Mini Reviews [9]

Shanghai Red #1 by Christopher Sebela,

Joshua Hixson (Illustrator), 

Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (Illustrator), 

Tyler Boss (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Red is one of hundreds shanghaied out of Portland in the late 1800s. Drugged, kidnapped, and sold to a ship’s captain, she wakes up on a boat headed out to sea for years, unable to escape or even reveal who she truly is. Now she’s coming back in a boat covered in blood to find her family and track down the men responsible for stealing her life out from under her.

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Shanghai Red will not be a comic I choose to continue. I'm sure it will be loved by many, just not by me. I expected a lot of violence based on the description, so that wasn't what bothered me (though it was a little confusing and excessive). 

I wish they had explained more of Red's history and what happened to her prior to the opening scene... which ended up having more action than words. The images didn't really add up either, so I was stuck trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Eventually I just moved on without figuring it out.

If you enjoy dirty pirates (that deal in human trafficking), bloody fights (gruesome x10), underestimated women (go girl power), and untrustworthy people (basically everyone so far)--this might be a comic you enjoy.

⳼

The Amazing Spider-Man #801
by Dan Slott, Marcos Martin (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): After ten years, Dan Slott’s final issue of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN is here, and he isn’t pulling any punches. Joined by one of the best illustrators in the biz, Marcos Martin, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #801 is one of the most emotional, heartfelt tales not only in Dan’s run, but in all of Mighty Marveldom itself, and is one Marvel fans around the world won’t want to miss. 

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Dan Slott has been writing this comic for ten years! That's insane! My husband is going to cry if Charles Soule ever stops writing Daredevil, lol. I don't think he will anytime soon, but you never know!

I am in no way caught up on this series, but Jacob asked me to read this once he was finished. It didn't conclude a story, or start a new one... It was more of a goodbye. 

Slott does a wonderful job of showing why Spider-Man is important and what makes him a hero. He's out there saving the world every single day, one person at a time. Protecting someone's mom might not be world-changing for everyone, but it was life-changing for someone. 

If you love Spider-Man, this is definitely an issue to have!

⳼

Dazzler: X-Song #1 by Magdelene Visaggio,

Laura Braga (Illustrator), 

Elizabeth Torque (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): The Brooklyn punk scene has never been cooler with DAZZLER’s new band taking center stage. But while she’s trying to find herself and reconnect to the one thing she’s always loved, Dazzler stumbles upon a truly toxic part of the underground punk scene. When a new and violent gang threatens the young Inhuman fans that follow her from venue to venue, Dazzler may have to turn to her own past to provide some guidance--and butt kicking.

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I don't think this is going to be one that I continue reading. I was curious about Dazzler and what her story would be about, but it didn't wow me, you know? I thought the story was good, and there was a lot in there about inclusion and being united, but it looks like the main conflict is going to be between the Mutants and the Inhumans. 

From what I gathered... there's a group of mutants that thinks the Inhumans aren't really mutants themselves, even though the Terrigenesis triggered a mutation. 

I was also a little confused by Colossus being there... isn't he married to Kitty Pryde now? Maybe that's another reality or universe... it's hard to keep up with sometimes! He just seemed a little too cozy with the main character. 😒

⳼

The Magic Order #1 by Mark Millar,

Olivier Coipel (Illustrator),

Adam Hughes (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): We live in a world where we've never seen a monster, and The Magic Order is the reason we sleep safely in our beds. Magic meets the mob in THE MAGIC ORDER, as five families of magicians—sworn to protect our world for generations—must battle an enemy who's picking them off one by one. By day, they live among us as our neighbors, friends, and co-workers, but by night, they are the sorcerers, magicians, and wizards that protect us from the forces of darkness…unless the darkness gets them first. 

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It's official... I've seen my first comic book penis. I'm not going to go into details, but it was weird. Not the penis per se, but the shapeshifter impersonating the naked man... Why did he know what that man's penis looked like? Moving on!

I think I'm going to read the next issue before making a decision, but I'm still on the fence. I liked the dysfunctional family dynamic, and I'm curious if they end up working together to fight this new threat. 

The new threat wasn't very subtle, but their methods were brutal. If you're squeamish, I would recommend staying away from this one. I legitimately shuddered after reading the first page, and I don't think it's going to get better anytime soon. They're gearing up for a fight. 

Magic, monsters, and a murder mystery--my interest is piqued!