New Comic Book Reviews 9/4/24: Star Wars The Acolyte, Exceptional X-Men, Plastic Man No More & Minor Arcana!
New Comics Reviews for Wednesday 9/4/24
We may have needed some time off from recording, but reviews wait for no Nerd! Here are our new comic book reviews from the week of Wednesday 9/4, featuring Plastic Man No More!, Exceptional X-Men, Minor Arcana, and Star Wars The Acolyte. Enjoy!
Joe’s Reviews:
Cover by Alex Lins & Marcelo Maiolo
Plastic Man No More! #1
DC Comics/Black Label
Written by Christopher Cantwell
Art by Alex Lins and Jacob Edgar
Colors by Marcelo Maiolo
Letters by Becca Carey
32 pages for $4.99
Solicit: HARD BOILED PLASTIC MAN NOIR FROM FROM EISNER-NOMINATED WRITER CHRISTOPHER CANTWELL AND ARTIST ALEX LINS! Eel O’Brian might be a superhero now–but before he was anything else, he was a crook. Until the accident that turned him into the pliable Plastic Man, Eel was bad to the bone…and just because he no longer has bones doesn’t mean that’s not still true. When an incident on a Justice League mission leads to catastrophic cellular damage, Plastic Man discovers he just might be out of time to make amends for the past he’s tried hard to outrun–or to save the soul of his son, who (unfortunately for him) might have inherited more from dear old Dad than just his superpowers… The Eisner-nominated creative team of Christopher Cantwell (Briar, Doctor Doom, Halt and Catch Fire) and Alex Lins (Monarch) brings you the five words you thought you’d never read: hard-boiled Plastic Man noir! And hey, if we’re crazy enough to greenlight that concept, you won’t believe the things we’re crazy enough to do in this book…
Review: Plastic Man No More! #1 perfectly straddles the line between comedy and tragedy. It’s presence in the Black Label imprint might make it seem like a low (or NO) stakes affair, but Cantwell’s excellent script delivers a strong solo story that carries serious weight for Plas. Alex Lins’s apprpriately…GOOEY artwork is a perfect fit, and the slick, animated Timmverse-esque JLA pages provide a great contrast to Eel’s messy world.
Rating: BUY IT.
Cover by Carmen Carnero
Exceptional X-Men #1
Marvel Comics
Written by Eve L. Ewing
Art by Carmen Carnero
Colors by Nolan Woodard
Letters by VC’s Joe Sabin
Solicit: KATE PRYDE LEADS A TEAM OF ALL-NEW X-MEN! After the fall of Krakoa, Kate Pryde is trying to get as far away from all things X as she possibly can. She’s just a regular-degular bartender now. Definitely NOT getting ready to head up an ALL-NEW TEAM of wayward young mutants while avoiding the watchful gaze of Emma Frost. Nothing in this title but work, dating and staving off depression. That’s it. No never-before-seen EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN to see here!
Review: Of the three “flagship” titles of the From the Ashes relaunch, Exceptional X-Men was the one I was least excited about sort of by default. After all, Uncanny and X-Men were the big superteam books with the big name creators, and this was just going to be a rehash of New Mutants wasn’t it? I’m happy to report that the first issue is truly excellent and provides a fresh start for two fan-favorite characters. Eve Ewing takes her time here, spending the entire issue introducing our first new student Trista and giving us plenty to care about in the process. There are some interesting fourth wall-breaking moments that I wasn’t expecting but totally worked for me. Carmen Carnero’s art is as exceptional as the book’s title demands; full of personality and emotion.
Rating: BUY IT.
Matt’s Reviews:
Cover by Jeff Lemire
Minor Arcana #1
BOOM! Studios
Story and art by Jeff Lemire
Letters by Steve Wands
40 pages, $4.99
Solict: Theresa, the daughter of a small-town “psychic” fraud, returns home to care for her ailing mother, however begrudgingly. But when Theresa discovers that there may be more to the magic than she originally believed, she’ll find herself caught up in a town that desperately needs her help… One of the most renowned creators in comics, New York Times bestselling and award-winning writer and artist Jeff Lemire (Descender, Black Hammer) arrives at BOOM! Studios with an extra-length opening chapter of a must-read ongoing series inspired by, and intricately linked to, the tarot and perfect for fans of his creator-owned work as well as Helen of Wyndhorn and Locke & Key.
Review: Jeff Lemire’s art can be an acquired taste but he’s at his best when writing and drawing his subtle and odd stories. Minor Arcana leads off with some excellent character-building that follows the main character back to the small town where she grew up and a rocky relationship with her tarot-reading fortune-teller mother. The comic promises symbols and hints for those who know tarot and even though I don’t, there was still enough setup and excellent dialogue to bring me back for more. Lemire isn’t revealing where the story is going yet, but his amazing art style and storytelling set up a great first issue for another quirky series from one of my favorite creators.
Rating: BUY IT
Cover by Phil Noto
Star Wars: The Acolyte – Kelnacca #1
Marvel Comics
Written by Cavan Scott
Art by Marika Cresta
Colors by Jim Campbell
Letters by Ariana Maher
Cover by Phil Noto
32 pages for $4.99
Solict: KELNACCA FROM THE HIT DISNEY+ SERIES DEBUTS! CAVAN SCOTT and MARIKA CRESTA bring the action as Wookiee Jedi Kelnacca steps into the pages of his own issue! Delve deep into the history of Kelnacca and the world of the High Republic in this bombastic one-shot! Includes an exclusive interview with Kelnacca actor Joonas Suotamo.
Review: Cavan Scott fills in some history on one of the most interesting characters from the Acolyte through the memories of the Jedi Wookie Kalnacca’s ex-Padawan. Scott’s story lends real gravitas to the mainly silent Kalnacca and gives readers the Wookie-Jedi action they didn’t get in the Acolyte show, with help from the very talented Marika Cresta’s art. For those sad to see the show canceled, this first issue does a great job fleshing out one of the Acolyte’s most interesting characters that didn’t get enough screen time or story.
Rating: BUY IT
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