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Edgeworld #7 – Sci-Fi Western Ramps up Drama

NI Staff
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Edgeworld #7 – Sci-Fi Western Ramps up Drama

Welcome to an all new edition of Parlay points, the comic book review blog for the ODPH podcast by way of the Nerd Initiative!

For this entry, we’re checking out the latest installment of a sci-fi western series which just returned to Comixology Originals for its’ second arc. Vol. 1 is currently out in print form via Dark Horse Comics with an animated series currently in development from Amazon Studios, so the expectations of EDGEWORLD’s second arc have been extremely high. Edgeworld #7 by Chuck Austen, Patrick Olliffe, Lee Loughridge, and Jodi Wynne picks up where the dysfunctional relationship between two characters explodes to a dire situation. Let’s not waste another second and jump right into this chapter, shall we?

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

Edgeworld centers around Killian Jess, a magistrate on the planet Pala. Jess is also a former solider for the United Authority and is now the “guardian/parent” of Cheela. Their relationship is the definition of “complicated” as to how Cheela became under the supervision of Jess. Last issue saw the pair in a tight situation on a stage coach which spilled over to the Moonlight, an establishment ran by an ally: Shay. The person responsible was a slaver who was trying to move some aliens against their will. The resolution was Shay shooting the trader’s face off. The moment was photographed and became part of a bigger mystery yet to be solved in the future.

However for this issue, it starts off with a literal BANG! Jess has been shot in the right arm. The shooter is….CHEELA?! From here, readers witness Jess fading in and out of consciousness. Flasback sequences of happier times are displayed as Jess is reliving a moment with Mia Sashessa presenting her (and her daughter Callista) with necklaces followed by a marriage proposal. It’s counter balanced with a moment from his time in the United Authority. All the while, Shay, Doc and Jasper are doing what they can to keep Jess alive. When Doc starts asking Cheela what happened, the conversation shifts back to present day and how Jess was mentioning how sentimental those necklaces were and why they weren’t buried with Sashessa and Callista.

At this stage, readers witness Jess walking away from Cheela after a fight about the necklaces. With anger flowing through her, Cheela vents how mad she was at Jess’s actions. Doc gives some clarity to who Jess acted in such a manner and how it might not have had anything to do with her, but with his past. What secrets are unveiled about Jess and his time in service? How does this play out to the situation now? Readers will get some answers to these questions with more raised as a new threat arrives which makes an immediate impact on the final page! In a short amount of time, Jess and company look to be facing a challenge none of which are ready for.

Austen hits the ground running with the tension this issue. From the opening event, the mystery behind it was a great journey to ride shotgun with (and it’s not as one and done as some might think). Seeing Cheela recant the events leading to the shooting was telling as it showed how unbalanced her relationship is to Jess. Granted, as I feel we will see next issue, her anger might not have been enough to cause the attack. As for the victim here, Jess’s story was fleshed out with great insight to his time with the United Authority. Seeing what he has gone through with them played a big factor into what lead him into the events following. Austen paints an interesting thought onto Jess’s character that readers can make a connection with. The final moments of the book are structured well to give the latest threat a big impression without full disclosure of what’s the endgame.

Olliffe presents some fantastic images to see the story unfolding within these pages. The facial expressions of both Jess and Cheela with the opening event were telling of how intense the action was. Cheela’s reaction to the shooting was telling as it felt as she even didn’t believe she was behind the shooting. With her reaction of shock, it alludes to more going on here than readers see right now. The flashback sequences of Jess fading in and out of life helped present the layers of his character. The portion involving the United Authority will be the moment that hits readers the strongest. the new threat is amde known through very simple panels that pack a huge punch. The final moments of the book capped off a great read, building towards what happens next.

FINAL POINT: Edgeworld #7 continues to ramp up the drama with the most unlikely father-daughter duo in comics. Austen, Olliffe and the team take readers on a ride with solid writing and art to set the tone for a dynamic tale. Make sure you check this out on NCBD for Comixology.

