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Everything Archie => Reviews => Topic started by: PTF on May 13, 2018, 12:38:33 PM

Title: PTF Reviews Blue Baron 1.1
Post by: PTF on May 13, 2018, 12:38:33 PM
 Here we goes! Brand new reviews....of comics about five or six months old. Who knows, I might even review Start Up by the year 2020 at this break neck pace.


Before the thirteen stars and bars, there was a hero who fought taxation without representation with the speed of January gale and the strength of an oxen—The Blue Baron. And then there's Ernie: a bullied, superhero fanboy who gets way too many hugs from his mom. What happens when these two meet? Find out as we review BLUE BARON 1.1


Oh, and a brief keynote

Blue Ernie = Ernie in Blue Baron's body

Ernie Baron = Blue Baron in Ernie's body.

Memorize it. It will be your guide for the rest of the reviews.



The Good

The writing: This is a very funny book. I love the tour guide's talk on how he wasn't a scientist and the flashback red coat's "see which end of the rifle is effective for extracting information.". I like how there are superhero fantasy teams. And I can't think of a joke I didn't like. I also like the idea of a kid who follows superheroes becoming one of the heroes...just the one he thinks is a dork.

Blue Baron and Ernie are written well. We don't really get to see much of Blue Baron when he isn't in "witty banter mode" But from what we do get after the accident—he's kind of a jerk. Ernie's reactions and the brief fight he gets in with other heroes make sense—bullied kid who finally can fight back. And the reason for the fight is set up since the reflex makes total sense. And I like the bits of dialogue with Blue Baron using words like "continental" in place of money and Ernie with his ai dio mio. Just little things to make characters stand out.

And the issue does a great job of introducing the cast. We have the main characters. But we also get to see Ernie's geek clique, Slater and his gang of bullies,  the Superhero Union, Carson Corp. The only people that get short changed are Ernie's dad and his little sister, but the last page does gives us a good idea what she's going to be like—annoying little sister. Hey, not all tropes are bad.

And we're set up to a few mysteries to explore in future issues such as who is The Mikado? And the Specimen 6? What is it?

The art: Ron Frenz does a great job. I've been a fan of his work since Spider-Girl so I was extremely happy to see that he is the artist and he doesn't disappoint. The characters are all drawn real well with various size, shape and personalities. I read you the dialogue and then show you the comic, you'd go, "okay, that's what I was imagining or I can see that." I already knew he could do action but his comedy is great. When Blue Ernie decides to test out his powers on some poor guy and his car is hilarious. Bull and Raider in their last panel is great with Bull just having the most happy face. The fight scenes have great energy and I love the way Blue Ernie is shown fighting: just thrashing about with his eyes closed. Something I'd see a wimpy nerd do.



Mayday lives! Yeah. Apparently Spider-Girl went to a different universe, got married, and had kids. Good for her. Because Marvel Comics are pretty bad right now.


The coloring and lettering. I like it all. The colors really pop. Especially the sound effects during fights. And the colors and style make sense like "Thug" is pretty simple and orange and when Ernnie spills his milk SPLASH is colored white or GOOSH is...how you'd imagine it. The lighting during the flashback stands out to me. And the inking by Sal Buscema is great. He always jelled really welll with Frenz in the Spider-Girl book and the magic is still there.

The Bad

How the issue ends. Okay, I get that this is a comic split up into bits and it ends on a funny joke, but it does violate one rule of first issues I have...leave me wanting to read the next issue. Just some intrigue or a cliffhanger that can't make me wait to pick up the next issue. It jus doesn't hammer that for me.

A few names please. I kind of wish we had gotten the first names of Ernie's family. The mom especially since she's in it way more. I don't know, it's just a pet peeve of mine. Probably because (insert name) would be easier to write in a review than Ernie's little sister.

Bad tour layout. Haven't we learned anything about kids going on a field trip to anything scientific? Especially when there's a door labeled "RESTRICTED." 'Cause you know one of those little mutants is going to get all gamma powered up or something. Usually it's the loser nerdy kid.

What I learned.

That I was right in Freshmen American History; there were superpowered people who defended the colonists against the redcoats.
 
It's a good issue. The writing and art are great. Coloring and lettering is super. I can't say it's a great issue because the ending feels so abrupt and doesn't pull the reader to wanting the next issue immediately. And I hate when characters are introduced and not named that issue. I'll give it a B+


And for everyone who wants to give this a read, last I checked, this issue is free at the Sitcomics website. Check it out. Read it.

And now to review—THE ISSUES I HAD TO PAY FOR!!