Invinvible Iron Man, Volume 1 Review

Invincible Iron Man, Volume 1: Reboot. Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez. 2016. Marvel. 136 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Iron Man is back. We get to see a range from him. Toward the beginning of this volume he is struggling with his position as a hero and a businessman. His life has been stagnant and he needs to find something to make it new again. By the end of the volume he has regained his old confidence. Bendis does a great job with Tony Stark and transitioning through different stages.

I've only read a few Iron Man books before, but this one felt different. It has to do with the mystical elements wrapped into the story. This is a different side to Iron Man and his place in the Marvel universe. It brings out some old villains and allies too. Bendis develops the relationships between these characters and Tony Stark wonderfully. This is one of the things that he does extremely well.

The artwork is great. The characters are expressive and detailed. I'm not a huge fan of the art on Iron Man's new suit though. It seems too slick, which isn't out of character. It's just now my preferred style. While the book isn't particularly serious, the creators do manage to make it fun and bring in humor at just the right times. I'm not up to speed with what has been happening in the Marvel universe, so there may be elements that I missed out on. Regardless Reboot is a fun entry into what is going on with Iron Man currently.

Habitat Review

Habitat. Roy Simon. 2016. Image Comics. 96 pages.

Rating: 4/5

My favorite part of this book has to be the art. The Meso-American setting combined with sci-fi elements is fantastic. It's sort of like reading a futuristic story about the Mayans. The illustrations of the people leave a little to be desired though. They feel more like sketches than completed images. The style makes them stand out from the rest of the art, but it wasn't too distracting.

Although there some questions that aren't addressed, I enjoyed the story quite a bit. I kept wanting to see what would happen next. The setting helped make it compelling. This is a bit different than other comics out there, and it's worth picking up for that reason alone.

Fathom: Blue Review

Fathom: Blue. Vince Hernandez, Claudio Avella, Mark Roslan, Erick Arciniega, and Josh Reed. 2017. Aspen MLT. 176 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Maybe I'm being a bit generous with my rating on this one, but it is probably the best book I've read so far from Aspen. It shares some of the faults I've noticed with their other books, but not to the same extent.

Anyway, this book is about a group of super powered people working for the U.S. government. They are from a race of people living in the planet's oceans known as the Blue. They've been recruited to both stop other Blue from harming humanity and work toward creating peace between the two races. It starts off a bit clichéd and the characters take some time to truly become distinct. The story builds in a good way and while the book ends on a cliffhanger, it left some promise for this series to develop  really well.

As mentioned, the characters were one of the issues I had with the book. They start off somewhat flat, but they develop personality as it goes on. Some of the tropes that are used in the beginning help bolster them rather than drag them down. For the most part I enjoyed the art. One thing Aspen tends to do is throw full page pinups of their female characters in skimpy outfits into the story at some point. Blue did not suffer from that problem nearly as much as their other books.

This is a slow building story, or at least it was for me. Part of that might be due to the writing/characters in the early portion of the book. It picks up steam though and definitely left me feeling like there is potential behind this story.

February 2017 Comic Bento Box Review

The theme for the February 2017 Comic Bento box is "builders". These books feature some interesting ideas and worlds from a variety of comic creators. They showcase the range that comics can take. This box holds some cool looking books.

First up is Habitat by Simon Roy. As an original world, this book explores some intriguing ideas. From the art I can tell this mixes an ancient looking civilization akin to the Mayans with sci-fi/technology. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out as the protagonist finds the world he though he knew crumbling around him.

Next is 4001 A.D. (Matt Kindt and Clayton Crain; Valiant Entertainment). I've read this one before, but I am looking forward to coming back to it again at some point. I will probably read the other books featuring Rai before I pick this one up. The book is set roughly 2,000 years in the future in the Valiant universe. Similar to what I picked up from Habitat, the story revolves around a significant change in the status quo. Rooting for the underdog is encouraged with this book. I loved it for the art, which takes on an anime style with a color palette trending toward purples and blues. There are some great splash pages that showcase the ideas behind this book.

The book I am most looking forward to from this box is Wild Cards: Hard Call (George R.R. Martin, Dan Abraham, and Eric Battle; Dynamite). I love this series. This is the first comic adaptation I've read from it, but the premise behind the books is great. An alien virus is introduced to Earth that transforms people in strange ways, essentially creating superheroes. This book is set roughly 60 years after the first book. It features a murder and a resurgence of the alien virus. The version shipped with the Comic Bento box is a hardcover, which is excellent quality. The art looks fantastic too.

