The King Has Arrived
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Welcome to Comic Rex.
A love letter to all things comics.
And don’t worry — it’s not all Big 2 slavering.* The Comics Rex roams far and wide in pursuit of its comic prey. We may even deign to accept a recommendation or two (or a million, hot damn do we love to hear what others are reading).
Please enjoy our inaugural set of reviews from the ever voracious, vivacious, never vicious, comic book bon vivant — Kelley “Wrap It Up” Malloy.
*(Though 2 of 4 this week are from the Big 2 - Editor.)
James Tynion IV Strikes Again
It’s a great week to be a James Tynion IV fan! The man rarely misses, and W0rldtr33 #3 and The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos #1 are no exception.
W0rldtr33 is the next pee-your-pants, creepshow that the two-time Eisner winner (soon to be three???) has up his sleeve.
The Undernet, a strange internet “underneath” our own, harbors monsters and demons hellbent on the apocalypse. Should a person be brave enough (or stupid enough??) to view Undernet content, they will become possessed and transform into a soulless, cold-blooded killer. A naked woman (code name: Ph3ar) is hunting people and manipulating them into releasing what hides under the web. Fighting to save the world is a mysterious group, headed by a famous billionaire, who seems to have faced this thr3at before.
Tynion’s writing is at its peak and continues his streak of strong and unique characters. Fernando Blanco sets up emotive close shots and renders seamless backgrounds. Jordie Bellaire’s use of neons, fluorescents and warm colors in a genre that typically traffics in the dark and washed makes it so that you can feel the blood coursing through your heart with every beat. (N.B. I’m a huge fan of Bellaire’s work, so much so that I voted for her for Best Colorist at this year’s Eisner Awards!) I also love the glitchy style whenever someone views the Undernet; it’s reminiscent of the glitches Mitch Gerads used in Mister Miracle.
W0rldtr33 is scary beautiful and is sure to terrify and amaze.
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Ironic Titles
The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos #1 is real comics for real comic lovers. Mixing Tynion’s awesome horror elements with cute, adolescent, and queer romance themes from books like The Backstagers and Wynd, Tate Brombal, writing from a Tynion concept, clothes the story with fun, cute, and quirky mannerisms.
Christopher Chaos, a lonely outcast whose only friend in the world is a pigeon, likes the cutest boy in school. Too bad that too cute boy turns out to be a not so cute werewolf being hunted by a mysterious order. Christopher’s pigeon friend is tragically killed by a garbage truck.
Isaac Goodhart’s art and Miquel Muerto’s colors render a beautifully scary reimagining of a Dr. Frankenstein story with lots of…heart.
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sihT eM elddiR
Admittedly, I haven’t seen Matt Reeves’ Batman, but I’ve had Paul Dano’s The Riddler: Year One in my periphery. The Riddler: Year One #5 is the penultimate chapter in this dark and psychotic introspective. The story traces The Riddler’s worsening madness through the scrawled pages of his day planner and medical files.
Stevan Subic’s lettering is next level, elevating the sketches and incoherent babbling haunting the margins. This book is creepy and unlike any comic I’ve read. Each page offers a scrapbook or collage vibe that puts you directly inside the head of a deranged person trying to create a riddle in reverse. I felt uncomfortable and prickly throughout. I love when comics elicit emotions that you don’t often flex anywhere else.
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Scrolling Text
Evan Von Doom from the What’s Next? A Comic Book podcast raves about Alyssa Wong’s writing saying he will “follow them on to any book.” I hadn’t had the pleasure until I read their take on my new favorite Star Wars characters, Doctor Aphra.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #33, with art by Minkyu Jung, and colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, sees the good doctor teamed up with all around good boy, Luke Skywalker. The two stumble onto a mysterious temple housing a possible Jedi relic. However, the inhabitants of the temple aren’t all they seem and the duo may be in more danger than they originally thought. Can Aphra get Luke leveled up in his Jedi skills enough to take on Darth Vader? Or will one of the most altruistic Jedi deny the thieving Aphra from getting her way?
All in all, this book was a little too much to dive into without having context of the rest of the story. I enjoyed the banter, but it felt heavily expository at times and lacked the wit I’ve come to expect from Doctor Aphra. The art is great in close up but struggled to keep my attention on wide shots. I usually love Rosenberg’s colors, but this was a little one-note for me. Maybe it’s the fact that the entire temple has pink crystal walls?
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Make sure to add our 5 👑 selections to your pull list. If you like what you’ve read thus far, give us a shout in the comments. Want to fight about our takes? We’ll meet you in the comments section, buddy. Trust us, we’ve eaten worse.
Until next time Comic Rexors!