Hit me up on ODPH social media and let me know what you thought of Edgeworld #7. Also, if you want to see more Parlay Points reviews on the Nerd Initiative, make it known! Thanks to the team at the Nerd Initiative for allowing the post & thank YOU for reading!

Retroverse #3 – Turning Point for ComiXology Originals’ Series

NI Staff
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Retroverse #3 – Turning Point for ComiXology Originals’ Series

Welcome to an all new edition of Parlay Points, the comic book review blog to the ODPH Podcast stopping by the Nerd Initiative!

For this entry, we’re jumping back into a very unique story coming out on the Comixology Originals line. If you’re a long-time reader of this blog, this next statement is going to sound very familiar. If you’re a new reader to Parlay Points (or checking this blog out via Nerd Initiative), the Comixology Originals line of books is one of the best on the comic market today.

New Comic Book Day also means hitting the digital shelves to see what’s new from this line, and if you’re a die-hard for physical copies, there are quite a few titles that are released in print form via Dark Horse Comics at a later date.

That said, one of the latest series on the CO line is a sci-fi horror epic that is really catching readers attention heading to the halfway point. RETROVERSE #3 by Cullen Bunn, John Bivens and Anna Peterson kicks off peeling back the layers of the mystery surrounding a teenager lost in time and losing hope quickly. Let’s check out what’s unfolding in this chapter, shall we?

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

The story of Retroverse centers around Kacy Martin, a 19-year old woman who wakes up after a long night of partying to find the world she knew has changed. A great deal of time has passed. Her boyfriend T.J. and best friend Krissy don’t recognize her. The home she knew is gone. Fear starts growing as Kacy returns to school where she’s attacked by some type of monster, and has now turned herself into a type of creature as well to fight back. Once the monster is dealt with, Kacy escapes to find Krissy, only to have an emotional bombshell dropped on her: Kacy died when she was six years old and has been dead for 13 years!

With more monsters coming, Kacy continues to fight in an unknown world. After briefly running into a strange figure with a cryptic message, another monster appears with some answers to what is going on here.

This issue opens up with Kacy and Krissy asking questions to the crab-esque creature. Unfortunately, there is a language issue until Kacy changes into her bone creature mutant form. Only in this state does she start getting answers. The creature divulges that Kacy was only meant to be an experiment when they fund her at the party. It explains how they are being hunted by the “Patchwork Man” and Kacy was selected to be a weapon to defend them if she survived. However, when they were attacked, Kacy was sent to the wrong reality to survive.

From here, Kacy demands to be returned home and wants nothing to do with the creatures and their war. She returns with the crab monster to its’ spaceship and soon finds out the world she once knew has changed forever! Readers sit back and watch how Kacy’s return trip proves to be more than she bargained for. From here, the question becomes what does Kacy do now? A choice is made that sets the course for more danger to come but does Kacy have another option? The final act holds nothing back as Kacy comes to grips with what her life has now become and readers get ready for the next phase in this evolving tale.

Bunn keeps readers guessing with the reveal behind Kacy’s transformation this issue. Kacy has always had an outsider approach to her pre-transformation but after the reveal, her emotions just pour out as she’s truly lost without a cause. Kacy’ anger towards the situation s completely understandable and only gets worse as she tries figuring out what’s next. Seeing ho cold (for lack of a better term) the creatures were concerning Kacy was another factor that jumped out. This issue moved pretty quickly and didn’t dwell too long on its’ big moments. The final portion of this book sets a solid direction heading towards its’ conclusion with much uncertainty hovering around the main character.

Bivens establishes how Kacy is processing the news behind her “new life”. Her reactions drive home the anger and frustration of how things have played out. Seeing the “Patchwork Man” on the full page panel connects with readers on how different this character is, more so than what we saw in issue #2. The time/reality traveling Kacy and the creature did also jumps out. When she returns “home”, the panels involved illustrate just how much has changed in what feels to Kacy as a short amount of time. The parting visuals cap off the new “stat quo” heading into the story’s next phase.