Last up is Invincible Iron Man: Reboot (Brian Michael Bendis, David Marquez, and Mike Deodato; Marvel). Brian Michael Bendis has written some great books in the Marvel universe, so I am excited to see his take on Iron Man. As the title indicates, this is a fresh look at the character. It doesn't start from the beginning though. I like the art from my initial flip through the book. It appears that Tony Stark is suffering a bit, but it's nothing he can't overcome.

Spider-Man Blue Review

Spider-Man: Blue. Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. 2011. Marvel. 168 pages.

Rating: 5/5

This is the second time I've read Spider-Man Blue and it was better than the first. I think I was a little less critical about some elements, particularly the villains. The art is reminiscent of older comic styles, which doesn't always appeal to me. It worked pretty well in this context.

The book is basically a retelling of how Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy fell in love. I love the way the story is told. Peter Parker is recording the story of how he and Gwen met, but he is speaking directly to her. This is done years afterward, so there is a tinge of nostalgia that feels appropriate. There are points where he rewinds, records something multiple times, or just doesn't know what to say. Those elements make it feel more natural.

This book introduces a lot of classic Spider-Man characters without being overwhelming. It feels like it was created to help bring on new readers. It sets things up for further reading really well. Even though it doesn't tell the whole story, it is a powerful book. Peter Parker's life is full of tragedies, but the loss of Gwen might be the biggest one of all.

Code Red, Volume 1 Review

Grimm Fairy Tales Presents: Code Red, Volume 1. Patrick Shand and Vincenzo Riccardi. 2014. Zenescope. 160 pages.

Rating: 3/5

I like the blending of the fairy tale elements within a modern setting. The characters are contemporary individuals who have taken on the role of fairy tale heroes, known as Realm Knights. Agent Red is based on Little Red Riding Hood and works for the US government. I like the wolf based elements that surround her throughout the story.

But the story didn't thrill me. Agent Red is after a powerful artifact that could destroy the world, yet that part of the story held no interest for me. The villains and that part of the plot almost seemed like filler. The information about Red's past and the appearance of Robyn Hood are much more appealing. Their interactions and personal histories are the strongest parts of this book by far. That is where they shine because they are relatable and fantastic.

I'm a little split on the art. Most of it is decent, although there are some cheesecake moments, i.e. scantily dressed women in odd poses. In a book featuring strong female characters, it seems kind of backward to include art like that.

Agent Red piqued my interest in the Realm Knights stories. Given an opportunity, I would check out some of the earlier books in this setting. This book doesn't feel like the best place to jump into it. An action packed, fast paced book that represents the setting well.

Comic Bento January 2017: Red and Blue

Comic Bento is a blind subscription box service that provides four or five graphic novels each month. Each monthly box is tied together as part of a theme. The theme for the January 2017 box is Red and Blue. There are two "red" books and two "blue" books. Each book relates to its color through an association that people generally have with that color.

Code Red (Joe Brusha, Vincenzo Riccardi, and Ricardo Osnaya; 2014; Zenescope) is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. You know, if she was a secret agent working for the U.S. government to stop an evil queen and her army from taking over the world. I like the concept of this book. It's always fun to see when creators take something familiar and put a twist on it. For the most part the art looks good. The colors bring a lot to the table though.

Fathom: Blue (Vince Hernandez and Claudio Avella; 2017; Aspen) features a group of characters known as Blue that come from the oceans. They are being hunted by a member of the U.S. Navy. I think I will have to read this one to get a better idea of what is going on. Comic Bento subscribers received an exclusive variant cover, which Aspen likes to do. The interior art feels a bit amateurish. Hopefully that doesn't detract from the enjoyment of this book.

The next two books I've read before. Legends of Red Sonja (Gail Simone, Jack Jadson, and various; 2014; Dynamite) is a nice collection of stories featuring the legendary character. There are some great creators that got involved with this project, and they are able to showcase the wide range of stories Sonja can inhabit. The art covers a wide range too. Everyone should be able to find something to like in this book.

Last up is Spider-Man: Blue (Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale; 2011; Marvel). It tells the story of Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy and how they fell in love. I read this one a long time ago and I'm excited to revisit the story. The art style isn't as crisp as I'm used to, but it seems to fit the story of the book well.

The February 2017 box will be about Builders.

