Welcome to the latest installment of Preview Reviews.
This week we have a four good books for you. The beginning of December is loaded with new series releases, and we were able to review these. There are three books from Image Comics, including All Against All #1, Hexware #1, and Radiant Pink #1. We also have a review of Know Your Station #1 from Boom! Studios.
You can find these books at your LCS or wherever you buy books on December 7, 2022.
Also the rest of the #NewNumberOnes for December are here.
All Against All #1
Image Comics
Written by Alex Paknadel
Art by Caspar Wijngaard
Letters by Hassan Ostmane-Elhaou
Cover Art by Wijngaard
Original Solicitation:
Writer ALEX PAKNADEL, artist CASPAR WIJNGAARD, and letterer HASSAN OTSMANE-ELHAOU present a primal vision of humanity gone terribly wrong.
In All Against All, it is the distant future. Earth is long gone, but a race of alien conquerors knows as “the Operators” have preserved its most savage animals in an artificial jungle environment they barely understand.
With no bodies of their own, the Operators move from world to world, harvesting bodies for the organic exosuits they use to wage their endless wars. Ignored and underestimated by his captors is the habitat’s sole human specimen, Helpless.
However, when their efforts to find and harvest an apex predator intensify, he gives them far more than they bargained for.
PCS Review:
I love this book. It is set in the far future, and that can be difficult to pull off, but Paknadel and Wijngaard do it masterfully. This book is filled with a danger that the plot makes evident from the get go, and Wijngaard imbues the feel of an unstable existence in every pen and brush stroke. Character and technologic designs are critically important to the establishment of the this alien cast and are wonderfully done. Hassan Otsamane-Elhaou is one of the best letterers out there, and his design and execution for this project are spectacular.
The issue is really two stories in one that dovetail together perfectly to give the reader an experience in this world and move them into the current conflict. Can’t wait for issue #2.
Hexware #1
Image Comics
Written by Tim Seeley
Art by Zulema Scotto Lavina
Colors by Valentina Cuomo
Letters by Maurizo Clausi
Cover Art by Scotto Lavina
Original Solicitation:
Why sell your soul…when you can buy a new one?
In a corporate-ruled world where class inequality is greater than ever, a desperate, lonely populace is drawn to neo-spiritualism and hedge magic.
When their teenage daughter is murdered, the Marks family is left asking the gods what they did to deserve this. But their android maid, Which-Where, has a different approach. Perhaps if she asked the devil…
A new futuristic miniseries by acclaimed creator TIM SEELEY and rising star ZULEMA SCOTTO LAVINA!
PCS Review:
Tim Seeley has the wonderful ability to extrapolate the future in way that seems barely plausible and yet completely relatable. In this book, human behavior is consistent with what we would expect, and yet the setting and trappings of the story have only been imagined so far. The concept of this book is very interesting. At this point in the story, it is opposite from all the typical tropes about androids. In this example. the android is consistently ignoring the contempt and hatred that humans have for it, and attempts to help heal and comfort the humans that it is connected to. That is refreshing, and Seeley is an excellent writer who crafts thoughtful and smoothly delivered dialogue through this amazing tale.
The art in this book by Zulema Scotto Lavina is a lovely mix of realism and the arcane. The book is engagingly laid out with a well-executed narrative, especially considering the nonlinear presentation of time. The color work is spectacular and serves to enhance the actions at just the right time. I enjoyed the lettering work in this book as well. It felt natural.
Overall, this is a hell of concept, and we are excited to see where this story leads us.
Know Your Station #1
Boom! Studios
Written by Sarah Gailey
Art by Liana Kangas
Colors by Rebecca Nalty
Letters by Cardinal Rae
Cover Art by Kangas
Original Solicitation:
The wealthiest people in the solar system abandoned the Earth for a private sanctuary in space, leaving the rest of us to die amidst cataclysmic climate change.
But the 1% won’t be safe for long… A murderer is on the loose, specifically targeting the super-rich.
Soon Elise, an employee of the billionaire’s space station, is wrapped up in a deadly investigation, with each issue featuring a new, diabolically different kill!
2021’s breakout writer Sarah Gailey and rising star Liana Kangas take a stab at the ultra-wealthy, their dreams of escaping the very planet they’ve put in peril, and the consequences of a future that might not be so far away…
PCS Review:
We were super excited to read this book. We have been big fans of Sarah Gailey’s most recent series Eat the Rich, and we had high hopes for this. Our expectations have been rewarded. The story is well executed and sets up some interesting and harrowing mysteries for the issues to come. The main character is interesting, endearing, and the reader easily develops a connection that results in concern for their wellbeing. I particularly enjoy the “personality” of the space station’s AI in this book while simultaneously being wary of it’s intentions.
Liana Kangas is a rising star. With interesting camera angles and smart panel structure, they move this story forward and provide a fantastic reading experience. There is some truly amazing imagery in this book that hits at just the right times. Rebecca Nalty’s color work takes those fantastic images to the next level.
This book definitely goes on the pull list. This first issue is wonderful, and I expect it to get even more intriguing as this murder mystery plays out.
Radiant Pink #1
Image Comics
Written by Meghan Camarena & Melissa Flores
Art by Emma Kubert
Colors by Rebecca Nalty
Letters by Becca Carey
Cover Art by Kubert
Original Solicitation:
Life is good for Eva. Ever since teleporting superhero RADIANT PINK (her secret alter ego) started guesting on her streams, her view count has skyrocketed-and fame and fortune are surely close behind. But when a charity appearance is interrupted by a squad of mercenaries hunting for the Radiant that powers her, Eva will find herself very far out of her comfort zone.
Join streaming superstar MEGHAN CAMARENA, rising-star writer MELISSA FLORES, and third-generation comics artist EMMA KUBERT for a galaxy-hopping thrill ride from the world of RADIANT BLACK! A perfect entry point for new readers to the line – and the perfect new series to handsell to those hooked on ROGUE SUN, RADIANT RED, THE DEAD LUCKY, and C.O.W.L.!
PCS Review:
This comic is fun and entertaining. The Radiant Black Universe is expanding, and this latest release is full of heart and action. The hero at the center of the book is portrayed in very sympathetic manner both in action and art styles. There is a massive cataclysm that establishes the very real heroic qualities of the eponymous character in this book. The set up for issue two has us excited to come back.
Emma Kubert and Rebecca Nalty do fantastic work making this book feel fun and establishing an action packed tone. It is a well-crafted style that suits the creators and characters. Looking forward to more.
