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Have you seen Captain Marvel?

No. I have not, thus adding to my ongoing tradition of not seeing the big ‘comic book’ (i.e. superhero) movies at the cinema. I think Antman and the Wasp was the only one I’ve seen on the big screen recently. This is not a comment on the quality of the film, more a reflection of my general disinterest in superhero movies.

I have, however, just finished watching The Umbrella Academy on Netflix and thought that was a brilliantly quirky series with a strong concept and some great characters.

And I’ve made some headway into series 3 of Supergirl; a bit superficial but fun none the less. It is a series I watch with my eldest son and he enjoys it.

I’ve also started, finally, to watch Legion.

So it would appear that it’s only superhero movies I have little interest in and not the genre as a whole.

However, it’s New Comic Book Day so a quick round up of what I’ve been reading in the last 3 weeks…

At the end of February there was Star Trek: The Q Conflict which is plodding along after the initial intriguing start. I’m hoping this picks up but I have my doubts based on previous Star Trek crossover events I’ve read. Review of the second issue here.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer continues to improve, which is difficult considering how well it started, but Jordie Bellaire and Dan Mora are hitting each issue out of the park. Two issues have come out in the last three weeks, reviews are here (issue 2) and here (issue 3).
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I also got an advanced look at Little Bird from Image comics. I really enjoyed it and the visuals are stunning. Guess what you’ll find by following this link?

Onto the start of March and we had a few AfterShock comics I’ve been reading. Oberon #2 and A Walk Through Hell #8. I was surprised to discover I enjoyed Oberon more than AWTH, but it seemed much freasher and new. I found Garth Ennis’s script for AWTH clichéd and uninspired but this is possibly just a blip in the title and it will pick back up again next month. Compare the comics via my reviews, Oberon vs AWTH.

The Girl In The Bay issue 2 came out and was somehow stranger than issue 1. It has an engaging story with a mystery that just keeps getting deeper. Worth looking out for, especially for Corin Howell’s art work. I’m loving this comic. (another link… no wonder I’m behind on posting on here)

Boom! Studios also had Ronin Island out which is enjoyable, especially if you like that samurai sort of thing.
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And Marvel put out the questionable Cosmic Ghost Rider Destroys Marvel History (or some such ridiculous title). This comic was terrible and best avoiding for a number of reasons. My biggest problem with it is that the character bared no resemblance to Frank Castle (who is currently wearing the Ghost Rider mantle). If it hadn’t told me at the start it was ‘the Punisher’ there is no way anyone would know. And that, I find, poor writing. 

But what about today? What treats do the comic book shops have for you today? For me there was the exceptional Buffy The Vampire Slayer issue 3 (mentioned previously).

The unnerving and creepy Boom! Studios title The Empty Man issue 5 (review link).

Star Trek Discovery: Captain Saru, which is the best ST Discovery comic that’s been released so far but still does not do the series justice.

​Murder Falcon #6; a comic that continues to impress with its mix of outlandish fantasy and heart-breaking drama. This is a comic that pushes the boundaries of the narrative and does it with style. Daniel Warren Johnson is proving his talent with Murder Falcon and I would recommend having a look at what he is doing.
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Finally, this week, I was transported back to my childhood and the start of my comic reading obsession by the release of a brand new Transformers comic. The original Transformers comic got me hooked into comics and this new title from IDW Publishing is brand spankingly new. It’s a slow introduction to the new universe of giant robots but it looks stunning and the story slowly builds towards the impending violence that will lead to the Civil War. It bowled me over and I was excited by the possibilities of the future narrative. I think this is shipping every other week so it will quickly develop and it promises to be spectacular.

And, of course, a link to my review..