Mighty Avengers, Vol. 1 Review

The Mighty Avengers, Volume 1: The Ultron Initiative. Brian Michael Bendis and Frank Cho. 2008. Marvel. 168 pages.

Rating: 3/5

This has to be close to the epitome of an Avengers book. It features some extremely powerful characters going up against one of the biggest bad guys in Avengers history. The formation of the team is one of the highlights of the book in my opinion. I don't know enough about some of the characters (Wonderman and Sentry specifically) to get too excited about it.

The writing on this book is great. Even though there are characters I was unfamiliar with, by the end of the book I felt like I had a decent understanding of them. This story gave me a much greater appreciation for the character Ares because it shows him as more than just a dumb brute. Ultron is used effectively both in how he (she?) comes back and what the Avengers ultimately do to defeat him. There is plenty of action, but it isn't all fighting. My biggest complaint about the writing are the completely random thought bubbles. Eventually they just became amusing. Early on they slowed down the pace of the book and kept me from getting into the story.

The art is a mixed bag. I don't think I've read an entire book drawn by Frank Cho before. There are times when the art is fantastic. At other times I just can't figure out how a character ended up being drawn a particular way. There are images that seem awkward because they don't match up to expectations based on the rest of the book and how bodies should look. I don't know if this is typical for Cho or not, but it was another instance where I was pulled out of the story.

Overall, it is a nice team book. There are a couple twists on the standard superhero stories that make it worth checking out.

Kaijumax Season One Review

Kaijumax, Season One. Zander Cannon. 2016. Oni Press. 168 pages.

Rating: 4/5

I expected not to like this book. The idea is extremely silly. It features a maximum security prison designed to hold giant monsters akin to Godzilla. There are cliques, schemes, corrupt guards, and romance.

To be honest, it took me a while to differentiate between the various monsters. The early potion of the book jumps around a bit. Once it gains some more focus, the story starts to shine. It can be ridiculous at times, which is fine given the subject matter. I think it is easier to set aside some of the strange events because of the subject of the book. Yet, it addresses some real issues with prisons at the same time.

That is one of the strengths of the book. It gives the reader much more than they would expect going in. Yes there are some clichés that pop up. Cannon seems to include those more as homages to the things he loves more than anything else.

The art left me with mixed feelings. The styling is more like manga or anime. It fits the theme appropriately, but it didn't do a whole lot for me. I loved the color work though. It is flashy and bright in contrast to the dark events of the story.

This book is so far afield from what I would normally read and it's great. Definitely recommended for anyone that likes Godzilla (or other monsters), science fiction, or prison stories a la Orange is the New Black.

Rabbids #1 Review

Rabbids #1: Bwaaaaaaaaah! Thitaume and Romain Pujol. 2014. Papercutz. 64 pages.

Rating: 3/5

So I'm not really familiar with the Rabbids franchise, but this book was pretty amusing. The characters are not very intelligent rabbits that get into some strange situations. I think it worked in this context because each one is fairly short. Most are a page, with some being two pages in length. There is some range to the humor, so it's not hitting the same note throughout the book. This made it much more enjoyable than similar books I've read.

The art is quite good too. There is some simplicity to it because the characters are basically identical and the style is cartoonish. But the diversity of scenes allows the artist to inject some creativity into the art too. There is a nice balance to the book. Younger readers should love it and adults can find something to like too.

Smite: The Pantheon War Review

Smite: The Pantheon War. Jack Banish and John Jackson Miller. 2017. Dark Horse Books. 88 pages.

Rating: 4/5

For being a video game tie-in, this book is actually pretty good. There is a nice mix of gods from various cultures. It is focused mainly on Greek/Roman and Norse gods, but there are some Egyptian and Far East gods as well. Many of the characters should be familiar to readers interested in mythology.

There is a plot to kill Zeus and start a war between the various gods. The tension is set when one god attempts to take the followers of another. I would have liked to see this aspect expanded a little more, which a longer book would have allowed. The last portion of the book is the only part that feels directly tied to a game. It is fairly short and can easily be skipped without affecting the rest of the story.

I really enjoyed the art. There may be some inconsistencies, but it is eye catching and ties in well to the overall tone. I particularly enjoyed some of the more monstrous looking characters. All in all this is a fun read featuring the ancient gods.

