Life

Months have passed since the last issue, both in real time and in the series, but Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla make a strong return with the long-awaited “Afterlife With Archie” #9. Spring has sprung in the apocalyptic world beyond Riverdale, Archie and the gang’s hometown, and Aguirre-Sacasa bypasses the rigors of whatever challenges winter brought, which is perfectly fine by readers who want to see the gang survive a force of nature far more horrific than cold weather. This issue focuses on the ever-deceitful Reggie Mantle and delivers a surprising revelation about the zombie horror that has befallen Riverdale and beyond. Lest there be a reader or two unfamiliar with the dynamic between Reggie and Archie, Aguirre-Sacasa and Francavilla lead off with a fresh and brilliantly simple recap. The first page is a one-page “Dick and Jane”-style primer that’s not only a refreshing touch, but also one that’s perfectly worded by Aguirre-Sacasa and sketched out in a childre

A team of hardened Colonial Marines and a Weyland-Yutani representative are sent on a mission to investigate a problem on a colonized world, and some anomalies come to light before they set down on the seemingly deserted planet. That’s the general premise of many “Aliens” stories as well as Dan Abnett and Brian Albert Thies’ “Predator: Life and Death” #1, the beginning of a four-issue miniseries that ties into the larger “Life and Death” event involving Dark Horse Comics’ “Aliens” and “Prometheus” licenses. Abnett puts a twist on the oft-used plot device of this issue, but it’s mainly by way of switching the players around; instead of encountering a Xenomorph, the marines instead encounter a Predator, and the story relies on many of the usual tropes. There’s the usual array of characters present: the nervous and trigger-happy marine; the seemingly conniving company rep whose job seems to be putting everyone else in danger in the name of W-Y’s best interests; and the calm and decisiv

Poison Ivy has been one of Batman’s foes since 1966, but some of her best portrayals have positioned her somewhere in between a full-on villain and a misguided person with strong goals regarding the protection of plant life. “Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death” #2 firmly locks in the latter tactic for Poison Ivy, as Amy Chu, Clay Mann, Seth Mann, Jonathan Glapion and Art Thibert deliver a character whose intentions are good, though her methods are sometimes on shaky ground — and, quite frankly, that’s exactly what the character needs. After a couple of years of a more villainous approach to the character — betraying/enslaving the Birds of Prey and then trying to capture Clayface — I like seeing Ivy back as Pamela Isley, a scientist specializing in botany and horticulture. Her goal of living a quiet life while creating human/plant hybrids similar to herself is more than a little admirable, at least for now. As we watch her trying to stay out of trouble even as the mystery of Dr. Luis

While “Ant-Man: Larger Than Life” #1 is clearly set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Ant-Man in the spotlight of Will Corona Pilgrim’s story is Hank Pym. Andrea Di Vito provides the art, with colors from Veronica Gandini and lettering by Clayton Cowles. As an added bonus, two early Hank Pym adventures are reprinted in this issue, giving readers a chance to check out “Tales to Astonish” #27 as well as #35 of that series. The lead-in focuses on Hank Pym experimenting in his lab. Rather than working on his formula, Corona Pilgrim sets Pym on the task of learning how to communicate with ants. The story would prove quite boring if the writer explored the full scope of the scientific process (not to mention the story is only twenty pages), so the answers come quickly but lead from one field test to the next, montage-style, to secure readers’ attention and maximize efficiency. That brisk story packs in some surprises but does nothing for the development of Pym as character worthy of r

It’s Thanksgiving in Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla’s “Afterlife With Archie” #7, and as the gang flees their zombie-overrun town, the one thing they’re likely most thankful for is that they’ve simply made it this far. Aguirre-Sacasa focuses largely on Betty’s past and the genesis of her relationship with Archie over the years, a relationship that creates more tension than usual with Veronica with the entire group on edge and in constant danger. While Betty’s flashbacks are certainly reflective of better times than the present, her diary writings don’t show that pleasant a past. The context of Aguirre-Sacasa’s story features Betty trying to reconstruct her childhood journal, left behind after fleeing Riverdale. There’s an implication that her childhood memories are filtered through years of retrospection and are decidedly skewed by the somber mood of the ongoing deadly situation. Betty’s recollection of her mean-spirited older sister and her competitive relationship