FINAL POINT: Retroverse #3 slowly peels back the mystery surrounding Kacy’s disappearance while keeping readers guessing at what’s next. Bunn, Bivens, and Peterson keep a steady pace with first-rate writing and illustrations. The mystery is still unfolding so if you haven’t checked this book out yet on Comixology, don’t wait any longer.

Hit me up on ODPH social media and let me know what you thought of Retroverse #3. Also, if you want to see more Parlay Points reviews on the Nerd Initiative, make it known! Thanks to the team at the Nerd Initiative for allowing the post & thank YOU for reading!

Marvel’s ‘Ant-Man & The Wasp Quantumania’ – Non-Spoiler Review!

Donavan Rose
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Marvel’s ‘Ant-Man & The Wasp Quantumania’ – Non-Spoiler Review!

Ant-Man & The Wasp Quantumania is coming and the Marvel Cinematic Universe will never be the same!

Earlier this week, I was lucky enough to attend my first Marvel red carpet at the “Ant-Man and The Wasp Quantumania” premiere. I normally like to see movies twice before I review them, but the fact that this was my first Marvel premiere and the kick-off of to phase five of the MCU, I had to share my initial thoughts on this pivotal film. 

Now just for clarification, Scott Lang won over my heart in 2015’s “Ant-Man.” He is a kind, charming, and funny man who really just loves and wants what’s best for his daughter. Not to mention he’s pretty easy on the eyes, I mean he is portrayed by Paul Rudd after all.

He was one of the few really relatable heroes in the MCU at the time; a normal guy, well more of a diamond in the rough who happens to get powers when he’s given the Ant-Man suit. Over the course of his time in the MCU his one constant character goal is to protect and be with his family and most importantly his daughter Cassie.

In the first Ant-Man, he was dedicated to changing his life to be able to have a relationship with her after losing time with her due to his prison sentence. In the 2018 Sequel, “Ant-Man and The Wasp,” he is dedicated to finishing his house arrest sentence to be able to spend time with Cassie as she continues to grow without him. In this third film, he is dedicated to protecting Cassie from the dangers of the Quantum Realm and none other than Nathaniel Richards, who you’ll come to know as Kang the Conqueror. It’s a good film but in my opinion, it’s not a top-five or even top-ten MCU film, and here are my non-spoiler reasons as to why.

“Ant-Man and The Wasp Quantumania” is by far the most adventurous and visually stunning of the Ant-Man and perhaps all of the MCU films. Compared to the first and second taking place nearly entirely within the borders of San Francisco, this film takes place nearly entirely in the Quantum Realm and introduces one of the most powerful villains in the MCU’s fifteen years. It brings quite a bit of Star Wars-type elements, worlds, and creatures to the screen that are entirely new to the MCU and you’re either going to love or hate that aspect. It’s for sure the weirdest MCU film yet but also the most mesmerizing and unique! 

However, the most adventurous and stunning doesn’t mean the best. It’s the first project in phase 5 so compare it to the previous projects of similar caliber like “WandaVision,” which started phase 4, “Captain America Civil War,” which started phase 3, “Iron Man 3” and “Iron Man.” Right off the bat, you can tell that this film has some pretty high expectations to meet. It’s an Ant-Man film but there’s so much packed into it that it may leave the viewer with more questions than answers.

We are introduced to so many new places and people but that introduction is about all we get and we are left to wonder about these things and if we’ll ever see them again in the MCU. It still has the same character goal of Scott Lang to protect his family, however, this film seems to be less of a conclusion to the Ant-Man Trilogy and the beginning of a villain’s reign. With that being said, It does have an incredible villain; Kang the Conqueror played by Jonathan Majors. I am so excited and terrified for the next several years as he makes the MCU his dynasty and you should be too!

As fans know, third films in the MCU usually have huge consequences for the main character and while yes there are consequences in this film for Scott Lang, I was just hoping for higher stakes and just more to be laid out on the table. I brought tissues and when I left the theater they remained unopened. I did almost shed a couple of tears at times but nowhere near what I thought. I think a lot of the disappointment in this comes from the recent “theory” culture on social media. Fans come up with all these theories which of course we all love and have a right to do but sometimes we get so hung up and sure of these theories we make them our expectations and I’m guilty of that too. 

