October 13, 2021October 13, 2021 The Earth-16 Comics Wire

‘Doctor Who’ companion Rose Tyler becomes the center of the ‘Empire of the Wolf’ crossover comic event

It is a team up that will have Whovians, or “Doctor Who” fans, hollering the words “geronimo” or “allons-y!” Better get strapped in your TARDIS because this team up is gonna be a whopper!

It was announced that the Eighth Doctor (Portrayed by Paul McGann) and Eleventh Doctor (Portrayed by Matt Smith) will team up with former companion Rose Tyler in “Empire of the Wolf,” a 4 issue series “Doctor Who” crossover comic event. The miniseries was announced at a panel this past weeked at New York City Comic Con 2021.

The comic series was discussed in a panel that consisted of writer Jody Houser, colorist Warnia K. Sahadewa, and editor Jake Devine. The panel was moderated by Titan Comics Executive Vice-President Andrew Summer.

During the panel, Houser hinted that there may be “more than one Rose Tyler” which also means that this comic is going to have a heavy focus on the former companion.

“Rose Tyler” (Portrayed by Billie Piper) Property of BBC

An article from the The Comics Beat magazine that covered the panel, mentions a “Doctor Who” crossover event (also penned by Houser and illustrated by Roberta Ingranata) in which the Tenth Doctor (Portrayed by David Tennant) and Thirteenth Doctor (Portrayed by Jodie Whitaker) team up in an alternate Earth that is conquered by Sea Devils. On that earth, they encounter an alternate Rose Tyler who is a resistance fighter. Houser also explained that the comic is also going to explain what happened to that version of Rose Tyler.

Rose Tyler (Portrayed by Billie Piper) was introduced to the television screens in the 2005 Doctor Who revival. She was the first companion of the Ninth Doctor (Portrayed by Christopher Eccelston) and then became a companion to the Tenth Doctor. Toward the end of Series 2 of the revived “Doctor Who,” Rose would end up on an alternate Earth in which her late father’s counterpart resided. She would also briefly reunite with the Doctor until ending up on that alternate earth again this time with the Meta-Crisis Doctor, a clone of the Tenth Doctor that was created after an aborted regeneration of the Time Lord.

In addition, another significant thing that Houser mentioned about “Empire of the Wolf,” is that it is said that the Doctors in this comic are “the Doctor from before [Rose] came along, and the Doctor after she left.” And also she mentioned Rose being iconic due to helping “introduce a new era of Doctor Who… more than companions usually are, she was an audience surrogate.”

When I think of Houser’s view on Rose’s being an audience surrogate, I think of how we are introduced, and reintroduced, to the Doctors through the eyes of each companion. Like the companions, we are taken along for the ride of the TARDIS and we are mesmerized by how everything is bigger on the inside. We are also enamored by the character known as the Doctor.

We root for the Doctor. We laugh at the Doctor. We get frustrated at the Doctor. We see the Doctor smile and smile with the Doctor. We see the Doctor cry and we cry with the Doctor. But overall, all of that is because, like the companions, we love the Doctor because the Doctor always saves our world and the worlds of others. And Rose was the companion that displayed that.

When I started watching “Doctor Who” in late 2014, the Tenth Doctor was my first Doctor which would make Rose Tyler my first companion. This is what makes this comic event special to me.

When I first saw Rose Tyler running alongside the Tenth Doctor, I saw someone who was not afraid of the crazy life she was thrown into (Her starring into the heart of the TARDIS which mad her into the “Bad Wolf” entity is a testament to that). Rose was brave, resourceful and often funny even in the face of the hell she went through with the Doctor. In a sense, Rose, like the Doctor, inspired me that as long as I am at my best (even when I am in my darkest moments) I can overcome adversity or whatever challenge I am facing.

“Doctor Who: Empire of the Wolf no. 1” – Property of BBC

When I first started watching “Doctor Who,” I was in a rather dark place in which I began to question my own worth. But after watching Rose and the many adventures she had with the Doctor, I slowly began to crawl out of that dark place in my life. And it has been like that with every companion, (like Donna Noble, Martha Jones, Amy Pond, Rory Williams, River Song, and Clara Oswald) and every Doctor since. There is always just as much of us in the Doctor as there is in the companions because they are us. They share our triumphs and our struggles. Our happiness and our pain.

