title of her own and are commanding healthy sales, Red One offers a unique inversion of the spy who came in from the cold.
There is a departure from the normal story flow in this issue. Kyle and Reverend Anderson are more secondary characters while we follow Megan’s adventure into the city to meet Allison and have a standoff with Donnie. It’s a welcome change to see the world of Outcast isn’t just demons and exorcisms. Although we find out that Kyle seems to be as committed to the cause as Reverend Anderson.
So, The Wicked + the Divine is a very strange series. It’s not one that’s easy to review as the series often eye drops information to the reader though off hand bits of dialogue. The story so far follows a pantheon of various deities all whom reincarnate every nine decades in the form of super inspirational icons. In the 21st century, the pantheon find themselves as pop stars bearing blatant parallels to the likes of Daft Punk, Kanye West, and Prince. All of this is perceived (mostly) from the view point of Laura, a super fan whom is out to solve the framing of Lucifer for murder.
Autumnlands #5 is another great chapter in this high fantasy epic as Busiek balances political tension, character relationships, and even throws some well-timed, funny dialogue from fish out of water Learoyd to make sure the story isn’t overtly tragic. Combined with the beautiful storytelling of Dewey and Bellaire, Autumnlands #5 continues to show why it’s the best fantasy comic currently on sale.
Oddly Normal Vol. 1 (Collects Written and Illustrated by Otis Frampton Published by Image Comics Oddly Normal is your average eleven year old girl (well except for the half witch part) who struggles with your typical middle school bullies (aside from the vampire and his werewolf lackies that is) and her parents who are out of …
The regular Noncompliant team (Katy, Jess, Grant, & Logan) discuss the recent debacles in sexism here in the comics community, and we cover the detriments and virtues of Red One, Giant Days, Lumberjanes, and Squirrel Girl!
Coming out this week from Image is a book from the minds of Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko, the title in question is Invisible Republic. It’s the distant space-faring future, again, where humankind has fallen into poverty with the collapse of the Malory Regime. A has been novelist by the name of Croger Babb is in search of a story on the Regime but has failed to grasp the right audience. However, a chance encounter lands him with what could be the story of a life time: the journal of Maia Reveron, the untold cousin of former dictator Arthur McBride and with her the untold story of the Malory Regime.
This week, the NonCompliant team covers indie space western sensation Copperhead, Rachel Rising, Ms. Marvel and more.
The Surface #1 Writer – Ales Kot Artist – Langdon Foss Colourist – Jordie Bellaire Letterer – Clayton Cowles Publisher – Image Comics Ales Kot has been presenting some very challenging subject matters within the comic book world over the last couple years through series like Change and Zero from Image and even approaching well established characters under a …
Even though readers don’t know much about the characters, Southern Cross #1 has visually interesting layouts and play of colors, a solid mystery hook, and is a good start to this personal, space-faring story.
Casanova Acedia #2 Written by Matt Fraction Art by Fábio Moon Colors by Cris Peter Lettering by Dustin K. Harbin Back-up Story by Michael Chabon & Gabriel Ba Published by Image Comics Last time you checked in with Casanova: Acedia, you had the best guide possible: Jake, a man that’s followed the previous 3 Casanova volumes, knows the titular character, his …
In our first episode, we discuss several releases starring female characters, including the new Leia and Spider-Woman comics from Marvel, the return of Rat Queens and Saga from Image, and a small press book called Pussycats
Jeff Lemire has already proven his worth in the sci-fi comic book genre with last year’s excellent Trillium. Descender appears to be something quite different from the last mini series he produced and is now collaborating with Dustin Nguyen, whose beautiful artwork is already strongly evident in this first issue. With Lemire and Nguyen onboard this very intriguing book, it looks like this will be a great addition to the already stellar lineup of Image released series.
One of the strangest elements in Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham sci-fi horror miniseries has been how shockingly tame it’s been. That’s not to say what is presented in this recent issue of the inaugural outing are anything that doesn’t warrant a mature content warning, just that it’s strange to see the creative team of such mind bending works like Batman Inc. and The Multiversity: Pax Americana be this far into their limited miniseries and not fully engage the body horror and raging madness of say Event Horizon. That all being said, this issue is a massive improvement from last month, but to the point one wonders why the first two issues couldn’t have been at least fit together.
Fresh from the mind of Joshua Williamson, Birthright is an interesting new series from Image. The concept is quite simple: a young boy by the name of Mikey vanishes seemingly into thin air, causing havoc on his family from his absence to the point of breaking, that is until a year later when a stranger arrives, straight out of a fantasy paperback and sporting an arsenal that would make Conan jealous, claiming to be Mikey grown up. And yes, it’s actually Mikey. It turns out; he was the champion of a far off realm called Terrenos fated to liberate the land from the monstrous God King Lore. However, what he leaves out is how Mikey himself is under the control of Lore himself with a mission to make Earth his next conquest.
Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie write and draw this issue as one big party while adding some insights into each deity and Laura too. They closely work with colorist Matthew Wilson, or this issue’s true MVP, to make WicDiv #8 the most acid-dropping, bass popping closest thing a digital or physical comic has gotten to one of those illegal warehouse raves.
Secret Identities #1 Story by Jay Faerber & Brian Jones Art by Ilias Kyriazis Colors by Charlie Kirchoff Published by Image Comics The idea of a mole infiltrating a superhero team is nothing new, but watching things unfold from the mole’s point of view is refreshing. Secret Identities #1 introduces readers to an established team …
Thrilling Adventure Hour presents Sparks Nevada: Marshal on Mars #1 Written by Ben Acker & Ben Blacker Illustrations & Cover by J.Bone Color Art by Omi Remalante Published by Image Comics Shine your astro spurs and don your robot fists! Thrilling Adventure Hour is back in print for the first time in years, and their …
In MPH #5, Mark Millar and Duncan Fegredo turn to time travel to fix everyone’s problems and give every semi-likable character some semblance of a happy ending
The latest Image series comes out this week in the form of Jimmie Robinson’s The Empty. The Empty follows up in similar style to Kurt Busiek’s The Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw by unveiling its world, not by overused narration, but by exploring it through character and narrative. The story as it stands follows Tanoor, the designated hunter for a village of notably long armed humans. Her tribe is facing the very real threat of extinction by the roots, mysterious organisms which emit poisonous gas and have been turning their entire world into an endless desert called the Empty. This changes as a girl by the name of Lila washes up on the shores, sporting massive eyes, an elongated neck, and the ability to miraculously resuscitate the dying plant life. Now Lila and Tanoor journey through the Empty to strike out the roots at their source.
Trying to review the work of the writer Grant Morrison always seems like a double act. For one, it’s the job of the reviewer to give their best description of the comic they read and their earnest thoughts on whether it’s worth the customers’ money. However, Morrison tends to write with an excessive amount of psychedelic weirdness that is difficult to critique. As such, please read this review with a grain of salt since this bizarre material is not the easiest thing to quantify.