by Aaron Lightfoot, Comic Columnist
Mad Max Fury Road #1:
Written by: George Miller, Mark Sexton, and Nico Lathouris
Art by: Mark Sexton
With the cinematic reboot of the dystopian Mad Max universe, it is only fitting to have a comic to go alongside it. There has already been a previous installment with Mad Max Furiosa #1, however, this comic was boring due to the fact that all it covered was what happened in the new movie. I was pleasantly surprised when reading Fury Road because after summarizing the previous Mad Max movies, the comic expanded into the world in which Max lives.
The artwork for this comic is outstanding, completely letting the reader know how serious the tone is. The story developing after the end of the movie is very intriguing, with Max trying to survive in the barren wasteland. If readers like Mad Max, then they are guaranteed to love this comic. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a more serious tone that many comics tend to lack.
Rating: 8.5/10
Starfire #2:
Written by: Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by: Emanuela Lupacchino, Ray McCarthy, and Hi-Fi
Starfire, a key member of Teen Titans and Red Hood and the Outlaws, began her own solo comic series last month. Amanda Conner, responsible for a couple of series featuring Harley Quinn and one with Power Girl, brings her style to another prominent female character. With a tendency to lean towards a lighter tone and matching artwork, Conner seems to have the right skills in dealing with how to portray Starfire.
Unfortunately for the series, a story has really yet to be developed. Starfire is already easy to miss, and without a storyline this comic seems to stay on the shelves for a reason. Although there were attempts at changing the story at the end of the comic, I did not really care how it ended. All that seemed to happen was a storm where Starfire rescued people. When the stormed stopped, a new nemesis appears, but nothing warrants me to try and put forth the effort to really care about what will happen next.
Rating: 4.5/10
Age of Apocalypse #1:
Written by: Fabian Nicieza
Art by: Gerardo Sandoval and David Curiel
Not really knowing what to expect going into this comic, aside from the X-Men, I was pleasantly surprised. With all of the members of the X-Men universe flip-flopped on where their allegiances lie, it is nice to see a change where someone you think is a hero or a villain doesn’t matter, because of the idea that in different worlds people belong to different groups. With Cyclops leading a rogue team of mutants, the X-Men being led by Magneto, and even the inclusion of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the series has a lot going for itself.
There seems to be a lot going on in this universe and sorting it out will take time but seems to be a very rewarding experience. As a fan of the Flashpoint series in DC, I appreciate when villains and heroes take opposite roles. The artwork is very fitting. The only person I don’t care for is the poorly designed Magneto. With only minor issues here and there in the comic, I will be looking forward to reading the second issue to see if the story keeps getting better.
Rating 8/10
Star Wars: Lando #1:
Written by: Charles Soule
Art by: Alex Maleev and Paul Mounts
With many people being a fan of Han Solo and Chewbacca, Marvel must have thought that a comic about Han’s former partner Lando Calrissian would go over well with comic book readers. The end result is a comic that seems to be only for those who are interested in Lando, not necessarily Star Wars in general. Obviously, with him being the title character, he will take center stage yet the execution seems to be a bit boring.
Lando is someone that many people don’t really tend to know a lot about, and I can say that after reading the first comic, he just seems to be like another Han Solo. With similar problems of debts and running smuggling escapades, there doesn’t seem to be any originality. With that being said, the art is good and if you like Lando, then you will probably enjoy this comic. However, with Lando being a secondary character with no extinguishing attributes, it seems like something that I will have to pass on.
Rating: 6/10
Archie #1:
Written by: Mark Waid
Art by: Fiona Staples
With Archie’s last appearance being in Life with Archie #36 in which Archie is killed, a new, modern twist needed to be implemented if this iconic series was to succeed. Mark Waid crafts a great storyline, and with Fiona Staples, also known for her art in Saga, bringing her talents to the making of Archie and the gang, this series has had a fantastic opening issue. The comedic tone established by Waid complements the artwork of Staples and leads to a series worth investing in.
Although the story so far is a basic high school drama, there is enough to keep it fresh. One example is Jughead who takes the lead to make the breakup between Archie and Betty smooth and doesn’t fall into the stereotypical role of the brainless member of the group. I wanted to make fun of the idea of bringing Archie back, but with such a solid showing, I cannot justify joking about it.
Rating: 8/10