I am definitely looking forward to “The Empire of the Wolf” because it is a Rose Tyler story. We are going to see a different but rather familiar side, or sides, to the companion who was a part of the modern Doctor Who revival.

When I saw the splash of the Eighth Doctor standing before the TARDIS emblazoned with the words “Bad Wolf,” I knew that Rose Tyler’s story was not over yet. And, I know that Jody Houser and Warnia Sahadewa are going to make an amazing comic.

“Doctor Who: Empire of the Wolf no. 1” arrives in November at your local comic book shop or wherever comic books are sold.

Are you excited about the return of Rose Tyler? Please share your comments below on what you think!

October 5, 2021 The Earth-16 Comics Wire

The DC Superheroes go medieval in ‘Dark Knights of Steel’

From Tom Taylor, the creator of the DC Comics zombie horror ‘DCeased,’ comes “Dark Knights of Steel,” a new Batman universe set in the medieval times.

The news of the comic being created was announced in an article from “Entertainment Weekly” Magazine. The issue will span 12-issues and Taylor will be teaming up with artist Yasmine Putri, who previously worked with him on “DCeased” .

“I’ve spent the last two years creating a new epic fantasy universe for DC Comics, and Dark Knights of Steel is an absolute dream come true,” Taylor told Entertainment weekly.

According to Taylor, “Dark Knights of Steel” is going to be a “tale of war and love, of despair and hope, of betrayal and improbable alliances forged in battle.” He also noted that his work is a combination of his love for fantasy and DC superheroes.

I’ll confess, I haven’t read too much of Tom Tyalor’s work but with the many alternate DC stories or universes he is creating, I am looking forward to reading this one, along with “DCeased” (since I also like horror comics like “The Walking Dead.”

I am a fan of medieval folklore and tales such as the stories of King Arthur, Robin Hood (Check out one of my reviews on Mad Cave Studios’ Nottingham), and the Lord of the Rings. My first brush with medieval stories was watching “Robin Hood: Men in Tights (Yep, a classic!),” “Conan The Barbarian,” and “Braveheart” when I was young. The sword fights, the conflict between good and evil, and chivalry displayed by the heroes and support characters seeped well into my childhood.

We are going to see our favorite DC heroes in medieval form. But this is not the first time we have seen medieval retellings of the DC heroes. The DC Elseworlds comic “Superman: Kal,” written by Dave Gibbons (“Watchmen”) tells the story of Kal-El’s rocket ship landing in Middle Ages England where he is raised by farmers but grows up to become a blacksmith who catches the attention of Lady Loisse Layne (Lois Lane). This Superman goes head-to-head against Baron Luthor (Lex Luthor) who kills Loisse after assaulting and beating her.

In addition, Batman also has a medieval counterpart in the comic “Batman: Dark Knight of the Round Table,” written by Bob Layton (“Batman: The Hollywood Knight”) in which Bruce Wayne and his family are exiled by King Arthur for the prophecies foretold by Morgan Le Fey. Le Fey has prophesied that “Bruce of Waynesmoor” would bring about her demise.

In “Dark Knights of Steel,” we are going to see almost, if not all, the DC characters in medieval form. We will see characters Wonder Woman, Nightwing, Black Lightning, Spoiler, Signal, Robin, and Red Hood.

“Dark Knights of Steel” will be out on Nov. 2. at your local comic book shop or wherever comic books and graphic novels are sold.

July 30, 2021July 30, 2021 The Earth-16 Comics Wire

Luke Skywalker and Starlight Squadron bring the fight to the Empire in ‘Star Wars no. 15′

Ever since leaving the Lars Homestead on Tatooine due to the tragic deaths of his beloved Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen, Luke Skywalker has had quite the hero’s journey. He would meet the wise Jedi Master Obi-Wan “Ben” Kenobi who would introduce him to the ways of the Jedi. Skywalker would also meet the smuggler Han Solo and his wookie partner Chewbacca which would baptise Luke on the perils of adventuring. He would then go from farmboy to Rebel Alliance hero almost in one night when he rescued Princess Leia and destroyed the Death Star. After having several adventures with Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2, he eventually would further connect with his Jedi heritage when traveling down to the swamp planet of Dagobah.

