Isola, Vol. 1 (comic) - Paul's REVIEW

*I received this book as an eARC from Image Comics via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: Isola, Vol. 1
Creators: Brenden Fletcher, Karl Kerschl, & Msassyk 
Recent Release Date: October 30, 2018

Synopsis: An evil spell has been cast on the Queen of Maar and her Captain of the Guard will do anything to reverse it. Their only hope lies on an island half a world away--a place known in myth as Isola, land of the dead.

Gotham Academy creators Brenden Fletcher and Karl Kerschl reunite with series colorist MSASSYK and letterer Aditya Bidikar for a breathtaking fantasy adventure two decades in the making.

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Review: I really enjoyed this story. It's so fantastical. The artwork is beautiful. The design of the characters and the animals are great. The animals remind me of those in Avatar: The Last Airbender. 

There is no exposition in this book. You're thrown into the situation and have to figure out what's exactly happening. For some fantasy stories, there's so much info dumping. Not in this story. 

I give this book a 5/5. Great Storytelling. Gay romance. Beautiful artwork. A journey in a Fantasy world. 


--PAUL

Paul's TOP FIVE COMIC BOOKS Read in 2017

Out of the 47 books I read in 2017, a large majority were comic books. I read mostly Star Wars and Power Rangers comics, but also some other great ones. I got to read some awesome comics with queer representation this year. Below you will find the TOP FIVE comic books that I read in 2017. Click on the titles or cover pictures for links to my reviews!

 MY TOP 5 COMIC BOOKS OF 2017

5.Love is Love

4.The Tea Dragon Society

3.Taproot

    

2.The Flinstones (Volumes 1 and 2)

1.Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: PINK

What were your favorite comics of 2017? What comics are you looking forward to in 2018?

--PAUL

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: PINK (comic) - Paul's REVIEW

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Title: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: PINK
Writers: Brenden Fletcher, Kelly Thompson, & Tini Howard
Illustrator: Daniele Di Nicuolo
Recent Release Date: April 25, 2017

Synopsis: After leaving the Power Rangers, Kimberly Hart, the former Pink Ranger, is thrust back into the Ranger life and must call upon the help of old friends.

The original Pink Ranger returns!

After leaving the life of a Mighty Morphin Power Ranger behind, Kimberly Hart finds herself pulled back into the fray. With her parents missing and their village overrun by monsters, she must reclaim her destiny and discover the power that lies within. She’ll have to call on some old friends if she’s to unravel this mystery and save this once sleepy village.

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Review: The original Pink Ranger, Kimberly Hart, takes center stage in this comic taking place after Kim has left the team to pursue her gymnastic career. Goldar has a plan of his own while Lord Zedd and Rita are off planet dealing with the Power Rangers. Goldar takes Kim's family hostage and she must reconnect with her powers to save the day. 

There were so many things I loved in this book! This was made for readers my age who grew up with the original Mighty Morphin squad. Nostalgia meter set to 11!

Kim isn't the only former ranger who comes back to ruin Goldar's plan. Zack and Trini are back and they also utilize the latent Pink energy remaining in Kim. The suits are epic! Zack's new Black Ranger outfit not only has pink accents, but also a hoodie vest!

There are so many references to the Zordon era of shows. Past zords come into play. The Sword of Light returns. The Shark Cycles are back with an upgrade. Serpentera as well as the helpful zords Tor and Titanus even show up. 

There are so many little details that really add to the characters. Trini is in Kim's phone with the yellow tiger emoji! Zack and Trini's post-Ranger life is very on-character. I really liked seeing Kim competing in gymnastics and getting to know her feelings on no longer being a ranger.

I love how BOOM! is modernizing and enriching the cardboard characters from my youth. There's also great diversity in this book. There's a team of 5 rangers using the Pink Power and Kim leads. Plus its pretty diverse in gender, race, and nationality. I hope they continue this trend of focusing on other characters. Jason is only mentioned briefly. I'd love to see his post-MMPR, pre-Zeo adventures. Or a focus on some of Rita's minions. A Finster backstory, please!

I give this comic a 5/5. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! A must-read for fans of Power Rangers, especially if your'e in your late 20's and were there in the beginning.


--PAUL