1st Impression: ETERNAL WARRIOR # 7

ETERNAL WARRIOR # 7

Written by Greg Pak

Art by Robert Gill & Guy Major

Valiant Comics

FLIPPING THROUGH:

                Gilad leads the city of people through a forest to look for King Sam, the creator of the robots. And Gilad finds him. When they meet, there is a warm welcome extended but King Sam learns why Gilad is the Eternal Emperor.

ART:

                Gill produces some of the sharpest looking panels in comics. Gill has an amazing sense of prospective and uses it in the issue.  Gill also has a great sense of anatomy, not only for humans but for beasts as well as he draws some very powerful pictures of animals attacking other animals. Gill really does well giving us perspective and angles with his panel work to provide some dynamic art.  From the clothes of the civilians to the robot wolves to the overall look at King Sam’s main base, Gill renders them all with a great amount of detail.  Gilad continues to look regal and battle hardened. And Gill has no issue conveying emotion on the faces of the characters.

                Major’s colors are stellar as they enrich Gill’s work.  From the shades to the direction of lighting, Major pulls off some great, vivid colors that just make Gill’s work explode off the page. Overall, a magnificent job by this art team.

WRITING:

                Pak continues to write a future myth with Gilad in the future.  Pak gives us some solid character development of Gilad as a leader and a warrior. Gilad wants to take care of his people and does his best to make sure that he can with multiple examples of that throughout the issue. Pak continues with his mastery of dialogue as he puts the right amount of wit with the right amount of emotion in the dialogue amongst the characters.

                There is definitely a stronger focus on Gilad himself this issue, with various interactions. This definitely felt good to see the spotlight firmly on Gilad this issue. I also like to applaud the pacing of the issue as Pak keeps things at a steady pace to lead to the strong ending of the issue. Pak just continues to write a superb story.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

                The writing was spectacular. The art was amazing. I certainly love every minute of this issue.

RATING:

                I give Eternal Warrior # 7 a 9.5 … out of 10. Pick it up this Wednesday!

1st Impression: ETERNAL WARRIOR # 5

ETERNAL WARRIOR # 5
Written by Greg Pak
Art by Robert Gill & Guy Major
Valiant Entertainment

FLIPPING THROUGH:

                Welcome to 4001 AD, where Gilad is still alive after the world has changed and technology is not as … abundant as it used to be from the looks of this future. Yet, we quickly see what machinery can do in this far out future and what Gilad has done in order to help people survive.

ART:

                I have to hand it to Robert Gill for giving us a beautifully rendered opening to this new arc. There is an abundance of detail that really helps bring readers into the world with dramatic looking scenery, redesigned wardrobe and a good amount of people of all shapes and sizes in this future. Gilad looks weathered at this point but is a grandfather to a young girl named Caroline.

                Gill does not disappoint in action either, showing that Gilad still has it after all these years. And Major’s colors really bring out the best of Gill’s art, making sure that everything breathes life. With strong detail, varied designs and great panel composition, this arc visually opens with all rockets blazing into your optics.



WRITING:

                Pak gives us a very intriguing beginning to this new arc. There are a lot of unanswered questions and Pak uses this issue, mostly for set up. And I admit, the set up is good. We see Gilad’s status quo in the future as he is with a tribe of humans. The fact that technology seems frowned upon by some in this future is very interesting. 

                Pak also introduces a new member to Gilad’s family, his grand daughter Caroline. Caroline seems to take after Xaran a little but Gilad, this time around, seems to be okay with his granddaughter being a bit vicious. Pak also creates an interesting relationship between the tribe Gilad is in and Gilad. Their relationship with one another is not as clear cut as it could be; which makes it that much more intriguing.

                Pak paces this first issue well and leaves you with an interesting stinger while still showing you that Gilad is still Gilad. The dialogue was great. And overall, I enjoyed reading the issue.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

                Solid first part of this new arc. Good writing and great art. There are a LOT of mysteries that are unanswered but this opening issue leaves you asking more questions in a good way.

RATING:

                I give Eternal Warrior # 5 an 8.5 … out of 10. 

1st Impression: ETERNAL WARRIOR # 4

ETERNAL WARRIOR # 4
Written by Greg Pak
Art by Trevor Hairsine, Diego Bernard, Alejandro Sicat, Vicente Cifuentes & Guy Major
Valiant Comics

FLIPPING THROUGH:

                Gilad and Xaran get the scoop on Nergal’s new general from Buck. Buck also gives them the lowdown on the Goddess of the Earth. And after that, Gilad STILL wants to kill her.

ART:

                Hairsine and Bernard do a  fantastic job again with this issue. The art was nice and detailed. Sicat and Cifuentes inks do a great job cleaning up Hairsine’s rougher pencils to make it look cleaner this issue. The transition between the two artists was near seamless.  A great amount of detail in the panels alongside with some great emotional pieces throughout the book really expressed a lot of the story without words. Bernard really does some magnificent pieces this issue and look forward to more of his work. Major does a breathtaking job on the colors. Overall, a good job by this art team.

WRITING:

                Pak ends his first arc on Eternal Warrior with a LARGE BANG. This issue had an amazingly strong amount of emotion and heart that I had not felt since reading Gilad during Archer & Armstrong # 0. This was definitely the high point of the issue. The dialogue in this issue was  nothing short of brilliant. It was powerful, authentic  and moving. There was so much to this issue but it was extremely well paced. And there is some great character development for Gilad, Xaran and even Mitu that felt like a real evolution of what they were going through.  Pak also gives us enough twists this issue to make you go “WTF,” but in a good way. Overall, Pak written his best issue yet.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

                Hands down the best issue of the series yet and I want more.