Skywalker’s biggest trial would come when he went face to face with Darth Vader on Cloud City in the cloudy skies of Bespin. Vader would reveal himself to be Luke’s father much to the aspiring Jedi’s horror and disbelief. In addition, Luke would also lose his hand and his lightsaber that once belonged to Vader when he was still Anakin Skywalker.

However, the latest “Star Wars” comics have shown Luke slowly maturing after his ordeal on Cloud City. He has begun to take his training seriously and has also realized that he should not dwell on his failures but to learn from them. In the process, he had to let go of finding his first blue-bladed lightsaber and in the process, he found a new yellow-bladed lightsaber.

Now as Leia, Chewie, Threepio, and Lando Calrissian are on Jekara taking part in the mission to rescue Han, Luke joins Wedge Antilles and Starlight Squadron to rescue the Rebel Alliance 11th Fleet Division. But along the way, Skywalker has encountered something familiar and yet unfamiliar at the same time.

Warning Spoilers Ahead

Issue no.15 begins with Luke Skywalker volunteering to join Wedge Antilles and Starlight Squadron to rescue the 11th division. Although the Rebels have been successful in creating a new code thanks to the talky droid and having a few victories, not everyone is feeling hyped. A-Wing pilot L’ulo Lampar voices the condition of the scattered Rebel Fleet and the missing Shara Bey (Future mother of Poe Dameron). Luke tries to give his comrades hope by telling people that he, Leia, and the other heroes are planning on rescuing Han Solo from Crimson Dawn on Jekara. Wedge acknowledges this but tells the pilots that saving another fleet division would be more important. With that, Luke and Starlight Squadron blast off into hyperspace to find their fellow Rebels.

When the Rebels jump out of hyperspace, they head to the orbit of Ab Dalis which should be familiar with fans or people who have read Charles Soule’s novel “Star Wars-The High Republic: Light of the Jedi.” Freyta Smyth, one of the Starlight Squadron pilots, makes a reference of the fragments from the doomed Legacy Run space freighter which is a part of the planet killing billions of inhabitants. Since the incident, which was about centuries before the Battle of Yavin, the planet had been abandoned.

I feel that it was awesome that Soule’s writing bridges the High Republic era with the Skywalker Saga. From Luke’s new yellow-bladed lightsaber to the name of Starlight Squadron being named after Starlight Beacon (a space station created by the Jedi and the High Republic to unite the galaxy), it shows that the High Republic era was such a huge influence to the galaxy,

Starlight Squadron picks up a transmission from the planet which is confirmed to be from the 11th Rebel Alliance Fleet Division. The 11th division is getting pinned down and overrun by Imperial forces which consists of a Star Destroyer Ultima II, tanks, AT-AT’s and an army of stormtroopers. The beleaguered Rebels and their Colonel, Chouch, receive news that among the six Rebel starfighters coming to rescue them are Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles. However, the Imperials aboard Star Destroyer Ultima II are overconfident that they can crush the Rebels. The commander plans on reporting his success to the ruthless Commander Zhara and orders TIE Fighters to intercept Starlight Squadron.

While Luke, Wedge, and Starlight Squadron fight the TIEs, one of the Rebel soldiers comes up with a crazy but brilliant idea. The soldier tells Colonel Chouch that when she was a part of the geological survey team, she was examining the stability of the planet. Her plan is to have one of the pilots fire their weapons at a small target on the surface just above the Ultima II which will create a chain reaction.

While the Imperial commander on board Ultima IIis confident that he will be victorious, the pilots of Starlight Squadron are contemplating on whether they should go through the coordinates given to them by the rebel ground forces. Freta discovers that since the target is so small, this task looks like a job for Skywalker, who destroyed the Death Star which also had a small target in the form of the thermal exhaust port. Now, we see the inspiration behind the soldier’s plan and who better than Luke Skywalker to take the shot?

As Luke goes in for the shot, he feels that he is in familiar territory. He’s back in the Battle of Yavin with his sights set on the thermal exhaust port with proton torpedoes ready to fire. However, as Luke is cornered by Vader, he sees Han coming to his rescue with the Millennium Falcon. But to his horror, he also sees the Corellian YT-1300 freighter getting destroyed by Darth Vader’s TIE Advanced. As Luke questions the memory, he is in an unfamiliar situation. This is clearly not how things went during the Battle of Yavin.

