Corey's Comic Corner Edition 14 - Review of “Tiger Division #1, Star Wars High Republic Adventures #1, Avengers Assemble Alpha #1 and Planet Hulk Worldbreaker #1”
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We’re back with your weekly edition of Corey’s Comic Corner, etc. Holy hot cakes Batman! We’re less than three weeks from Christmas. It’s that time of the year when you spend half of your day running around stores back and forth trying to find something your kids put on their Christmas list. For us this meant looking for the perfect infield fastpitch glove for our daughter as well as a light blue starlight PS5 controller. The glove was a little easier to come by but this controller appeared to be the bigger challenge for the day. Rewind to the early 80’s. I love my parents. They made sure we had almost all the gifts we asked for when we were little. We were truly spoiled. From the Nintendo Power Glove to the G.I.Joe Aircraft Carrier. Voltron and all the Transformers. We were pretty lucky and outside of maybe one to two MAJOR gifts all kids wanted, things were fairly simple to come by. Of course now, my wife and I try to do the same with our daughter.
Anyways, when we were growing up there was one single style and type of Nintendo controller. At least initially. There were no colors or different grips, skins, types, etc. You just went to the local KB Toys or Toys R Us in the mall and plunked down a measly $10.00 bucks for a new controller. Fast forward to 2022 and you have several systems, AR, VR, various types of controllers, controller skins, controller covers, controller covers, etc. On top of that a single controller sells for closer to $100.00 and the chances you find the actual controller you want, of course the most popular color, are pretty unlikely.. haha. So, you end up driving around tirelessly while searching stores on google to see if anyone has any in stock. Eventually with a little luck, a little less gas, a lot less money and a headache. You score! Check one item off the list and repeat the process all over again. Anyways, times have changed. Good parents stay the same but times have definitely changed. Ok onto this week's comic reviews!
Comic Reviews
This week I had a chance to read “Tiger Division #1, Star Wars High Republic Adventures #1, Avengers Assemble Alpha #1 and Planet Hulk Worldbreaker #1”
Tiger Division #1
Published by Marvel
Written by Emily Kim
Pencils by Creees Lee
Rated T for Teen
Available Now
Marvel introduces a new solo series from writer Emily Kim of Silk and the artist from Marvel Voices Creees Lee. Behold, the protectors of South Korea! From the pages of Taskmaster where they had their first appearance to now having their own limited title. We dive deeper into the background and history of these new superheroes!
Tiger Division got off to a fast start introducing the new team. While they share a lot of similarities with current hero’s there is enough meat on the bone here to make them feel new and fresh. There’s a decent amount of humor mixed in as well so it’s very light in tone as we begin to explore the background of these characters. Kim paces this first issue in a way that allows the story to grow and move organically and she manages to not overstuff the first issue with too much detail or dialogue. The art is also fresh and pairs well with the dialogue and story being told. Each panel flows easily from one to the next and the art helps move the story forward versus holding it back. Overall the book is a great beginning for this new superhero team. There is a solid amount of action and intrigue almost from the start and in particular I’m curious to see how one of the subplots regarding a mysterious character origin will pay off.
Star Wars High Republic Adventures #1
Published by Dark Horse
Written by Daniel Jose Older
Pencils by Toni Bruno
All Ages
Available now!
A new mini-series and volume from Dark Horse and Disney introducing a whole slew of new characters but focusing on a young and conflicted Padawan, Sav Malagan, who is rebelling against the Jedi Order and about to have the adventure she’s always dreamed of.
As I discussed last week. There is no shortage of Star Wars books on the shelves these days. At times it almost seems like overkill but Disney always manages to squeeze in something new and exciting like new characters, etc. to lure people in. While this new volume doesn’t reinvent the wheel it’s a light hearted and fun story that makes for a solid little adventure. The art and dialogue seem very much aimed at younger readers, especially given the all ages designation but let’s face it, they are the future Star Wars fans and the main demographic Disney is aimed at. The main draw of this issue is probably all the first appearances which can send collectors into a frenzied rush to collect it. I did enjoy the story though and it made for a breezy and fun read to kick off this new volume. The art goes perfectly with the dialogue and most Star Wars fans will find this a worthy addition to their collection.