Comic Bento December 2016: Mighty

Comic Bento is a blind subscription box service that provides four or five graphic novels each month. Each monthly box is tied together as part of a theme. The theme for the December 2016 box is Mighty. It is also a publisher spotlight on Marvel. This makes sense considering Marvel is the number one comics publisher and has expanded into other forms of media.

The Mighty Avengers: The Ultron Initiative (Brian Michael Bendis and Frank Cho; 2008; Marvel) is the perfect book to lead into this box. Iron Man hand picks an Avengers team, which ends up facing off against one of the iconic Marvel villains, Ultron. These are some of the top characters from the biggest publisher. This should not disappoint.

X-O Manowar: By the Sword (Robert Venditti and Cary Nord; 2012; Valiant Entertainment) is an excellent choice. This is the series that Valiant chose to launch the reboot of their universe back in 2012. The main character has drawn some comparisons to Iron Man, which isn't a bad thing. X-O is an ancient warrior that has been displaced in time with the strongest weapon Earth has seen. Check out my review here. I'm excited to see this book included in the Mighty box, but I already own a copy. My first duplicate book from Comic Bento in a year's worth of boxes isn't bad though.

Smite: The Pantheon War (Jack Banish, John Jackson Miller, and Eduardo Francisco; 2017; Dark Horse Comics) is one that I'm not familiar with. I guess it's connected to a video game franchise. That doesn't really matter though. The art is awesome. If the story is half as good, then this will be a lot of fun to read. The gods are at war, so who knows what will happen.

Last up is The Unbelievable Gwenpool, Vol. 1: Believe It (Christopher Hastings, Danillo Beyruth, and Gurihiru; 2016; Marvel). This is the second book from Marvel for the publisher spotlight. I'm not sure what kicked off the idea to use Gwen Stacy as variants of familiar characters (see Spider-Gwen), but this book looks so ridiculous that I can only imagine it will be lots of fun. The art is more cartoonish than I typically like, yet it seems to fit the concept perfectly. This book goes to show that  Marvel is willing to go out on a limb with their characters. Their willingness to be inventive and innovative is part of what keeps Marvel on top.

Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris, Volume 1 Review

Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris, Volume 1: Colossus of Mars. Arvid Nelson and Carlos Rafael. 2011. Dynamite Entertainment. 128 pages.

Rating: 3/5

Colossus of Mars is part of Edgar Rice Burroughs' science fiction setting. This side story looks at the history of Barsoom (Mars) following Dejah Thoris. The setting is pretty rich since it is able to pull from Burroughs' existing work.

I like the story quite a bit. Dejah Thoris is engaged to be married to the son of a rival tribe to create an alliance. The rivalry between the tribes isn't delved into much. It does provide a good backdrop for the events of the book. The secondary part of the story involves one of the tribe leaders resurrecting a colossus, which is an ancient artifact from the earliest days of Mars. He uses this construction to attack his enemies.

There is a lot of action in the book. It moves along really well. Dejah Thoris develops into a fairly strong character. The art is good, but there is a lot of skin shown throughout the book. It is pretty even between the sexes, although it seems to objectify Dejah Thoris a bit. This is based again on the works of Burroughs, so it isn't contained to this work. The visual aspect just makes some of these things more apparent.

It's worth checking out for a view into the setting.

Thrud the Barbarian Review

Thrud the Barbarian. Carl Critchlow. 2013. Titan Comics. 110 pages.

Rating: 3/5

Here's what you need to know: Thrud has a small head, he likes beer, and his approach to every situation is to smash things. The book has a rather silly premise. Every one of the stories could stand alone. I think they work pretty well together.

I'll start by saying that the art is the highlight of this series. Aside from some glaring anatomical disparities, it is fantastic. The style reminds me of Mike Mignola's art, but this originally came out about 10 years earlier. It's worth checking out for the art alone.

The stories are pretty simple. Thrud is trying to enjoy some beer and either someone spills it or he runs out. Whatever the case may be, he is motivated to fight the person who spilled his beer or go on an adventure to obtain more beer. The tales go through a range of locations and enemies for Thrud to fight. They just aren't different enough from each other for my taste.

I received this as part of the November 2016 Comic Bento box.

Champions: No Time For Losers Review

The Champions: No Time For Losers. Tony Isabella, Bill Mantlo, Don Heck, George Tuska, John Byrne, and Gil Kane. 2016. Marvel. 99 pages.

