Comic Book Reviews (Week October 26, 2022): Catwoman Lonely City Issue 4, MMPR Issue 101 & More!

Welcome to my comic book reviews for this week (October 26, 2022). I will be covering Catwoman: Lonely City issue 4, X-Terminators issue 2, Dead Mall issue 1, and more.

Let’s begin by talking about Catwoman: Lonely City issue 4 by writer and artist Cliff Chiang. As a fan of Selina Kyle, I have to say that I have greatly enjoyed this four-issue story. The premise of an older Selina trying to figure out how to move on after Bruce’s death and also get to the bottom of a mystery he left her is compelling stuff. And while certain aged-up characters from the “good” side made an appearance, I liked how Chiang focused more on having Selina work with the older versions of iconic villains.

Catwoman: Lonely City issue 4 brought the narrative to a satisfying close as it provided Selina with the answer she was looking for, and the character development she’s been through allowed her to start a new chapter in her life. Now, I get that certain fans would have wanted a juicier storyline, especially after learning the truth about Project Orpheus, but this miniseries was about letting go of the past and accepting the course of nature. The entire thing had a very grounded feel to it (as much “grounded” as you can get in such a fictional world), and Selina choosing something different wouldn’t have made sense.

Catwoman: Lonely City ended up being the type of tale that will be remembered down the line. And I have my fingers crossed it inspires some kind of live-action adaptation. 

Does it have obvious queer characters? Yes.

Recommendation: PICK IT UP!

X-Terminators Issue 2

Written by Leah Williams, X-Terminators issue 2 continued to offer a story that made me want to read the next chapter as soon as I finished it. I’m loving the chaotic storytelling.

My only criticism would be the use of a flash-forward scene that kind of took away from the danger being faced by Jubilee, Boom-Boom, Laura, and Dazzler. It was a fun scene and talked about the consequences that followed the misadventure these women had, but still, I could have done without it to keep the tension going.

Also, how did Laura’s arm get sliced off? I thought she had adamantium bones now. Or was the magic trap able to cut through adamantium? Hmmm.

The dynamic between the characters continued to be enjoyable, even though I can kind of see certain readers not appreciating the sense of humor Williams’ brings to the table. To me, these characters were acting the way a bunch of close friends would… complete with random cursing and taking jabs, while also making sure to have each other’s backs.

Even though the flashback took away the surprise, I’m still looking forward to seeing how this group will manage to escape as the cards keep getting stacked against them.

Does it have obvious queer characters? No.

Recommendation: Pick it up!

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Issue 101

From writer Melissa Flores, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers issue 101 debuted a new arc with the Rangers needing to travel to the moon to save Lord Zedd. I know, the Rangers saving Lord Zedd? I mean, as Kimberly put it, better to keep the devil you know around. The Rangers and Zordon were understandably worried about a threat possibly greater than Zedd causing even more trouble for everyone.

I do feel the opening flashback took away from the reveal at the end, but I still found the overall issue to be quite enjoyable. It’s about time such an iconic villain came back. Ryan Parrott did an incredibly impressive job during his run. So, I’m looking forward to seeing what Flores has got planned. This particular issue was definitely a promising start.

As for the art by Simona Di Gianfelice (illustrator) and Raul Angula (colorist), Kimberly’s Pink Power Ranger outfit was missing the skirt in a couple of panels. But then again, that’s just a nitpick because I love Kimberly.

Does it have obvious queer characters? No.

Recommendation: Pick it up!

Dead Mall Issue 1

From writer Adam Cesare and artist David Stoll, Dead Mall issue 1 offered an interesting premise featuring a haunted mall ready to kill a bunch of teens, but not without having a bit of fun with the food first. I liked how the story revealed the danger without dragging it out until the final page. There’s definitely promise here. So, let’s see if the upcoming issues can deliver.

Does it have obvious queer characters? No.

Recommendation: Pick it up.

Creepshow Issue 2

After an enjoyable debut, unfortunately, I found both stories in Creepshow issue 2 to be rather ‘Meh!’. From writers David Lapham and Maria Lapham, ‘The Gorgahmorahh Tree’ featured a little girl taking things into her own hands as a cursed tree called out to her. The scenes of her having to deal with abusive parents were emotional, but I didn’t find myself feeling anything for the supernatural aspect of the tale.

From writer Steve Foxe, I found ‘Creator’s Rites’ to be the more enjoyable of the two. It brought up some interesting points about how writers are exploited by Hollywood and how original creations are changed with time. But other than that, again, I was ‘Meh!’ about the entire issue. 

Does it have obvious queer characters? No.

Recommendation: Up to you.

Stuff of Nightmares Issue 2

From writer R.L. Stine, Stuff of Nightmares issue 2 continued the story of three crazed scientists wanting to create life. In my opinion, the fact the narrative focuses on the crazed leads instead of a “heroic” figure does work. The second issue had the trio, along with their baby monster Frankie, finding a new place to continue their horrific experiments. There’s also a romance element involved which led to a predictable development.  

Along with that, the escaped zombies from the previous issue also made an appearance. They seem to have a level of intellect. So, it will be interesting to see what that horde does next and how that particular storyline will connect back to the trio.

Does it have obvious queer characters? No.

Recommendation: Pick it up!

Sins of the Black Flamingo Issue 5

From writer Andrew Wheeler with gorgeous art by Travis Moore (illustrator) and Tamra Bonvillain (colorist), Sins of the Black Flamingo issue 5 closed the current story as it had Sebastian make an important decision about “love” while Ofelia tried to keep things under control. There are some fun twists involved.

I feel that Wheeler offered a satisfying conclusion. Sebastian, Ofelia, and Abel were at a good place to move forward from, all things considered.

And while I kind of like Sebastian as a lead, he’s been through quite a lot and is basically cursed, I really want to learn more about Ofelia and the magic system being used in this fictional world. Due to the fifth issue closing with a promise that the series will come back, I hope I get that.

Does it have obvious queer characters? Yes.

Recommendation: Pick it up!

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Which comic books did you read this week? What did you think of Catwoman: Lonely City issue 4?

Let us know.

Author: Farid-ul-Haq

Farid has a Double Masters in Psychology and Biotechnology as well as an M.Phil in Molecular Genetics. He is the author of numerous books including Missing in Somerville, and The Game Master of Somerville. He gives us insight into comics, books, TV shows, anime/manga, video games, and movies.

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