Six Days: The Incredible Story of D-Day's Lost Chapter Review (Robert Venditti, Andrea Mutti)

June 6, 1944 and Operation Overlord is in full swing. A group of US soldiers find themselves unfortunately displaced 15 miles away from their drop zone, deep behind enemy lines. Luckily they find allies in the local French village of Graignes as they dig in and prepare to resist the oncoming German force. They have six days…

Lucifer Volume 1: The Infernal Comedy Review (Dan Watters, Max Fiumara)

I’ve never read the Mike Carey Lucifer series or seen the TV show (and I’ll probably never do either now) so I don’t know if it’s because I’m so unfamiliar with the character and his story (couldn’t tell you if this is a continuation of the previous books or a reboot) or whether Dan Watters is just that incompetent a storyteller but I had absolutely no fucking idea what was going on in Lucifer, Volume 1: The Infernal Comedy!

The Dreaming, Volume 1: Pathways and Emanations Review (Simon Spurrier, Bilquis Evely)

That moody emo git Dream has buggered off on a jolly out of The Dreaming! And wouldn’t you Adam’n’Eve it, an ever-widening crack has suddenly appeared across the realm, the portal no longer keeps out danger and scores of strange blank people (“soggies”) are flooding the land. Coincidence – or just a clumsy Trump/wall metaphor? Anyhoo, Merv Pumpinhead’s taken it upon himself to find a new leader from a questionable source (though the name should’ve raised a red flag!): Judge Gallows. And who is the Dreaming’s latest denizen – the mysterious dream outlaw Dora?

Gone to Amerikay Review (Derek McCulloch, Colleen Doran)

An Irish single mother and her daughter begin a new life in New York City in 1870 while she waits for her husband to arrive from across the pond. A young Irish singer/songwriter tries to make it in showbiz in 1960 New York City. A rich Irishman looks for the truth behind his favourite song, Gone to Amerikay, in 2010. All, er, “storylines”, are tenuously connected but amount to basically a shrug!

The Filth Review (Grant Morrison, Chris Weston)

“Grant Morrison you crazy biotch what the fuck are you on about?!” - is what I was constantly thinking while reading The Filth (in between yawns)! I love Morrison - he wrote the greatest Batman run of all time and he’s the greatest comics writer there’s ever been - but, holy rice krispie treats, he produces some utterly impenetrable, way-too-out-there stuff sometimes!

The Sandman Universe #1 Review (Neil Gaiman, Si Spurrier)

Like DC Universe Rebirth #1 a couple years ago, The Sandman Universe #1 is a one-shot sizzle reel showcasing the upcoming line’s titles. And, like DC Universe Rebirth #1, The Sandman Universe #1 buh-looooooows!

Hitman, Volume 2: Ten Thousand Bullets Review (Garth Ennis, John McCrea)

I read the first Hitman book a few years ago and didn’t like it much but decided to revisit it and give it another shot - maybe I initially read it wrong/wasn’t in the right frame of mind? After all, it’s Garth Ennis writing a character who’s essentially DC’s Punisher and Ennis’ Punisher was fracking awesome! But no, I was right the first time: Hitman is complete drivel! 

The Losers, Volume 1: Ante Up Review (Andy Diggle, Jock)

I tried watching The Losers movie twice before and gave up quickly each time for the same reason why I gave up trying to read the comic once before: it comes off as the most bland, generic actioner EVER. Having forced myself to read this first volume of the comic I can confirm that, yup, it most definitely is that!

Animal Man, Volume 2: Origin of the Species Review (Grant Morrison, Chas Truog)

Grant Morrison’s second Animal Man book doesn’t improve on the lacklustre first volume being equally dull. There’s no overarching storyline to this series, it’s just a collection of random, uninteresting adventures Buddy Baker goes on. 

The Dark & Bloody Review (Shawn Aldridge, Scott Godlewski)

Iris is a veteran of the Second Gulf War and spends his days selling ‘shine to his backwoods clientele and being a mediocre husband and father. But he’s haunted by his time in the Iraqi desert and what he and his platoon did - and the demons from that time are coming home to roost… 

I didn’t really know what to expect with The Dark & The Bloody and unfortunately it turns out that it’s a pretty crappy Southern Gothic horror, similar to Wytches and Harrow County. Neither the characters nor the story are in the least bit compelling with the whole thing tediously unfolding slowly. This person is killed off followed by another and… zzz… It took me a while to wade through because I just didn’t care! 

I suppose it’s an imaginative take on the shit America got up to in the Middle East - it’s an original premise, I’ll give it that - and the monster is visually interesting, but I found The Dark & The Bloody to be a bloody unengaging, bland horror.