It’s a fun and beautiful film, but it’s very messy. While I loved seeing more of Scott and Cassie’s relationship as she matured and sort of aspired to be more like him, I had some questions about her relationship with Hope and Hank which we can discuss when the film comes out. I also really missed Luis, Dave, Kurt (even though David Dastmalchian appears as “the blob” in this film), and even Jim Paxton. Corey Stoll IS the comic relief in this movie as MODOK. I promise every time he’s on the screen you will be chuckling. 

This is a film I won’t mind watching again and again, but it’s not my favorite of all the MCU films or even the Ant-Man Films. Something about “Ant-Man” 2015 will always hold a special place in my heart. The credit scenes are probably the best credit scenes we’ve gotten in a very long time and they’re going to blow up Twitter so get excited and stick around for those!

I highly recommend seeing this on the largest screen possible and/or in 3D! Don’t go into expecting perfection but go into it leaving your theories at the door and be ready to come out with a new big baddie in the MCU! 

“Ant-Man and The Wasp Quantumania” hits theaters Friday, February 17th!

“Somebody I Used To Know” – Strangely Hilarious Film on Love and Life

Pooja Chand
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“Somebody I Used To Know” – Strangely Hilarious Film on Love and Life

Somebody I Used To Know is Prime Video’s newest rom-com that is directed and co-written by Dave Franco, and stars Alison Brie, Jay Ellis, and Kiersey Clemons. The film follows Allie, the showrunner of her own reality television series, who heads back to her hometown to recharge only to run into her ex, Sean. As she ponders how life could have been different, she meets Sean’s fiancé who reminds Allie of the person she used to be. 

Read Also: “Aftersun”: A Strange Coming Of Age Story

Despite having watched the trailer, the film itself is something that turned out to be different and unexpected in its own way. The performances between Alison Brie and Kiersey Clemons are simple yet loud, as they are the primary forces behind the film’s themes.

It becomes clear that they are two sides of the same coin and their chemistry amplifies this extremely well. And while the chemistry is the exact opposite between Alison and Jay, I feel that it works in favor of the narrative that is being pushed, as you see both of their characters being completely different from who they were years prior. And if you’re a Community fan, you’ll be happy to see Danny Pudi reunited with Brie, and he is a joy to watch in this film. 

(L-R) Allison Brie as Allie and Danny Pudi as Benny in “Somebody I Used To Know” (2023). All Rights Reserved by Amazon Prime Video.

The story and the writing is extremely tasteful as well as realistic for the most part. As funny as it can be at times, it’s well balanced with its more dramatic moments, which are filled with messy emotions that are both raw and universal. This is mostly due to how much the movie touches upon the past and present of some of its characters as they reflect on what could have been, as well as what could happen. While our main character engages in absolutely toxic behavior, it’s not without its consequences and influences, and it’s not something that immediately leads to a fairy tale ending. 

Much of the movie focuses on the reality of love and romantic relationships, what you’re willing to sacrifice to live the life you want, and the compromises that are made to make something work. And that’s a huge aspect of the film that I just love to see in a modern day rom-com. The film pushes the lesson that it’s not always going to work out the way you want it to, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an unhappy ending. Life will pull you in one direction over another and lead you to something or someone better, so why not pursue it? 

(L-R) Jay Ellis as Sean and Allison Brie as Allie in “Somebody I Used To Know” (2023). All Rights Reserved by Amazon Prime Video.

But mostly, the film encourages finding the person you once were and reconnecting with them, reigniting certain passions you once had. Just because one chapter has closed doesn’t mean you should forsake all of who you once were. Somebody I Used To Know is strangely hilarious but also manages to provoke us into some self-reflection, especially when I think about all the choices I’ve made in my life and how it’s all led me here to this moment. And that, I think, is what makes this simple film about love and life inspiring in its own unique way.

