Battlefields: Dear Billy #1 Review

Recently reviewed by me at CBR: Battlefields: Dear Billy #1, about which I write the following sentences: "But this isn't Ernest Hemingway's 'A Farewell to Arms,' and the couple doesn't fall in love and run off to Switzerland together. Ennis focuses on a different aspect of their relationship, as both Sutton and Wedgewood carry emotional wounds far deeper than anything they can express to each other. They've each been violated, physically, by their enemies. They are broken characters, but they maintain a sense of decorum around others, and they don't flaunt their weaknesses. They do the best they can and keep moving forward through a world filled with pain and suffering. The stiff upper lip and all that."

Read the entire review HERE.

Punisher War Zone #6 Review

Recently reviewed by me at CBR: Punisher War Zone #6, about which I write the following sentences: "Ennis also wraps up the Ma Gnucci/Elite plotline with a vicious climax, but rather than give away those particular grisly details, I'd just like to commend Steve Dillon for another job well done. A cursory glance at his work might not allow you to fully appreciate the depths of his talent, and it may even seem like he's drawing comics the same was he has for the past couple of decades. But his work in recent years has gained a greater sense of dimensionality, moving beyond the flat planes he emphasized for so long, and giving his comic book worlds a visual depth. He also tells a story with perfect clarity and grace, and his art on this comic -- as bloody as the subject matter can be -- is a wonderful cure for the chaotic muddiness that taints so many mainstream comics these days."

Read the entire review HERE.

Battlefields: The Night Witches #2 Review

Recently reviewed by me at CBR: Battlefields: The Night Witches #2 about which I write the following sentences: "In 'The Night Witches,' he tells the story of an all-female Russian air force squadron and their battle against German forces. The Night Witches themselves -- so named by the Germans -- are the focus of the story, but the only narrative captions in issue #2 are given to a reluctant German soldier who is tormented by his own leaders. Ennis does a lot of things well in this series, and one of the most prominent is his emphasis on characterization. This is a high-concept piece of historical fiction (women flying fighter planes in WWII!) but he doesn't oversimplify the situation or glorify anyone on either side. He shows the conflict within the ranks -- both Russian and German -- and allows both sides to show their troubling humanity. And yet, Ennis doesn't flinch from showing the savagery of war, either, and though the theme isn't as simple as 'war is hell,' there's an underlying acceptance that such a statement is true, and this is all a manifestation of that."

Read the entire review HERE.

The Boys #24 Hits THE SPLASH PAGE

After twenty-four issues, I don't know what to make of The Boys. I keep reading it. I enjoy it each month, since it is a twisted look at the world of superheroes and all. But I don't really know the characters, even after two years in their company.

Except Wee Hughie. I know him. Not as well as Chad Nevett, who has Wee Hughie posters all over his bedroom, but few of us are that fanatical about anything.

So Chad and I have a little chat about the good, the bad, and the "eh" of The Boys #24 in this week's Splash Page.

Because that's how much we care about you.

Click HERE if you want.

War is Hell: First Flight of the Phantom Eagle #5 Review

Recently reviewed by me at CBR: War is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle #5, about which I write the following sentences: "The comic is titled 'War is Hell,' so it's no surprise that it shows the less-than-glamorous side of combat. But what makes it good, what makes it worth reading, is Ennis' ability to find the human situations within the absurdity, and his ability to make Kaufmann, the would-be Phantom Eagle, into a flawed but fascinating character. And then there's Chaykin, drawing biplanes and bloodshed and deeply conflicted square-jawed heroes. Who better to draw such characters against the backdrop of war?"

Read the entire review HERE.