Author: matthewephotography@yahoo.com
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…
Image credit: IDW After a suspect is eliminated following the events of the previous issue, Samantha suddenly discovers the culprit behind a gruesome series of murders in Woodbrook. What are their motives and can Sam stop them before they commit murder? Or worse, before something terrible happens to her? Given the fact that Woodbrook is a small and idyllic town (or was it idyllic at all), it didn’t take long to figure out who was responsible for the gruesome murders, but it’s still shocking that it was revealed so quickly. Still, it’s the start of a tense cat-and-mouse game that…
To win each battle, you must throw a hand! Get the coolest cards, throw in the strongest hand, and watch them try to do something about it. Will you take away their stamina with a bunch of small hands, or will you go for their throat with a big one? The first player to take the most damage loses the round. Earn enough rounds to win the war! Players play a run or set hand, targeting the opponent on the left. A 3-3-3 should beat a 4-4-4 or higher team because that player also needs to play a higher value…
Image credit: IDW Comics Though masquerading as a cozy, anthropomorphic animal fable, Under the Tree is something else entirely, with one of its main selling points being the juxtaposition of charming fairy tale art and clearly gory serial killer subject matter. Sam, an anthropomorphic bear, is hiding a very horrifying secret. Although ostensibly a kind and helpful member of the local community, she regularly succumbs to dark urges to gruesomely murder and butcher innocent animals. Given that the small town of Woodbrook, where she lives, is a peaceful haven for everyone, she deliberately chooses her victims from the city to…
Image credit: IDW Comics Cozy horror with anthropomorphic animals? Looks like it’ll handle itself just fine. Oh, how wrong I was. Starting off with a quirky look at the lives of animals in Richard Scarry’s small town, where everyone dresses like a human and lives and works at home (and even goes to school if they’re still kids!), the first issue of Under the Trees introduces Samantha, a kind bear who runs a hardware store and helps the locals with their DIY needs. But beneath Sam’s kind exterior there is something very dark. She has a very twisted and creepy…
Image credit: Jason Brown, midlifegamergeek.com For those reading these issues in the future, it will be very difficult to know in what order they should be read. Despite being simply part of the King of the Demons storyline, each issue has a different title and is numbered #1. That aside, this fifth part of Lords of the Makai finds Menat and Maggio battling two deadly characters who appear to have made a complete heel turn. Viewed on its own, it’s action-packed and really fun, with the final page featuring a battle with an enemy that’s supposed to be your ally.…
Image credit: Image Comics So will Ghosted be like that, where each issue begins with a shocking and incredibly tasteless (and mostly unnecessary) panel? I don’t know since it’s only been two issues, but it’s weird that it’s 2 for 2 so far. The Ghost Heist is nearly finished with its planning stages, and team leader Winters is determined to make sure his supernatural prey gets in and out before the sun sets. So far so good, right? Only the local sheriff is sniffing around, and the skeptics on the team seem destined to discover the hard way that ghosts…
Image credit: IDW Comics The first issue of the Godzilla 2025 series was a fun but somewhat busy mix of character introductions and world-building. That said, it was serving as the starting point for IDW’s new Godzilla shared universe line known as the Kai-sei Era, so quite a lot of groundwork had to be laid. In this second issue, the aftermath of Anguirus’ mission leads to horrifying discoveries and a reckless plan that seems destined to cause even more havoc. A dark force is approaching behind them, and not everyone is completely on the side of the anti-monster team G-Force……