Black Widow, Volume 1 Review

Black Widow, Volume 1: The Finely Woven Thread. Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto. 2014. Marvel. 144 pages.

Rating: 4/5

For my first Black Widow story, I rather liked this one. It pulls her out of the super hero world and shifts it over to more of a spy one. She still works to do good, but it is less out in the open and she gets to be more selective about her work. There is a lot more action in this book than I was expecting though. For someone who works from the shadows, she gets into the thick of things quite a bit.

I feel like this book makes the character more approachable. She still has an edge of mystery around her. The creators just work subtly to show her as a more rounded person. Black Widow is actively trying to atone for actions from her past. There are a few appearances from other Marvel characters. I think this worked better that there wasn't a bigger presence by some of these other characters because it would have taken away from Natasha's story.

The art is good. There weren't any confusing images, which is always a plus. It can get a little over the top in the latter half of the book because of the characters involved. I enjoyed my first Black Widow book and will probably continue reading this series.

James Bond: Hammerhead Review

James Bond: Hammerhead. Andy Diggle and Luca Casalanguida. 2017. Dynamite. 120 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

You pretty much know what you are going to get when James Bond is involved. This book hits on all the classic elements of the series with at least one minor twist.

This book is surprisingly friendly to new readers. Not being too familiar with the franchise (I've only seen a couple Bond films myself), I was able to keep track of the different characters and what was happening in the plot. Speaking of plot, this one involves a weapons manufacturer that is being targeted by a terrorist organization, so there is violence. I think the creators do a nice job of keeping most of it off screen.

And the art is good. I particularly like the character details, but the landscapes are nice also. I can't say anything wowed me about the art. It is quality work though. Hammerhead provides an action packed story that is an excellent portrayal of James Bond.

Codename Baboushka Volume 1 Review

Codename Baboushka, Volume 1: The Conclave of Death. Antony Johnston, Simon Bowland, and Shari Chankhamma. 2016. Image Comics. 136 pages.

Rating: 3/5

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I previously read the first issue and enjoyed it a lot. The rest of the book follows a similar pattern to that first issue, but it left me feeling somewhat indifferent to the story as a whole.

The star of the book is a Russian countess that operated as the head of a crime organization. She fled to the U.S. After several years, she is contacted by a secret government agency that wants her to take on missions that their normal operatives cannot. Her choice is to comply or be deported. In this first mission, she needs to gain access to a closed meeting in which a well known weapons dealer is selling all of his networks, contacts, and merchandise to the highest bidder.

Baboushka herself is pretty cool. We see a few of the different tricks that she has employed over the years, and they are effective. As the plot goes on, we see why she earned her reputation. There is a bit of stereotyping with the characters though, and that put me off a bit. The creators freely admit that they use James Bond as an inspiration, and I feel like that shows through.

I would have liked for the book to get into the characters a bit more. Instead it felt more like a showcase of spy movie tropes. High marks for the character, but not so much for the plot. I am interested to see how things develop down the line.

Free Image Comic: Codename Baboushka #1

Codename Baboushka: The Conclave of Death #1. Antony Johnston and Shari Chankhamma. 2015. Image Comics. 33 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Codename Baboushka is about a Russian countess who fled to the United States for asylum. Now she is being blackmailed by a secret government agency to become a spy and assassin that will carry out missions that could hurt the government's reputation.

The first chapter is a great introduction to the character and the series. There is the implication that she has a criminal background and we get to see her in action pretty quickly. Her skills and resourcefulness are impressive. It shows her recruitment and first mission, which makes the story feel well put together. The only downside is that there wasn't enough background info on the contessa, but that happens with such a limited format. I hope to see that expanded in later chapters.

A digital copy of the first issue is available for free from Image and Comixology until 4/27/2016. I recommend listening to this podcast with Antony Johnston related to the series.