Author: matthewephotography@yahoo.com
Image credit: Jason Brown, midlifegamergeek.com After his last victory, X is looking for Mavericks at the weapons factory. What he discovered there was both surprising and potentially deadly. These comics are so much fun. I know I say it all the time, but it’s worth repeating. While these aren’t the deepest stories, there’s something about Udon’s comics that makes them feel different, and these Mega Man titles are no exception. With gorgeous artwork, great references to video games (including a photo variation cover that pays homage to the Mega Man X SNES game), and near-nonstop action, it feels like a…
Image credit: IDW When her dark secret is revealed, Sam is forced into a corner and will stop at nothing to escape justice for his horrific crimes. Still, she can’t resist eliminating more of the town’s residents. If she can escape, maybe even the whole town… As expected, this second series finale is a real blast, with everything unfolding at a breakneck pace. Everything that was slow-burning for the first five issues (or at least four issues, considering how quickly things escalated in the last issue) really pays off here, with some truly shocking events occurring in multiple locations in…
Image credit: IDW Samantha has been manipulating poor Monica for the past few issues, apparently trying to deflect blame from her own years of murderous behavior. Even though everything was carefully planned, the breadcrumbs eventually lead back to Sam. So how will Monica react? And will she be able to escape when such a methodical and unscrupulous psychopath is so close to her? Meanwhile, the aftermath of Sam’s long-running secret horror continues to affect the town of Woodbrook in more ways than one. How will they react when they learn that instead of there being a second serial killer in…
Image credit: IDW Sam’s twisted game continues as he uses clues about his brother’s death to lure Monica out. Here, she implicates fellow serial killer Nigel in Duck’s death eight years ago, and soon more innocent people are drawn into Sam’s web of deception and manipulation… There’s something incredibly convincing about Sam’s immoral games and the satisfaction she derives from pushing poor Monica to her limits. The impact of Sam’s past and present actions on other members of the community is equally fascinating, with the old turtle Bertie being a particular highlight. The deep trauma felt throughout the town and…
Image credit: IDW The crew of the starship Godzilla rebelled against the Xyrians in an attempt to save innocent mine colonists. As the crew fights for their lives and the health of the monster ship (a reconstructed Mechagodzilla), Ayan attempts a daring rescue to deal with unfinished business in his heart. I’m really enjoying this series. This is a very Guardians of the Galaxy -style twist on IDW’s shared Godzilla continuity, aka the Kai-sei era future. Although most of the crew are not particularly likable, Ayan is a charming, endearing and sympathetic protagonist throughout, and most of the betrayals within…
Image credit: IDW Ujigami, as we and the turtles know, is Master Splinter and is after Casey Jones. Splinter/Guardian is determined to protect his family, and Jones seems destined to kill Rafael. However, the turtles cannot let their father kill their old friend, and there are many conflicts and revelations. There’s a little too much going on in this issue, with several situations starting at the same time and numerous characters getting involved with Ujigami in some way. While it seems like there are too many balls to juggle in this slightly overstuffed comic (the blurb seems to reveal something…
Image credit: IDW Sam begins to understand how the world’s technological advancements and the way information is shared are putting her “activities” at risk. But this is also an opportunity to give her a clue about the duck sister she killed years ago. New kicks with new tricks. Meanwhile, in Woodbrook, Bertie, a septuagenarian tortoise, is unable to help wild animals wander into his peaceful town of anthropomorphic creatures, and as he grows older he becomes somewhat agrophobic. There are a lot of gears turning, but there’s a more deliberate pace to this second issue. Sam’s Dangerous Game is a…
Image credit: IDW You can tell how much I was hooked on “Under the Tree That No One Has Ever Seen” by how quickly I finished it and jumped into the sequel. Like a hybrid of Richard Scarry and Dexter, the murder mystery story was an incredibly compelling page turner. That said, I didn’t see how it could actually spawn a sequel, despite having an open ending of sorts. The story follows Samantha Strong, an anthropomorphic bear who is the owner of a small town hardware store (hence the Scarly aspect), who also happens to be a serial killer and…
Image credit: IDW Sam returns and plans to deal with the upstarts who seem to think they can get away with her. They’re about to realize they’ve messed with the wrong bear… And this series will also end. There are no major twists and turns here, and no matter how much we root for them, the turnaround doesn’t come for everyone who deserves it. This is also a very well written and beautifully illustrated issue, and one that in some ways echoes the TV show “Dexter” again. What’s different about this, of course, is that Sam doesn’t usually kill people…
Image credit: IDW Sam is on the run after being accused of a horrific crime he never committed, but he must do some real soul searching. Will she be able to find a way to return to Woodbrook and clear her name despite all the gruesome murders she committed herself? I felt like issue #4 of Under the Tree No One Was Watching probably discovered the town’s killer too soon, and this fifth chapter unfortunately proves that point. While it’s still very strong, it feels like it takes some wind out of the series’ momentum so far, and the scenes…