Corey's Comic Corner Edition 24 - Review of Red Goblin #1, Where Monsters Lie #1, The Finder #1 and DIG: A SINK Tale
Corey’s Comic Corner, etc.
Welcome back frequent flyers. It’s time for yet another week of reviews, recommendations, ramblings and otherwise needless banter. You haven’t asked for it, but we’re always ready for more! So sit back, relax and join me for what potentially may be the most epic and exhilarating chapter of this blog yet! Maybe!
This week I'm coming to you live from the passenger seat of my wife’s vehicle while she spends some time perusing the latest sales at the Eastview Mall in Victor. Basically the only mall left in our area that doesn’t have the potential to be featured in the next post apocalyptic zombie film. I’ve got the windows all the way down, the sun is shining on my face and I feel like I could even get a tan if I sat here long enough. It’s around 50 degrees outside and there isn’t even a dusting of snow anywhere to be found. It’s entirely crazy given we're deep into what should be our snowiest and coldest month of the year. According to the forecast we will reach the 60’s potentially twice over the upcoming week. It’s just crazy!
Now I'm not complaining. Years ago I’d spend most of the winter on the ice rink. Even on days when school was closed or wind chills were sub zero you could find my friends and I playing hockey literally sunrise to sunset. The weather has certainly changed a lot since the mid 80’s and 90’s. I guess everything has changed a lot. Mostly all of that just means I've gotten older I guess. Maybe a little wiser. Many of the things I used to hear my dad say I now catch myself saying. It’s funny how that works! Are the times actually changing as much as we think they are or is it all just really a condition of our psyche as we gracefully age and move forward in our lives? It’s a good question to ponder. Maybe we’ll take a deeper dive into that in another blog. For now I’m going to sit back and enjoy some of this sunshine.
COMIC BOOK REVIEWS
“This week I had a chance to read Red Goblin #1, Where Monsters Lie #1, The Finder #1 and DIG: A SINK Tale”
Red Goblin #1
Written by Alex Paknadel
Pencils by Jan Bazaldua
Rated T for Teen
Available now!
Marvel's newest Goblin on the block comes in the form of Norman Osborn’s grandson Normie and symbiote he’s been gifted by Eddie Brock's son, Dylan. Trying to change the public perception of his family, Normie struggles between doing right and wrong.
I really enjoyed this 1st issue! I loved the art, the idea surrounding this new type of goblin and the tightly woven story. Paknadel does a great job setting up the background and telling the story through the lens of Normie Osborne. It’s swiftly paced and the tension builds as it reaches the unveiling on the final page of the issue. Bazaldua’s pencils are in top form! The panels, especially the ones including the Goblin Underground are really terrifying and dark! The reveal of the Goblin King at the end of the issue was chilling! Just really great use of the combined art and story in this issue and the fact that Normie’s Goblin is symbiote based add’s a whole new dimension to this title and the goblin lore in general. This issue is definitely worth checking out. Looking forward to reading the next chapter.
Where Monsters Lie #1
Written by Kyle Starks
Pencils by Piotr Kowalski
Rated M for Mature
Available now!
What do Serial Killers do on their days off? That’s what Kyle Starks is here to explore in this new series at Dark Horse Comics. Even crazed lunatics need a little rest and relaxation in-between murder sprees. A place to unwind, rejuvenate and dream up their next big kill.
First off, I love Kyle Starks! What better writer to kick off a crazy and wacky series like this than him?? What sounds like a completely horror and gore based series is actually a dark comedy. That’s not to say though the book is without gore. There is plenty of that! It’s just not the focus. The book is basically set in a neighborhood or gated community that is a safe haven and rest stop for only serial killers. Here they recharge, wine, dine and live amongst each other. It’s their interactions with each other that lends the most fun. The book brings to light many of the everyday issues we all face but from the point of view of a murderer and more often than not in hilarious ways. It’s an original and fascinating take on the whole serial killer trope and it just could end up being one of the best books this year. It’s that much fun! I love Kowalski’s pencils as well. They are rough and gritty and offer an almost softer tone to this story helping to show that it’s not a book to be taken too seriously. It’s just a really interesting and funny concept! I can’t say that enough and I can’t wait to read the next issue!
The Finder #1
Written by Christos Gage
Pencils by Tomas Giorello
Rated M for Mature
Available now!
The Finder is a new one shot from the minds of Bad Idea telling the tale of Superheroes who have been taken and experimented on by a mad scientist and the only person who is able to track them down. The Finder is tasked to recover and find these supes before the mad scientist’s grand and diabolical scheme is hatched. Is that the full story though?
This was a gritty, fun and action packed story! I only wish there was more of it. It has it all. Gore, humor, action, horror and of course a larger than life social commentary. The writer Gage quickly sets the tone and pacing of this one shot and carries it right through the final pages. There’s an interesting plot twist somewhere in the middle and it’s enough that it almost changes the story and how you feel about the characters completely. That is not easy to do! The art is also perfectly placed and fills the panels with all the details you need so that the story almost blends right into the background. There is always a common thread with Bad Idea when reading these books. I always find myself wanting more. While this particular is self-contained being a one shot, there is clearly a lot of story left to be told here. It wraps well enough to end where it does but even a prequel story would go a long way toward filling in some of the character’s backgrounds here. Ultimately it’s a fun read and I enjoyed it immensely.
DIG: A Sink Tale!
Written by John Lees
Pencils by Alex Cormack
Rated M for Mature
Available now!
Funded on Kickstarter. A new 64 page one shot spinning out of the critically acclaimed horror crime series SINK. Mr. Dig is back and there are bigger things at stake this time around as he tries to protect his family and the community from a new threat.
To start with, this book is great value at $7.99 for 64 pages. It’s also a great jumping on point for new readers before the next volume starts up and based on this issue, the next chapter is going to be great! This one shot was a bloody good read! It’s full of tension and mayhem and it just doesn’t let up until the end. Comix Tribe packed a lot into this story! If you are not familiar with the first volume of Sink and are into pulp crime style thrillers this might be right up your alley. Especially since this particular issue focuses mostly on the vigilante Mr. Dig who is a big part of the main series. Violence can be Necessary. Mr. Dig will show you the way! The art is sharp and detailed too! In some panels the violence seems to jump right off the page. It pulls you right into the story and it’s a perfect match for Lees writing. I definitely recommend picking this up and you can always order volume 1 as well if you want to read more.
MOVIE RECOMMENDATION OF THE WEEK
Ant Man & The Wasp QUANTUMANIA
Distributed by Marvel Studios
Directed by Peyton Reed
Rated PG 13
In Theaters on February 17thFor all you MCU fans Marvel Studios' Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania will kick off Phase 5 of the MCU this coming Friday the 17th and so far it sounds like it will be a pretty wild and trippy movie with some saying it’s the Marvel equivalent of Star Wars and others saying Kang as the newest big villain to enter the MCU is perfect and will herald in fresh excitement and the renewal Marvel has has needed since Endgame. I hope to catch it in theaters this weekend so look for my thoughts next week. Do you plan to see it?
That’s all she wrote for this week! As always, we’d love to hear from you. Drop us your thoughts, comments, questions or whatever else is on your mind. Oh, and if you haven’t been into POP ROC recently what are you waiting for??
Until the next time…….
Corey Newell
“Just a guy who loves comics and stuff”
⁃ Independent blogger, dad, dork, comic nerd and pop culture lover hailing from Spencerport, NY