Rating: 2/5

The Champions is a superhero group set in the Marvel universe led by Black Widow. The other members of the team are Hercules, Angel, Iceman, and Ghost Rider. It's an odd mix of characters, but they actually work well together.

There are two story arcs in this book. The story arcs are about as ridiculous as the team itself. In the first arc, Pluto, the god of the underworld, attacks the UCLA campus in an attempt to capture Hercules and Venus, the goddess of love. His plan is to force them to marry his allies and use that as leverage to be able to take over Olympus. The second arc features a villain known as the Swarm, a former Nazi that now has control over killer bees. That should give you an idea of what to expect.

The stories actually aren't that bad. They are put together pretty well. As odd as it seems that these particular characters come together, there are reasons for each of them to be in the area when the attacks occur. Where the book falls short for me is in the style of the book. These stories were originally published in the 1970s, and it shows. There is too much repetition as the characters recap what happened in the previous issues. I understand why it was done that way, but it breaks me out of the story and makes the whole experience less enjoyable.

The art is decent. It is dated a bit, much like some of the writing elements used. There are only a couple times where it struck me as being really good. The book is somewhat progressive by putting Black Widow in the lead role on the team. It's an interesting time capsule of Marvel comics, but nothing too exciting.

I received this book as part of the November 2016 box from Comic Bento.

Hulk: Season One Review

Hulk: Season One. Fred Van Lente and Tom Fowler. 2012. Marvel. 136 pages.

Rating: 4/5

I'm quickly becoming a fan of Fred Van Lente. Everything I've read from him has been very enjoyable. His writing on the Hulk took a character I wasn't much interested in and made him sympathetic.

Hulk: Season One retells the origin of how Bruce Banner became the Hulk. The story takes place in and around a military installation known as Gamma Base. Bruce is here developing a weapon to rival the nuclear bomb and ends up getting caught in the blast. This triggers his transformations into the Hulk, which he tries to hide while simultaneously attempting to figure out what is causing them. Having never read a Hulk comic before, this felt like a great starting point.

There are some characters included that Hulk fans should recognize. These allow for some interesting relationships to develop, both friendships and rivalries. That is probably part of why I found this book so likeable. The characters felt developed enough to understand the interactions between them without having tons of history on them. It also delves into Bruce's background a bit, giving clues as to why he acts the way he does and showing a reason for the Hulk to exist.

The art is cartoonish, which works nicely for the story. It isn't overly serious and the art style complements it. For those that like something a little different, this book includes the first issue of Jason Aaron's Hulk series. The art on that one is superb, and I like the take on the character.

This book leaves a few things unexplained within the story presented. Familiarity with the Marvel universe will allow the reader to fill in the blanks, and those elements aren't things that will ruin the story for a new reader.

Thanks to Comic Bento for including this in the November 2016 box!

Comic Bento November 2016: Remember the Titans

Comic Bento is a blind subscription box service that provides four or five graphic novels each month. Each monthly box is tied together as part of a theme. The theme for the November 2016 box is Remember the Titans. These books feature characters that are larger than life.

The first book this month is Hulk: Season One (Fred van Lente and Tom Fowler; 2012; Marvel). The Hulk is the perfect character to include in this box because he is such a brute. I don't think I've read a Hulk book yet, so this is perfect for me. Plus, Fred van Lente is writing it. I've read a couple of his other books and they were great. I'm excited to see what he will do with the character. The art looks good, although it is more cartoony than I have come to expect from more recent Marvel products. It seems to fit the character well. There is a sample at the end of the book from another Hulk series that has more realistic art, which looks awesome.

Next up is Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris, Volume 1: Colossus of Mars (Arvid Nelson and Carlos Rafael; 2011; Dynamite Entertainment). If you haven't already, go read A Princess of Mars. This book is based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' series set on Mars. It follows the character Dejah Thoris hundreds of years before she meets John Carter. One thing that I can say about the art is that there is a ton of skin. I'm not sure how this will affect my reading of the book, but I am interested in delving back into this fantastic world.

The third book featured in this box is Thrud the Barbarian (Carl Critchlow; 2013; Titan Comics). Thrud is big of muscle and tiny of head. He'd rather fight his way out of a situation than have to think at all. The book made me think of Conan right away, and it appears to be a parody of the famous character. Comic Bento has done a great job of picking out some pretty humorous books. I hope this follows that trend. Plus, the art looks fantastic.