Luke sees Vader aboard his TIE advanced telling him that he will fail to save Solo and that he belongs to him. Then Luke sees Vader blast the Falcon with his ship. This is when Luke realizes that this is a Force vision. Horrified by this nightmare, Luke freezes up but Wedge snaps him out of it and Luke fires his torpedoes but misses! However, as Luke plans on making another run, Wedge and the other pilots fire their torpedoes onto the targeted area which causes a chain reaction. Suddenly, the surface erupts in an volcanic explosion which destroys the Star Destroyer Ultima II.

I feel that Soule adding a very familiar scene was the best part of this comic. This scene takes you back to that moment when Luke hops aboard Red Five for the first time and takes the fight to the Empire. The moment that made Luke Skywalker a hero and a legend. However, in this scene, Luke gets a little cocky as he thinks that the task as of him will be a piece of cake. However, the Force vision of the Millennium Falcon getting destroyed causes Luke to freeze up and miss the shot. This shows that Luke still has a lot to learn as a Jedi since he still has an arrogant streak about him which he inherited from Anakin.

The Rebels are victorious but Luke is a little bummed that he missed the target. Wedge assures his Force sensitive comrade that everyone misses and that he should not beat himself up for it. Wedge thanks Luke for assisting Starlight and wishes him luck with the mission to Jekara. The Rebels are elated to more good news when they receive a transmission from Rebel Alliance leader Mon Mothma who is accompanied by Mon Calamari Admiral Ackbar.

Meanwhile, as Luke heads to Jekara, he tries to contact Leia who, along with Lando and Chewie, is cornered by Boba Fett. Leia cuts off the transmission as Luke tries to tell her that he had experienced a Force vision warning him that Darth Vader is coming after Han (and if you have read “War of the Bounty Hunters no.2,” “Doctor Aphra no. 12,” “Darth Vader no. 14,” along with the end of this issue, you would know Luke’s vision comes true.)

The art done by Ramon Rosanas and the coloring by Rachelle Rosenberg made this issue vibrant as Soules’ writing. One of my favorite panels is of Luke reliving the memory of flying his X-Wing Fighter into that Death Star trench only to see an alternate version where Han gets shot down by Vader. My favorite splash is of the volcanic explosion on the Star Destroyer. It symbolizes the Rebels’ tenacity to never give up despite insurmountable odds.

Now that just about everyone and their mother has come to Jekara to bid for Han Solo, how will Luke react when he learns that his vision has come true. How will the young Jedi react when he discovers Boba Fett has Princess Leia and his friends cornered? And how will Luke react when he learns about Qi’ra’s history with Han? “War of the Bounty Hunters no. 3” is, without a doubt, going to be another explosive issue but the next issue seems to be teasing a rematch against father and son before their fateful encounter on Death Star II!

Writer: Charles Soule

Artist: Ramon Rosanas

Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg

Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles

Publisher: Marvel

Synopsis: “Friends and Enemies” Luke Skywalker embarks upon an epic mission with Wedge Antilles and the brave pilots of Starlight Squadron to rescue a lost division of the Rebel Fleet. Leia Organa, Chewbacca, and Lando Calrissian attempt to save Han Solo from the evil clutches of Boba Fett. But what hidden vision will the Force send to Luke about the troubles to come?

January 27, 2021 The Earth-16 Comics Wire

Season 3, Episode 3: Echoes of the Triumphant

January 21, 2021January 21, 2021 The Earth-16 Comics Wire

Earth-16 Comics Wire Podcast Season 3, Episode 2: The Comic Collector

In this episode, Brendon Rooney and I speak with Psychiatrist Dr. Paul Rashid, the creator of The Comic Book Collector, a short documentary film about his mission to giveaway his comic books to children. We had fun chatting about this awesome story and so much more.

You can follow the Earth-16 Comics Wire on Twitter: @Earth16Podcast

Instagram: earth16comicswire

If you want to find out more information on the Comic Book Collection, you can go to the Kickstarter page:

January 21, 2021 The Earth-16 Comics Wire

Earth-16 Comics Wire Update

Hello Constant Readers and Listeners,

I hope that all of you have been having a happy new year. So far, this year has been all about staying committed to my goals. One of those goals involves writing. And speaking of writing, I am writing an update in regards to the Earth-16 Comics Wire.

