There’s a lot to cover on Wednesdays. We should know, as collectively, we read an insane amount of comics. Even with a large review staff, it’s hard to get to everything. With that in mind, we’re back with Wrapping Wednesday, where we look at some of the books we missed in what was another great week of comics.
Let’s get this party started.
In Hell We Fight #1
Written by John Layman
Illustrated by Jok
Colored by Jok and Mey
Lettered by Joe Caramagna
Reviewed by Quinn Tassin
When a comic book debuts with an ice cream heist in Hell, you know that you’re in for a treat and a treat “In Hell We Fight” #1 is. This issue perfectly balances out a relatively high concept premise with a simple, straightforward presentation. Xander Waterford keeps killing frogs, so the Frog Devil kills him and sends him to hell. There, he’s immediately adopted by Midori, a former yakuza member, and Ernie, a boy with an ax in his head. The trio, along with Balpha-Dagon, a demon child who wants to be friends with them despite Midori’s best efforts, scare off a pair of ice cream truck drivers only to discover that they’ve been transporting a kidnapped angel in the back. The fine details of that plot are delightfully weird but the beats themselves are easy to follow, making for an incredibly enjoyable first issue.
The topline strengths of this issue are clear: it’s creative, it’s original in its premise but familiar in its teen hijinks execution, and it’s incredibly fun. But it’s the little things that take the comic from fun to great. A lot of this comes from the art team. Things like Xander’s skin turning blue after he goes to hell, a new ax appearing in Ernie’s head after he hands one to Midori, and symbols replacing dialogue in expressive moments are delightful and add to the expressive fun of “In Hell We Fight” #1. The dialogue is also strong and effective, quickly telling us who these characters are. Better yet, in a comic that could easily slip into heavy exposition, this issue leaps into action, weaving just enough new information throughout that we get what’s going on.
The artwork isn’t just great because of small things- this issue just wouldn’t work without it. Jok’s incredibly stylized artwork has a cartoonish sensibility that exactly matches the sensibility of the writing of “In Hell We Fight #1. This artwork also does strong work of setting the tone for the issue. Everything is exaggerated and stylized but still has a familiar, almost childlike quality. The coloring is gorgeous, leaning into the fantastical elements of the setting while keeping with the almost mundane way that life is lived there by muting the colors ever so slightly. The character design is particularly strong, showing us people whose whole deals we could understand even if there was no dialogue.
On its own merits, “In Hell We Fight #1 is strong. When you consider that this is just laying the foundation for this series, it’s impossible not to get excited for the future. We’ve got a new must-read on our hands and it’s a delight.
Final Verdict: 8.3- Creative, fun, and immediately engaging.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles vs. Street Fighter #1
Written by Paul Allor
Illustrated by Ariel Medel
Colored by Sarah Myer
Lettered by Ed Dukeshire
Reviewed by Alexander Manzo
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles vs. Street Fighter” is everything the targeted audience would be in for. Paul Allor throws both rosters into a fighting tournament in an Atlantic City/Las Vegas casino. He provides little context, that’s not necessary, and a good amount of matches between familiar faces. Once the table has been set for where and why, the sprinkles of the bigger picture start to arise. M. Bison, one of the Street Fight antagonists, focuses on the tournament and deciding between different fighters to advance to the next round. There are also clues of fighters outside these rosters going missing and their family members pleading to the tournament’s turtles and security to look further into what could have happened. Allor delivers in this opening issue for the die-hards but also gives new readers or people who may not be as familiar with TMNT or SF a chance to see what they are about. The tournament pits them against each other by the luck of the draw, but both teams can look for clues into something sinister.
Continued belowAriel Medel comes into the mix with some great dynamic action that encapsulates the essence of the old-school characters and that gritty 80’s film vibe. Given it’s a fighting tournament, there are fights with Raphael and Guile, who give plenty of knock-out punches, and then we see Michelangelo versus Chun-Li, filled with her signature kicks. The casino and tournament arena setting has this dirty and almost slimy vibe, thanks to Sarah Myer. Everything is brightly colored to keep it going with the well-known characters. Still, given the casino and everyone’s goal of getting cash and seeing people knock each other out, this ironically invisible smokiness keeps the action in focus.
Final Verdict: 7.0 – A fun story with well-known old-school characters, but there’s still much to be desired storywise.
Venom #20
Written by Al Ewing
Illustrated by Cafu
Colored by Frank D’Armata
Lettered by VC’s Clayton Cowles
Reviewed by Alexander Jones
Eddie Brock has been through so much in the pages of “Venom” as he’s desperately attempted to save his son Dylan. After barely escaping the dimension of Limbo Eddie fell even farther before being offered a new chance at life. Now Eddie is trying to take his nemesis known as Bedlam off the board. How will Brock react to his new lease on life and this time will he be able to take down Bedlam for good? Find out in our review of “Venom” #20.
Author Al Ewing has crafted some great monster sequences introducing familiar characters but “Venom“ 20’s opening is particularly special. The way the Venom symbiote emanates from a skull in a laboratory is harrowing. This monster sequence with Venom highlights the science-fiction aesthetic that author Al Ewing has imbued into his vision of “Venom.” When Eddie escapes the lab he runs into more trouble with a group of civilians. Ewing is able to carry some plot threads that are similar to his run on “Immortal Hulk” but with a slightly less dour context here.
Artist Cafu continues to deliver an ultra-slick line to the pages of “Venom” #20. There is a sinister nature to some of the facial expressions that are captured really well in Cafu’s interior work. Whenever Eddie is interacting with a character there’s a sense of dread hanging in the background of the comic book. Cafu also utilizes a sense of patience to get massive payoff on big moments like the opening scene. Cafu tries to trick the reader into thinking they are reading a completely normal sequence before shaking it up on readers.
Overall, “Venom” #20 does a great job moving Eddie Brock from point A to point B while staying extremely entertaining throughout the issue. Ewing’s elements of horror and science fiction help take “Venom” into new directions. Cafu’s clean line keeps the talking head sequences from feeling boring in “Venom” #20.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – “Venom” #20 is an endearing comic book that moves Eddie Brock into the next status quo with intrigue.
