Jonathan’s Comic Book Reviews – Week of 3/25/15

This week I review Invincible #118 from Image Comics, Aquaman #40 from DC Comics, and Elektra #11 from Marvel Comics.

Invincible #118

Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Ryan Ottley
Colorist: Jean-Francois Beaulieu
Letterer: Rus Wooton

 
I’m not quite caught up on this series but I thought I’d give this issue a go since it only cost a quarter! The recap section in the front of this issue summarizes 117 issues and makes this one easily accessible for new readers. And at 25 cents, you can’t go wrong. I love reading these characters and it makes me want to buy the second compendium so I can catch up. I love the humorous tone of this issue because then when the issue gets serious, it hits you like a ton of bricks. Ryan Ottley’s pencils and inks are wonderful and the colors are fantastic. Ryan Ottley has a very creative imagination when drawing the alien world and food. He also does a great job with the characters range of emotions in this issue because it certainly is all over the place.

Rating: 6 (Out of 7)

Aquaman #40

Writer: Jeff Parker
Artist: Paul Pelletier
Inkers: Sandra Hope, Wayne Faucher & Tony Kordos
Colorist: Rain Beredo
 
The conclusion of Maelstrom picks up right where last month’s issue left off. Arthur and Mera arrived at Pacifica in search of Arthur’s mother, Atlanna. Reading the issue it felt very predictable and the payoff doesn’t seem worth all the trouble that Arthur went through to find her. Mera and Arthur both have some great action sequences and the art by Paul Pelletier is phenomenal, this has got to be some of his best work on this book! Since Geoff Johns left this title, it has been his artwork that really kept me coming back for more every month. I like Jeff Parker’s take on Aquaman more with each issue that comes out but this one kind of felt flat to me.

Rating: 4 (Out of 7)

Elektra #11

Writer: W. Haden Blackman
Artist: Michael Del Mundo
Colorist: Marco D’Alfonso

 
The story wraps itself up rather quickly, but given that this series was only 11 issues, I’m not surprised. All the plot threads are tied up nicely and nothing is left unaddressed. My greatest takeaway from this book is that I am glad it reestablished Bullseye as a major threat in the Marvel Universe. Elektra’s journey seemed somewhat fulfilling; I especially liked the tone with which she was written. I like that is it left somewhat open-ended so it can be picked up if anyone at Marvel ever deems Elektra worthy of her own ongoing again. I do wonder how this series would have turned out if it were simply a limited series. I absolutely love the art by Michael Del Mundo and colors by Marco D’Alfonso. It is a perfect balance of beautiful and gritty. To me, the art was the biggest selling point of this series.

Rating: 5 (Out of 7)