The Earth-16 Comics Wire Podcast is partnering with the Daily Planet to produce episodes involving comic creators. The news site, which is based on the fictional Daily Planet from the Superman mythos, has become a new platform for the podcast. In addition, I am planning on posting most of my comic book reviews on the Daily Planet. However, I still plan on writing on this blog page but it will be geared towards updates on the podcast, comic book commentary that piques my interests, and comic book events/conventions.

2021 looks to be an exciting year and I continue finding more people to have on my podcast and talk about their comic book projects. I am also planning on talking to pro-wrestlers since I enjoy watching professional wrestling, whether its WWE, AEW, Impact, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, or Ring of Honor. Wrestling is awesome. I have been writing some wrestling content for the Daily Planet and plan on writing more in the comic months.

I also am planning on writing my first book. Writing a book is a process but I am taking it easy rather than rushing into the process. I have already outlined the first three chapters of the book. In the future, I plan on sharing some details of the book in the blogsite. This project has stuck with me since my second year at college and I feel that right now is the right time to start building on it. I am very excited to see this project goes.

I am also planning on doing more video game streams on my Twitch and Youtube where we can talk about anything (especially comic books) in a fun and safe environment. Also, this is a way to ward of the negativity from what is going on in our society. I am also going to be streaming some of my podcasts on Twitch and Youtube.

I hope that this year brings more awesome surprises and adventures. I plan on writing about those moments and sharing them with you on this awesome platform. So having wrote that, Let’s make 2021 and awesome year and lets look cool doing it. And as I always say….lets dream and work toward a better tomorrow!

And that my friends…is undisputed!

-Brian of Earth-16

January 6, 2021January 5, 2021 The Earth-16 Comics Wire

Review: Scouts Honor

Writer: David Pepose

Artist: Luca Casalanguida

Colorist: Matt Milla

Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual

Publisher: Aftershock

The first comic review of the new year has arrived in the form of the comic book, “Scout’s Honor.” The comic is written by David Pepose (“The O.Z. and Spencer and Locke”), illustrated by Luca Casalanguida, colored by Matt Milla, and lettered by Carolos M. Mangual. There will not be too many spoilers in this review as I will only be talking about the aspects of the comic and not telling the full story. But if you have not read the comic yet, I suggest you give it a read before reading this review.

“Scout’s Honor” takes place more than two centuries into a post-apocalyptic future. The world is a barren wasteland after a nuclear war. A violent version of the Boy Scouts of America, called Ranger Scouts had emerged from a bunker and saw what had become of the world they once knew. The Scouts decide to survive a new world born of nuclear destruction.

Courtesy of David Pepose and Aftershock Comics

When reading this comic, I felt that Pepose borrowed several themes from the Judge Dredd, “A Handmaiden’s Tale,” and Mad Max. The Ranger Scouts, like the Judges from Judge Dredd, are an police force of Boy Scouts used to enforce order by brutal means. The scouts are also able to rise in the ranks by gaining merit badges due to their feats out in the badlands. The highest honor for a Ranger Scout is the Valor Badge which any scout can procure before becoming an elite Eagle Guard.

And the order that the Ranger Scots are enforcing is one of patriarchy in which, under the third law, they are “forged in brotherhood, beyond our sisters and wives,” which is not too different from the Republic of Gilead. In addition, like Gilead, the order is a pseudo-religious order that is derived from the Ranger Scout Survival Handbook written by a Dr. Jefferson Hancock. Six laws, like the aforementioned third law, have been derived from the handbook that the scouts have to follow to enforce their order.

Pepose has written an ensemble of characters that are going through several challenges. The first character, Kit, is a rising star within the Ranger Scouts. However, nobody, with the exception of Kit’s father, knows that Kit is actually a girl and if the Ranger Scouts were to find out, she would not be a Ranger Scout. The second character is Dez Shepherd, a fellow Ranger Scout who is a friend and rival of Kit. Dez is portrayed as a young man who wears a chip on his shoulder due to trying to gain approval from his father, Thomas, who is the ordained Scoutmaster. Dez is seen as more proficient with vehicles and technology, much to his father’s dismay. In addition, Thomas favors Kit over his own son and perhaps, may choose the former to become an Eagle Guard which is an elite Ranger Scout. Then there’s Kit’s father who is very concerned for the safety of the young lady especially when it comes the the third law.