Fourth, we have Kaijumax Season One (Zander Cannon; 2016; Oni Press). So this book is about a prison for giant monsters like the ones that Godzilla faces off against. I don't think anything else needs to be said about the story. The art is really different on this one, but it seems to fit the story perfectly.

Finally, there is The Champions: No Time for Losers (Tony Isabella and Bill Mantlo; 2016; Marvel). That's right, there are five books for November. This one features Hercules, along with some friends, battling some pretty big opponents. This book collects some classic issues from back in the 70s. I can definitely tell that these are some older comics just flipping through the book, but hey it should be fun to read nonetheless. My only real quibble with this one is that it isn't bound like a normal trade, but is styled after the floppy books.

Valiant Masters: Shadowman Review

Valiant Masters: Shadowman, Volume 1: Spirits Within. Jim Shooter, Steve Englehart, Faye Perozich, David Lapham, Don Perlin, Mark Moretti, Bob Hall, Steve Ditko, and Jose Delbo. 2013. Valiant Entertainment. 184 pages.

Rating: 5/5

This book collects some Shadowman comics from the early 90's. The art shows its age, mostly because it is not as polished as current comics. That didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book though.

Jack Boniface is a jazz musician in New Orleans. After a strange one night stand, he begins to develop powers that are stronger at night, which he uses to fight crime. How Jack adapts to his powers and the characters around him make this stronger than the average superhero story. Of note are Jack's housekeeper Nettie, Elya, and Master Darque.

There are supernatural elements to this story, beginning with Jack's transformation. Voodoo is a big component as well. I love that the creators tied in voodoo and other New Orleans elements because it gives it some more authenticity to the book. The magic isn't as prevalent early on, but becomes a big part with the introduction of Master Darque and the origins of Shadowman.

The story detours away from New Orleans for a couple issues in the middle to tie into a crossover event called Unity. These weren't bad though. I felt like I got enough information on the event to enjoy these issues while still remaining focused on Shadowman. It introduces an important character and sets up some future plotlines. The zero issue does a nice job of tying some things together. All in all Shadowman was a fun read.

Thanks to Comic Bento for including this in the October 2016 box.

Doctor Strange: The Flight of Bones Review

Doctor Strange: The Flight of Bones. Tony Harris, Daniel Jolley, Ray Snyder, Kieron Gillen, Paul Chadwick, Frazer Irving, Frank Brunner, and Ted McKeever. 1999. Marvel. 192 pages.

Rating: 3/5

I've read a couple of other Doctor Strange books recently. This one came along as part of the October 2016 Comic Bento box. It's a good collection of stories centered around the character, but it didn't feel as strong as the other books.

Doctor Strange is a sorcerer that investigates supernatural phenomena and protects the Marvel universe from magical threats. There is a decent introduction to the character explaining who he was, how he got his powers, and what he does now. This is spread out throughout the book so a new reader shouldn't feel overwhelmed with the information. And it feels like it is geared more as a collection to get new readers familiar with the character than a story meant for long time readers. There are a couple elements that I am familiar with due to the other Doctor Strange books I've read that I don't recall being explained in this book though.

As a collection it is pretty good. I definitely enjoyed it. There are a variety of stories and the art has quite a range. Both the stories and the art range from dark to almost neon levels of brightness. It has a little bit of something for anyone.

The Mask Strikes Back Review

The Mask Strikes Back. John Arcudi and Doug Mahnke. 1996. Dark Horse Books. 128 pages.

Rating: 5/5

If you aren't already aware, the Mask is off the walls bonkers. In this book, a group of teens find the mask and each one proceeds to take a turn wearing it. The cops and an old foe are hunting down the returned Big Head. Since he is able to change shape easily and shrugs off most damage, there isn't much that can phase him.

The tone of the book is mostly consistent even though there are four different personalities that need to contend with the mask. They all try to use it to achieve their dreams with varying results. I haven't read the other books in the series, but I have seen the movie. There are a couple points where I didn't know what the characters were referring to as a result. This is ok because I was able to get the gist of it and those moments weren't key to the story.

The creators clearly had a lot of fun with this book. The trading of the mask between the characters allows them to delve into four different aspects of Big Head without having to start over each time. A couple of these stand out a bit more to me because of the awesome art that came out of it. It can get cartoony at times, which works with this character. The colors are fantastic. Most of the time they make the illustrations pop off the page. This was such a fun book, although there isn't a lot of depth to it.

I received this book in the October 2016 Comic Bento box.