Samosa Rating:  

Somebody I Used To Know receives 4 out of 5 Samosas. 

Somebody I Used To Know is now available to stream on Amazon Prime.
Runtime: 1h 46m

Disney 100 Years of Wonder – All the Details of the Celebration

Rianna Paez
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Disney 100 Years of Wonder – All the Details of the Celebration
“I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing, that it was all started by a mouse”. -Walt Disney

“I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing, that it was all started by a mouse.” – Walt Disney

What an exemplary quote that defines the magnificent celebration currently taking place at the Disneyland Resort – Disney 100 Years of Wonder. The celebration of the Walt Disney Company’s 100th Anniversary kicked off on January 27th, at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California.

Founded on October 16th, 1923, originally known as the Disney Brother Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney and his brother Roy Disney started their journey and later, per Roy Disney’s suggestion, change their company name to the Walt Disney Studio.

Now, almost 100 years later, we come together to celebrate the stories, characters and journeys this wonderful company brought to life.

Now, lets get into the details of this extraordinary celebration!

New Show Debuts

Wonderous Journey is the new firework spectacular at Disneyland that takes you on an invigorating journey throughout 100 Years of Walt Disney Animation. With brand new projections and all new music, it’s sure to leave you with a heartwarming feeling.

World of Color-ONE is the new World of Color nighttime spectacular at Disney’s California Adventure. Showcasing character and their stories where that ONE pivotal moment can change the course and make an enormous impact. Bringing to life impactful moments from, The Lion King, Moana, Ratatouille, Soul, Star Wars, The Avengers and more! You’re guaranteed to shed some tears.

*The best way to view World of Color-ONE is the reserved viewing areas. Here are some of the ways to access the reserved viewing areas.

-A valid virtual queue selection for World of Color-ONE (one per guest).

-A valid voucher for World of Color-ONE dining package or dessert party (one per guest). This is a separate fee.

You can find the beautiful 100 Years of Wonder Platinum decor all throughout the Disneyland Resort.

New Attraction

While already a fan favorite attraction in Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway has made its way over to Disneyland and landed a permanent residence in Mickey’s Toon Town. An immersive attraction that places you inside a Mickey Mouse cartoon and takes you on a whirlwind of an adventure.

*To experience Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway you will either need a Virtual Queue Boarding Group or you can purchase an individual Lightening Lane (availability subject to change). A standby lane is not available at the time.

Disney 100 Years of Wonder Merchandise

Lock in the precious memory of this spectacular celebration with a beautiful keepsake from the limited-time collectibles from the Disney 100 Years of Wonder merchandise. You can shop these limited-time celebration items throughout the Disneyland Resort and on http://shopdisney.com

If you’re heading on over to the Disneyland Resort I also highly recommend you try out some of the delicious, 100 Years of Wonder celebratory foods, you can mobile order and locate these items on the Disneyland App.

Additional Exciting Disney News!

-Making it’s return back to Disneyland on February 24th, 2023 is the “Magic Happens Parade”.

-Mickey’s Toon Town is set to re-open on March 19th, 2023.

Hall of Armor – Iron Man’s Buster Armor Over the Years!

Derek Hoskins
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Hall of Armor – Iron Man’s Buster Armor Over the Years!

Welcome to Paperweight Entertainment’s Hall of Armor! A series in which we dig deep into Iron Man’s bag of tricks.

Your weekly reminder that Tony Stark is an unrivaled genius, a futurist, and sometimes a cartoonish mad scientist who is willing to waste his fortune on outlandish upgrades to his armor!

This week we take a look at Tony’s Buster Armor throughout the years, including those to battle the Hulk, Thor and many more!

Who’s That Comic Character?

Jeremy Bowersock
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Who’s That Comic Character?

Since this series is still freshly back from hiatus, we are giving YOU the chance to guess the character before giving you the reveal video. When we have a winning guess, that person will get a shout out in the next video and article for the series!

So always take a good long look at the silhouette provided, because they can get very tricky. Again, since this is a fresh start for this particular series, I should tell everyone the rules.