When seeing these characters, I remembered speaking with David on the Earth-16 Comics Wire podcast about how he created characters for his comics. Like in “The O.Z.” and “Spencer and Locke,” Pepose usually wrote characters who have experienced trauma of some form. For instance, Dorothy Gale in “The O.Z.,” the granddaughter of the original Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz,” had PTSD from her experiences as a soldier fighting in the War in Iraq. The one character I see having the most trauma would be Dez since his father puts a lot of pressure on him to be a capable Scout, like Kit and I have no doubt that this will play a huge role as the story progresses.

The art done by Casalanguida has a lot of action-to-action sequences with the panels. We see this in the beginning of the comic where Kit, Dez, and a rookie Ranger Scout name Eddy are hunting for a gamma boar. A scene-to-scene transition was used at the beginning of the story to give readers the idea of how the Ranger Scouts rose from the ashes of the old world and to take us to the present day where we are introduce to Kit. Casalnguida’s art also had some powerful scenes which included the aspect-to-aspect panels which showed a statue of Jefferson Hancock, Eddy being laid to rest, and Thomas Shepherd orating an eulogy for the fallen Scout. Another power scene was the aspect-to-aspect scene in which showed the panels showed Kit conversing with her dad and the revelation of Kit’s secret. The coloring done by Milla set the mood within the comic. One my favorite panels showed Kit lending a hand to Dez. In this panel, a light is shinning right behind Kit which signifies that she is indeed the gallant hero of the story and also the shinning example that Dez’s ios expected to follow, by his father.

As the story progresses, there is a dark twist on the real history Ranger Scouts that set’s Kit’s world upside down. There is doubt that this twist will cause a chain reaction as the series progresses. What will Kit do with this new knowledge and will the Ranger Scouts stay the same once this twist is revealed to them?

You can grab “Scouts Honor #1” at your local comic book shop.

December 10, 2020 The Earth-16 Comics Wire

Review: Crossover #2

Writer: Donny Cates

Artist: Geoff Shaw

Colorist: Dee Cunnifee

Letterer: John J. Hill

Story Edits: Mark Waid

Publisher: Image

Synopsis: “KIDS LOVE CHAINS,” Part Two The event continues to unravel as Ellie, Otto, and Ava rise from the ashes of their comic shop to begin their four-color odyssey to find the truth beyond the dome. Meanwhile: super-prisons! Magic guns! Mysterious government agents! And other stuff, too!

Warning: Contains Spoilers

Issue #2 begins with a television news reporter informing the public that comic book writer Brian K. Vaughn was found murdered. The unknown narrator says that this is an “second arc storyline” and that he or she “shouldn’t have even brough it up” and reminds us that comic book fan Ellipses and the son of a religious zealot Ryan Lowe are destined to become lovers. But right now, Ellipses has no love for Ryan as she is seen spiting at his face after he set fire to the comic book ship

This story was split into two arcs for Ryan and Ellipses after the burning of the comic shop. Ryan is arrested by the cops and taken to an office of a government official, Special Director Nathaniel Abrams Pendleton who was appointed by the President to incarcerate comic book heroes and characters. It is also revealed that the director has been working with other comic book characters to install power-dampening lights in the cells of the imprisoned characters. Pendelton gives Ryan a briefcase which a pistol and letter that mentions Ellipses and also advises him to travel to the dome. Pendleton advises the young man to complete his job or he would place him somewhere where his zealot father would not be able to bail him out.

The arc with Ellipses involves her plan to take Ava back to her family and also find her parents who are believed to still be trapped in the dome. This arc had more revelations involving the loss of family for both Ellipses and Ava. Elipses and Ava are staying over at Otto’s house, still shaken by the events from last issue. Otto learns that Ellipses has been living in his comic book shop since she started working there. In addition, Ava reveals that she did not escape a dome but a interment camp where the government is imprisoning comic book characters and experimenting on them. Ellipses decides to bring Ava to the camp to reunite with her family much to Otto’s protest. Otto is wary of Ava and mentions that if reading comics taught him anything, it was that Ava could have powers or be a mutant. While Ellipses shoots down Otto’s suspicions, they are confirmed when the ending of the comic reveals a splash page of Ava using heat vision to roast a rodent.

