Category Aftershock Comics

Apr 11 2017

Eleanor and the Egret 1

Today, Patrick and Ryan M are discussing Eleanor and the Egret 1, originally released April 5, 2017. As always, this article containers SPOILERS!

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Patrick: Comic book fans have a weird relationships with the medium. For as much time as we spend staring at visually stunning works of art, we tend not to place too much value on what the art itself means to us. Oh sure, we can complain that some something is too cartoony or too pin-up or too grim-dark, and we can praise action sequences and cool-looking costumes, but all comic art is necessarily tied to something beyond the art itself. There’s a story, a message, a political point of view, a joke — the art straining to express something other than itself. Eleanor and the Egret is poised to flip those priorities, insisting on both the value and the meaning of the art by making it both subject and medium. The first issue is delightfully soothing, and nearly impossible to analyze against psychological and narrative norms. It’s so singularly beautiful, I wish I could eat it. Continue reading →

Apr 10 2017

Weekly Round-Up: Comics Released 4/5/17

Look, there are a lot of comics out there. Too many. We can never hope to have in-depth conversations about all of them. But, we sure can round up some of the more noteworthy titles we didn’t get around to from the week. Today, we discuss Captain Kid 5, Extremity 2, Faith 10, Star Wars 30 and Woods 31. Also, we discussed Black Cloud 1 on Thursday, Rock Candy Mountain 1 on Friday and Jughead 14 today. Also we’re discussing Eleanor and the Egret 1 on Tuesday and Paper Girls 13 on Wednesday, so check those out! As always, this article contains SPOILERS. Continue reading →

Sep 13 2016

Alters 1

Today, Ryan M. and Patrick are discussing Alters 1, originally released September 7, 2016. As always, this article contains SPOILERS.

Ryan M: Sometimes an idea just looks good on paper. The Bumble profile that charms followed by a chat that falls flat. The sandwich on the menu that has all your favorite ingredients and tastes like none of them. Ideas are important, but the execution needs to meet them. I find myself engaged intellectually with the ideas presented in Alters 1, but mostly unmoved emotionally thanks to a exposition-heavy set up. Continue reading →

May 15 2016

American Monster 3

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Today, Michael and Patrick are discussing American Monster 3, originally released May 11th, 2016.

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Michael: Brian Azzarello is an excellent storyteller who often takes us to the depraved depths of humanity’s soul to teach us something about ourselves. While the specific “hows” and “whys” of this revenge tale are still a mystery, American Monster 3 in particular maintains a very existential theme for its characters. “Why do I exist?” “How do I go on?” “What is my life worth?” Continue reading →

Apr 19 2016

Jackpot 1

jackpot 1Today, Spencer and Mark are discussing Jackpot 1, originally released April 13th, 2016.

Spencer: Making a good first impression is vital; this goes doubly so for new comic series, which often have just one issue to hook a curious reader on their story. That puts a lot of pressure on first issues — they’ve got to introduce readers to the series’ premise, to a new cast of characters, perhaps even an entirely new world altogether, and if they want the reader to come back next month, they’ve got to do so in a manner that’s both coherent and entertaining. It takes a lot of finesse to find just the right approach to a first issue, and while Ray Fawkes and Marco Failla make some smart choices throughout Jackpot 1, their approach may nonetheless be flawed on a fundamental level.
Continue reading →