Avengers Assemble Alpha #1
Published by Marvel
Written by Jason Aaron
Pencils by Bryan Hitch
Rated T for Teen
Available now!
Bringing together The Avengers, Avengers Forever and Avengers Of 1,000,000 BC for the first time as the timelines of multiverse are crossed in order to fight the ultimate force of evil in the form of an Army brought together by none other than Dr. Doom at the beginning of time. Written by master Jason Aaron and drawn by Bryan Hitch this story is bound to change the history of the Marvel universe forever!
As usual Jason Aaron knocks it out of the park! The meeting of the different Avenger teams, Dr. Doom’s wicked villainy, Mephisto versus Avenger Prime, the general drama and tension behind the possible destruction of the current world. There is just a lot going on here and each separate plotline seems to only add to the potential of this book. The writing is paced perfectly to build towards the climax which will take place over the course of both the main Avengers and Avengers Forever series. If you were not reading those books and happened to read this one shot you will probably be reading them now haha! Bryan Hitch as always delivers some fantastic art as well. The colors, battle action, scope, etc. are all perfectly matched to Aarons writing. There are also a couple surprises in this issue I won’t give up but it’s definitely worth a read and I highly recommend picking this issue up! I’m very excited to see all the different Avengers tangle with these baddies!
Planet Hulk Worldbreaker #1
Published by Marvel
Written by Greg Pak
Pencils by Manuel Garcia
Rated T for Teen
Available now!
As the comic states! A return 1000 years in the making! Greg Pak is back writing Hulk which appears to take place some time after the original Planet Hulk on the planet Sakaar and the events which were loosely alluded to in the Thor Ragnarok movie. A green skinned woman searches for Skaar with a young child as she requires protection. What she finds is not exactly what she was hoping for.
Greg Pak is no stranger to writing Hulk and he knows the character and history well so it’s no surprise this first issue makes for an interesting read as we dive back into the world of Saakar. This is a nice little story filled with action and drama. It is not until midway through the issue that the lead female character finally gets some assistance in the way of a hulk. That hulk being Amadeus Cho, not Banner the Worldbreaker that she was searching for. This was a great twist that I wasn’t expecting and it’s clear that while he may be the smartest hulk, he may not be strong enough to help nor survive the situation that he’s suddenly been thrust into. I also love the way this book ends on a cliffhanger. It’s clear the Worldbreaker Banner will be needed but he’s shown meditating in solitude and in human form along a rugged terrain and a river of lava. This has me wondering if there will be any help on the horizon at all? Guess we will have to stay tuned for the next issue to find out! Overall a fun issue filled with great art and a story that welcomes an additional read through.
Movie Recommendation of the Week
Brendan Fraser has made his comeback to Hollywood stardom with his portrayal of a recluse english teacher who tries to make amends with his estranged daughter. After many turns in comedy and action movies in the 90’s and an emotional and tumultuous fall from the A-list he’s back on top and It couldn’t have happened to a better guy! He's just one of those guys you love to root for. Early reviews suggest his performance is Oscar worthy and I for one hope to see this movie in theaters this weekend. Let me know if you end up checking it out as well!
That’s it for this week folks! Thanks for stopping by to read the blog and we hope to see you again next week! As always, we’d love to hear from you if you have any questions or comments. Don’t forget to stop into POP ROC and see what’s going on. They're hosting the “I Speak Geek” Holiday Market this coming Saturday 5-9pm! POP in and check it out!! Until next time…..
Corey Newell
“Just a guy who loves comics”
⁃ Independent blogger, dad, dork, comic nerd and pop culture lover hailing from Spencerport, NY