This issue continues to deliver. One of the things I enjoyed about this issue was the artfully subtle references of well-known comic characters in the government that were drawn by Geoff Shaw and colored by Dee Cunifee. Donny Cates’ writing also keeps on having me want more Crossover and to see where the next issue takes us.

Who wrote that letter that mentioned Ellipses? Who is Ryan supposed to use the gun on? How will Ellipses react when Otto’s suspicions about Ava are proven true? And is the man with the “S” on his chest who we think it is?

Crossover#2 is out now and can be purchased at your local comic book store.

December 10, 2020December 10, 2020 The Earth-16 Comics Wire

Review: Star Wars #9-Operation Starlight: The Ancient Relic

Writer: Charles Soule

Artist: Jan Bazaldua

Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg

Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles

Publisher: Marvel

Synopsis: The heroic Rebel Alliance is scattered and on the run from the evil Galactic Empire after losing the Battle of Hoth.

But the Empire’s cunning Commander Zahra has broken Rebel security codes and will stop at nothing to crush the Rebellion once and for all.

Princess Leia attempts to rally her friends before all hope is lost….

Warning Spoilers Below:

Star Wars #9 continues after the events from the battle in last issue where although the Rebel Alliance sent the ruthless Commander Zahra and the Empire packing, they are not out of the woods yet. Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, and the Rebels start commencing Operation Starlight which is the mission to unite all the remaining Rebel cells. However, the Imperials have cracked the Rebellion’s secret encryption codes which leaves them vulnerable if they decide to communicate the other surviving cells. Luckily for the Rebels, everyone’s favorite golden protocol droid C-3PO comes up with an idea to solve their dilemma. Threepio tells the Rebels of an ancient droid that can speak a forgotten language called Trawak which could help replace the previous codes. However, the protocol droid tells the Rebels that the droid is located in a museum in the heart of the Empire: Coruscant. Leia tasks Des Dameron (Poe Dameron’s father) and his Pathfinders to fly to Coruscant, with the help of a reluctant Lando Calrissian and his friend/droid Lobot, and steal the droid. And who better to help pull off a heist than the former Baron Administrator of Cloud City?

When I read this issue, I felt that it was an issue that placed the focus on Lando, Lobot, Des, and the Pathfinders. And since this issue is the commencement of Operation Starlight, Soule decided to place a heist as the first mission for the ragtag rebels. When I read this issue, I wondered how the Millennium Falcon was able to slip through Coruscant. Sure, even though the Falcon is indeed a smuggler ship, isn’t Darth Vader still in search of that ship? And if so, wouldn’t that put the Pathfinders in some danger? After all, Vader is still searching for Luke, especially after revealing that he is his father.

I was surprised by the pace of this issue in which the Pathfinders were able to easily steal the ancient droid from the Imperial Museum. Lando and the Panthfinders are able to infiltrate the Imperial Museum and break into the curator’s office without getting spotted. However, the curator sentences one of the Panthfinders, Needle, a Quermian to death for protesting a work of art native to his species. Needle’s protest was used to distract the curator and his guards while Dameron and fellow Pathfinde Frell sneak into the curator’s office to steal the droid. However, the issue is thrown a swerve that shows while the mission was completed, the ancient droid has malfunctioned due to a corrupted memory bank. Des questions Threepio on what they are going to do but droid responds that he does not know.

One of the things that I enjoyed about the comic was that it shifted the focus on other characters. Des Dameron and his Pathfinders were portrayed as brave and capable soldiers of the Rebellion. We also see more of Lando Calrissian and his slow road to becoming an eventual official member of the Rebellion though he does not know that yet.

The curator was a filler character that was flamboyant. The unnamed curator sat on a chair with legs which I felt was a call back to the prequel trilogy in which Palpatine’s hologram projector walked on legs. He also had a monocle and a Victorian Era moustache that I feel symbolizes the Empire’s wealth, power, and rather growing complacency which probably explains why the Rebels were able to slip past a world that the Empire was supposed to have on lockdown.