Filed under “could not possibly be more relevant” given the current controversy in gaming, Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang’s “In Real Life” is a beautifully illustrated and charming look at one young gamer girl’s life. The messages and tone are heartfelt and entirely without cynicism, a welcome change from the Gamergate-related headlines that have dominated the recent news cycle. Doctorow has crafted an utterly charming story about a relatable, average girl gamer who learns a lot when she encounters the harsh realities of the very real world though her unreal online gaming life. The book makes no issue of the fact that our heroine is a girl — in fact the story has little to do with gender, and the ways in which it does touch gender are wonderfully refreshing. The story and its lead character, Anda, are sweet, but stay just this side of saccharine. There are lessons to be learned but Doctorow deftly avoids the “after school special” trap into which a lesser writer might have fallen. Wang

Diving deeper into the logistics of purgatory and Jude’s partnership with Hemingway, “The Life After” #2 builds some serious momentum. Fialkov and Gabo provide a strong balance of world building and character building that gives this series the context and connection it needed. Though I was personally lukewarm about the first issue, the second has me quite excited for issue #3. Crucially for a second issue, the creative team has a firm grip on their pacing and story building. The issue reads effortlessly, flipping between Jude’s struggles on the ground and the goings-on in the afterlife control room. The reader comes to understand much more of what’s going on while also getting to connect with Jude and Hemingway. Where the first issue could be a tad confusing, issue #2 is clear while still leaving me with important questions. By letting the reader in more, Fialkov has clarified and heightened his stakes. It’s an excellent example of how to write serialized fiction. I’m also glad th

Like all issues of the series, “Life With Archie” #36 features not only a look at the future adult life of Archie and his pals, but also the pre-announced death of Archie in the double-length issue. Prior to the tragic climax, though, writer Paul Kupperberg takes readers on an upbeat and optimistic tour of life with Archie, who reflects on his past, his present and the far different future he imagined for himself when he was a child. Through all of the optimism and tragedy, regular series art team Pat Kennedy and Tim Kennedy still make it look like a normal day in the life of Archie, and it’s a most notable one, indeed. Despite the telegraphed conclusion of the issue, there is no sense of foreboding or sadness leading up to it; in fact, Kupperberg ensures that it’s just the opposite. As Archie both figuratively and literally takes a run down Memory Lane, this issue is anything but a downer. Instead, it’s a celebration, as Archie clears his head and realizes that, despite the stresses

Every day, Jude wakes up from his fretful sleep, rides the bus to work, takes his lunch alone, goes home to sleep, and then does the same exact routine all over again. Every day, he watches the same woman drop her handkerchief on his way to work but can’t muster up the courage to approach her. In Joshua Hale Fialkov and Gabo’s “The Life After,” however, today is not every day and — when Jude finally breaks the cycle — he gets the shock of a lifetime or two. “The Life After” #1 is what every debut issue should look like with its intriguing concept, succinct exposition and quick pacing. How, exactly, does one create a sense of overwhelming monotony without getting monotonous oneself? Well, it seems that Joshua Hale Fialkov and Gabo are the ones to ask. Their set up is remarkably swift, cramming Jude’s never-ending series of bad days into one jaw-droppingly massive splash page that contains no less than fifty separate panels. The repetition combined with Jude’s tired voice exudes the t

As a Riverdale High dropout, I have to admit that I am not intimately involved in the adventures of Archie Andrews and company any too frequently nowadays, but that has not prevented me from participating in “Afterlife With Archie” #4 by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla. As a matter of fact, I am not only reading it, I’m entertained by it. I secured all four issues and dove right in, reading as many issues of this book in a span of two days as I have any other title over a span of weeks or months. “Afterlife With Archie” #4, containing the fourth chapter of Aguirre-Sacasa’s exploration of a zombiefied Archieverse, is titled “Archibald Rex,” wherein the hero returns to his house to check on his parents. What he finds is not at all good, as the resurrected Hot Dog corners him before Archie can even check on his folks. Aguirre-Sacasa focuses most of this issue on Archie’s attempt to reunite with his parents, but he also uses three pages to check in with at the Blossom h