Seaguy: Slaves of Mickey Eye Review (Grant Morrison, Cameron Stewart)

This is a review of the second (and, to date, final) Seaguy arc, Slaves of Mickey Eye, but the image is of issue #1 because DC haven’t collected the three issue storyline into a book - and I can see why! In addition to Seaguy being one of Grant Morrison’s more obscure, lowest-selling titles, Slaves of Mickey Eye unfortunately isn’t very good. 

Unfollow, Volume 3: Turn It Off Review (Rob Williams, Mike Dowling)

And so Rob Williams and Michael Dowling’s limited series Unfollow comes to an end in their third and final book, Turn It Off. I’ve enjoyed the title up to this point, and I still liked parts of this one too, but the third book closes out the story in a birruva underwhelming fashion. 

Zatanna: Everyday Magic Review (Paul Dini, Rick Mays)

Everyday Magic is the most uninspired Zatanna comic ever. It’s Paul Dini on autopilot as he snoozes his way through a by-the-numbers story. Constantine’s hand is cursed so Zatanna battles a sorceress to fix him. Which she does effortlessly with no tension. The end. Wooow. 

There’s a truncated version of Zatanna’s origin included if you haven’t read it before so if you have, like me, it only makes the comic that much more tedious to get through. Also, don’t expect the art inside to be like Brian Bolland’s cover because it’s not. Rick Mays’s kiddie manga-esque art did nothing for me, accompanying Dini’s boring script to make Everyday Magic even more forgettable! 

I suppose this run-of-the-mill comic is aptly named: it is very everyday. Pointless, unentertaining rubbish - disappointing given that Dini’s usually a quality writer.

Kill Your Boyfriend Review (Grant Morrison, Philip Bond)

A bored schoolgirl falls for a slightly older bad boy townie. Together, they go on a killing spree for shits and giggles! It can only end one way… and in Blackpool?!

Animal Man, Volume 1 Review (Grant Morrison, Chas Truog)

Grant Morrison is one of my favourite comics creators - I definitely think he’s the best comics writer there’s ever been - but I don’t love everything he’s written. Case in point: his late ‘80s Animal Man series which was also his first major US title. Me no likee! 

Unfollow, Volume 2: God Is Watching Review (Rob Williams, Mike Dowling)

An eccentric dying billionaire who made his money on social media site Chirper, where users can send “chirps” of 140 characters or less, leaves his fortune to 140 random people around the world. If one of the 140 dies, their share is split between the survivors. Oh yeah and an insane masked killer is slowly tracking down and murdering each of the 140! Who will survive long enough to enjoy their money?

Clean Room, Volume 1: Immaculate Conception Review (Gail Simone, John Davis-Hunt)

Chloe’s fiancé committed suicide after discovering the dark secrets of a Scientology/cult-like group called the Honest World Foundation headed by the charismatic and mysterious Astrid Mueller. Now Chloe wants answers for why her husband-to-be chose to die, what this organisation is really about… and what is the Clean Room? 

Dark Night: A True Batman Story Review (Paul Dini, Eduardo Risso)

In 1993, Paul Dini was living the dream. A lifelong Batman fan, he was a writer on the landmark TV show, Batman: The Animated Series, receiving critical acclaim and working for the likes of Steven Spielberg at Warner Animation. But he wasn’t happy. A loner by nature, he had low self-esteem and was making himself miserable chasing beautiful but shallow starlets who only gave him the time of day because of his connections. And then one dark night he was brutally mugged, almost dying from the encounter. Dark Night: A True Batman Story is an autobiographical comic that explores this time in Dini’s life and what Batman meant to him in the aftermath of such injustice. 

The Sheriff of Babylon, Volume 1: Bang. Bang. Bang. Review (Tom King, Mitch Gerads)

February 2004, ten months after the fall of Baghdad. US Military contractor Chris Henry is training new Iraqi police and then discovers that one of his trainees has been murdered. Teaming up with local cop Nassir, who has his own set of problems involving some dead American soldiers in his basement, Chris and Nassir must navigate through the chaotic power vacuum that is Iraq post-US invasion. Elsewhere, a young Iraqi woman called Sofia is trying to control the disparate criminal elements, determined to do whatever it takes to seize power of her country. 

Unfollow, Volume 1 Review (Rob Williams, Michael Dowling)

Larry Ferrell is the dying billionaire inventor of Chirper (fictional Twitter) and, in true Willy Wonka fashion, decides to give away his fortune to 140 random people (because there’s 140 characters in a tweet, I mean, “chirp”). These selected few receive a “140” app on their phones instantly entitling them to roughly $130 million each and a ride to Ferrell’s private island in the Bahamas to celebrate in style. However, if one of the 140 dies, their share is distributed equally amongst the survivors and, theoretically, the last man standing would receive billions. Let the murder games begin!