RATING:

                I give Eternal Warrior # 4 a 9.5 …. Out of 10. Wow 

1st Impressions: ETERNAL WARRIOR # 3

ETERNAL WARRIOR # 3
Written by Greg Pak
Art by Trevor Hairsine, Diego Bernard, Alejandro Sicat, Brian Reber & Guy Major
Valiant Comics

FLIPPING THROUGH:

                Xaran and Gilad end up going shopping as they are monitored by a group called the House of the Wheel. Yet, this does not go unnoticed as the two make their way to the Geomancer. As the father/daughter duo continue on their path, we find out exactly what Xaran’s done for the last several thousands of years. As Gilad and Xaran track the Geomancer, some frightening revelations come about.

ART:

                I give it to Hairsine, Bernard and Sicat. Their art is a great blend. And while Hairsine’s style is a bit rougher, the transitions between both styles is near seamless visually. There is a good amount of detail from both artists as Bernard really get to stretch his artistic muscles here with flashbacks of Xaran’s past. Hairsine continues to deliver some very impactful panels while still being a bit gritty; which fits for Gilad, the Eternal Warrior. There were some great angles, panel composition and exceptional displays of emotion that was put into these pages this issue. I also give it up to the artists for doing a great job making sure everyone looked distinct.  Major and Reber do an outstanding job coloring the issue with just the right tones and colors to give the book its gritty, yet cultured appeal. Great use of backgrounds and anatomy by Hairsine and Bernard. A really solid job by this art team this issue.

WRITING:

                Pak really dives into Xaran this issue, fleshing her backstory out and really making her better for it. Readers will come to understand why Xaran is the way she is and Pak does this with a style and smoothness that makes melted chocolate jealous. Xaran’s development really gives her a more multi-layered body and is a testament to Pak’s writing abilities. Gilad himself has gotten some really great development as a father who understand his daughter is an adult who challenges his beliefs. It is a really interesting look on how a parent walks away from something they strongly believe but is picked up by the child.

                The pacing of the book is perfection while the dialogue is witty, insightful and full of life. When it needs to be fun, Pak does fun but still maintains Gilad’s more serious nature. Xaran’s arrival has softened it some but definitely a welcome look into the immortal warrior. The plot itself gets a nice jump this issue as we find out much more about the Geomancer, the House of the Wheel and Nergal than we could have anticipated. And the cliffhanger was COMPLETELY from left field. Kudos to Pak for writing such a great issue.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

                This book continues to just get better and better. Gilad definitely feels more multi-layered. So does his daughter. The art was great. Pak is creating a mythos with Eternal Warrior that will stand the test of time among some of the greatest in comics history and this issue definitely proves it.  DEFINITELY pick up this book.

RATING:

                I give Eternal Warrior # 3 a solid 10 … out of 10. Buy it Wednesday, November 20^th!

SHADOWMAN # 6 Review

SHADOWMAN # 6

Written by Justin Jordon & Patrick Zircher
Art by Patrick Zircher, Lee Garbett, Neil Edwards, Brian Reber & Guy Major
Valiant Comics


FLIPPING THROUGH:

            This issue opens with Baron Samedi chatting away with Darque who gives the god an interesting offer. We go back to Samedi’s faithful follower who then  … HOLY SHIT!  Um … excuse me. Was NOT expecting that.

            Um … moving on. Jack and Alyssa shake down some drug dealers dealing with a drug that forces nightmares on people while giving pleasure. Yes, readers. The twisted continues. The new Dr. Mirage pays Dox a visit as he does not welcome her with open arms but  she tells him that there are an infestation of spirits cause Baron Samedi is on Earth.

            Alyssa, in the meantime, brings Jack to the graveyard where his waitress, who we met back in issue #1 is buried to give him closure. After he talks to her gravestone, Baron Samedi shows up … and raise the dead … including the waitress. Yep. Zombies. Shadowman and Alyssa try to fight them and Baron Samedi but it is seemingly futile as we are left with another twist at the end of this issue.


ART:

            Okay. I didn’t think I would have to say this about this title. At least not yet. But … the art was good, not great. Zircher definitely delivers explosive, gripping panels. He continues giving the best work of his career here. Garbett style is very different yet still very good and fighting for a bigger portion of the issue. Meanwhile, Neil Edwards art is also different and okay with the thinner lines. But that is my issue with the art. Last issue, it worked well for the title. This issue, it gives it too much of a shellshock. Edwards style is somewhat similar to Garbett but there seems to be an energy missing. It could be from the distinct differences in style. It could be cause of the issue colored with some darker tones in some place … which works from both Reber and Major. Yet, this issue, artistically feels off.

            And while this is the last issue from Zircher, who leaves us with a breath taking panel work … I wish we got more energy from Garbett and Edwards. Garbett the energy is getting there while Edwards was interesting but … the art felt too different that it threw the issue off.

WRITING:

            Okay. I will make this short and sweet. The writing for this was SUPERB. A lot happened in this issue but Jordon and Zircher make it fit so well. Great characterizations were given as we see that Dox is not always happy with Allies, we still have an air of mystery to Dr. Mirage, Jack and Alyssa continue to be the heart of the book. And this book gave me several HOLY SHIT moments. A job well done by the writers.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

            Honestly, this is a great issue but the multiple artists actually work against it rather than for it like it did last issue. Garbett is starting to show his potential but the energy didn’t seem to be there as much as it was last issue. Edwards was okay but ultimately, Zircher’s strong pencils and different art styles bogged down the issue. Otherwise, no real other issue.


RATING:

            While the multiple art styles bring this issue down, the writing really brings the issue up. This originally was gonna get a 7 but the writing and coloring  really shot this issue up. I give Shadowman # 6 an 8 out of 10. Definitely get it but be prepared for some shell shock. Still, read it now!