Furries Gone Wild: Jason’s Comic Reviews

Welcome back to my ever-evolving comic reviews. Each week I will review a few new releases you may have missed on new comic Wednesday. As things change, mostly my mood, so will this column. Some weeks may be several new comics from various publishers or sometimes just one. There might be a time when it’s a longer review for a book I’m really excited about, and every now and then I may throw in a review of a retro book from years past. You never know!

This week I’ve got dinosaur birds, killer unicorn cosplay and international women of mystery.

Amber Blake #4

• IDW
• Written by Jade Lagardere
• Art by Butch Guice

Amber and Matt have decided to bypass Argon and take the fight to the Cleverland Institute. This leads to a mission to the jungle to find an executive from Cleverland who when MIA years ago. Amber learns more secrets and finds her opportunity to get her revenge. However, is everything she has discovered the truth? Turns out not everyone associated with Cleverland is evil. As Amber and Matt race against time to stop an assassination, save more kids and finally expose the underbelly of Cleverland. However, as with the series, nothing goes as planned and the truth tends to get in the way of accomplishing the mission.

After three stand alone and well-paced issues, everything is crammed into what looks like a conclusion. A lot happens here and it all feels rushed and a little too convenient. It feels like we start with more questions, a possible resolution, then an out of the blue reveal that pads several of the final pages. If this is indeed the conclusion, an extra issue would have helped. Though, each issue has a lot of little clues so it could be worth a re-read of the series. There’s also the potential of future stories post-Amber gaining her revenge. The artwork, however, is not a letdown. Butch Guice delivers again. There are several dialogue-free action scenes that fill the pages. These would look amazing if the story ever found its way to a big or small screen.

After praising this book since it’s release, I’ve finally be let down, somewhat. It’s still fun and the art is gorgeous. However, if you’ve been reading it thus far, it worth seeing how it wraps up.

The Ride: Burning Desire #1

• Image
• Written by Doug Wagner
• Art by Daniel Hillyard, Adam Hughes

Two stories for the price of one, here. The Ride is celebrating its 15th anniversary with this new series. In the feature story, a disgraced cop spends her time as a bouncer in an exotic dance club. As you can imagine, she has to deal with the strange clientele and employees. When her former co-workers get wind she’s back in town after a 15-year stint, things get a little ugly. Apparently, not all cops stick up for their own. In the backup story, a young woman is pursued by some creeps. She gets locked in a barn and tied up. Also, she’s missing her close. Her only chance is to don a random unicorn costume and fight back with an ax that happens to be laying around.

I had no idea the ride was a previous series dating as far back as 2004. The purpose was to feature characters at a breaking point. The series also featured a rotating cast of who’s who of comic artists. This issue, however, is interesting. Honestly, it was hard to follow initially. We start in the middle of a scene and it was hard for me to keep track of what as actually happening. Actually, with the first story, I’m not sure what the point was but it will be continued in issue two. The second story was bizarre. I’m not sure how the young woman ended up coming across a unicorn and ax to defend herself, but I guess it provides for some interesting art. The art in the second story was better, mostly because of Adam Hughes.

In closing, I’m not sure this was the book for me. It may have been the cover that drew me. I’d be curious to hear from folks who followed this series in the past, what their thoughts on this version are.

Sonata #1

• Image
• Written by David Hine, Brian Haberlin
  
• Art by Daniel Hillyard

On a distant planet, inhabitants from long gone planets find their way and try to build a new home. Sonata, a young woman loves action and adventure much to the dismay of her father. A new group of settlers has taken up residence and their ways and methods are much different than Sonata’s people. With the threat of limited resources, Sonata’s father assembles a group to do something about it. However, things go wrong. In the end, it is discovered that this planet may have more secrets than anyone could imagine.

This is the start of a truly epic saga. The concepts mentioned on the first page are extremely well thought out. The rest of the landscape of this planet is truly breathtaking, thanks to the artist. My mouth was open, there may have even been drool. This book is absolutely stunning. The story is quite interesting as well, the concept at least. The characters are fairly predictable from the overbearing father to the wise tribal elder to the warmongering villains. Even the plot at first seems predictable. However, the reveal of a hidden, lost society in the planet’s core may mean we have more to expect than just a battle between two societies, I hope that’s the case.

Sonata is a great first issue. The art is the big selling point here. While points of the story seem predictable there are some interesting concepts that can be carried long term.

I’ll be back with a new crop of reviews. For more comic reviews, insight, and commentary on comics old and new check out the Drawn & Paneled podcast wherever you get podcasts!