The one thing I wanted to see is the psychological effect that Zahra had on Leai after their scuffle. In the last issue, Zahra has taken residence in Leia’s mind after almost killing her. However, in this issue, Leia seemed unfazed, probably due to focusing on gathering the remaining Rebel cells. We will see Leai questioning her confidence in the next issue? And will the Imperial firebrand Zahra be thorn at her side as Operation Starlight continues?

Speaking of Imperials, I liked that this story took place on Coruscant which was another call back to the prequels and a reminder that the planet is the center of galactic power in Star Wars. But the Rebels sneaking in the giant city-wide with very little effort made the setting of the Republic-turned Imperial world appear weak. Like Frell, I was expecting this to be more of a challenge with the Imperials, granted the guards were not stormtroopers and they were guarding a museum. And I have to remember that Needle sacrificed himself to help his comrades steal a droid that was malfunctioning. But it would have also been cool to see how the Millennium Falcon slipped through Coruscant with Vader knowing about the YT-1300 freighter.

Overall, I am enjoying Soules run on Star Wars and I am excited to see what the Operation Starlight arc brings.

Star Wars #9 is out now and can be purchased at your local comic book store.

December 1, 2020December 1, 2020 The Earth-16 Comics Wire

Review: GRIT #1 – 3

Publisher: Scout Comics

Writer: Brian Wickman

Penciler: Kevin Castaniero

Letterer: Micah Myers

Colorist: Simon Gough

Scout Editor: James Pruett

Scout Production: David Byrne

When I was introduced to GRIT, I decided to give it a read. The comic centers around Old Man Barrow, an “ageing monster hunter” who is very brutal in his monster hunting methods with the use of his axe. As the comic progresses, Barrow unexpectedly joins forces with Ari, “a hot-headed young witch dead set on breaking him of his ultra-violent habits.” When I read the first two issues following issue #3, several things made me a fan of the comic.

The first thing that got me glued to the comic was the character dynamic between Barrow and Ari. The protagonist Barrow is a loner who hates people and witches. He spends most of his time hunting mythical creatures. He is a cleaner of the land hired by the local townspeople to hunt monsters. Barrows is also a hack and slash monsters first and asking questions later character. But we learn that this monster hunter has a unique past that involves his mother doing horrible things.

Next, we are introduced to Ari, who is a firebrand witch that disapproves of Barrow’s brutal methods. Ari is seen as foil to the more calm but savage Barrow. As a witch, Ari can cast spells. In addition, she loves nature and is able to communicate with animals. She also is more methodical and strategic as seen in Issue#3 when she and Barrow take on the blood demon at Black Dog Bottom. Throughout the series, the two characters are hilariously almost at each other’s throats with Ari calling Barrow names and criticizing his violent behavior while Barrow, annoyed with the witch, tells her the nature of his job as a monster hunter. It is towards the end of Issue #3 that Ari’s view about his methods towards other creatures seem to have some effect on Barrow as he is seen giving up his sword to a man crying for help because monsters in his attic.

Another thing I liked about the comic was that both Wickman’s writing and Kevin Castaniero’s art help to create a unique world that was a fusion between fantasy and “southern-fried” wit. This is a fantasy story told in an almost Western theme. When I read Barrow’s dialogue, I can hear a deep Southern accent, almost like Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Walking Dead) or maybe Sam Elliot voice (The Hulk, Ghost Rider). As for Ari, I can only hear Monica Rial’s (Dragon Ball Super) voice which made me realize that it had a bit of a hilarious North vs South vibe in a fantasy world. Or maybe a millennial vs baby boomer vibe. To me the art is a little reminiscent of anime or manga art when the facial reactions are used to express emotions, like Samurai Champloo. The way the characters and creatures are drawn by Castaniero and colored by Simon Gough give the comic a noir and rustic style. And I definitely cannot forget how awesome lettering done by Micah Myers was in this series, especially with the explosion scene in Issue #3 in which was caused by Ari.

I wonder if we will be seeing more of the misadventures of Barrow and his unique relationship with Ari. Issue #3 cannot mean the end of his monster hunting ways forever. And what about Ari? What is her story? And will she become someone who will become the closest thing Barrow has to a friend or family? I am looking forward to see how the gritty fantasy of worthy of the name GRIT unfolds.