By Molly Jane Kremer and Jarrod Jones. Happy New Comic Book Day! This is Casual Wednesdays With DoomRocket, where each week we discuss our feelings concerning the comics that mean the most to us, and the industry news that affects us all. This week, MJ & Jarrod lick their wounds after an especially hectic C2E2. Then they share their Top 5 Most Anticipated Issues of the Week, and assess ‘Namwolf’ #1 and ‘Batman/The Shadow’ #1.
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MJ’s Top 5 Most Anticipated Issues:
Bitch Planet #10 — Image Comics/$3.99
Hadrian’s Wall #6 — Image Comics/$3.99
Aliens: Dead Orbit #1 — Dark Horse Comics/$3.99
The Old Guard #3 — Image Comics/$3.99
Loose Ends #4 — Image Comics/$3.99
Jarrod’s Top 5 Most Anticipated Issues:
There’s Nothing There #1 — Black Mask Studios/$3.99
The Black Monday Murders #5 — Image Comics/$3.99
Namwolf #1 — Albatross/$3.99
Aliens: Dead Orbit #1 — Dark Horse Comics/$3.99
Mother Panic #6 — DC’s Young Animal/$3.99
REVIEWS FOR APRIL 26, 2017
Namwolf #1
Albatross/$3.99
Written by Fabian Rangel, Jr.
Art by Logan Faerber.
Colors by Brennan Wagner.
Letters by Warren Montgomery.
MJ: This is just a fun comic, and oddly lighthearted considering its content. A couple references to Apocalypse Now, including a very apt “the horror!” belie its more playful nature. This isn’t a comic that will plumb the depths of the heart of darkness (thank goodness). No, Namwolf simply wants you to gaze at some gorgeously rendered art, giggle at some jokes, and definitely wince at some raw gore.
8 out of 10
Batman/The Shadow #1
DC Comics/Dynamite/$3.99
Written by Steve Orlando and Scott Snyder.
Art by Riley Rossmo.
Colors by Ivan Plascencia.
Letters by Clem Robins.
JJ: Even though it looks contemporary — Batman’s wrapped in his Rebirth black & purple cape, for example — it feels like a solid yarn from the Seventies or Eighties. It has that noirish appeal you’d find in a Denny O’Neil Batman story, but it also has a sinister bent to it, like a good Shadow story ought. I relished the questions it raised, the lore it cited, and the dynamics it introduced. It’s atmospheric, moody, and it’s paced magnificently — everything a crossover like this would need, it’s got.
9 out of 10
Check back in two weeks for more from Casual Wednesdays!
Before: “Marvel Mayhem,” here.
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Header image: ‘Aliens: Dead Orbit’ #1 (C2E2 Variant) by Rafael Albuquerque. (Dark Horse Comics, 2017)
Casual Wednesdays written and edited by J. Jones, produced by M.J. Kremer and J. Jones.
Opening/closing theme: “Feels Good 2 B” by Audionautix — YouTube (Creative Commons Attribution)
Intro interview music: “Talk to Me” by Jahzzar — YouTube (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs)
Top 5 Most Anticipated Background music: “Runner Runner” Produced by Marc Dtwo — SoundCloud, YouTube (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs)