Check Out The Full “Who’s That Comic Character?” Series on TikTok!

Star Trek Fans Are Getting A New Game!

Rules Of The Game

  1. You only get one guess per person
  2. Check comment sections to ensure your guess has not already been taken by another player. Only the FIRST person with the right answer on each platform will get the shoutout
  3. Be specific with your guess! For example:
    If you guess “Green Lantern” you need to specify WHICH Green Lantern you mean. Hal Jordan? Alan Scott? John Stewart? Be Specific

In the reveal video, not only will the winner get their shout out, but at the end of each reveal there is some short bio information about each character. Including their creators and first appearance so you have something new to hunt for at you local comic book shop!

@theindieinkwell

Once again it is time for #whosthatcomiccharacter good luck everyone! #crossovercomics #comicbooks #comictok #createwithoutfear #nerdinitiative #comicbooktiktok #whosthatcharacter #guesswho #guessthatcharacter #marvelcomics #dccomics #indiecomics

♬ [Loop] Dance Music 5 2 minutes – alt

Can You Guess The Comic Book Character?

Now is time to leave a comment with your best guess. Even if you have to take a wild shot in the dark, you never know which of those shots will actually land!

Good luck to everyone, and as always be safe, be kind and take it easy.

Check Out The Previous Video In The Series Here

Who’s The G.O.A.T Of All Comic Book Characters?

Creator Spotlight – KodyCollects on His Comic Journey and His Amazing Support System

NI Staff
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Creator Spotlight – KodyCollects on His Comic Journey and His Amazing Support System

Meet KodyCollects, one of the most humble, yet knowledgable comic collectors and fans around.

Here, we dive into how he got into comic books, his content creation journey, and speak about his support system.

Watch the full interview below!

“The Society” Season 2 Confirmed… In the Multiverse

Donavan Rose
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“The Society” Season 2 Confirmed… In the Multiverse

Netflix is known for its record-breaking original shows like “Orange is the New Black”, “Stranger Things”, and “Wednesday”. It’s also known for taking older shows and films and reviving them into more modern adaptations like “Fuller House”, “Cobra Kai”, and “That ‘90s Show”.

However what Netflix may be most well known for is canceling its original hidden gems prematurely. “The OA”, “I am not okay with this”, and “Santa Clarita Diet” are a few victims of premature cancellation but the most notable victim of Netflix’s premature cancellations is the 2019 show “The Society” which left watchers on a huge cliffhanger with the season one finale that fans will most likely never get answers to.  

However, the creator of the show Christopher Keyser recently stated that when Netflix canceled the show it was in majority due to COVID-19 and the scripts for season two had already been written. Keyser released some details about the season we’re still hopeful will get picked up by another studio someday. “The second season provided more clues about how the group got into an alternate reality, how they can get the town back to normal, a new farming outpost on the outskirts of the town, and answers to some of the unanswered questions from the first season.” I just need answers about the dog, it kept me up at night! It was such a unique show and I’ll never forgive covid-19 for bringing it to its demise. 

While we recently got that brief description of what season two could’ve been I knew the Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania Premiere was the perfect opportunity to give us fans a little more insight from one of the stars of the show herself. Kathryn Newton portrayed Allie Pressman in the show and she stars as Cassie Lang in Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania.

Newton walked the red carpet earlier this week at the Ant-Man and The Wasp Quantumania premiere and I was lucky enough to attend myself. I just HAD to ask her if somewhere in the vast multiverse there is a second season of “The Society” and she said… Well just see for yourself what she said in the clip below! 

She said YES! For those of you unfamiliar with the multiversal timeline see the image below to get a better understanding! 

Timeline A is our timeline and you can see there is only a singular branch of “The Society” for the one season we got. Timeline B is an alternate timeline where “The Society” has two branches indicating there are two seasons. For example in Timeline B Covid-19 may not have happened which was a major cause of it being canceled in our timeline where it did. 

After that confirmation, I’m about to pull a Scarlet Witch and find America Chavez to help me get to the universe where we got that second season! 

Would you travel the multiverse to find Season Two? Do you still have hope it will get picked up by another network, especially with the script already being written? Or have you given up all hope to any “The Society” Season 2 in our universe? Let us know in the comments!

HARROWER Review-A Horror Story with a Vintage Feel

NI Staff
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1
HARROWER Review-A Horror Story with a Vintage Feel

Welcome to an all new edition of Parlay Points, the comic book review blog to the ODPH Podcast stopping by the Nerd Initiative!

For this entry, we’re checking out a debut issue of a limited series from BOOM! Studios that horror fans will want to have on their radars. HARROWER #1 by Justin Jordan (Spread), Brahm Revel (Guerillas), and Pat Brosseau welcomes readers to Barlowe, New York and it’s mysterious figure. BOOM! has been on quite a roll with its’ horror books with such hits as Basilisk and Specs (to name a few). Let’s jump into this issue and see how things fare for the residents of Barlowe, shall we?

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

The story kicks off in the small town of Barlowe, New York. The sheriff of the small town returns home to find a marking on the inside of his walls. Knowing there is danger nearby, he draws his gun waiting but is attacked from behind. His gun is lost in the struggle. When he goes to reach for his gun, a foot stands over it. At this moment, readers witness an intimidating figure standing over the sheriff. With a defiant look and last words, the sheriff is killed by the frightening figure.

HARROWER #1 – Credit: BOOM! Studios Creative: Justin Jordan, Brahm Revel, and Pat Brosseau

The story then shifts to high school where a teacher is explaining the mark on the sheriff’s wall. It is referred to as the “sinner’s mark”. The teacher explains to the class that the mark sends a call out to the Harrower, an avenger that “keeps Barlowe pure”. One student in this class listening is Jessa Brink. Class is dismissed with an eerie warning. Jessa meets up with some friends, her boyfriend and Carter Creed, a trouble soul who gets into an altercation with Jessa’s boyfriend. It’s revealed when Creed storms off that his sister was killed in the same accident as Jenna’s brother.

Readers are taken thru a meeting with Jessa’s parents as they head out into a town gala. Jessa questions their decision but ultimately, they have made up their mind. When they leave Jessa takes off for a party with her friends, no one is ready for what unfolds next. What starts out with fun intentions takes a side track that immediately will impact the small town. What happened on the way to the party? Who is the sheriff related to and where does that story now lead? Readers will get those answers plus a final moment that will have some conversation started until next issue.

Jordan sets up the pieces for an entertaining horror tale. The story had a very retro feel to me (which isn’t a bad thing) as it captures some classic horror themes. The Harrower is only shown a few times within the issue giving plenty of page time to the residents of Barlowe. There are many introductions to the town’s residents but the standout moments are with Jessa and her parents. There is an event that affected their family and Carter’s which gives a vibe that there is much more to dig into with that sub-plot. The final moments speed a few things up and gives a twist ending that will be interesting to see if it holds up moving forward.

Revel illustrates the brutality of the Harrower right from the opening moments. The altercation with the sheriff is brief but effective in showing the danger surrounding the title character. The emotional points with Jessa and her family started to connect why that moment looks to be more impactful than anyone realizes now. Th set-up from the drive to the party to the conclusion was perfect for giving a vintage horror sense to the drama unfolding. The final panel was a bit of a surprise as I feel it could in two very different ways when the next issue opens, but did enough to cap off the suspense from the debut.

FINAL POINT: Harrower #1 gives readers a vintage horror feel with a mystery just starting to unfold. Jordan, Revel, and Brosseau craft the suspense of the small town’s supernatural figure with solid storytelling and art. If you’re looking for a new horror story at the LCS, Harrower #1 is one to check out.

Hit me up on ODPH social media and let me know what you thought of Harrower #1. Also, if you want to see more Parlay Points reviews on the Nerd Initiative, make it known! Thanks to the team at the Nerd Initiative for allowing the post & thank YOU for reading!

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